Tips on Arriving in a Hired Car

There’s several things to consider when hiring a car during this holiday season.

  • limos are try-too-hard
  • don’t cram in passengers, it creates a clown car effect upon arrival
  • complete all monetary transactions before arriving
  • tip the attendant who opens the door – $2 is average, a $5 bill is classy

Read it online at Autonet.

Favourite line:

Be mindful of your outfit when exiting, as it easily drags across the door jams covered in winter sludge. Do this, and now you’re walking into the party covered in the mark of amateur hour. 

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All ‘Keri on Driving’ columns here.

 

 

Winter Tires Go On at 7ºC

It has nothing to do with snow, it’s temperature – at 7ºC rubber hardens, loses its grip.

What’s happening: a plastic runway is hosed down, to simulate a sheet of ice. Drive onto it at 35 km/h, pull the handbrake to initiate a skid, test the tires.

They’re counter-intuitive movements, but if you start to skid: steer into the skid, and don’t hit the brakes.

Don’t cheap out on the only part of your car that touches the road.

Calmly sliding along.

My column from last year, “Get Winter Tires” [and ‘ice rink driving’ video].

These are  Michelin X-Ice Xi3.  About $150 / corner, $600-ish for the car. 

Sometimes you can find a discount when you buy 4.  You must put 4 winter tires on, buying just 2 doesn’t work, it makes it worse on 3 levels.

Canadian Tire usually has good deals, and as of this season, will now store your summer tires.

 

 

Buy Winter Tires that have this Symbol

Located on the tire’s sidewall, this “snowflake on a mountain” symbol means the tire is specifically designed for use in severe snow conditions.

Tires marked “M + S” (mud and snow) are “all-season” tires. Don’t buy these, they don’t work.

Side fact: Quebec is the only province, where winter tires are required by law. Your car must have tires with this symbol.

(there’s a nerd joke in here somewhere, about how the tire is also marked with the upload symbol…)

 

 

The 6 Types of Car Features

How does an automaker decide which features to go into which model? To find out we speak with Tim Franklin, Nissan’s Head of Product Planning.

He explains it’s a balancing act among the 6 different types of features:

  1. Expected Features – Bluetooth
  2. Regulatory Features – daytime running lights
  3. Primary Features – keyless entry
  4. Proprietary Features – only one automaker offers these
  5. Subtle Features – seat comfort, soft-touch dash
  6. Canadian Features – heated side-mirrors

Read it online at Autonet.ca.

Favourite line:

And that’s how it came to be that the Versa Note is sold in Texas, with heated seats.

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