Automotive

Likely moving to Calgary - do I need new car?

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  • May 11th, 2012 10:36 pm
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Newbie
Dec 28, 2011
3 posts

Likely moving to Calgary - do I need new car?

Hi. I currently own a Honda Civic with all season tires and it works great in the winter in Edmonton. I may be moving to Calgary and I was told by friends that maybe I need to get a 4WD, etc because it is hilly, etc. I do notice a lot more SUVs in Calgary but not everyone can afford one, right? So, do you guys have any advice? Or should I just invest in good snow tires? Thanks!
28 replies
Sr. Member
User avatar
Apr 6, 2004
974 posts
30 upvotes
Newmarket, Ontario
You will be fine with the civic, though for either Edmonton or Calgary I would recommend winter tires over all season if possible.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Jul 30, 2007
33237 posts
21167 upvotes
Toronto
In the winter time, the city seldom uses salt. It uses sand/tiny gravels for traction.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Dec 2, 2008
12459 posts
2170 upvotes
GTA
In elemtary school, I learned that the praries are very flat...
Deal Addict
Jan 8, 2007
3446 posts
2198 upvotes
A set of snow tires would be a lot cheaper than a new SUV. If fact your civic will do better in snow in Calgary than a newer model SUV with 4x4 with crappy all season tires that are 18" or larger in diameter. We don't get huge dumps here so you will be fine with snow tires.

PS: you'll quickly learn EVERY one in Calgary can afford a new SUV haha :twisted:
Deal Addict
Sep 23, 2005
1528 posts
183 upvotes
Burnaby
Snow is not really your major issue. Without a shiny, late-model SUV the number of public places they will let you park in Calgary will be severely limited. IKEA and Walmart, and the frumpier grocery storeso . . . that's about it. I believe Chinook Centre now requires at least a Land Rover before you get to use their covered parkades.
Sr. Member
May 20, 2010
801 posts
118 upvotes
Not sure if you're serious.... Your car will be fine. Get some decent tires, but we don't really have any bad hills save a few that can be easily avoided. And the city does use salt if it's between 0 and -10. No point below -10.
Deal Fanatic
Jan 17, 2003
8993 posts
1532 upvotes
yes they have different bumper laws in that country called Calgary. You'l notice that the Civic's there are much different then the Civic's here. I wouldn't take the chance, sell your civic here. Move there and buy the same year civic, you'll see what i mean.
Deal Expert
Aug 2, 2001
18945 posts
10527 upvotes
andymaniac wrote: Hi. I currently own a Honda Civic with all season tires and it works great in the winter in Edmonton. I may be moving to Calgary and I was told by friends that maybe I need to get a 4WD, etc because it is hilly, etc. I do notice a lot more SUVs in Calgary but not everyone can afford one, right? So, do you guys have any advice? Or should I just invest in good snow tires? Thanks!

Calgary seems to get larger single dumps of snow than Edmonton and that could be a reason people may suggest a different vehicle that can handle the large amounts of snow.

Either way, you'll be fine. There are many Civics driving around in Calgary. Just make sure to drive for the conditions and assume that NO ONE else is because in Calgary most people aren't.
Deal Fanatic
Dec 3, 2007
5962 posts
1066 upvotes
Calgary
I hope you already have your sled dogs picked because well, you are going to need them. And don't get me started on those damn chinook wind, melt my igloo everytime.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Oct 22, 2009
3345 posts
1680 upvotes
Lethbridge
Wingding wrote: Snow is not really your major issue. Without a shiny, late-model SUV the number of public places they will let you park in Calgary will be severely limited. IKEA and Walmart, and the frumpier grocery storeso . . . that's about it. I believe Chinook Centre now requires at least a Land Rover before you get to use their covered parkades.
This.

At Comic Con the other weekend they denied us entry in our Jeep & asked us to park across the street @ Hooters with “our own kind”.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Nov 6, 2010
1453 posts
114 upvotes
qaz393 wrote: In elemtary school, I learned that the praries are very flat...
Alberta is not the praries... Saskatchewan, my birthplace is...

Alberta has crap loads of SUV because ppl are super rich in the city :razz:
Newbie
Apr 7, 2012
36 posts
2 upvotes
MELVILLE
defencerulez wrote: Alberta is not the praries... Saskatchewan, my birthplace is...

Alberta has crap loads of SUV because ppl are super rich in the city :razz:

Calgary east is as prairies as it gets. Same as kindersly to red deer. And Regina & lloyd are accumulating more douches in denali's than calgary lately.
Deal Addict
Jul 18, 2009
1364 posts
81 upvotes
mmretlol wrote: You need this to fit in

Image

LOL, from my time there, that's the Coldgary version of a compact sedan :)

Whatever you decide, if it's late model, consider a vinyl bra, because the gravel dumped down during the 9 months of winter weather (deposited from Sep, swept up in May or June, depending on the $$$ of your intended neighbourhood) will trash your paint and windshield in a hurry.
Deal Guru
Oct 6, 2007
11213 posts
10058 upvotes
Kootenays
Get permanent winter tires. Snowed Saturday, 23 yesterday, supposed to snow again tomorrow.
Sr. Member
Jan 1, 2008
860 posts
139 upvotes
Blainville
I don't think you need to, I'm in Quebec and we have around 140inch of snow per year and the vast majority of people drive a car. In calgary it's about 60 inch average, if you put snow tires, you won't have any problem with a car.

A in the snow will have a better braking distance than a truck in the snow and with modern ESC and ABS, you should not have any problems. A 4X4 advantage is really for the acceleration in the snow.
Member
Nov 2, 2007
346 posts
79 upvotes
andymaniac wrote: Hi. I currently own a Honda Civic with all season tires and it works great in the winter in Edmonton. I may be moving to Calgary and I was told by friends that maybe I need to get a 4WD, etc because it is hilly, etc. I do notice a lot more SUVs in Calgary but not everyone can afford one, right? So, do you guys have any advice? Or should I just invest in good snow tires? Thanks!

Everyone here drives an AWD BMW (although Audi's are becomming more common) so it is highly advisable to sell your Civic and purchase at least a 328i xDrive. The lady who empties the recycle bins at my office complains about service delays at Calgary BMW.
Sr. Member
User avatar
Feb 19, 2012
569 posts
39 upvotes
MARKHAM
CalgaryJeremyK wrote: Everyone here drives an AWD BMW (although Audi's are becomming more common) so it is highly advisable to sell your Civic and purchase at least a 328i xDrive. The lady who empties the recycle bins at my office complains about service delays at Calgary BMW.

Its a sign...
Newbie
Dec 28, 2011
3 posts
Thanks for the practical and humourous pieces of advice. I guess the sucky part with so many SUVs in Cowtown is that it is hard to see in a baby Civic. Oh, well!

If you have other suggestions or ideas keep them coming :) !thx :)

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