2020 Kia TellurideNick Tragianis / Driving A group of Canadian Kia owners are filing a class-action lawsuit against the automaker, claiming theyre being misled about how often their vehicles need to be serviced.According to the owners manual in most Kia vehicles, routine service should be performed every 12,000 km. Thats what Thrse Martel read in the booklet when she purchased her new Rio in 2012, hoping for a vehicle thatd require less maintenance due to her long commute.However, when she brought her car in for its first service, reports the CBC, she was told the 12,000-kilometre interval indicated in the owners manual didnt apply to vehicles sold in Quebec.Kia says most of Canada falls under what is considered a severe usage schedule for maintenance, which means vehicles must in fact be serviced every 6,000 km, twice as often as the manual states, if owners want to maintain their warranty coverage.Martel is seeking $985 in damages, the amount she claims she lost due to the extra service shes had to book. If the lawsuit is successful, it could apply to other owners as well.In a statement to the CBC, parent company Hyundai Canada remarked all of Canada is considered a severe usage area due to the harsh weather.Across the automotive industry, harsh weather/temperature is one of the most important considerations for vehicle maintenance, the automaker wrote. Canadas weather is largely considered to be severe due to our harsh winters and vehicle maintenance should reflect
Origin: Lawsuit against Kia alleges Canadian owners being misled about maintenance
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New Toyota program will help owners of white cars with peeling paint
2011 Toyota Rav4 Owners of Toyota vehicles with peeling paint may get some relief under a new program being implemented by Toyota Canada.According to a report from CBC News, Toyota Canada will offer a voluntary customer support program similar to action taken by Toyota USA for owners whose white vehicles are starting to peel.Exactly what Toyota will do to solve the problem still isnt clear, but a Toyota Canada spokesperson said when the program is ready, owners of affected vehicles will get a notice in the mail.In the U.S., Toyota responded to reports that certain vehicles painted in Blizzard Pearl or Super White were peeling. According to the notice sent to owners, these specific factory-applied colours could peel on exterior metal body parts when, over time, sunlight degrades the adhesion between the coating on the metal and the paint primer. According to CBC News, the notice to customers doesnt say what Toyota will do whether it will repaint the entire vehicle, or what years and models will be covered. The company said it will reimburse customers who previously paid to have their paint repaired, but didnt specify if it will pay the whole bill or just a portion.Those who own Toyota vehicles painted in these colours are advised to update their information with the manufacturer, if necessary, to ensure that they receive a notice in the
Origin: New Toyota program will help owners of white cars with peeling paint
U.S. trend: Porsche owners trading in their cars for Jeeps
Its a Porsche thing you wouldnt understand. If that marketing tagline sounds a little familiar, so will the brand of vehicle many Americans who own Boxsters and Caymans are buying once its time to trade in their German sports cars.No, theyre not moving into BMWs or Audis, or even Teslas, according to Klaus Zellmer, Porsche North America CEO.The exec apparently told Autoblog that Boxster and Cayman owners who dont go straight into another Porsche product are most likely to opt for a Jeep Wrangler.It seems the executives in Germany just about lost their lederhosen when Zellmer told them about the buying habits of those crazy Americans, who are more than willing to go from Porsche precision to one of the roughest-riding sport-utes on the market. Autoblog suspects its because these folks primarily bought their low-slung Porsche sports cars as the familys third vehicle and only for its fun factor and once the lease is up, theyre out to try the next driving adventure on the bucket list.We think the blogs on to something. As it says, just as with the Boxster, you can still get a Wrangler with a
Origin: U.S. trend: Porsche owners trading in their cars for Jeeps
These are the top ten cars owners keep the longest: study
Rain or shine, cars like the Corvette Stingray form some of the strongest bonds among fellow gear heads and friends. In today’s era of breakneck-speed technological development, it’s rare for people to hold onto anything mechanized for longer than a few years. Imagine using a cell phone from ten years ago? But according to a study performed by online used car search engine iSeeCars, there are many who keep their vehicles for a good number of years before selling them. Mostly Toyota owners—The research looked at over 5 million vehicles sold by their original owners to come up with a list of the top ten longest-kept vehicles. The ranking includes five sports cars – more than any other type of vehicle – including the second-place Chevrolet Corvette, third-place Mercedes-Benz SL-Class and fourth-ranked Audi TT, all of which were kept by their original owners for an average of just over 10 years. The Ford Mustang and Porsche 911 also make the list in sixth and eighth place, respectively, at right around 10 years of average ownership. The top spot goes to one of Toyota’s most trusted nameplates, the Land Cruiser. The average length of ownership for that popular SUV is 11.4 years, almost a full year longer than the second-place ‘Vette. Three other SUVs landed on the list: Ford Expedition, Toyota 4Runner and Toyota Sequoia. The fourth Toyota to make the cut was also the only sedan. The brand’s North American flagship full-size car, the Toyota Avalon, snuck into the tenth spot with an average of 9.7 years. Are you bringing the ownership period average up or down? Let us know how long you owned your last car in the
Origin: These are the top ten cars owners keep the longest: study
Canadian Toyota owners are waiting weeks for parts and no one knows why
With many car-maintenance issues, the best solution is to get to a mechanic rather than trying to figure it out yourselfGetty Toyota owners across the country are commiserating over a shared headache caused by a major delay in parts.Halifax driver Catrina Brown told the CBC, for example, that she’s been waiting for over 60 days for parts to arrive for her RAV4, which was damaged in a collision and brought to a repair center. “It’s seemingly incomprehensible to me that a massive corporation like that can’t get it together to find parts for their cars,” the CBC quotes Brown. “There’s been a total lack of communication or effort to be transparent. I’ve had to do all the work of calling and trying to contact people to find out what’s going on.”The issue at hand is what Toyota spokespersons refer to as a “planned systems transformation to provide an improved overall customer experience.” When CBC’s reporters followed up for clarification on what they “systems transformation” entailed, they were told simply that the issue would be “short-term.”But not short-term enough for some. The story cites other sources who say they’ve been waiting far too long for parts. One Cambridge, Ontario woman was told there was “nothing they can do to reimburse (her),” and that she would basically have to keep waiting for the weeks-delayed parts for her 2016 Scion FR-S. Meanwhile, her insurance stopped covering rental costs two weeks ago. In Mississauga, Ontario, a 2018 RAV4 driver, Bogdan Dakonovic, waited six weeks for a fix his shop told him should’ve taken three days, and the car is still missing its grille and other pieces.“This has been a really stressful experience for me and my family and it’s changed the way I look at the brand,” he told the CBC.The Toyota parts issue appears to be limited to
Origin: Canadian Toyota owners are waiting weeks for parts and no one knows why
Tesla brings back free supercharging for Model S, X owners
In an effort to attract buyers back into its dealerships rather, its web pages Tesla is offering free, unlimited supercharging as an incentive on the purchase of a brand-new Model S or X.Breaking the news in a Tweet, the promotion started earlier this month. Globally, there are 1,604 Superchargers stations, so that should help curb any range anxiety. Tesla has also simplified its trim levels to include only Long Range and Performance models.A few years ago, Tesla offered a similar deal, but it was limited to 400 kWh of electricity credits each year for Model S and X orders. Tesla says the promotion is applicable to Canada, too.Last month in the U.S., Tesla amassed 18 days’ worth of Model S and X selling inventory, a stark change from the zero days Tesla started with when it was first introduced. This, coupled with now lower base prices of its vehicles, suggests Tesla is having a bit of a tough time moving EVs.Unfortunately for current Tesla owners, they will still have to pay for supercharging. In the U.S, that rate stands at 28 cents per kWh, or between 13 and 26 cents per minute.If there was ever a great time to pick up a Model S or X, nows your chance Tesla changes its charging policies frequently, so theres no telling how long this promotion will
Origin: Tesla brings back free supercharging for Model S, X owners
1969 Plymouth GTX thought abandoned being auctioned against owner’s wishes
Plymouth GTXDan Wells / Edmonton Sun A 1969 Plymouth GTX thought to be abandoned and offered up at auction might still be sold to the highest bidder even though its owner has now been located. Classic car insurance company Hagerty broke the news when it heard about the car, which’d been left in a storage facility in Michigan. Storage fees were piling up and the facility’s owner, who no longer knew the owner’s name, called the Leelanau County Sheriff. Neither the sheriff nor the Michigan Secretary of State could find any record of the car’s owner, even with a VIN check, and the police took possession of the car with the intent of selling it to recoup the fees. Since it’s a convertible with a 440-cubic-inch V8, one of 700 built and with such rare options as air conditioning, power windows and power top, it quickly drew attention. (Our photo up top is not of the car in question, but a similar example.) A Hagerty representative found a replacement carpet kit in the trunk, complete with a shipping label from 2002 that had been mailed to a Craig McIntosh in Traverse City, Michigan. A specialist with Hagerty estimated the car, which has had body work and paint done to it, at US$30,000 to $40,000 as-is. Not long after Hagerty posted Craig McIntosh’s name, he called the company. It turned out the car belonged to a friend of his, who was “dealing with some personal stuff back then.” McIntosh tried to help him by looking after the car and putting it into storage, but thought the car “was gone a long time ago.” McIntosh said he’d been contacted years ago by the police about the car and offered to pay the outstanding fees at that time, but since he didn’t have the ownership or proof that he’d been asked to look after the car, it couldn’t be released to him. He said he tried to contact his friend at the time, but didn’t get a response. They talk to each other now, and the car’s owner has since contacted the sheriff’s office to claim the Plymouth, but the online auction, which went live on June 6, 2019, is still on and will wrap up on June 18. Currently, the highest bid is US$58,600. The problem is that, even though the owner has identified himself to the sheriff’s office, the car will be sold unless he can prove it’s his, and he files a legal motion to stop the auction. Otherwise, someone else will be the new owner of this one-of-a-kind barn
Origin: 1969 Plymouth GTX thought abandoned being auctioned against owner’s wishes
BMW demands payment on financed M4 after owner’s mods
A Youtuber got a firsthand lesson in why you should always read the fine print after BMW came calling for the full payment on his financed M4 Competition, claiming he violated conditions by modifying the vehicle, including jacking the output up to over 700 horsepower. Rickardo Senior (aka Ricky) from the Youtube channel LivingLifeFast says he bought the Bimmer for an “epic deal” of just over £60,000 ($100,000) back in December, and things were going great. He’d taken it down to Belgium to spice it up a bit, adding a hybrid turbo, methanol injection, an upgraded exhaust and more. All the work resulted in an increase of 276 horsepower, pushing Ricky’s M4 up to 720 horsepower from the standard 444, which is undeniably cool but also, according to BMW, a breach of contract. The brand has given him a week to pay up or face having the car repossessed. Ricky says BMW gave him two reasons for the ultimatum. One is that he’s “altered the vehicle without (its) consent” and the other has to do with the company’s doubts that he’ll be able to make the payments on the Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) plan. Ouch. Within the PCP contract, the customer gives a deposit and multiple payments including a final instalment based on the value of the car as it exists at the time. If the buyer decides they don’t want the vehicle at that point, they’re free to return it without making the final payment. When cars are modified, however, their value diminishes, potentially leaving the brand with a car that’s worth less than it would be if it were unmodified. “Based on these two breaches, BMW are demanding the full amount for this car by next week,” Ricky tells the camera in his BMW PSA. “If I don’t make the payment for this car by next week, they’re threatening to recover the vehicle and probably auction the car off and bill me for the remainder of what’s left of the debt.” Ouch. Not nice, BMW. Through it all, Ricky seems to be staying pretty cool, saying he’s not out to throw shade at BMW. “The only reason I’m making this video is because I think it could be educational,” he says. The top comment on the video reveals the potential solution for others looking to modify a vehicle they don’t entirely own yet. “Should’ve financed through a bank if you were gonna mod
Origin: BMW demands payment on financed M4 after owner’s mods
Porsche is now selling exact reproductions of nearly all of its owner’s manuals
An arrangement of Porsche drivers manualsPorsche When it comes to details on how to maintain a car, there’s no source more trustworthy than the original owner’s manual. But when a car becomes a classic and starts trading hands, that vital little book is often removed from the glovebox during the transitions, leaving new owners without the one source of information they most need. This being 2019 and all, they can of course just go online and get the book off of sites like Just Give Me the Damn Manual, but a digital copy on the phone just isn’t the same. Besides, what if the car breaks down and the phone’s battery is dead? Books don’t have batteries. Perhaps inspired by the sale of a vintage Porsche 910 driver’s manual for US$14,000 on Bring a Trailer last year, the German automaker has announced it’s once again printing and selling the original owner’s manuals for almost all Porsche models ever. The books are exact replications, featuring the original structure, artwork and design, and of course the information within. You can’t use Command+F to search for “fuel filter” like you can in the PDF, but there’s something much more satisfying about leafing through a good ol’ paper book. Over 700 different exact reproduction manuals from models reaching back as far as 1952 are now available for purchase over on Porsche’s classic site. Porsche has also reprinted about 100 classic maintenance and warranty booklets for certain cars. Prices for the manuals range from around $90 to $200 Canadian.
Origin: Porsche is now selling exact reproductions of nearly all of its owner’s manuals
Vancouver supercar owners embark on world record attempt
Pemberton Regional Airport is no stranger to supercars as the Hublot Diamond Rally has rented the property for the past few years, but this years gathering in the shade of Mt. Currie could make the pages of the Guinness Book of World Records.Project 604 As a child growing up in his native England, Robbie Dickson dreamed of owning incredible cars and setting world records. Move ahead a few decades and the Vancouver-based entrepreneur has certainly accomplished the former—his current stable includes a Lamborghini Aventador Spyder, a McLaren 720S, a McLaren Senna, a Rolls-Royce Wraith and a soon-to-arrive 2020 Ford GT—and if all goes to plan next weekend he’ll tick that world record off that childhood bucket list. This coming Saturday during the 7th annual Diamond Rally, Dickson, with the assistance of a couple of hundred and change local supercar owners, plans to set a Guinness Book of World Record mark for the most luxury and supercars gathered on an airport runway. He’s been involved in the charity fundraising rally as a founding driver since its inception in 2013, and last year it dawned on he and rally founder Craig Stowe that just such a record was well within their grasp at the Pemberton airstrip they’ve been using for drag races the past few years. “We were so amazed at how many supercars came on the rally, and we think we’ll have two hundred and fifty this year easily,” Dickson said. Stowe is equally confident. “The luxury and supercar community is one hundred per cent behind the challenge,” he said. “We will establish the world record.” Dickson noted that there will be photographers, helicopters and film crews organized to capture the high-octane gathering, and that all registered drivers and navigators will receive a official aerial photo from the endeavour to set a World Record. “We all look forward to sharing the results with Guinness Book of World Records and fingers crossed they will publish the results in an upcoming edition,” he said. The 7th annual Hublot Diamond Rally begins the morning of Saturday, May 4 at Brian Jessel BMW on Boundary Road in Vancouver. Cars begin gathering at 8 a.m. with an official start time of 10 a.m., featuring a VPD motorcycle escort onto Highway 1 en route to the Sea-to-Sky Highway. The rally ends at Pemberton Airport just after noon, with the official world record attempt photo shoot scheduled for 1 p.m. Note that only those with Diamond Rally wristbands will be allowed onto the airport grounds. For complete information visit
Origin: Vancouver supercar owners embark on world record attempt
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