First Ever DIY Quaker State #OilChange in 3 Simple Steps

October 30, 2015 by Kathryn 28 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #OilChange #CollectiveBias

I come from a family of handy people, and that’s something I’m pretty proud of. My father can fix almost anything on a car, my brother can perform all kinds of basic car and house maintenance and my mother and sisters all have a DIY attitude that inspires them to tackle all kinds of different jobs. In many ways I’ve inherited the same handiness, especially when it comes to household repairs. But my car maintenance skills are seriously lacking and this year, I decided it was time to change that.

My boyfriend has a bit more experience with cars than me, but his car repair skills are also pretty minimal, so the two of us made plans to learn one of the most basic and necessary vehicle jobs there is…the oil change. I headed to Walmart to buy the necessary equipment: Quaker State motor oil, a new oil filter, an oil pan and a funnel. Finding the oil I wanted was quick and easy, and having investigated the recommended amount for my car online, I knew a 5L bottle was the perfect amount. [Read more…]

Experience the Ultimate in Luxurious Family Driving in the Brand New 2015 Lincoln MKC

May 12, 2015 by Kathryn 13 Comments

Living in a small town, I tend to do a fair bit of driving in a typical week. From extra-curricular activities to the big weekly grocery-shopping trip to dropping my boys off with their dad on the weekend, running around in the car is just a fact of life. Recently Ford Canada gave me the chance to add some luxury to my daily driving in the first ever 2015 Lincoln MKC and I have to say that this car was love at first drive for me!

This crossover between an SUV and a luxury sedan is absolutely the top of the line when it comes to safe and luxurious driving. From the mirrors and seat, which automatically adjust to perfect driving position when the car starts, to the Blind Spot Information System that lets me know when I can safely change lanes, this car comes as close to driving itself as any vehicle I’ve ever experienced.

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Head Out On a Summer Adventure with the 2014 Ford Escape

July 14, 2014 by Kathryn 56 Comments

Our summers are always full of travel and this year has been no exception. From a week-long trip to explore North Dakota to a weekend excursion in Edmonton to a few day trips around Saskatchewan, we’ve been having a blast enjoying the warm weather and indulging in some summer adventures. And to make those adventures even better, Ford Canada recently let me test-drive the new 2014 Ford Escape so that we could hit the road in style!

This car lives up to its name in every way; as soon as I was behind the wheel I wanted to head out on the highway and see something new. As a family vehicle, it combines fuel efficiency, power and roominess in the most ideal way. And with the option of adding a Class II Trailer Tow Package, it can even be used to hook up that camper or boat for some wilderness exploration.

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Top Four Vehicle Picks for Canadians from the CIAS Canadian International Auto Show

March 23, 2014 by Paresh Pandya 49 Comments

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Canadian International Auto Show held at the Metro Toronto Convention Center. The Auto Show has been a tradition of mine for years as I never miss the chance to spend a day (or two!) eyeing all the hot new cars manufacturers have lined up for us to ogle. With nameplates like Ferrari, Maserati, McLaren, and Porsche all on display, it’s easy to start thinking about buying a few more lottery tickets or selling a body part to make a down payment.

But as much fun and excitement the exotics offer, a good portion of the show’s 600,000 square-foot floor is dedicated to everyday cars and trucks purchased by Canadians daily. With over 1,000 vehicles on display, it’s the best place for visitors to comparison shop without any pressure or hassles. Having checked out various makes and models, here are a few of my favourite picks for Canadians:

Mazda3

At the show Mazda won 2014 Canadian Car of the Year for their mid-sized Mazda6 sedan. While the floor was buzzing with excitement over the win, I found myself just as excited by its smaller brother the Mazda3. With gorgeous flowing lines, the bold grill and swept-back headlight assembly completes a package that says, “Hey! Let’s go someplace fun today!”

Inside I found controls to be within easy reach, while its BMW-esque dashboard (particularly the center display unit) gives a sense of premium styling and features. Fuel economy is also a key feature with Mazda’s Skyactiv suite of technologies delivering impressive results while maintaining Mazda’s peppy drive characteristic. With a choice of sedan or hatchback, there’s plenty of options and trim levels to appeal to a wide array of buyers (personally I love the GT hatchback with the larger 2.5L engine). I wasn’t too thrilled with the overly sized center tachometer, but that’s a minor detail I’m willing to overlook given how terrific the rest of the car is. [Read more…]

Moving into the Future with Ford at the #FordNAIAS Event in Detroit, MI

January 24, 2013 by Kathryn 22 Comments

When I attended the #FordNAIAS event in Detroit last week, the first day or so gave me a chance to experience some of the Ford Motor Company’s rich history. But Ford is a company that is always going forward and the rest of the time in Detroit, for me, was about moving into the future.

kathryn lavallee ford canada fordnaias techshop detroit — Posing with Ammar of Ford Canada, Jen of Mom vs. the Boys and Felicia of Single Mom of Two after arriving at TechShop Detroit

There’s no better place to discuss moving forward than at TechShop Detroit. This membership-based workshop and prototyping studio is designed for creating and contains any type of machine or tool that a person might need to bring their ideas to life. We headed to TechShop for dinner and while there we were treated to a presentation by Scott Burnell, Ford’s Global Lead for Business Development and Project Management, who introduced us to the new Ford Developer Program. Basically, this software will allow third-party programmers to create apps that can be integrated into the Ford SYNC AppLink system in vehicles. While the system isn’t available in Canada quite yet, I loved the concept and I can’t wait to see how it enhances the driving experience for the average family.

ford developer porgram presentation scott burnell — Ford’s Scott Burnell explains the Ford Developer Program to the crowd

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Check Out the New Dodge Grand Caravan and Enter to Win with UrbanMoms

September 18, 2012 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

Cook, chauffeur, personal shopper, nurse, coach…at some point, all these careers are managed by one very busy individual and to her kids, she’ll always just be known as Mom. Whether you’re a working professional or a stay-at-home parent to your children, chances are good that you’re very, very busy. And of course, with school in full swing and extra-curricular activities starting up, that’s even truer.

2012_Black-dodge[2] So what can a busy mother do to handle the stress of running from one place to another all day? Well, it starts with a reliable vehicle. As tiring as it can be to constantly be on the go, it’s far worse needing to be somewhere and not being able to get there. I should know; I’ve experienced it.

When my oldest son was still a baby, we had a car that sometimes used to sputter and occasionally die completely as we were driving. When it happened one day on a busy city street in the middle of winter, I couldn’t help but panic. We got the car over to the side of the road just as the engine cut out and I sat there in the cold wondering how I was going to get my baby back home. We managed to get the car running and get to our house, but we sold the car shortly thereafter so that we would never have to experience that fear again.

Dodge knows how important a reliable family vehicle is to a family’s well being, and that’s why the company prides itself on providing safe and reliable vehicles for families. But with today’s busy lifestyles, there are other features that moms need too. When I head out the door with my family, I need a vehicle that can hold the entire family, a week’s worth of groceries, a stroller, sports equipment and, of course, my huge “Mom purse.”

dodge-trunk[2] The Dodge Grand Caravan claimed to be just such a vehicle and for the next month, you can visit the UrbanMoms Auto Reviews section of the website and hear from two UrbanMoms writers that are going to be putting the Dodge Grand Caravan to the test.

And as if that wasn’t enough, while you’re reading about how the vehicle stands up to the busy lifestyle of today’s mom, you can also enter to win a $250 gas card! If having a reliable vehicle reduces family stress, being able to fill up that vehicle for free is sure to help too! So visit UrbanMoms, read the reviews and enter to win a prize that will have you cruising through the busy school year with a smile!

Crusing in Style in the 2012 Ford Fiesta

June 25, 2012 by Kathryn 4 Comments

When Ford Canada first called to offer us a 2012 Ford Fiesta to drive for the week, I have to admit that I wasn’t especially excited about the prospect. We’ve been able to drive some very amazing Ford vehicles in the last few months and while I was sure the Fiesta would be a nice comfortable ride, I didn’t really expect it to wow me.

Boy, was I in for a shock. The sporty Ford Fiesta that we received was absolutely gorgeous and the red and black colour scheme of the vehicle was enough to wow anybody. I was so excited to cruise around in such a sleek little vehicle for the next week!

2012 ford fiesta exterior [Read more…]

Wordless Wednesday with Linky-Perspective

June 5, 2012 by Kathryn 36 Comments

reflection of family in vehicle — I was playing around with my Kodak PlaySport video camera in the van and I loved the way this shot of the mirror turned out!

Canadians, remember to enter to win your own Kodak PlaySport Prize Pack from Pampers worth $200! If you have a Wordless Wednesday post, feel free to link it up below; I’d love to check it out!