Posted at 11:45 a.m.
We keep, but…
Q: We have a 2019 BMW 330xi with 67,000 km whose lease ends at the end of November. We are satisfied with the vehicle and the purchase price is $30,500 including taxes and fees. Is it good to keep it since it is currently difficult to find a new vehicle? Is it a reliable long-term vehicle? —Yves L.
A: The reliability of the BMW 3 Series is in the good average for its category. On a scale of 1 (horrible) to 5 (excellent), let’s give it a 3. On the other hand, to obtain such a score, it is necessary to ensure an ongoing interview. And expensive.
And why not ?
PHOTO PROVIDED BY HONDA
Manual driving is currently reserved for gasoline-powered vehicles.
Q: Is it conceivable and realistic to think that there will be a hybrid or electric car or SUV with manual drive in the near future? — Maude Q.
A: Electric vehicles don’t actually have a gearbox (Porsche will tell you that “its” has two gears). That said, it is not unrealistic to think that such a box will end up on an electric vehicle in the future. Ford, for example, unveiled an electric Mustang with a six-speed manual transmission. In another sector, Kawasaki presented the prototype of an electric motorcycle with a four-speed manual transmission.
Safety first
PHOTO ANDRÉ PICHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
All-wheel drive is certainly very practical during snowstorms, but in normal driving, some see little point in it.
Q: Having known in my adolescence the justified transition from rear-wheel drive to traction, I never cease to be surprised by the current craze for all-wheel drive, which most of your readers consider essential. However, Quebec is not Bolivia, and I do not see the need to permanently add to my car the weight of the good Samaritan which will help me out of a snow bank once every two years. After all, even for an electric car, being overweight has a cost. Something probably escapes me. Could you enlighten me? — Phillip B.
A: You are correct on several points except one: the weight. Today, temporary all-wheel drive is much less heavy and cumbersome than in the past. In fact, it adds more or less 70 kg to the weight of an internal combustion vehicle.
Ridgeline or Maverick?
PHOTO PROVIDED BY FORD
Ford Maverick hybrid
Q: I need to replace my 2013 Ram 1500 which has only 150,000 km but is affected by rust. I mainly use it for outdoor sports (hunting, fishing, skiing, etc.) and I don’t tow anything heavy. I was considering the Honda Ridgeline, but the new Ford Maverick Hybrid makes me hesitate. I like to keep my vehicles for a long time and reliability concerns me. Which do you recommend me? Should I get it treated for rust? — George D.
A: The Maverick does not currently have as exemplary a track record as the Ridgeline. The latter is recognized as a model of reliability. Considering your leisure activities, the Maverick Hybrid represents, from an environmental point of view, a choice to consider, but if it is not as comfortable or as powerful, it is more economical (to buy and at the pump), more agile and less cumbersome.