Wealthy Aucoin says he purchased a used car for $800 a decade in the past — and has been driving it ever since.
“It’s really going to get inspected in two weeks. So we’re going to do a significant overhaul for the following MVI (motorized vehicle inspection). Preserve it going for one more 10 years,” he stated.
The Halifax resident says discovering methods to increase the automotive’s lifespan has helped him lower your expenses all through the years, however it’s not with out its challenges.
“Positively (the) brake pads, I can really feel that it’s like form of easing into the stops,” Aucoin stated.
Statistics Canada data findings from April discovered car upkeep and repairs prices climbed by 4.2 per cent over the previous 12 months.
Mixed with the minimal self-service worth of gasoline reaching $1.96 in Halifax on Friday — a rise of 57 cents per litre since Feb. 27 — some trade specialists say drivers may be compelled to make some troublesome selections relating to car upkeep.
“Should you’re seeing a rise in gasoline costs and it’s a must to pay that as a result of you may’t change your driving habits, then who is aware of the place you’re pulling that cash from,” stated Kristine D’Arbelles, the managing director of public affairs on the Canadian Vehicle Affiliation (CAA).
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In an electronic mail to World Information, the CAA stated a better share of upkeep visits have been for restore points as a substitute of proactive appointments, like oil and brake checks, lately.
The affiliation added that older autos mixed with decrease upkeep diligence can result in security issues.
“The common age of a car on a Canadian street was round 10 years outdated. Now that quantity is beginning to creep into 11 and 12,” D’Arbelles defined.
These working in automotive gross sales and upkeep throughout Halifax say not all drivers are pushing their autos to the boundaries, however there are some exceptions.
“There are people who find themselves driving with flat tires, no emergency brakes, stuff like that. They don’t even know. Some individuals simply don’t know, that’s wonderful, however we’ve got to coach them and steer them in the precise course, no matter that’s,” stated Jack Clement, a automotive salesman at a Dodge dealership in Dartmouth.
A service supervisor at an auto restore store in Halifax agrees.
“There are some individuals positively who’re placing it off and placing it off, which may result in build-up over time and swiftly the restore invoice is huge,” stated Ian McDonnell, who works at Tom McDonnell’s Service Centre in Halifax.
D’Arbelles stated car possession is usually the second-highest price for Canadians after housing.
According to Halifax Regional Municipality data from 2024, 65 per cent of residents say they use their private car as their major mode of transportation, leaving many looking for methods to mitigate rising prices throughout.
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