Where? Prices? etc.
Hi! I was wondering if there are any post-Canada travellers who can give me some info on where I can buy a car or van for my WHV starting next year. I'll probably arrive via Toronto... Are there any backpacker car markets like in Australia? What are the prices like? (incl. insurance + petrol) How safe and easy is it to drive in Canada and sleep in your car / van? Thanks for any info!
Johannes Reply to this Hi. I'm a Canadian so perhaps I can help. We don't really have a backpacker market like Australia, too bad, but there are plenty of used car lots. You can start by checking by internet on sites like buyandsell, and or craigslist, or kijiji. Prices vary depending on what you are looking for. Gas is currently $1.43 a litre. Insurance is higher than most countries, and the older the car you buy the more you will pay. Overall, Canada is a pretty safe country. Driving is easy, and the roads are well maintained and safe in the summer months, winter conditions of course call for winter driving, and buying things like winter tires or using antifreeze. Definately won't want to sleep in your car winters! But if it summer and you plan to sleep in your car, truly you could pull off the road just about anywhere, but you may find an officer or a citizen knocking on your window to check on you, and tell you to move it along. RV parks are insanely expensive like Australia but at least there are showers/laundry. So you could do that every few days. Finding public use washrooms in Australia was crazy, but in Canada it is easy, every gas station, store, restaurant has one.
Good luck with your trip!
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