The Car Help Podcast

This week we have Ivars Plorins from Byford Garage joing us to discuss the recent news from Tesla. The electric automaker has been experiencing delays with their long anticipated Model 3, the most affordable model to date. The company has seen stock price fluctuations, along with safety related incidents and changes to the assembly line in hopes of increasing production. We discuss the news about Tesla with our guest and share our thoughts on where we feel the company is headed. Finally, we share our thoughts on another new electrified vehicle, the 2018 Toyota Prius Prime. 

This week we have Terry O'Keefe from OMVIC joining us to discuss the topic of curbsiders. We talk about the dangers of purchasing a car from a curbsider, how to spot one, and how to protect yourself when shopping for a used vehicle. We talk about what happens to curbsiders when they are caught. We also discuss the problem of online fraud and scams when searching through online classifieds. Finally, we share our thoughts on the new vehicle test drive of the week, the 2018 Ford Fusion Energi. 

This week we have Ivars Plorins from Byford Garage here to discuss the recent new from Ford. The domestic automaker announced that they will no longer sell any cars in North America, other than the Mustang. Instead they will focus on crossovers and trucks. We talk about the reasons behind this decision and whether or not it is a smart move for Ford. We also discuss the car buying trends in the market in general. Finally, we share our thoughts on the new vehicle test drive fo the week, the 2018 Jaguar F-Type 4-Cylinder. 

This week we have Terry O'Keefe from OMVIC joing us to discuss how to resolve disputes with dealerships. What do you do when you are experiencing a persisting problem with your vehicle that the dealership just can't fix? What do you do when your vehicle develops a new problem right after a dealership visit? We discuss these issues and try to provide some answers. We also talk about cooling off periods and how sales are final when signing the purchase agreement to buy a vehicle. Finally, we share our thoughts on the new vehicle test drive of the week, the 2018 Mercedes S-Class. 

This week we have Farid Kanji from Farid's Auto Centre joining us to discuss modern car technology. We talk about some of the increasingly popular pieces of technology on newer vehicles, why automakers are using them, and what the ramifications are in terms of long-term reliability and cost of ownership. Some of these technologies include turbocharged engines, CVT continuously variable transmissions, and engine start-stop systems. We share our thoughts on each of these technologies and whether or not they should be a deal breaker. Finally, we share our thoughts on the new vehicle test drive of the week, the 2018 Genesis G90. 

This week we have Farid Kanji from Farid's Auto Centre joining us to discuss the latest Consumer Reports survey. The survey highlights the top 10 vehicles most likely to go beyond 200,000 miles (320,000km) with the least amount of repair. We discuss the picks on the list and share our thoughts. We also talk about the impact that modern technology has on vehicle longevity and frequency of repairs, and whether or not modern cars will be able to go the distance to the same extent. Finally, we share our thoughts on the new vehicle test drive of the week, the 2018 Hyundai Accent. 

This week we have Elliott Silverstein from the CAA joining us to talk about the tow truck industry in Ontario. We discuss the latest changes to the towing industry and the new regulations and consumer rights that have been put in place to protect consumers, such as itemized billing, ability to use a credit card for payment, and disclosing whether or not the tow truck operator receives kickbacks from the repair centre. We touch on whether or not the changes to the CPA have had an impact or not, and what work still needs to be done to protect consumer interests. Finally, we share our thoughts on the new vehicle test drive of the week, the 2018 Honda CR-V. 

This week we have Debbie Arnold from Sound Insurance joining us to talk about insurance for Uber and other car sharing platforms. We talk about how insurnace coverage works if you are an Uber driver what you need to watch out for. We also talk about the increasing popularity of car sharing platforms and whether or not you should have any insurnace concerns when using these platforms. Finally, we share our thoughts on the new vehicle test drive of the week, the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio. 

This week we have Raymond Chan from the CAA with us to talk about the CAA Worst Roads Campaign. Now in its 15th year, the campaign is designed to gather information from consumers on what they believe are the worst roads in the province. We talk about how the campaign works, what the feedback is from consumers, and where the worst roads in Ontario are located. Consumers can nominate their worst roads at caaworstroads.com. Finally, we share our thoughts on the new vehicle test drive of the week, the 2018 Honda Clarity PHEV. 

This week we have Debbie Arnold from Sound Insurance joining us to discuss insurance premiums. We talk about som of most expensive vehicles to insure and what factors lead to higher insurnace premiums. We talk about the impact that modern safety features and technology are having on insurance premiums. We also talk about what to expect in rate differences between different types of vehicles, such as compact cars versus crossovers. Finally, we talk about our new vehicle test drive of the week, the 2018 Kia Stinger.