By Andrew Mitchell
Gas prices are expected to continue to fluctuate across Canada through the summer months, while remaining consistently above the $1 per litre mark.
Prices reached as high as $1.27 per litre in the Lower Mainland this spring, but dipped as low as $1.01 in Abbotsford this week.
Nationally, May 2007 prices were up an average of 5.8 per cent over May 2006 prices, according to Statistics Canada, and gasoline prices are recognized as one of the leading causes of higher than normal inflation rates.
While higher gas prices put an additional burden on families, they are also influencing the decisions people are making when purchasing new vehicles. Small car sales are up across Canada, as are the sale of hybrid and diesel vehicles.
Selling used cars to the people of Whistler, Joe Maika is seeing the transition first-hand. A few years ago Fine Motor Cars kept an inventory of mostly trucks and SUVs, but now more than half the vehicles on the lot are cars and station wagons that are now in demand by cost-conscious customers.
“Fuel efficiency is a huge focus,” he said. “There are a couple of websites we go to to research fuel efficiency and we’re constantly referring our customers to them. I almost have to have that information on the top of my head when I’m talking to customers, because they want to know the fuel efficiency of each vehicle. It comes into every sales conversation I would say, and that’s not an exaggeration.”
Trucks remain a good seller, he says, and will continue to sell well given the size of the local construction industry. However, Maika has noticed that customers are less focused on buying trucks in general than ensuring they get the right sized truck for the job.
“On the positive side, people are focusing more on what they expect to use the truck for, and not so much on the cool factor,” he said. “A contractor who is using his truck to cart around 2X10s is figuring out that maybe he doesn’t need a huge 350, it doesn’t make sense for him.”
Instead of asking themselves what’s the biggest vehicle they can afford, added Maika, customers are asking themselves what’s the smallest vehicle they can get away with. For example, people who would normally put a snowmobile or two on the back of a truck are realizing they can access most local trails with a smaller vehicle and a trailer.
While gas prices are having an influence on driver behaviour, Maika believes more can be done to encourage people to downsize vehicles by offering tax breaks to people who purchase fuel-efficient models. He also believes that the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) can make insurance more affordable for people who need bigger vehicles for work but would prefer to have a smaller second car for commuting and getting around.
“If people need a truck for work, they’re going to buy a truck. We shouldn’t be penalizing those people by charging them twice for insurance if they also want to have a smaller, more fuel efficient car to get around in,” said Maika. “The way it is, people are commuting in their trucks, shopping in their trucks, because they can’t afford to insure a second vehicle.”
Maika has made a point of stocking several vehicles on his lot that he is confident can handle the demands of driving in the mountains, but are also easy on fuel.
“Whistler is such a specific market,” he said. “People here will always need four-wheel drive vehicles… people have steep hills and steep driveways, and some vehicles don’t apply here. In Vancouver a lot of people are getting scooters, but (in Whistler) the season is too short.”
One vehicle Maika stocks is the diesel Volkswagen Jetta. Diesel is always cheaper than gasoline, and next generation diesel engines can outperform gasoline engines when it comes to fuel mileage and lower emissions.
“These are vehicles you can fill up and drive a thousand kilometres,” he said. “I have two in stock right now and I wish I had more of them.”
Maika is also a believer in minivans, which he says are becoming more popular with families and contractors. Most models offer better fuel efficiency than SUVs, several offer all-wheel drive, and they can hold a lot of gear.
“The gear thing is important,” said Maika. “They can carry families, bikes, all your camping gear, you can sleep in them, and some of them are really fuel efficient. There are four-cylinder models, and more powerful six-cylinder models that are still comparatively efficient.
“The biggest strike against the minivan is the cool factor, but I’m trying to get people to see past that and realize that this is the kind of vehicle they should be driving.”
One of the biggest sellers for Maika have been Subaru station wagons, like the Outback and Forester.
“This is probably one of the most sensible vehicles for Whistler,” said Maika. “They are four wheel drive, they’re good in snow, and they last a long time they’re built so strong. They don’t have as much clearance as most trucks, but they’re still about three inches higher than most cars. They’re also quite fuel efficient compared to an SUV, and they can hold a lot of gear — more than a lot of the SUVs out there. This is really the vehicle for Sea to Sky. I usually have eight or nine in stock, and could always use more.”
Another vehicle with surprising uptake in Whistler is the Ford Focus line of station wagons, which are one of the most fuel efficient vehicles on the market. They have lots of room in the back, and get 43 miles per gallon (19 kilometres per litre), or 48 m.p.g. for five-speed models.
“I know Whistler Taxi has put half a million kilometres on these cars, so they’re built pretty well for an economy car, and they’re consistently one of the most-fuel efficient vehicles of their kind on the road,” said Maika.
Maika recommends that potential car buyers with an eye on mileage check out a few websites before making a purchase decision. One website hosted by the U.S. Government Environmental Protection Agency allows you to compare up to four vehicles at a time. Visit www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/sbs.htm . Natural Resources Canada also publishes regular fuel consumption guides at www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca under Personal Transportation. They also include tips how to get the best mileage out of your vehicle, such as proper maintenance and tire pressure, which in some cases can help a vehicle exceed its posted fuel mileage.
