Four Stores: CARSTAR franchisees quadruple store count with purchase of Piedmont, Lafontaine, St-Jérôme locations

Hamilton, Ontario – CARSTAR, North America’s premier network of independently owned collision repair facilities, has announced the resale of CARSTAR Lafontaine, CARSTAR St-Jérôme and CARSTAR Piedmont to recent franchisees and owners of CARSTAR St. Eustache, Simon Anderson and Stéphane Roussy. Stéphane Roussy, now a CARSTAR MSO, stated that he is “very pleased to continue working […]
Can You Believe This?! Cars off cliffs, poorly wrapped Porsches and more

Toronto, Ontario — This weekly Can You Believe This?! brings you DIY wrap jobs, celebrations—‘Merica style—the real reason the Smart car earned its name and much, much more.
EV/AV Report: Norwegian prowess, future charging and Tesla critics

Toronto, Ontario — Norway sets an example to the world as a country where gas cars are growing obsolete, a prominent American lawmaker criticizes autopilot’s misleading name for still requiring a human pilot at the wheel, and Halifax rolls out eight new EV chargers this summer. This is the latest in electric and autonomous vehicles. […]
Niche Market: Car leasing company developing speed-dating app for car lovers only

London, United Kingdom — Tired of dates asking about your personality, hobbies and all those other boring conversational icebreakers? Now you and your date from the “Speed Dating” app can hyper fixate on the latest and greatest cars—if you find one, that is. Created by a literal car leasing company from the United Kingdom, Speed […]
Tighter Living: Average auto insurance premium in Ontario grows by 12 percent in 2023

Toronto, Ontario — Insurance research firm, Rates.ca has released its list of cities that pay the highest auto insurance premiums in Ontario, with the average estimated premium growing by 12 percent in 2023, compared to 2021. This is the largest increase recorded by the Insuramap survey, with the average estimated premium sitting at $1,744, compared to […]
Recall Wave: Transport Canada recalls several KIA, BMW and Mercedes-Benz 2022-2023 models

Toronto, Ontario — In this week’s recall update, Transport Canada has discovered KIA instrument clusters with faulty warning lights, randomly disconnecting BMW battery connectors and Mercedes-Benz batteries that will not warn the driver of problems. BMW is recalling the 2023 IX and I7 models (recall No. 2023250) warning that connectors for the high-voltage battery monitoring […]
Industry Shakeups: Automakers frustrated at Quebec’s tightened ZEV sales mandate proposal

Montreal, Quebec — Automotive industry stakeholders warn that the Quebec government’s plan to toughen zero-emission-vehicle (ZEV) regulations will keep older, polluting vehicles on the road longer, despite the intent to boost electric vehicle supply and sales. This follows an announcement from Quebec’s Environment Minister, Benoit Charette, stating that the province would accelerate the yearly percentage […]
Human Cost: U.S. probes complaint following death of woman trapped in a burning Dodge Journey

Michigan, United States — U.S. safety regulators are conducting an investigation into potential electrical problems in Dodge Journey SUVs, after a woman was trapped and died when her vehicle caught fire in December. This may be related to inoperative door locks and windows that may prevent escape during emergencies, according to the National Highway Traffic […]
Close but not Quite: YouTuber attempts to colour-match rare Ford Mystichrome colourshifting paint valued at $26,000 a gallon

Toronto, Ontario — A YouTuber has published a video showcasing his attempts to colour-match the coveted and incredibly exclusive Mystic coating from Ford, and the results aren’t too far off from the original. Going by the pseudonym of “Fonzie”, the owner of DipYourCar mixed a dry pigment in xylene to create his proprietary blend by Tommy […]
The Future is Bright: Skills Canada Ontario 2023 autobody and car painting winners announced

An auto collision competitor, working his craft at the Toronto Congress Centre. Photo by Bill Speed, Skills Canada Ontario Toronto, Ontario — The winners for Skills Canada Ontario 2023 have been released, with technical committee chair Bill Speed of Action Appraisals saying that this year’s competition featured some of the best setups and most skilled […]