A Car Buying Story, Part Three: Models and Makes
June 30th, 2011 | 
Author: A Car Buying Story, Part Three: Models and Makes
Generally, I wasn’t too happy with the variety of models in Canada. When it comes to family cars, the choices are quite simple – you go for a mini van or, as of lately, for an SUV. No big deal. But I thought that mini van is a waste of money if you have only two kids and don’t run a repair business. SUV has a fun, all-terrain drift to it, but it too is a waste if you don’t use it. What I was looking for is a smaller multi-purpose, single-volume vehicle, and there aren’t many of them here. Domestic makes are better in that respect than imports. I almost got to think that the selection is such that it forces you to either buy a big car or two cars.
I’m mostly saying this because I’ve seen plenty of such versatile models in Europe. For example, you can find a new Civic in 5 door trim — diesel!
Or a highly unusual, but apparently very versatile and practical Fiat Doblo (a wide spacious crossover) that looks somewhat like Honda Element, only it’s a bit smaller and proportionally wider.
Wagons and generally single volume vehicles are very popular in Europe. Half of Fiat’s fleet are such cars. And of course, the diesel option — everybody has it. I was really sorry I did not find a suitable one here.
Anyhow, that is what it is. This is my overview of different models I’ve looked at:
Honda Accord
I drove Accord ’89 for years, and I can testify to its quality. The engine was just great, even with 230,000 km on it. Every year when I need to perform Air-Care, all I’m thinking is: “Is it going to be slightly better or slightly worse than last year?” In the first couple of years I used to drive a bit before the air-care to warm up the engine, but later abandoned that practice — it was simply unnecessary. Anyhow, Accord was my first thought, and always a backup plan: “if I don’t find anything I like, I’ll just buy Accord”.
And the
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