# Obtaining a vehicle on arriving in Canada



## DunkFunk (Feb 3, 2010)

Hello All

My first set of questions, I'm sure I'll have lots !

We are quite close to PR visa being completed (done Medicals in Feb!)
I want to start putting some queries to bed. We are in UK at present.

On landing in Canada (Edmunton) we will in the first couple of weeks I guess rent a car but would obviously look to buy a second/third/forth ;-) hand car ASAP.

Whats the deal in Canada, do you get anything half decent for about say 7000 CAD ?
Whats the insurance system like ?
Does Canada have road tax ?
Do they have MOT's ?
Do small children have to have car seats ?

Please enlighten me to whats expected. I have a small family, wife and 2 children (3 yrs and 5 yrs old)
Would love to live the Canadian dream and drive around in a big ole Dodge Ram but for a starter something obvioulsy more practical.

Whats the public transport like in Edmunton / Calagry (we are un decided on location yet)

Any info would be greatly received

Thanks in advance

Dunk


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## ChrisGraham (Jan 15, 2008)

*Public transport in Calgary*

Hi
I will be in the same situation very soon. I'm flying out on the 28th April after receiving my PR visa. I have hired a car via Canadian Affair which gave the best deal with their current sale. Picking it up downtown. Calgary has an excellent (although some people find it a bit threatening if you were on your own as a woman late at night) light rail transport system that connects the city centre and the outlaying suburbs. I'm sure if you check online you'll find all about it. 

Cheers Chris




DunkFunk said:


> Hello All
> 
> My first set of questions, I'm sure I'll have lots !
> 
> ...


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## MandyB (Jan 14, 2010)

Hi. We lived in Edmonton for 8 months and found the bus system to be excellent. My husband came over 7 months before us so bought a vehicle from a second hand dealer called Family Motors.(Yellowhead Trail & 97 Street) As he is an ex mechanic he was very impressed with the brothers who run this garage as they are very honest as to any faults on the cars. Since then we have bought three more vehicles from them and had no problems. With your budget you can get a really nice vehicle. The insurance will be high as they will rate you as a new driver - no Canadian experience. There are no MOT's just vehicle inspections upon purchase that the dealer will do. You purchase your license plate and then pay a small sum every year which is reflected in the stickers put on your plate. Currently it is $74. Yes children must have car seats - why wouldn't you? If you have any other questions feel free to contact me on private messages if it is easier.


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## jen45 (Jan 17, 2010)

You culd get a very nice and reliable vehicle for 7000 canadian, will be lots to choose from, get a copy of your insurance history from your company in the uk this will let them give you a reasonable rate, get your no claims history etc, there is no road tax in canada, you pay for a sticker that goes on the vehicle license plate, you only do this on bought vehicles not rented ones, the sticker is similar to road tax i guess but is displayed on the license plate and not in the window, the mots are not like the uk, depending on the age of the vehicle it jst goes in for an e test ( exhaust emissions test ) every 2 years, and yes depending on the age and weight of a child they do require car or booster seats, also the public transportation is excellent in both edmonton and calgary, hopefully this has answered some of your questions.


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## jen45 (Jan 17, 2010)

MandyB said:


> Hi. We lived in Edmonton for 8 months and found the bus system to be excellent. My husband came over 7 months before us so bought a vehicle from a second hand dealer called Family Motors.(Yellowhead Trail & 97 Street) As he is an ex mechanic he was very impressed with the brothers who run this garage as they are very honest as to any faults on the cars. Since then we have bought three more vehicles from them and had no problems. With your budget you can get a really nice vehicle. The insurance will be high as they will rate you as a new driver - no Canadian experience. There are no MOT's just vehicle inspections upon purchase that the dealer will do. You purchase your license plate and then pay a small sum every year which is reflected in the stickers put on your plate. Currently it is $74. Yes children must have car seats - why wouldn't you? If you have any other questions feel free to contact me on private messages if it is easier.


 Yellowhead and 97st, thats my old neck of the woods when i lived in edmonton years ago, lived in dickensfield area and did my shopping at 97th and 137th, also at londonderry.......


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## DunkFunk (Feb 3, 2010)

MandyB said:


> Hi. We lived in Edmonton for 8 months and found the bus system to be excellent. My husband came over 7 months before us so bought a vehicle from a second hand dealer called Family Motors.(Yellowhead Trail & 97 Street) As he is an ex mechanic he was very impressed with the brothers who run this garage as they are very honest as to any faults on the cars. Since then we have bought three more vehicles from them and had no problems. With your budget you can get a really nice vehicle. The insurance will be high as they will rate you as a new driver - no Canadian experience. There are no MOT's just vehicle inspections upon purchase that the dealer will do. You purchase your license plate and then pay a small sum every year which is reflected in the stickers put on your plate. Currently it is $74. Yes children must have car seats - why wouldn't you? If you have any other questions feel free to contact me on private messages if it is easier.


Thanks for all your info./
How much are license plates ? Has the car obviously got a reg plate already but you mean simply buying a new reg plate to attach to the car ?

regards

Dunk


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## jen45 (Jan 17, 2010)

DunkFunk said:


> Thanks for all your info./
> How much are license plates ? Has the car obviously got a reg plate already but you mean simply buying a new reg plate to attach to the car ?
> 
> regards
> ...


 The car comes plated, you just buy the sticker for the plate and stick it on the plate each year, just like the road you get every 6 months or yearly in the uk but in canada its a sticker and you just put it on your plate, you are issued plates when you get the vehicle.


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## MandyB (Jan 14, 2010)

The plate is registered to you not the car so when you buy a car that plate goes with you - can't remember exactly how much mine was but it is under $100 when we came from UK. Then yearly it is $74 for the stickers. I went into the license registry gave them my UK driving license was given a Alberta one and a plate - when I bought a different car I registered my plate to the new car. It is quite a simple process similar to UK selling of a car.


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## jazza161 (Aug 18, 2009)

*Insurance costs?*

Hi, 
I too have been trying to find out the costs of vehicles, and have pretty much been able to find that, yes, you can get very reasonably priced secondhand cars...
But I simply CANNOT find any approximation of insurance costs - people here on the forum have mentioned numerous times insurance (in BC) is REALLY expensive, but what do they mean by that? :confused2: 
Can someone give an example of what they paid upon first arriving for an average sized car, it would be much appreciated.
Thanks to everyone who does contribute, it is really helpful!:clap2:


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## MandyB (Jan 14, 2010)

*?Average car?*



jazza161 said:


> Hi,
> I too have been trying to find out the costs of vehicles, and have pretty much been able to find that, yes, you can get very reasonably priced secondhand cars...
> But I simply CANNOT find any approximation of insurance costs - people here on the forum have mentioned numerous times insurance (in BC) is REALLY expensive, but what do they mean by that? :confused2:
> Can someone give an example of what they paid upon first arriving for an average sized car, it would be much appreciated.
> Thanks to everyone who does contribute, it is really helpful!:clap2:


Hi - well we use Wawanesa who seem to have the best rates. We run three vehicles - all V8 and second hand 1994, 1999 & 2004 for these we paid this year $2550. We have been here 3 years, have our house insurance with them & are both over 50 so this is reflected in the premium. Maybe look at a few web sites and put in the type of car you would buy and get a compare site for insurance.


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## ChrisGraham (Jan 15, 2008)

*Comparison websites*

Hi

Yeah I too would be interested in any recommendations on insurers, speaking with friends and they say there's no comparision websites for insurance like there is in the UK. Just like to be warned of the good, the bad and the ugly!

Thanks Chris



MandyB said:


> Hi - well we use Wawanesa who seem to have the best rates. We run three vehicles - all V8 and second hand 1994, 1999 & 2004 for these we paid this year $2550. We have been here 3 years, have our house insurance with them & are both over 50 so this is reflected in the premium. Maybe look at a few web sites and put in the type of car you would buy and get a compare site for insurance.


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## MandyB (Jan 14, 2010)

OK that's not true Chris : Competing Car Insurance Quotes, Auto Insurance Rates Instantly Online - www.Kanetix.ca & Get Car Insurance Quotes: Compare Personalized Auto Insurance Rates - Free & Fast! are just two I have found just by searching!!!
Happy hunting DunkFunk but be prepared for the rates to be high!!


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## ChrisGraham (Jan 15, 2008)

*Brill Mandy*

Really appreciate that Many, you beat my canadian experts!
Thanks Chris



MandyB said:


> OK that's not true Chris : Competing Car Insurance Quotes, Auto Insurance Rates Instantly Online - www.Kanetix.ca & Get Car Insurance Quotes: Compare Personalized Auto Insurance Rates - Free & Fast! are just two I have found just by searching!!!
> Happy hunting DunkFunk but be prepared for the rates to be high!!


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## MandyB (Jan 14, 2010)

*No problem!*



ChrisGraham said:


> Really appreciate that Many, you beat my canadian experts!
> Thanks Chris


No problem - you should know 'everything' can be found on the internet!!!!!!! 

Mandy


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## JGK (Dec 12, 2009)

You may find you need to pay up front initially. Getting credit as a new arrival is v. difficult


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## jazza161 (Aug 18, 2009)

Thanks MandyB!
:clap2:
That's really helped! 
I have tried putting in insurance quotes, but because we are not yet in the country and cannot supply particular details, it doesn't work, and most of them want to be able to contact you with the quote (better cahnce of a sale I guess!)

I'll give some of the ones mentioned above a try...

Thanks again


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## ozBound (Mar 21, 2010)

*Car for sale or swap in Vancouver*

I am moving to Australia and have a car for sale or swap in Vancouver. Its a 2007 Nissan Murano SE AWD. Good deal. Interested?


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## jazza161 (Aug 18, 2009)

ozBound said:


> I am moving to Australia and have a car for sale or swap in Vancouver. Its a 2007 Nissan Murano SE AWD. Good deal. Interested?


Sorry would love to be able to do it NOW but we are not making the big move for another 12-24 months...
It would have been ideal, however we also way up north (Cairns) so probably not practicable anyway... But , thanks for the offer


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## inutley (Jun 9, 2009)

jazza161 said:


> Hi,
> I too have been trying to find out the costs of vehicles, and have pretty much been able to find that, yes, you can get very reasonably priced secondhand cars...
> But I simply CANNOT find any approximation of insurance costs - people here on the forum have mentioned numerous times insurance (in BC) is REALLY expensive, but what do they mean by that? :confused2:
> Can someone give an example of what they paid upon first arriving for an average sized car, it would be much appreciated.
> Thanks to everyone who does contribute, it is really helpful!:clap2:


Hi,

We've just landed in BC and have gone through the whole process. Have to say that it is pretty straightforward as you only have one company to deal with in BC (ICBC), and they sort registering, licencing and insurance for any vehicle. Make sure you bring over as much of your insurance history record from the UK as possible, you will need confirmation for each and every year for it to count ( a five years no claims letter would be no use on its own). We got a 30% discount straight away with our record, and for both of us driving a nearly new SUV cost about $1600 for fully comprehensive equivalent with unisured driver protection.
Hope this helps.
Ian


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## jazza161 (Aug 18, 2009)

inutley said:


> Hi,
> 
> We've just landed in BC and have gone through the whole process. Have to say that it is pretty straightforward as you only have one company to deal with in BC (ICBC), and they sort registering, licencing and insurance for any vehicle. Make sure you bring over as much of your insurance history record from the UK as possible, you will need confirmation for each and every year for it to count ( a five years no claims letter would be no use on its own). We got a 30% discount straight away with our record, and for both of us driving a nearly new SUV cost about $1600 for fully comprehensive equivalent with unisured driver protection.
> Hope this helps.
> Ian


THANKS SO MUCH! This is really helpful... it's not as bad as I had imagined, not exactly cheap but I was thinking much more!
Now the formalities are over, I guess now you can relax and enjoy your 'new' lives. Best of luck, you are in a beautiful place


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