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There are several deciding factors when it comes to buying a new car, from price and fuel economy to insurance costs and reliability, but fitting comfortably into the driver’s seat can make or break any deal. Before you buy, make sure the car fits your size.

Both short and tall drivers can have a tough time finding the right vehicle, as tall people could hit the roof and short people might not properly reach the clutch. Thankfully, we’ve compiled this list for all you tall folks out there based on seat comfort, driving position, access, legroom, and visibility. Oh, and not to worry ‘shawtay,’ as our list of best and worst cars for short drivers is coming out next week.

Click here to view the best and worst new cars for tall drivers.

Best and worst cars for tall drivers originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Thu, 23 Oct 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Back in 2009, Daimler acquired over 9 per cent of Tesla. A couple of months later, it sold 40 per cent of that stake to Abu Dhabi-based Aabar Investments. The following year, Tesla listed on the stock exchange and Daimler’s interest was reduced to 4 per cent. But now the German industrial giant has announced it is selling that 4 per cent and divesting from Tesla altogether in a liquidation that is expected to raise approximately $780 million for Daimler. The divestment has also triggered speculation that the move could make room for rival German automaker BMW to take an interest in Tesla.

Despite the divestment, Daimler insists that its technological partnership with Tesla will remain unaffected. Mercedes sources the batteries for its B-Class Electric Drive (pictured above) from the Californian outfit in a deal that is not set to change as a result of the financial realignment. A similar collaboration was in place for the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive, however, now that the new generation of Smarts developed with Renault is on its way, it’s possible that a next-generation Fortwo ED will use French tech instead as an extension of the partnership between Daimler and Renault-Nissan.

Daimler has also taken the occasion to point out that, between the Mercedes, Smart and various truck brands, it offers “the industry’s biggest portfolio of electric vehicles,” including pure EVs, fuel cells and hybrids. The automaker says it will introduce ten new plug-in hybrid Mercedes models by 2017.

Continue reading Daimler divests remaining interest in Tesla

Daimler divests remaining interest in Tesla originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Thu, 23 Oct 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Z51 option pack was hugely popular full-stop, with a total of 21,105 examples in all bodystyles ordered.

For its first year out of the gate, the 2014 Chevrolet C7 Corvette Stingray did very well for itself, selling 37,288 units worldwide with 34,678 of the new sports cars hitting the market in the US alone. In fact, the total number was one of the best figures for the Corvette in the modern era. But the full breakdown of all the 2014 C7’s sales data has hit the web from The National Corvette Museum blog, and it has given us the chance to be nosy and find out what people really want from this latest model.

Individually, buyers seemed to really want some extra performance from their new Vette, because the coupe with the Z51 package was the most popular model, with 15,431 made (41.4 per cent), followed by the standard coupe with 11,134 built (29.9 per cent). The Z51 option pack was hugely popular full-stop, with a total of 21,105 examples in all bodystyles ordered with its added performance pieces – that’s 56.6 per cent of the year’s production. If anything, we’re surprised the bargain-priced grouping didn’t net an even higher percentages.

Despite people clearly wanting performance, customers’ transmission preferences unsurprisingly skewed towards automatics. The six-speed auto had 24,088 orders (64.6 percent), while the remaining 13,200 were seven-speed manuals. When the ‘Vette was closer to launch, the seven-speed represented about 38 percent of the production, so it only fell a few per cent over the entire model year.

Interestingly, some options were practically a universal choice among buyers. Some 31,173 cars (83.6 per cent) had the box for the optional performance exhaust ticked. Also, 30,427 people (81.6 per cent) ponied up for navigation.

When shopping for colours, customers really wanted to own a little red Corvette. Torch Red was the most popular paint shade with 7,197 made. In fact, it, Arctic White and Black were the three most popular hues, representing 51.7 per cent of total orders. The least wanted was Lime Rock Green with just 1,566 sold, and it has been discontinued for the 2015 model year.

These details are just scratching the surface at all of the info to be gleaned from this data. Check out the The National Corvette Museum blog for the full table.

Continue reading Here’s how people spec’d their C7 Corvettes in 2014

Here’s how people spec’d their C7 Corvettes in 2014 originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Tue, 21 Oct 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s that time of year again, as we prepare for the winter driving season and many drivers debate when (and if) they should switch to winter tires. Automobile technology is changing and cars are performing better because of things like ABS brakes and traction control. Still, those features are only as good as the grip of the vehicle’s tires, especially in cold and snowy conditions.

“When choosing the right tire for the winter season, the best all-season tire doesn’t compare to the worst winter tire,” says John Morin, service manager for Canadian Tire’s West Toronto store.

The fact is, the term ‘all-season’ is really a misnomer when it comes to tires. They’re consistently out-performed by dedicated winter tires that increase control and decrease the average stopping distance at 80 km/h by as much as 20 metres. Snow tires are identified by a mountain/snowflake symbol branded on the sidewall.

For those wondering when you should install your winter tires and officially make the switch, you should do so before temperatures begin to consistently dip into the single digits, as industry experts agree conventional all season tires don’t perform properly below 7 degrees Celsius.

If you’ve been thinking about making the switch to winter tires before the snow, click here to read our handy guide to answer some of your common questions.

Winter tires vs. all season: When and why to make the switch originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Tue, 14 Oct 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Got a speeding ticket recently? A new study by Insurance.com claims your lead foot might not be the only thing to blame, as the specific car make and model you’re driving could be part of the reason for those flashing lights.

Although the study sampled US vehicles that racked up the most traffic violations, many of the same makes and models are also sold right here in Canada too. While high performance cars like the Subaru WRX and Scion FR-S aren’t surprising to see on the list, there are a few odd shockers including the long discontinued Toyota Supra, Mitsubishi 3000GT and (wait for it…) Mercury Topaz?! WHAT?!

While we’ll remain very skeptical of the overall results being claimed here, Insurance.com explains that it based the study on 557,238 drivers who requested online insurance quotes from its service from January 1, 2013 to July 2014. To make it onto the list, a vehicle needed over 50 quotes, and in the end that left 526 models.

Click here to countdown the ‘most ticketed’ cars on the road according to Insurance.com and let us know what you think of the results on our Facebook page after watching the video below.

Continue reading Top 20 ‘most-ticketed’ cars on the road

Top 20 ‘most-ticketed’ cars on the road originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Fri, 03 Oct 2014 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is your car making rumbling noises or mysteriously vibrating? Leaking essential fluids? Sending smoke signals? Are warning lights suddenly coming on? Well, they’re all signs that you could be headed for some expensive car repair trouble, and if you’re like most drivers, you could use some help self-diagnosing the source of such problems before they lead to breakdowns and expensive repairs.

First of all, get to know your car’s personality – how it sounds and smells and moves – so that you’ll know when something out of the ordinary occurs. If your vehicle was made after 1995, consider investing in an on-board diagnostics (OBD) reader. They can be had for around $200.00 at Canadian Tire or similar. That doesn’t seem like too much when compared to a dealership charging you the same amount to even read one code. An OBD detects faults in the operation of all engine sensors and systems via the car’s on-board computer, including catalytic converters. It provides a trouble code that will give you a clue to the nature of a problem.

Click here to read our handy checklist on how to identify common problems and avoid costly repairs that affect most cars.

Continue reading 6 easy ways to avoid expensive car repairs

6 easy ways to avoid expensive car repairs originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Thu, 02 Oct 2014 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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After listing the 20 worst used cars to avoid buying and Top 10 annoying things we hate about new cars, we’re turning our attention to the vehicles consumers complain about the most, according to the NHTSA.

The cars, crossovers and SUVs featured on this Top 10 list earned the highest number of safety complaints from their respective owners. The findings are based on the number of complaints per 100k units sold.

Click here to find out which Top 10 cars consumers complain about the most.

Continue reading Top 10 cars for consumer complaints

Top 10 cars for consumer complaints originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Tue, 30 Sep 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aside from gas, one of the biggest expenses when it comes to vehicle ownership is insurance. If you are under 25 years-old, then it will cost you a hefty amount more when it comes to insurance rates – and yet it is required by law.

There are, however, many ways to make car insurance a little more bearable for young drivers, but it takes a tiny bit of research and advice which we’ve gone ahead and gathered for you on the next page. If you are dissatisfied with the insurance rates you’ve got or looking to save more money, click here are a few tips that can help you lower them.

Continue reading How to save money on car insurance if you are under 25

How to save money on car insurance if you are under 25 originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Mon, 29 Sep 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Most things you own will last longer if you take good care of them and treat them well. Your car is no exception to this rule. While neglecting your car may seem harmless in the short term, regular neglect and mistreatment will add up to costly repairs and reduce your car’s lifespan. To keep your car running longer and stronger, click here to find out and avoid the bad habits habits that will ruin your car.

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Continue reading Bad habits that will ruin your car

Bad habits that will ruin your car originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Wed, 24 Sep 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Each year, automobile thefts costs Canadians close to $1 billion, including $542 million alone for insurers to fix or replace stolen vehicles. While versatile crossovers and SUVs continue to be in high demand with consumers, it seems they’re just as equally popular among car thieves too.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau report, compact crossovers are the most frequently stolen victims of thefts while the full-size/pickup class of SUVs were the least. How often your make and model of car is stolen can quickly become one of the biggest deciding factors used to set your insurance premium. Meaning, It’s a good idea to find out if the vehicle you currently drive or one you’ve considered buying appears on our list of the Top 10 stolen crossovers and SUVs.

Top 10 stolen crossovers and SUVs originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Fri, 19 Sep 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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