Auto Events

Spring has arrived and although the weather has been unsteady with some snowy days, it’s time to gear up for the new season. Now for many of you that might mean tending to the garden and lawn, cleaning, or barbequing, but this article will focus on your auto needs. 

Spring is the time of the year when you get the urge to clean your car or go on a much needed road trip. There’s just something about sunny weather, a blue sky and clear roads that make you crave an enjoyable road trip. If you’re one of those people that love to have their vehicle in tip-top shape for the road, there are many different places you can go for your auto supplies. For the sake of saving time and creating a one-stop shopping venture – Canadian Tire might just do the trick. 

Recently I had the pleasure to grab a sneak peek at Canadian Tire’s latest offerings for the spring that’s now available for all to enjoy. Here are a few products that can enhance your ride and make your road trips more enjoyable.

Autoglym Aqua Wax ($21.99)

This is a unique product to Canadian Tire and comes in a kit that contains the aqua wax spray and two microfiber cloths. For people that don’t have too much time on their hands, Autoglym’s Aqua Wax is quick and easy to use. After a shampoo wash, shake and spray the wax on all the exterior surfaces while your vehicle is still wet and use one of the cloths to spread the wax evenly around. After that you just need to buff off the wax with the other cloth and achieve a smear-free finish. It’s so easy that even lazy people can get in the mood to clean their car.

Meguiar’s DA Power System ($64.99)

For the more serious car care specialists we have Meguiar’s DA Power System. It’s a sponge that can attach itself to most household drills in order to wax, compound and polish your vehicle in less than 30 minutes. The Power System does most of the work allowing you to save your energy and strength for the rest of the day. Meguiar’s has all your waxing, compounding and polishing liquid packs available at a price of $16.99 if you so choose. 

Rubbermaid Auto Organizers (ranging from $9.99-$34.99)

I’m sure this is something every vehicle owner needs, but rarely buys. Whether you’re going on a weekend drive to the park or on a lengthy road trip – these auto organizers will save you from clutter and many arguments along the way. Depending on your needs and family size there are plenty of options ranging from the mini Rubbermaid Trunk Organizer, Deluxe Catcher for $9.99 that can hold smaller items, such as sunglasses, notepads, travel mugs and loose change all the way to the Rubbermaid Triple Bin Auto Organizer for $34.99 that can hold all of your sports equipment and then some.

U-Neck Gel Insert Travel Pillow ($17.99)

If you’ve had some discomfort or just want the ultimate neck support, U-Neck has created a travel pillow with three pounds of soft moulded memory foam. It’s something that is typically purchased prior to a flight, but it might just be the saving grace of a road trip gone too long. 

Bracketron Universal Mobile Grip-iT™ Windshield Mount ($24.99)

This is more an unusual item to promote as most new GPS systems come with a windshield mount. However, if you do have an older GPS system or your windshield mount no longer works, you might not know there’s an option out there for you. 

Bracketron’s Universal Mobile Grip-iT™ windshield mount has a quick lock & release lever and is able to rotate 360 degrees. It possesses adjustable wings that open up to 4.5-inches and features a 9.5-inch rotating window mount. Installation is simple and it’s compatible with most GPS systems (just make sure yours is one of them). 

Kenwood KDC-BT555U Car Stereo ($159.99)

Kenwood audio stereos have long been considered top-of-the-line in performance, reliability and innovative technology, so it was nice to hear that they’re now being offered at Canadian Tire after a decade hiatus. They have three different car stereo choices from Kenwood and I’ve chosen to feature the top model stereo as it has iPhone automatic Bluetooth pairing which is a feature many seek. It also features satellite radio capabilities, variable colour, a remote and an iPhone App mode. 

Motomaster Eliminator 100W Inverter ($36.99)

There are many times during our travels where we need a portable charging station for our phones, cameras, MP3 players and computers. Canadian Tire is offering three different power station options from their own brand Motomaster. The Motomaster Eliminator 100-watt inverter has a peak power of 160-watts and plugs directly into your vehicle’s 12-volt socket. This particular model has a carbon fibre design.

Roadside Assistance Commuter Safety Kit ($29.99)

Last but not least, we have the roadside assistance safety kit. Any road trip needs some peace of mind and you can have that along with 8' 10 gauge booster cables, 14' 4,500 lb. capacity tow rope, 2-piece tee pee triangle, car blanket, knit gloves, flashlight, emergency poncho and many other necessities if something were to go wrong. As a bonus Canadian Tire offers one-year of free roadside assistance with your purchase.

TORONTO - Honda Canada is recalling about 2,000 Fit Sport vehicles from the 2012-2013 model year.

It's part of a larger Honda recall of nearly 46,000 Fit Sport small cars in the U.S. and Canada.

The company says the recall is to update the Vehicle Stability Assist system software, which will be done free of charge.

It says the VSA system on some of those vehicles equipped with certain tires may allow the tires to lose traction and cause the vehicle to skid under certain test manoeuvres.

Honda says that could result in swerving that exceeds certain Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards requirements.

The company says the issue was discovered during compliance testing. It says it isn't aware of any related crashes or injuries.

Customers will receive notifications of the recall in the mail in May and are encouraged to take their vehicles in to an authorized dealer.

Mexico City, Mexico - There now are 30 Nissan NV2500s being used for ambulances by the Mexican Red Cross.  The vehicle was a perfect choice, says the organization, because it can stand up to being driven for many miles on sometimes unstable terrain.

“We have to get to that patient no matter what.  Sometimes you have to take highway roads, sometimes dirt roads. And, this ambulance handles very well,” said Red Cross Ambulance Driver Rene Palacios.

The Nissan NV2500 ambulance was first used by the Mexican Red Cross in April 2012 in a pilot test. After proving its versatility and functionality, the Mexican Red Cross decided to integrate Nissan as a partner for its ambulance fleet this year.

Nissan Mexicana’s President and General Director, José Valls, says the NV2500 won out over other more expensive vehicles. “Now the Red Cross in Mexico has taken the NV2500 as the flagship of the new ambulance.”

The Mexican Red Cross receives over 1.2 million ambulance service requests per year, so the NV2500 will have many opportunities to show its capabilities in terms of reliability and versatility.

WASHINGTON, DC - Newly released documents show that the Obama administration was warned as early as 2010 that electric car maker Fisker Automotive Inc. was not meeting milestones set up for a half-billion dollar government loan, nearly a year before U.S. officials froze the loan after questions were raised about the company's statements.

An Energy Department official said in a June 2010 email that Fisker's bid to draw on the federal loan may be jeopardized for failure to meet goals established by the Energy Department.

Despite that warning, Fisker continued to receive money until June 2011, when the DOE halted further funding. The agency did so after Fisker presented new information that called into question whether key milestones — including launch of the company's signature, $100,000 Karma hybrid — had been achieved, according to a credit report prepared by the Energy Department.

The December 2011 credit report said "DOE staff asked questions about the delays" in the launch of the Karma "and received varied and incomplete explanations," leading to the suspension of the loan. Fisker had received a total of $192 million of the $529 million loan before it was suspended.

In the June 2010 email, Sandra Claghorn, an official in DOE's loan program office, had written that Fisker "may be in limbo due to a lack of compliance with financial covenants" set up by the Energy Department to protect taxpayers in the event of default. Another document, from April 2010, listed milestones that Fisker had not yet met.

Aoife McCarthy, a spokeswoman for the Energy Department, said the June 2010 email was taken out of context.

"The document shows that one person at a meeting discussed the possibility that Fisker might not meet a financial commitment" required by the Energy Department, McCarthy said in an email late Tuesday. DOE received the needed certification five days later and subsequently made the loan payment, she said.

The Associated Press obtained the Fisker documents ahead of a House hearing scheduled for Wednesday on the federal loan to the troubled car maker, which has laid off three-fourths of its workers amid continuing financial and production problems.

The potential loss of $171 million would be largest loss of federal loan money since the 2011 failure of solar panel maker Solyndra, which declared bankruptcy and laid off all its workers after receiving a $528 million loan from the Energy Department.

The Energy Department seized $21 million from Fisker this month as it continued to seek repayment from the car maker for the 2009 loan. A payment from Fisker was due Monday, but was not made, a DOE official said.

Henrik Fisker, the company's namesake and founder, was scheduled to testify at Wednesday's hearing. Fisker, who was forced out as CEO as the company's troubles mounted, said in prepared testimony that he remained proud of the company's "cutting edge technology," which he said could "pave the way for a new generation of American car manufacturing."

Fisker disputed claims by some critics that the Anaheim, Calif.-based company needed the federal loan to survive. Fisker said a high-ranking Energy Department official approached him in 2008 and asked him to apply for the loan, which is intended to boost electric cars and other advanced vehicles.

"At that time, we already had significant financial backing from private investors," Fisker said in the prepared testimony. In all, the company received more than $1 billion in private financing, he said.

The company met initial milestones set up by the Energy Department before informing the department that it would not meet future goals on time, Fisker said. He denied that any political influence was used to obtain the loan or in negotiations over its terms.

"I am not aware and do not believe that any improper political influence was used in connection with the company's loan application or subsequent negotiations with the Department of Energy," Fisker said.

Vice-President Joe Biden announced in late 2009 that Fisker would reopen a shuttered former General Motors factory in Wilmington, Del., to produce plug-in, electric hybrid vehicles. The plant was never completed and never produced any cars.

Fisker said the company was hurt badly by the 2008 recession and by the bankruptcy of A123 Systems, a Massachusetts company hired by Fisker to make batteries for the Karma. A bankruptcy judge granted Fisker $15 million in a claim against A123 for breach of warranty, a fraction of Fisker's initial claim.

Fisker has not built a vehicle since last summer and has failed to secure a buyer as its cash reserves have dwindled.