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A Unique Way to Pay for a New Micra

May 28 2014

Called the Micra Opportunity Program, it’s the first of its kind in Canada.

The Micra Opportunity Program makes it easy for buyers to make payments on time, while establishing or improving credit. No previous automotive finance or lease credit history is required and all applicants will be considered regardless of credit bureau history.

Basically: if your credit rating is garbage, Nissan will still help you.

Also, this is also a good way to establish and build a strong credit rating (mine is 800 mwah).

While I strongly believe that, “if I can’t pay cash, I probably shouldn’t be buying it”, a car is a bit different, since it’s often the 2nd largest purchase you’ll ever make.

Or if you’d prefer to lease, here’s how the Micra stacks up against its competitors.

Radar is the New Black – How it Works

May 27 2014

RADAR – RAdio Detection And Ranging – an object-detection system that uses radio waves to determine range, altitude, direction, or in this case, speed.

Basically – a wave is sent out, it bounces off an object, returns home, and a measurement is recorded.

The car was travelling at 111 km/h.

Automakers are starting to use radar in their safety aids.

Infiniti’s Q50 uses it in its Blind Spot Intervention System.

As does Hyundai’s Genesis, which looks like this.

The radar is behind that reflective piece.

Very basically – it sends out a signal, which travels along the road, beneath the cars in front of it, up to two away, then returns. If it determines those cars ahead are slowing down, the car slows down too.

Doesn’t look like much huh, just a flat piece of plastic.

A Photography Dichotomy

May 27 2014

Taken at the NASCAR race.

Same media passes, so same access…

…so imagine how I looked*, standing next to a sea of cameras like that, taking photos with my phone.

[photo: Ryan Dupont]

But!

In a race to post said photos online, guess who’d win…

* oh Keri comb your hair. Don’t worry though, since I was standing in pit lane during the start of the race, all the TV and other cameras on the other side, capturing that rats-nest *hangs head*

Cup Holder POV

May 26 2014

Driving the All-new Micra in Montreal

May 26 2014

2015 Nissan Micra
Starting at – $9,998
Fully loaded – $15,748

It’s a 1.6 L four-cylinder, outputting 109 hp and 107 lb-ft. Choose between a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic

I tested the little guy through downtown Montreal, then out to the countryside and back.

My driving partner for this trip was [redacted].

Me: but I blog all my driving partners?!
Them: I’d rather stay anonymous Keri, I don’t Tweet, FB, I prefer an air of mystery.
Me: ahhh kk, will absolutely help that! You’re talking to someone who got Google to acknowledge my name is ‘Blog’.

Too bad though, because we had a lot of fun. I almost bit the steering wheel a few times from laughing, from jacknifing… “oh I drove my Solstice too faaaaast.”

So much fun that an extra 80 km was added to the test, because we got so lost. Mostly my fault, it usually is #ForeverLost

Which means we barely made it to the track on time.

The arrows are pointing at its turning radius, 4.6 m.

That’s the second smallest out there, but only by 0.01m, so let’s call that the smallest turning radius available.

That doesn’t mean the car feels twitchy on the highway, which sometimes can happen. Quite opposite actually, the Micra drives like a larger car. It absorbs the bumps well and provides a smooth ride.

And a peppy one. Especially when pared with the 5-speed manual, this little guy had no problem keeping up on the highway, or out-manourvering those aggressive French downtown drivers. And it doesn’t do it with a whiny, noisy engine, as some of its competitors do; it’s a rather quiet cabin.

This is a good city car, and a great first car.

It’s little enough to fit anywhere in a busy downtown, but the interior is surprisingly cavernous, and four big humans will fit without smashing the tops of their heads.