Episodes
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Host Lorraine Sommerfeld is joined by Jeff Chuh, VP of Marketing for Next Base dashcams, and Debbie Arnold, Business Development Manager and Broker at Sound Insurance. Which dashcam is right for you? How have they changed in the past decade, and what kind of improvements can you now have that will keep not only your car safer, but you?
Chuh will address the tech behind the cameras, and Arnold will let you know how you might be able to save the deductible on that claim - because your dashcam caught what no other witness did.
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Host Lorraine Sommerfeld is joined by Alana Baker, Vice President of Government Relations and Research with AIA Canada. AIA Canada represents a lot of names you know, including Canadian Tire and Napa Auto Parts, but how are the vast changes in the auto industry impacting them - and in turn what does mean for you as a consumer?
AIA Canada's work is vital to focus governments on legislation for things like Right to Repair, and advocating for the collision sector as it ramps up to fix increasingly more complex vehicles. Tune in to find out what these changes mean for you, and what kinds of opportunities they present for a new generation.
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Missing episodes?
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In this episode of The Driving Podcast, host Lorraine Sommerfeld is joined by Chris Muir, technician, consultant and professor at Centennial College. For many consumers, the transition from the showroom to the service bays is not always a smooth one.
What should you be asking? How is warranty work handled? Who is working on my vehicle? Transparency is good for dealer-customer relations, so how do I ensure I'm getting the best information in terms I can understand? And, because turnabout is fair play, we'll also talk about some of the nonsense that consumers can try to pull.
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On this edition of The Driving Podcast, host Lorraine Sommerfeld is joined by Bryan Gast, Vice President of Investigative Services for Équité Association. Working with the insurance industry and law enforcement around the world, they're helping to tackle the exploding car theft numbers in Canada. The annual Top Ten Most Stolen list is always interesting (and new this year, the Least Stolen as well!), but consumers can use the information to keep their vehicles from being taken. Who is stealing our cars? Where are they ending up? How can you protect yourself? What are the actual costs? All this and more, on The Driving Podcast.
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Delayed purchasing a vehicle hoping some sanity would return to the marketplace? This episode of The Driving Podcast is for you. Host Lorraine Sommerfeld is joined by George Iny, executive director of the APA. Maybe you signed a contract and have been waiting a year - or more - for your new ride. But what if the dealer is now telling you you'll have to ante up more money? What's fair and legal, and what are some of the moves you should watch out for? We'll also discuss why the used car segment hasn't been the saving grace it once was. All this and more, on The Driving Podcast.
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It used to be a conversation about all seasons versus winters; now, drivers have more to consider as the industry explodes with new technology. On this episode of The Driving Podcast, host Lorraine Sommerfeld is joined by Nokian's Wes Boling to take a deeper look into electric vehicles and the changing conversation around what types of tires are best suited for these heavier vehicles. In the second half of the episode, she's joined by Jonathan Scott and Mike Miller of Toyo Tire, an expert on another type of tire that Canadians are increasingly entertaining: all-weathers. Find out all you need to know about these two ever-evolving sectors of the tire industry, on this edition of The Driving Podcast.
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Host Lorraine Sommerfeld is joined by George Iny, Executive Director of the APA and discuss which provinces have the best protections in place for consumers and changes that could be coming to Ontario to bolster that province's regulatory body, OMVIC. Iny tears into common advice for used car buyers ("How could you know if it's been re-vinned? You can't!") while also offering suggestions for buyers of both new and used cars in these ongoing shortages. You might not be able to find a great deal, but you can also find advice about red flags.
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Host Lorraine Sommerfeld is joined by consultant and professor Chris Muir. Muir has a new position at Centennial College as the EV instructor in continuing education with Canada's largest automotive technical teaching facility. It places him at the heart of the next steps the auto industry needs to address as we blast forward with the adoption of electric vehicles. From right to repair, battery replacement, aftermarket resources and staffing, we find out that while Canada and Ontario may be vaulting ahead chasing new tech, it is not addressing who is going to maintain it. It's a question consumers need answers to.
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On this episode of The Driving Podcast. host Lorraine Sommerfeld is joined by industry expert George Iny, President of the Automobile Protection Association (APA). Iny discusses where the rapidly changing automotive industry is today, and how we got here. From the explosion of electric vehicles that now dominate every car show and headline, to the governments and manufacturers that must factor in everything from infrastructure, high insurance costs, lost tax revenues and safety implications, to what that means for the vehicle you choose to put in your driveway: George Iny joins the Podcast with a history lesson, and a crystal ball.
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On this episode of the Driving Podcast, host Lorraine Sommerfeld is joined by security expert Bryan Gast, vice president of investigations with Equite Association. As car theft in Canada explodes, we discuss the role that Canada is playing in supplying vehicles to a dangerous global climate that involves drugs, organized crime, trafficking and terrorist activities. That vehicle that disappears from your driveway opens up a world of hassle for you - but it might be part of so much more. What should manufacturers be doing? What are the police doing? What can you as a car owner do to prevent theft, and when to involve the police. Tune in and find out how this extremely dangerous game is evolving, every day.
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Ask the Mechanic is back! Chris Muir joins host Lorraine Sommerfeld for an informative and wide-ranging show. Confused about what to do in the face of increasing car theft? Find out what the thieves know. The used car market remains a 'hellscape' to quote our guest. We discuss typical traps and scams and how to avoid them. Electric vehicles dominate the headlines; what if you just want to keep buying a regular old internal combustion engine? We turn down some of the noise, and consider that for most of us, running out to buy a new car is not always an option.
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Host Lorraine Sommerfeld is joined by Sound Insurance business development manager Debbie Arnold, a broker who has seen it all. Wonder if your roommates can drive your car? How about your policy that still shows your kid as living at home - when they're not? Rates are high, policies are complicated, and you might be skimping in areas that wouldn't cost you much to have far better coverage. Tune in for the biggest threats to your auto insurance health, and discover new questions to put to your broker.
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In a special edition of the Driving Podcast, host Lorraine Sommerfeld is joined by a cast of colleagues from Driving.ca. Clayton Seams is a writer, photographer and videographer, Plugged In podcast host Andrew McCredie joins us from beautiful B.C. and Matthew Guy hosts The Truck Guy podcast and joins the discussion from Newfoundland. The roundtable looks into how we drive, what we all would like to change, and the mistakes we've made that we're willing to own up to. Best road trips? Best memories as a kid? Ever talked your way out of a speeding ticket? What charge do police lay too often? Which one is not enough? Join us for much more on a very different kind of Driving Podcast.
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There are two components to getting ready to face winter on our Canadian roads. The first is your vehicle: what should you be replacing? What should you be checking? Is giving someone a boost still a good thing? Host Lorraine Sommerfeld is joined by Chris Muir, long-time mechanic and professor at Centennial College. Find out how important winter tires are, the value of rust proofing, and the best way to charge a dead battery. He'll even throw in some good tips for those of you with electric vehicles. The second thing to consider is you - the driver. Lorraine is also joined by Michelin pro driver and instructor Carl Nadeau who shares tips to stay out of icy trouble, what to do if you end up sliding or spinning, how to handle a surprise whiteout, and many other things that could save your car - or even your life.
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Maureen Harquail is the Chief Executive Officer and Registrar at OMVIC - Ontario's vehicle sales regulator. In an industry that has found itself in unmatched upheaval, consumers need more than ever to know what their rights are - before they buy a vehicle, while they're in the showroom or online, and even after the fact. Contracts, aftermarket upsells, all-in pricing (this one really matters), financing and dealer behaviour. OMVIC monitors all of it, through secret shoppers and your input. Learn about the compensation fund available to buyers who find themselves tangled with predatory or sanctioned seller. The car selling industry is different from province to province, but OMVIC makes a good case for the direction they all should be heading.
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Host Lorraine Sommerfeld welcomes George Iny, president of the Automobile Protection Association which has been serving Canadian consumers for decades on all things automotive. We'll let you in what the shortages have meant to dealers, how to get the most out of your now-more-valuable leased vehicle, and what to expect when you order a new one. The rise of electric vehicle sales is not without its problems, and Iny points out some issues down the road many are trying not to think about. Finally, the ultimate question for a consumer advocate: does Canada need a Lemon Law?
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Host Lorraine Sommerfeld welcomes her favourite mechanic, Chris Muir, back to the Driving Podcast hot seat. Topics include maintaining your new electric vehicle and what to consider if you're in the market for one. Does increasingly complicated technology have a downside and how do global shortages might be a concern for repairs to what you're driving. Finally, how an upside-down used car market has moved the dial on how much money you should put into your existing ride: where's the sweet spot for holding onto it, or letting it go?
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Host Lorraine Sommerfeld and her guest, Driving.ca contributor Stephanie Wall, look at the impact of larger and larger vehicles and their effect on our environment, our infrastructure, and most importantly, other road users. As pedestrian fatalities climb and these big trucks keep making a bigger and bigger footprint, they discuss the responsibility of owners and manufacturers and more importantly, practical solutions to the problems.
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It's been tough for anyone buying a car since the world tipped upside down. It's been really hard on the used car market if you're buying - but that means it's been terrific for sellers. Join host Lorraine Sommerfeld and her guest, Canadian Black Book's James Hancock as they consider how to buy, what to buy, even if you should buy. He also tells us when he thinks the shortages should finally let up. Hint: it's later than you think.
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This second episode of The Driving Podcast coincides with the noticeable drop in temperature across most of Canada - which means it's tire time! Join host Lorraine Sommerfeld as she speaks with Kyle Standford, an OK Tire dealer in Calgary Alberta. Winter tires, all weather tires, how to safely patch a tire, and perhaps most interesting of all, who does the most tire research before they come to his shop.
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