4 Things You Need to Know About Buying a Car in Calgary
Buying a Car in Calgary is like buying a car in most cities, but there are a few quirks that you’ll want to keep your eye on. Weather and geography play a big part in how you’re going to roll so you’ll want to get a picture of life on the Albertan roads before buying.
Here are four things to consider before putting the pedal to the metal in Calgary:
Rain, Snow, and Hail will Destroy Your Car
First off, Calgary is like most places east of the Rockies: cold and snowy in the winter and hot and sweaty in the summer. Take care with the car you buy, it’ll have to take you through both extremes.
Secondly, you’ll need a vehicle that is good on slippery, slushy roads in winter. A car with rear-wheel drive will sink unless you’re looking to put three hundred pounds of sandbags in the trunk. If you’re not skidding, you’ll definitely be sliding and that's not fun.
Because of how extreme our temperatures can be in Alberta, our streets tend to take a beating. The combination of freezing and thawing causes car-sized craters in the roads. Don’t buy a car that’s too sporty or low riding unless it’s a second car you plan on only driving 80 days out of the year.
Big Country Means Lot’s of Travel
Alberta is a big province with lots of wide open space. There isn’t a lot of geography like mountains and oceans that stops us from building big, sprawling cities so you're going to be covering a lot of ground on a daily basis.
In addition, stray outside your urban centre and you can literally go for miles before seeing another city or town. Because of this, you’re going to want a car that’s reliable. Nothing is worse than breaking down on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere and discovering there's no cell service.
Car Insurance is Privatized
Alberta is one of the provinces that has a privatized auto insurance industry which means you’re free to shop around for a quote that works for you. But not all coverage is created equal so it’s best to ensure you ask a lot of questions before committing to buy car insurance.
Another little quirk about buying a car in Calgary is that you have to register your vehicle at a different place than you insure. It’s not a one-stop-shop like British Columbia’s ICBC. Just remember to insure your car before going to the registry because they won't let you get very far without it.
Get a Car with a Block Heater
For those of you living in more tropical climates, a block heater is useless. However for those of us forced to survive sub-zero prairie winters, a block heater is what helps get our car started when we need it most.
In essence, a block heater helps keep the car’s engine oil warm. Sluggish oil means harder starts for your vehicle which can stress the system and wear out parts before their time. Or worse, your car doesn’t start at all and then you’re forced to find someone who can give you a boost.