WOW ---- New and used cars from US up to 30% cheaper - Read post #1

[brendonp]

"If you're driving the car, you will need to pay for temporary plates for EVERY state you drive through".

This has yet to be clearly answered. When it was posted originally, that was the thinking. There were RFDers who crossed many states and were given those instructions.


I checked the DMV websites for New York state and Virginia Beach; apparently the rules vary from state to state, but many states will except temp permits from other states. I know that New Jersey is an exception (the NY DMV site explicitly mentions NJ) in that you need a seperate permit to travel through NJ. I'm not sure that there is a master list anywhere - you'd probably have to check all the various DMV sites for the states you are travelling through.

Or wing it... ;)

[DSTU]

I say budget around 1000 for all fees that are not gst/pst/duty. There's RIV, A/C excise tax, provincial fee, and temporary insurance. I wire transferred the money to the dealer days before the car was picked up.

The only EXTRA you have to pay is the RIV fee and any duty(you already pay that here - build into the price) if its not a NAFTA Vehicle, and perhaps any modifications to bring it in line to Canadian Standards(Few cars are like this)

Other than those two - its exactly what you would pay here.

Other fees are temp tags and ins. binder - but those are pretty minor amounts.

[tacopower]

Hi,

I may have missed this, but I went through the first 20-30 pages of this thread and couldn't find an answer:

If you are buying a used car in the US from a private seller, do you still have to pay GST and PST (I'm from Ontario)? If I were to buy a used car from a private seller in Ontario, I think I only have to pay one of the two taxes.

Anyone know?

Thanks,
MT

[yyz2hkg]

Hi,

I may have missed this, but I went through the first 20-30 pages of this thread and couldn't find an answer:

If you are buying a used car in the US from a private seller, do you still have to pay GST and PST (I'm from Ontario)? If I were to buy a used car from a private seller in Ontario, I think I only have to pay one of the two taxes.

Anyone know?

Thanks,
MT

Yes, GST and PST are applicable. GST at the border, PST when you license the vehicle.

[bcbud]

A quick question for you Zach @ Eastside (or any car Dealer):

Does a non-NAFTA built Subaru have a built in American Duty in its price, other than the 6.1% duty us Canadians will have to pay at the Border?

Would we pay both America duties plus Canadian duties on top of that?

If so, what is the US duty rate?

[longdong]

hi all,

we all know that Honda will not honor any warranty if you buy any new car in US. But I just know today that Honda didn`t allow US dealer to sell car to Canadian anymore. Can anyone confirm this ?

[bguy7890]

Has anyone here in BC imported a new Nissan from WA State? If so, can you please PM me your dealer's info? I'd like to import a new Murano and am looking for a dealer who has experience exporting, and hopefully with no nonsense pricing.
Thanks very much.

[Da Mango]

Hi,

I may have missed this, but I went through the first 20-30 pages of this thread and couldn't find an answer:

If you are buying a used car in the US from a private seller, do you still have to pay GST and PST (I'm from Ontario)? If I were to buy a used car from a private seller in Ontario, I think I only have to pay one of the two taxes.

Anyone know?

Thanks,
MT

You pay both taxes if from the US. Depending on the car you'll pay 6.1% duty as well...

[irish80ca]

Hi guys,

My wife is looking to get an SUV so we have room for the kids (car seats), strollers, and a dog.
I've skimmed through these pages and seen a number of people purchasing Subaru's.

Can anyone give me a ball park idea what I'd expect to pay for their outback?

I'm not stuck on any brand as long as the warranty carries over to Canada and it's got enough room to suit my needs. I'd be coming from outside Toronto.

Any dealership recommendations?

[lakeshorewest]

Anyone knows there are any dealerships other than Subaru who are willing to sell new cars to Canadian in Buffalo area? Hyundai? Ford?......

Anyone bought an used car from any dealerships in Buffalo area?

[spdztr]

Anyone knows there are any dealerships other than Subaru who are willing to sell new cars to Canadian in Buffalo area? Hyundai? Ford?......

Anyone bought an used car from any dealerships in Buffalo area?

You really need to at least try to read some of this thread...

[spdztr]

Hi guys,

My wife is looking to get an SUV so we have room for the kids (car seats), strollers, and a dog.
I've skimmed through these pages and seen a number of people purchasing Subaru's.

Can anyone give me a ball park idea what I'd expect to pay for their outback?

I'm not stuck on any brand as long as the warranty carries over to Canada and it's got enough room to suit my needs. I'd be coming from outside Toronto.

Any dealership recommendations?

I'm not sure, but if you check the forums on the edmunds.com website, you'll see what others are paying for any given car. The rebates and promotions change regularly, so there could easily be $500-$2000 difference between months. You should also look at the Hyundai Santa Fe... I imported one a month ago, and it has a ton of storage space and plenty of room!

[thegradas]

Here's what a salesman says:


"I work in sales at a Hyundai dealership in Canada. I have lost 6 deals this month to people going to the states to buy. It makes it harder to sell cars, but I understand why people will travel to save. The govt better do something and fast".


.

[spdztr]

Here's what a salesman says:
"I work in sales at a Hyundai dealership in Canada. I have lost 6 deals this month to people going to the states to buy. It makes it harder to sell cars, but I understand why people will travel to save. The govt better do something and fast".
.

Thumbs up for Hyundai, but it's not the government that has to do anything. It's purely up to the manufacturers to set their prices. No different from books or greeting cards.

[irish80ca]

I'm not sure, but if you check the forums on the edmunds.com website, you'll see what others are paying for any given car. The rebates and promotions change regularly, so there could easily be $500-$2000 difference between months. You should also look at the Hyundai Santa Fe... I imported one a month ago, and it has a ton of storage space and plenty of room!


Thanks, I appreciate the reply. And I'll check out the Santa Fe.

[teep]

does mercedes have transferable warranty?

i've been eyeing the new C300 sports version that just came to canada..its mrsp is 41k in canada and with the 4matic option it is around 36k USD

there'll be a duty since its made in germany i believe

do you guys think this will be a good buy?

No: the price is not that different on the new Merc C-class. Ive been looking at a C350 4matic ater just importing a the wifes new Subaru. Note the350 4 matic model is not available in the USA, and there ara a lot of complaints about that on the Merc blogs. Also, the Canadian models DO have a better specs: a lot more power widgets like the Euro options, so that would affect resale value. I do not think the warranty is transferable either. So overall not worth it. Looks llike Mercedes have been smart on pricing this model: its not much more then the Canadian price of high-end Subaru!.

BMW is still a different story - The nice 5 series 535xi is 25K cheaper in the USA for very similar specs. BMW dealers are beginniing to hold "sales events" (ADDITIONAL to the usual demo sales). BMW rips you off $500 for the recall clearance latter and transfer of warranty and you ARE FORCED to go to a Canadian dealer to get one (reports of them being pretty surly).

[80sGuy]

Why would the government have to do something?

The manufactures need to address their pricing

[zenon]

Does anyone know of a Lexus dealer on the East coast willing to sell to Canadians. Like Toyota, they generally won't sell to Canadians. However, since some of you have managed to find Toyota dealers willing to sell to Canadians I thought there might be a Lexus dealer out there who is willing to bend the rules too.
Anyone who doesn't want to post publicly can just PM me.

Thanks for your help, I love this thread!

Nick

[lakeshorewest]

Who can share some information of buying a hyundai from Buffalo area?

[1226]

Why would the government have to do something?

The manufactures need to address their pricing

It's always the government's fault. :rolleyes:

[CheapScotsman]

I am pretty sure he wants the government to raise/introduce import tax so that they can "compete" ... not going to happen with nafta

[uncle_odb]

The big day - awaited for past 3 weeks when the process started.

The new Subie Outback is here!

I have to say its a really lovely car with all those LLBean model goodies: esp the perforated leather seats are a delight (not available on Canadian models). Nice subtle blue colour. Wife (it her car) is over the moon.

Brother-in-law picked it up and drove it from Seattle. Thanks to Zach and Eastside Subaru who had faxed the right things at the right time to the US Border, and were also most helpful in a number of other ways.

There were no problems at the border, except for some nervous cellphone calls when it looked like Bro might miss the 3pm deadline as he was was stuck in a long line-up at the Blaine crossing: in fact the deadline has been extended to 3.30pm so all was OK. Although he was armed with copies of the owner's DL and passport, and his own DL# name and address had been supplied to the US border in advance, none of this turned out to be needed.

Time at the US border getting it exported: 1 minute (didnt even look at the car).

Time at the Canadian border with very friendly Border Service lady filling in Form 1 and paying the RIV fee and GST: 15 minutes (didnt look at the car)

Forex rate for the GST calculation: 99.98 !

The Canadian border lady faxed form 1 to RIV, but when I phoned after the car arrived here, they said it was too early for the details to be on their system. They said to fax in the Subaru recall clearance letter (already arrived) and then I had to wait 72 hours before asking for Form 2: so the inspection and registration wont be before next Tuesday.

Total savings are on track for $10.5k.

That's fantastic Teep! Another successful import! Enjoy your new vehicle and spread the word; importing is not that bad.

Unc!

[tomasn82]

I just purchased a BMW Z4 from the US and saved about $9,000, after taxes, flight to Virginia (where I bought it) etc., etc.

Because the car is assembled in North Carolina, I did not have to pay duty taxes, only GST at the border, PST (when I registered it), $200 import fee, and $100 A/C excise tax. Aside from that, the only other costs were to wire the daytime running lights (30 minutes of labour at the dealership) and bi-lingual airbag warnings for my visors (which I pulled off another car for the purposes of the (free) inspection).

Took about 3 solid days of work total, and I'm driving a gorgeous car with a full warranty -- only the BMW service package is not included.

Just my $0.02!


Tomas

[Indijones]

I wrote a mail to Toyota, Canada asking them to convince me to buy in Canada instead of buying in the US. This is the reply that I received.

QUOTE:

Thank you for your inquiry.

Toyota Canada Inc. is the exclusive distributor of Toyota vehicles in Canada. Each Toyota distributor (there are hundreds around the world) works with the manufacturer in Japan to set its own prices for the products it distributes in its territory. Pricing for Toyota vehicles therefore does vary from country to country.

Many business factors influence our vehicle pricing, such as: volume of units sold in this country, the value of our dollar (in comparison to foreign currencies), and the state of the Canadian economy. For the past few years, when the U.S. dollar was stronger than it is now, American residents were asking the very same question : they noticed that Canadian Toyota products seemed to cost less. That situation has now been somewhat reversed, but to a lesser degree.

Although there are similarities between U.S. and Canadian market vehicles, there are also differences in features and options which must be taken into account for the differences in pricing.

You will find that Toyota vehicles are very competitively priced if you compare them to other brands sold in Canada.

It is our understanding that Toyota dealerships in the United States may not sell new U.S. specification Toyota vehicles for the purpose of export. This is, however, the policy of those dealerships, and not of Toyota Canada.

We sincerely appreciate your having taken the time to write to us, thereby allowing us to respond to your concerns. We hope this information will be useful.

Sincerely,

XXXXXX XXXXX
Toyota Canada Inc.

UNQUOTE

[diigii]

Wow!!! Toyota's BS stinks so bad! "....competitively priced if you compare them to other brands sold in Canada.." They're not answering your question why you should be considering a Canadian-spec Toyota, not a US-spec car. Who's going to believe that it's US dealerships' policy not to sell to Canadians?? They're insulting the very people who they hope will make them No 1 in the world. That's why I never bought a Toyota. Considered Camry in the first stages but they never got past that when it came down to Nissan and Subaru in my own third stage of decision-making.

[tico 1948]

I wrote a mail to Toyota, Canada asking them to convince me to buy in Canada instead of buying in the US. This is the reply that I received.

QUOTE:

Thank you for your inquiry.

Toyota Canada Inc. is the exclusive distributor of Toyota vehicles in Canada. Each Toyota distributor (there are hundreds around the world) works with the manufacturer in Japan to set its own prices for the products it distributes in its territory. Pricing for Toyota vehicles therefore does vary from country to country.

Many business factors influence our vehicle pricing, such as: volume of units sold in this country, the value of our dollar (in comparison to foreign currencies), and the state of the Canadian economy. For the past few years, when the U.S. dollar was stronger than it is now, American residents were asking the very same question : they noticed that Canadian Toyota products seemed to cost less. That situation has now been somewhat reversed, but to a lesser degree.

Although there are similarities between U.S. and Canadian market vehicles, there are also differences in features and options which must be taken into account for the differences in pricing.

You will find that Toyota vehicles are very competitively priced if you compare them to other brands sold in Canada.

It is our understanding that Toyota dealerships in the United States may not sell new U.S. specification Toyota vehicles for the purpose of export. This is, however, the policy of those dealerships, and not of Toyota Canada.

We sincerely appreciate your having taken the time to write to us, thereby allowing us to respond to your concerns. We hope this information will be useful.

Sincerely,

XXXXXX XXXXX
Toyota Canada Inc.

UNQUOTE

Hmmm, does this pass the sniff test?

[Flavour]

huh, unfortunately i cannot sign up to the car importing seminar, i just got this response:

"Unfortunately the Importation of Vehicles into Canada Seminars have been fully booked.
Future days to be announced."

this thing is getting bigger and bigger...

[diigii]

huh, unfortunately i cannot sign up to the car importing seminar, i just got this response:

"Unfortunately the Importation of Vehicles into Canada Seminars have been fully booked.
Future days to be announced."

this thing is getting bigger and bigger...

You don't need to sign up. Just read what RIV has on their website and you will be well-informed just like those people who signed up for the seminar. http://www.riv.ca

The only process that will eat most of your time is looking for a US dealer willing to sell your preferred brand at the price you think is the best deal. The import process is the easiest that you will undergo. I, myself, felt so stressed and felt it to be nerve-wracking. But now I've been through it, I'd be willing to do it again for my next car (if the dollar is still at par by that time. :cheesygri )

[sonic19982]

Just got back with my new 2008 Toyota Sienna. The dealer I went through says that Toyota USA is really giving them a hard time so this will be the last vehicle they sell to Canadians (during the months of August and September they sold 6 vehicles a week to Canadians). So if you’re interested in buying a new Toyota I would hurry.

[diigii]

Just got back with my new 2008 Toyota Sienna. The dealer I went through says that Toyota USA is really giving them a hard time so this will be the last vehicle they sell to Canadians (during the months of August and September they sold 6 vehicles a week to Canadians). So if you’re interested in buying a new Toyota I would hurry.

Congrats on your new Sienna! Do spread the good news to others who are looking for a Toyota! :cheesygri

[whampoa]

huh, unfortunately i cannot sign up to the car importing seminar, i just got this response:

"Unfortunately the Importation of Vehicles into Canada Seminars have been fully booked.
Future days to be announced."

this thing is getting bigger and bigger...

What would you learn from the Seminars that you couldn't find here, or even at RIV website?

Or do you feel more reassure coming from the horse's mouth? :)

Seriously, I like to know. I'll be surprise if they even cover half of the topics that were discussed at RFD. ;)

[Monsieurmaggot]

What would you learn from the Seminars that you couldn't find here, or even at RIV website?

Or do you feel more reassure coming from the horse's mouth? :)

Seriously, I like to know. I'll be surprise if they even cover half of the topics that were discussed at RFD. ;)

You're right.

PLUS they'd be getting information from bureaucrats who haven't actually imported a car. They could only speculate on everything but the inspection process.

As those who've actually done the process. We're all here.

[Monsieurmaggot]

Hi guys,

My wife is looking to get an SUV so we have room for the kids (car seats), strollers, and a dog.
I've skimmed through these pages and seen a number of people purchasing Subaru's.

Can anyone give me a ball park idea what I'd expect to pay for their outback?

I'm not stuck on any brand as long as the warranty carries over to Canada and it's got enough room to suit my needs. I'd be coming from outside Toronto.

Any dealership recommendations?

Read my post #4956 and #4961 on page 331.

Buy an LLBean today and save about $23,000 versus a similarly equipped Canadian model. Do the math and check for yourself. You won't believe it.

[johnsa]

Just got back with my new 2008 Toyota Sienna. The dealer I went through says that Toyota USA is really giving them a hard time so this will be the last vehicle they sell to Canadians (during the months of August and September they sold 6 vehicles a week to Canadians). So if you’re interested in buying a new Toyota I would hurry.


To anyone looking for a TOYOTA dealer still selling to Cdns and who is very negotiable....try this dealer in Dover Delaware..which is a reasonable distance to GTA (about 9 hrs)

www.cfschwartztoyota.com

A friend of mine is looking into Toyota Tundra with them..they have been very good and very competitive..(14 k savings vs Canada)

[Shojin]

I just purchased a BMW Z4 from the US and saved about $9,000, after taxes, flight to Virginia (where I bought it) etc., etc.

Because the car is assembled in North Carolina, I did not have to pay duty taxes, only GST at the border, PST (when I registered it), $200 import fee, and $100 A/C excise tax. Aside from that, the only other costs were to wire the daytime running lights (30 minutes of labour at the dealership) and bi-lingual airbag warnings for my visors (which I pulled off another car for the purposes of the (free) inspection).

Took about 3 solid days of work total, and I'm driving a gorgeous car with a full warranty -- only the BMW service package is not included.

Just my $0.02!


Tomas

Hi Tomas,

Glad to hear of your success! Do you know how much you will have to pay for your service now that you don't get the free service package?

Also, does anyone know if the 335xi is assembled in NA (I suspect not)?

[Flavour]

You don't need to sign up. Just read what RIV has on their website and you will be well-informed just like those people who signed up for the seminar. http://www.riv.ca

The only process that will eat most of your time is looking for a US dealer willing to sell your preferred brand at the price you think is the best deal. The import process is the easiest that you will undergo. I, myself, felt so stressed and felt it to be nerve-wracking. But now I've been through it, I'd be willing to do it again for my next car (if the dollar is still at par by that time. :cheesygri )

i know, i wanted to go anyways to see what they were telling people. i'm not even sure what car i want yet.

[Monsieurmaggot]

To anyone looking for a TOYOTA dealer still selling to Cdns and who is very negotiable....try this dealer in Dover Delaware..which is a reasonable distance to GTA (about 9 hrs)

www.cfschwartztoyota.com

A friend of mine is looking into Toyota Tundra with them..they have been very good and very competitive..(14 k savings vs Canada)

I bet now that Toyota Canada is lurking in this thread you will be surprised to find out that Schwartz can no longer sell to Canadians.

Remember, Toyota Canada would rather muzzle the US dealers than actually clean their own house. It's not their fault the Canadian economy is doing so well. From the note posted earlier, it's clear they are competitively priced in Canada and don't like anyone infringing on their "territory". That goes against competition and free trade. The phone companies had the same monopoly for years. They controlled the territory. Look what's happening to them.

[Flavour]

You're right.

PLUS they'd be getting information from bureaucrats who haven't actually imported a car. They could only speculate on everything but the inspection process.

As those who've actually done the process. We're all here.

you're not even mildly interested in whats in the seminar, and what people are being told by the border people? i figured that it would be helpful, i guess when i get to one i'll keep it to myself :confused:

[warpdryv]

I bet now that Toyota Canada is lurking in this thread you will be surprised to find out that Schwartz can no longer sell to Canadians.

Remember, Toyota Canada would rather muzzle the US dealers than actually clean their own house. It's not their fault the Canadian economy is doing so well. From the note posted earlier, it's clear they are competitively priced in Canada and don't like anyone infringing on their "territory". That goes against competition and free trade. The phone companies had the same monopoly for years. They controlled the territory. Look what's happening to them.

So quit posting dealer names! PM only.

[longdong]

So far I`m looking for discount either for Nissan Quest 2007: 3000$, Toyota Sienna 2007 (2000$) or Honda Odyssey 2007 (2000$ ). And all I got that no discount applicable for Canadian customers, it`s only applicable for US residents (even that the dealers want to sell cars to you, most of them are now in the no territory, concerning Toyota or Honda)

[hhnyy]

Just got back with my new 2008 Toyota Sienna. The dealer I went through says that Toyota USA is really giving them a hard time so this will be the last vehicle they sell to Canadians (during the months of August and September they sold 6 vehicles a week to Canadians). So if you’re interested in buying a new Toyota I would hurry.

How do you manage to import a 2008 Toyota?? I just checked the RIV list and none of the 2008 Toyota models are admissible yet...

[longdong]

How do you manage to import a 2008 Toyota?? I just checked the RIV list and none of the 2008 Toyota models are admissible yet...

The Van will be under section 5 and it`s applicable for all model years. I did ask RIV through email. And they confirm that you can import all VAN or SUV 2008s.

[diigii]

i know, i wanted to go anyways to see what they were telling people. i'm not even sure what car i want yet.

Would you rather listen to people who might only know it in theory since they are in the government than listen to people who have actually bought their cars in the US and will tell you their personal experiences and give you quick tips on how to go thru the actual process in the least amount of time???

[Flavour]

Would you rather listen to people who might only know it in theory since they are in the government than listen to people who have actually bought their cars in the US and will tell you their personal experiences and give you quick tips on how to go thru the actual process in the least amount of time???

who said i had to listen to one or the other? can't both be useful? maybe its word for word off the riv site, but until someone goes, nobody knows. i would have thought people would be interested to hear another perspective, i guess not.

[WHO]

I'd be interested to know if they'll have any explanation why they're lagging behind on listing of 2008 models. Other than the excuse they usually give people about being the manufacturer's responsability.

[johnsa]

So quit posting dealer names! PM only.

I think this is B.S. My friend spoke to 2 other dealers who are fairly close to this one's location (different states) and they both stated the limitations in selling to Cdns come from their regional supplier, not from Toyota USA....they also stated that it depends on the status of the dealership...ie franchise or independant...

[eastsidesubaru]

A quick question for you Zach @ Eastside (or any car Dealer):

Does a non-NAFTA built Subaru have a built in American Duty in its price, other than the 6.1% duty us Canadians will have to pay at the Border?

Would we pay both America duties plus Canadian duties on top of that?

If so, what is the US duty rate?


Sorry, just saw this post... Have been absolutely SWAMPED so I apologize if I haven't been around here as much! If there is any american duty paid, it is done by Subaru when they import the vehicle from Japan.. so this is something dealerships have no idea about- we just pay the manufacturer's invoice as it comes. You would pay only Canadian duty at the border (In addition to GST and maybe PST depending on where you live at)

[teep]

That's fantastic Teep! Another successful import! Enjoy your new vehicle and spread the word; importing is not that bad.

Unc!

Thanks UNC! In fact I phoned RIV today (Monday) and within 30 seconds Form 2 arrived by email! We could in fact have gotten it inspected and registered today, except wife is so tied up at work we will have to wait till saturday. No worries.

In the meantime her low mileage 10-year old Subie is going on Craigslist!

Will post a photo at weekend: very happy with car! Very happy with RFDers!

[GoKartRacer]

Does anyone know of a Lexus dealer on the East coast willing to sell to Canadians. Like Toyota, they generally won't sell to Canadians. However, since some of you have managed to find Toyota dealers willing to sell to Canadians I thought there might be a Lexus dealer out there who is willing to bend the rules too.
Anyone who doesn't want to post publicly can just PM me.

Thanks for your help, I love this thread!

Nick

To Zenon: For a few weeks now I have been calling up various Lexus dealers on the east coast south and mid east states. I have found many Lexus dealers willing to sell to Canadians. However, the Lexus dealers will not sell with an open MSO, that means you have to title the car. That means paying US State sales tax, and that means having a US address. So if you are a Canadian and have a us address (ie friend/relative in the US) call up any of the dealers in the south states and you might get some luck.

I am currently trying to secure a deal with a more Northern state (closer to Ontario) and have given them a relative's address. I have had to pay state sales tax and they have to title the car, which means actually waiting 3-4 weeks for the title to arrive at my relative's place. I will let the forum know of my success and/or failure. Should know for sure by end of the week as they are trying to register car now @ DMV.

[eastsidesubaru]

Thanks UNC! In fact I phoned RIV today (Monday) and within 30 seconds Form 2 arrived by email! We could in fact have gotten it inspected and registered today, except wife is so tied up at work we will have to wait till saturday. No worries.

In the meantime her low mileage 10-year old Subie is going on Craigslist!

Will post a photo at weekend: very happy with car! Very happy with RFDers!

I'm really glad for you teep...!! See it just takes a little bit of faith :cheesygri

[GoKartRacer]

All,

I have seen some examples of bills of sale in the forum. I was wondering if someone wouldnt mind posting an example of a recall letter they got from a dealer. Obviously please remove your personal contact information from it. Just wanted to see it as I will have to advise my potential dealer on what to write.

I was actually just gonna script it up and send it to them and get them to print it out.

If someone could post a screenshot of their letter, I would greatly appreciate it. It would provide some helpful guidance.

Thanks!:)

[stealth]

Quick question: when a vehicle costs more than $10,000., which is the amount you have to tell customs about when you are travelling with that amount of money, what happens at customs e.g. what do they do?

I imported a car and jetski before, but they were always under the $10k amount.

[shopper-X]

All,

I have seen some examples of bills of sale in the forum. I was wondering if someone wouldnt mind posting an example of a recall letter they got from a dealer. Obviously please remove your personal contact information from it. Just wanted to see it as I will have to advise my potential dealer on what to write.

I was actually just gonna script it up and send it to them and get them to print it out.

If someone could post a screenshot of their letter, I would greatly appreciate it. It would provide some helpful guidance.

Thanks!:)
Here is the one that the dealer ordered in my name and Canadian address.
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/1599/subarurecallletterrfdim4.jpg

[googz]

Question for those who have imported Subarus recently; are new 2007 models still available? I ask since the warranty coverage apparently differs from 2007 to 2008 model years for cars imported to Canada. 2007 should have full warranty, no hassles. Starting with 2008 models though, they say that you either have to have your vehicle serviced in the U.S. or serviced here where you pay out of your pocket and then submit a claim to Subaru U.S. to be reimbursed.

Just seems like a significant catch with the 2008 models. Have those who bought 2008 models found this new warranty process to be true?

Thanks...

[whampoa]

Quick question: when a vehicle costs more than $10,000., which is the amount you have to tell customs about when you are travelling with that amount of money, what happens at customs e.g. what do they do?

I imported a car and jetski before, but they were always under the $10k amount.

If you declare $10,000 at the border, US custom will put you in this little room and start to interrogate you.

And if you're of Middle East or Korean origin they will ask you about....J/K






If declare and show proof of purchase nothing will happen, but if you don't declare and they find it on you.

Then you're in a world of hurt. And I'm not J/K this time.

[hugedrive]

Here is my question:

I have a condo in Florida. What would be the implications of registering a new car there, put a Florida license plate on it and drive back to Canada with it?

I would be driving it in Canada 8 months out of the year.

My question is more whether or not canadian customs will let me through if I'm driving a US plated car as a Canadian?


Thanks

[GoodDeal]

Thanks OP + RFD for all the great info! I just picked up a 2008 Legacy Limited from Van Bortel Subaru (from Karl).

Some info that might help others:

1. Van Bortel is about 3 hours from Ottawa.

2. You can import a car anytime 24/7 through the 1000 Island Bridge (no need to import it during business hours or weekdays)

3. No need to have the papers faxed to them 72 hours! I just went there with the original papers and they processed it within 15 minutes.

I'm estimating that I saved about 12K or about 30% of what this car would cost in Canada.

ottawa.lowprice.ca (http://www.lowprice.ca) | toronto.lowprice.ca (http://toronto.lowprice.ca) | montreal.lowprice.ca (http://montreal.lowprice.ca)

[johnsa]

Thanks OP + RFD for all the great info! I just picked up a 2008 Legacy Limited from Van Bortel Subaru (from Karl).

Some info that might help others:

1. Van Bortel is about 3 hours from Ottawa.

2. You can import a car anytime 24/7 through the 1000 Island Bridge (no need to import it during business hours or weekdays)

3. No need to have the papers faxed to them 72 hours! I just went there with the original papers and they processed it within 15 minutes.

I'm estimating that I saved about 12K or about 30% of what this car would cost in Canada.

When exactly did you bring it accross..I brought my new car accross there on a weekday and when I had called they said mon-fri 9:00 4:00 they even had a little sign in the US Customs "trailer" stating this...please confirm the time and day of week you actually crossed....

[diigii]

Quick question: when a vehicle costs more than $10,000., which is the amount you have to tell customs about when you are travelling with that amount of money, what happens at customs e.g. what do they do?

I imported a car and jetski before, but they were always under the $10k amount.

It doesn't matter how much is it you're bringing across. As long as it's more than $10K, declare it. They will direct you to park, go inside the US Customs office, ask you where you're headed. Then they will ask you to see the money or money instrument you're bringing. They will make a copy of it, I think. If you do not declare it, you will be fined. US Customs is not one agency you want to try their patience.

[diigii]

Congratulations to teep and GoodDeal. Enjoy your new cars and your savings!

[diigii]

Question for those who have imported Subarus recently; are new 2007 models still available? I ask since the warranty coverage apparently differs from 2007 to 2008 model years for cars imported to Canada. 2007 should have full warranty, no hassles. Starting with 2008 models though, they say that you either have to have your vehicle serviced in the U.S. or serviced here where you pay out of your pocket and then submit a claim to Subaru U.S. to be reimbursed.

Just seems like a significant catch with the 2008 models. Have those who bought 2008 models found this new warranty process to be true?

Thanks...

There's no catch. I guess Subaru USA just wants to keep track of the US cars being exported to Canada. But either way, your warranty is covered on both sides of the border. It's just that you have to pay out of your own pocket first but Subaru USA will re-imburse you after mailing them the receipts.

[HighFlyer]

It doesn't matter how much is it you're bringing across. As long as it's more than $10K, declare it. They will direct you to park, go inside the US Customs office, ask you where you're headed. Then they will ask you to see the money or money instrument you're bringing. They will make a copy of it, I think. If you do not declare it, you will be fined. US Customs is not one agency you want to try their patience.
In my case, I never had to go inside. After the customs officer asked me "what's going on in Victor?" I answered "I'm going to buy a car, and I bringing a $20+ bank draft." He asked to look at it, said it's fine, slipped it in between my passport, handed everything back, and said "have a nice day".

[Monsieurmaggot]

In my case, I never had to go inside. After the customs officer asked me "what's going on in Victor?" I answered "I'm going to buy a car, and I bringing a $20+ bank draft." He asked to look at it, said it's fine, slipped it in between my passport, handed everything back, and said "have a nice day".


I second that. I was asked why I was bringing over $10,000+; theyasked to see the bank draft, saw it was made out to a car dealer and I sent on my way.

In all this time the person at US Customs never looked at me.

[sphinxx]

What's a good price for the Tribeca B9 7 seat with mooroof + navig. 2007 model?

Thanks for the feedback.

spx

[Kamloops]

If you declare $10,000 at the border, US custom will put you in this little room and start to interrogate you.

And if you're of Middle East or Korean origin they will ask you about....J/K






If declare and show proof of purchase nothing will happen, but if you don't declare and they find it on you.

Then you're in a world of hurt. And I'm not J/K this time.

I have carried over 10k cash accross the line two times now. Both times to buy boats. You tell the guy at the crossing. They send you inside. You go into a secure room away from prying eyes. You have to count it in front of a few customs agents, fill an easy form out and you are on your way. They were polite both times and it was piece of cake

[dealcatcher]

What's a good price for the Tribeca B9 7 seat with mooroof + navig. 2007 model?

Thanks for the feedback.

spx


yes, i'm looking for one of these too!

[ffonly]

I have a friend in Oregon who will buy a new brand new toyota off the lot and then sell it to me right away. From what I understand, the certificate of title takes roughly a month to get mailed to him. Can I export the vehicle right away with just the MSO and bill of sale from him, or do I have to wait till he gets the title and gives it to me before I export it?

[tico 1948]

It doesn't matter how much is it you're bringing across. As long as it's more than $10K, declare it. They will direct you to park, go inside the US Customs office, ask you where you're headed. Then they will ask you to see the money or money instrument you're bringing. They will make a copy of it, I think. If you do not declare it, you will be fined. US Customs is not one agency you want to try their patience.

Amen to that. Back in the day when I lived in Cornwall, Ontario the U.S. Customs Personell at Roosevelt Town, N.Y. had this BIG picture of Dick M. Nixon :twisted: hanging on the wall. I think they had to pay homage to it and read his little Red Book (oh sorry ,that was Mao) on how to hassle Canadians, particularily anyone who's hair touched their ears. Geez, all we were doing was going to Massena N.Y. so's we could take advantage of the 18 yr.of age drinking laws and listen to the Bar Groups from NYC and Philly.:D But I digress.They can be right unpleasant if they get the slightest notion that you are screwing with them.:evil: Be totally up-front with them and you'll have no problems.:) All jokes aside, they do have a difficult job made moreso by 9/11.God Bless Free Trade!

[scouzi]

What's a good price for the Tribeca B9 7 seat with mooroof + navig. 2007 model?

Thanks for the feedback.

spx

I am assuming you mean a good price in the US :-)

For a brand new one, the price should be MSRP - $5.5k minimum.

That includes dealer discount and a $2750 rebate from Subaru.

I think if you offer $6k off MSRP you will get it no problem. They don't seem to give an extra rebate for paying cash but I didn't argue that much.

PS - You are better of buying a portable NAV. The NAV system on the Tribeca is so - so and a far reach for a driver. I bought a Garmin C550 which gives me TTS navigation, MP3 playback from SD card and Bluetooth connectivity for cell phone all through the car stereo.

[scouzi]

yes, i'm looking for one of these too!

Not a whole lot of new 2007 left. I saw a few on Ebay from dealers.

Try this guy. He has lots of slightly used ones. Probably corporate loaners/demos and sponsorship cars.

www.bkcars.com.

I never dealt with them.

The Tribecas seem to depreciate really fast so a used one might be the way to go.

[scouzi]

French link.

http://lapresseaffaires.cyberpresse.ca/article/20070925/LAINFORMER/709250590/5891/LAINFORMER01

[brendonp]

Thanks OP + RFD for all the great info! I just picked up a 2008 Legacy Limited from Van Bortel Subaru (from Karl).

Some info that might help others:

1. Van Bortel is about 3 hours from Ottawa.

2. You can import a car anytime 24/7 through the 1000 Island Bridge (no need to import it during business hours or weekdays)

3. No need to have the papers faxed to them 72 hours! I just went there with the original papers and they processed it within 15 minutes.

I'm estimating that I saved about 12K or about 30% of what this car would cost in Canada.


When exactly did you bring it accross..I brought my new car accross there on a weekday and when I had called they said mon-fri 9:00 4:00 they even had a little sign in the US Customs "trailer" stating this...please confirm the time and day of week you actually crossed....

Technically you can bring your vehicle accross any border at any time of the day 24/7. What you can't do is talk /w US Customs, except during their office hours. If you skip the US Customs part (ie the faxing/72 hours/etc), there's no need to cross at a specific time as Canadian customs is always open to collect duties! The Canadian side of the process really doesn't care if you've talked to the US side; the US Customs agents merely want to ensure that the car is marked as exported in their systems for future reference.

All that being said, I would strongly advise that you stop at the local US office! I'm sure there is a nice penalty for you if they ever found out...

Brendon

[GoodDeal]

When exactly did you bring it accross..I brought my new car accross there on a weekday and when I had called they said mon-fri 9:00 4:00 they even had a little sign in the US Customs "trailer" stating this...please confirm the time and day of week you actually crossed....

I crossed the border on Monday @ 4:15pm. I thought for sure I was too late and that I'll have to spend another day in US, but suprisingly when I asked them if I can still do the paperwork after 4:00pm, they told me that I can do it 24/7. I reconfirmed that inside the customs.

To be 100% sure I would give them a call and confirm before importing a car.

[GoodDeal]

Technically you can bring your vehicle accross any border at any time of the day 24/7. What you can't do is talk /w US Customs, except during their office hours. If you skip the US Customs part (ie the faxing/72 hours/etc), there's no need to cross at a specific time as Canadian customs is always open to collect duties! The Canadian side of the process really doesn't care if you've talked to the US side; the US Customs agents merely want to ensure that the car is marked as exported in their systems for future reference.

All that being said, I would strongly advise that you stop at the local US office! I'm sure there is a nice penalty for you if they ever found out...

Brendon

I must've missed this step... I never stopped at the US Customs. Hopefully this won't cause a problem when I will travel to US.

[Monsieurmaggot]

I must've missed this step... I never stopped at the US Customs. Hopefully this won't cause a problem when I will travel to US.

You never got your US car legally exported?

That's a new one.

I can't imagine this could get past RIV.

If you get your "finalized import" letter and import sticker from RIV, then you got lucky.

Anyone know the consequences of not legally exporting your car from the US?

[DSTU]

I crossed the border on Monday @ 4:15pm. I thought for sure I was too late and that I'll have to spend another day in US, but suprisingly when I asked them if I can still do the paperwork after 4:00pm, they told me that I can do it 24/7. I reconfirmed that inside the customs.

To be 100% sure I would give them a call and confirm before importing a car.

Canada or US Customs?

[GoodDeal]

Canada or US Customs?

Canadian Customs.

[johnsa]

I must've missed this step... I never stopped at the US Customs. Hopefully this won't cause a problem when I will travel to US.

Ok..I understand that you forgot to stop at US Customs to have them stamp your docs...Was this a brand new car??

I was told that if you did not have US Customs stamp the Cert of Origin on a new car or the Title of a used car
giving you the OK to export it that RIV would NOT allow you to import to Canada.......

Were you able to go into Canada Customs and do the Form 1 , pay GST, etc???

What am I missing here???

Anyone have comments...

[GoodDeal]

Ok..I understand that you forgot to stop at US Customs to have them stamp your docs...Was this a brand new car??

I was told that if you did not have US Customs stamp the Cert of Origin on a new car or the Title of a used car
giving you the OK to export it that RIV would NOT allow you to import to Canada.......

Were you able to go into Canada Customs and do the Form 1 , pay GST, etc???

What am I missing here???

Anyone have comments...

I had no problem getting the Form 1 and paying the GST at the Canadian Customs. The car was brand new.

[Monsieurmaggot]

I had no problem getting the Form 1 and paying the GST at the Canadian Customs. The car was brand new.

You might have received FORM1 since Canada Customs doesn't really process the car. They only collect the taxes. Even if you succeed in getting FORM2, the final clearance should catch this oversight.

I'd be curious to know if you ever get your "successfully imported" letter and Transport Canada sticker from RIV.

I would call RIV and ask them.

[johnsa]

PLEASE let us all know if you still get the OK from RIV to go ahead and get the inspection done and that you receive the STICKER that you are OK to import to Canada....this is new to many of us and I wondering some may consider by passing the US Customs "export" stamp part of the process????

Good Luck....

I have actually heard of a few individuals on a GTA motorcyle board state that they never stopped at US Customs to get export approved as it was not required on motorcycles, which made no sense to me at the time. Perhaps they did not bother because RIV really does not care......if that is the case then the only issue will be driving back to the US in that vehicle, ever...

[scouzi]

You never got your US car legally exported?

That's a new one.

I can't imagine this could get past RIV.

If you get your "finalized import" letter and import sticker from RIV, then you got lucky.

Anyone know the consequences of not legally exporting your car from the US?

My car actually had a recall (not performed) on the dealer issued printout letter and it passed RIV anyways.

[hugedrive]

Here is my question:

I have a condo in Florida. What would be the implications of registering a new car there, put a Florida license plate on it and drive back to Canada with it?

I would be driving it in Canada 8 months out of the year.

My question is more whether or not canadian customs will let me through if I'm driving a US plated car as a Canadian?


Thanks

[RRKnight]

I must've missed this step... I never stopped at the US Customs. Hopefully this won't cause a problem when I will travel to US.

I did the same thing and did not visit the US custom when I brought my Outback over to Canada. I had to go back the following week and get the stamp or else they will fine me $500 the next time I cross the US boarder. Do the US Custom Stamp quick before they find out.

[Monsieurmaggot]

What's a good price for the Tribeca B9 7 seat with mooroof + navig. 2007 model?

Thanks for the feedback.

spx

Another way to look at it, I would subtract the rebate ($2750) and about $1000-$1200 as dealer hold backs from the invoice price. That's pretty well what the others are saying.

The 2008s don't have rebates.

[Monsieurmaggot]

My car actually had a recall (not performed) on the dealer issued printout letter and it passed RIV anyways.

From what I understand, unless the recall is for an emission defect or major safety issue, RIV doesn't really care. Be interesting to know what your recall was for.

Do you know?

[malquin]

Hi.

With all the "interesting" ... stuff we learned from Derosier's article last week, I thought I'd let you know about an article that appeared this morning in "La Presse", a major french newspaper in Quebec.

The link: http://lapresseaffaires.cyberpresse.ca/article/20070925/LAINFORMER/709250590/5891/LAINFORMER01

It says that Canadians rushed to the USA in August, buying 17 603 cars, which is 60% higher that the same month in 2006 and 56% higher that July 2007.

Interesting read and way more factual that Derosier's article. If you need transaltion, you can always try Babel Fish http://babelfish.altavista.com/ for a sometime exact, sometime funny result.

[Monsieurmaggot]

Here is my question:

I have a condo in Florida. What would be the implications of registering a new car there, put a Florida license plate on it and drive back to Canada with it?

I would be driving it in Canada 8 months out of the year.

My question is more whether or not canadian customs will let me through if I'm driving a US plated car as a Canadian?


Thanks

I'm guessing that the real issue would be with your insurance company. If the car is spending most of the time in Canada, they'll probably want you to register it here. If that's the case, as a resident, you will pay PST and GST to import the car.

I would check with your insurance company. If they're fine with it, I wouldn't bother registering the car in Canada.

Where I live, I see people all the time with non-resident plates. At my daughter's school there's a mom who has valid Virginia plates. She's been dropping off her daughter off for the past two years. I doubt she's commuting to Toronto. At my office there are plates from Colorado, Florida and pretty well every province. I know many of those people and they live in Toronto.

[DSTU]

Canadian Customs.

Did you forget to go to US Customs for them to stamp the title for export?

They are only open till 4pm.

[tico 1948]

My wife & I were watching Shopping Channel last weekend and they were selling a Nav. System mfg. by LG. The price was only $500 Cdn.It sure looked like a top-notch system, very impressive. We decided to get one and will install it on the Tribeca we just made our deal on. I won't have the vehicle for 3 weeks because it had to be ordered in. I'm thinking we should take it to the U.S.Dealership with us and see if they'll install it. I'll post up the results.

[diigii]

PLEASE let us all know if you still get the OK from RIV to go ahead and get the inspection done and that you receive the STICKER that you are OK to import to Canada....this is new to many of us and I wondering some may consider by passing the US Customs "export" stamp part of the process????

Good Luck....

I have actually heard of a few individuals on a GTA motorcyle board state that they never stopped at US Customs to get export approved as it was not required on motorcycles, which made no sense to me at the time. Perhaps they did not bother because RIV really does not care......if that is the case then the only issue will be driving back to the US in that vehicle, ever...

Fuuny that you mentioned that a few individuals never stopped at the US Customs. Last Saturday coming back from our shopping expedition in Lewiston, NY, I noticed there were about three individuals who were paying the GST and excise taxes on their vehicle imports. I don't know what they imported since there were a lot of us in line to pay our 14% on our purchases. But if they're able to import on a Saturday, they might have bypassed US Customs then.

But for those importing their new cars, I recommend stopping by the US Customs and having your CoT/MSO stamped. It's better having met all the legal export requirements than having an illegally exported car mess coming back at you months after. You don't want any hassles at all to ruin any savings you have benefitted from.

[DSTU]

PLEASE let us all know if you still get the OK from RIV to go ahead and get the inspection done and that you receive the STICKER that you are OK to import to Canada....this is new to many of us and I wondering some may consider by passing the US Customs "export" stamp part of the process????

Good Luck....

I have actually heard of a few individuals on a GTA motorcyle board state that they never stopped at US Customs to get export approved as it was not required on motorcycles, which made no sense to me at the time. Perhaps they did not bother because RIV really does not care......if that is the case then the only issue will be driving back to the US in that vehicle, ever...

How would US Customs know, they only check the plates. Unless its connected to the VIN and it shows up in their system.

[flaming homer]

Bypass US Customs is bad news. I believe this is also Canada Customs' fault, they should be checking the "EXPORTED" stamp at the back of the MSO.

As far as RIV finding out, they wouldn't unless they're in contact with US Customs. The MSO gets "confiscated" by your provincial DMV (in exchange for the standard provincial ownership), so the issue really is if the US doesn't think the car is exported, will it try to track it down and mark it as a untitled car - big issue if you drive it in the US, I suppose.

The US Customs 72-hours check is supposed to be used to check liens against the vehicle (impractical in new cars), don't think they'll be too happy to find a car leaving the US jurisdiction without them checking. Then again, they're NEVER going to know unless the VIN number is examined - problematic if you, say, get into a at-fault accident in the US and your insurance company decides that you're driving an illegal car in the US....

As far as cars being imported over the weekend - possible as HighFlyer (and the layout of Queenston-Lewiston) got the MSO stamped during business hours and return to the US for some shopping.

[lightbulb]

While the Cdn $ is pretty much at parity with the US $, us mere mortals will always get dinged by the banks or Forex bureaus when actually trying to buy US dollars. Yesterday I got a bank draft to pay for my car from BMO and found this scenario to be the most favourable.

A few weeks ago, I set up an account at XE.com thinking this might be the least expensive way to exchange the C$ for U$. Unless you have an account you don't get to see the real buy/sell rate they offer; the public area of the site is for informtion and theory only. After a few days of comparing their actual rates with those on the RBC.com site as well as calling for true rates from a couple Forex bureaus in Toronto, I found them to be only so-so, not really worth the trouble and delay in going through them.

At BMO, my usual bank, my draft was paid out of my US$ account, from which I had transferred the required funds from my regular account. This process seemed to offer better exchange rates than the usual "buy/sell" method. This may only apply to BMO. My cost for a U$ was $1.01 at 12:00, Sept. 24/07; no additional charge for draft. I checked prevailing rates an hour after my transaction and found it to be among the best. The trick seems to be paying for the draft from the US$ account where $1=$1 and a transfer of funds seems more favorable than "buying" U$ cash or cheque.

Hope this helps those in the process.

[flaming homer]

My wife & I were watching Shopping Channel last weekend and they were selling a Nav. System mfg. by LG. The price was only $500 Cdn.It sure looked like a top-notch system, very impressive. We decided to get one and will install it on the Tribeca we just made our deal on. I won't have the vehicle for 3 weeks because it had to be ordered in. I'm thinking we should take it to the U.S.Dealership with us and see if they'll install it. I'll post up the results.I just checked TSC with this link (http://www.theshoppingchannel.com/endeca/search.do?keyword=gps), and found all the LG nav system are "portable" - how do you propose to install it into a Tribeca ?

The US$ 2400 Nav system on the Tribeca "Limited" (mine's on order, come on Karl) has several advantages:

- Installed
- Has rear-view camera
- 7" screen (?)
- XM radio (not sure if this is really an advantage)

[ziploc]

You never got your US car legally exported?

That's a new one.

I can't imagine this could get past RIV.

If you get your "finalized import" letter and import sticker from RIV, then you got lucky.

Anyone know the consequences of not legally exporting your car from the US?
here's what i think..
The only problem i can find in there is if the car returns to US....

beside that, it's only a courtesy (which might be required by US law) to advise them of exporting an us vehicle....unless you are a frequent traveller and don't want to ''brake'' US rules/law and avoid future problems in that country..

as for canadian part....why would they care if the car was reported exported in another country...they working for canadian GOV and not for US....
they do theirs part by collecting taxes and duties...that's their job...

and RIV...what they need to make sure is if the vehicle is importable and pass all the safety and other canadian norms.....that's they job....
why will they care if a foreign GOV know or not if the car was exporter from them....


another point that i might see it's in case of car theft....maybe there is some registry of all cars which helps to prevent and control this problem...

my 2 cents..but i might be wrong....

[johnsa]

How would US Customs know, they only check the plates. Unless its connected to the VIN and it shows up in their system.

I wondered the exact same thing, but I would rather not be at the bad end of that stick....

[HighFlyer]

another point that i might see it's in case of car theft....maybe there is some registry of all cars which helps to prevent and control this problem...

I think this could be part of it. While I was waiting to have my MSO stamped, I saw a big poster near the desk with "Insurance fraud and theft hurts everyone.... Report It" or something like that.

Seriously.... if the paperwork was done properly and faxed within the requisite time frame, the whole process takes minutes and is painless. Why would anyone want to take chances with this important and mandatory procedure?

[Ebola]

Bypass US Customs is bad news. I believe this is also Canada Customs' fault, they should be checking the "EXPORTED" stamp at the back of the MSO.

As far as RIV finding out, they wouldn't unless they're in contact with US Customs. The MSO gets "confiscated" by your provincial DMV (in exchange for the standard provincial ownership), so the issue really is if the US doesn't think the car is exported, will it try to track it down and mark it as a untitled car - big issue if you drive it in the US, I suppose.

The US Customs 72-hours check is supposed to be used to check liens against the vehicle (impractical in new cars), don't think they'll be too happy to find a car leaving the US jurisdiction without them checking. Then again, they're NEVER going to know unless the VIN number is examined - problematic if you, say, get into a at-fault accident in the US and your insurance company decides that you're driving an illegal car in the US....

As far as cars being imported over the weekend - possible as HighFlyer (and the layout of Queenston-Lewiston) got the MSO stamped during business hours and return to the US for some shopping.

It is not relevant to Canada Border Services whether or not you have the US export stamp on your title.

Yes you are supposed to get the Export check done before you import the car, but as long as the title is present, and the vehicle and owner of the vehicle (as per the title) are at the Port of Entry, you are going to get your Form 1 after you pay the $206 RIV fee and the GST.

[bionicbadger]

I just checked TSC with this link (http://www.theshoppingchannel.com/endeca/search.do?keyword=gps), and found all the LG nav system are "portable" - how do you propose to install it into a Tribeca ?

The US$ 2400 Nav system on the Tribeca "Limited" (mine's on order, come on Karl) has several advantages:

- Installed
- Has rear-view camera
- 7" screen (?)
- XM radio (not sure if this is really an advantage)

The backup camera is more useful than the navigation system. But if you don't get the nav system in the tribeca, you get a different LCD screen that is not a touch screen and makes upgrading/changing things much more of a pain. I got the nav system. Its not worth $2000. But I wanted the backup camera, and I didn't want some crappy looking aftermarket portable crap thing installed or shoehorned in to fit. Try parallel parking the tribeca without the camera, then try it with the camera. I know you could add an aftermarket backup camera, but again it will most likely look like ass. If I could have bought it without the nav system an only with the camera I would have. Though I have yet to add the microphone for the voice control of the nav system which is supposed to make it more useful/practical.

[ziploc]

I think this could be part of it. While I was waiting to have my MSO stamped, I saw a big poster near the desk with "Insurance fraud and theft hurts everyone.... Report It" or something like that.

Seriously.... if the paperwork was done properly and faxed within the requisite time frame, the whole process takes minutes and is painless. Why would anyone want to bypass this important and mandatory step?

for sure it's a good thing to do it,...

but as i said i think it's not mandatory for a foreign citizen...unless you make some import/export business.....

I really encourage doing it....whatever the ''hidden'' reasons are...maybe just for stats.... just to prove desrosiers that he's wrong...:)
or in case if you want to return the car to US under lemon law ??? does someone know if that's possible ???
But I just don't believe those who say ''you have to''.......

[flaming homer]

for sure it's a good thing to do it,...

but as i said i think it's not mandatory for a foreign citizen...unless you make some import/export business.....

I really encourage doing it....whatever the ''hidden'' reasons are...maybe just for stats.... just to prove desrosiers that he's wrong...:)
or in case if you want to return the car to US under lemon law ??? does someone know if that's possible ???
But I just don't believe those who say ''you have to''.......http://www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/export/export_docs/motor_vehicle.xml

[Shojin]

My cost for a U$ was $1.01 at 12:00, Sept. 24/07; no additional charge for draft.

I also purchased some US$ yesterday about an hour before you did. My rate was $1.005 or 50 basis points less, also no charge for the draft. This was from a Forex bureau at BCE place.

Unless you're a bank employee you're almost always better off dealing with a currency vendor. Incidentally, what rate was XE offering?

[HoTiCE_]

Porsche Canada announced this morning that they will be lowering their MSRP on all '08 models by an average of 10% to bring the gap down between American prices and Canadian..


Is this the beginning of a trend?

[ziploc]

http://www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/export/export_docs/motor_vehicle.xml

i stand corrected, it's required by US law...

[shopper-X]

Question about GST if anyone can help me.

I used a custom broker to clear the vehicle since I am having it shipped. They based the exchange rate on the "Purchase Order" date and not the "Crossing" date.

For those that drove over or used a Customs Broker, did the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) base the exchange rate on PO or Crossing date?

[golden]

Porsche Canada announced this morning that they will be lowering their MSRP on all '08 models by an average of 10% to bring the gap down between American prices and Canadian..


Is this the beginning of a trend?


Well, I don't think 10% is enough to compensate for the diff even if other companies follow. I guess the pressure on lowering the price is not as much as we expected since many people leasing cars these days cannot take the import route to save.

[Kamloops]

Look near the bottom, automotive analyst Dennis Desrosiers pointed out that cross-border car shopping is still relatively rare. He is such an idiot!

Auto guide urges consumers to wait for lower prices
ALLISON LAMPERT, The Gazette
Published: Friday, September 21

Luxury car dealers are expected to follow their mid-range counterparts in lowering the suggested retail prices on Canadian vehicles to reflect the value of the rising loonie, industry sources say.

The online auto trade website Guide Auto is urging Canadian consumers to put off buying vehicles from high-end German auto dealers like Audi, BMW and Mercedes. The dealers are to cut the manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSRP) on their 2008 models by about 15 per cent - a figure one auto-industry source confirmed to a reporter.

The expected cuts follow a reported decision by Porsche Cars North America Inc. to bring its Canadian prices more in line with those in the United States, the website said.
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For example, the Porsche Cayman S, which was priced at about $85,000 in Canada, will now sell for $75,900.

"I'm not going to say these figures are incorrect, it's just that officially I can't confirm or deny them," said Tony Fouladpour, a spokesperson for Atlanta-based Porsche.

By comparison, the MSRP of the 2008 U.S. Cayman S is $59,100.

Canadian prices for 2008 models will be announced next month, Fouladpour said.

While prices are based on the market, and not the exchange rate, Fouladpour said Porsche is aware of instances of Canadians buying the company's cars in the U.S. - a practice largely fuelled by the soaring loonie.

But automotive analyst Dennis Desrosiers pointed out that cross-border car shopping is still relatively rare.

This year, Canadians will import a record 150,000 new and used light vehicles, compared with more than 4 million bought in Canada.

[spdztr]

Question about GST if anyone can help me.

I used a custom broker to clear the vehicle since I am having it shipped. They based the exchange rate on the "Purchase Order" date and not the "Crossing" date.

For those that drove over or used a Customs Broker, did the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) base the exchange rate on PO or Crossing date?

It should be based on the crossing date. That's why they have signs everywhere showing the current exchange rate. Think about it, how would they deal with someone who's been in the US for a week and buys a bunch of stuff.. are they going to calculate the rate for each purchase based on the day it was bought?

[DSTU]

I wondered the exact same thing, but I would rather not be at the bad end of that stick....

Definitely - you don't want to be banned from the US for life or even end up in Jail

[diigii]

Definitely - you don't want to be banned from the US for life or even end up in Jail

Definitely. But some people think they should bypass US Customs because they think Canadian Customs and RIV don't care about the CoT/MSO not being red-stamped. The 72-hr requirement is there to check for any fraudulent movement of goods across the border. Imagine if this incident happen to us Canadians where there is no check at the border before the goods go out of the country. Then, I'm sure we'll hear these same people question why there are no checks before exports leave the country.

[flaming homer]

Though I have yet to add the microphone for the voice control of the nav system which is supposed to make it more useful/practical.Is there such a "hack" ? Would be interested to learn if so...

[Monsieurmaggot]

Look near the bottom, automotive analyst Dennis Desrosiers pointed out that cross-border car shopping is still relatively rare. He is such an idiot!

But automotive analyst Dennis Desrosiers pointed out that cross-border car shopping is still relatively rare.

This year, Canadians will import a record 150,000 new and used light vehicles, compared with more than 4 million bought in Canada.

And this bone head charges the automotive sector for his service. The Canadian market has sales of 1.5 million units per year.

Here's an interesting nugget I found on the 'Net at:

http://www.wirenews.ca/Article76.html

"While in Canada, car and light truck sales are expected to decline to 1.54 million units in 2007, down from 1.61 million in 2006"

That's a drop of over 100,000 units from last year.

I guess he's juggling the numbers to drop the perceived impact the savvy consumer is having on his masters' bottom line.

The Canadian imported (from the US) market now accounts for more than 10% of the NEW CAR MARKET. As we read from earlier posts, RIV reports ALL imports as USED cars. That number will surely go up. I would imagine if the dollars stays at par, the imports will exceed 250,000 next year.

Just look at the press coverage exploding in the last few weeks.

This thread has had over 100,000 hits in one month.

Keep up the pressure. Porsche is lowering prices, soon everyone will have no choice but to follow.

[shopper-X]

Its in this thread on legacygt forums, they have the same factory nav system.

This is the thread about adding a mic and a switch (about $65 US in parts) for it:
http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48659

this thread is other factory nav system hacks:
http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36342


Is there such a "hack" ? Would be interested to learn if so...

I'm thinking about this too.

[uncle_odb]

Thanks UNC! In fact I phoned RIV today (Monday) and within 30 seconds Form 2 arrived by email! We could in fact have gotten it inspected and registered today, except wife is so tied up at work we will have to wait till saturday. No worries.

In the meantime her low mileage 10-year old Subie is going on Craigslist!

Will post a photo at weekend: very happy with car! Very happy with RFDers!


I'm really glad for you teep...!! See it just takes a little bit of faith :cheesygri

My thoughts exactly. Fantastic news! :)

[uncle_odb]

Is there such a "hack" ? Would be interested to learn if so...


I'm thinking about this too.

I was also thinking about this too, but in the threads from legacygt.com, they don't discuss how to do the install. My thoughts that it's a brainless install, but I still wanted to see someone explain the install process. The microphone and button was also being sold on Ebay by a seller. I think he's still selling, not a 100% sure now.

[CanAm]

I also purchased some US$ yesterday about an hour before you did. My rate was $1.005 or 50 basis points less, also no charge for the draft. This was from a Forex bureau at BCE place.

Unless you're a bank employee you're almost always better off dealing with a currency vendor. Incidentally, what rate was XE offering?

+1 - I called around for the best rate. The local money changer at the mall said they would beat ANY rate on large amounts. They run my wire transfer through their head office. Because I run an import business I pay many very large invoices, the amount saved can be hundreds, even thousands of dollars.

[scouzi]

Look near the bottom, automotive analyst Dennis Desrosiers pointed out that cross-border car shopping is still relatively rare. He is such an idiot!

Auto guide urges consumers to wait for lower prices
ALLISON LAMPERT, The Gazette
Published: Friday, September 21

Luxury car dealers are expected to follow their mid-range counterparts in lowering the suggested retail prices on Canadian vehicles to reflect the value of the rising loonie, industry sources say.

The online auto trade website Guide Auto is urging Canadian consumers to put off buying vehicles from high-end German auto dealers like Audi, BMW and Mercedes. The dealers are to cut the manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSRP) on their 2008 models by about 15 per cent - a figure one auto-industry source confirmed to a reporter.

The expected cuts follow a reported decision by Porsche Cars North America Inc. to bring its Canadian prices more in line with those in the United States, the website said.
Email to a friendEmail to a friendPrinter friendlyPrinter friendly

For example, the Porsche Cayman S, which was priced at about $85,000 in Canada, will now sell for $75,900.

"I'm not going to say these figures are incorrect, it's just that officially I can't confirm or deny them," said Tony Fouladpour, a spokesperson for Atlanta-based Porsche.

By comparison, the MSRP of the 2008 U.S. Cayman S is $59,100.

Canadian prices for 2008 models will be announced next month, Fouladpour said.

While prices are based on the market, and not the exchange rate, Fouladpour said Porsche is aware of instances of Canadians buying the company's cars in the U.S. - a practice largely fuelled by the soaring loonie.

But automotive analyst Dennis Desrosiers pointed out that cross-border car shopping is still relatively rare.

This year, Canadians will import a record 150,000 new and used light vehicles, compared with more than 4 million bought in Canada.

Thanks Porsche,

Instead of ripping us off by $25k, we will only get ripped-off by $15k. Great!

[scouzi]

Question about GST if anyone can help me.

I used a custom broker to clear the vehicle since I am having it shipped. They based the exchange rate on the "Purchase Order" date and not the "Crossing" date.

For those that drove over or used a Customs Broker, did the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) base the exchange rate on PO or Crossing date?

It makes business sense for the broker to base the price when he exchanged the money. The taxes will be based on PO price at the time of crossing however. So the broker should structure the final price on 2 different exchange rates - one for the purchase and one for the taxes collected by CRA.

JMO.

[michelb]

Thanks Porsche,

Instead of ripping us off by $25k, we will only get ripped-off by $15k. Great!

Haha !!!

[scouzi]

From what I understand, unless the recall is for an emission defect or major safety issue, RIV doesn't really care. Be interesting to know what your recall was for.

Do you know?

It was a voluntary recall from Subaru.

Here is the info:

Seatback Hinge Mechanisms

Summary During a quality review, Subaru of America, Inc. discovered the possibility that a component found within your vehicle's left and right second row seatback hinge mechanisms may not have been heat treated during production. This heat treating process is intended to provide additional strength to the component.

In the interest of owner satisfaction, we would like to inspect the lot number found on both the left and right hinge mechanisms to determine if they are among those included in this service program. If either lot number falls within a certain range, the affected seatback frame will be replaced. The new seatback frame will contain a hinge that has been heat treated per manufacturing specifications. The inspection and possible replacement of the seatback frame will be performed at no cost to you.

We recommend that you schedule an appointment with your Subaru dealer as soon as possible for their inspection of the second row seatback hinges. The approximate time to complete the inspection is 20 minutes. If replacement is required, the repair time is one to two hours. In either case, it may be necessary for you to leave your vehicle for a longer period to allow your dealer flexibility in scheduling other appointments.

Your continued satisfaction with your B9 Tribeca is important to us. This update is intended to ensure your vehicle's optimal performance for many years to come. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this situation may cause you.

[zoinky]

I want to buy a subari outback
for those that purchased these in the US, can you pm or post how much u paid and what option u got
please and thank u

[fireguy9]

has anyone traded a car in, in the U.S?

[Monsieurmaggot]

I want to buy a subari outback
for those that purchased these in the US, can you pm or post how much u paid and what option u got
please and thank u

If we PM you with our actual price paid, what's left for you to do?

Contributors to the thread have already done most of your legwork.

Depending on the trim level you want, you can get an Outback for $1825 (top models), $2075 (mid level) or $2475 (base model) off invoice. What else do you need?

$75-$100 Internet discount;
$500 - $1200 Dealer incentive;
And....

Instant customer cash
Outback: Outback, 2.5i, $1400

2.5i LL Bean, Limited, Limited LL Bean $1000;

XT turbo and 3.0R LL Bean: $750

You may choose to haggle for additional discounts, options or accessories.

[Gromit]

This year, Canadians will import a record 150,000 new and used light vehicles, compared with more than 4 million bought in Canada.

150,000 vehicles times $5000 in savings each =

7.5 BILLION dollars in savings. :D

And billions in lost profits too, because of price gouging.

[Netrunnerz]

150,000 vehicles times $5000 in savings each =

7.5 BILLION dollars in savings. :D

And billions in lost profits too, because of price gouging.

Please use your calculator: 150 000 X 5 000 = 750 million dollars in savings

[diigii]

This year, Canadians will import a record 150,000 new and used light vehicles, compared with more than 4 million bought in Canada.

But, but.... Dennis DesRosiers said importing is still relatively rare? :D

[hotgo]

First off, been following this thread for quite some time... awesome info...

I am now looking to take the plunge to get a new vehicle... an Audi A4 Avant. But it looks like Audi is one of the trickier ones to import. Has anyone had any luck?

Secondly, i parallel I am looking into purchasing the same vehicle here in Canada. Does anyone have any information about pending price reductions due to the valuation of the Canadian dollar?

Thanks!

[KillaB]

The whole import process thus far has gone very smooth, but after coming from Canadian Tire today to have the Federal Inspection done, I went to my local licensing office and they're telling me I need to have a safety done on my '08?

Should I just go to the next town and try out their licensing office?

[shopper-X]

The whole import process thus far has gone very smooth, but after coming from Canadian Tire today to have the Federal Inspection done, I went to my local licensing office and they're telling me I need to have a safety done on my '08?

Should I just go to the next town and try out their licensing office?

Here in SK, and I think it's the same for ON, if you have the COO or MSO you do not need a provinical inspection.

Might be worth calling the MTO and asking.

[whampoa]

The whole import process thus far has gone very smooth, but after coming from Canadian Tire today to have the Federal Inspection done, I went to my local licensing office and they're telling me I need to have a safety done on my '08?

Should I just go to the next town and try out their licensing office?

I am curious which licensing office is that?

I hope you didn't show the clerk the Form 2 from CT did you?

Cause it has mileage on it, once they saw any mileage over 1 they start asking for safety inspection.

Which according to everyone is not require for new vehicle import.

If I were you, I will just drive to another licensing office.

[diigii]

The whole import process thus far has gone very smooth, but after coming from Canadian Tire today to have the Federal Inspection done, I went to my local licensing office and they're telling me I need to have a safety done on my '08?

Should I just go to the next town and try out their licensing office?

Print off the section on MTO's website and show it to the licensing office. It explicitly states that current model year cars are exempt from the Drive Clean and safety certificate requirement. If they don't accept your claim, just go to a different MTO licensing center.

[looniepincher]

Does anyone have any information about pending price reductions due to the valuation of the Canadian dollar?

Thanks!

I read in the newspaper (may not be a reliable source it seems!) this past weekend that BMW, Audi, MB, and Porsche are among the manufacturers preparing to lower their Canadian MSRP to address the situation. No word yet from the other manufacturers AFAIK....

[diigii]

I read in the newspaper (may not be a reliable source it seems!) this past weekend that BMW, Audi, MB, and Porsche are among the manufacturers preparing to lower their Canadian MSRP to address the situation. No word yet from the other manufacturers AFAIK....

Just as an earlier post stated, Porsche won't rip you off $25K anymore. It will only just be $15K now. :cheesygri

[lightbulb]

+1 - I called around for the best rate. The local money changer at the mall said they would beat ANY rate on large amounts. They run my wire transfer through their head office. Because I run an import business I pay many very large invoices, the amount saved can be hundreds, even thousands of dollars.


I agree that the Forex places will often beat the banks; "Guardian" on Yonge St. near King seems to have the best cash rates. BUT there is the convenience factor, not having to go to multiple places, looking for parking, carrying large amounts of cash, etc. I think XE.com was about $1.106 at the time of my exchange but the trade takes 3-5 days before the US$ are back in your bank account.

[ExcelPremium]

Has anyone imported a USED or NEW BMW from across the border?

Could you PM Me please? I have some questions to ask, if thats ok or post here is fine :)

thanks!

[spdztr]

I just took my in-laws' newly imported Legacy 3.0R for a spin... wow, what a car!! They had the same easy import process that I had with the Santa Fe, with the US Customs lady not even bothering to check the VIN number.

Chalk another one up for Karl!

I estimate that the savings are in excess of $15,000, but it's hard to calculate since they don't sell the Legacy sedan in 3.0R format.

[xyz1234]

Hello,

I am planning to buy car from US but have problem with money transfer. I was planning to do money wire, but financial department at the dealership refused to give me their full bank information. They basically agree to give me just so intermediate bank name and code (ABA #) and person name address who takes care of money when they will reach that bank. My bank TD refused to do any money wire this way.
What are my other options? I was told by the same finance department that certified cheque or even money order can take 10 business days to clear up.
I read that people here are doing bank draft. Are there any holds on bank draft? Do you curier bank drafts in advance? Is there a difference between Canadian bank draft in US dollars and US bank draft in US $?


Thanks for your help.

[hksun]

Hello,

I am planning to buy car from US but have problem with money transfer. I was planning to do money wire, but financial department at the dealership refused to give me their full bank information. They basically agree to give me just so intermediate bank name and code (ABA #) and person name address who takes care of money when they will reach that bank. My bank TD refused to do any money wire this way.
What are my other options? I was told by the same finance department that certified cheque or even money order can take 10 business days to clear up.
I read that people here are doing bank draft. Are there any holds on bank draft? Do you curier bank drafts in advance? Is there a difference between Canadian bank draft in US dollars and US bank draft in US $?


Thanks for your help.

Just have your bank account manager to call the dealer and get the bank information. That is how my bank handle my wired transfer.

[shopper-X]

Hello,

I am planning to buy car from US but have problem with money transfer. I was planning to do money wire, but financial department at the dealership refused to give me their full bank information. They basically agree to give me just so intermediate bank name and code (ABA #) and person name address who takes care of money when they will reach that bank. My bank TD refused to do any money wire this way.
What are my other options? I was told by the same finance department that certified cheque or even money order can take 10 business days to clear up.
I read that people here are doing bank draft. Are there any holds on bank draft? Do you curier bank drafts in advance? Is there a difference between Canadian bank draft in US dollars and US bank draft in US $?


Thanks for your help.


I did a Bank Draft made out in the Dealers name, not a sales person or private seller. I then declared the description on the Purolator PuroLetter as "Bank Draft >$10,000 for Vehicle Purchase". The Draft cost was $6.75 @ TD :evil:.
Everything went fine. They called me three days after they got it and said it cleared. Even if it clears, it can take up to 30+ days for the banks to verify it.

This is how all those scams where they send you an Fake Draft for something you are selling and ask for the difference back. Because it takes so long for the bank to find out it's a fake and when they do, you are charged back for the whole amount.

I did not do a wire transfer b/c the bank said it can take up to 15 days for the money to reach the destination and it cost more @ $50.00 USD :confused:.

[xyz1234]

Just have your bank account manager to call the dealer and get the bank information. That is how my bank handle my wired transfer.

That I tried to do at the first attempt. Bank person completely refuese to call and told that they don't do that. That was at TD branch. TD told me that they have to show me dealership bank information to me, so that is why dealership gave me different wire transfer information.

[hksun]

That I tried to do at the first attempt. Bank person completely refuese to call and told that they don't do that. That was at TD branch. TD told me that they have to show me dealership bank information to me, so that is why dealership gave me different wire transfer information.

My HSBC bank has no problem calling the dealer and get the transfer done in about 15 mins and the dealer get the money on next day. Anyway, try a different branch or a different bank. good luck!

[crasher]

Porsche Canada is lowering the sticker price by 10% for 08 models:D

[whampoa]

Just as an earlier post stated, Porsche won't rip you off $25K anymore. It will only just be $15K now. :cheesygri
:arrowu:

Porsche Canada is lowering the sticker price by 10% for 08 models:D

But, but BMW, Audi and the rest of the reich are lowering theirs too.

In another word, instead of dinging you from $25k to $35k, they're now doing you a favor by screwing you for only $15k to $25k.

[ExcelPremium]

So...anyone import a used or new BMW up here yet?

[AllWheelDrift]

So...anyone import a used or new BMW up here yet?
If you search the thread, you'll find that some people have.

[teep]

Hello,

I am planning to buy car from US but have problem with money transfer. I was planning to do money wire, but financial department at the dealership refused to give me their full bank information. They basically agree to give me just so intermediate bank name and code (ABA #) and person name address who takes care of money when they will reach that bank. My bank TD refused to do any money wire this way.
Thanks for your help.

Change your bank.

RBC could not have been more helpful, phoned the dealers accounts person, Took 10 minutes; dealer had the dough next day.

I cannot think what these US dealers think they are achieving by not giving you their bank account numbers direct. Perhaps its a US thing. Here in Canada, you HAVE to be given a paper record of your wire transaction, so you will have all the dealers 'secret' account numbers right there and then.

[irish80ca]

I like the Jeep Compass. Any feedack on bringing one of them up from the states?

Is there any difference between importing a new or used Jeep? Private sale vs. dealer?

[ExcelPremium]

340 pages! O_O

err anyone that imported a BMW still reads this thread??

:( Need some info about importing =)

[googz]

If anyone knows of U.S. dealers (preferably close to Toronto) that have the 2007 Tribeca Limited Edition available, please PM me. They seem to be hard to find now...

[jcl4]

Hey guys I just put in a order for a Subaru Forester Sports XT! With a pretty good price could save me probably 10k in Vancouver. Can't wait for it to arrive.

My question today is, I ask about the additional fees other than the car price, I was given $50 for document, 30 for permit and a 100-120 for something call B&O? I don't have a problem with the first 2 i though it was pretty fair paying them to do some work, and a couple more for the 3-day permit. But I just want to confirm that there is something call the B&O in Washington State. Just that I haven't heard of anyone paying something like that.

[tico 1948]

I did a Bank Draft made out in the Dealers name, not a sales person or private seller. I then declared the description on the Purolator PuroLetter as "Bank Draft >$10,000 for Vehicle Purchase". The Draft cost was $6.75 @ TD :evil:.
Everything went fine. They called me three days after they got it and said it cleared. Even if it clears, it can take up to 30+ days for the banks to verify it.

This is how all those scams where they send you an Fake Draft for something you are selling and ask for the difference back. Because it takes so long for the bank to find out it's a fake and when they do, you are charged back for the whole amount.

I did not do a wire transfer b/c the bank said it can take up to 15 days for the money to reach the destination and it cost more @ $50.00 USD :confused:.
I wire transferred my payment on Monday(Sept.24)afternoon at 2:00 pm and the dealership phoned me to say they rec'd it to-day(SEPT.25). It did cost me a $35.00 U.S. fee added to my final price on the vehicle>:( . My take on that is, the Banks always to find a way to squeeze some $$$ out of anything and everything. I did save over $15,000 on the deal so I'm not going to obsess over the $35.00. Life's too short. ;) God Bless Free Trade!

[Louist]

http://www.autonorth.ca/home/2007/9/25/porsche-lowers-canadian-pricing-for-all-2008-models.html

the Porche story. Wishing I had waited for Audi to reprice...Betting it is lowered by Janurary.

[longdong]

Hey guys I just put in a order for a Subaru Forester Sports XT! With a pretty good price could save me probably 10k in Vancouver. Can't wait for it to arrive.

My question today is, I ask about the additional fees other than the car price, I was given $50 for document, 30 for permit and a 100-120 for something call B&O? I don't have a problem with the first 2 i though it was pretty fair paying them to do some work, and a couple more for the 3-day permit. But I just want to confirm that there is something call the B&O in Washington State. Just that I haven't heard of anyone paying something like that.

just wonder, Subaru Forester is made from Japan, so looks like you will may 6.1% more at the border.

[yyz2hkg]

Hey guys I just put in a order for a Subaru Forester Sports XT! With a pretty good price could save me probably 10k in Vancouver. Can't wait for it to arrive.

My question today is, I ask about the additional fees other than the car price, I was given $50 for document, 30 for permit and a 100-120 for something call B&O? I don't have a problem with the first 2 i though it was pretty fair paying them to do some work, and a couple more for the 3-day permit. But I just want to confirm that there is something call the B&O in Washington State. Just that I haven't heard of anyone paying something like that.

I also thought that Foresters from 2007 to newer 2008 Foresters are inadmissable according to the RIV's list.

[KillaB]

The whole import process thus far has gone very smooth, but after coming from Canadian Tire today to have the Federal Inspection done, I went to my local licensing office and they're telling me I need to have a safety done on my '08?

Should I just go to the next town and try out their licensing office?


Print off the section on MTO's website and show it to the licensing office. It explicitly states that current model year cars are exempt from the Drive Clean and safety certificate requirement. If they don't accept your claim, just go to a different MTO licensing center.

This is the only references I could find on the MTO website are here:
See point 3: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/vehicle/rgoutcan.htm
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/faq/vehicle.htm#ssc3

Is this good enough or is there another reference/document I should know about?


EDIT: Just found this section: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/faq/vehicle.htm#used4
Now I'm armed with two documents for my next kick at the can :D


I am curious which licensing office is that?

An office in a little hick town. I won't bother mentioning where.



I hope you didn't show the clerk the Form 2 from CT did you?

Cause it has mileage on it, once they saw any mileage over 1 they start asking for safety inspection.

Of course I did....I thought that was the process.



If I were you, I will just drive to another licensing office.
That's what I plan on doing.

It probably doesn't matter, but there is a sticker in the window that says it passed safety inspection in North Carolina (valid until Aug. '08).

[jcl4]

I also thought that Foresters from 2007 to newer 2008 Foresters are inadmissable according to the RIV's list.

Actually if you look more carefully, the sports xt and the xt limited are, but all the other models of forester are not, cuz only xts have immobilizer.

Yes gonna pay the extra 6.1, already included with that 10k saving.

So still no one have any idea what the B&O fee is in Washington state?

[shopper-X]

If anyone knows of U.S. dealers (preferably close to Toronto) that have the 2007 Tribeca Limited Edition available, please PM me. They seem to be hard to find now...

The way I found mine was to go to www.subaru.com and highlight "Shopping Tools" and click "View Inventory". From there pick the States and dealers that are closest and sort by year so the 2007 are at the top. It took me a day to find the one I wanted when the others dealers could not find the one I wanted.

[pimpf]

So still no one have any idea what the B&O fee is in Washington state?

I just took a look @ my 2007 Legacy GT Limited invoice (I got the car back in May 2007 from Eastside Subaru). There is no "B&O." I only got charged a doc fee + permit (about the same price as yours). No WA tax either.

I would ask what that "B&O" is and if you don't like it, cross it out. If they're not cool with that, walk away. There are too many Subaru dealers that are close to YVR not to take BS from.

Also, Zach from EastsideSubaru (he's a contributer to this message thread) may be able to shed some light as to what this B&O is.

Good luck.

[Jonavin]

Porche just dropped the 2008 model prices in Canada by about 10% as a repsonse to the higher dollar and increasing imports from the US.


A base Cayenne SUV is $55,200, down from $60,100, while a Cayman coupe drops to $63,500 from $69,600 and a 911 Turbo gets marked down to $158,300 from $170,700.

Still too high compared to the US prices if look at http://www.porsche.com/usa/ but at least it's getting better.

[VivaLaDave]

Just came across this thread and to add I am considering buying a car in the US.

I spoke with HSBC & a PBO mentioned that since I have an account in the US, all I needed to do to instantly have access to american or canadian funds is open up a Canadian account that transfers maybe made online from one account to another seamlessly in a matter of seconds, and they would be instantly there

Thought this may help someone out. As this is what I'm gonna do to cut down on the time needed to wait for funds to clear, and holds etc.

[Fx45]

If anyone is interested in buying Infiniti / Nissan, you may want to act fast. I was engaging in a couple of Infiniti dealerships and working out prices, and in the last 24 hours 3 dealerships pulled back and said that either they were either no longer selling to Canadians or will only sell at MSRP.

Apparently Infiniti has put in a penalty that for every 2008 infiniti sold to a Canadian, that dealership will lose 1 allotment of the upcoming EX for that next quarter.

I'm heading down tomorrow to close the deal with a dealership still willing to work with me. Hopefully all goes well!

[eastsidesubaru]

I just took a look @ my 2007 Legacy GT Limited invoice (I got the car back in May 2007 from Eastside Subaru). There is no "B&O." I only got charged a doc fee + permit (about the same price as yours). No WA tax either.

I would ask what that "B&O" is and if you don't like it, cross it out. If they're not cool with that, walk away. There are too many Subaru dealers that are close to YVR not to take BS from.

Also, Zach from EastsideSubaru (he's a contributer to this message thread) may be able to shed some light as to what this B&O is.

Good luck.

I'm checking on it tomorrow to see if he has to pay it. :cheesygri

[eastsidesubaru]

I think this could be part of it. While I was waiting to have my MSO stamped, I saw a big poster near the desk with "Insurance fraud and theft hurts everyone.... Report It" or something like that.

Seriously.... if the paperwork was done properly and faxed within the requisite time frame, the whole process takes minutes and is painless. Why would anyone want to take chances with this important and mandatory procedure?

For YOU maybe... haha!!!
I spent about 2 hours today trying to fax some MSOs to the border crossing at Blaine and I kept getting busy signals.. Argh!!! They only have one fax number.. I asked them and they said "Sorry, we're just really busy, keep trying."
I need to figure out some other way to get these things up there... They keep losing my faxes.

[scouzi]

The benefits of buying a car in the US seems to have more traction in Quebec.

The following french show will have a feature on the huge savings on buying a car in the US. They will be following a buyer from the shopping to the buying.

Next tuesday evening.

http://www.radio-canada.ca/actualite/v2/lafacture/index.shtml

[Rocketo]

I heard there was a class action lawsuit filed today against automakers on conspiracy to discourage canadians to buy from the US.

does anyone have the link..

i heard it on the radio

[scouzi]

I heard there was a class action lawsuit filed today against automakers on conspiracy to discourage canadians to buy from the US.

does anyone have the link..

i heard it on the radio

Must come from the US side - probably from dealers themselves. The article in "La Presse" quoted a US Toyota delaer that he had about 40 enquiries per week and had to turn them down. With sales slowing down in the US, it must be heartbreaking for the owner.

EDIT:

Here it is:

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/financialpost/story.html?id=d6db47d3-ab3b-4e0b-bfe8-9c076c593bc2&k=57065

[Rocketo]

Must come from the US side - probably from dealers themselves. The article in "La Presse" quoted a US Toyota delaer that he had about 40 enquiries per week and had to turn them down. With sales slowing down in the US, it must be heartbreaking for the owner.

http://ctv2.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070926.wcarsuit0926/business/Business/businessBN/ctv-business

[Kocur]

I like the Jeep Compass. Any feedack on bringing one of them up from the states?

Is there any difference between importing a new or used Jeep? Private sale vs. dealer?

I'm also looking at either the Compass or the Patriot.
The 2 things that discourage me right now are:
1. no warranty (...and this is the first year that they're using the new CVT transmission)
2. pay for it full in cash

However, i find that you can save a few thousand dollars by importing from the US. There is no NORTH edition in the US, but the SPORT edition comes with all power options.
Anyways.. please let me know if you find some good dealerships with GOOOD prices :cheesygri
Kocur

[scouzi]

http://ctv2.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070926.wcarsuit0926/business/Business/businessBN/ctv-business

Another longer one:

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/financialpost/story.html?id=d6db47d3-ab3b-4e0b-bfe8-9c076c593bc2&k=57065

[flaming homer]

Hello,

I am planning to buy car from US but have problem with money transfer. I was planning to do money wire, but financial department at the dealership refused to give me their full bank information. They basically agree to give me just so intermediate bank name and code (ABA #) and person name address who takes care of money when they will reach that bank. My bank TD refused to do any money wire this way.
What are my other options? I was told by the same finance department that certified cheque or even money order can take 10 business days to clear up.
I read that people here are doing bank draft. Are there any holds on bank draft? Do you curier bank drafts in advance? Is there a difference between Canadian bank draft in US dollars and US bank draft in US $?


Thanks for your help.Hey, this sounds familiar !!! The Lexus dealer I dealt with in Delaware wanted the exact same thing, and I just got a "you're about to get ripped off" feeling from them...

Canadian bank draft in US$ are always drawn on US banks - most likely in New York. However, if the dealership is in, say, Delaware, then they consider it an out-of-state cheque and holds it for 10 business days.

Bottom line is the dealer if not willing to trust you one bit when they do this, even when you leave a large deposit using credit card. Should you trust a dealer like this ? The Western NY dealers who are used to dealing with Canadian don't seem to have this kind of issues...

[Monsieurmaggot]

This is brilliant.

Really made my day.

I'm going to be following this closely. I'm looking forward to hearing what the reasoning is for the high prices.

I can imagine it will start with "the pricing practices in Canada are very complex" followed with a comment about "our fragile market and economy". They'll also be taking every opportunity to say that the money was spent in Canada taking every effort to skew the real truth that they're simply "greedy".

For those of you looking for Lexus and Toyotas who've been rejected, be sure to keep all your correspondence. Particularly anything that mentions "they are not allowed" to sell to Canadians. Mention the lawsuit to the US dealers and see what they say.

I have a bunch of emails which I've been saving. Perhaps I'll offer it up to Juroviesky & Ricci the lawfirm who are spearheading the lawsuit.

[flaming homer]

If anyone is interested in buying Infiniti / Nissan, you may want to act fast. I was engaging in a couple of Infiniti dealerships and working out prices, and in the last 24 hours 3 dealerships pulled back and said that either they were either no longer selling to Canadians or will only sell at MSRP.This sounds more like the US dealers getting on the Canadian bandwagon rather than being prohibited to sell.

Quick story: Talked to Martin @ West Herr about a Tribeca. He wanted Dealer invoice + $500 + $500 manufacturer rebate, so he wanted $1000 above invoice. His reasoning is that "why should I sell them cheaper to Canadians than Americans". Too bad he doesn't check out his competition more closely...

[spdztr]

My favourite part of that news article:



A recent report from automotive analyst Dennis DesRosiers found the price differential between the United States and Canada is typically $1,000, but goes as high as $7,960 for an intermediate SUV.

I was reading it over breakfast this morning and had a good chuckle.

I think we really need to come up with a list of all the RFD'ers who imported, and the actual savings, and then forward it off to that knucklehead. I don't think there's many of us who have saved LESS than $8,000!

[perfchris]

This is brilliant.

Really made my day.

I'm going to be following this closely. I'm looking forward to hearing what the reasoning is for the high prices.

I can imagine it will start with "the pricing practices in Canada are very complex" followed with a comment about "our fragile market and economy". They'll also be taking every opportunity to say that the money was spent in Canada taking every effort to skew the real truth that they're simply "greedy".

For those of you looking for Lexus and Toyotas who've been rejected, be sure to keep all your correspondence. Particularly anything that mentions "they are not allowed" to sell to Canadians. Mention the lawsuit to the US dealers and see what they say.

I have a bunch of emails which I've been saving. Perhaps I'll offer it up to Juroviesky & Ricci the lawfirm who are spearheading the lawsuit.

I think we need to make a compilation/thread of all the e-mails and correspondance between US dealers and Canadian consumers. Also, I think that this law firm needs to encompass warranty refusal on BOTH SIDES of the border for people buying Honda/Acura vehicles.

What does everyone think ?

[shopper-X]

This sounds more like the US dealers getting on the Canadian bandwagon rather than being prohibited to sell.

Quick story: Talked to Martin @ West Herr about a Tribeca. He wanted Dealer invoice + $500 + $500 manufacturer rebate, so he wanted $1000 above invoice. His reasoning is that "why should I sell them cheaper to Canadians than Americans". Too bad he doesn't check out his competition more closely...

Is that on a 2008 or 2007 Tribeca?

[flaming homer]

This sounds more like the US dealers getting on the Canadian bandwagon rather than being prohibited to sell.

Quick story: Talked to Martin @ West Herr about a Tribeca. He wanted Dealer invoice + $500 + $500 manufacturer rebate, so he wanted $1000 above invoice. His reasoning is that "why should I sell them cheaper to Canadians than Americans". Too bad he doesn't check out his competition more closely...


Is that on a 2008 or 2007 Tribeca?
2008...the differences over 2007 makes it a great buy

[DarkCat]

I heard there was a class action lawsuit filed
today against automakers on conspiracy to discourage canadians to buy from
the US. does anyone have the link.. i heard it on the radio


Price tags on cars break the law, lawsuit says
A Toronto law firm has launched a class-action lawsuit against major auto-
makers and dealers alleging they have conspired to fix car prices 25 per cent
to 35 per cent higher in Canada than in the United States, violating
competition and consumer protection laws in the process....

Report on Business (http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070926.wcarsuit0926/BNStory/robNews/home)

[tzcnd]

Change your bank.

RBC could not have been more helpful, phoned the dealers accounts person, Took 10 minutes; dealer had the dough next day.

I cannot think what these US dealers think they are achieving by not giving you their bank account numbers direct. Perhaps its a US thing. Here in Canada, you HAVE to be given a paper record of your wire transaction, so you will have all the dealers 'secret' account numbers right there and then.

Couldn't agree more. Although I usually think of banks as the scum of the earth my wire transfer to a US dealership was no problem with RBC. Transfered the money late afternoon on a Tuesday and Wednesday morning the dealership called and told me they had the money in their account.

The dealership gave me all their banking information by email with no problem.

You are exactly right your wire transfer receipt will have all of their banking information on it so it will longer be "secret".

[Kamloops]

For YOU maybe... haha!!!
I spent about 2 hours today trying to fax some MSOs to the border crossing at Blaine and I kept getting busy signals.. Argh!!! They only have one fax number.. I asked them and they said "Sorry, we're just really busy, keep trying."
I need to figure out some other way to get these things up there... They keep losing my faxes.

Maybe they will accept is scanned and emailed. They are quik with email

[bionicbadger]

Quick story: Talked to Martin @ West Herr about a Tribeca. He wanted Dealer invoice + $500 + $500 manufacturer rebate, so he wanted $1000 above invoice. His reasoning is that "why should I sell them cheaper to Canadians than Americans". Too bad he doesn't check out his competition more closely...

Wow, thats brutal. I got my 08 Tribeca over a month ago with a bunch of options for less than invoice price of a base model.

[g2fl]

At the end of the ROB article regarding the lawsuit...

"...Auto industry analyst Dennis DesRosiers warned that Canadian car buyers should be careful what they wish for because they might get it if the suit succeeds.

For nine of the past 11 years, Canadians have enjoyed a price advantage of $5,000 to $8,000 versus Americans and a legal precedent linking prices in the two countries would mean that when the dollar falls back, consumers in this country will face higher prices, said Mr. DesRosiers, president of DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc. in Richmond Hill, Ont.

He expects the vehicle companies to defend the suit vigorously."

[Monsieurmaggot]

Price tags on cars break the law, lawsuit says
A Toronto law firm has launched a class-action lawsuit against major auto-
makers and dealers alleging they have conspired to fix car prices 25 per cent
to 35 per cent higher in Canada than in the United States, violating
competition and consumer protection laws in the process....

Report on Business (http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070926.wcarsuit0926/BNStory/robNews/home)

I contacted the lawfirm this morning and offered them ALL my correspondence with Canadian dealers and the American ones who are hindering the sale to Canadians.

I pointed out this website and mentioned to them about the reporter/editor in Victoria who were forced to resign/fired for printing a story about how Canadians are being gouged. Apparently a local Chevy dealer threatened to pull his advertising. The newspaper was put on damage control and tried their darndest to let the story die.

Do your part, keep all your emails and contact the law firm. Don't drop the ball.

Some US dealers are starting to become less competitive with Canadian buyers. Some are charging starting to charge MORE than MSRP now. Keep that information as well. It could prove to come in handy.

[Kamloops]

I contacted the lawfirm this morning and offered them ALL my correspondence with Canadian dealers and the American ones who are hindering the sale to Canadians.

I pointed out this website and mentioned to them about the reporter/editor in Victoria who were forced to resign/fired for printing a story about how Canadians are being gouged. Apparently a local Chevy dealer threatened to pull his advertising. The newspaper was put on damage control and tried their darndest to let the story die.

Do your part, keep all your emails and contact the law firm. Don't drop the ball.

Some US dealers are starting to become less competitive with Canadian buyers. Some are charging starting to charge MORE than MSRP now. Keep that information as well. It could prove to come in handy.

Awesome. you rock. I should call them and tell them how dodge refused to do my daytime running lights with the starscan computer!! Plus no warranty!

[tzcnd]

This sounds more like the US dealers getting on the Canadian bandwagon rather than being prohibited to sell.

Quick story: Talked to Martin @ West Herr about a Tribeca. He wanted Dealer invoice + $500 + $500 manufacturer rebate, so he wanted $1000 above invoice. His reasoning is that "why should I sell them cheaper to Canadians than Americans". Too bad he doesn't check out his competition more closely...

I guess West Herr doesn't want to sell any more cars to Canadians. What they don't seem to realize is that there is so much competition in the US that another dealer would be more than happy to sell to you at a better price.

[perfchris]

I contacted the lawfirm this morning and offered them ALL my correspondence with Canadian dealers and the American ones who are hindering the sale to Canadians.

I pointed out this website and mentioned to them about the reporter/editor in Victoria who were forced to resign/fired for printing a story about how Canadians are being gouged. Apparently a local Chevy dealer threatened to pull his advertising. The newspaper was put on damage control and tried their darndest to let the story die.

Do your part, keep all your emails and contact the law firm. Don't drop the ball.

Some US dealers are starting to become less competitive with Canadian buyers. Some are charging starting to charge MORE than MSRP now. Keep that information as well. It could prove to come in handy.

Does this lawsuit include people buying Chryslers-Hondas-Acuras who have hadtheir warranties null and voided ?

It should.....

[tzcnd]

I contacted the lawfirm this morning and offered them ALL my correspondence with Canadian dealers and the American ones who are hindering the sale to Canadians.

I pointed out this website and mentioned to them about the reporter/editor in Victoria who were forced to resign/fired for printing a story about how Canadians are being gouged. Apparently a local Chevy dealer threatened to pull his advertising. The newspaper was put on damage control and tried their darndest to let the story die.

Do your part, keep all your emails and contact the law firm. Don't drop the ball.

Some US dealers are starting to become less competitive with Canadian buyers. Some are charging starting to charge MORE than MSRP now. Keep that information as well. It could prove to come in handy.


Two big thumbs up for Monsieurmaggot. I am not a big fan of lawyers but enough is enough with Canadians being screwed at every opportunity.

Do you have an email for this firm?

As for dealers stateside trying to rip off Canadians just look to another dealer. With so much competition in the US it should not be too hard to find another dealer to give you a good deal.

[shutout]

Just heard that Porsche is lowering their 2008 model price by 10% and TADA is expecting more manufacturers following soon. If this is true then it may not worth the trouble buying from US.

[Tender]

Does this lawsuit include people buying Chryslers-Hondas-Acuras who have hadtheir warranties null and voided ?

It should.....

It's listed in the lawsuit:

"...the auto makers sought to prevent Canadian consumers from taking advantage of lower U.S. prices...some have ordered their Canadian dealers not to honour warranties on cars purchased in the United States, forcing the purchasers to pay for all repairs, the suit alleges."

[flaming homer]

Just heard that Porsche is lowering their 2008 model price by 10% and TADA is expecting more manufacturers following soon. If this is true then it may not worth the trouble buying from US.It was said earlier, it is easier than Price-Matching @ Staples. Mentioned earlier too, you'll only save $15,000 instead of $25,000 after this price drop...

I actually enjoy purchasing cars via e-mail, fax, and phone - Good old days of autobytel.ca.

[tzcnd]

Just heard that Porsche is lowering their 2008 model price by 10% and TADA is expecting more manufacturers following soon. If this is true then it may not worth the trouble buying from US.

This is just a smoke screen to make themselves look like they are listening to consumers. With prices 25-35% more in Canada then 10% is just a drop in the bucket. In the end they are still screwing you but just a little less. Make no mistake they are still screwing you.

[Monsieurmaggot]

The law firm's contact information is:


http://www.jruslaw.ca/contact.html


I simply filled in the blanks.

[scouzi]

My favourite part of that news article:



I was reading it over breakfast this morning and had a good chuckle.

I think we really need to come up with a list of all the RFD'ers who imported, and the actual savings, and then forward it off to that knucklehead. I don't think there's many of us who have saved LESS than $8,000!

He contradicts himself with an earlier article written when the dollar was lower in 2006.

http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/dd/canada-usa_price_differential.htm

I guess he knows who butters his bread.

[scouzi]

At the end of the ROB article regarding the lawsuit...

"...Auto industry analyst Dennis DesRosiers warned that Canadian car buyers should be careful what they wish for because they might get it if the suit succeeds.

For nine of the past 11 years, Canadians have enjoyed a price advantage of $5,000 to $8,000 versus Americans and a legal precedent linking prices in the two countries would mean that when the dollar falls back, consumers in this country will face higher prices, said Mr. DesRosiers, president of DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc. in Richmond Hill, Ont.

He expects the vehicle companies to defend the suit vigorously."

Raising prices is easier said than done. In a "real" market, you don't decide what you sell your products for regardless of world currency trends.

It seems that thid ResRosiers guy is coming less and less neutral.

[scouzi]

I guess West Herr doesn't want to sell any more cars to Canadians. What they don't seem to realize is that there is so much competition in the US that another dealer would be more than happy to sell to you at a better price.


That's not unreasonable for a 2008.

You won't get Invoice + 1000 in Canada at Canadian prices.

[Ebola]

Definitely. But some people think they should bypass US Customs because they think Canadian Customs and RIV don't care about the CoT/MSO not being red-stamped. The 72-hr requirement is there to check for any fraudulent movement of goods across the border. Imagine if this incident happen to us Canadians where there is no check at the border before the goods go out of the country. Then, I'm sure we'll hear these same people question why there are no checks before exports leave the country.

That's what I'm telling you, to process the form 1 at the port of entry, it does not matter to Canada Border Services whether or not the US export stamp is on the Certificate of Origin or Title.

To import the vehicle, all you need is that title or Certificate of Origin stating you are the sole owner of the vehicle, and have the vehicle with you at the time of entry.

It is a US regulation, we are not in the buisness of enforcing US regulations. If you are ignorant as to what is required of you, well that's not our fault.

[scouzi]

That's what I'm telling you, to process the form 1 at the port of entry, it does not matter to Canada Border Services whether or not the US export stamp is on the Certificate of Origin or Title.

To import the vehicle, all you need is that title or Certificate of Origin stating you are the sole owner of the vehicle, and have the vehicle with you at the time of entry.

It is a US regulation, we are not in the buisness of enforcing US regulations. If you are ignorant as to what is required of you, well that's not our fault.

You are 100%. Canada does not care about the US process. However, you could run into problems if you take a trip in the US and run into some sort of trouble (ie speeding ticket, random border check etc). You might suffer some sort of penalty for not going through the export process - whatever that may be.

Maybe US customs would consider the vehicle as possibly stolen and impounded.

[jeffabby]

Just want to thank all of you who have provided information re a US purchase. Been reading for a few weeks and just purchased an Outback 3.0 LL Bean from a New Hampshire dealer based on a RFD referral - Price was great, confident in the dealer as process was upfront and straightforward, plus the drive to bring the car back will be shorter (live in Atlantic Canada).

Pm me if want dealer info. As a side note, US and Canada customs are both open 24/7 at the Calais/St. Stephen crossing (I called to confirm) - when I asked US customs if they're doing many she laughed and said thousands.

[techboss]

Talked to a dealership who is willing to sell me the Sienna 2008, but they will not sell it new. They will have to wait for 4-6 weeks before Toyota will send you the title, and the dealer will sell the car to me as a 2nd owner. Does this sound normal?

Do you need the title to actually cross the border? I thought the MCO/MSO papers are good enough?

[clem24]

There's no catch. I guess Subaru USA just wants to keep track of the US cars being exported to Canada. But either way, your warranty is covered on both sides of the border. It's just that you have to pay out of your own pocket first but Subaru USA will re-imburse you after mailing them the receipts.

Actually, there *IS* a catch. Consider that if your engine or your transmission blows up, you'll be looking at a HUGE up front bill. Most people don't have that kind of cash just lying around. OR stick it on your credit card @ 18% and wait for Subaru to reimburse.

[clem24]

Anyone tried buying a Honda yet? Looking for a dealer in either Montana or Washington (close to AB). I know about the warranty issue, but hey, saving $12k means I can repair $12k worth of stuff in 3 years before I hit the Canadian price.

If you have bought a Honda from a dealer in either of those states, please send me a PM or post here. Much appreciated!

[whampoa]

This sounds more like the US dealers getting on the Canadian bandwagon rather than being prohibited to sell.

Quick story: Talked to Martin @ West Herr about a Tribeca. He wanted Dealer invoice + $500 + $500 manufacturer rebate, so he wanted $1000 above invoice. His reasoning is that "why should I sell them cheaper to Canadians than Americans". Too bad he doesn't check out his competition more closely...


That's not unreasonable for a 2008.

You won't get Invoice + 1000 in Canada at Canadian prices.

Read it again, the salesman wanted $500 + $500 manufacturer rebate.

Does it sounds right to you. Since when do buyer have to pay a "manufacturer rebate".

Homer, to tell you the truth, I have real problem with Martin and his dealership.

Next time ask him if he had any morals. ;)

[longdong]

Anyone tried buying a Honda yet? Looking for a dealer in either Montana or Washington (close to AB). I know about the warranty issue, but hey, saving $12k means I can repair $12k worth of stuff in 3 years before I hit the Canadian price.

If you have bought a Honda from a dealer in either of those states, please send me a PM or post here. Much appreciated!

No, the Honda dealers near my area didn`t even want to sell Honda Odyssey to me and then he proposes to sell the pre-owned vehicle with 7000 miles but it costs more than the new one. He`s asking for 22900$ and the brand new with ticket price of 21500$. The reason for this price different because he said the new car with 2000$ rebate doesn`t apply for canadian customers.

[longdong]

Talked to a dealership who is willing to sell me the Sienna 2008, but they will not sell it new. They will have to wait for 4-6 weeks before Toyota will send you the title, and the dealer will sell the car to me as a 2nd owner. Does this sound normal?

Do you need the title to actually cross the border? I thought the MCO/MSO papers are good enough?

yeahhh now the toyota's dealer just want to sell the pre-owned vehicle to you. So no more new vehicle to canadian.

[flaming homer]

Read it again, the salesman wanted $500 + $500 manufacturer rebate.

Does it sounds right to you. Since when do buyer have to pay a "manufacturer rebate".

Homer, to tell you the truth, I have real problem with Martin and his dealership.

Next time ask him if he had any morals. ;)There is no next time with him dude...

[yoshigen]

I've been reading this thread for a while and decided to buy the Nissan 350z. Emailed a few dealerships for a quote and they all replied to me that if I don't have a US address I can register to they can't sell me the car. Can anyone help me in regards to this matter?

[whampoa]

I've been reading this thread for a while and decided to buy the Nissan 350z. Emailed a few dealerships for a quote and they all replied to me that if I don't have a US address I can register to they can't sell me the car. Can anyone help me in regards to this matter?

Sure I can help you and all others in this matter.

Buddy, just get in line with the class action lawsuit.

http://www.jruslaw.ca/contact.html

[DSTU]

No, the Honda dealers near my area didn`t even want to sell Honda Odyssey to me and then he proposes to sell the pre-owned vehicle with 7000 miles but it costs more than the new one. He`s asking for 22900$ and the brand new with ticket price of 21500$. The reason for this price different because he said the new car with 2000$ rebate doesn`t apply for canadian customers.

Thats Baloney that the rebate doesn't apply to CDN customers, ask him to show you the rebate rules.

[longdong]

Thats Baloney that the rebate doesn't apply to CDN customers, ask him to show you the rebate rules.

http://www.herbgordonnissan.net/
you check the above website, they will say the same thing.

3000$ rebates on Nissan Quest
1500$ rebates on Nissan Murano

In both cases, the internet sales manager told me that these rebates only apply for US residents (not for canadian customers) ....

[Ninster]

North American automakers slapped with $2B class action suit by new vehicle owners
Wed Sep 26, 2:13 PM
The Canadian Press Email Story IM Story Printable View
By The Canadian Press

TORONTO - North American auto manufacturers have been slapped with a $2-billion class action lawsuit by four Toronto residents who claim the auto industry conspired to inflate the price of automobiles in Canada and also inhibited cross-border vehicle shopping on the strong Canadian dollar.

The suit, filed with the Ontario Superior Court by Toronto-based law firm Juroviesky and Ricci, covers consumers who bought cars between August 2005 and August 2007.

They say they forked out more money to buy cars in Canada than similar or identical models cost in the United States.

Named in the lawsuit are the Canadian and U.S. divisions of General Motors (NYSE: GM), Honda, Nissan and Chrysler.

The plaintiffs called the plan between automakers a "conspiracy" that involved a "series of concerted actions, agreements and directives" between the companies designed to minimize cross-border competition and the number of new cars that crossed the border.

Included in the allegations are claims that the automakers agreed not to honour warranties for vehicles purchased across the border, forcing Canadian consumers who wanted a manufacturer's warranty to pay 25 to 35 per cent more on average for a vehicle in Canada.

None of the allegations has been proven in court.

Also named in the suit are the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) and the National Automobile Dealers Association, a U.S. partner based in Virginia.

CADA spokesman Huw Williams said Wednesday afternoon that the association had yet to receive a copy of the class action lawsuit.

"We're obviously not prepared to either comment on it or anything revolving it," Williams said from Ottawa.

The suit also claims some auto sales contracts included "no-export clauses" that prevented buyers from taking their cars from the U.S. to Canada, or vice-versa.

Another allegation says the industry penalized dealers if the cars they sold were then exported, either threatening to delay shipment of certain models or by issuing "chargebacks."

[mrpeppy]

I've been reading this thread for a while and decided to buy the Nissan 350z. Emailed a few dealerships for a quote and they all replied to me that if I don't have a US address I can register to they can't sell me the car. Can anyone help me in regards to this matter?

Here's a thought...
Form a corporation in Oregon. Have the company buy a car from an Oregon dealer (no sales tax), Sell the car to an individual (who just happens to own the corporation) and then the individual can import the vehicle as a used car.....What do you think?

[mmonro]

No, the Honda dealers near my area didn`t even want to sell Honda Odyssey to me and then he proposes to sell the pre-owned vehicle with 7000 miles but it costs more than the new one. He`s asking for 22900$ and the brand new with ticket price of 21500$. The reason for this price different because he said the new car with 2000$ rebate doesn`t apply for canadian customers.

I recently bought a Toyota Sienna and got the $1500 US rebate. They are playing games. No reason you should not get the rebate. Send them a copy of the recent Lawsuit that Honda is named in and see if they will play ball. Point out the last paragraph in the suit:
Another allegation says the industry penalized dealers if the cars they sold were then exported, either threatening to delay shipment of certain models or by issuing "chargebacks."

North American automakers slapped with $2B class action suit by new vehicle owners
Wed Sep 26, 2:13 PM
The Canadian Press Email Story IM Story Printable View
By The Canadian Press

TORONTO - North American auto manufacturers have been slapped with a $2-billion class action lawsuit by four Toronto residents who claim the auto industry conspired to inflate the price of automobiles in Canada and also inhibited cross-border vehicle shopping on the strong Canadian dollar.

The suit, filed with the Ontario Superior Court by Toronto-based law firm Juroviesky and Ricci, covers consumers who bought cars between August 2005 and August 2007.

They say they forked out more money to buy cars in Canada than similar or identical models cost in the United States.

Named in the lawsuit are the Canadian and U.S. divisions of General Motors (NYSE: GM), Honda, Nissan and Chrysler.

The plaintiffs called the plan between automakers a "conspiracy" that involved a "series of concerted actions, agreements and directives" between the companies designed to minimize cross-border competition and the number of new cars that crossed the border.

Included in the allegations are claims that the automakers agreed not to honour warranties for vehicles purchased across the border, forcing Canadian consumers who wanted a manufacturer's warranty to pay 25 to 35 per cent more on average for a vehicle in Canada.

None of the allegations has been proven in court.

Also named in the suit are the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) and the National Automobile Dealers Association, a U.S. partner based in Virginia.

CADA spokesman Huw Williams said Wednesday afternoon that the association had yet to receive a copy of the class action lawsuit.

"We're obviously not prepared to either comment on it or anything revolving it," Williams said from Ottawa.

The suit also claims some auto sales contracts included "no-export clauses" that prevented buyers from taking their cars from the U.S. to Canada, or vice-versa.

Another allegation says the industry penalized dealers if the cars they sold were then exported, either threatening to delay shipment of certain models or by issuing "chargebacks."

[yyz2hkg]

North American automakers slapped with $2B class action suit by new vehicle owners
Wed Sep 26, 2:13 PM
The Canadian Press Email Story IM Story Printable View
By The Canadian Press

TORONTO - North American auto manufacturers have been slapped with a $2-billion class action lawsuit by four Toronto residents who claim the auto industry conspired to inflate the price of automobiles in Canada and also inhibited cross-border vehicle shopping on the strong Canadian dollar.

The suit, filed with the Ontario Superior Court by Toronto-based law firm Juroviesky and Ricci, covers consumers who bought cars between August 2005 and August 2007.

They say they forked out more money to buy cars in Canada than similar or identical models cost in the United States.

Named in the lawsuit are the Canadian and U.S. divisions of General Motors (NYSE: GM), Honda, Nissan and Chrysler.

The plaintiffs called the plan between automakers a "conspiracy" that involved a "series of concerted actions, agreements and directives" between the companies designed to minimize cross-border competition and the number of new cars that crossed the border.

Included in the allegations are claims that the automakers agreed not to honour warranties for vehicles purchased across the border, forcing Canadian consumers who wanted a manufacturer's warranty to pay 25 to 35 per cent more on average for a vehicle in Canada.

None of the allegations has been proven in court.

Also named in the suit are the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) and the National Automobile Dealers Association, a U.S. partner based in Virginia.

CADA spokesman Huw Williams said Wednesday afternoon that the association had yet to receive a copy of the class action lawsuit.

"We're obviously not prepared to either comment on it or anything revolving it," Williams said from Ottawa.

The suit also claims some auto sales contracts included "no-export clauses" that prevented buyers from taking their cars from the U.S. to Canada, or vice-versa.

Another allegation says the industry penalized dealers if the cars they sold were then exported, either threatening to delay shipment of certain models or by issuing "chargebacks."

Finally...

[Ebola]

You are 100%. Canada does not care about the US process. However, you could run into problems if you take a trip in the US and run into some sort of trouble (ie speeding ticket, random border check etc). You might suffer some sort of penalty for not going through the export process - whatever that may be.

Maybe US customs would consider the vehicle as possibly stolen and impounded.

But how? If you've plated the vehicle in Canada successfully, then how in the world will the US Border Patrol / State Police / County Sheriff whomever going to figure it out?

When a car comes up to my lane at a border crossing, all I see is the plate. I don't check compliance label's on the inside of door panels of vehicles , even when conducting vehicle searches rarely does that sticker get glanced at.

In the US,just like on our side, if we do not conduct the export check, we/they are none the wiser.

I am not advocating that you just ignore US regulations, especially if you would like to continue having quick and easy (im sure some of you are rolling your eyes) cross border travel.

My response is simply aimed at those who say that the CBSA should make sure the US export process has been completed on imports. It is in the end of little consequence how or why an item ended up on our doorstep, the issue to us is if the item is admissible , and then if it can be properly imported to meet our standards. There are always exceptions.. such as trying to detect counterfeit commercial shipments and yadayada. But this forum is not the time nor the place.

[tico 1948]

This is just a smoke screen to make themselves look like they are listening to consumers. With prices 25-35% more in Canada then 10% is just a drop in the bucket. In the end they are still screwing you but just a little less. Make no mistake they are still screwing you.

Exactly, screwed by any other name is still gittin' it.

[Tender]

Talked to a dealership who is willing to sell me the Sienna 2008, but they will not sell it new. They will have to wait for 4-6 weeks before Toyota will send you the title, and the dealer will sell the car to me as a 2nd owner. Does this sound normal?

Do you need the title to actually cross the border? I thought the MCO/MSO papers are good enough?

You don't need the title for brand new cars (unregistered), but I think you do need one for old cars (registered before).

Toyota just prohibits the U.S. dealers from selling new cars to Canadian. I believe that's why the dealer wants to sell you as 2nd owner so they don't get punished by Toyota.

[cpudoctor]

A class-action lawsuit launched in Toronto accuses major automakers and dealers of violating competition and consumer protection laws by conspiring to artificially inflate car prices in Canada.


http://news.sympatico.msn.ctv.ca/TopStories/ContentPosting.aspx?feedname=CTV-TOPSTORIES_V2&showbyline=True&newsitemid=CTVNews%2f20070926%2fautomobile_lawsuit _070926

[longdong]

SALES POSITIONS



Van Bortel Subaru. Must be able to work evenings and Saturdays. Commissions and bonuses. Email resume to [Click here for email]r apply at 6327 Rt 96, Victor

First ran on: 09/02/2007


So you are free to apply 8:) ..

[mmonro]

You don't need the title for brand new cars (unregistered), but I think you do need one for old cars (registered before).

Toyota just prohibits the U.S. dealers from selling new cars to Canadian. I believe that's why the dealer wants to sell you as 2nd owner so they don't get punished by Toyota.


According to the law firm filing the class action law suit, Toyota is going to be added shortly, so they are going to get what coming to them.. I recently imported a brand new Sienna and it was very difficult finding a dealer that would sell to me. They said Toyota would ding their factory allocation, if they sold to a Canadian. I suggest eveyone getting refused by the dealers send them a copy of the current class action suit and see if they change their tune.


The firm also plans to add Toyota and Ford, including their Canadian units, once it has signed up representative plaintiffs for each one

[uncle_odb]

Hello,

I am planning to buy car from US but have problem with money transfer. I was planning to do money wire, but financial department at the dealership refused to give me their full bank information. They basically agree to give me just so intermediate bank name and code (ABA #) and person name address who takes care of money when they will reach that bank. My bank TD refused to do any money wire this way.
What are my other options? I was told by the same finance department that certified cheque or even money order can take 10 business days to clear up.
I read that people here are doing bank draft. Are there any holds on bank draft? Do you curier bank drafts in advance? Is there a difference between Canadian bank draft in US dollars and US bank draft in US $?


Thanks for your help.


Change your bank.

RBC could not have been more helpful, phoned the dealers accounts person, Took 10 minutes; dealer had the dough next day.

I cannot think what these US dealers think they are achieving by not giving you their bank account numbers direct. Perhaps its a US thing. Here in Canada, you HAVE to be given a paper record of your wire transaction, so you will have all the dealers 'secret' account numbers right there and then.

I agree with Teep here! I don't understand the secrecy here as well. We always get a wire confirmation after the wire is processed, and it has the account numbers and bank information printed right on it. Strange indeed. Oh and after my wire down to the dealership, they confirmed that they had the money the next day too.

[tico 1948]

Actually, there *IS* a catch. Consider that if your engine or your transmission blows up, you'll be looking at a HUGE up front bill. Most people don't have that kind of cash just lying around. OR stick it on your credit card @ 18% and wait for Subaru to reimburse.

True enough, but just think of the air miles you'll receive.

[whampoa]

I suggest eveyone getting refused by the dealers send them a copy of the current class action suit and see if they change their tune.


The firm also plans to add Toyota and Ford, including their Canadian units, once it has signed up representative plaintiffs for each one

Why, it's not the dealers problem that Toyota USA don't want to sell it to Canadian. Anyways, they'll be punish if they do sell it.

It's the knuckle head at Toyota Canada and Toyota USA that want to screw us once over and not even have the goddam common courtesy to give us a reach-around.

[Symcrapico]

True enough, but just think of the air miles you'll receive.

A true RFD'er heart!

[googz]

Actually, there *IS* a catch. Consider that if your engine or your transmission blows up, you'll be looking at a HUGE up front bill. Most people don't have that kind of cash just lying around. OR stick it on your credit card @ 18% and wait for Subaru to reimburse.

Thanks for the sensible response...I was going to but couldn't be bothered trying to convince someone that having to pay up front for warranty work and then hopefully getting reimbursed is most definitely a CATCH. Anyway, still weighing the pros/cons of 2007 vs 2008 Tribecas myself...cheers.

And thanks to those who have provided leads/information on U.S. Subaru dealers!

[flaming homer]

Talked to a dealership who is willing to sell me the Sienna 2008, but they will not sell it new. They will have to wait for 4-6 weeks before Toyota will send you the title, and the dealer will sell the car to me as a 2nd owner. Does this sound normal?

Do you need the title to actually cross the border? I thought the MCO/MSO papers are good enough?


Actually, there *IS* a catch. Consider that if your engine or your transmission blows up, you'll be looking at a HUGE up front bill. Most people don't have that kind of cash just lying around. OR stick it on your credit card @ 18% and wait for Subaru to reimburse.


Thanks for the sensible response...I was going to but couldn't be bothered trying to convince someone that having to pay up front for warranty work and then hopefully getting reimbursed is most definitely a CATCH. Anyway, still weighing the pros/cons of 2007 vs 2008 Tribecas myself...cheers.

And thanks to those who have provided leads/information on U.S. Subaru dealers!Considering the way that Subaru of America has gone out of it's way to treat us Canadian buyers, this really shouldn't be of concern. I'm willing to bet that for a major warranty work they would foot the bill ahead of time, as long as you're given them proper paperwork. Think "Insurnace" versus "Warranty" at that stage...

I still can't get over how they'll pay for CAA calls, not that I actually ever want to use that feature...

[jcl4]

Since some of us has brought the subaru warranty up, I would like to ask a question for existing subaru 2008 owners.

Have any of you done any warranty work after your car been register in Canada?
How was the process of getting reimburse?
Did the money arrive quickly?
Where did you go to do the works on your car?

Thanks

[clem24]

Subaru is awesome. I think they're doing this to lighten the Canadian administrative costs of billing back warranty work. In any case, I just imported a 2005 Legacy GT used. The people at the 800 number at Subaru of America were very friendly and more than willing to cooperate, and send me my recall letter. Kudos to Subaru.

Personally, I don't think the lawsuit will pan out. Think back a few years when the exchange was 1.5. Back then, Americans were crossing into Canada to buy cars. They didn't adjust prices back then, and they probably won't now. Prices should be set at what the market can bear, and that's just how it is. If Canadians are willing to pay a 25% premium, then why reduce prices. I say stick it to them by cross border shopping. Too bad they threaten their dealers.

Porsche is heading in the right direction (I think it's great that the price gap has narrowed -- I'd rather only pay $15,000 premium vs. $25,000 premium), but obviously still a ways.

US dealers are just worried about repercussions. Otherwise they'd sell to you. I mean, seriously, if I was a US car salesman, I'd be putting car advertisements in Canadian newspapers!!! I'd be jumping for joy if I was moving that many units. Who cares who buys them.

Ah well. My 2 cents.

So anyone with info on a US Honda dealer in Washington or Montana before I start blind calling and hope for the best? :)

[Tender]

...So anyone with info on a US Honda dealer in Washington or Montana before I start blind calling and hope for the best? :)

Why would you want a U.S. Honda given it's not covered under their warranty here?

[clem24]

Why would you want a U.S. Honda given it's not covered under their warranty here?

Um.. Because a.) it's a Honda and b.) I am saving clost to $14,000. So basically it costs $14,000 to buy a warranty. That means within the warranty period, the new car can experience $14,000 in repairs before the price of the Canadian car.

[5136440]

I still can't get over how they'll pay for CAA calls, not that I actually ever want to use that feature...

I was given a 800 number for Subaru Road Assistance, I guess from American side. Nothing to do with CAA. However, noticed Subaru Canada is using CAA.

I don't want to try neither;) .

[Monsieurmaggot]

Personally, I don't think the lawsuit will pan out. Think back a few years when the exchange was 1.5. Back then, Americans were crossing into Canada to buy cars. They didn't adjust prices back then, and they probably won't now. Prices should be set at what the market can bear, and that's just how it is. If Canadians are willing to pay a 25% premium, then why reduce prices. I say stick it to them by cross border shopping.

Except you forgot to mention that there was a class action lawsuit filed back then against US car dealers. (see www.naata.org)

The lawsuit dragged out for years and eventually, Toyota settled and was fined $35 million dollars for collusion and violating the Sherman Act.

Thanks to the strong Canadian dollar, the same thing has now happened in Canada. Sadly the Canadian dealers think the consumer is too complacent to do anything about it. That's where they are wrong. The information on how bad we're being ripped off is out there. The Canadian manufacturers can't logically justify the price differential and are resorting to all kinds of story lines.

Ultimately you can't take advantage of people for an extended period of time. Eventually they will turn against you. The cross-border sales rush has taken on a life of its' own. It's all over the press. More and more people are discovering how easy the import process actually is.

[MMMM]

...So anyone with info on a US Honda dealer in Washington or Montana before I start blind calling and hope for the best?

Try:

Northwest Honda in Bellingham, WA
360-676-2277

I purchased my Element there, no problems and easy to deal with.

[Kamloops]

Try:

Northwest Honda in Bellingham, WA
360-676-2277

I purchased my Element there, no problems and easy to deal with.

PM this kind of info stop posting it in the discussion

[whampoa]

Monsieur congrats, were you the one Toronto CTV News interviewed at 6PM.

[Monsieurmaggot]

Yup. Dat be me.

Nice car eh?

I even plugged RFD but it went to the cutting room floor.

[bcbud]

You have a nice car, congrats, good interview.



Yup. Dat be me.

Nice car eh?

I even plugged RFD but it went to the cutting room floor.

[yyz2hkg]

Yup. Dat be me.

Nice car eh?

I even plugged RFD but it went to the cutting room floor.


Ahhh finally, a face to the username. I thought that car looked familiar.

[jadeboy]

Yup. Dat be me.

Nice car eh?

I even plugged RFD but it went to the cutting room floor.

YouTube it.... So we have a video.. anyone got it recorded?

[Monsieurmaggot]

More on the story at 1130PM (eastern) tonight.

Maybe even on the CTV National News and NewsNet too.

Can't stop the story now. It's too big...

Watch it on digital cable, Bell ExpressVu and Star Choice across the country.

[shopper-X]

Ahhh finally, a face to the username.

Can someone post a link to the interview?

[Monsieurmaggot]

Go to CTV.ca. Under Top stories:

Look for:

Lawsuit accuses car industry of inflating prices

Click on video link:

CTV Toronto: Pat Foran explains the lawsuit 2:10

[whampoa]

Can someone post a link to the interview?

Here you go, but I had problem with the sound, post if you have the same malfunction.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/HTMLTemplate?tf=/ctv/mar/video/new_player.html&cf=ctv/mar/ctv.cfg&hub=TopStories&video_link_high=mms://ctvbroadcast.ctv.ca/video/2007/09/26/ctvvideologger3_190806129_1190844512_500kbps.wmv&video_link_low=mms://ctvbroadcast.ctv.ca/video/2007/09/26/ctvvideologger3_190806128_1190843138_218kbps.wmv&clip_start=00:01:46.94&clip_end=00:02:10.39&clip_caption=CTV%20Toronto:%20Pat%20Foran%20explai ns%20the%20lawsuit&clip_id=ctvnews.20070926.00215000-00215014-clip2&subhub=video&no_ads=&sortdate=20070926&slug=automobile_lawsuit_070926&archive=CTVNews

[yyz2hkg]

Can someone post a link to the interview?

Hey all, check out the CTV website.

LINKYPOO (http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070926/automobile_lawsuit_070926/20070926?hub=TopStories#commentSection)

MonsieurMaggot's on TV!!! Click on the link that says "Pat Foran explains the lawsuit" , the 2:10 video.

[brandnew]

I'm looking for either new or used 2008/2007 model, please pm me with the contact info. wonder if anybody had good experience?

thank you

[hagbard]

Feel like calling the local dealers and giving them a Nelson. Especially the one that helped get that Editor and Reporter fired from the Victoria News.

http://www.esreality.com/files/placeimages/2007/57367-simpsons_nelson_haha2.jpg

[Monsieurmaggot]

I can't tell you how much joy I'm feeling today. The lawsuit (regardless of whether is succeeds or not) has brought the price imbalance to the forefront.

I'm looking forward to Mr. DesRosiers reports in the coming weeks. You can bet he's hanging low and will keep out of sight for some time. He's looking more and more like a moron.

You can bet some of the top executives at the car companies cut their golf games short today to have their minions make this go away.

If you go back a few pages you can find the Victoria News link and the Victoria GM dealer who had the reporters silenced.

I did mention the two individuals and their story to the law firm (Juroviesky & Ricci LLP). Perhaps some restitution is warranted for them. Maybe even a public apology from the Victoria GM dealer who "allegedly" had them canned.

[Louist]

I am sick of hearing the one liner...Canadians are the stupid ones, they pay what the market will bear...ah NO!!

Lift your &$*&$*& ban and I would agree for those not travelling to the USA to save 15k......to FORCE people to pay more for the same car in Canada VS. the USA is ILLEGAL. Where is the choice/competition in that? Free market/fair market value my ASS.

Go buy anything in Canada for 3 times the price, I could care less, but prevent me from cross border shopping, and you are a criminal in the world as we know it today. Once China is pumping out better cars for 25% of the price you are gonna see some long faces.

Again...our market DOES NOT BEAR THE CURRENT PRICE!!! because thousands of people WANT to drive 2 hours and save 15K, but are forced to stay and pay MORE!!!!

We live in a prison that forces us to pay 50 dollars for a pack of smokes.....aka 15k more for a new car. Hope someone gets hit by lightning....bad karma to the industry.

[BeeBee]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070926/automobile_lawsuit_070926/20070926?hub=TopStories

GOOD JOB monsieurmaggot!!!

[whampoa]

I am sick of hearing the one liner...Canadians are the stupid ones, they pay what the market will bear...ah NO!!

Lift your &$*&$*& ban and I would agree for those not travelling to the USA to save 15k......to FORCE people to pay more for the same car in Canada VS. the USA is ILLEGAL. Where is the choice/competition in that? Free market/fair market value my ASS.

Go buy anything in Canada for 3 times the price, I could care less, but prevent me from cross border shopping, and you are a criminal in the world as we know it today. Once China is pumping out better cars for 25% of the price you are gonna see some long faces.

Again...our market DOES NOT BEAR THE CURRENT PRICE!!! because thousands of people WANT to drive 2 hours and save 15K, but are forced to stay and pay MORE!!!!

We live in a prison that forces us to pay 50 dollars for a pack of smokes.....aka 15k more for a new car. Hope someone gets hit by lightning....bad karma to the industry.

Now slow down Tiger, we're with you. But first, man what the hell are you smoking.

[yyz2hkg]

Now slow down Tiger, we're with you. But first, man what the hell are you smoking.


Can I have some too! :lol:

[Flavour]

He's looking more and more like a moron.

http://images.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/img2/20050607/160_desrosiers_050607.jpg

[Rocklegend]

Congratulations Monseinour and RFD

[Da Mango]

I want an autograph! hehe... Nice job... We should all get together for a group meet and take a picture.. heck maybe we'll all get on tv too hehe..

[LoveRFD]

Here you go, but I had problem with the sound, post if you have the same malfunction.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/HTMLTemplate?tf=/ctv/mar/video/new_player.html&cf=ctv/mar/ctv.cfg&hub=TopStories&video_link_high=mms://ctvbroadcast.ctv.ca/video/2007/09/26/ctvvideologger3_190806129_1190844512_500kbps.wmv&video_link_low=mms://ctvbroadcast.ctv.ca/video/2007/09/26/ctvvideologger3_190806128_1190843138_218kbps.wmv&clip_start=00:01:46.94&clip_end=00:02:10.39&clip_caption=CTV%20Toronto:%20Pat%20Foran%20explai ns%20the%20lawsuit&clip_id=ctvnews.20070926.00215000-00215014-clip2&subhub=video&no_ads=&sortdate=20070926&slug=automobile_lawsuit_070926&archive=CTVNews



Link works, thanks.

And Monsieurmaggot: good job and nice car!

[CatchMoreFish]

please help me!

I am trying to buy a car from a dealer at Boston, MA. The car sales told me he won't help me to get a license plate/permit.

Is it treated differently in New York State? Where do I get a temporary permit so I won't get stopped by police while i am driving my car back to home - our Canada? I went to Ontario vechile registory website and they sell temporary trip permit. Is it used in Ontario only?

many many thanks!

[Monsieurmaggot]

Thanks for all your kind words.

All I was doing is telling the reporter what everyone who reads this thread already know.

I see it was the second story on tonights' CTV National News. The story was reported by John Vennavally-Rao nationally and Pat Foran locally.

Now the whole country knows just how much cheaper Subarus are in the US. Too bad I had to share airspace with Dennis DesRosiers.

Love to hear the retort from Subaru on why the prices are significantly higher in Canada for my model.

[Jonavin]

Yes. I hope everyone is pushing the stories out on how badly the price disparity is.

When I first heard that Porche was dropping by 10% I thought, wow, a company is actually doing the right thing. Then I went and compared the US prices and realized it's still way over priced. So instead of ripping us off 35%, they are only ripped us off 25%. Gee... thanks.

[Symcrapico]

Congratulations Monseinour and RFD
+1

[Sukh]

I contacted a dealer in buffalo to purchase a Pathfinder. He wants the money up front before he submits any documents to U.S customs. Or I can give him the money, pick up the car and leave the car at U.S customs for 3 days. Is there any other way I can do this where U.S customs can get all the info they need before paying up. Or is there a car broker in buffalo/toronto to deal with the paper work.

[Monsieurmaggot]

I contacted a dealer in buffalo to purchase a Pathfinder. He wants the money up front before he submits any documents to U.S customs. Or I can give him the money, pick up the car and leave the car at U.S customs for 3 days. Is there any other way I can do this where U.S customs can get all the info they need before paying up. Or is there a car broker in buffalo/toronto to deal with the paper work.

I paid for my car in full before any documentation was submitted to US Customs.

The dealer agreed that I wouldn't formally take delivery until the papers cleared. At that point he stored the car in a compound for me until delivery.

Nothing out of the ordinary there.

[techboss]

I paid for my car in full before any documentation was submitted to US Customs.

The dealer agreed that I wouldn't formally take delivery until the papers cleared. At that point he stored the car in a compound for me until delivery.

Nothing out of the ordinary there.

How long did you have to have the car stored got in a compound?

A toyota dealership will only sell to me a 2008 sienna with a 4-6 weeks wait and making me a second owner if I go ahead with the deal.

[shopper-X]

Congratulations Monseinour and RFD


+1

+2

Awesome job on keeping the Canadian public informed.

[Monsieurmaggot]

How long did you have to have the car stored got in a compound?

A toyota dealership will only sell to me a 2008 sienna with a 4-6 weeks wait and making me a second owner if I go ahead with the deal.

The dealer kept my car for one week (six days actually) until I could make arrangements to pick it up.

[Monsieurmaggot]

+2

Awesome job on keeping the Canadian public informed.

It's the old "one at a time" argument.

I told one person, who told one person....

So I had conversations with radio, the written press and now with television news at both the local and national level.

I can't think of any other medium I can use to spread the word.

Oh wait, there's RFD!!!!

Maybe I should just stop now eh? NOT!

The fun's just beginning.....

[dheath]

http://images.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/img2/20050607/160_desrosiers_050607.jpg

ROFL
:lol:

[Hannicho]

Great thread. Tons of info.

I've been researching Toyota Highlanders for the past 2 months and stumbled on this site a week ago. I've learned so much in one week.

I'm now convinced that the Highlander is not the vehicle for me. It seems there is way too much hassle on both sides of the border. The Canadian dealership wouldn't even give me a trade in price on my vehicle unless we sat down and started on the deal and they won't budge on price. I almost walked out of the office when the salesman went the to same Toyota website that we the public can access to do the financing.

After reading about all the praise you have for Subaru's I spent all Saturday researching the Canadian models.

I convinced the 08 Tribeca is the vehicle for me.

Compared the prices: 08 Tribeca 7 pass. premier is $54 grand in Canada and the same vehicle (I believe it's referred to as the limited since i couldn't find a premier reference) topped out at $41 US. In fact the Subaru salesman gave me a complete 2008 vehicle price list so that I could compare prices.

If anyone has any other tips or recommendations of what I should be asking for, or looking for, and if anyone has a preferred for US dealers please pm me.

[x49167]

just a question on the the resell value of US imported vehicles in Canada?

let's say I import a vehicle (new) from the US and decide the sell it out within 1 year as a 2nd hand in Canada... would there be complications to reselling?

I know the Canadian dealers won't take the car as a trade in but I am talking in reselling as a private owner.... do u guys have any tips?

[Ebola]

just a question on the the resell value of US imported vehicles in Canada?

let's say I import a vehicle (new) from the US and decide the sell it out within 1 year as a 2nd hand in Canada... would there be complications to reselling?

I know the Canadian dealers won't take the car as a trade in but I am talking in reselling as a private owner.... do u guys have any tips?

Well as long as you have properly imported the vehicle through the CBSA (paid your taxes and (maybe) duty), then you have no disposal restriction on your vehicle. Ie. you can sell it.

Now if you did something wacky like E-29B it (temporary import ) for a work or study permit etc.. then you would not be able to sell the vehicle without contacting the CBSA first.

As it stands, I'm assuming you are either a PR of Canada or a resident citizen, so pay your taxes and you are off to the races.

[Louist]

The resale is likely to closely mimic the resale of the same car on a USA lot. Actually more and more book values are going to reflect the US pricing. I know my current vehicle on a trade is worth 38000 in Canada, and the trade book value in Kelly us version is 41,000. The dealers don't want your used car when they can import one cheaper to resell with a sticky km/h over the speedometer.

Mind you my car is a luxury suv and 3/4 of them for sale in the trader are imports...so fat chance to sell mine for much more. There will be many sad faces for the next 2 years, then things should even out...can't have the cake and eat it too. Lease residuals...in toilet soon. Until residuals really drop, it might be the safest thing to do in Cannada....paying 15k more is suicide.

Buyback on lease 15k more than the import for sale in trader with half the milage...time to chuckle.

[whampoa]

just a question on the the resell value of US imported vehicles in Canada?

let's say I import a vehicle (new) from the US and decide the sell it out within 1 year as a 2nd hand in Canada... would there be complications to reselling?

I know the Canadian dealers won't take the car as a trade in but I am talking in reselling as a private owner.... do u guys have any tips?

Most import cost 20% less to purchase brand new compare to an equivalent model in Canada.

Most US model are usually better equipped with features that are optional over here.

So from the start, you're well ahead in the use car market. Even if you've to sell it less, you're still making more than selling a used Canadian vehicle.

And what make you think a Canadian dealers won't take the car as a trade in. Since we all know money talks, especially if they can hookwink you with a more expensive replacement ride.

[diigii]

GERRY! GERRY! GERRY! GERRY! GERRY! GERRY! GERRY! GERRY! GERRY!:cheesygri

[diigii]

Great thread. Tons of info.

I've been researching Toyota Highlanders for the past 2 months and stumbled on this site a week ago. I've learned so much in one week.

I'm now convinced that the Highlander is not the vehicle for me. It seems there is way too much hassle on both sides of the border. The Canadian dealership wouldn't even give me a trade in price on my vehicle unless we sat down and started on the deal and they won't budge on price. I almost walked out of the office when the salesman went the to same Toyota website that we the public can access to do the financing.

After reading about all the praise you have for Subaru's I spent all Saturday researching the Canadian models.

I convinced the 08 Tribeca is the vehicle for me.

Compared the prices: 08 Tribeca 7 pass. premier is $54 grand in Canada and the same vehicle (I believe it's referred to as the limited since i couldn't find a premier reference) topped out at $41 US. In fact the Subaru salesman gave me a complete 2008 vehicle price list so that I could compare prices.

If anyone has any other tips or recommendations of what I should be asking for, or looking for, and if anyone has a preferred for US dealers please pm me.

Is the US$41K the MSRP pricing for your Tribeca? If not, you should negotiate from the invoice cost, taking into account the rebates that are offered.

[diigii]

http://images.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/img2/20050607/160_desrosiers_050607.jpg

It's gotta be the butter, really!:-0

[x49167]

Thanks guys..

its just that I recently sold my car and am planning to buy a Lexus IS250 from the US, but I will have to order my vehicle and wait for its admissability with RIV... which may take a fwe months

Meanwhile, I don't have a car to use so I'm gonna pick another new vehicle for now and drive it for a few months until I get my IS250. =)

[techboss]

For those of you who had experience with new Toyota imports, do you think this is possible.

Facts:
A lot of Toyota dealership will only sell to someone with a US address, as they claim the title to be sent to a US address by Toyota USA.

Can this be done?

Register for a US Address (non PO Box) mail redirection service
Make a deal with the dealership with the US Address as initial contact as may benefit you with US rebates
Pay the dealership in full and complete the sale
Then start getting them to help in the paper work on imports after the fact
Dealerships will take advantage of the situation (pricing) when they know you are buying as a Canadian to begin with.


Looking for opinions on this. We are RFD anyway :)

[Tender]

GERRY! GERRY! GERRY! GERRY! GERRY! GERRY! GERRY! GERRY! GERRY!:cheesygri

+1

[tzcnd]

http://images.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/img2/20050607/160_desrosiers_050607.jpg

This has to be the stupidest look I have ever seen. This automobile industry lapdog/droid can kiss my a**.

And Dennis that bulge in my pocket doesn't mean that I am happy to see you it is the $10000 I saved by buying in the US.

[HighFlyer]

And Dennis that bulge in my pocket doesn't mean that I am happy to see you it is the $10000 I saved by buying in the US.
Hahaha! :cheesygri

[Lax5]

Link works, thanks.

And Monsieurmaggot: good job and nice car!

Anyone else see the irony when watching the clip? Ford Fusion commercial running prior to the news story!! Priceless!!

[milek]

I am having trouble to obtain temporary insurance to import car since my insurance company (Inovesco -ING) can only give me insurance if the car is plated in Quebec.
When I called SAAQ they told me that I can not get temp. plates for cars that reside in US. So I am in magic circle here. I had to cancel the deal since I couldn get temporary plates and insurance in Massachusetts either. I am not sure for the other states in US.
I would really appreciate if somebody can point me what should I do.
Where I can get temporary insurance in Quebec to import car from US.

Thanks!

[scouzi]

I am having trouble to obtain temporary insurance to import car since my insurance company (Inovesco -ING) can only give me insurance if the car is plated in Quebec.
When I called SAAQ they told me that I can not get temp. plates for cars that reside in US. So I am in magic circle here. I had to cancel the deal since I couldn get temporary plates and insurance in Massachusetts either. I am not sure for the other states in US.
I would really appreciate if somebody can point me what should I do.
Where I can get temporary insurance in Quebec to import car from US.

Thanks!


Go to Vermont. According to SAAQ, Vermont temp plates are valid in Quebec. Change insurance companies. Meloche gave me temp insurance.

The Vermont temp plates actually look quite like Quebec plates.

[felix2000]

Seems like there is now a $2Billion class action lawsuit about the high prices in Canada.

http://www.wheels.ca/newsFeatures/article/31753

[bigbug]

Cheers to the law suit, hope the price gauging auto companys are going to get a big hit.

Will this law suit include those who have bought cars from US but were denied warranty?

[irish80ca]

This has been all over the radio yesterday and this morning. Apparently 4 people from Toronto are taking Four of the big manufactures to court for $2 billion.

Handa, Nissan, Chrysler, and Toyota.

All because they're trying to stop Canadains from purchasing from the states and charge an insane markup when our dollar is worth the same.

[vim]

Here is an interesting post from Toyota Bufallo dealer:

http://www.siennaclub.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=16798

[bigbug]

It's gotta be the butter, really!:-0

Who is this guy and what did he say?

[spdztr]

Anyone see the article in today's Globe and Mail auto section? From the title alone you know it's a good read: "Analyst gets an earful about cross-border prices".

Although not explicitely, I'm sure the article refers to RFD:

Thousands of messages on this topic have been posted in the past year on online forums, with interest skyrocketing right along with the loonie. Many of the posts are from buyers who have gone through the process of buying a new or barely used car in the United States, sometimes complete with posted receipts and warranty letters, with many reports of buyers saving anywhere from $5,000 on mid-size sedans to $40,000 on luxury V-8 SUVs, even after paying taxes, importation fees and exchange rates.

Full article (http://www.globeauto.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070927.wh-buzz-0927/GAStory/specialGlobeAuto/)

[johnsa]

OK guys, I need some advice...2 of my friends are making a deal on 2 new Tundras as we speak from the Eastern US. They have found a carrier who will bring them both up for 900 cash right to our hometown in Ontario..I am just trying to figure out the logistics of him crossing the border...do they hire a broker at the border to do the paperwork ? can he go into US Customs and Canada Customs and do things eventhough he is only the carrier?

Any ideas.suggestions feel free to PM me or call me at 705-328-6328....worst case scenario they can meet him at the border, but he is willing to transport them all the way but he said it is up to them to fiure out the logistics of it all.

thanks!

[diigii]

OK guys, I need some advice...2 of my friends are making a deal on 2 new Tundras as we speak from the Eastern US. They have found a carrier who will bring them both up for 900 cash right to our hometown in Ontario..I am just trying to figure out the logistics of him crossing the border...do they hire a broker at the border to do the paperwork ? can he go into US Customs and Canada Customs and do things eventhough he is only the carrier?

Any ideas.suggestions feel free to PM me or call me at 705-328-6328....worst case scenario they can meet him at the border, but he is willing to transport them all the way but he said it is up to them to fiure out the logistics of it all.

thanks!

I think one member here, EBOLA, is a Canada Customs employee. He might have the right answers that you are looking for.

[hagbard]

Seems like there is now a $2Billion class action lawsuit about the high prices in Canada.

http://www.wheels.ca/newsFeatures/article/31753

Welcome to yesterday.


Anyone see the article in today's Globe and Mail auto section? From the title alone you know it's a good read: "Analyst gets an earful about cross-border prices".

Although not explicitely, I'm sure the article refers to RFD:


Full article (http://www.globeauto.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070927.wh-buzz-0927/GAStory/specialGlobeAuto/)

There goes another Editor and Reporter ;). Oh wait, this is a REAL newspaper.:)

[shopper-X]

OK guys, I need some advice...2 of my friends are making a deal on 2 new Tundras as we speak from the Eastern US. They have found a carrier who will bring them both up for 900 cash right to our hometown in Ontario..I am just trying to figure out the logistics of him crossing the border...do they hire a broker at the border to do the paperwork ? can he go into US Customs and Canada Customs and do things eventhough he is only the carrier?

Any ideas.suggestions feel free to PM me or call me at 705-328-6328....worst case scenario they can meet him at the border, but he is willing to transport them all the way but he said it is up to them to fiure out the logistics of it all.

thanks!

I had mine shipped.
I used A&A Customs Brokerage...ripoff so far. They start you at $250 and start adding tariff fee, account fee, the sky is blue fee, the grass is green fee, etc. I think it was at $383 before taxes in the end. A&A also uses the exchange rate of the Purchase Order date not crossing date. I'm emailing Canadian Border Sevices Agency about this as it about $100 difference.

What I recommend is meet the drive at the border, drive to the US side and clear the export by getting the title stamped. After giving the driver the titles, follow the driver to the Canadian Customs office and fillout Form 1, pay RIV, pay GST. Follow the driver home.
In total you'll save about $800 over using A&A or another broker. Your friends can drive down in one car to save gas. ROAD TRIP!!!

[jrvic]

Welcome to yesterday.



There goes another Editor and Reporter ;). Oh wait, this is a REAL newspaper.:)

So any Canadian resident with a car purchase on either side of the border up until Aug 2007 can join in this lawsuit ? Anyone here part of it?

[canadiantofu]

So any Canadian resident with a car purchase on either side of the border up until Aug 2007 can join in this lawsuit ? Anyone here part of it?

An initial news report that I watched said that it includes only Canadian who purchased a car in Canada..
Interesting point is that it also includes Canadian who considered buying or leasing a car during that time, but was detracted because of price.

[tico 1948]

Yup. Dat be me.

Nice car eh?

I even plugged RFD but it went to the cutting room floor.

Saw it on the link. GOOD JOB, MonsieurM. You should have a weekly update thingy on CTV,CBC,GLOBAL, et al. Maybe you could syndicate. I'll be yer manager;)

[agepag]

Hey people, has anyone bought a used car from the U.S. My friend wants to buy a 04 Acura MDX, the prices seem to be about 7-10 thousand dollars cheaper! Is it the same process as buying a new car? He dosn't really care about the warrenty, since its over. Anyone buy from the buffalo area?

Thanks

[warpdryv]

just a question on the the resell value of US imported vehicles in Canada?

let's say I import a vehicle (new) from the US and decide the sell it out within 1 year as a 2nd hand in Canada... would there be complications to reselling?

I know the Canadian dealers won't take the car as a trade in but I am talking in reselling as a private owner.... do u guys have any tips?

Most Canadian dealers would be happy to take it in as a trade. They'll try and lowball you no matter where your car is from.

[Ebola]

OK guys, I need some advice...2 of my friends are making a deal on 2 new Tundras as we speak from the Eastern US. They have found a carrier who will bring them both up for 900 cash right to our hometown in Ontario..I am just trying to figure out the logistics of him crossing the border...do they hire a broker at the border to do the paperwork ? can he go into US Customs and Canada Customs and do things eventhough he is only the carrier?

Any ideas.suggestions feel free to PM me or call me at 705-328-6328....worst case scenario they can meet him at the border, but he is willing to transport them all the way but he said it is up to them to fiure out the logistics of it all.

thanks!


I think one member here, EBOLA, is a Canada Customs employee. He might have the right answers that you are looking for.

If they are importing as a personal entry, ie not commerically for a buisness (which unless your friends have a buisness importer number they won't be doing) then a broker will most likely not be involved.

If they are having a carrier bring the trucks across the border to their hometown for them what is going to happen is this:

-The trucks will be brought "in bond" to the closest Queen's warehouse to their location, and your friends will have to go to that warehouse to complete the importation forms and pay the taxes to "clear the load".

If they wanted to , they could meet the trucks at the border (on the US side), and drive them over themselves to import then and there, and drive them home on the Can side or have some canadian company pick the trucks up there and drive them to their town.

The only other issue worth considering in cross border movement like this is that you are not taking work away from Canadian companies that could do the work , in favour of US companies.

Even if they are way cheaper, for example you cannot hire a carpenter from NY state to come build your house without jumping through some Immigration and other hoops, because there are plenty of carpenters in Canada to do that work.

But for these really specific Immigration-> Work questions such as the trucking company they hire, you should call BIS (border information service ) at : 1 800 461-9999 That is a general number and they will direct you to an immigration officer if needed.

[thegradas]

video link:
http://tinyurl.com/2otgk6




Go to CTV.ca. Under Top stories:

Look for:

Lawsuit accuses car industry of inflating prices

Click on video link:

CTV Toronto: Pat Foran explains the lawsuit 2:10

[Monsieurmaggot]

Anyone see the article in today's Globe and Mail auto section? From the title alone you know it's a good read: "Analyst gets an earful about cross-border prices".

Although not explicitely, I'm sure the article refers to RFD:


Full article (http://www.globeauto.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070927.wh-buzz-0927/GAStory/specialGlobeAuto/)

Once again I have added my two cents to the comments section.

I invite everyone to post their comments to the Globeauto.com article. There's a "post comments" right after the story.

Give them an earful!

[johnsa]

If they are importing as a personal entry, ie not commerically for a buisness (which unless your friends have a buisness importer number they won't be doing) then a broker will most likely not be involved.

If they are having a carrier bring the trucks across the border to their hometown for them what is going to happen is this:

-The trucks will be brought "in bond" to the closest Queen's warehouse to their location, and your friends will have to go to that warehouse to complete the importation forms and pay the taxes to "clear the load".

If they wanted to , they could meet the trucks at the border (on the US side), and drive them over themselves to import then and there, and drive them home on the Can side or have some canadian company pick the trucks up there and drive them to their town.

The only other issue worth considering in cross border movement like this is that you are not taking work away from Canadian companies that could do the work , in favour of US companies.

Even if they are way cheaper, for example you cannot hire a carpenter from NY state to come build your house without jumping through some Immigration and other hoops, because there are plenty of carpenters in Canada to do that work.

But for these really specific Immigration-> Work questions such as the trucking company they hire, you should call BIS (border information service ) at : 1 800 461-9999 That is a general number and they will direct you to an immigration officer if needed.

In this case it is actually a "friend" who is from Ontario and normally ships farm machinery..he is often looking for a load to bring back to Canada...

I think they are going to have to just meet him at the border and do the paperwork themselves..hell, I even offered to drive them down ...........

[diigii]

Just posted my 2 cents at par! :cheesygri

[yyz2hkg]

Just posted my 2 cents at par! :cheesygri

Just saw the re-run on CFTO of the OP. Major exposure. Do you guys think it'll make it even harder for anyone to import a vehicle to Canada now, since a lawsuit is in the works?

[DSTU]

More disinformation aimed at ripped off Canadians.

Price gap drives car buyers to court
Vito Pilieci, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Thursday, September 27, 2007
Spurred by growing consumer frustration over the price gap between Canadian and U.S. vehicle models, a Toronto law firm has launched a class action suit against Canadian auto manufacturers.

The suit, filed yesterday by Juroviesky and Ricci LLP, claims carmakers are conspiring to inflate prices in Canada. It says Canadian buyers must pay between 25 and 35 per cent more than Americans.

The lawsuit, which must be certified by the Ontario Superior Court before it can proceed, is a product of the Canadian dollar's rapid rise.


The law firm argues that with the currencies nearly at par, car prices should be equal.

It alleges that automakers "conspired to artificially enhance the price of automobiles to the Canadian consumer through a variety of carefully orchestrated business practices in violation of a variety of statutes including the Competition Act."

Protests from consumers over the price differences have been growing as the currencies reached parity.

"The Internet is a powerful tool," says Rémi Guertin, 59, of Carlsbad Springs.

"You go on the Internet and you can check the prices and see that there is no reason we should pay way higher prices here in Canada."

Mr. Guertin is in the market for a new pickup truck.

"I don't see why I would pay $40,000 for a truck I can get in the U.S. for $30,000 U.S."

The class action suit seeks unspecified damages from Honda, General Motors, Chrysler and Nissan for all vehicles purchased or leased by Canadians between 2005 and 2007. Juroviesky and Ricci says it will add Toyota Motor Corp. and Ford Motor Co. to the list when the company finds representative plaintiffs.

A quick check of major automobile manufacturers' websites reveals the extent of the pricing difference.

A 2008 Honda Accord has a manufacturer's suggest retail price (MSRP) of $20,360 U.S. on Honda's U.S. website. The same car is listed on Honda's Canadian website for $25,090. A new Dodge Grand Caravan has a MSRP of $22,470 U.S. on Dodge.com. In Canada, it lists at $26,495. A Toyota Camry has a MSRP of $18,570 U.S. and $25,9900 in Canada.

But Kathryn Ruhland, a spokeswoman for Toyota Canada, said comparisons are not that simple.

"There is often unmentioned differences between made for Canada vehicles versus made for U.S. vehicles," she said. "There could be cold weather packages added on to the Canadian vehicles or features added onto Canadian vehicles due to government compliance. It's a different basket of goods."

Ms. Ruhland said additional features on a vehicle for sale in Canada could easily add $3,000 or $4,000 to the price. For vehicles built outside North America, import duties are another factor.

"There are always higher Canadian import duties," she said.

Canadian automotive industry analyst Dennis DesRosiers agrees with the manufacturers.

"(Consumers) each identify a particular vehicle, usually on the web, and claim that the price differential is substantial and that Canadians therefore are being 'ripped off,' " the president of DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc. recently wrote in his newsletter.

"None of them adjust those prices for equipment and trim level differences and none of them adjust for incentives and transaction price differentials. And these adjustments are critical to get a fair representation of cross-border pricing."

He said base prices for some vehicles in the U.S. may include a four-cylinder engine and front-wheel-drive, while a six-cylinder engine and four-wheel-drive are standard features in Canada.

"In most cases where these adjustments are made and thus an 'apples to apples' situation exists, most of the price differentials disappear or are substantially reduced," he said.


In 2003, several Americans filed class-action suits when the Canadian dollar was valued at about 65 cents U.S. At the time, many Americans were buying automobiles in Canada but were being denied warranty coverage. The U.S. lawsuits claim that failing to honour warranties is akin to conspiring to keep prices high by forcing Americans to shop at home.

Those suits are now being heard in a court in Maine.




© The Ottawa Citizen 2007

[Gromit]

Please use your calculator: 150 000 X 5 000 = 750 million dollars in savings

I *did* use my calculator. smack... smack... damn thing must be defective.

Too many consecutive zeros for an old man to keep track of.

Uh, would you believe I meant over 10 years? :D

[scouzi]

More disinformation aimed at ripped off Canadians.

Price gap drives car buyers to court
Vito Pilieci, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Thursday, September 27, 2007
Spurred by growing consumer frustration over the price gap between Canadian and U.S. vehicle models, a Toronto law firm has launched a class action suit against Canadian auto manufacturers.

The suit, filed yesterday by Juroviesky and Ricci LLP, claims carmakers are conspiring to inflate prices in Canada. It says Canadian buyers must pay between 25 and 35 per cent more than Americans.

The lawsuit, which must be certified by the Ontario Superior Court before it can proceed, is a product of the Canadian dollar's rapid rise.


The law firm argues that with the currencies nearly at par, car prices should be equal.

It alleges that automakers "conspired to artificially enhance the price of automobiles to the Canadian consumer through a variety of carefully orchestrated business practices in violation of a variety of statutes including the Competition Act."

Protests from consumers over the price differences have been growing as the currencies reached parity.

"The Internet is a powerful tool," says Rémi Guertin, 59, of Carlsbad Springs.

"You go on the Internet and you can check the prices and see that there is no reason we should pay way higher prices here in Canada."

Mr. Guertin is in the market for a new pickup truck.

"I don't see why I would pay $40,000 for a truck I can get in the U.S. for $30,000 U.S."

The class action suit seeks unspecified damages from Honda, General Motors, Chrysler and Nissan for all vehicles purchased or leased by Canadians between 2005 and 2007. Juroviesky and Ricci says it will add Toyota Motor Corp. and Ford Motor Co. to the list when the company finds representative plaintiffs.

A quick check of major automobile manufacturers' websites reveals the extent of the pricing difference.

A 2008 Honda Accord has a manufacturer's suggest retail price (MSRP) of $20,360 U.S. on Honda's U.S. website. The same car is listed on Honda's Canadian website for $25,090. A new Dodge Grand Caravan has a MSRP of $22,470 U.S. on Dodge.com. In Canada, it lists at $26,495. A Toyota Camry has a MSRP of $18,570 U.S. and $25,9900 in Canada.

But Kathryn Ruhland, a spokeswoman for Toyota Canada, said comparisons are not that simple.

"There is often unmentioned differences between made for Canada vehicles versus made for U.S. vehicles," she said. "There could be cold weather packages added on to the Canadian vehicles or features added onto Canadian vehicles due to government compliance. It's a different basket of goods."

Ms. Ruhland said additional features on a vehicle for sale in Canada could easily add $3,000 or $4,000 to the price. For vehicles built outside North America, import duties are another factor.

"There are always higher Canadian import duties," she said.

Canadian automotive industry analyst Dennis DesRosiers agrees with the manufacturers.

"(Consumers) each identify a particular vehicle, usually on the web, and claim that the price differential is substantial and that Canadians therefore are being 'ripped off,' " the president of DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc. recently wrote in his newsletter.

"None of them adjust those prices for equipment and trim level differences and none of them adjust for incentives and transaction price differentials. And these adjustments are critical to get a fair representation of cross-border pricing."

He said base prices for some vehicles in the U.S. may include a four-cylinder engine and front-wheel-drive, while a six-cylinder engine and four-wheel-drive are standard features in Canada.

"In most cases where these adjustments are made and thus an 'apples to apples' situation exists, most of the price differentials disappear or are substantially reduced," he said.


In 2003, several Americans filed class-action suits when the Canadian dollar was valued at about 65 cents U.S. At the time, many Americans were buying automobiles in Canada but were being denied warranty coverage. The U.S. lawsuits claim that failing to honour warranties is akin to conspiring to keep prices high by forcing Americans to shop at home.

Those suits are now being heard in a court in Maine.




© The Ottawa Citizen 2007

I hate guys like Desrosiers who thinks people are too stupid make abstraction of these details.

The lower priced US base models usually come with MORE options. Cold weather packages is usually a $500 - $600 option in the States. The different trim levels between Canada and the US is to obfuscate the truth.

Toyota Canada is the lamest - the've had the same excuse since the dollar was $.82. They don't have another excuse to make up the newer $.18.

I agree that financing is an issue but what does financing have to do with MSRP? Americans get cheaper financing also!

[1226]

Canadian automotive industry analyst Dennis DesRosiers agrees with the manufacturers.

Shocking...

[diigii]

I hate guys like Desrosiers who thinks people are too stupid make abstraction of these details.

The lower priced US base models usually come with MORE options. Cold weather packages is usually a $500 - $600 option in the States. The different trim levels between Canada and the US is to obfuscate the truth.

Toyota Canada is the lamest - the've had the same excuse since the dollar was $.82. They don't have another excuse to make up the newer $.18.

I agree that financing is an issue but what does financing have to do with MSRP? Americans get cheaper financing also!

In my car's case, it's only the full size spare tire, front fog lights and daytime running lights that are missing from the base SE US-spec car. I shelled out an extra $1,127 for the Sport Package that gave me the power moonroof, rear spoiler and front fog lights. The Canadian-spec base SE model also doesn't have the power moonroof and rear spoiler. You'd have to shell out $1,000 for the power moonroof, while the spoiler MIGHT cost $500 on a "guess-timation"; pricing is not available in Nissan Canada's website.

[Redscott]

I sometimes get short term work contracts in the US and presently happen to be in Southern California. This time last year I was looking to buy a SUV to haul all my stuff and my motorcycle back to Canada. Local GMC dealer (Irvine)was selling out a new 2006 Envoy SLT (fully loaded) for $22,000 US (US MSRP $32500 and Canadian MSRP $44500) Exchange at the time I think was 7-8%.
I still haven't imported it into Canada because my contract has been extended 12 months but the truck has been great and I saved about $20,000 Canadian dollars by getting an end of model year closeout in the US.

BTW the Airbag warning stickers on the sunvisors are in 2 languages and it isn't English / Spanish. It's actually English/French. Kinda funny in Southern California to see french on my american made and sold SUV :razz:

[ggweci]

Anyone see the article in today's Globe and Mail auto section? From the title alone you know it's a good read: "Analyst gets an earful about cross-border prices".

Although not explicitely, I'm sure the article refers to RFD:


Full article (http://www.globeauto.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070927.wh-buzz-0927/GAStory/specialGlobeAuto/)

My cousin is the journalist... I'm glad he's helping spread the word! :D

[longdong]

HI All,

An Honda dealers in Albany new york did accept my offer for Honday Odyssey.

So my question is: is it easy for Canadian tire to install the Daytime running light on the Odyssey. And do you know if how much is the cost to install ?.

Thanks.

[Monsieurmaggot]

HI All,

An Honda dealers in Albany new york did accept my offer for Honday Odyssey.

So my question is: is it easy for Canadian tire to install the Daytime running light on the Odyssey. And do you know if how much is the cost to install ?.

Thanks.

Wow so Honda US now sells to Canadians? Interesting.

The lawsuit thingy must just be a coincidence right?

BTW, the law firm is looking for complainants who have been told they can't buy a vehicle in the US. I know you're out there.

Anyone who can prove they've been rejected by US dealers has a leg to stand on. You need to contact the law firm. Particularly those of you looking at Toyotas/Lexus. I think some folks on this thread also said BMW US won't sell to Canadians.

IF YOUR US OFFER TO BUY HAS BEEN TURNED DOWN by a US dealer, you should act now.

Keep track of those trying to gouge you in the states too. You should report them to the manufacturer or better yet, tell the law firm.

[flaming homer]

Anyone who can prove they've been rejected by US dealers has a leg to stand on. You need to contact the law firm. Particularly those of you looking at Toyotas/Lexus.Just forwarded my "rejection" e-mail from Northtown Lexus to them...

[jadeboy]

Anyone who can prove they've been rejected by US dealers has a leg to stand on. You need to contact the law firm. Particularly those of you looking at Toyotas/Lexus. I think some folks on this thread also said BMW US won't sell to Canadians.


If anyone know if the Lexus/Toyota dealerships has changed their attitude or not please post. I am looking to get a Lexus IS 350 and save $15,000+.

[uncle_odb]

Great thread. Tons of info.

I've been researching Toyota Highlanders for the past 2 months and stumbled on this site a week ago. I've learned so much in one week.

I'm now convinced that the Highlander is not the vehicle for me. It seems there is way too much hassle on both sides of the border. The Canadian dealership wouldn't even give me a trade in price on my vehicle unless we sat down and started on the deal and they won't budge on price. I almost walked out of the office when the salesman went the to same Toyota website that we the public can access to do the financing.

After reading about all the praise you have for Subaru's I spent all Saturday researching the Canadian models.

I convinced the 08 Tribeca is the vehicle for me.

Compared the prices: 08 Tribeca 7 pass. premier is $54 grand in Canada and the same vehicle (I believe it's referred to as the limited since i couldn't find a premier reference) topped out at $41 US. In fact the Subaru salesman gave me a complete 2008 vehicle price list so that I could compare prices.

If anyone has any other tips or recommendations of what I should be asking for, or looking for, and if anyone has a preferred for US dealers please pm me.


Is the US$41K the MSRP pricing for your Tribeca? If not, you should negotiate from the invoice cost, taking into account the rebates that are offered.

Yes I second that. $41K US is steep. You can definitely get a great deal off MRSP! If you're planning to buy from Washington State, contact Zach at Eastside Subaru ph: 1-800-923-5621. He'll give you a great deal and take care of you since he's an expert in the export process. I bought my Tribeca from him, so give him a shout. Good luck.

[Kamloops]

Wow so Honda US now sells to Canadians? Interesting.

The lawsuit thingy must just be a coincidence right?

BTW, the law firm is looking for complainants who have been told they can't buy a vehicle in the US. I know you're out there.

Anyone who can prove they've been rejected by US dealers has a leg to stand on. You need to contact the law firm. Particularly those of you looking at Toyotas/Lexus. I think some folks on this thread also said BMW US won't sell to Canadians.

IF YOUR US OFFER TO BUY HAS BEEN TURNED DOWN by a US dealer, you should act now.

Keep track of those trying to gouge you in the states too. You should report them to the manufacturer or better yet, tell the law firm.

Is this proof enough!

http://www.toyotaofseattle.com/default.aspx?html=canadian.html&s=new

http://www.kyra.ca/toy.jpg

[kaos25000]

I was shocked when I found out that "Canadian WRX + 1000$" = "US WRX STI". Hopefully, I leased my car and I'm giving it back to the dealer at the end of the contract; used cars prices are going to fall....

[Sukh]

Does anyone know of a reputable Nissan dealer in Buffalo. Looking to buy a Pathfinder

[flaming homer]

Great thread. Tons of info.

I've been researching Toyota Highlanders for the past 2 months and stumbled on this site a week ago. I've learned so much in one week.

I'm now convinced that the Highlander is not the vehicle for me. It seems there is way too much hassle on both sides of the border. The Canadian dealership wouldn't even give me a trade in price on my vehicle unless we sat down and started on the deal and they won't budge on price. I almost walked out of the office when the salesman went the to same Toyota website that we the public can access to do the financing.

After reading about all the praise you have for Subaru's I spent all Saturday researching the Canadian models.

I convinced the 08 Tribeca is the vehicle for me.

Compared the prices: 08 Tribeca 7 pass. premier is $54 grand in Canada and the same vehicle (I believe it's referred to as the limited since i couldn't find a premier reference) topped out at $41 US. In fact the Subaru salesman gave me a complete 2008 vehicle price list so that I could compare prices.

If anyone has any other tips or recommendations of what I should be asking for, or looking for, and if anyone has a preferred for US dealers please pm me.
Subaru Canada sells 3 types of 2008 Tribeca:

- Base 5-seat @ $41,995
- Limited 5-seat @ $45,195 (Leather)
- Premier 7-seat @ $52,495 (Leather, Navigation, and rear DVD)

In all the above cases, they're different than the US version in that they have HID (source: http://www.cars101.com/subaru/tribeca/tribeca2008.html)

Subaru of America sells 7 types of 2008 Tribeca (prices prior to PDI):

- 5-seat Base $29,995
- 5-Seat Limited $32,595
- 5-Seat Limited + Navigation ( + $2,400)
- 7-Seat base $30,995
- 7-Seat Limited $33,595
- 7-Seat Limited + Navigation ( + $2,400 )
- 7-Seat Limted + Navigation + rear DVD (+ $4,200 over limited)

(while subaru.com shows the Navigation and rear DVD as optional packages, they're built out of the factory differently, again the cars101 link shows that clearly)

So comparing MSRP apples to MSRP apples, the premier @ CAD$ 54,000 is inclusive of PDI. In US$, the same car is the 7-seat limited + nav + dvd @ US$38,440. You save $16K from buying in the US - assuming you're slow enough to pay MSRP in the US, but you don't get the HID lights.

[shylok]

http://www.ottawasun.ca/Money/2007/09/27/4530669.html

Automakers slapped with $2B price-fixing lawsuit
Cmpanies keeping prices artificially high in Canada, claim says

By DAVID FRIEND, The Canadian Press




TORONTO — Several automakers have been slapped with a $2-billion class action lawsuit that claims the industry conspired to artificially maintain car prices in Canada and inhibited cross-border vehicle shopping fuelled by a rising loonie.

The suit was filed with the Ontario Superior Court by Toronto-based law firm Juroviesky and Ricci on behalf of four Toronto residents who bought or leased cars between August 2005 and August 2007.

The plaintiffs say they forked out more money for cars in Canada than they would have for similar or identical models in the United States and are seeking $2 billion in general damages as well as $100 million in punitive damages.

Named in the lawsuit are the Canadian and U.S. divisions of General Motors (NYSE:GM), Honda, Nissan and Chrysler.

“We believe that we have uncovered a conspiracy that has been designed and choreographed by the automobile manufacturers to artificially enhance the price of cars in Canada to Canadian consumers,” Henry Juroviesky, the firm’s managing partner, said in a telephone interview.

Representatives of the auto dealers and some of the carmakers declined to comment on the lawsuit. However, a spokesman for GM Canada said the company prices its cars and trucks in part after observing what rival automakers do in a competitive marketplace.

As the loonie hovers around parity with the U.S. dollar, many Canadian consumers have questioned why there’s such a big price difference between the two countries on many ordinary goods imported from the U.S. — everything ranging from guitars and DVD players to flat-screen TVs, cars, trucks and baby products.

In Wednesday’s lawsuit, the plaintiffs allege that the automakers worked together to minimize cross-border competition and limit the number of new cars that crossed the border. As well, the lawsuit alleges that the companies breached both the Competition Act and the Consumer Protection Act in Canada.

“Cars on an absolute basis are just cheaper in the United States and one has to wonder why. When you go and try to exercise that reasonably available efficient alternative, you’re stopped,” Juroviesky said. “Tinkering has been done, we allege, with the market forces that don’t allow a downward adjustment to Canadian auto prices of an efficient alternative supply.”

Included in the allegations are claims that the automakers agreed not to honour warranties for vehicles purchased across the border, forcing Canadian consumers who wanted a manufacturer’s warranty to pay 25 to 35 per cent more on average for a vehicle in Canada.

None of the allegations have been proven in court and the suit has yet to be certified officially as a class action by a judge.

The suit also claims some auto sales contracts included “no-export clauses” that prevented buyers from taking their cars from the U.S. to Canada, or vice-versa.

It also alleges manufacturers penalized dealers if the cars they sold were later exported, either by threatening to delay shipment of certain models or issuing “chargebacks.”

Also named in the suit are the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association, or CADA, and its Viriginia-based U.S. equivalent the National Automobile Dealers Association. C

ADA spokesman Huw Williams said that as of Wednesday afternoon the association had yet to receive a copy of the suit.

“We’re obviously not prepared to either comment on it or anything revolving around it,” Williams said from Ottawa.

Representatives for Honda and Nissan did not return calls for comment while Chrysler declined to discuss the suit.

In the United States, a similar pricing lawsuit is being heard at a court in Maine which involves both U.S. and Canadian automakers and dealers. The suit, filed in 2003, claims that Americans were denied warranties for vehicles they bought in Canada when the U.S. dollar was well above the loonie.

It’s hard to ignore the sometimes drastic price differences between Canada and the United States, which are more apparent on higher-end models.

For example, the 2007 Honda Accord Sedan starts at C$25,090 in Canada while it costs US$20,360 in the United States. The higher end Cadillac Escalade EXT starts at C$71,730 while it sells for US$55,045 south of the border.

[jrvic]

Wow so Honda US now sells to Canadians? Interesting.

The lawsuit thingy must just be a coincidence right?

BTW, the law firm is looking for complainants who have been told they can't buy a vehicle in the US. I know you're out there.

Anyone who can prove they've been rejected by US dealers has a leg to stand on. You need to contact the law firm. Particularly those of you looking at Toyotas/Lexus. I think some folks on this thread also said BMW US won't sell to Canadians.

IF YOUR US OFFER TO BUY HAS BEEN TURNED DOWN by a US dealer, you should act now.

Keep track of those trying to gouge you in the states too. You should report them to the manufacturer or better yet, tell the law firm.

Which partner do I contact with my rejection emails, and also to sign up as part of the lawsuit?

[Monsieurmaggot]

Which partner do I contact with my rejection emails, and also to sign up as part of the lawsuit?


Ask them:

http://www.jruslaw.ca/contact.html

[GoKartRacer]

For those of you who had experience with new Toyota imports, do you think this is possible.

Facts:
A lot of Toyota dealership will only sell to someone with a US address, as they claim the title to be sent to a US address by Toyota USA.

Can this be done?

Register for a US Address (non PO Box) mail redirection service
Make a deal with the dealership with the US Address as initial contact as may benefit you with US rebates
Pay the dealership in full and complete the sale
Then start getting them to help in the paper work on imports after the fact
Dealerships will take advantage of the situation (pricing) when they know you are buying as a Canadian to begin with.


Looking for opinions on this. We are RFD anyway :)

In theory this is possible. However they may ask you for US insurance at which point you are screwed. I will explain more in a near future post of my experience..

[GoKartRacer]

Thanks guys..

its just that I recently sold my car and am planning to buy a Lexus IS250 from the US, but I will have to order my vehicle and wait for its admissability with RIV... which may take a fwe months

Meanwhile, I don't have a car to use so I'm gonna pick another new vehicle for now and drive it for a few months until I get my IS250. =)

Are you planning on buying new???? Because if you are, with all due respect, good luck. I will post my horror stories soon!

[GoKartRacer]

If anyone know if the Lexus/Toyota dealerships has changed their attitude or not please post. I am looking to get a Lexus IS 350 and save $15,000+.

No lexus dealers have NOT changed their attitute. Its virtually impossible to get a NEW lexus car.

[CheapScotsman]

I suggested it to Ryan earlier today... Hopefully it can happen. :)Any news ???

[Louist]

I forwarded the Case Lawyer 4 e-mail responses from US audi dealerships saying the same broken record...we will not sell to Canadian residents. Hope the lawyer at least applies enough pressure that they open the cross border policy, or price to some sort of parity.

On a side note I bought some winter rims/tires from a Canadian Seller. BC's tiretrends was able to save me 400 dollars over the same package at tirerack...now that is a first. So SOME stores are pricing to a new Parity dollar.

[shylok]

Porsche Lowers Canadian Pricing for 2008 Models Compared to 2007

ATLANTA, September 25, 2007--- Porsche Cars North America, Inc. announced that it will lower prices in Canada by more than 10 percent on its 2008 models compared to prices and standard equipment on its 2007 lineup.

"We cannot ignore our customers and dealers in Canada who can look to the U.S. and recognize a substantial price difference," said Peter Schwarzenbauer, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, Inc. "We listened to the market and did what is best for our customers in Canada."

Porsche will lower the MSRP of its 2008 models by an average of more than 8 percent. Additionally, on an average equipment adjusted basis, 2008 models will offer another 2 percent in savings from 2007 models.


Prices for 2008 Porsches in Canadian dollars except where noted:

2008 Cayenne Tiptronic
2006/2007 MSRP: 64,300
2008 MSRP: 59,400

2008 Cayenne
2006/2007 MSRP: 60,100
2008 MSRP: 55,200
Current U.S. MSRP: 43,400

2008 Cayenne S
2006/2007 MSRP: 80,100
2008 MSRP: 72,200
Current U.S. MSRP: 57,900

2008 Cayenne Turbo
2006/2007 MSRP: 126,900
2008 MSRP: 115,300
Current U.S. MSRP: 93,700

2008 Cayman
2006/2007 MSRP: 69,600
2008 MSRP: 63,500
Current U.S. MSRP: 49,400

2008 Cayman S
2006/2007 MSRP: 83,300
2008 MSRP: 75,300
Current U.S. MSRP: 59,100

2008 Cayman S Porsche Design
2008 MSRP: 89,100

2008 Boxster
2006/2007 MSRP: 63,600
2008 MSRP: 58,100
Current U.S. MSRP: 45,800

2008 Boxster S
2006/2007 MSRP: 77,300
2008 MSRP: 70,200
Current U.S. MSRP: 55,700

2008 Limited Edition Boxster
2008 MSRP: 61,700

2008 Limited Edition Boxster S
2008 MSRP: 73,900

2008 911 Carrera
2006/2007 MSRP: 100,700
2008 MSRP: 93,200
Current U.S. MSRP: 73,500

2008 911 Carrera S
2006/2007 MSRP: 114,800
2008 MSRP: 105,800
Current U.S. MSRP: 83,800

2008 911 Carrera Cabriolet
2006/2007 MSRP: 114,800
2008 MSRP: 105,800
Current U.S. MSRP: 83,800

2008 911 Carrera S Cabriolet
2006/2007 MSRP: 128,900
2008 MSRP: 118,400
Current U.S. MSRP: 94,100

2008 911 Carrera 4
2006/2007 MSRP: 108,700
2008 MSRP: 100,400
Current U.S. MSRP: 79,400

2008 911 Turbo
2006/2007 MSRP: 170,700
2008 MSRP: 158,300
Current U.S. MSRP: 126,200

2008 911 Carrera 4S
2006/2007 MSRP: 122,800
2008 MSRP: 113,100
Current U.S. MSRP: 89,700

2008 911 Targa 4
2006/2007 MSRP: 119,100
2008 MSRP: 109,700
Current U.S. MSRP: 87,000

2008 911 Targa 4S
2006/2007 MSRP: 133,200
2008 MSRP: 122,400
Current U.S. MSRP: 97,300

2008 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet
2006/2007 MSRP: 122,800
2008 MSRP: 113,100
Current U.S. MSRP: 89,700

2008 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet
2006/2007 MSRP: 136,900
2008 MSRP: 125,700
Current U.S. MSRP: 100,000

2008 911 Turbo Cabriolet
2006/2007 MSRP: 171,000
Current U.S. MSRP: 136,500

2008 911 GT3
2006/2007 MSRP: 147,300
2008 MSRP: 133,800
Current U.S. MSRP: 107,500

2008 911 GT2
2008 MSRP: 235,400

2008 911 GT3 RS
2006/2007 MSRP: 171,200
2008 MSRP: 155,100
Current U.S. MSRP: 124,900

[MMMM]

HI All,

An Honda dealers in Albany new york did accept my offer for Honday Odyssey.

So my question is: is it easy for Canadian tire to install the Daytime running light on the Odyssey. And do you know if how much is the cost to install ?.

Try and have the dealer install the DRL's. The Honda lights are complicated and take separate hamsar control units for each light. Do not take it to Can Tire. The other option is to install the fog lights and have them set up as the DRL's. ended up having a local specialist install them for 250.00

[yyz2hkg]

Porsche Lowers Canadian Pricing for 2008 Models Compared to 2007...

Posted already, same with the 2B lawsuit, posted 2 pages back.

[Ven0r]

http://ctv2.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070927.wh-buzz-0927/business/Business/Business/&id=RTGAM_20070927_wh-buzz-0927

Looks like the article is referring to all of us here at RFD ;)

[lins_canada]

Just bought a car from US, DRL has been enabled after Canadian dealership re-program it, but it seems difference. On my previous Canadian car, DRL will be automatically turned on after I started the car (still on parking gear), but on my new US car, DRL will be only turned on after I switch to D or R gear. I am not sure it can pass the safety in Canadian Tire or not. Can somebody provide some detail description on DRL? Thanks in advance!

[Comatose]

Just bought a car from US, DRL has been enabled after Canadian dealership re-program it, but it seems difference. On my previous Canadian car, DRL will be automatically turned on after I started the car (still on parking gear), but on my new US car, DRL will be only turned on after I switch to D or R gear. I am not sure it can pass the safety in Canadian Tire or not. Can somebody provide some detail description on DRL? Thanks in advance!

Doesn't sound like a 'reprogram' to me, instead, more like a rewiring of your DRL's against the ignition. This is what the majority do where DRL's cannot be simply enabled by reprogramming. It should pass fine.

[Flavour]

http://ctv2.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070927.wh-buzz-0927/business/Business/Business/&id=RTGAM_20070927_wh-buzz-0927

Looks like the article is referring to all of us here at RFD ;)

"The RIV offers seminars on how to import a vehicle, although one poster this week reported that all seminars were full, and that they are working to add more seminars to meet the demand."

well, at least someone appreciated my info :lol:

[lins_canada]

Thanks for the reply!

I have also checked the owner guide of my car, DRL (if equipped) will be activated:

1. the ignition must be in the ON position,
2. the headlamp control is in the OFF, autolamps or parking lamp position and
3. the transmission must be out of the Park position.

I can't find DRL definition in Canadan federal's website.

[Tender]

Canadian automotive industry analyst Dennis DesRosiers agrees with the manufacturers.



Shocking...

Why shocking? He works FOR the manufacturers.

[Tender]

Wow so Honda US now sells to Canadians? Interesting...

I thought you can always by a new Honda from US, but they just wouldn't cover the warranty?

[PascualPitch]

La Facture, a french TV show on Radio-Canada, is going to show a segment about buying a car in the USA. Next Tuesday at 7:30PM.

[1226]

Why shocking? He works FOR the manufacturers.

Um, sarcasm?

[Carisear]

Just bought a car from US, DRL has been enabled after Canadian dealership re-program it, but it seems difference. On my previous Canadian car, DRL will be automatically turned on after I started the car (still on parking gear), but on my new US car, DRL will be only turned on after I switch to D or R gear. I am not sure it can pass the safety in Canadian Tire or not. Can somebody provide some detail description on DRL? Thanks in advance!

my canadian 2001 prelude is like that. no drl until you put it in gear. i'm sure it's fine.

[ziploc]

Just bought a car from US, DRL has been enabled after Canadian dealership re-program it, but it seems difference. On my previous Canadian car, DRL will be automatically turned on after I started the car (still on parking gear), but on my new US car, DRL will be only turned on after I switch to D or R gear. I am not sure it can pass the safety in Canadian Tire or not. Can somebody provide some detail description on DRL? Thanks in advance!

I think You should be ok with this setup....(my opinion however)

the DRL's purpose is to work while the vehicle is moving to increase the visibility...then on the D they are working.....

In my canadian spec car...the DRL's doesn' work if hand break is applied....
according to me similar to the P position on Your car.....



it's probably just a oem gadget to save some bulb life and energy,,,,

btw did You notice new Chrysler cars......one of the DRL's is shooting down while a flasher is working on the side of that flasher...i suppose to increase the flasher visibility.....
which is another example when the DRL's aren't ''fully'' or full time functional....
But I think they still serve theirs purpose....like yours...and they are accepted...

[Monsieurmaggot]

While I'd like to think Subaru Canada adjusted their pricing AFTER I appeared on TV, I don't think I have that much influence. To my astonishment, last night I noticed that on the Subaru Canada website, they are now offering $2000 worth of incentives to anyone who buys an Outback in Canada before Oct. 31, 2007. What's surprising about this is that in all my research, I can't find ANY time in the recent past that Subaru offered any type of cash incentives to the regular buyer. They offered low financing last year but the dealers weren't willing to drop anything more than PDI off the price.

Also, I noticed that their accessories have also dropped in price. Still much higher than in the US but nevertheless have come down (slightly).

Stuff like wheel locks that cost me $23US installed, are now just $37Cdn plus installation.

It's a start anyway. I hope this is just a way to avoid backlash from the "mis-informed" (err sorry I meant to say unsuspecting Canadian consumer) who originally overpaid in Canada.

I realize that the dealers need to resolve the complicated "3-year lease returns". The residual values of those cars are sometimes lower than what you could buy the car new in the US. Their accountants will be working late to come up with a working business plan. Naturally the consumer will be paying for their overtime in higher prices in Canada. It's a vicious circle.

Having said that, I'll be the first to promote ANY Canadian car manufacturer publicly on this site if they can show me price parity. Until then, the gloves are still on...

Note: I have edited the first post and updated some information.

[ChzPlz]

Hi all - the original posting references a RFD link that is supposed to point to a list of vehicles assembled in north america (and therefore duty free for import). The link doesn't work. Does anyone else know where to find this info?

I'm just starting to look for a replacement vehicle, and am more interested in getting a good deal than getting a particular model. Example - volkswagens - some are made in Germany, some are made in Mexico... Yes I know you can check the VIN, but I want to do my homework first via the web.

[diigii]

An interesting conversation last night with a person with "inside" knowledge on deceptive and hypocritical practices of some dealers in Canada, especially in the Toronto area. This person told me that dealers are selling used cars imported from the US. So he also does not understand what the big fuss the manufacturers' head offices are complaining about. Some dealers deliberately change the dash instrumention to metric so they would appear as Canadian and that they would be attractive enough to sell because the odometer shows a lower mileage car.

So folks, if you are looking for a used car here in Canada, be careful about buying an advertised "low mileage" car. It could be a car having 80,000 MILES, not Kilometres.

I know there are dealership people lurking in here. I dare you to prove me wrong! I don't think so!

[diigii]

For folks who are thinking of buying a Nissan car but unsure if the warranty coverage is honored, you don't have to doubt anymore.

Yesterday, I took my car to Nissan dealership close to where I work and asked them to look into the slight steering wheel vibration I noticed ever since I picked up my car in Maryland last month. The service manager informed me that it'll take a bit longer than usual to process the warranty claim since they will have to contact Nissan USA to get a case number. But he said it's covered. I left the car at 8:30am and got a call back at 12 noon that I can pick up my car. I asked if Nissan USA covered the claim, service manager said "Yes, it was no problem." I picked up my car and was handed the work receipt showing 4 lines of "Wheel Balancing - N/C"

So there ya go! I got verbal assurances before, and now I got the actual warranty service performed.

Interestingly, the wheel locks I purchased here were cheaper $38 (tax included) than at Mike Barney Nissan in Niagara Falls, NY. US$41 plus tax.

[whampoa]

An interesting conversation last night with a person with "inside" knowledge on deceptive and hypocritical practices of some dealers in Canada, especially in the Toronto area. This person told me that dealers are selling used cars imported from the US. So he also does not understand what the big fuss the manufacturers' head offices are complaining about. Some dealers deliberately change the dash instrumention to metric so they would appear as Canadian and that they would be attractive enough to sell because the odometer shows a lower mileage car.

So folks, if you are looking for a used car here in Canada, be careful about buying an advertised "low mileage" car. It could be a car having 80,000 MILES, not Kilometres.

I know there are dealership people lurking in here. I dare you to prove me wrong! I don't think so!

Couldn't you verify the vehicle origin with the manufacturer by checking the VIN number.

They should tell you where it was built, date of manufacture, and original destination.

Unless they change or modify the VIN of the vehicle, which by the way is illegal, that's the lowest of the low they can go.

[shopper-X]

An interesting conversation last night with a person with "inside" knowledge on deceptive and hypocritical practices of some dealers in Canada, especially in the Toronto area. This person told me that dealers are selling used cars imported from the US. So he also does not understand what the big fuss the manufacturers' head offices are complaining about. Some dealers deliberately change the dash instrumention to metric so they would appear as Canadian and that they would be attractive enough to sell because the odometer shows a lower mileage car.

So folks, if you are looking for a used car here in Canada, be careful about buying an advertised "low mileage" car. It could be a car having 80,000 MILES, not Kilometres.

I know there are dealership people lurking in here. I dare you to prove me wrong! I don't think so!

I know the Nissan dealer in Regina told me that they buy cars in the US and get the odometer changed in Calgary. Apparently there is a Transport Canada/Goverment of Canada certified odometer changer there. They would not tell me the name of the business or anyother information about it. It worried me a bit since I have not been able to find anything about this service.

Is there a way to check if the vehicle is US or not after changing the dash plate? I know they HAVE to place the Transport Canada sticker on the car that comes in the mail, but again that's up to the importer.

[Rehan]

This person told me that dealers are selling used cars imported from the US. Yeah, we discussed that a few pages back...
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5653003#post5653003


So folks, if you are looking for a used car here in Canada, be careful about buying an advertised "low mileage" car. It could be a car having 80,000 MILES, not Kilometres. Whether it's in miles or kilometers, it should be clearly marked. And when buying a used vehicle, it's very worthwhile getting a Carproof/Carfax report for the vehicle history anyway, so that information would be shown there as well.

[diigii]

Couldn't you verify the vehicle origin with the manufacturer by checking the VIN number.

They should tell you where it was built, date of manufacture, and original destination.

Unless they change or modify the VIN of the vehicle, which by the way is illegal, that's the lowest of the low they can go.

I'm not sure about other manufacturers' VIN number. I researched the Nissan VIN number for North American cars and there is no way you can tell if it's an American car or a Canadian car. It just identifies what country and plant it was manufactured. For my car it ID's the US and Smyrna, TN as its origin.

[johnsa]

For folks who are thinking of buying a Nissan car but unsure if the warranty coverage is honored, you don't have to doubt anymore.

Yesterday, I took my car to Nissan dealership close to where I work and asked them to look into the slight steering wheel vibration I noticed ever since I picked up my car in Maryland last month. The service manager informed me that it'll take a bit longer than usual to process the warranty claim since they will have to contact Nissan USA to get a case number. But he said it's covered. I left the car at 8:30am and got a call back at 12 noon that I can pick up my car. I asked if Nissan USA covered the claim, service manager said "Yes, it was no problem." I picked up my car and was handed the work receipt showing 4 lines of "Wheel Balancing - N/C"

So there ya go! I got verbal assurances before, and now I got the actual warranty service performed.

Interestingly, the wheel locks I purchased here were cheaper $38 (tax included) than at Mike Barney Nissan in Niagara Falls, NY. US$41 plus tax.

Great to here...I may not ever have to bring it in, but I already have the case numer from Nissan USA and hopefully my local dealer will be as helpful....

[shopper-X]

Anyone why the 2008 Nissan Altima 4-door version is "INADMISSIBLE" also the 2008 Sentra SER version?

[diigii]

Anyone why the 2008 Nissan Altima 4-door version is "INADMISSIBLE" also the 2008 Sentra SER version?

oh wow!! i just took a look at it and am just surprised! WHY?? It's got the engine immobilizer system in it. I guess someone interested in the 2008 model should call RIV and ask them why it's inadmissible.

[whampoa]

I'm not sure about other manufacturers' VIN number. I researched the Nissan VIN number for North American cars and there is no way you can tell if it's an American car or a Canadian car. It just identifies what country and plant it was manufactured. For my car it ID's the US and Smyrna, TN as its origin.

That's my point, if you have the vehicle VIN then you can contact the manufacturer (i.e. Nissan, Subaru, etc.), and ask them where the vehicle is originally deliver to.

Since they keep a record for inventory and recall letter.

Now if they said it was originally deliver to a US dealership, and the vehicle has Canadian dashboard and the odometre is in "kilometre".

You'll realize something is not in the up and up.

[Louist]

Well at least all but the 2008 S6. SO if you can coax a USA dealer to sell you an Audi, there is nothing standing in the way to import it across the border now into Canada.

Audi cover the warenty as well....so just the dealerships in the way now for that 6 to 10k savings. or 25k on an rs4.

[bguy7890]

For folks who are thinking of buying a Nissan car but unsure if the warranty coverage is honored, you don't have to doubt anymore.

Yesterday, I took my car to Nissan dealership close to where I work and asked them to look into the slight steering wheel vibration I noticed ever since I picked up my car in Maryland last month. The service manager informed me that it'll take a bit longer than usual to process the warranty claim since they will have to contact Nissan USA to get a case number. But he said it's covered. I left the car at 8:30am and got a call back at 12 noon that I can pick up my car. I asked if Nissan USA covered the claim, service manager said "Yes, it was no problem." I picked up my car and was handed the work receipt showing 4 lines of "Wheel Balancing - N/C"

So there ya go! I got verbal assurances before, and now I got the actual warranty service performed.

Interestingly, the wheel locks I purchased here were cheaper $38 (tax included) than at Mike Barney Nissan in Niagara Falls, NY. US$41 plus tax.

It is still very confusing. I've cut & pasted below the reply to my email enquiry to Nissan USA's Consumer Affairs Department that I received just 2 days ago. Take a look at the second scenario at the second last paragraph and I'd interpret that there might be no warranty (even in the U.S.) at all! >:(

_________________________________

Dear XXXX,
File xxxxxxx
Thank you for contacting Nissan North America, Inc. and allowing us the opportunity to be of assistance.

In regards to your questions about warranty applicability in Canada the following information was obtained from the ?New Vehicle Limited Warranty? booklet page 4.

?Warranty is provided to the original and subsequent owners of a Nissan vehicle originally distributed by a Nissan authorized dealership, and is registered in the U.S and normally operated in the U.S , Canada and U.S territories such as Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S Virgin Islands.?

?This warranty is generally transferable from the original owner other than Nissan dealer ?owner? to subsequent owners of the vehicle at any time ownership of the vehicle is transferred, without any action on your part; except that this warranty is not transferable but is instead void if: during the first six months after delivery to the original owner:

1: ownership of the vehicle is transferred from the orginal owner and
2: the vehicle is registered outside the U.S.?


When a vehicle is purchased in the United States and then exported to Canada, warranty coverage continues IF:

a) The vehicle is first registered in the U.S.; and

b) Transfer of ownership and registration outside the U.S. do not BOTH occur within 6 months of being first registered in the U.S.

Nissan Dealers will be able to perform any necessary work on your vehicle, regardless of it being purchased in the United States. They will probably only make a Canadian profile for your vehicle.

Also before leaving to Canada you will be required to obtain a no recall
letter on your vehicle. When you purchase your vehicle and are ready to leave the country you can call into Consumer Affairs or email back and a representative will have that letter mailed out to you.

Here are some scenarios to help clarify the situation for you:

* The Customer purchases a vehicle and registers it in the State of Washington. The Customer then moves to Canada to take a job and registers the vehicle in Canada 1 month after purchase. The vehicle?s warranty is perfectly good because the Customer has not also transferred ownership.
*A Canadian flies to Florida on vacation, purchases an Altima, and then drives it back to Canada and registers it in Canada. The vehicle?s warranty never takes effect because the vehicle was not first registered in the United States.

I hope this clears things up for, again feel free to email me back if you have any further concerns or questions. You can also call in to Consumer Affairs at 1-800-647-7261.

Sincerely,

Nicole Shaver
Consumer Relations Representative
Nissan North America, Inc

[Rehan]

?Warranty is provided to the original and subsequent owners of a Nissan vehicle originally distributed by a Nissan authorized dealership, and is registered in the U.S and normally operated in the U.S , Canada and U.S territories such as Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S Virgin Islands.?

?This warranty is generally transferable from the original owner other than Nissan dealer ?owner? to subsequent owners of the vehicle at any time ownership of the vehicle is transferred, without any action on your part; except that this warranty is not transferable but is instead void if: during the first six months after delivery to the original owner:

1: ownership of the vehicle is transferred from the orginal owner and
2: the vehicle is registered outside the U.S.? I guess it's from the bolded words where they're getting the rule that it has to be registered in the US first. If Nissan wanted to be really strict about it, they probably could deny the warranty.

[michelb]

I guess it's from the bolded words where they're getting the rule that it has to be registered in the US first. If Nissan wanted to be really strict about it, they probably could deny the warranty.

That's very interesting and could certainly be used as a basis for denying a claim. I wonder if they recently changed it as I remember looking at it in the past and don't remember that wording ...

---- update ---

Actually Infinity Warranty Online looks ok, it says:


...
This warranty is provided to the original and subsequent
owner(s) of an Infiniti vehicle originally
distributed by Nissan which is originally sold by a Nissan authorized Infiniti dealership in the
United States, and which is registered and normally
operated in the United States (including
Alaska and Hawaii), the United States territories
(specifically Guam, Saipan, American Samoa,
Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and
Canada

It is different for Nissan (2007 Warranty manual appears to be same for all cars) which says:


...
This warranty is provided to the original and subsequent
owner(s) of a Nissan vehicle originally distributed by Nissan
which is originally sold by a Nissan authorized Nissan
dealership in the United States, and which is registered
in the U.S. and normally operated in the United States
(including Alaska and Hawaii), the United States territories
(specifi cally Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Puerto Rico
and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and Canada. ...

[fitbrit]

Look near the bottom, automotive analyst Dennis Desrosiers pointed out that cross-border car shopping is still relatively rare. He is such an idiot!

Auto guide urges consumers to wait for lower prices
ALLISON LAMPERT, The Gazette
Published: Friday, September 21


Cool! That's my wife who wrote that article! :)

[Ebola]

I'm not sure about other manufacturers' VIN number. I researched the Nissan VIN number for North American cars and there is no way you can tell if it's an American car or a Canadian car. It just identifies what country and plant it was manufactured. For my car it ID's the US and Smyrna, TN as its origin.

The vin sticker on the dash won't tell you anything other than the vin #

However the compliance label on the inside of the door panel can give you some information like that. For example it will show when and where the vehicle was made. Canadian vehicles have a maple leaf on their compliance labels.

I'm just speaking from a import standpoint, that's all that matters for the CBSA paperwork.

[HighFlyer]

So far, most of the articles in the media have focused on a CAD at par, or near par. With the dollar trading higher than the Bush peso ($0.994 CAD = $1USD) for most of this morning, wonder if the backlash against manufacturers will increase significantly once it becomes mainstream that our dollar is actually worth *more* than the USD.

[Kamloops]

The vin sticker on the dash won't tell you anything other than the vin #

However the compliance label on the inside of the door panel can give you some information like that. For example it will show when and where the vehicle was made. Canadian vehicles have a maple leaf on their compliance labels.

I'm just speaking from a import standpoint, that's all that matters for the CBSA paperwork.

If the Vin starts with a letter, 6.1 % dutie. If it starts with a number its made in North America, no dutie.

[Monsieurmaggot]

The vin sticker on the dash won't tell you anything other than the vin #

However the compliance label on the inside of the door panel can give you some information like that. For example it will show when and where the vehicle was made. Canadian vehicles have a maple leaf on their compliance labels.

I'm just speaking from a import standpoint, that's all that matters for the CBSA paperwork.

You are correct sir. Cars sold in Canada have the maple leaf and clearly indicate "Transport Canada". American cars' labels say "certified for sale in 50 states".

[clem24]

What's surprising about this is that in all my research, I can't find ANY time in the recent past that Subaru offered any type of cash incentives to the regular buyer. They offered low financing last year but the dealers weren't willing to drop anything more than PDI off the price.

Actually they did offer an incentive on the STi I think about a year ago. This was (theorized to be) in direct response to the HUGE disparity in MSRP at the time ($35k US vs. $48k CAD). I believe the incentive was something like $2,000 in free accessories.

[DrXenon]

Thanks for the reply!

I can't find DRL definition in Canadan federal's website.

Here's the link:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/acts-regulations/GENERAL/m/mvsa/regulations/mvsrg/100/mvsr108.html

[lins_canada]

Thanks a lot for your info.


Here's the link:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/acts-regulations/GENERAL/m/mvsa/regulations/mvsrg/100/mvsr108.html

[q649l]

oh wow!! i just took a look at it and am just surprised! WHY?? It's got the engine immobilizer system in it. I guess someone interested in the 2008 model should call RIV and ask them why it's inadmissible.

If you look two inches to the right in the Notes field:

-----------------------------------------------
Vehicles equipped with passive restraints do
not meet CMVSS 210, seat belt anchorage
location requirements. Passive restraints are
identified as either a motorized upper torso
restraint or door mounted 3-point restraint.
-----------------------------------------------

Damn, the 2008 Altima was on my "maybe" list for next year.

[thegradas]

That's why we see all the times "shocking" rankings on reliability, customer satisaction etc. If a brand/model is not manufactured in a US or CDN factory, it has very small chances to be in top 5. Noticed?

It's happening all over the world... french media praise Renault/Peugeot/Citroen, germans recommend MB/BMW/VW/Audi...

I'm happy RFDers are not choosing based on what "automotive analysts" like DesRosiers recommend.





Why shocking? He works FOR the manufacturers.

Originally Posted by DSTU
Canadian automotive industry analyst Dennis DesRosiers agrees with the manufacturers.

Originally Posted by 1226
Shocking...

[diigii]

If you look two inches to the right in the Notes field:

-----------------------------------------------
Vehicles equipped with passive restraints do
not meet CMVSS 210, seat belt anchorage
location requirements. Passive restraints are
identified as either a motorized upper torso
restraint or door mounted 3-point restraint.
-----------------------------------------------

Damn, the 2008 Altima was on my "maybe" list for next year.

Those notes were already there for the Sentra cars. I should know because I looked at that section when I researched my 2007 Altima.

[diigii]

That's why we see all the times "shocking" rankings on reliability, customer satisaction etc. If a brand/model is not manufactured in a US or CDN factory, it has very small chances to be in top 5. Noticed?

It's happening all over the world... french media praise Renault/Peugeot/Citroen, germans recommend MB/BMW/VW/Audi...

I'm happy RFDers are not choosing based on what "automotive analysts" like DesRosiers recommend.

In buying my car, I researched Consumer Reports for the reliability, although the reliability for the 2007 Altima cannot be verified since it's just a newly released vehicle in Oct 2006 and not enough time for the long-term test to be released. But I went with Consumer Reports' initial quality review. I trust them since they buy the products they test as ordinary individuals.

The other auto journalist I tend to believe is Jim Kenzie of Toronto Star.

Aside from those, I never believe one word that Dennis DesRosiers said. It's funny he goes by the title auto industry analyst but he doesn't analyze actual consumer trends. He goes by what his masters drop on his desk, paycheque included.

[Monsieurmaggot]

Another excellent site for safety informatin is iihs.org. Their recommendations have a direct impact on what you pay for insurance.

When it came time to decide on a car, my State Farm agent also referred to the iihs.org site and told me that of all the cars I was looking at, the Subaru was the safest and aside from personal driving habits and driving history, my insurance rate would benefit positively from this purchase.

I tend to avoid JD Powers since they rate their cars with "initial customer satisfaction". When you get a Kia or Huyndai for $20,000 less than a BMW (as per the Television ad) you tend to smile for the first few months until you realize that at the end of the day, you bought a Kia or Huyndai.

[q649l]

Those notes were already there for the Sentra cars. I should know because I looked at that section when I researched my 2007 Altima.

Perhaps I jumped the gun and assumed the Notes field pertained to
all of the autos listed in the inadmissible section...

Now I'm even more curious why the 2008 Altima 4 DR can't be imported.
And there must then be a difference between the 2008 Altima and the
2008 Altima Coupe, which can be imported.

[shopper-X]

If you look two inches to the right in the Notes field:

-----------------------------------------------
Vehicles equipped with passive restraints do
not meet CMVSS 210, seat belt anchorage
location requirements. Passive restraints are
identified as either a motorized upper torso
restraint or door mounted 3-point restraint.
-----------------------------------------------

Damn, the 2008 Altima was on my "maybe" list for next year.


Those notes were already there for the Sentra cars. I should know because I looked at that section when I researched my 2007 Altima.

I think Diigii is right, the note is for the "1992 & 1993 SENTRA WITH PASSIVE
RESTRAINT SYSTEM" not the Altima.

[rockwell66]

How is Subaru in term of reliability and repair costs?

[phatblunt]

i want a legacy so bad, but according to road&track long term testing, its not very reliable !! I just want a car that works.

[fitbrit]

Any Montrealers are considering buying a car from the U.S. or have done so recently, PM me if you wouldn't mind being interviewed about your experience, or even the reasons for considering/doing so for the Montreal Gazette. Low/mid/high end cars- it doesn't matter. Thanks.

[shopper-X]

i want a legacy so bad, but according to road&track long term testing, its not very reliable !! I just want a car that works.

Look for reviews written by owners, not editors.
One you can try is www.edmunds.com (http://www.edmunds.com) has some owner reviews.
Here is the Subaru section (http://www.edmunds.com/subaru/review.html), remember to click on the "Consumer Ratings & Reviews" link the pages.

Not the only site, but should get you going.

[diigii]

Any Montrealers are considering buying a car from the U.S. or have done so recently, PM me if you wouldn't mind being interviewed about your experience, or even the reasons for considering/doing so for the Montreal Gazette. Low/mid/high end cars- it doesn't matter. Thanks.

Is your report for Montreal area residents only? Because you have representatives from all provinces with the successful RFD importers in here. BC, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia. I haven't seen one from PEI, Labrador, Yukon and NWT. :cheesygri

Edit: I apologize I didn't see the Montreal Gazette part below...

[jdeals]

I'm also wondering about the reliability of the Legacy or impreza. Originally I was looking at the honda civic sedan( but there's too many around and no deals) but since the cdn $ at par and subaru prices are so good, I will now consider importing either the 2008 impreza or 2008 legacy.
Any comments on the reliability is appreciated.
Also for those of you who went to Buffalo to buy a subaru , was it easy to find the car of your choice with options that you wanted?
And could you PM me the contact person you dealt with. (of the three dealers I know Karl is one but I think he might be too far for me).

Thanks for your help.

[michelb]

How is Subaru in term of reliability and repair costs?


i want a legacy so bad, but according to road&track long term testing, its not very reliable !! I just want a car that works.


I'm also wondering about the reliability of the Legacy or impreza. Originally I was looking at the honda civic sedan( but there's too many around and no deals) but since the cdn $ at par and subaru prices are so good, I will now consider importing either the 2008 impreza or 2008 legacy.
Any comments on the reliability is appreciated.
...

From my experience Subaru's aren't too bad. I've actually never had one but my mom's had 2, brother had 1 and two uncles had several and a buddy has one. Like other Japanese cars, parts aren't always that cheap but they're not horrible. As far as reliability, I don't think they're quite as good as Honda and Toyota but they're not bad - good enough that my mom and uncle are both on their second (mom had a Legacy wagon from about 97-2005 and then replaced it with a Forester, one uncles had several Legacys (might on his 3rd now) and the other is on his 2nd Outback). I know my mom had some problems finding a good garage but once she found one that could fix them ok, repairs weren't a problem (before that I think she had problems that she'd bring to get fixed and wouldn't really get fixed).

[longdong]

HI All,

I'm about to import a vehicle from US.

Do you know the US Customer fax number in 87 Interstate entering to Canada (border) ? ... also at the border ... where is the US Custom ..... is it extreme right land right ... last time, I saw alot of trucks going to the right.

And also, do you know the working hours at the border on the 87 interstate to Canada ?


Thanks.

[techboss]

How many of you had to wait for a few weeks for Toyota to send you (The dealers actually) a title of a new van before you can import? Yes I know new does not need title, just MSO, but some dealers are not offering that option. At least the one I will be dealing with.

[perfchris]

HI All,

I'm about to import a vehicle from US.

Do you know the US Customer fax number in 87 Interstate entering to Canada (border) ? ... also at the border ... where is the US Custom ..... is it extreme right land right ... last time, I saw alot of trucks going to the right.

And also, do you know the working hours at the border on the 87 interstate to Canada ?


Thanks.

Champlain on the US side DOES NOT accept faxes of the title-Certificate of origin-Bill of Sale.

You need to either drop it off in person (BEST) or you need to send it by Fedex.

They need 72 business hours to process the paperwork.

They are open M-F 8-4 PM.

They offices are on the extreme left in a concrete building.

Good Luck !

[ExcelPremium]

I have a question guys

I found a car in Oregon and It's $30 000, and its a used car

Let me know if I forgot any proccesses

$30 000
+ 6.1% Duty[ $1830 ]
+ Documents(RIV Included I think) [ $1000 ]

That comes to about $32 830 in total.

Am I missing anything else like taxes or anything?(there doesn't need to be any DRL or any other car modifications on the car Im getting)

I heard Oregon = 0% Tax

[shopper-X]

HI All,

I'm about to import a vehicle from US.

Do you know the US Customer fax number in 87 Interstate entering to Canada (border) ? ... also at the border ... where is the US Custom ..... is it extreme right land right ... last time, I saw alot of trucks going to the right.

And also, do you know the working hours at the border on the 87 interstate to Canada ?


Thanks.

I'm guessing it's Champlain, NY your talking about and you can check "Ports of Entry" on the US Customs Site www.cbp.gov or click here for all States (http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/) and for the Champlain port info here. CHAMPLAIN, NY (http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/ny/0712.xml)
It does not seem to have "Vehicle Export Office" services like the Portal ND one, which is the entry point for Saskatchewan. PORTAL, ND (http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/nd/3403.xml) <-- Look under "Facilities And Crossings" and you'll see "Vehicle Export Office"

[shopper-X]

I have a question guys

I found a car in Oregon and It's $30 000, and its a used car

Let me know if I forgot any proccesses

$30 000
+ 6.1% Duty[ $1830 ]
+ Documents(RIV Included I think) [ $1000 ]

That comes to about $32 830 in total.

Am I missing anything else like taxes or anything?(there doesn't need to be any DRL or any other car modifications on the car Im getting)

I heard Oregon = 0% Tax

Not to "beat a dead horse" but since you are residing in the United States there is no State sales tax period. So if you bought in Washington, Oregon, New York State or anyother State, you do not pay the sales tax.

You will have to pay GST on the converted value at the border along with the $100+GST Air Tax, $195+GST RIV fee, and if it applies the Gas Tax Levy.

PST will be paid when you plate the vehicle.

Not knowing the vehicle, duty, 6.1%, is only paid if the vehicle VIN starts with a letter. If it starts with a number no 6.1% duty.

What are you getting?

[ExcelPremium]

So it's

$30000 + $110(AIR TAX) + $200(RIV Fee) + 6.1% Duty

How much GST do I pay? and when I pay PST, how much?

Is it the same 6% and 7%? I'm located in Vancouver, BC

I'm getting a BMW 328 coupe

[Kamloops]

For Wash state sales tax.

nonresidents from certain states, provinces of Canada, or US possessions that impose a sales tax of less than 3% may purchase goods in Washington for use outside the state without paying sales tax. Qualifying nonresident buyers must present picture identification noting their out-of-state address to the seller.

Currently, residents of the following jurisdictions qualify for this exemption:

Qualifying States US Possessions Canadian Provinces

Alaska
Colorado
Delaware
Montana
New Hampshire
Oregon
American Samoa
Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands
Guam
Puerto Rico
Virgin Islands
Alberta
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
Nunavut
Quebec
Yukon Territory

[ExcelPremium]

For Wash state sales tax.

nonresidents from certain states, provinces of Canada, or US possessions that impose a sales tax of less than 3% may purchase goods in Washington for use outside the state without paying sales tax. Qualifying nonresident buyers must present picture identification noting their out-of-state address to the seller.

Currently, residents of the following jurisdictions qualify for this exemption:

Qualifying States US Possessions Canadian Provinces

Alaska
Colorado
Delaware
Montana
New Hampshire
Oregon
American Samoa
Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands
Guam
Puerto Rico
Virgin Islands
Alberta
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
Nunavut
Quebec
Yukon Territory

I dont get that...what do you mean?

And where's British Columbia?

[shopper-X]

So it's

$30000 + $110(AIR TAX) + $200(RIV Fee) + 6.1% Duty

How much GST do I pay? and when I pay PST, how much?

Is it the same 6% and 7%? I'm located in Vancouver, BC

I'm getting a BMW 328 coupe

This is just a rough calculation:
GST = 6% across Canada & BC PST = 7% (other Provincial Sales Tax can be found here (http://www.taxtips.ca/pst/pstrates.htm)):
Assume 2% exchange (with buffer, might be a bit lower)
$30,000USD + $600 Exchange = $30,600 CAD
$100+$6 GST = $106 CAD
$195+$11.70 GST = $206.70 CAD
$1,836.00 GST (6% of $30,600)
$2,142.00 PST (7% of $30,600)
$1,866.60 Duty (6.1% of $30,600)
Total: $30,000 + $600 + $106 + $206.70 + $1,836 + $2,142 + $1,866.60 = $36,757.30 CAD + any travel time, gas, hotel, food, etc

[Tinman88]

Has anyone who purchased a car in the US ever registered it there and brought it over after it's been registered? What are the drawbacks to doing this?

[Monsieurmaggot]

...where's British Columbia?

Same place it's always been; on the west coast just above Washington state!

I couldn't resist.

[ExcelPremium]

This is just a rough calculation:
GST = 6% across Canada & BC PST = 7% (other Provincial Sales Tax can be found here (http://www.taxtips.ca/pst/pstrates.htm)):
Assume 2% exchange (with buffer, might be a bit lower)
$30,000USD + $600 Exchange = $30,600 CAD
$100+$6 GST = $106 CAD
$195+$11.70 GST = $206.70 CAD
$1,836.00 GST (6% of $30,600)
$2,142.00 PST (7% of $30,600)
$1,866.60 Duty (6.1% of $30,600)
Total: $30,000 + $600 + $106 + $206.70 + $1,836 + $2,142 + $1,866.60 = $36,757.30 CAD + any travel time, gas, hotel, food, etc

....WOW 6k of fees...thats BRUTAL...

Damnit...PST/GST is so much =(

Would there be any ways to cheapen the cost of importing? :( I dont want to pay 6k nor do I want to pay outrageous prices in Canada.. LOL ><

Just wondering, how would they know how much I bought it for? Since it's used/ from private party?

[Monsieurmaggot]

....WOW 6k of fees...thats BRUTAL...

Damnit...PST/GST is so much =(

Would there be any ways to cheapen the cost of importing? :( I dont want to pay 6k nor do I want to pay outrageous prices in Canada.. LOL ><

Just wondering, how would they know how much I bought it for? Since it's used/ from private party?

The last thing you want to be doing is making up values for imported cars. Canada Customs looks at private sales very closely and they have the right to request formal proof of payment (cancelled cheques, receipts, etc..). If the inspector suspects that you are deceitful or deceptive, they can charge you book value AND fine you accordingly. Earlier in the thread I believe someone mentioned that they were fined $3000 or so dollars and risked having their car impounded for trying to pull a fast one.

If you're buying Beemer and are balking at paying the taxes, maybe that isn't the car for you.

[ExcelPremium]

Just WONDERING

I have a personal friend that works at a dealership(hes manager)

Does he have any benefits of importing a car from the USA to Canada? Would it be easier? Less Costly? etc

[Kamloops]

....WOW 6k of fees...thats BRUTAL...

Damnit...PST/GST is so much =(

Would there be any ways to cheapen the cost of importing? :( I dont want to pay 6k nor do I want to pay outrageous prices in Canada.. LOL ><

Just wondering, how would they know how much I bought it for? Since it's used/ from private party?

Plus

Provincial inspection
DLR
Insure Binder
Travel Permit

[ExcelPremium]

The last thing you want to be doing is making up values for imported cars. Canada Customs looks at private sales very closely and they have the right to request formal proof of payment (cancelled cheques, receipts, etc..). If the inspector suspects that you are deceitful or deceptive, they can charge you book value AND fine you accordingly. Earlier in the thread I believe someone mentioned that they were fined $3000 or so dollars and risked having their car impounded for trying to pull a fast one.

If you're buying Beemer and are balking at paying the taxes, maybe that isn't the car for you.

WTF.. lol...well the person Im buying it from is giving me one helluva deal thought...how would they know? :S

[shopper-X]

....WOW 6k of fees...thats BRUTAL...

Damnit...PST/GST is so much =(

Would there be any ways to cheapen the cost of importing? :( I dont want to pay 6k nor do I want to pay outrageous prices in Canada.. LOL ><

Just wondering, how would they know how much I bought it for? Since it's used/ from private party?

First off do not lie to the government, it's worth the getting the car seized.
If it's a "private party", are they trust worthy? Are you EFT'ing or taking a Draft? Personally I would not deal privately for a car in the US unless I know the person.


Plus

Provincial inspection
DLR
Insure Binder
Travel Permit
Forgot those, thanks.

[shopper-X]

WTF.. lol...well the person Im buying it from is giving me one helluva deal thought...how would they know? :S

Private + "Too Good To Be True" = SCAM ALERT!

[Kamloops]

The last thing you want to be doing is making up values for imported cars. Canada Customs looks at private sales very closely and they have the right to request formal proof of payment (cancelled cheques, receipts, etc..). If the inspector suspects that you are deceitful or deceptive, they can charge you book value AND fine you accordingly. Earlier in the thread I believe someone mentioned that they were fined $3000 or so dollars and risked having their car impounded for trying to pull a fast one.

If you're buying Beemer and are balking at paying the taxes, maybe that isn't the car for you.

That would be me and it was on a boat import a while back. learned an expensive lesson. $3700.00 fine. Not sure for cars but for boats the fine is 55% of what you did not claim plus GST. I heard for cars it is 80% but I am not sure about that.

Just dont do it. Declare what you paid. Customs agents are very good at what they do and they will catch you.

[fitbrit]

Is your report for Montreal area residents only? Because you have representatives from all provinces with the successful RFD importers in here. BC, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia. I haven't seen one from PEI, Labrador, Yukon and NWT. :cheesygri

Edit: I apologize I didn't see the Montreal Gazette part below...

No need to apologise. Yes, she's looking for someone from Montreal who is, ideally, considering buying from the U.S. given the near-parity of the currencies.

[ExcelPremium]

Well I'll probably take a bank-draft, would that be enough to "convince" the GOVT that it's real?

I called the guy, seemed legit.."SEEMED" lol..

Well the car is suppose to list for 4-7k more, hes selling it at 30k, suppose to be 34-36k + whatever state tax

Dont know if that is "scam" or would be tricking the government...

I was just asking, would that be fine?

[HighFlyer]

Just WONDERING

I have a personal friend that works at a dealership(hes manager)

Does he have any benefits of importing a car from the USA to Canada? Would it be easier? Less Costly? etc

the more people (middlemen) that gets involved, the more expensive it's going to be (generally).

[ExcelPremium]

First off do not lie to the government, it's worth the getting the car seized.
If it's a "private party", are they trust worthy? Are you EFT'ing or taking a Draft? Personally I would not deal privately for a car in the US unless I know the person.


Forgot those, thanks.

How come? cause if I'm going through with this deal, I'll prolly ask for VIN and car-fax it..

Which is the safest way to send money thought, so INCASE the guy pulls a REALLY fast one on me..? I know holding 30k worth of cash isn't the smartest thing to do...

[ExcelPremium]

the more people (middlemen) that gets involved, the more expensive it's going to be (generally).

Well, I'd probably wont be paying for it thought :) or VERY VERY little...depends how hes feeling? lol..

I want to see if he gets any benefits from importing it as opposed to doing it myself..since he has a dealership to run..

[shopper-X]

How come? cause if I'm going through with this deal, I'll prolly ask for VIN and car-fax it..

Which is the safest way to send money thought, so INCASE the guy pulls a REALLY fast one on me..? I know holding 30k worth of cash isn't the smartest thing to do...

Go with a Bank Draft, if it's a scam, phone the bank and cancel the draft.

[lh0628]

If buying privately, do I need to pay their state tax? Do I need to pay GST?

Also is it required to convert the cluster to metric?

[Monsieurmaggot]

If buying privately, do I need to pay their state tax? Do I need to pay GST?

Also is it required to convert the cluster to metric?

What state?

GST is payable for ANY imported car.

If the cluster has Km/h no conversion is required. It doesn't matter which one predominates. If you don't have metric measurements visible, RIV gives you lovely stickers to put on the dash.

[lakeshorewest]

Do VW dealers sell new cars to Canadian? Who bought a VW from the states?

[scouzi]

Do VW dealers sell new cars to Canadian? Who bought a VW from the states?

No. Same rules as Audi. Dealers are prohibited from selling for export.

[Ebola]

Undervaluations are the bread and butter enforcement measures on the general public. That and non-reported goods.

Just do it right, then your car doesn't have to be seized, you don't have to pay a penalty for return of conveyance, you don't go in the system for all time because you broke the law.

So many upsides.

[crasher]

So it's

$30000 + $110(AIR TAX) + $200(RIV Fee) + 6.1% Duty

How much GST do I pay? and when I pay PST, how much?

Is it the same 6% and 7%? I'm located in Vancouver, BC

I'm getting a BMW 328 coupe

A/C Tax is $100, and since it is a tax, so tax on tax. :cheesygri
It is $100 even

[Louist]

I have the inside scoop...

Perhaps I will go down the path of "money talks".

I'd love to basically pay the same as Canada, but have a car that was US...just to prove a point that we buy where we want. A mission of sorts to buy what Audi is soo hard trying to prevent.

Any corupt Audi sales managers up for 5k worth of grease in their palm? Risk the dealership for personal gain? come on.
Money talks.

[icecom]

I just export a Hyundai Veracruz today cross Alexandria Bay Customs, It's highway 81 crossing into Canada 1000 island region. I called last week, an officer told me for brand new car, I don't need 72 hours, just show up with original paperwork and get release right away. i called this week and another officer confirmed the same thing. But today I almost held at Customs, because I didn't give them 72 hours. The release officer wanted me to pick up the release on next Monday. I told him what the first officer (I got the officer's name) told me, he said he was wrong. THen I told him I called again this week and another officer confirmed. He said we just changed today!!!!!
I said I was informed by your officers, I can do it and you don't let me go. He said he can't release the vehicle and asked me to see a supervisor. I got a supervisor and told him the story. He walked me to the release guy and ask him to release. He said were you here yesterday, we had a meeting. Then they went into a room, after a while he came out and finally release the vehicle. If you plan to cross at Alexandria Bay, you need to UPS original paperwork to Customs 72 hours prior the crossing. It's the new rule at this port of entry.

To go to the release office, you need to exit at the last exit on highway 81 at US side, turn left at the cross road, go straight you will see cargo processing office. It's a trailer. Get your export done there.

I followed the sign Export Control on Highway 81 and end up miss the entrance, because It's a one way crossing. Eventually I backed up 100 meters and drove the against the one way crossing.

the pick up at the dealership was very smooth and quick in 80 minutes, includes paperwork, little test drive, vehicle check up. The sales girl at Towne Hyundai is very good. Thanks everyone in this forum providing the info and those pm me the lead.

I will update the once I get the plate.

[lins_canada]

I finally got my car licensed, thanks the help for everyone! Here are some tips:

1. When calling your insurance company, you don't have to tell them you are buying the car from US, since your current Ontario policy will cover you automatically, just tell them the VIN and the pickup date.
2. NY DMV employee in small town might not have experience on dealing with Canadian buyer, they might ask your insurance company to fax your coverage with letterhead and signature, which will cause some headache.
3. E-test is not required for all 07/08 car, no matter brand new or used.
4. You can also buy a set of winter tires from tirerack.com, and ship them to your dealer, no US tax, then pick it up when you drive back to Canada, might also avoid GST&PST, save a few hundred bucks.

It is very easy to do, 3 weeks, done!

[Symcrapico]

4. You can also buy a set of winter tires from tirerack.com, and ship them to your dealer, no US tax, then pick it up when you drive back to Canada, might also avoid GST&PST, save a few hundred bucks.

I was thinking of doing this too. Anyone else did it and did not pay taxes and stuff?

[ruvz]

Anybody complete a private sale transaction?

What are the major changes if any in the process?

[brendonp]

Anybody complete a private sale transaction?

What are the major changes if any in the process?

I did; basically the same process, except that the ownership is signed over to you, instead of being a "fresh" one from the dealership. You also don't get the assistance of the dealership (assuming the dealership knows the process), which really isn't that big of a deal. You need:

At the border, you'll need to show
- Signed Bill of Sale (I printed a free one off of Cars.com) .
- Maybe the signed ownership

Make sure your Bill of sale legit (ie, if the price is too far off "real" value of the vehicle, you cold get in trouble!).

When you get back to Canada, you'll need to do all the regular stuff, but you'll also need an e-Test and a Safety Certificate (~120 for both at Canadian Tire) - you could probably have this done at the same time as your RIV inspection, should you choose to use a Canadian Tire.

You'll also need a valid ODO reading on the Bill of Sale, and potentitally on the ownership - which does have to be endorsed (signed) by the seller. I actually had to go to a second licensing office (my wife went the first time) because the ownership was signed on the front and the lady said the back needed to be signed. It was a Virginia form, and it clearly says that for private sales, the seller only signs the front - not sure why the first office wouldn't accept this....

Good luck!

Brendon

[tal65]

As far as I can tell the only difference is you'd have to pay for the registration (couple hundred bucks) and any sales tax in that State. Thats why it's better if you don't need to register it in the US first, because of the sales tax, and the extra work of going to the registry. I guess if you don't mind the extra work and the state you are buying from dosen't charge sales tax, then it's no big deal.

Of course, thats only from from what I gather by reading, someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks


Has anyone who purchased a car in the US ever registered it there and brought it over after it's been registered? What are the drawbacks to doing this?

[Ggilligan]

We arranged to purchase a 2008 Toyota Avalon Limited through a dealer in NH and a friend living there. Car arrived, we received spec sheets, VIN #, letter from Toyota CA saying there are no major recalls for this vehicle, gave deposit with our US Visa. Then this past Thursday wired the rest of the money to the dealership. Our friend went to the dealership on Friday to complete the paperwork to be told that he would not sell the car to her knowing it would be transferred to us for importation into Canada. The business manager told her he was afraid he would lose the dealership and he also implied she was doing this for monetary purposes. Now our new car sits in a NH lot -out of our reach.
Toyota being a part of the North American Free Trade agreement which allows them to manufacture cars in both Canada and the US, then ship across each other's borders without tariffs does not give us the benefit of the equalizing dollars.I hear that Honda and Toyota both do not allow Americans to buy in Canada or Canadians to buy in America.
We would appreciate help from anyone in this forum as we do not really want to go through the hassle of researching another vehicle.

The dealership is sending our money back although we do not physically have it - I am sure this will happen but will take a couple of business days. It is the frustrating process that is hard to deal with. I think consumers have to unite. thanks RFD!!!!

[underpants]

We arranged to purchase a 2008 Toyota Avalon Limited through a dealer in NH and a friend living there. Car arrived, we received spec sheets, VIN #, letter from Toyota CA saying there are no major recalls for this vehicle, gave deposit with our US Visa. Then this past Thursday wired the rest of the money to the dealership. Our friend went to the dealership on Friday to complete the paperwork to be told that he would not sell the car to her knowing it would be transferred to us for importation into Canada. The business manager told her he was afraid he would lose the dealership and he also implied she was doing this for monetary purposes. Now our new car sits in a NH lot -out of our reach.
Toyota being a part of the North American Free Trade agreement which allows them to manufacture cars in both Canada and the US, then ship across each other's borders without tariffs does not give us the benefit of the equalizing dollars.I hear that Honda and Toyota both do not allow Americans to buy in Canada or Canadians to buy in America.
We would appreciate help from anyone in this forum as we do not really want to go through the hassle of researching another vehicle.

You might try asking around here for help finding a cooperating dealership:

http://www.siennaclub.org/forum/index.php

http://www.siennaclub.org/forum/index.php?showforum=22

It seems like the hardest part these days is finding a dealership that's not scared of corporate hq.

Good luck.

[HighFlyer]

Our friend went to the dealership on Friday to complete the paperwork to be told that he would not sell the car to her knowing it would be transferred to us for importation into Canada. The business manager told her he was afraid he would lose the dealership and he also implied she was doing this for monetary purposes. Now our new car sits in a NH lot -out of our reach.
Make sure you report your experiences to:

http://www.jruslaw.ca/contact.html

Maybe Monsieurmaggot can make a mention of this link in the first post for other people who have been rejected.

[leta01]

Hi,

I am very close to buy a used Toyota Highlander (about 1000 miles) from a Toyota dealer. Please let me know if any of these that I think I need to do are wrong:

1. Put down a deposit to hold the car
2. Wire the money down to the dealer. Once received, they will send the title and Recall Clearance letter to me in Canada
3. I will fax these information to US border where I am going to bring it back through (bill of sale).
4. Call up insurance to have the car insurred on the day of pick up
5. Obtain Ontario temporary permit for a few days
6. Fly down
7. Pick up the car, drive back
8. First to US export station (at the border, assume this is at the Interstate 81) get them to stamp paper ? (please let me know what paper they are supposed to stamp)
9. Proceed to the Canadian border. Get them to fill out RIV (form 1), pay the $200 fees and GST.
10. Drive home - get it safety, emission test - do I need to go to Canadian Tire to have them check to make sure it compliance with Canadian (or Ontario) law ?
11. Go to MTO to get Ontario plate.

Thank very much for all your help.

[shopper-X]

We arranged to purchase a 2008 Toyota Avalon Limited through a dealer in NH and a friend living there. Car arrived, we received spec sheets, VIN #, letter from Toyota CA saying there are no major recalls for this vehicle, gave deposit with our US Visa. Then this past Thursday wired the rest of the money to the dealership. Our friend went to the dealership on Friday to complete the paperwork to be told that he would not sell the car to her knowing it would be transferred to us for importation into Canada. The business manager told her he was afraid he would lose the dealership and he also implied she was doing this for monetary purposes. Now our new car sits in a NH lot -out of our reach.
Toyota being a part of the North American Free Trade agreement which allows them to manufacture cars in both Canada and the US, then ship across each other's borders without tariffs does not give us the benefit of the equalizing dollars.I hear that Honda and Toyota both do not allow Americans to buy in Canada or Canadians to buy in America.
We would appreciate help from anyone in this forum as we do not really want to go through the hassle of researching another vehicle.

So now that they have your money and it's no good but they are keeping the money and the car?
They sold the car and now should finish the deal. I have no idea what legal action you have like calling the local police.


The whole Toyota, Honda, VW, etc. thing makes me angry. I can see the reputation of Toyota falling here. People are going after "forbidden fruit" and getting nothing. They make great cars, at least for now but they will/are getting greedy and greed will force them to move there operations to lower paid workers and still sell for higher prices.
Why support a company that plays dirty?

[diigii]

The business manager told her he was afraid he would lose the dealership and he also implied she was doing this for monetary purposes. Now our new car sits in a NH lot -out of our reach.


Wow!! What a greedy dealership!!! You paid them, but they won't release the car and they're holding your money. And the business manager took your money for monetary purposes??? Tell me, isn't that stealing????? Now I know why they're called STEALERSHIP. They registered the sale as a transaction just to pad their monthly sales numbers. Not only stealing but also deceitful. I wouldn't patronize a "stealership" like this.

I say demand all your money back. They can keep the car. If they won't return your money, call the police.

[Monsieurmaggot]

My advice to Ggilligan would be to get all the information in an email. Contact them and ensure you get something in writing.

If not, you won't have much recourse.

Then:

Contact: http://www.jruslaw.ca/contact.html and ensure they include Toyota (and specify this dealer directly).

That could work but realistically aside from reporting the money stolen, I don't know what to suggest.

Let us publicly who the dealership is and we'll publish their names here AND we can all send them emails.

[shopper-X]

...
Then:

Contact: http://www.jruslaw.ca/contact.html ...

Monsieurmaggot, I have sent the my online chat log to the lawyers where the MAZDA USA agent named Heather says:



07/11/2007 12:55:33PM Agent (Heather): "Our dealers are restricted to only sell our vehicles to U.S. residents only."

I hope this helps the cause.

[longdong]

HI All,

I'm about to finalize my car purchase in US.

But both me and dealer, we are not sure of what to send to US.

1. I sent money to US dealer by certified check
2. Dealer will send what ? (is it bill of sale or certificate of title , clearance letter ?) to the US custom or I need to ask dealer sent bill of sale or certificate of title, clearance letter ... (I'm not sure about that difference between certificate of title and clearance letter)

3. I will go there to pick the vehicle (so the dealer will give me what ?)

4. I will drive the car to the border


Thanks alot for your clarification.

[Monsieurmaggot]

HI All,

I'm about to finalize my car purchase in US.

But both me and dealer, we are not sure of what to send to US.

1. I sent money to US dealer by certified check
2. Dealer will send what ? (is it bill of sale or certificate of title , clearance letter ?) to the US custom or I need to ask dealer sent bill of sale or certificate of title, clearance letter ... (I'm not sure about that difference between certificate of title and clearance letter)

3. I will go there to pick the vehicle (so the dealer will give me what ?)

4. I will drive the car to the border


Thanks alot for your clarification.

Go to RIV.ca. It outlines everything.

You can also call the US Customs site you plan on passing through.

From what I saw, the only paperwork they had for me was a photocopy of the Certificate of Origin. The compared their fax to my original when I went through.

Perhaps our Subaru dealer friend at Eastside Subaru can comment exactly what he sends in.

[ziploc]

check this ebay auction for new Toyota:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Toyota-Highlander-2008-Toyota-Highlander-Under-Invoice-No-Fees-Akron-OH_W0QQitemZ170154252801QQihZ007QQcategoryZ43924QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


-OUR DEALER AGREEMENT WITH TOYOTA STATES THAT WE CAN NOT EXPORT ANY NEW TOYOTA. THIS INCLUDES CANADA. PLEASE DO NOT CALL ME FOR VEHICLE EXPORT

[vim]

HI All,

I'm about to finalize my car purchase in US.

But both me and dealer, we are not sure of what to send to US.

1. I sent money to US dealer by certified check
2. Dealer will send what ? (is it bill of sale or certificate of title , clearance letter ?) to the US custom or I need to ask dealer sent bill of sale or certificate of title, clearance letter ... (I'm not sure about that difference between certificate of title and clearance letter)

3. I will go there to pick the vehicle (so the dealer will give me what ?)

4. I will drive the car to the border


Thanks alot for your clarification.

I have not finished doing this myself, but my understanding:
1. Send money to dealer
2. Dealer will give you VIN # for your car. You/dealer have to request recall-clearence letter. Check here for numbers: http://www.riv.ca/english/html/recall_contacts.html

3. This step is not 100% clear. Some port entries (Leviston-Queenston) accepts fax with Certificate of Origin. Official website states: original Certificate of origin and 2 copies 72 hours before arriving in US customs: http://www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/export/export_docs/motor_vehicle.xml
Fax both sides of documents. Write VIN # big letters somewhere on the top.
Anyone can confirm that? After faxing better call and confirm when you can do import.

4. Get insurance. Dealer probably will ask letter from insurance stating that car with VIN # is insured.

5. Arrange your trip to dealer. You should get from dealer original Bill of Sales. Make sure car has Statement of Compliance label affixed by the Original Equipment Manufacturer stating that "the vehicle as manufactured to comply with all US federal emission, bumper and safety standards on the date of manufacture". All new has them on the door I believe.
If dealer did not send original to customs, he should give you Certificate of Origin. Dealer should give you temporary licence plates.

6 Drive to border. I believe US customs need just Original "Certificate of Origin" and 2 copies and bill of sales. They should stamp "Certificate of Origin".

7. Go to canadian custom. They will need stamped "Certificate of Origin", clearence letter, bill of sales to determine GST value.

My own question - some people had to get temporary registration from DMV. Is that just for used cars, or this should be for new as well???????

Again, I am in the middle of doing this myself, and this is my understanding of process. I might be wrong, but hopefully somebody will notice that and report here.

Thanks

[Gromit]

I said I was informed by your officers, I can do it and you don't let me go. He said he can't release the vehicle and asked me to see a supervisor. I got a supervisor and told him the story. He walked me to the release guy and ask him to release. He said were you here yesterday, we had a meeting. Then they went into a room, after a while he came out and finally release the vehicle. If you plan to cross at Alexandria Bay, you need to UPS original paperwork to Customs 72 hours prior the crossing. It's the new rule at this port of entry.

Been wondering when they would figure out their own laws. :)

The laws clearly state no faxes, and 72 hours. And have said that for years.

[Ggilligan]

Wow!! What a greedy dealership!!! You paid them, but they won't release the car and they're holding your money. And the business manager took your money for monetary purposes??? Tell me, isn't that stealing????? Now I know why they're called STEALERSHIP. They registered the sale as a transaction just to pad their monthly sales numbers. Not only stealing but also deceitful. I wouldn't patronize a "stealership" like this.

I say demand all your money back. They can keep the car. If they won't return your money, call the police.

Re: Our Car Experience from Ggilligan
Sorry if I mislead folks - they are sending our money back although we do not have it as yet but it is the frustration of getting to this point of the transaction and not being able to complete it. Thanks for all the support out there and I did forward it as recommended in an earlier reply.

[Ggilligan]

Wow!! What a greedy dealership!!! You paid them, but they won't release the car and they're holding your money. And the business manager took your money for monetary purposes??? Tell me, isn't that stealing????? Now I know why they're called STEALERSHIP. They registered the sale as a transaction just to pad their monthly sales numbers. Not only stealing but also deceitful. I wouldn't patronize a "stealership" like this.

I say demand all your money back. They can keep the car. If they won't return your money, call the police.

Re: Our Car Experience from Ggilligan
Sorry if I mislead folks - they are sending our money back although we do not have it as yet but it is the frustration of getting to this point of the transaction and not being able to complete it. Thanks for all the support out there and I did forward it as recommended in an earlier reply.

Here I am apologizing again as this was not my post...sorry from Ggilligan

[Ggilligan]

So now that they have your money and it's no good but they are keeping the money and the car?
They sold the car and now should finish the deal. I have no idea what legal action you have like calling the local police.


The whole Toyota, Honda, VW, etc. thing makes me angry. I can see the reputation of Toyota falling here. People are going after "forbidden fruit" and getting nothing. They make great cars, at least for now but they will/are getting greedy and greed will force them to move there operations to lower paid workers and still sell for higher prices.
Why support a company that plays dirty?


Our Car Experience by Ggilligan
I must apologize if I gave you the impression Toyota was keeping our money- NOT TRUE -although we still do not have it - I feel we are being held hostage to the Toyota rules and regs and I do not feel they appreciate or put the customer first....they might have at one time when they were trying to get into this market but I think now there is an arrogance with them that they might regret down the road! It might pay them to listen to some of the consumers here.....my thoughts only

[Kamloops]

Re: Our Car Experience from Ggilligan
Sorry if I mislead folks - they are sending our money back although we do not have it as yet but it is the frustration of getting to this point of the transaction and not being able to complete it. Thanks for all the support out there and I did forward it as recommended in an earlier reply.

Here I am apologizing again as this was not my post...sorry from Ggilligan

Wow I would not have left without my money! I would have called the cops and charged them with theft and fraud on the spot!

[Ggilligan]

Wow I would not have left without my money! I would have called the cops and charged them with theft and fraud on the spot!

Our Car Experience
We were never down there physically - it was done through a wire or bank transfer and a friend.... so much for free trade...Ggilligan

[perfchris]

Our Car Experience
We were never down there physically - it was done through a wire or bank transfer and a friend.... so much for free trade...Ggilligan

I would seriously consider contacting the lawyers in the class action lawsuit stated in the previous posts.

Even if you did not go down there physically, you probably spent lots of time coordinating everything.

I would keep all my e-mails and correspondance for the lawyers.

[tico 1948]

Our Car Experience
We were never down there physically - it was done through a wire or bank transfer and a friend.... so much for free trade...Ggilligan

It's not Free Trades Fault my Friend, it's the Greedy Bas***d Manufacturers who are Conspiring to screw-up the Spirit/Philosophy of Free Trade.We in the Maritimes have a saying, "What goes around, Comes around". In other words the Dealer/Manufactures "Derrieres" will get the same streaching :twisted: that the Canadian Buying public's is now getting. It's just a matter of time, although it would be nice if that Retribution were to come sooner rather than later. Just my thoughts on that.

[Howard]

Anybody know how to bring in 3rd-gen Toyota MR2s ('99 onward)?

[jingyu]

Did you pay 6.1 % duty since the car is made in Korea?

I just export a Hyundai Veracruz today cross Alexandria Bay Customs, It's highway 81 crossing into Canada 1000 island region.
I will update the once I get the plate.

[johnsa]

Anybody know how to bring in 3rd-gen Toyota MR2s ('99 onward)?

non admissible according to RIV.ca 2000-2005 MR2

[jadeboy]

We arranged to purchase a 2008 Toyota Avalon Limited through a dealer in NH and a friend living there. Car arrived, we received spec sheets, VIN #, letter from Toyota CA saying there are no major recalls for this vehicle, gave deposit with our US Visa. Then this past Thursday wired the rest of the money to the dealership. Our friend went to the dealership on Friday to complete the paperwork to be told that he would not sell the car to her knowing it would be transferred to us for importation into Canada. The business manager told her he was afraid he would lose the dealership and he also implied she was doing this for monetary purposes. Now our new car sits in a NH lot -out of our reach.
Toyota being a part of the North American Free Trade agreement which allows them to manufacture cars in both Canada and the US, then ship across each other's borders without tariffs does not give us the benefit of the equalizing dollars.I hear that Honda and Toyota both do not allow Americans to buy in Canada or Canadians to buy in America.
We would appreciate help from anyone in this forum as we do not really want to go through the hassle of researching another vehicle.

The dealership is sending our money back although we do not physically have it - I am sure this will happen but will take a couple of business days. It is the frustrating process that is hard to deal with. I think consumers have to unite. thanks RFD!!!!

Even if you get your car. You can't import your vehicle, NONE of the 2008 Toyota/Lexus "cars" are importable right now according to riv.ca.

[Ggilligan]

Even if you get your car. You can't import your vehicle, NONE of the 2008 Toyota/Lexus "cars" are importable right now according to riv.ca.

I realize that the car is not listed on the RIV list - none of the 2008 are except for 3 - Mazda; Subaru and I can't remember the last one but I have no doubt that will be changed in the near future as it is every year at this time. We have a neighbor here where we are that just ordered and received a 2008 Avalon Limited from a dealer here in Sarnia through a dealer and broker in Chatham from the USA - so if one gets through I am sure the others will. There is also no difference safety spec wise between the 2007 Avalon Limited and 2008 Avalon Limited - that was told to me from the horse's mouth from Toyota CA but stated they could not put it in writing. So if all 2007 Toyota models are on the list then there is no reason the 2008 won't be on. Ggillian

[z_squared]

thanks VERY MUCH for the thread and the FAQ monsieurmaggot

are there any other must-read golden-nuggets of information buried in here? anyone care to write the official RFD article on this? (for the sake of those of us who haven't read the 5000+ posts) :)

how about a list of the manufacturers who ARE honouring the warranty on such cars at the present time.

[Tender]

thanks VERY MUCH for the thread and the FAQ monsieurmaggot

are there any other must-read golden-nuggets of information buried in here? anyone care to write the official RFD article on this? (for the sake of those of us who haven't read the 5000+ posts) :)

I think monsieurmaggot's posting #1 is very clear on the whole improting process.

The complicated part is how to find the dealer who is willing to sell you the car you wanted at the price you agree.

Maybe we should have serapate threads on different car makes and leave this thread strictly to the importing process.

[eastsidesubaru]

thanks VERY MUCH for the thread and the FAQ monsieurmaggot

are there any other must-read golden-nuggets of information buried in here? anyone care to write the official RFD article on this? (for the sake of those of us who haven't read the 5000+ posts) :)

how about a list of the manufacturers who ARE honouring the warranty on such cars at the present time.

it's been posted already about... 30 times.
just sayin'

[jadeboy]

I realize that the car is not listed on the RIV list - none of the 2008 are except for 3 - Mazda; Subaru and I can't remember the last one but I have no doubt that will be changed in the near future as it is every year at this time. We have a neighbor here where we are that just ordered and received a 2008 Avalon Limited from a dealer here in Sarnia through a dealer and broker in Chatham from the USA - so if one gets through I am sure the others will. There is also no difference safety spec wise between the 2007 Avalon Limited and 2008 Avalon Limited - that was told to me from the horse's mouth from Toyota CA but stated they could not put it in writing. So if all 2007 Toyota models are on the list then there is no reason the 2008 won't be on. Ggillian

I agreed 100%. I am planning to import a Lexus IS 350, but the restriction is the problem. You can import it BUT if after 45 days, and it's not certified, you must destroy it or exported it back to the US.

[DSTU]

Another story on CTV News on Saturday night.


Canadian used-car buyers head south for deals
Updated Sat. Sep. 29 2007 10:36 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

If you're in the market for a used car, you may want to head south in search of bargains.

Used car dealers in Montana say they've seen increasing numbers of Canadian customers in the past few months. The reason: the rising Canadian dollar.

Some Canadian shoppers told CTV News in Calgary that they've saved as much as $7,000 on their used car.

American border officials say that on some days, they're processing as many as 60 Canadian shoppers hopping the border in their hunt for a good used car.


Potential Canadian business is so good for Montana car dealers that they're even taking out ads in Canadian newspapers.


One used-car dealership -- The Pierce Auto Group -- says that 25 per cent of its daily customers are Canadian.

David Pierce isn't apologizing to his Canadian competitors. He says when the Canadian dollar was low, Montana residents were heading north to get good deals from Alberta.

"So, turnabout's fair play, I guess. (It will) probably go around again some day, so make hay while the sun shines," he said.

But there are a few things Canadians should know if they're going to the U.S. to buy a car: they'll have to pay the GST, and there may be more taxes if the vehicle was made outside of North America.

Getting a car out of the U.S. also may require 72-hours notice and additional paperwork.

[Shaun091382]

I was just wondering if anyone here has recently imported through the lewiston queenston crossing? I am just confused as to the 72Hr wait time prior to crossing... does that crossing (export office) accept front and back faxed copies of the titel 72 hrs prior or do they require the original title? I hate the fact of sending the only original (most important) piece of documentation away. Just wondering if someone recently went through this at that crossing.

Thanks

[Monsieurmaggot]

I was just wondering if anyone here has recently imported through the lewiston queenston crossing? I am just confused as to the 72Hr wait time prior to crossing... does that crossing (export office) accept front and back faxed copies of the titel 72 hrs prior or do they require the original title? I hate the fact of sending the only original (most important) piece of documentation away. Just wondering if someone recently went through this at that crossing.

Thanks

Lewiston accepts faxes (when their machine works). That's where I crossed with my purchase.

[Monsieurmaggot]

I tell you word or mouth, and a bit of RFD plugging at newspaper sites have pushed the "hits" on this thread up by almost 100,000 in one week.

That's amazing.

Whenever I read an article on-line talking about US car purchases, I ALWAYS reply to it in their comment section and refer the readers to this thread. I would ask that all RFDers to the same.

By doing that, the person who's interested and followed the thread can read about "true experiences" instead of reading speculative information provided by the ill-informed or CADA spin doctors.

I'm sure they would like nothing better than to shut me (and others like me) up.

Isn't going to happen until I see prices closer to parity. What irks me is the constant barrage of articles saying that the real savings can only be had on the higher-end models. We all know that's untrue.

Mr. DesRosiers insists that the Canadian consumer is misinformed about the claims of $10,000+ savings (from sites like this) and that when a model is compared "apples -to-apples" no true savings can be realized. Well sadly we all know that's not true.

Hey, give the Canadian Consumer some credit but I still want to publicly thank Mr. DesRosiers too. It's thanks to an article I read in 2006 (the link is posted in message #1) where he said that cars were 17% cheaper in the US. If I had not read that article, I'd be driving around in a Canadian Suburu (but albeit the base model). For less than the base model in Canada, I got one WITH EVERY OPTION.

[jadeboy]

So if all 2007 Toyota models are on the list then there is no reason the 2008 won't be on. Ggillian

So, anyone know WHEN the 2007 Toyota/Lexus appears on the list in 2006?

Also.. since there is a 6.1% duty on cars not made in North America... is there a 6.1% duty on car "parts"? I will buy the car and paid one invoice but have another invoice for the car "parts" if it make any differences.

[HighFlyer]

Also.. since there is a 6.1% duty on cars not made in North America... is there a 6.1% duty on car "parts"? I will buy the car and paid one invoice but have another invoice for the car "parts" if it make any differences.
In that case, they will look at the origin of the parts.

[teep]

A BIG, BIG thank you to all RFDers, especially MonsieurMagot and Uncle_odb, and the supportive Zach, for all the info shared (and almost instant response to worries and queries) on this thread. We would not have tackled this import process without this blog.

The new Subie LLBean is now happily registered and plated in BC after a Saturday morning at new Vancouver mall that has a Canadian Tire next door to an ICBC agents office. All told, total savings are $10,822 on the firm price I was quoted by local Subie dealers ( I see they are now offering 2000 off, but that would not have changed my mind).

It took a time only because there was a big line up in the CT service garage: the actual inspections took only 15 minutes. By the way, the Federl Inspection for RIV cost only about 40 bucks out of the $117 charge (not $120 as posted elsewhere) was for the BC provincial inspection (for which the mechanic had to check off a list that thing had 4 wheels that go round and round, the lights come on with the switch, it has horn that works ...). The reason for the higher charge is that he has to take it for a test drive (round the mall parking lot).

The amusing thing was that the ICBC agent we registered the car with was about to import a new car herself (from a Honda dealership near to our resident Zach in fact) and was asking all sorts of questions. So I pointed her at this blog of course. I think she may have some interesting contributions: for example she said she was thinking of purchasing an independent 7-year warranty, which she then found that Canadian dealars say they will refuse to honor.

[icecom]

Did you pay 6.1 % duty since the car is made in Korea?

Yes, I did. Once the Canadian Customs officer key in your vin, it will show in the system what the duty rate is. Vehicles from most countries are charged at 6.1%

[cchun39]

not to thread hijack or anything but theres a class action suit against major auto makers in CAN. People interested can get more info at http://www.jruslaw.com/classactions/carprice.shtml

I think this thread has been really helpful for people looking for more info on getting cars down south, hopefully this class action suit will get prices lower and also get some cash back for those who didn't shop in the US.

[yyz2hkg]

not to thread hijack or anything but theres a class action suit against major auto makers in CAN. People interested can get more info at http://www.jruslaw.com/classactions/carprice.shtml



Lawsuit mentioned already 10 pages back....twice! Thanks though!:cheesygri

[perfchris]

not to thread hijack or anything but theres a class action suit against major auto makers in CAN. People interested can get more info at http://www.jruslaw.com/classactions/carprice.shtml

I think this thread has been really helpful for people looking for more info on getting cars down south, hopefully this class action suit will get prices lower and also get some cash back for those who didn't shop in the US.

The lawsuit that was launched back in the early 2000s when the dollar was worth 60 cents and Americans were flocking to Canada has not been heard yet. Courts are really slow at hearing these things. So, I would not count my blessings.....

[harain]

I want to import an Audi 2K3 A4 Quattro and Acura 2K8 RDX, both used.
I just want to know if the Dashboard modification has to be done at the dealer?

[vim]

For those exporting vehicle through Lewiston Bridge - They have a phone message stating that requirement is to fax title 72 hours in advance.

I called phone number to find out about requirements.
Phone: 1-716-282-1500
Press 3 to get Vehile export office.
Then new menu:
Press 1 to get vehile export requirements. Result (something, please call yourself for exact wording):
Fax a copy of the title, rewrite VIN on the copy of the title with the marker. It should be legible (I believe that means readable).
Wait 72 hours, original title and car should be at the moment of export
Press 2 to get fax number. Result: 1-716-285-3565
Press 3 to get hours of operation. Result: Monday-Friday 8am to 4pm
Press 4 for location. Result: Lewiston bridge warehouse.
Press 5 to get Canadian something number.
Press 6 to leave message with VIN number and call back number.


Anyone can share again how to find office, as if I remember correctly it could be quite hard to find.

[shopper-X]

I want to import an Audi 2K3 A4 Quattro and Acura 2K8 RDX, both used.
I just want to know if the Dashboard modification has to be done at the dealer?

No dash board modification needed if both the KM/H and MPH are on the speedometer.
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/2782/speedometermn4.jpg

[Monsieurmaggot]

I received some email requests looking for information on what the RIV compliance sticker looks like and the warning stickers on the car. I finally went out and took them for those interested.

You will notice on most of the stickers, they are bilingual. The only one I added was the RIV compliance label.

After you successfully import your vehicle, you will get a letter from RIV stating the process was completed (I changed the address):

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1327/1464556119_ffc5d8dc49.jpg

With it comes a sticker that needs to be affixed to your car door:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1206/1465409772_974474acc1.jpg

[Monsieurmaggot]

This is what originally came with the vehicle:

Notice this one is bilingual:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1079/1464555049_6b7e2f0d63.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1218/1465410062_157d850424.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1416/1464555503_bcbd0fe3ea.jpg

This warning appears on both sun visors (and is checked by RIV)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1028/1464555767_fbf9d1b58a.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1413/1464555887_f458c518c1.jpg

[diigii]

The lawsuit that was launched back in the early 2000s when the dollar was worth 60 cents and Americans were flocking to Canada has not been heard yet. Courts are really slow at hearing these things. So, I would not count my blessings.....

Just to update you on the 2003 lawsuit filed in the US, it is now being heard in a Maine court.

[Lax5]

Has anyone been looking into the importation of the Nissan Rogue? Just doing some prelim stuff and it looks like all Nissans '92-2008, except a Sentra and Maxima, are admissable by transport Canada. Wonder if anyone knows anything differently.

TIA

[diigii]

Has anyone been looking into the importation of the Nissan Rogue? Just doing some prelim stuff and it looks like all Nissans '92-2008, except a Sentra and Maxima, are admissable by transport Canada. Wonder if anyone knows anything differently.

TIA

CORRECTION: It is the 2008 Altima 4-dr sedan, not the Maxima.

[shopper-X]

Has anyone been looking into the importation of the Nissan Rogue? Just doing some prelim stuff and it looks like all Nissans '92-2008, except a Sentra and Maxima, are admissable by transport Canada. Wonder if anyone knows anything differently.

TIA

2008 Maxima is allowed. It's the 2008 4DR Altima that is not allowed.


1992 & 1993 SENTRA WITH PASSIVE
RESTRAINT SYSTEM
1992 240SX CONVERTIBLE
2008 SENTRA SER
2008 ALTIMA 4DR SEDAN


EDIT: Diigii beat me to it.

[diigii]

I'm watching CP24's Auto Shop right now and a lot of callers are calling and asking asking Mohamed Bouchama about buying brand new cars in the US. The $2B lawsuit was also mentioned.

[karl_at_vanbortel]

Van Bortel Subaru Canadian Customer Appreciation Get Together is a reality!

It will most likely be the weekend of October 21st. I have given up on the idea of having an outdoor picnic and have scraped together enough company money to have it at the Marriott on Bloor Street in Toronto. I am anticipating around 30 people. PLEASE PLEASE E-MAIL (not PM) ME IF YOU PLAN ON ATTENDING. I want to make sure that we have enough food and room.

Here's the skinny. Lunch for everyone with a chance to see some old faces again. I will also have three 2008 Subaru models on display outside in the Valet area. There will be more than enough time to see the US Spec version of the Tribeca, the Outback, and the Legacy. There will also be plenty of time to discuss the process with me and successful importers of Subarus. This is a perfect time for you guys to bring those friends, co-workers, and family members that want to know EXACTLY how you saved so much money on that shinny new Subie!

Like I said, please e-mail me at sales@vanbortelsubaru.com if you have an interest in attending.

[HighFlyer]

Anyone can share again how to find office, as if I remember correctly it could be quite hard to find.
The US Export office itself? After the last US freeway exit, stay on the left lane. You will see an exit on the left with the sign "Export and NSEERS.....". Exit there, then head past the secondary inspection area and turn left before the US customs office. Note: you are about to cross 10 lanes of incoming traffic at the Primary Inspection. Turn left at the stop sign and head straight to the warehouse across the lanes.

[perfchris]

Just to update you on the 2003 lawsuit filed in the US, it is now being heard in a Maine court.

4 years later.......

[vim]

The US Export office itself? After the last US freeway exit, stay on the left lane. You will see an exit on the left with the sign "Export and NSEERS.....". Exit there, then head past the secondary inspection area and turn left before the US customs office. Note: you are about to cross 10 lanes of incoming traffic at the Primary Inspection. Turn left at the stop sign and head straight to the warehouse across the lanes.

HighFlyer,

Thanks for your reply. Could you confirm that I understood correctly. Normally when people leave US, there is no US customs, just Canada customs. So it is my responsibility to find US export office and get a stamp on the title of certificate or MSO. Most of the people will not go that way. I will follow your direction (thanks again) and after getting stamp just will go back the same way and join all other travelers to Canada customs. Is that correct?

Thanks again!

[WalterQ]

So I want to buy a Limited in upstate NY, crossing somewhere between Alex Bay & Cornwall. Read lots of good stuff on this thread (thks all!) and have few questions for anyone who has bought a Hyundai in my region ...

1) how & where do I find a willing (& experienced) Hyundai dealer and get a good price? (internet?)
2) any good or bad issues buying 2007 vs 2008 model?
3) anyone who has bought this car - what happened with DRLs

Thks in advance,

Post or PIM pls.

[thien]

Thanks to Monsieurmaggot for starting this post and everyone who contributed to this post!

Just finished bringing back two 2008 Toyota Siennas LE on Friday. Total savings of $24K on both vans.

Crossed at the Coutts/Sweetgrass border. Paper work was easy, waiting in line at the border was the long part. The Canadian customs agent there tells me that they process an average of over 150+ of imported vehicles a day. They have done over 20K vehicles since the beginning of this year.

For all you out there who want to know what is a good price for a vehicle, my suggestion to you is ask a Canadian Customs agent. That's what I did when I pulled up to the border. They see so many cars coming over that they have a pretty good understanding of what the prices out there are. The customs agent asked what model, trim & price I paid for the Sienna and told me that got a good deal. Had about a 5 minute conversation with him about pricing of certain vehicles.

Every customs agent I talked to on Friday was telling me they were in the process themselves of importing a vehicle.

Special thanks goes out to Desrosiers. Its people like him that make me feel good knowing that I saved a bunch of money by doing my own homework and not believing every word coming out of the mouth of an "industry expert".

[HighFlyer]

Thanks for your reply. Could you confirm that I understood correctly. Normally when people leave US, there is no US customs, just Canada customs. So it is my responsibility to find US export office and get a stamp on the title of certificate or MSO. Most of the people will not go that way. I will follow your direction (thanks again) and after getting stamp just will go back the same way and join all other travelers to Canada customs. Is that correct?

Yes, that's right. There is no US customs booth on your way out, you need to look for the warehouse as mentioned above to have them stamp and emboss your MSO. You'll see a bunch of trucks parked there. Make sure that the MSO is faxed to the border 72 business hours before you proceed with the export. Also, the export office is only open until 4PM on weekdays.

[jackboot]

Just to confirm that you need to pay taxes (and duty for non-NAFTA) for any and all vehicles you import into Canada. Cars more than 15 years old are exempt from the RIV program (i.e. don't need to be on admissible list, don't need to make any modifications, etc) but are still taxed and subject to duty.

I'm looking at importing a 1964 motorbike from NY this week...

I couldn't find any more info than what is alluded to briefly in the above quoted post.

Do I understand correctly that I do NOT have to do anything in advance (ie, fax the border)? I can just show up at the border with the bike, pay GST, PST, and duty, and I'm on my way?

Once in Canada, I just go to the registries office with the bill of sale and title and I can insure it?

[yyz2hkg]

I'm looking at importing a 1964 motorbike from NY this week...

I couldn't find any more info than what is alluded to briefly in the above quoted post.

Do I understand correctly that I do NOT have to do anything in advance (ie, fax the border)? I can just show up at the border with the bike, pay GST, PST, and duty, and I'm on my way?

Once in Canada, I just go to the registries office with the bill of sale and title and I can insure it?

1. You have to fax them 72hrs in advance with the MSO, Bill of Sale, Recall Letter, etc... The procedure for doing so is exactly the same as for importing passenger cars. For further information about importing a motorcycle, telephone the Registrar of Imported Vehicles at 1-888-848-8240. (Taken from the RIV) and Transport Canada.

2. After the importation is done, you can then register the motorcycle with the bill of sale, title and proof of insurance.

It's pretty easy and straightforward, but it does involve some legwork and paperwork, not just going to the US and buying the motorcycle and bringing it up. Hope that helps.

[Monsieurmaggot]

Yes, that's right. There is no US customs booth on your way out, you need to look for the warehouse as mentioned above to have them stamp and emboss your MSO. You'll see a bunch of trucks parked there. Make sure that the MSO is faxed to the border 72 business hours before you proceed with the export. Also, the export office is only open until 4PM on weekdays.

I have posted a link to the US export inspection site at the Queeston/Lewiston crossing.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&t=k&hl=en&msa=0&ll=43.152174,-79.03469&spn=0.002673,0.005236&z=18&om=1&msid=116208146908791403539.00043b6e3822145c32472

You are heading to Canada along the top-most road. You need to cross over (down) past the long building, across 12 lanes of (inbound to US) cars to the big building on the bottom of the picture. You will go to part of the building with the black roof.

This is the only "port of entry" along the Niagara River that has a US Customs Export Office.

[kamanda]

Does anyone know of any port that operates outside of the 8-4pm hours? I was going to import a used vehicle via the Queenston-Lewiston bridge on Oct 8th - Thanksgiving but it turns out that its a federal holiday in the U.S. (Columbus day) so they will be closed. Any other suggestions? I already have my flights booked so I'm in a bit of a bind right now.

[diigii]

Does anyone know of any port that operates outside of the 8-4pm hours? I was going to import a used vehicle via the Queenston-Lewiston bridge on Oct 8th - Thanksgiving but it turns out that its a federal holiday in the U.S. (Columbus day) so they will be closed. Any other suggestions? I already have my flights booked so I'm in a bit of a bind right now.

Bring a tent for Monday night or you can sleep in your brand new car. You can't do anything about it being a federal holiday. Americans love their holidays as much as we do. Sorry! :cheesygri

[shopper-X]

I'm looking at importing a 1964 motorbike from NY this week...

I couldn't find any more info than what is alluded to briefly in the above quoted post.

Do I understand correctly that I do NOT have to do anything in advance (ie, fax the border)? I can just show up at the border with the bike, pay GST, PST, and duty, and I'm on my way?

Once in Canada, I just go to the registries office with the bill of sale and title and I can insure it?


1. You have to fax them 72hrs in advance with the MSO, Bill of Sale, Recall Letter, etc... The procedure for doing so is exactly the same as for importing passenger cars. For further information about importing a motorcycle, telephone the Registrar of Imported Vehicles at 1-888-848-8240. (Taken from the RIV) and Transport Canada.

2. After the importation is done, you can then register the motorcycle with the bill of sale, title and proof of insurance.

It's pretty easy and straightforward, but it does involve some legwork and paperwork, not just going to the US and buying the motorcycle and bringing it up. Hope that helps.

If the vehicle is older then 15 years, do you still have to go through RIV?

[flaming homer]

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/2882/uscustomsmapra4.th.png (http://img131.imageshack.us/my.php?image=uscustomsmapra4.png)

[diigii]

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/2882/uscustomsmapra4.th.png (http://img131.imageshack.us/my.php?image=uscustomsmapra4.png)

CORRECTION: The entrance to the building is on the east side, not on the north side, with the red door. That's where I went thru when I stopped by to have my CoT red-stamped.

[vim]

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/2882/uscustomsmapra4.th.png (http://img131.imageshack.us/my.php?image=uscustomsmapra4.png)

Thanks for map and picture. This is very helpful!

[bimmerfans]

Thanks to Monsieurmaggot for starting this post and everyone who contributed to this post! I have already read it tuns of times.

Here is my question: does anybody have a clue to a BMW NA dealer who is willing to sell a brand new car to Canadians? I've tried some of them in New York and New Jersey; haven't got one so far.:mad:

Many thanks.

[flaming homer]

CORRECTION: The entrance to the building is on the east side, not on the north side, with the red door. That's where I went thru when I stopped by to have my CoT red-stamped.There are more than one door into the building. If you go in from the EAST, there is no place to park except illegally...

[diigii]

There are more than one door into the building. If you go in from the EAST, there is no place to park except illegally...

There is no designated parking because when I was there, all sides of the building were full of trailer-trucks. The Customs agent that pointed me to the building said "just park where there's available space or beside the trucks undegoing inspection." Every one of the agents say enter the red door up the metal stairs.

[diigii]

Thanks to Monsieurmaggot for starting this post and everyone who contributed to this post! I have already read it tuns of times.

Here is my question: does anybody have a clue to a BMW NA dealer who is willing to sell a brand new car to Canadians? I've tried some of them in New York and New Jersey; haven't got one so far.:mad:

Many thanks.

Not sure who has successfully imported a BMW. But just like the rest of us, we emailed a lot of dealers in different states. You might want to consider other states besides NY and NJ.

[bimmerfans]

Not sure who has successfully imported a BMW. But just like the rest of us, we emailed a lot of dealers in different states. You might want to consider other states besides NY and NJ.

thank you, diigii. i also think about emailing some southern dealers.

[diigii]

thank you, diigii. i also think about emailing some southern dealers.

No problem. I myself went to Maryland after I emailed Buffalo area dealers and not giving me good deals since they will only sell a bit below MSRP if they know you are Canadian. I've considered dealers in Oakland, CA, Chicago, New Jersey, and was about to try Texas when a dealer in Maryland replied and offered a great deal.

[bimmerfans]

No problem. I myself went to Maryland after I emailed Buffalo area dealers and not giving me good deals since they will only sell a bit below MSRP if they know you are Canadian. I've considered dealers in Oakland, CA, Chicago, New Jersey, and was about to try Texas when a dealer in Maryland replied and offered a great deal.

Great, i'm contacting VA, SC, NC, and AL dealers now. will try New England area for sure. Thanks again.

[jackboot]

I'm looking at importing a 1964 motorbike from NY this week...

I couldn't find any more info than what is alluded to briefly in the above quoted post.

Do I understand correctly that I do NOT have to do anything in advance (ie, fax the border)? I can just show up at the border with the bike, pay GST, PST, and duty, and I'm on my way?

Once in Canada, I just go to the registries office with the bill of sale and title and I can insure it?

To respond to my own question (after waiting on hold with Canada Border Services Agency)

1) Even though the vehicle (motorcycle) does not have to go through the RIV, I still must fax a copy of the title to the US border crossing 72 hours in advance
2) I only pay 6% GST at the border. There is no duty on vehicles over 25 years old, and there is no duty on motorcycles either, so I'm safe both ways.

@ yyz2hkg - thanks for your response, even though it was for vehicles that need to go through RIV :)

[lightbulb]

I've just finished putting Ontario plates on my Subie LGT, bought from Karl of Van Bortel in Rochester.

Karl picked me up from the Rochester airport Friday morning and I was out of the dealership by 11 AM. After a quick stop at the Galleria Mall, it was on to the Lewiston border crossing. I almost missed the turn off for the US customs, on the left lane, so be aware as you approach. As others have posted, you need to cut across many lanes of cars that have just cleared US customs, to the building with the RED door. Inside, the border agent who will stamp your forms, is rather unpleasant and a stickler for details. Others in line with me reported having been previously turned away for not following procedure exactly. The office processing exports closes at 4 PM sharp, even if you're in line, you will be out of luck. Make sure your car is parked immediately in front of the building, mine wasn't and she made me bring to the building and get back in line. She wasn't happy that eveybody in line let me back to the front and chewed me out for not having parked it in the right place for inspection and then expecting others to be sympathetic. It was just an oversight on my part; BTW, I did not see her inspect any cars while I was there.

Waited in line with the many other shoppers to pay my GST, after completing Form 1, at the solitary cashier. Totally uneventful.

I went to the RIV office at The West Mall at 9AM this morning, paid my fee and received the required paperwork for Canadian Tire inspection. I stumbled across the CT on The Queensway, just E of 427 and had my inspection done in less than 1 hour.

And on to an MTO office for registration; paid my PST and had plates in hand by 11AM. It was that simple.

Voilà, my LGT is now legit.

Thanks to the Karl for making it so simple, with all the neccesary documents and the many posters here for freely providing the information and encouragement to save the many thousands of dollars by importing a car from the US.

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/7985/lgtcz7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[jdeals]

It looks great!

How long did you have to wait for your car?

Jdeals

[Ebola]

Well that was another insane weekend at work.

Thanks to all you people spending copious amounts of cash on your shopping trips to the US, kept us backed up all day. :razz:

Andd everyday we get more and more vehicles and different kinds... I had my first racing snowmobile yesterday. Weird.. converting a snowmobile to race on asphalt.

[ggweci]

I've just finished putting Ontario plates on my Subie LGT, bought from Karl of Van Bortel in Rochester.

Karl picked me up from the Rochester airport Friday morning

WOW! Talk about service!! Nice job Karl.

[Jonavin]

Nice job on the import info.

TV and newspaper articles on the issue is really pissing me off. They are totally down playing the significant savings that can be had. I can see it from their point of view that they want to protect their local dealer ads, but the bias is just ridiculous.

We should start a "I imported and saved X $" thread. I bet it's a lot more the few $1000-$2000 the media is reporting.

[shopper-X]

Nice job on the import info.

TV and newspaper articles on the issue is really pissing me off. They are totally down playing the significant savings that can be had. I can see it from their point of view that they want to protect their local dealer ads, but the bias is just ridiculous.

We should start a "I imported and saved X $" thread. I bet it's a lot more the few $1000-$2000 the media is reporting.

Protect their local dealers when they themsleves import vehicles to cash in.
example: Kanata Ford (http://www.kanataford.com/flash.html) - Toyota Sienna's (mentioned a few pages back) They have already sold a bunch of them, making a profit and crying of lost sales. You can not have it both ways.

[GoodDeal]

I never stopped at the US Customs when I crossed the border last week with a new 2008 Subaru. I had no problem getting Form I & II and getting the inspection done at Canadian Tire.

But I wanted to make sure everything is legit, so I fedexed the Certificate of Origin to the Ogdensburg border and I picked them up today. The paperwork took about 15 minutes at US Customs.

[Monsieurmaggot]

Thanks to the Karl for making it so simple, with all the neccesary documents and the many posters here for freely providing the information and encouragement to save the many thousands of dollars by importing a car from the US.

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/7985/lgtcz7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Great looking car. If I was looking for a sedan, that would surely be the one I would get.

I'm happy to include you in the RFD's SUPER SAVER CLUB.

Too bad there are folks out there charging money for information on how to import a car.

I should start appearing on radio shows and plugging this site instead of "my book".

[uncle_odb]

A BIG, BIG thank you to all RFDers, especially MonsieurMagot and Uncle_odb, and the supportive Zach, for all the info shared (and almost instant response to worries and queries) on this thread. We would not have tackled this import process without this blog.

The new Subie LLBean is now happily registered and plated in BC after a Saturday morning at new Vancouver mall that has a Canadian Tire next door to an ICBC agents office. All told, total savings are $10,822 on the firm price I was quoted by local Subie dealers ( I see they are now offering 2000 off, but that would not have changed my mind).

It took a time only because there was a big line up in the CT service garage: the actual inspections took only 15 minutes. By the way, the Federl Inspection for RIV cost only about 40 bucks out of the $117 charge (not $120 as posted elsewhere) was for the BC provincial inspection (for which the mechanic had to check off a list that thing had 4 wheels that go round and round, the lights come on with the switch, it has horn that works ...). The reason for the higher charge is that he has to take it for a test drive (round the mall parking lot).

The amusing thing was that the ICBC agent we registered the car with was about to import a new car herself (from a Honda dealership near to our resident Zach in fact) and was asking all sorts of questions. So I pointed her at this blog of course. I think she may have some interesting contributions: for example she said she was thinking of purchasing an independent 7-year warranty, which she then found that Canadian dealars say they will refuse to honor.

Hi Teep,

I'm glad I could help. Congrats on your new Subie (I mean your wife's Subie)! :cheesygri

[leta01]

A dealer in MA which I am about to buy an SUV from insisted that I have to pay their State taxes (about 5%). Is there a way I can avoid it or getting it back ?

Thanks.

[tico 1948]

A dealer in MA which I am about to buy an SUV from insisted that I have to pay their State taxes (about 5%). Is there a way I can avoid it or getting it back ?

Thanks.

Avoid the sales tax, find a dealer in New Hampshire. No state tax:) . Just a suggestion.

[Symcrapico]

Does anyone know where I can confirm that the New Hamshire Temp License is valid in Quebec?

[ExcelPremium]

guys...anyone know what would happen if the seller drove the car to Canada and left it here?(IE: I pay him when he comes to Canada and he fly's back down to USA)

Does it work? If not how come?

[icecom]

I got my 2007 Veracruz licensed today. It was so easy, I emailed MSO, online RIV fee receipt, and recall clearance letter this morning. Called around 2:00 pm and the girl said your form is ready. hang up the phone check my email and it's there. 10 minutes at a CT, they keep the form II, just stamped form I. Went over to MTO, a long wait about 30 minutes. Paid PST and got licensed. The counter clerk was asking me about safety, I told her it's brand new and don't need safety. She verified with others and got everything ready for me in 10 minutes. The reason I think is that they are dealing with used vehicle transactions all the time and don't usually deal with new vehicles, new vehicle registration is done by dealer counter, so the dealer counter clerks are familiar with new vehicle registration requirement. If you stuck, just ask them to confirm with dealer counter clerk.

I was skeptical on the clearance letter at first, it was printed from Hyundai website called "Warranty Vehicle Information" and said "no outstanding campaigns". But RIV approved it no problem.

The whole process is so easy, not much different than buying local. You only need to find out a US dealer willing to work with you.
I figure I saved around 12K compared to buying in Canada.

Thanks OP, thanks everyone contributed in this forum and everyone who sent me leads. THANKS!!!!

[coolman217]

Quick question:

After obtaining form 2, we take it to CT to have the vehicle inspected. Once it passes inspection, form 1 gets stamped. Do we have to wait for the Canadian Certified label to arrive before you can insure the car or you can basically insure the car once the inspection is cleared? Many thanks!

[icecom]

You can insure it on your pick up date.


Quick question:

After obtaining form 2, we take it to CT to have the vehicle inspected. Once it passes inspection, form 1 gets stamped. Do we have to wait for the Canadian Certified label to arrive before you can insure the car or you can basically insure the car once the inspection is cleared? Many thanks!

[dealcatcher]

I got my 2007 Veracruz licensed today. It was so easy, I emailed MSO, online RIV fee receipt, and recall clearance letter this morning. Called around 2:00 pm and the girl said your form is ready. hang up the phone check my email and it's there. 10 minutes at a CT, they keep the form II, just stamped form I. Went over to MTO, a long wait about 30 minutes. Paid PST and got licensed. The counter clerk was asking me about safety, I told her it's brand new and don't need safety. She verified with others and got everything ready for me in 10 minutes. The reason I think is that they are dealing with used vehicle transactions all the time and don't usually deal with new vehicles, new vehicle registration is done by dealer counter, so the dealer counter clerks are familiar with new vehicle registration requirement. If you stuck, just ask them to confirm with dealer counter clerk.

I was skeptical on the clearance letter at first, it was printed from Hyundai website called "Warranty Vehicle Information" and said "no outstanding campaigns". But RIV approved it no problem.

The whole process is so easy, not much different than buying local. You only need to find out a US dealer willing to work with you.
I figure I saved around 12K compared to buying in Canada.

Thanks OP, thanks everyone contributed in this forum and everyone who sent me leads. THANKS!!!!

sORRY, I missed this "I emailed MSO, online RIV fee receipt, and recall clearance letter this morning", You have emailed RIV with attachment of MSO, online RIV fee receipt, and recall clearance letter ? all these can be done via email attachment?

[yatiger]

Hi all,

Does anyone knows any agent who helps buying cars from the US on a fee?

[icecom]

Just find a scanner or a fax machine with scanner. I prefer email over fax.


sORRY, I missed this "I emailed MSO, online RIV fee receipt, and recall clearance letter this morning", You have emailed RIV with attachment of MSO, online RIV fee receipt, and recall clearance letter ? all these can be done via email attachment?

[coolman217]

You can insure it on your pick up date.

Thanks Icecom! :)

[webthrasher]

Can anyone PM me with info on a US dealership that will sell the Toyota Camry to Canadians?

Thanks!

[sheriffabc]

Can anyone PM me with info on a US dealership that will sell the Toyota Camry to Canadians?

Thanks!

Please PM me too.

Thanks

[WalterQ]

Please PM me too.

Thanks

[toolman]

Please PM me too.

Thanks

I am just finalizing the deal of a Toyota Sienna XLE with some options. (Custom order) should be ready in about 3 weeks. I will not publish the name of my dealer in here but if you e-mail me with the details of what your looking for I will talk to the salesperson..

[Billyboy]

I am considering buying:

- Volvo S40 T5 or
- Lexus IS 250

in the US and importing to Canada.

Anyone have any experience with these cars?

Are they assembled in the US?
Are there any duties?
For the Lexus, is the warranty honoured in Canada?
Does anyone know of any dealers in the Northeastern US that would sell these?

Thanks.

[Sion]

Hey all!

I'm looking to import an 07 Toyota Camry Hybrid. Does anyone have any experience importing this car? Also, If anyone knows any dealers close to the Falls boarder that deals with Canadians can I please get a pm with a name ;)

I'm looking to import it within a week or two so any info would be GREATLY appreciated :cheesygri

[Ggilligan]

For anyone out there looking for a dealer, this is a site where you can get a list of them in each state plus rate them - it might help for some of you looking to hook up to buy from the US. Good luck. We are trying to find an alterntae dealer since ours fell through so I do not want to jepordize it until we have our vehicle. I originally posted on p. 362. Hope this site helps.


http://www.dealerrater.com/

[longdong]

I am considering buying:

- Volvo S40 T5 or
- Lexus IS 250

in the US and importing to Canada.

Anyone have any experience with these cars?

Are they assembled in the US?
Are there any duties?
For the Lexus, is the warranty honoured in Canada?
Does anyone know of any dealers in the Northeastern US that would sell these?

Thanks.

I knew about Volvo S40 , it made from Belgium. So prepare to pay extra bucks 6.1%. Currently the US Volvo dealer has a discount around 5k off the regular price for 2007 model.

[inkognito81]

I've been hunting for a VW Rabbit for a while now, and been shot down again and again by dealers with the same "against franchise yada-yada" story.

After reading this thread for a long while and reading about all the people importing Subaru's, I thought - "maybe I should look into that"... So I saw the Impreza 5-door, and loved it!

I always wondered why everybody was importing Outbacks and not Impreza... But I see why now; you obviously save more money because it's a more expensive car, but also the Outback is manufactured in North-America, and the Impreza is not :( Then I looked up the Rabbit, which I had failed to check before, and it is not manufactured in NA either...

I think I will end up going for the Impreza, since even with duty I will save a few thousand unless a Canadian dealer can give me a good deal.

Guess the hatchback models are not popular enough in NA to manufacture them over here. How annoying! :razz:

[scouzi]

I've been hunting for a VW Rabbit for a while now, and been shot down again and again by dealers with the same "against franchise yada-yada" story.

After reading this thread for a long while and reading about all the people importing Subaru's, I thought - "maybe I should look into that"... So I saw the Impreza 5-door, and loved it!

I always wondered why everybody was importing Outbacks and not Impreza... But I see why now; you obviously save more money because it's a more expensive car, but also the Outback is manufactured in North-America, and the Impreza is not :( Then I looked up the Rabbit, which I had failed to check before, and it is not manufactured in NA either...

I think I will end up going for the Impreza, since even with duty I will save a few thousand unless a Canadian dealer can give me a good deal.

Guess the hatchback models are not popular enough in NA to manufacture them over here. How annoying! :razz:

Congratulations! Another lost sale to VW for their stupid steering tactics. I do know a guy that bought a new EOS in the US through a Canadian dealer that he had bought plenty of cars from in the past.

I suggest that you e-mail Subaru and tell them that their stance has made them gain a sale overall just in case they are tempted to cross over to the wrong side.

[Monsieurmaggot]

I've been hunting for a VW Rabbit for a while now, and been shot down again and again by dealers with the same "against franchise yada-yada" story.

After reading this thread for a long while and reading about all the people importing Subaru's, I thought - "maybe I should look into that"... So I saw the Impreza 5-door, and loved it!

I always wondered why everybody was importing Outbacks and not Impreza... But I see why now; you obviously save more money because it's a more expensive car, but also the Outback is manufactured in North-America, and the Impreza is not :( Then I looked up the Rabbit, which I had failed to check before, and it is not manufactured in NA either...

I think I will end up going for the Impreza, since even with duty I will save a few thousand unless a Canadian dealer can give me a good deal.

Guess the hatchback models are not popular enough in NA to manufacture them over here. How annoying! :razz:

From that old 70s show "Grasshopper, follow in the footsteps of those before you".

I too looked at a bunch of cars. The Outback not only fit the bill but the savings in the US were tremendous. Many other RFDers noticed that as well. It's not that the Subaru is a better car that others, it's just too easy to import them and flip them for a profit.

I noticed that in Auto Trader, there are plenty of people importing cars and flipping them (Just like that Toyota dealer in Kanata) and making $10,000 on their imports. Hmmm, maybe we should complain to Toyota that the Ottawa area dealer is violating the franchise agreement.

There are others hell bent to want to charge people money to provide information on importing cars. That information is free. Some actually promote themselves as "import specialists". One poor sap actually had to pay for his FORM1. That form is completed for FREE and automatically by Canada Customs.

Oh well. If you're reading this you found the best source for importing US vehicles. Other RFDers! The folks charging you for information gathered most of it from here.

[Monsieurmaggot]

Van Bortel Subaru Canadian Customer Appreciation Get Together is a reality!

It will most likely be the weekend of October 21st. I have given up on the idea of having an outdoor picnic and have scraped together enough company money to have it at the Marriott on Bloor Street in Toronto. I am anticipating around 30 people. PLEASE PLEASE E-MAIL (not PM) ME IF YOU PLAN ON ATTENDING. I want to make sure that we have enough food and room.

Here's the skinny. Lunch for everyone with a chance to see some old faces again. I will also have three 2008 Subaru models on display outside in the Valet area. There will be more than enough time to see the US Spec version of the Tribeca, the Outback, and the Legacy. There will also be plenty of time to discuss the process with me and successful importers of Subarus. This is a perfect time for you guys to bring those friends, co-workers, and family members that want to know EXACTLY how you saved so much money on that shinny new Subie!

Like I said, please e-mail me at sales@vanbortelsubaru.com if you have an interest in attending.

Sign me up.

I'm sure a few Canadian dealers will be sending their "hit men" to meet me.

Maybe I need to wear a disguise.

Mr. DesRosiers will also be sending a representative. Someone to snap pictures of all those "rebel importers".

Karl, are you bringing a SpecB? Sweet ride...

[jakemtl]

I am considering buying:

- Volvo S40 T5 or
- Lexus IS 250

in the US and importing to Canada.

Anyone have any experience with these cars?

Are they assembled in the US?
Are there any duties?
For the Lexus, is the warranty honoured in Canada?
Does anyone know of any dealers in the Northeastern US that would sell these?

Thanks.

If i'm not mistaken, there was a post earlier on in this thread that stated the S40/V50 required a bumper mod for it to be acceptable. Do a search within this thread.

[bimmerfans]

I'm sending the link of this post to some of the BMW dealers in the US. Hope this helps a little bit.

[chinsterr]

I have read about 100 pages of this thread and it appears no one has had any luck with audi?

I am dying to get my hands on a new A4 from the states (seeing as how it will be 10K cheaper off the bat, before taxes/duties/etc).

[hammer]

Please PM me too.

Thanks


me too please.

[AllWheelDrift]

I have read about 100 pages of this thread and it appears no one has had any luck with audi?

I am dying to get my hands on a new A4 from the states (seeing as how it will be 10K cheaper off the bat, before taxes/duties/etc).
I've tried several Audi dealers with no luck. Please let me know if you find one. For now it looks like the only option for Audi is buying used.

[Kamloops]

I have read about 100 pages of this thread and it appears no one has had any luck with audi?

I am dying to get my hands on a new A4 from the states (seeing as how it will be 10K cheaper off the bat, before taxes/duties/etc).

Here is a thread on someone who imported a new Audi form the USA just last month. You may want to read it and PM the poster.

http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?p=527883

[chinsterr]

Here is a thread on someone who imported a new Audi form the USA just last month. You may want to read it and PM the poster.

http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?p=527883

Thanks , good find

I am in the process of pm'ing him now .


I've tried several Audi dealers with no luck. Please let me know if you find one. For now it looks like the only option for Audi is buying used.

If we do buy a used car , will the used car warranty (or balance of factory warranty) carry over to canada ?

[Billyboy]

So this is what I found out regarding the Volvo s40.

2008 model cannot be imported into Canada yet as RIV has no details on the car.

2005-2007 model can be imported WITHOUT any modifications required. Car has daytime running lights and spedometer is in both miles an km.

2000-2004 need some modifications, i.e bumper, lights etc.

Volvo honours full warranty in Canada on all models.

So basically, I need to find a new 2007 manual S40 T5 AWD and negotiate for less than the invoice price. Would that be about $4000 less than MRSP?

Has anyone imported a Volvo in the last year? Does anyone know of a VOLVO dealer that sells to Canadians?

[jj14]

Billyboy,
I imported a slightly used 2006 Volvo V50 T5 AWD (6 SPD) in May. I couldn't find a dealer to sell me a new one in the Pacific Northwest. No issues of warranty or compliance.

6.1% duty applies (assembled in Belgium).

[Kamloops]

Thanks , good find

I am in the process of pm'ing him now .



If we do buy a used car , will the used car warranty (or balance of factory warranty) carry over to canada ?


http://www.apa.ca/template.asp?DocID=253
Audi
1-800-822-2834
777 Bayly Street West, Ajax, ON
L1S 7G7

Warranty Coverage - Will have full Canadian warranty.

[inkognito81]

I keep going back and forth between the Impreza and Rabbit...

Are there any VW experts here that know of the top of their head whether there is a big difference between the 2007 and 2008 Rabbit?

Any information is welcome :)

(The Rabbit is still interesting to me since VW offers full Canadian warranty, and I like to have options.)

[Monsieurmaggot]

Call me paranoid but I find it interesting that people with one or two posts are asking me to provide them with specific US dealer information. In one case I've been asked to publicly request information on which Toyota, Lexus, Honda and BMW dealers will sell to Canadians and post that list on line.

As if....

Could it be Canadian dealers trying to find out who in the US is selling to Canadians?

Why don't they post that request themselves?

Personally, if you are negotiating with a US dealer for a "hard to get car" my advice would be to ensure you import the car BEFORE you tell people who they are.

I've heard some people negotiate for a car, sign the paperwork THEN are told that they've received a message saying they can't sell to Canadians.

On another matter, for those interested, here's a few snippets of what I've received from Western NY Lexus dealers:

"We cannot sell Lexus cars to Canadians. This comes right from our District Manager with Lexus and he received his information directly from Lexus Corporate. There would not be Lexus Canada if Canadians were allowed to purchase their vehicles in the US and import them".

"I'm sorry, but Lexus will not allow us to sell new Lexus's to Canadian citizens. We can, however, sell pre-owned, if you would be interested in a pre owned one, please let me know."

"There have been a lot of complaints against our selling practices. Sadly we have been informed that we can no longer sell any new Lexus or Toyota to any Canadian buyer... it is prohibited by the franchise agreement. You may have to go to the southern states for one..."

"While it is possible to sell you a certified used vehicle, we are prohibited from selling you a new Lexus or Toyota automobile. There are other manufacturer brands that we would be happy to sell you. Please check out the xxxx at our corporate website xxx".

That last guy didn't miss a trick. He pointed out that their dealership can sell me other NEW vehicles. You can guess who those large dealerships are simply by looking for WNY new car dealers on the Internet.

[dumbass]

I keep going back and forth between the Impreza and Rabbit...

Are there any VW experts here that know of the top of their head whether there is a big difference between the 2007 and 2008 Rabbit?

Any information is welcome :)

(The Rabbit is still interesting to me since VW offers full Canadian warranty, and I like to have options.)

But is the rabbit all-wheel drive? I had a 2004 Impreza, and it's AWD system really was amazing in winter. There's a reason Subaru won so many Rally races.

[chinsterr]

Are there any VW experts here that know of the top of their head whether there is a big difference between the 2007 and 2008 Rabbit?



+20hp (from 150 to 170)

Thats about it

[mk5gti]

I keep going back and forth between the Impreza and Rabbit...

Are there any VW experts here that know of the top of their head whether there is a big difference between the 2007 and 2008 Rabbit?

Any information is welcome :)

(The Rabbit is still interesting to me since VW offers full Canadian warranty, and I like to have options.)

as mentioned by the above, 20 more hp and few more pounds of torque, FYI, you won't be able to import a 08 GTI, becoz of the revised lower ride height, the 07 is ok.
but this does not effect the Rabbit.

btw, is the impreza build in North America? wondering if the duty charge apply to the Subaru line up

[mk5gti]

Here is a thread on someone who imported a new Audi form the USA just last month. You may want to read it and PM the poster.

http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?p=527883


This guy has a user name of AudiRS4, but he import a VW GTi
importing a new Audi could be tough >:(

[tiger_a_k]

I contacted one of the dealer in seattle and they replied to me that Toyota USA banned sales to Canadian residents..Dose that mean I have no way of buying the new 2008 RAV4? or if there are n e other ways please help me

[Tender]

I contacted one of the dealer in seattle and they replied to me that Toyota USA banned sales to Canadian residents..Dose that mean I have no way of buying the new 2008 RAV4? or if there are n e other ways please help me

If you read through the thread you'll see it's mentioned numerous times that Toyota will NOT allow the US dealers to sell new cars to Canadians. And you've contacted only one dealer. There might be someone who's brave enough to sell you one. If you can find one that does, keep it to yourself and do not post it publicly! As Monsieurmaggot suspected above, there could be Canadian dealers fishing the information here.

[Chipbug]

I contacted one of the dealer in seattle and they replied to me that Toyota USA banned sales to Canadian residents..Dose that mean I have no way of buying the new 2008 RAV4? or if there are n e other ways please help me

If they explicitly said so to their dealers, then I smell a lawsuit will be coming soon. There is no law in the US banning foreign citizens to buy car there. So specifically banning sales based on nationality seems to violate the civil right laws.

[chinsterr]

This guy has a user name of AudiRS4, but he import a VW GTi
importing a new Audi could be tough >:(

Gawd damn !!!!!!! I just want to save some money on the 2008 A4 quattro 3.2 :mad:

this is madness !!!! The difference is almost 10K !!!!! And our dollar will match/surpass theirs by Christmas.

[Kamloops]

If they explicitly said so to their dealers, then I smell a lawsuit will be coming soon. There is no law in the US banning foreign citizens to buy car there. So specifically banning sales based on nationality seems to violate the civil right laws.

Ya I was wondering about this angle.

Direct discrimination involves treating someone less favorably because of their possession of an attribute (e.g., sex, age, race, religion, family status, national origin, military status, disability), compared with someone without that attribute in the same circumstances.

[Louist]

Well we had as high as 1.01 at one point, and soon should be as high as 1.10.....imagine when USA prices are higher than ours, and we still save money cross border shopping. Ultimately our Canadian price will have to be LESS that the American price.

That is just how insane a reality the manufacturers live in.

32000.00 US would be 29200 Canadian, at 1.10 dollar. SO a car priced as low at 2k less or 30,000 here would still cost more than the US. LOL.

Would the 6% Duty be paid at the lower converted 29200 canadian, or at the higher 32000 american?

[shopper-X]

...Would the 6% Duty be paid at the lower converted 29200 canadian, or at the higher 32000 american?

On the Canadian Value.

[Tender]

Well we had as high as 1.01 at one point, and soon should be as high as 1.10.....imagine when USA prices are higher than ours, and we still save money cross border shopping. Ultimately our Canadian price will have to be LESS that the American price.

That is just how insane a reality the manufacturers live in.

32000.00 US would be 29200 Canadian, at 1.10 dollar. SO a car priced as low at 2k less or 30,000 here would still cost more than the US. LOL.

Would the 6% Duty be paid at the lower converted 29200 canadian, or at the higher 32000 american?

It's the same since you're paying CDN in the end.

USD 32,000 x 6.1% = USD 1,952 / 1.10 = CDN 1,775
CDN 29,091 x 6.1% = CDN 1,775 (don't know how you got CDN 29,200 with 1.10 rate though as USD 32,000 / 1.10 = CDN 29,091)

[AllWheelDrift]

Gawd damn !!!!!!! I just want to save some money on the 2008 A4 quattro 3.2 :mad:

this is madness !!!! The difference is almost 10K !!!!! And our dollar will match/surpass theirs by Christmas.
I contact a dealer about having them title the car first so they could sell it to me as used. I was told:

Audi's hip to that manouver, and have put in place mechanisms to keep it from happening.

[moguy]

I'm on the market for a new car, and i just can't bring myself to buy a new cdn vehicle, but at the same time I don't know if I can find the time to successfully locate and import an American vehicle.

This price gap is sooo ridiculous. I'm so sick of us getting shafted on everything from hamburgers to BMW's

Has anyone had any luck going across the border and picking up a used vehicle without arranging it ahead of time?

I've found lots of lots with 100's of used cars (2006+). I was wondering if I could go down, shop around, find a vehicle, buy it, and then start the paperwork. Then spend a few days in the states, and then bring it back.

Possible?

It seems that all the examples I've seen on this thread were arranged prior to even seeing the vehicle.

Thanks.

[scouzi]

Ya I was wondering about this angle.

Direct discrimination involves treating someone less favorably because of their possession of an attribute (e.g., sex, age, race, religion, family status, national origin, military status, disability), compared with someone without that attribute in the same circumstances.


They are not banning on nationality. They are banning sale for export. An American with a Canadian address could not buy either.

[Monsieurmaggot]

Subaru Tribeca sales in the US up 33% year over year.

Must be thanks in part to all the Canadians buying down south.

http://www.subaru.com/common/news/article_details.jsp?file=latest_news_index.xml&articleId=20070904&attrNavItemId=NEWS_LATEST_NEWS

What's really interesting is Subaru sales in the US continue to climb:

http://www.subaru.com/common/news/index.jsp?file=corp_sales_index.xml&attrNavItemId=news_corporate_sales_results

[iamhappy]

Anyone can tell me if I can pay GST/PST by credit card at border, thanks.

[Duffydog]

Ya I was wondering about this angle.

Direct discrimination involves treating someone less favorably because of their possession of an attribute (e.g., sex, age, race, religion, family status, national origin, military status, disability), compared with someone without that attribute in the same circumstances.

I know that Ford dealers had it in their contract...

Also say on a Buffalo Acura dealers website no sales into Canada..

[Monsieurmaggot]

Anyone can tell me if I can pay GST/PST by credit card at border, thanks.

All methods of payment: Cash, ALL major credit cards, debit and maybe even personal cheques. You'd be an idiot to give the government a bum cheque.

[Louist]

680 News reported that September was a very slow one in Canada for Auto sales.....go figure.

At the same time tribeca in states is up 30%. this is poetic.

[Kamloops]

They are not banning on nationality. They are banning sale for export. An American with a Canadian address could not buy either.

I bet they would sell to a mexican

[diigii]

But...but....Mr DesRosiers would debunk that none of those sales include the exported cars to Canada. :cheesygri I really couldn't resist :D


Subaru Tribeca sales in the US up 33% year over year.

Must be thanks in part to all the Canadians buying down south.

http://www.subaru.com/common/news/article_details.jsp?file=latest_news_index.xml&articleId=20070904&attrNavItemId=NEWS_LATEST_NEWS

What's really interesting is Subaru sales in the US continue to climb:

http://www.subaru.com/common/news/index.jsp?file=corp_sales_index.xml&attrNavItemId=news_corporate_sales_results

[diigii]

680 News reported that September was a very slow one in Canada for Auto sales.....go figure.

At the same time tribeca in states is up 30%. this is poetic.

Yeah, 33% sales increase should be viewed as an industry record for a single model. Canadian Subaru dealers are probably salivating on that stat and could only wish they had those sales units. IF ONLY!!!!

But....but.... Mr DesRosiers claimed last month that it was a record month for Canadian dealers? :cheesygri

[inkognito81]

But is the rabbit all-wheel drive? I had a 2004 Impreza, and it's AWD system really was amazing in winter. There's a reason Subaru won so many Rally races.

You are right sir! Must have misplaced my marbles for a while - completely forgot about the AWD :rolleyes:




...
btw, is the impreza build in North America? wondering if the duty charge apply to the Subaru line up

The Impreza is manufactured in Japan according to the VIN (starts with J)

[shoprbccom]

What is the link to the manufacturer cross-border warranty information?

[sonic19982]

All 2008 vehicles are eligible for import. RIV just hasn’t updated their list. I recently imported a 2008 Sienna 2 weeks ago.



So this is what I found out regarding the Volvo s40.

2008 model cannot be imported into Canada yet as RIV has no details on the car.

2005-2007 model can be imported WITHOUT any modifications required. Car has daytime running lights and spedometer is in both miles an km.

2000-2004 need some modifications, i.e bumper, lights etc.

Volvo honours full warranty in Canada on all models.

So basically, I need to find a new 2007 manual S40 T5 AWD and negotiate for less than the invoice price. Would that be about $4000 less than MRSP?

Has anyone imported a Volvo in the last year? Does anyone know of a VOLVO dealer that sells to Canadians?

[Monsieurmaggot]

Mr DesRosiers claimed last month that it was a record month for Canadian dealers? :cheesygri

Remember he IS Canada's automotive expert.

He mentioned the automotive sector in Canada sells about 4 million units per year. The 680new.com articles says "Total sales for the month were 131,827, down from 135,764 in September 2006, according to an industry tally Tuesday by DesRosiers Automotive Consultants". So now he's downplaying his earlier statement to suit the story.

Here's a new headline then:

Using the 4 million units per year logic, we should be averaging about 330,000 cars per month. If that's the case, then it looks like the

Canadian automotive sector has collapsed. Sales down almost 170%.. I guess it's all how it's presented.

What is it 1.5 million or 4 million cars sold in Canada Mr. DesRosiers?

Is my math wrong? Anyone?

If I'm right then US-imports now account for over 10% of the Canadian market. That number is climbing at an exponential rate. Which is it?

We've had almost 150,000 hits in one week on this thread.

[inkognito81]

What is the link to the manufacturer cross-border warranty information?


http://www.apa.ca/template.asp?DocID=253

[Xtreme2001]

I've been looking to import a motorcycle from Michigan and i've called several dealers and the larger ones have turned me down saying I need a U.S address for them to sell it, whereas, the small dealers were more than happy to make the sale. I am expected to save 4k.

Question - which i'm sure has been answered.

When you're purchasing brand new, do you have to pay both GST and PST (Ontario) when you bring the vehicle back, or is just one tax?

[inkognito81]

I've been looking to import a motorcycle from Michigan and i've called several dealers and the larger ones have turned me down saying I need a U.S address for them to sell it, whereas, the small dealers were more than happy to make the sale. I am expected to save 4k.

Question - which i'm sure has been answered.

When you're purchasing brand new, do you have to pay both GST and PST (Ontario) when you bring the vehicle back, or is just one tax?

You have to pay both taxes. GST at the border and PST when you register the vehicle.

[jadeboy]

All 2008 vehicles are eligible for import. RIV just hasn’t updated their list. I recently imported a 2008 Sienna 2 weeks ago.

I phoned riv.ca and they said that the 2008 Toyota/Lexus are not importable yet and they would not give me a date when will be or how I would resolve the problem. Your Sienna is a Van/Truck which fits into category 5 so you can import it. But all other passenger vehicles are not importable for Toyota/Lexus (and many other brands).

[Xtreme2001]

You have to pay both taxes. GST at the border and PST when you register the vehicle.
Thanks

One other question - Insurance.

When you pick the vehicle up and if you plan on driving it back, will the insurance company in Canada (in my case Ontario) insure you because you will not have a Canadian plate until you register the vehicle?

[uncle_odb]

Anyone can tell me if I can pay GST/PST by credit card at border, thanks.

You can pay the GST and RIV fee at the border using your credit card. The PST is paid when you are insuring your car after your inspections are done. I'm sure all insurance brokers accept credit cards as well.

[jadeboy]

I phoned riv.ca and they said that the 2008 Toyota/Lexus are not importable yet and they would not give me a date when will be or how I would resolve the problem. Your Sienna is a Van/Truck which fits into category 5 so you can import it. But all other passenger vehicles are not importable for Toyota/Lexus (and many other brands).


OK I phoned again... this time... I got a answer that... they are UPDATING the riv.ca importable list... so the 2008 Lexus (maybe other vehicles) will be importable within this WEEK or NEXT WEEK.:razz:

[shoprbccom]

Where is the Lexus IS 350 manuf? Any issues bringing it into Canada?

[Yorker86]

Monsieurmaggot and all you other fellas are doing an awesome job. Keep it up and let us spread the word even further.

Just the other day we had a guest speaker, a newspaper columnist from the National Post walked into the class. I managed to put my 2 cents in regarding the price difference of vehicles sold in Canada as opposed to the vehicles sold in the United States. As someone on here previously said, "I craped on them with rfd reality". It was a little awkward though since the topic was Theatre :cheesygri. Anyways, the more people know, the better.

Also, Monsieurmaggot, Karl and whoever else is showing up to the import meeting, take pictures!

[Cheapster]

Lexus IS350 is made in Japan

[crasher]

:mad: No rebate (http://www.tc.gc.ca/programs/environment/ecotransport/ecoauto.aspx?file=f) for me:mad:, even though I paid same tax as shoppers here. What EcoRebate has to do with dealers, when my car(TCH) is eco friendly.:confused:
Is there an ombudsman, where I can complain. I wrote a letter to Transport minister, and no reponse from him.:mad:

[fl4wless]

Okay ive read a fair amount of this thread, well mostly the first 20+ pages and have searched through and picked up some info. When i have more time i will spend some more time though, but anyway im highly considering a slightly used IS250

Couple of questions.

1) When do you actually pay the duty + GST for the vehicle? at the border? or do they bill you? if at the border...what method do they accept?

2) What insurance options out there for while driving the vehicle back to canada before obtaining it here. Approximate costs?

3) For those of you who dont require financing, what is the easiest way to pay these dealers without a US Account? Just take a USD bank draft or money order from here?

[crasher]

Okay ive read a fair amount of this thread, well mostly the first 20+ pages and have searched through and picked up some info. When i have more time i will spend some more time though, but anyway im highly considering a slightly used IS250

Couple of questions.

1) When do you actually pay the duty + GST for the vehicle? at the border? or do they bill you? if at the border...what method do they accept?
Pay at canada custom while crossing the border, they accept all CC


2) What insurance options out there for while driving the vehicle back to canada before obtaining it here. Approximate costs?
If you have insurance in Ontario. your new vehicle is automatically covered for 14 days with same coverage as your previous(you have insurance for both vehicles for 14 days)


3) For those of you who dont require financing, what is the easiest way to pay these dealers without a US Account? Just take a USD bank draft or money order from here?
I found XE. com as competive rates with free EFT and drafts. TD borderless is convenient and efficient. Depends on your dealer, what he accepts.

[Shear1]

What happens if the RIV makes you export a vehicle because it is not admissable. How do you recieve your GST refund?

[Symcrapico]

Can anyone confirm that the US Export office at the port of entry Massena/Cornwall require to have to original Bill of sales as well as the original MCO sent to them by courrier.

Im in Montreal and I am buying a 2.5GT from Xan at Manchester Subaru in New Hampshire. I've checked my border options, and both Lacolle/Champlain and Derby Line/Stanstead require the future car owning to take physically the original BoS and well as the MCO the their office. :mad:

So my only hope is that I can send via courrier this paperwork to the Massena/Cornwall US Export office. It a 100km more drive for me!

[Symcrapico]

3) For those of you who dont require financing, what is the easiest way to pay these dealers without a US Account? Just take a USD bank draft or money order from here?
For those in Québec and that have an account with Desjardins, as of today, october 2nd 2007, i did a wire transfer of 26243US$ and it costs me 26611CAD$ including all fee and exchange reate at my Desjardins bank.

[scouzi]

Can anyone confirm that the US Export office at the port of entry Massena/Cornwall require to have to original Bill of sales as well as the original MCO sent to them by courrier.

Im in Montreal and I am buying a 2.5GT from Xan at Manchester Subaru in New Hampshire. I've checked my border options, and both Lacolle/Champlain and Derby Line/Stanstead require the future car owning to take physically the original BoS and well as the MCO the their office. :mad:

So my only hope is that I can send via courrier this paperwork to the Massena/Cornwall US Export office. It a 100km more drive for me!

I'm not sure about having to be the future owner.

In my case , the dealer sent an employee 72 hrs in advance to Highgate Springs. (I-89 crossing). I'm not the one who brought it there but I did drive my car across.

They do want a physical person to bring it in however as you said.

[scouzi]

Remember he IS Canada's automotive expert.

He mentioned the automotive sector in Canada sells about 4 million units per year. The 680new.com articles says "Total sales for the month were 131,827, down from 135,764 in September 2006, according to an industry tally Tuesday by DesRosiers Automotive Consultants". So now he's downplaying his earlier statement to suit the story.

Here's a new headline then:

Using the 4 million units per year logic, we should be averaging about 330,000 cars per month. If that's the case, then it looks like the

Canadian automotive sector has collapsed. Sales down almost 170%.. I guess it's all how it's presented.

What is it 1.5 million or 4 million cars sold in Canada Mr. DesRosiers?

Is my math wrong? Anyone?

If I'm right then US-imports now account for over 10% of the Canadian market. That number is climbing at an exponential rate. Which is it?

We've had almost 150,000 hits in one week on this thread.

I think Canadians are buying around 1.6 million cars a year. I'm not sure how many we produce however.

As much as I don't like the guy, I think he's right that most imports are used. I read in a newspaper article that RIV stats show that only 10 000 cars imported this year were 2007s.There was probably some new 2006 at the start of the year that should be counted as new also.

[Billyboy]

First off, let me say that this site and this thread is amazing. There are so many knowledgeable people here and it's nice to see so many people sharing and helping each other out.

Like someone else on this thread, I too am considering a Lexus IS 250 (along with a Volvo S-40 T5).

I have now expanded my search to include BMW 328i, Mercedes C300 and Volkswagon Passat 2.0T, because of some concern about being able to find a dealer who will sell me a NEW car in the Northeastern USA.

So basically, we have BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Volkswagon and Lexus all of which honour their warranties and all of which require minor modifications, if any. Mercedes' warranty won't include corrosion and they obligate you to take the car to them for modifications.

OK, here are my questions:[/COLOR]

1. [COLOR="DarkRed"]Is there a site that lists what car models are assembled in the US? I would think that from my list, perhaps only the Lexus would be assembled in the US and thus be exempt from duty?

2. Will I find a dealer to sell me a NEW car in the USA? Has anyone imported any of these models new? If anyone know of any dealers, please email me privately. Naturally, I will keep searching but it is extremely time consuming..

3. If no dealer wants to sell me a NEW car, I can get a friend in the US to buy it for me and then "GIFT" or "SELL" it to me. Then I would be looking a state tax on top of any duties (it's getting expensive). Is there a site where I can find out what states don't have any sales tax or what the sales tax is in a particular state?

4. What is the process for importing a "used" car purchased from a private individual? What paperwork and time limits are involved?

5. If my friend "GIFTS" me the car rather than sells it to me, will that avoid me having to pay GST/QST at the border?

I guess I can just buy a used "certified" pre-owned car and be done with it, but I have noticed that the price difference between these cars (often 2 years old with 30,000km) and new 2008 models is within $5,000. Not worth it when you consider that the new cars have more features (such as Bluetooth, new trims, etc.) and that I can 'build' the new car to my specifications.
Furthermore, the price difference between a certified pre-owned in the States in Canada narrows, compared to the new cars.

Lots of questions here. Any help is appreciated.

[SiR001]

You need to email riv.ca to notify them. I emailed them with regards to VW's not being updated as compared to 08 Subarus..... took them a few days for a reply and update.


So this is what I found out regarding the Volvo s40.

2008 model cannot be imported into Canada yet as RIV has no details on the car.

2005-2007 model can be imported WITHOUT any modifications required. Car has daytime running lights and spedometer is in both miles an km.

2000-2004 need some modifications, i.e bumper, lights etc.

Volvo honours full warranty in Canada on all models.

So basically, I need to find a new 2007 manual S40 T5 AWD and negotiate for less than the invoice price. Would that be about $4000 less than MRSP?

Has anyone imported a Volvo in the last year? Does anyone know of a VOLVO dealer that sells to Canadians?

[Tekken_War]

Hi guys,
I'm was looking this topic since day 1, so I usually just look the post. But today, the reason i register is this:

Vehicle sales slip 2.9% in September (http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2007/10/02/autosales.html)


Sales of new cars and light trucks in Canada fell 2.9 per cent in September from the same month last year, and one analyst thinks the perception that Canadian cars are priced too high may be a factor.

Ford, GM, Toyota, Honda and Nissan were among 13 companies that reported lower Canadian sales last month. Chrysler was the lone member of the Big Three to report higher sales (up 5.1 per cent).

With the Canadian dollar reaching parity against the U.S. greenback on Sept. 20, many media stories focused on the sometimes wildly differing prices being charged for what appeared to be the same goods — including cars — on opposite sides of the border.

"It seems many believe … that the [automakers] are ripping them off," auto industry analyst Dennis DesRosiers said in e-mailed comments. "This could be one of the reasons that the market was down."

DesRosiers said his analysis of the price differentials shows that "for the most part, Canada-U.S. vehicle prices are not out of line."

But he acknowledges that many consumers don't agree and might have just "sat on their hands" last month, waiting for Canadian prices to come down.

In the United States, analysts were expecting September sales to be down four per cent year-over-year.

That jackass even said that the Canadian dealers are ripping us.
Here is my answer to him, in case he reads this forum --> F*CK YO*!

Boy it feels good. Thanks for publishing my reply and bear with my English. :S

Also I hope I can someday import the Lexus LS 600h or BMW M5.

[spender]

1. Is there a site that lists what car models are assembled in the US? I would think that from my list, perhaps only the Lexus would be assembled in the US and thus be exempt from duty?


All Lexus models EXCEPT the RX (which is ironically assembled in Canada) are built in Japan. So, ironically, you could buy an RX in the U.S. and pay less for it than you would in Canada, even though it was built here!

[jadeboy]

You need to email riv.ca to notify them. I emailed them with regards to VW's not being updated as compared to 08 Subarus..... took them a few days for a reply and update.

What did they reply with?

[SiR001]

What did they reply with?

they thanked me for informing them and updated the VW to include 2008 models.

[DSTU]

First off, let me say that this site and this thread is amazing. There are so many knowledgeable people here and it's nice to see so many people sharing and helping each other out.

Like someone else on this thread, I too am considering a Lexus IS 250 (along with a Volvo S-40 T5).

I have now expanded my search to include BMW 328i, Mercedes C300 and Volkswagon Passat 2.0T, because of some concern about being able to find a dealer who will sell me a NEW car in the Northeastern USA.

So basically, we have BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Volkswagon and Lexus all of which honour their warranties and all of which require minor modifications, if any. Mercedes' warranty won't include corrosion and they obligate you to take the car to them for modifications.

OK, here are my questions:[/COLOR]

1. [COLOR="DarkRed"]Is there a site that lists what car models are assembled in the US? I would think that from my list, perhaps only the Lexus would be assembled in the US and thus be exempt from duty?

2. Will I find a dealer to sell me a NEW car in the USA? Has anyone imported any of these models new? If anyone know of any dealers, please email me privately. Naturally, I will keep searching but it is extremely time consuming..

3. If no dealer wants to sell me a NEW car, I can get a friend in the US to buy it for me and then "GIFT" or "SELL" it to me. Then I would be looking a state tax on top of any duties (it's getting expensive). Is there a site where I can find out what states don't have any sales tax or what the sales tax is in a particular state?

4. What is the process for importing a "used" car purchased from a private individual? What paperwork and time limits are involved?

5. If my friend "GIFTS" me the car rather than sells it to me, will that avoid me having to pay GST/QST at the border?

I guess I can just buy a used "certified" pre-owned car and be done with it, but I have noticed that the price difference between these cars (often 2 years old with 30,000km) and new 2008 models is within $5,000. Not worth it when you consider that the new cars have more features (such as Bluetooth, new trims, etc.) and that I can 'build' the new car to my specifications.
Furthermore, the price difference between a certified pre-owned in the States in Canada narrows, compared to the new cars.

Lots of questions here. Any help is appreciated.

Holy Mackerel - they all have been asked and answerd numerous times

SEARCH is your friend, don't be afraid to use it.

[ggweci]

Driving to work in Markham this morning and saw a Subura Outback with Van Bortel plate covers :D

[michelb]

What happens if the RIV makes you export a vehicle because it is not admissable. How do you recieve your GST refund?

I suspect that you can just apply for a GST refund the same way you can if you are overcharged the taxes on a shipment through Canada Post however the GST refund should be the least of your concerns; if you can't import the car into Canada, you're probably really stuck since I suspect you won't be able to re-import it into the US without a US address so you'll be stuck with a car that you can't drive and probably can't sell, ...

[MMMM]

Article in the Globe today, which tries to show Canadians (most Canadians:cheesygri ) just don't give a damn about saving money!

http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071003.wrreynolds03/BNStory/robColumnsBlogs/home


What explains the extraordinary divergence in retail prices between the U.S. and Canada? Put it down, in the end, to a deeply entrenched Canadian willingness to pay more for many goods than they are worth. Put it down to consumer laziness. Especially now, Canadians can pay much less by crossing the border or by ordering direct from the U.S. Most Canadians, though, won't.

[jadeboy]

they thanked me for informing them and updated the VW to include 2008 models.

I did the same thing for the Lexus IS 350 about several weeks ago... and they said it was not importable.. can you post your template of your message...

[tzcnd]

Call me paranoid but I find it interesting that people with one or two posts are asking me to provide them with specific US dealer information. In one case I've been asked to publicly request information on which Toyota, Lexus, Honda and BMW dealers will sell to Canadians and post that list on line.

As if....

Could it be Canadian dealers trying to find out who in the US is selling to Canadians?

Why don't they post that request themselves?

Personally, if you are negotiating with a US dealer for a "hard to get car" my advice would be to ensure you import the car BEFORE you tell people who they are.

I've heard some people negotiate for a car, sign the paperwork THEN are told that they've received a message saying they can't sell to Canadians.

On another matter, for those interested, here's a few snippets of what I've received from Western NY Lexus dealers:

"We cannot sell Lexus cars to Canadians. This comes right from our District Manager with Lexus and he received his information directly from Lexus Corporate. There would not be Lexus Canada if Canadians were allowed to purchase their vehicles in the US and import them".

"I'm sorry, but Lexus will not allow us to sell new Lexus's to Canadian citizens. We can, however, sell pre-owned, if you would be interested in a pre owned one, please let me know."

"There have been a lot of complaints against our selling practices. Sadly we have been informed that we can no longer sell any new Lexus or Toyota to any Canadian buyer... it is prohibited by the franchise agreement. You may have to go to the southern states for one..."

"While it is possible to sell you a certified used vehicle, we are prohibited from selling you a new Lexus or Toyota automobile. There are other manufacturer brands that we would be happy to sell you. Please check out the xxxx at our corporate website xxx".

That last guy didn't miss a trick. He pointed out that their dealership can sell me other NEW vehicles. You can guess who those large dealerships are simply by looking for WNY new car dealers on the Internet.


Hopefully you had a chance to forward this to the law firm handling the class action law suit. Toyota needs a judgement against them.

[VWPablo]

Alright, this is becoming extremely frustrating. After finding this site and how the process works, I've been contacting Toyota dealers in New York State for 3 weeks now trying to find one willing to sell me a Sienna XLE with "option B" package. All are saying no due to Corporate Toyota directive. Wonder if I can sue Toyota myself in small claims court for the $7.5K extra I'm going to have to spend in Canada?

If anyone has a lead on a US dealer willing to take my money, much appreciated. ;)

[clem24]

I suspect that you can just apply for a GST refund the same way you can if you are overcharged the taxes on a shipment through Canada Post however the GST refund should be the least of your concerns; if you can't import the car into Canada, you're probably really stuck since I suspect you won't be able to re-import it into the US without a US address so you'll be stuck with a car that you can't drive and probably can't sell, ...

I don't even think you'll get to that point of paying GST. I believe they look up the admissability of the car as it crosses the border. Just my suspicion though. When I was crossing Sweetgrass a few weeks ago, I saw a Mitsu Lancer Evo in the impound lot (which I guess was there for at least a week). Wonder if they confiscated it.

[clem24]

Alright, this is becoming extremely frustrating. After finding this site and how the process works, I've been contacting Toyota dealers in New York State for 3 weeks now trying to find one willing to sell me a Sienna XLE with "option B" package. All are saying no due to Corporate Toyota directive. Wonder if I can sue Toyota myself in small claims court for the $7.5K extra I'm going to have to spend in Canada?

If anyone has a lead on a US dealer willing to take my money, much appreciated. ;)

I believe in this thread you'll find leads for a dealer in Buffalo, that state Toyota USA do not check up on addresses reported on the bill of sale (wink wink).... If I understood it correctly. :lol:

[inkognito81]

Call me paranoid but I find it interesting that people with one or two posts are asking me to provide them with specific US dealer information....

Just a friendly reminder :)

[jadeboy]

I don't even think you'll get to that point of paying GST. I believe they look up the admissability of the car as it crosses the border. Just my suspicion though. When I was crossing Sweetgrass a few weeks ago, I saw a Mitsu Lancer Evo in the impound lot (which I guess was there for at least a week). Wonder if they confiscated it.

Could you post information about Sweetgrass and the Coutts crossing.... I am from Calgary and would like to cross that crossing..

1. Hour of operation for Sweet Grass for EXPORT (24 hours/7days)?
2. Hour of operation for the Coutts for Import (24 Hours/7 days)?
3. Papers requirements, can you fax/email/etc... person of contact/email address?
4. Any suggestion

Anything with your experience will be helpful, more is bettter.

Thank you.

[shopper-X]

Could you post information about Sweetgrass and the Coutts crossing.... I am from Calgary and would like to cross that crossing..

1. Hour of operation for Sweet Grass for EXPORT (24 hours/7days)?
2. Hour of operation for the Coutts for Import (24 Hours/7 days)?
3. Papers requirements, can you fax/email/etc... person of contact/email address?
4. Any suggestion

Anything with your experience will be helpful, more is bettter.

Thank you.

a quick google SEARCH for "export vehicle sweetgrass" and the first link is this one...LINK (http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/export/export_docs/vehicle_exports/72_hrs_before_commercial.xml)
There is even a worksheet on the right to help the processs.
Hope this helps.

[Billyboy]

Does anyone know of any Volks, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes or Volvo dealers that will sell to Canadians (preferably in the North Eastern US)?

Please reply privately to my email address (gnrlbilly@hotmail.com) so as to protect these dealers and I will reply to you with all my contact info so you know you are not dealing with a car dealership guy. You can they send me the info if you are comfortable with that.

Any help is appreciated.

If I cannot find a dealer who will sell to me, the plan is to get my uncle to buy a car under his name in Delaware (no state tax) and then "sell" it to me used. Is anyone familiar with this procedure?

He buys the car, registers title under his name, I pay him, he transfers titlke to me, I get 'binder' insurance to drive the car and pay $10 to Delaware DMV.

Am I missing something?

[DSTU]

Alright, this is becoming extremely frustrating. After finding this site and how the process works, I've been contacting Toyota dealers in New York State for 3 weeks now trying to find one willing to sell me a Sienna XLE with "option B" package. All are saying no due to Corporate Toyota directive. Wonder if I can sue Toyota myself in small claims court for the $7.5K extra I'm going to have to spend in Canada?

If anyone has a lead on a US dealer willing to take my money, much appreciated. ;)


Hint - buy a used one.

[tico 1948]

Article in the Globe today, which tries to show Canadians (most Canadians:cheesygri ) just don't give a damn about saving money!

http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071003.wrreynolds03/BNStory/robColumnsBlogs/home

Guess us RFDer's ain't most Canadians. All jokes aside, we have tended to be complacent about many things. I think it has something to do with living in a colder climate. Perhaps global warming is going to make Canadians madder than hell towards getting shafted and, listening to those who say we shouldn't cross border shop.Just stay acting like the good little sheep that keep on getting suckered. Just puttin' it out there.

[Billyboy]

Does anyone know of any Volks, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes or Volvo dealers that will sell to Canadians (preferably in the North Eastern US)?

Please reply privately to my email address (gnrlbilly@hotmail.com) so as to protect these dealers and I will reply to you with all my contact info so you know you are not dealing with a car dealership guy. You can they send me the info if you are comfortable with that.

Any help is appreciated.

If I cannot find a dealer who will sell to me, the plan is to get my uncle to buy a car under his name in Delaware (no state tax) and then "sell" it to me used. Is anyone familiar with this procedure?

He buys the car, registers title under his name, I pay him, he transfers titlke to me, I get 'binder' insurance to drive the car and pay $10 to Delaware DMV.

Am I missing something?

[VWPablo]

Hint - buy a used one.

Unfortunately, the options I want are not available in a used model unless I go with top AWD model that has options I don't want (i.e. navigation) and I'm not willing to compromise yet... Wonder when 2008 used models will start showing up... :twisted:

[Tender]

Unfortunately, the options I want are not available in a used model unless I go with top AWD model that has options I don't want (i.e. navigation) and I'm not willing to compromise yet... Wonder when 2008 used models will start showing up... :twisted:

Do you have an American friend? Get them to buy the car then sell to you.

[Monsieurmaggot]

I've completed a full FAQ which expands on the one I added to the first post on page 1.

Unfortunately I can't post it in place of the one I have since the site only permits up to 10000 characters.

Can any of the moderators set me up with a place to put the FAQ?

It would be the first of the "how to's" that we talked about posting.

The next one could include what warranties are transferable, followed by the one that indicates who sells to Canadians.

Maybe even end it with the "successful importers" or the members of the RFD Super Saver Club as I like to say.


**********EDIT********** until we figure out a way to post it on RFDs, the FAQ has been moved to www.carburner.com


I won't charge you $17.99 for it. It's completely free.

[gsuperman]

I've completed a full FAQ which expands on the one I added to the first post on page 1.

Unfortunately I can't post it in place of the one I have since the site only permits up to 10000 characters.

Can any of the moderators set me up with a place to put the FAQ?

It would be the first of the "how to's" that we talked about posting.

The next one could include what warranties are transferable, followed by the one that indicates who sells to Canadians.

Maybe even end it with the "successful importers" or the members of the RFD Super Saver Club as I like to say.

Until then, if anyone is interested in a copy of the revised first post outlining more FAQs, simply PM me.

I won't charge you $17.99 for it. It's completely free.

I hope a Mod sees this and puts up your FAQ monsieur, you've been a great help to everyone here, including myself. Thank you again.

I've ordered my Subaru Legacy from Karl, now comes the boring part of waiting :)

[VWPablo]

Do you have an American friend? Get them to buy the car then sell to you.

I've looked into that but that would require them to pay the sales tax which would eat into my savings as I'd be paying tax on the car twice.

[flaming homer]

If I cannot find a dealer who will sell to me, the plan is to get my uncle to buy a car under his name in Delaware (no state tax) and then "sell" it to me used. Is anyone familiar with this procedure?

He buys the car, registers title under his name, I pay him, he transfers titlke to me, I get 'binder' insurance to drive the car and pay $10 to Delaware DMV.

Am I missing something?Yes, while Delaware does not have a state sales tax, sales of vehicles to local citizens incurr a 3.5% documentation fee (WTF). If your uncle lives close to Delaware but not in Delaware, he'll have to pay his local state tax, and if he lives far far away, say, Florida, then you've got game...

[michelb]

re: FAQ

maybe a moderator can just remove posts 2,3,5 (which contain incorrect information anyway) and then monsieurmaggot will have the first 3 posts - hopefully that's enough space to spread the FAQ over these posts

[Louist]

I get 'binder' insurance to drive the car and pay $10 to Delaware DMV

Oh, and you pay gst at the border, and pst to plate it in Canada. So you knew about the 14% right in total?

Audi says they have some scheme to prevent this from happening, but they didn't offer up what it was....just that the relative buying and reselling would not be allowed either. Likely BS.

[cinqhoda]

Article in the Globe today, which tries to show Canadians (most Canadians:cheesygri ) just don't give a damn about saving money!

http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071003.wrreynolds03/BNStory/robColumnsBlogs/home

The study that this report cites is ten years old!!

First: From 1995 to 1997 the Canadian dollar was being traded in the 75 cent range. From what I remember, even if there was a deal to be had in the U.S.,unless you were already there, it usually wasn't worth the effort to make a trip down to get it.

Second: The internet and wasn't anywhere near as accessible to the average consumer than it is today. Online shopping has literally exploded in the last five years let alone ten years. More Canadians than ever are comparing /purchasing goods from U.S. and Canadian businesses online. This has educated a vast number of consumers on the "cross border" deals which have only gotten better due to the exchange rate.

As far Dennis DesRosiers is concerned, he probably thought the Chris Pronger for Joffrey Lupul deal was an even trade (Yeah...I'm still bitter!).

It is due to forums such as these that continue to educate the consumer. That being said, a big thanks to Monsieurmaggot for not only starting this thread, but for your continuous participation.

Just my 100.2 cents

[Jaro51]

First post but have read a fair bit of this thread, wow, is there a lot of info here, and my question to you all is whether or not there is a max number of vehicles a person can bring across the border before someone at border services, revenue Canada, or whoever wants the government cut, gives you a call? What is stopping some entrepreneurial folks from buying truck loads of vehicles and bringing them across? I know dealers do it all of the time but what stops Joe Average from doing the same?

Thanks!

[michelb]

First post but have read a fair bit of this thread, wow, is there a lot of info here, and my question to you all is whether or not there is a max number of vehicles a person can bring across the border before someone at border services, revenue Canada, or whoever wants the government cut, gives you a call? What is stopping some entrepreneurial folks from buying truck loads of vehicles and bringing them across? I know dealers do it all of the time but what stops Joe Average from doing the same?

Thanks!

There's some talk about a magic number (e.g. two/year) but I don't think there's actually a set amount. Basically, I think it's as long as CCRA, police, etc don't think you are selling cars as a business. In Ontario (and I suspect everywhere else in the country), you have to be licensed to sell cars and selling cars privately as a business is called 'curbsiding' and is illegal.

That being said, there's probably nothing that would stop you from registering as a used car dealer and doing it as a legit business.

[jcl4]

Does anyone know where is the export building in the crossing of blain near seattle and vancouver?
I need to know where to do the paper work for the US export.

A google map link would be the most help!
Thanks

[Monsieurmaggot]

Found this interesting booklet in .pdf format off the Canada Customs site.

It can be printed and used along with the upcoming FAQ revision.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/bsf5048/bsf5048-07e.pdf

[Monsieurmaggot]

I've completed a full FAQ which expands on the one I added to the first post on page 1.

Unfortunately I can't post it in place of the one I have since the site only permits up to 10000 characters.

Can any of the moderators set me up with a place to put the FAQ?

It would be the first of the "how to's" that we talked about posting.

The next one could include what warranties are transferable, followed by the one that indicates who sells to Canadians.

Maybe even end it with the "successful importers" or the members of the RFD Super Saver Club as I like to say.


************EDIT**************
Until then, if anyone is interested in a copy of the revised first post outlining more FAQs, simply go to www.carburner.com
Sadly I can't attach the document using the PM method.


I won't charge you $17.99 for it. It's completely free.

It turns out I can't send the FAQ via the PM method.

The file is in .TIFF format and includes six pages. You will need a program like Ifranview to see all six pages.

[Billyboy]

I get 'binder' insurance to drive the car and pay $10 to Delaware DMV

Oh, and you pay gst at the border, and pst to plate it in Canada. So you knew about the 14% right in total?

Audi says they have some scheme to prevent this from happening, but they didn't offer up what it was....just that the relative buying and reselling would not be allowed either. Likely BS.

Yes. Don't mind the GST/PST. I would pay it on a Canadian purchase as well and if the car is $10k cheaper in the US, I save an additional $1500 in GST/PST. Not to mention, that I can claim the GST/PST back because I will use the car for 'business'.

Audi can kiss my ass. They can't prevent a relative or friend from selling me their car.

Cheers,

[joe friday]

Article in the Globe today, which tries to show Canadians (most Canadians:cheesygri ) just don't give a damn about saving money!

http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071003.wrreynolds03/BNStory/robColumnsBlogs/home


The study that this report cites is ten years old!!

First: From 1995 to 1997 the Canadian dollar was being traded in the 75 cent range. From what I remember, even if there was a deal to be had in the U.S.,unless you were already there, it usually wasn't worth the effort to make a trip down to get it.

Second: The internet and wasn't anywhere near as accessible to the average consumer than it is today. Online shopping has literally exploded in the last five years let alone ten years. More Canadians than ever are comparing /purchasing goods from U.S. and Canadian businesses online. This has educated a vast number of consumers on the "cross border" deals which have only gotten better due to the exchange rate.

As far Dennis DesRosiers is concerned, he probably thought the Chris Pronger for Joffrey Lupul deal was an even trade (Yeah...I'm still bitter!).

It is due to forums such as these that continue to educate the consumer. That being said, a big thanks to Monsieurmaggot for not only starting this thread, but for your continuous participation.

Just my 100.2 cents

Sadly, even though the study in the article is dated....I think that there is some truth in it. Present company excluded of course. We've even seen comments from some posters in this very thread who basically said that they couldn't be bothered buying from the US if they were only going to save a few thousand dollars....WTF?

That attitude makes it bad for the rest of us and keeps these gougers in business. I still can't believe the number of people who are absolutely DETERMINED to buy a Toyota...despite the fact that Toyota are being absolute dicks about this whole thing and doing their utmost to continue the gouge-a-rama...they are the LAST company that I would be wanting to give my money to (and to be clear I don't blame the dealers here).

Hopefully things are slowly improving for the reasons given by cinqhoda, but I think that there are still far too many complacent Canadian sheep willing to be led to slaughter...

(Pronger for Lupul...LMAO!)

[Lax5]

Does anyone know where is the export building in the crossing of blain near seattle and vancouver?
I need to know where to do the paper work for the US export.

A google map link would be the most help!
Thanks
The US export building is dead easy to find. Take the Truck exit off the I-5, heading North and the border. As you are approaching the border you will see the first duty free shop on your right and directly to the left of the duty free building is a small "Kiosk" that actually has the word kiosk on it. You can pull over and park next to the kiosk. Essentially, if it is a busy day you will be parked between the cars going North and South. Walk across the lanes of traffic that is entering the US and go to the doors on the left hand side of the building. As you enter the building passenger customs is on the right and vehicle exports are done on the left.

[Monsieurmaggot]

I've spent the last few hours replying to over 100 email requests for an updated FAQ on importing cars. I can't imagine it could be that popular.

Imagine if we charged $17.99 for it. Wow. I know a few people out there are charging for the information. Tisk tisk on you.

Thanks to RFDs there's no need to pay for the information.

Thanks to everyone who participated and help contribute to the FAQ.

I'm working with Ryan the administrator to figure out a way to set up a "importing cars to canada" area.

If you have some ideas, let Ryan know.

Based on the publicity and traffic this thread generates, maybe a dedicated area is warranted.

I've also been approached about hosting a "import a car from the US" informational website. Unfortunately I'm not a webno-geek-savvy type.

If you have any ideas how to do that, let me know. This is getting too big to handle.

I'm getting about 100 emails a day now. Keep 'em coming. Tell your friends and co-workers about this site.

[Sukh]

I have tried everything and called every insurance company and broker. I purchased a vehicle in Buffalo but CANNOT get any one to insurance the vechile for the trip to Canada. The dealer will not release the vehicle to me until I get it insured. Even if I get the vehicle towed, they still will not release the vehicle to me. If anyone knows a broker or insurance company willing to insure the vechicle. PLEASE let me know.

Thanks

[HighFlyer]

I have tried everything and called every insurance company and broker. I purchased a vehicle in Buffalo but CANNOT get any one to insurance the vechile for the trip to Canada. The dealer will not release the vehicle to me until I get it insured. Even if I get the vehicle towed, they still will not release the vehicle to me. If anyone knows a broker or insurance company willing to insure the vechicle. PLEASE let me know.

If I read it correctly, you're looking for an insurance company to cover *just* the trip back to Canada? That will be difficult, if not impossible to find. I had no problems getting coverage from State Farm for the drive back, but that's because I have a policy with them.

[ffonly]

Do you have an American friend? Get them to buy the car then sell to you.

Is there any way of bringing the vehicle back before your friend receives his certificate of title in the mail (typically takes 4 weeks, issued by the state). I was hoping I could dive the vehicle to my house while I wait for him to receive and mail the title to me but I'm aware its not possible for a canadian resident to transport a US registered vehicle in canada

[degenx83]

Hi Everyone, my best friend and I were discussing this earlier tonight... My friend's fiance is American, and he's Canadian living in Montreal (she's studying in Montreal as an international student).

We were wondering if he could do this:

1-Buy the car in her name in the states
2-Getting it plated in the states (although we figure it may not be necessary)
3-Driving it up...we figure no duties will need to be paid since she's american
4-Getting it plated in Quebec at the SAAQ and getting it up to Government specs (daytime running lights)
5-Have her give it to him as a gift (he wants the car in his name)

Do you guys think this is feasable?

[coolman217]

The US export building is dead easy to find. Take the Truck exit off the I-5, heading North and the border. As you are approaching the border you will see the first duty free shop on your right and directly to the left of the duty free building is a small "Kiosk" that actually has the word kiosk on it. You can pull over and park next to the kiosk. Essentially, if it is a busy day you will be parked between the cars going North and South. Walk across the lanes of traffic that is entering the US and go to the doors on the left hand side of the building. As you enter the building passenger customs is on the right and vehicle exports are done on the left.

the roads are very confusing over there. i missed the US customs and had to go back to the US customs once they found out I was missing a stamp from the US.

[ibinlurking]

Hi Everyone, my best friend and I were discussing this earlier tonight... My friend's fiance is American, and he's Canadian living in Montreal (she's studying in Montreal as an international student).

We were wondering if he could do this:

1-Buy the car in her name in the states
2-Getting it plated in the states (although we figure it may not be necessary)
3-Driving it up...we figure no duties will need to be paid since she's american
4-Getting it plated in Quebec at the SAAQ and getting it up to Government specs (daytime running lights)
5-Have her give it to him as a gift (he wants the car in his name)

Do you guys think this is feasable?

I think he will have to pay sales tax based on the wholesale price of the car when he transfer titles.

Not sure if they still have to pay tax if they are married or common law coupe. I know in some countries the transferring of assets between a married couple is not taxed.

[eastsidesubaru]

OK guys... I finally had a chance to sit down and create a Wiki...
With 376+ pages of information, I think that's what has to happen! =)
I am waiting for Monsieur to email me his guide so I can put it up there or if someone has it, go ahead and put it on there.

http://www.carburner.com/
I got the domain name idea thinking of 'smoking hot deals on cars'... lol... lame I know.. oh well.

As I get time, I'll work on it and add stuff, but I'm hoping that being a Wiki other people will add stuff as well and fix errors and edit etc =)

[karl_at_vanbortel]

Well everyone, would you like to good news or the bad news first?

Good News

We now know with absolute certainty that someone from Subaru of Canada monitors this forum.

Bad News

Subaru of Canada FREAKED OUT when they found out about my tiny, inconsequential, little get together I had planned. They rang up Subaru of America who, in turn, called us and comment on certain parts of my anatomy being the size of coconuts for thinking I could advertise in their territory. Although there was a lot of laughter from SOA and Kitty Van Bortel, we were "asked" to cancel any and all plans for a get together.

Thank you to everyone that expressed interest in attending. As of last night I had a list of close to 60 people. That's double the number that I was anticipating! If anything changes I will let you guys know.

[LoveRFD]

Good job guys, keep it rolling!!!!!!!!

[DrXenon]

I have tried everything and called every insurance company and broker. I purchased a vehicle in Buffalo but CANNOT get any one to insurance the vechile for the trip to Canada. The dealer will not release the vehicle to me until I get it insured. Even if I get the vehicle towed, they still will not release the vehicle to me. If anyone knows a broker or insurance company willing to insure the vechicle. PLEASE let me know.

Thanks

Sukh, if you're based in Toronto and have current vehicle insurance, your insurance company is REQUIRED BY LAW to give you coverage for 14 days when you buy a new car. Call the company directly and keep escalating until you find someone who knows what they're doing.

[spdztr]

Well everyone, would you like to good news or the bad news first?

Good News

We now know with absolute certainty that someone from Subaru of Canada monitors this forum.

Bad News

Subaru of Canada FREAKED OUT when they found out about my tiny, inconsequential, little get together I had planned. They rang up Subaru of America who, in turn, called us and comment on certain parts of my anatomy being the size of coconuts for thinking I could advertise in their territory. Although there was a lot of laughter from SOA and Kitty Van Bortel, we were "asked" to cancel any and all plans for a get together.

Thank you to everyone that expressed interest in attending. As of last night I had a list of close to 60 people. That's double the number that I was anticipating! If anything changes I will let you guys know.

Too bad Karl! I didn't even get a chance to respond. Thanks for the initiative and for thinking of us anyway. Looks like my Legacy will have to wait until next year - hopefully economic conditions will be the same!

[shopper-X]

Hi Everyone, my best friend and I were discussing this earlier tonight... My friend's fiance is American, and he's Canadian living in Montreal (she's studying in Montreal as an international student).

We were wondering if he could do this:

1-Buy the car in her name in the states
2-Getting it plated in the states (although we figure it may not be necessary)
3-Driving it up...we figure no duties will need to be paid since she's american
4-Getting it plated in Quebec at the SAAQ and getting it up to Government specs (daytime running lights)
5-Have her give it to him as a gift (he wants the car in his name)

Do you guys think this is feasable?

If I've been reading correctly,
1. She can buy the car from a state other then her resident state and get a trip permit. If you also want to avoid state tax, pick a state that does not have a reciprocal tax agreement with her resident state. Once she gets the trip permit from that purchase state, drive to Canada instead (of course waiting the 72 hours before doing so). This will keep Toyota, VW, and the likes happy too. I think someone posted a link to siennaclub or somewhere where a Toyota dealer (Magic Toyota??) posted an announcement about this (It was few pages back and can't find it).
2. Covered in 1.
3. She can now export the vehicle and you can register it.
4. Still have to do.
5. No need for "gifting" as it's yours.

[tico 1948]

Hey MonsieurM., Thanks for all the good info:) . Would it be possible, to also have a section showing which,U.S. Border Crossing points are the easiest to deal with in regards to Original vs Faxed Documentation 72 hrs. in advance. Maybe that would be too unwieldy but it seems that some RFDer's are getting jerked around at some crossing points because of inconsistent application of Regulations. Just a thought.

[Tender]

Is there any way of bringing the vehicle back before your friend receives his certificate of title in the mail (typically takes 4 weeks, issued by the state). I was hoping I could dive the vehicle to my house while I wait for him to receive and mail the title to me but I'm aware its not possible for a canadian resident to transport a US registered vehicle in canada

I don't think you can. You need the title for used cars to go through the customs.

[ziploc]

Well everyone, would you like to good news or the bad news first?

Good News

We now know with absolute certainty that someone from Subaru of Canada monitors this forum.

Bad News

Subaru of Canada FREAKED OUT when they found out about my tiny, inconsequential, little get together I had planned. They rang up Subaru of America who, in turn, called us and comment on certain parts of my anatomy being the size of coconuts for thinking I could advertise in their territory. Although there was a lot of laughter from SOA and Kitty Van Bortel, we were "asked" to cancel any and all plans for a get together.

Thank you to everyone that expressed interest in attending. As of last night I had a list of close to 60 people. That's double the number that I was anticipating! If anything changes I will let you guys know.

I'm proud of You guys...keep it that way !!!

[lightbulb]

Well everyone, would you like to good news or the bad news first?

Good News

We now know with absolute certainty that someone from Subaru of Canada monitors this forum.

Bad News

Subaru of Canada FREAKED OUT when they found out about my tiny, inconsequential, little get together I had planned.

Sorry to hear about the change in plans.

I'm not entirely surprised, as many many sales are probably being diverted your way. It further wouldn't surprise me to see a future restriction on Subie imports, along the lines of what other manufacturers have in place. For anyone considering a Subaru, I'd complete the deal sooner than later.

You make the whole process as easy or easier than buying locally.

[p110232]

Well everyone, would you like to good news or the bad news first?

Good News

We now know with absolute certainty that someone from Subaru of Canada monitors this forum.

Bad News

Subaru of Canada FREAKED OUT when they found out about my tiny, inconsequential, little get together I had planned. They rang up Subaru of America who, in turn, called us and comment on certain parts of my anatomy being the size of coconuts for thinking I could advertise in their territory. Although there was a lot of laughter from SOA and Kitty Van Bortel, we were "asked" to cancel any and all plans for a get together.

Thank you to everyone that expressed interest in attending. As of last night I had a list of close to 60 people. That's double the number that I was anticipating! If anything changes I will let you guys know.

Aw, shucks!

Anyways, thanks for trying Karl. Just for "stats" sake, count me in plus my buddy as 61 and 62.

[yu130960]

Well everyone, would you like to good news or the bad news first?

Good News

We now know with absolute certainty that someone from Subaru of Canada monitors this forum.

Bad News

Subaru of Canada FREAKED OUT when they found out about my tiny, inconsequential, little get together I had planned. They rang up Subaru of America who, in turn, called us and comment on certain parts of my anatomy being the size of coconuts for thinking I could advertise in their territory. Although there was a lot of laughter from SOA and Kitty Van Bortel, we were "asked" to cancel any and all plans for a get together.

Thank you to everyone that expressed interest in attending. As of last night I had a list of close to 60 people. That's double the number that I was anticipating! If anything changes I will let you guys know.


That is hilarious!!

[AllWheelDrift]

OK guys... I finally had a chance to sit down and create a Wiki...
With 376+ pages of information, I think that's what has to happen! =)
I am waiting for Monsieur to email me his guide so I can put it up there or if someone has it, go ahead and put it on there.

http://www.carburner.com/
I got the domain name idea thinking of 'smoking hot deals on cars'... lol... lame I know.. oh well.

As I get time, I'll work on it and add stuff, but I'm hoping that being a Wiki other people will add stuff as well and fix errors and edit etc =)
Nice, it is still pretty thin but I added a link to this thread on the main page and added a link to the APA site to the warranty information page.

Maybe Monsieurmaggot could mention the wiki in his first post as well as add information from his FAQ to the wiki.

[xnaron]

Anyone have any updates on what is happening with the class action law suit launched in Sept?

[diigii]

Well everyone, would you like to good news or the bad news first?

Good News

We now know with absolute certainty that someone from Subaru of Canada monitors this forum.

Bad News

Subaru of Canada FREAKED OUT when they found out about my tiny, inconsequential, little get together I had planned. They rang up Subaru of America who, in turn, called us and comment on certain parts of my anatomy being the size of coconuts for thinking I could advertise in their territory. Although there was a lot of laughter from SOA and Kitty Van Bortel, we were "asked" to cancel any and all plans for a get together.

Thank you to everyone that expressed interest in attending. As of last night I had a list of close to 60 people. That's double the number that I was anticipating! If anything changes I will let you guys know.


BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Karl, they're scared of you. You've beaten them who's got the biggest COCONUTS! I had a good laugh at that one. And to think of it, even SOA is laughing at their Canadian counterpart. I wonder how that makes SOC feel? Being laughed at for their "don't-piss-on-my-tree" attitude? Instead of competing, they use the territory claim. Don't they realize it already that their potential sales are gone a long time ago? I guess their small coconuts are not smart enough to realize that even they were successful in shutting down your get-together in Toronto won't stop Canadians from going to your dealership and buy their Subarus from you? What they have done is to actually give you more publicity and higher profile now that you ACTUALLY negotiate excellent deals on top of your excellent customer PR.

I'd like to congratulate you and Van Bortel in advance for winning your region's 2007 Best Sales award. Oh! 2007 is not finished yet! l:cheesygri

[johnsa]

I have confirmed in the last 2 days with 3 Nissan dealers and 3 Toyota dealers who are still able to sell to Canadians that they can no longer offer the rebates to us!!! More tightening of the screws!!

[longdong]

HI all,

Do you how long is taken to to wire transfer from eastern Canada to New york ? 24 hours ? 48 hours ? or 72 hours ?

Because I really want to go this monday (our holiday) but not US holiday to pick up my car ... but looks like it may be not enough time to get there.

[diigii]

I would like to inform the people who have pm'd me for my dealer info, I am getting a little bit hesitant in giving it to you. I apologized and please don't take offense that I don't want to give the dealership and contact person. All I can say is I went in Maryland. As some of us here already know, there are spies from the manufacturers' Canadian head offices lurking here and taking down US dealership info so they can snitch on them. But all I can say is that they are in Maryland and they told me that they don't have any dealer restrictions on who wants to buy cars from them. This is the painstaking part of importing, looking and finding a dealer willing to deal with you at the best price you want.

As for the importing process, I'm willing to help with your questions. It is the easiest process you'll ever go thru. A wisdom tooth extraction would be even more painful.

[Symcrapico]

HI all,

Do you how long is taken to to wire transfer from eastern Canada to New york ? 24 hours ? 48 hours ? or 72 hours ?


Mine has been transfered in less than 24hrs FYI. My bank is Desjardins and my dealer is in Manchester, NH.

[longdong]

Well everyone, would you like to good news or the bad news first?

Good News

We now know with absolute certainty that someone from Subaru of Canada monitors this forum.

Bad News

Subaru of Canada FREAKED OUT when they found out about my tiny, inconsequential, little get together I had planned. They rang up Subaru of America who, in turn, called us and comment on certain parts of my anatomy being the size of coconuts for thinking I could advertise in their territory. Although there was a lot of laughter from SOA and Kitty Van Bortel, we were "asked" to cancel any and all plans for a get together.

Thank you to everyone that expressed interest in attending. As of last night I had a list of close to 60 people. That's double the number that I was anticipating! If anything changes I will let you guys know.


There is more thing about this, alot of customers from Toyota (can't buy), Honda, Nissan (No warranty), they turn their consideration to Subaru (allow sells and warranty). So you are not walking to any of their territory.

[diigii]

There is more thing about this, alot of customers from Toyota (can't buy), Honda, Nissan (No warranty), they turn their consideration to Subaru (allow sells and warranty). So you are not walking to any of their territory.

Please be informed that Nissan will honor its warranty. I took my 2007 Nissan to the dealer two weeks ago and the warranty work was approved by Nissan USA and work was performed by a local Canadian dealership.

[shopper-X]

Well everyone, would you like to good news or the bad news first?

Good News

We now know with absolute certainty that someone from Subaru of Canada monitors this forum.

Bad News

Subaru of Canada FREAKED OUT when they found out about my tiny, inconsequential, little get together I had planned. They rang up Subaru of America who, in turn, called us and comment on certain parts of my anatomy being the size of coconuts for thinking I could advertise in their territory. Although there was a lot of laughter from SOA and Kitty Van Bortel, we were "asked" to cancel any and all plans for a get together.

Thank you to everyone that expressed interest in attending. As of last night I had a list of close to 60 people. That's double the number that I was anticipating! If anything changes I will let you guys know.


BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Karl, they're scared of you. You've beaten them who's got the biggest COCONUTS! I had a good laugh at that one. And to think of it, even SOA is laughing at their Canadian counterpart. I wonder how that makes SOC feel? Being laughed at for their "don't-piss-on-my-tree" attitude? Instead of competing, they use the territory claim. Don't they realize it already that their potential sales are gone a long time ago? I guess their small coconuts are not smart enough to realize that even they were successful in shutting down your get-together in Toronto won't stop Canadians from going to your dealership and buy their Subarus from you? What they have done is to actually give you more publicity and higher profile now that you ACTUALLY negotiate excellent deals on top of your excellent customer PR.

I'd like to congratulate you and Van Bortel in advance for winning your region's 2007 Best Sales award. Oh! 2007 is not finished yet! l:cheesygri

I have to agree with Diigii (I've done that a lot...hmmm) anyways, way to go Karl and Zach for helping us Canadians’.
Both of you have shown there is a market north of the 49th parallel. Keep up the good work!
How about having a get together in a city where there is no SCI Dealers outside of Toronto? I know Guelph does not have one, but Kitchener does.

[HighFlyer]

How about having a get together in a city where there is no SCI Dealers outside of Toronto? I know Guelph does not have one, but Kitchener does.
Or maybe even Niagara Falls USA. I'm sure many of us need an excuse to go shopping ;).

[diigii]

Or maybe even Niagara Falls USA. I'm sure many of us need an excuse to go shopping ;).

I'm in on that one!

[longdong]

Please be informed that Nissan will honor its warranty. I took my 2007 Nissan to the dealer two weeks ago and the warranty work was approved by Nissan USA and work was performed by a local Canadian dealership.

just wonder when did you buy your car ? I think they changed their plan on august 2007 (check www.apa.ca)

[goneFishing]

What about boat shopping ? Is it also cheaper ? Any good marina's ?

[diigii]

I have to agree with Diigii (I've done that a lot...hmmm) anyways, way to go Karl and Zach for helping us Canadians’.
Both of you have shown there is a market north of the 49th parallel. Keep up the good work!
How about having a get together in a city where there is no SCI Dealers outside of Toronto? I know Guelph does not have one, but Kitchener does.

Hmmm.. I noticed! :cheesygri I guess we have the same logic and approach in most things/situations.

[shopper-X]

Or maybe even Niagara Falls USA. I'm sure many of us need an excuse to go shopping ;).

That's a great idea.

[diigii]

just wonder when did you buy your car ? I think they changed their plan on august 2007 (check www.apa.ca)

Even before I got my car in Aug 27, I have the info in my possession. Nissan just hasn't gone official on their stance by that time.

So I guess you should have edited your earlier post about Nissan's warranty.

[longdong]

Even before I got my car in Aug 27, I have the info in my possession. Nissan just hasn't gone official on their stance by that time.

So I guess you should have edited your earlier post about Nissan's warranty.

Sorry still not clarify, did you buy used car or a new car, as state in www.apa.ca webpage:
"Nissan vehicles must first be registered in U.S. for coverage to apply. If the car moves to Canada after it is six months old the warranty will be valid. However, if a U.S. market car is brought to Canada and sold before the car is six months old, the warranty will be void. "

If we bought new car and import the car to canada without register in the state, the warranty will not apply (if I understand it correctly)

[flaming homer]

HI all,

Do you how long is taken to to wire transfer from eastern Canada to New york ? 24 hours ? 48 hours ? or 72 hours ?

Because I really want to go this monday (our holiday) but not US holiday to pick up my car ... but looks like it may be not enough time to get there.I have confirmed that Monday, October 8 is Columbus Day in the US. While most business are open, the vehicle export office (say, Queenston-Lewiston) is not. Not a good day to do this.

Next possible date ? Boxing day....

[diigii]

Sorry still not clarify, did you buy used car or a new car, as state in www.apa.ca webpage:
"Nissan vehicles must first be registered in U.S. for coverage to apply. If the car moves to Canada after it is six months old the warranty will be valid. However, if a U.S. market car is brought to Canada and sold before the car is six months old, the warranty will be void. "

If we bought new car and import the car to canada without register in the state, the warranty will not apply (if I understand it correctly)

BRAND NEW. 25 miles on the odometer when I picked it up.

[teep]

OK guys... I finally had a chance to sit down and create a Wiki...
With 376+ pages of information, I think that's what has to happen! =)
I am waiting for Monsieur to email me his guide so I can put it up there or if someone has it, go ahead and put it on there.

http://www.carburner.com/

As I get time, I'll work on it and add stuff, but I'm hoping that being a Wiki other people will add stuff as well and fix errors and edit etc =)

Way to go Zach. Ill populate it with what I know as soon as I get time.

[shopper-X]

Even before I got my car in Aug 27, I have the info in my possession. Nissan just hasn't gone official on their stance by that time.

So I guess you should have edited your earlier post about Nissan's warranty.

I'm trying to help a friend at work get a 2-DR Altima from and the US and started them off by getting a case#. Now I remember helping someone contact Nissan USA and get a case#, I think it was you Diigii (I forget). Well the case# I got is LOST and the person NEVER WORK THERE...hmmm....but the extention they gave me is valid however. I'm wondering if your case# is still vaild?

[michelb]

It is different for Nissan (2007 Warranty manual appears to be same for all cars) which says:



...
This warranty is provided to the original and subsequent
owner(s) of a Nissan vehicle originally distributed by Nissan
which is originally sold by a Nissan authorized Nissan
dealership in the United States, and which is registered
in the U.S. and normally operated in the United States
(including Alaska and Hawaii), the United States territories
(specifi cally Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Puerto Rico
and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and Canada. ...




Even before I got my car in Aug 27, I have the info in my possession. Nissan just hasn't gone official on their stance by that time.

So I guess you should have edited your earlier post about Nissan's warranty.


Sorry still not clarify, did you buy used car or a new car, as state in www.apa.ca webpage:
"Nissan vehicles must first be registered in U.S. for coverage to apply. If the car moves to Canada after it is six months old the warranty will be valid. However, if a U.S. market car is brought to Canada and sold before the car is six months old, the warranty will be void. "

If we bought new car and import the car to canada without register in the state, the warranty will not apply (if I understand it correctly)



Nissan is uncertain. As diigii stated, they do appear to be doing warranty work on imported cars but if you read their warranty manual, it appears that it would not cover a car that is not registered in the US so if you ever have a large claim (e.g. transmission failure), they could refuse payment and the owner would probably have no legal ground.

[blacknissan]

Well everyone, would you like to good news or the bad news first?

Good News

We now know with absolute certainty that someone from Subaru of Canada monitors this forum.

Bad News

Subaru of Canada FREAKED OUT when they found out about my tiny, inconsequential, little get together I had planned. They rang up Subaru of America who, in turn, called us and comment on certain parts of my anatomy being the size of coconuts for thinking I could advertise in their territory. Although there was a lot of laughter from SOA and Kitty Van Bortel, we were "asked" to cancel any and all plans for a get together.

Thank you to everyone that expressed interest in attending. As of last night I had a list of close to 60 people. That's double the number that I was anticipating! If anything changes I will let you guys know.

I wonder if the attendance figure of 60 people strikes a chord with SOC as to how out of line their pricing is. The Canadian dollar hitting parody should be wake up call to all Canadian Auto HQ's that we will no longer pay "what the market will bear" when it comes to paying for cars.

It makes me laugh when I imagine SOC's marketing departing scratching their head trying to figure out how one tiny dealership in Rochester can attract 60 people to one location via Red Flag Deals. I'm sure that Van Bortel doesn't have the multi-million dollar budge that SOC has.

It's a testament to Van Bortel's customer service and they should be proud that so many Canadians are going to them. What does it say about service that we are getting at Canadian dealerships?

[diigii]

Yes, I think it was me. I lost mine too but that was before I got my car. When I called again in September after I got my car and asked about retrieving my case number, the guy I talked to said that I don't need a case number for a brand new vehicle.

I heard this tidbit of info and I can't remember who told me. But Nissan USA's Consumer Affairs Dept is located in Hamilton, ON. I don't know if that is true. Perhaps spies for Nissan Canada are brave enough to confirm/deny it. But I could just imagine how hard it is for their CSR's to talk to some Canadians and sound like they're located in the US. I noticed it when I talked to this CSR. I was pretty sure he said "your US warranty is good here. After all, we, at Nissan, are here to make sure that you experience Nissan satisfaction on our Nissan cars. "


I'm trying to help a friend at work get a 2-DR Altima from and the US and started them off by getting a case#. Now I remember helping someone contact Nissan USA and get a case#, I think it was you Diigii (I forget). Well the case# I got is LOST and the person NEVER WORK THERE...hmmm....but the extention they gave me is valid however. I'm wondering if your case# is still vaild?

[5136440]

I think sooner or later, SOA will implement some sort of restrictions to sell Subies to Canadian residents as well. A good indication is the Warranty Claim precedure changes for 2008 models.

But Karl, do you mean you change the plan? :confused: I thought you would go for it. If you have the pressure from SOA, well obviously, let's do it privately and i can drive My Tribeca for you to display for at least 3-4 hours if you want.:!:

Let's go for it.


Sorry to hear about the change in plans.

I'm not entirely surprised, as many many sales are probably being diverted your way. It further wouldn't surprise me to see a future restriction on Subie imports, along the lines of what other manufacturers have in place. For anyone considering a Subaru, I'd complete the deal sooner than later.

You make the whole process as easy or easier than buying locally.

[diigii]

Karl, did you sell a 2008 Tribeca in Quartz Silver Metallic to an Asian couple in Scarborough around week of Aug 20-24? I see their Tribeca parked in the driveway with Van Bortel plate frames. :cheesygri

[Billyboy]

I called Mercedes Canada. They would not tell me what modifications are required. They said and I quote:

"AFTER you buy the car, take it to a dealership and only then will they tell you what modifications are required. Price of modifications can cost up to $6,500."

The guy at RIV was useless. He didn't even know what a Volvo was! He's like "who manufactures Volvo".

Does ANYONE know what modifications are required on the 2007 Mercedes model, the C-230? (As of yet, the C-300 is inadmissible to Canada... until February 2009).

If I'm looking at 6% duty to bring the car in ($2000) on top of travel and paperwork ($1000) and modifications ($4000), I only save about $3000. Not really worth it! So knowing the cost of the mods beforhand is paramount.

Thanks.

[bimmerfans]

I called Mercedes Canada. They would not tell me what modifications are required. They said and I quote:

"AFTER you buy the car, take it to a dealership and only then will they tell you what modifications are required. Price of modifications can cost up to $6,500."

The guy at RIV was useless. He didn't even know what a Volvo was! He's like "who manufactures Volvo".

Does ANYONE know what modifications are required on the 2007 Mercedes model, the C-230? (As of yet, the C-300 is inadmissible to Canada... until February 2009).

If I'm looking at 6% duty to bring the car in ($2000) on top of travel and paperwork ($1000) and modifications ($4000), I only save about $3000. Not really worth it! So knowing the cost of the mods beforhand is paramount.

Thanks.

Hi, personally i don't think it's worth to import an MB from the states, esp. the W204 cars. I've done the math. The modification at a Canadian dealer + 6.1% duty will kill the deal for sure since yoiu can get free sport package here. However, you have to wait till the end of this year to get your new car if you order right now and most possibly you will get MSRP.

If I can not get a brand new BMW from the US, I may consider a C300 locally.

[shopper-X]

I called Mercedes Canada. They would not tell me what modifications are required. They said and I quote:

"AFTER you buy the car, take it to a dealership and only then will they tell you what modifications are required. Price of modifications can cost up to $6,500."

The guy at RIV was useless. He didn't even know what a Volvo was! He's like "who manufactures Volvo".

Does ANYONE know what modifications are required on the 2007 Mercedes model, the C-230? (As of yet, the C-300 is inadmissible to Canada... until February 2009).

If I'm looking at 6% duty to bring the car in ($2000) on top of travel and paperwork ($1000) and modifications ($4000), I only save about $3000. Not really worth it! So knowing the cost of the mods beforhand is paramount.

Thanks.

According to RIV, the federal requirements are: (LINK (http://www.riv.ca/english/html/mod_inspect_requirements.html))


Passenger vehicles

ü Recall clearance letter
ü The vehicle must bear a manufacturer's valid U.S. statement of compliance label at the time of
importation.
ü The Registrar of Imported Vehicles will mail a Canadian statement of compliance label to you
after passing the federal inspection.
ü Valid alpha-numeric 17-digit VIN
ü Metric speedometer and odometer labels (provided by inspection centre)
ü Daytime running lights
ü Infant restraint kit
ü Child tether anchorage
(refer to Admissibility List)
ü 8 km/hour bumpers (refer to Admissibility List)
ü French supplementary restraint system label for airbags that require periodic maintenance


Check the car you want yourself. Ask a MB Canada dealer the cost to add the above if it did not have it. Another option would be to email MB Head Office in Germany and ask them if the US model comes with the above standard.

[Billyboy]

Hi, personally i don't think it's worth to import an MB from the states, esp. the W204 cars. I've done the math. The modification at a Canadian dealer + 6.1% duty will kill the deal for sure since yoiu can get free sport package here. However, you have to wait till the end of this year to get your new car if you order right now and most possibly you will get MSRP.

If I can not get a brand new BMW from the US, I may consider a C300 locally.

I agree.

Basically, I was hoping that the C series did not require modifications to the bumper (or that the new 2008 model might not require any modifications), and thus get away with maybe $1000 or so in mods at Mercedes.

Does anyone know what modifications are required on prior C-Series models?

[Billyboy]

According to RIV, the federal requirements are: (LINK (http://www.riv.ca/english/html/mod_inspect_requirements.html))


Check the car you want yourself. Ask a MB Canada dealer the cost to add the above if it did not have it. Another option would be to email MB Head Office in Germany and ask them if the US model comes with the above standard.


Thank you. That's a great idea. What's an 8km bumper? I don't understand this thing... and that's what appears to cost the most.

[michelb]

I agree.

Basically, I was hoping that the C series did not require modifications to the bumper (or that the new 2008 model might not require any modifications), and thus get away with maybe $1000 or so in mods at Mercedes.

Does anyone know what modifications are required on prior C-Series models?

Personally, as much as I like the CLKs, I wouldn't import one from the US simply because it puts you at the mercy of MBCanada - They are the ones that have to do the repairs and do the inspection (which is pretty bogus IMO) - e.g. if they decide that you need $2k for 'CND lights', you have to pay $2k for 'CND lights' or you can't import the car ...


Thank you. That's a great idea. What's an 8km bumper? I don't understand this thing... and that's what appears to cost the most.

8 kph bumpers (or 5 mph bumpers) are bumpers designed to absorb all the shock and leave no damage onto the car's safety system (reading it more closely it looks like there can be cosmetic damage but no 'safety' damage) from a 8 kph collision. For some reason, years ago, the US went from requiring 5 mph to 2.5 mph bumpers so some US cars need bumpers replaced to import into Canada (the majority, I believe, just use 5 mph bumpers anyway so it's a non-issue with them). Canada requires the 5 mph (8 kph) bumpers.

[diigii]

Been perusing the papers today. I don't know who this economist is and what his record but with his forecast, it looks dire for Canadian dealers if it actually happens.

So Subaru Of Canada and all the other manufacturers in here, now that we know you are snooping in here, you better lower your prices before you see your sales will be down in single digits for the next 3 years.

[Billyboy]

Been perusing the papers today. I don't know who this economist is and what his record but with his forecast, it looks dire for Canadian dealers if it actually happens.

So Subaru Of Canada and all the other manufacturers in here, now that we know you are snooping in here, you better lower your prices before you see your sales will be down in single digits for the next 3 years.

I think you have it in reverse. It will be $1.10 USD = $1.00 CAD.

The "Economist" is a British magazine. It is a fantastic mag for worldwide political and economic news, the likes of which we don't have in North America. It's available everywhere and it enjoys a huge distribution and readership, probably bigger than the New York Times.

[bimmerfans]

Personally, as much as I like the CLKs, I wouldn't import one from the US simply because it puts you at the mercy of MBCanada - They are the ones that have to do the repairs and do the inspection (which is pretty bogus IMO) - e.g. if they decide that you need $2k for 'CND lights', you have to pay $2k for 'CND lights' or you can't import the car ...



I think it's still worth to try import if you want a CLK. The price difference is so big.:)

[diigii]

I think you have it in reverse. It will be $1.10 USD = $1.00 CAD.

The "Economist" is a British magazine. It is a fantastic mag for worldwide political and economic news, the likes of which we don't have in North America. It's available everywhere and it enjoys a huge distribution and readership, probably bigger than the New York Times.

Oh yeah! Thanks for your correction. I got confused awhile ago because I was converting my car's cost using that $1.10 rate. :cheesygri

[harria5]

I still can't believe the number of people who are absolutely DETERMINED to buy a Toyota...despite the fact that Toyota are being absolute dicks about this whole thing and doing their utmost to continue the gouge-a-rama...they are the LAST company that I would be wanting to give my money to

Not that I am defending Toyota's tactics on preventing US sales to Canadians, but I am not sure that they are any worse than Honda or others that refuse to honour the warranty on cars exported from the US. For most people, this is a deal breaker. At least with Toyota, if you can get one (and lots of us have) the warranty is 100% transferrable.

Pay attention to the posts from Toyota importers - they are buying hybrids, Siennas and Tundras, which all offer unique features and benefits no Subaru can offer.

[shopper-X]

Thank you. That's a great idea. What's an 8km bumper? I don't understand this thing... and that's what appears to cost the most.


8 kph bumpers (or 5 mph bumpers) are bumpers designed to absorb all the shock and leave no damage onto the car's safety system (reading it more closely it looks like there can be cosmetic damage but no 'safety' damage) from a 8 kph collision. For some reason, years ago, the US went from requiring 5 mph to 2.5 mph bumpers so some US cars need bumpers replaced to import into Canada (the majority, I believe, just use 5 mph bumpers anyway so it's a non-issue with them). Canada requires the 5 mph (8 kph) bumpers.

Here is the Bumper Q&A's (http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/studies/Bumper/Index.html)from the NHSTA (US version of Transport Canada)


3) What are the Federal regulations for bumpers?


49 CFR Part 581, "The bumper standard," prescribes performance requirements for passenger cars in low-speed front and rear collisions. It applies to front and rear bumpers on passenger cars to prevent the damage to the car body and safety related equipment at barrier impact speeds of 2½ mph across the full width and 1½ mph on the corners.


This is equivalent to a 5 mph crash into a parked vehicle of the same weight. The standard requires protection in the region 16 to 20 inches above the road surface, and the manufacturer can provide the protection by any means it wants. For example, some vehicles do not have a solid bumper across the vehicle, but meet the standard by strategically placed bumper guards and corner guards.

I think the 2.5mph bumper is the same as the 5mph bumper and 5mph=8km/h.

[Tender]

Not that I am defending Toyota's tactics on preventing US sales to Canadians, but I am not sure that they are any worse than Honda or others that refuse to honour the warranty on cars exported from the US. For most people, this is a deal breaker. At least with Toyota, if you can get one (and lots of us have) the warranty is 100% transferrable.

Pay attention to the posts from Toyota importers - they are buying hybrids, Siennas and Tundras, which all offer unique features and benefits no Subaru can offer.

Huh?

Toyota was the only manufacturer that had been sued and settled for $35 million in their warranty claim case. They have to honour it unless they want to pay that money again.

[cobretti]

Well everyone, would you like to good news or the bad news first?

Good News

We now know with absolute certainty that someone from Subaru of Canada monitors this forum.

Bad News

Subaru of Canada FREAKED OUT when they found out about my tiny, inconsequential, little get together I had planned. They rang up Subaru of America who, in turn, called us and comment on certain parts of my anatomy being the size of coconuts for thinking I could advertise in their territory. Although there was a lot of laughter from SOA and Kitty Van Bortel, we were "asked" to cancel any and all plans for a get together.

Thank you to everyone that expressed interest in attending. As of last night I had a list of close to 60 people. That's double the number that I was anticipating! If anything changes I will let you guys know.

Really disappointed but this just serves to confirm I will NOT be buying my Subie in Canada:mad:

[golden]

I second that...


Really disappointed but this just serves to confirm I will NOT be buying my Subie in Canada:mad:

[p110232]

I second that...

me three! :mad:

[Louist]

Some lucky shopper has bought themselves an american SPEC b Legacy. While at a meeting for work today, I spotted it in the parking lot. Many here are talking about planning/going south and bringing back a cheap Subaru.

As an aside, we just had an e-mail from a large multi brand car dealer in Toronto...offering fleet pricing to OPG employees (society), (right after after the class action suit hit the news)...close but still not as good as cross border.

TONS of purching power here at OPG. Maybe in 2 or 3 years the Canadian dealerships can cash in on the next round of new cars.

[CCT2]

Really disappointed but this just serves to confirm I will NOT be buying my Subie in Canada:mad:

I will never buy any new cars from Canada Dealers with huge price difference. I just imported a TOYOTA-SIENNA from US in August. The final savings is more than $9500.

[KillaB]

These are the only references I could find on the MTO website are here:
See point 3: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/vehicle/rgoutcan.htm
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/faq/vehicle.htm#ssc3

Is this good enough or is there another reference/document I should know about?


EDIT: Just found this section: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/faq/vehicle.htm#used4
Now I'm armed with two documents for my next kick at the can :D



Ok, just got back from my first attempt at another office with the above printoffs. They're telling me the same thing....that I need a safety done on the vehicle! I kept stating that it's an '08 and that I purchased it from a dealer and they told me, quote "unless you are a dealer yourself, you need to get it safetied".

Can anyone prove to me for a fact that this is a requirement in Ontario?

I will call the MTO tomorrow, unless someone in the know messages me back.

The whole import process has gone insanely smooth up until this point!
I don't have a problem forking out the money to have a safety, it's the principle of it that matters right now.

Thanks,
Jason

[diigii]

Ok, just got back from my first attempt at another office with the above printoffs. They're telling me the same thing....that I need a safety done on the vehicle! I kept stating that it's an '08 and that I purchased it from a dealer and they told me, quote "unless your a dealer you need it safetied in Ontario".

Can anyone prove to me for a fact that this is a requirement in Ontario?

I will call the MTO tomorrow, unless someone in the know messages me back.

The whole import process has gone insanely smooth up until this point!
I don't have a problem forking out the money to have a safety, it's the principle of it that matters right now.

Thanks,
Jason

Which licensing center have you taken your car??? The licensing center on St Clair and McCowan Rd in Scarborough had no problem when I showed her the printout that says "current and future model year do not require safety certificate..."

Don't you agree that it's so frustrating that the government website outlines what is needed and not needed and yet you have MTO staff that insists they know better? I just wished government centers like these were not privatized!

[KillaB]

Which licensing center have you taked your car??? The licensing center on St Clair and McCowan Rd in Scarborough had no problem when I showed here the printout that says "current and future model year do not require safety certificate..."

Walkerton and Hanover offices. I don't have many other choices in my "immediate" area.

[Monsieurmaggot]

Ok, just got back from my first attempt at another office with the above printoffs. They're telling me the same thing....that I need a safety done on the vehicle! I kept stating that it's an '08 and that I purchased it from a dealer and they told me, quote "unless you ARE a dealer yourself, you need to get it safetied".

Can anyone prove to me for a fact that this is a requirement in Ontario?

I will call the MTO tomorrow, unless someone in the know messages me back.

The whole import process has gone insanely smooth up until this point!
I don't have a problem forking out the money to have a safety, it's the principle of it that matters right now.

Thanks,
Jason

Whereabouts are you?

Try a different MTO agent. When I went to the one at Sheppard/McCowan in 'Trono and the knob in there told me the same thing. I told them to read the paperwork and to call the main MTO office. They did and found out I was right.

The agents have a hotline number they call to get this type of stuff cleared up.

[KillaB]

Whereabouts are you?

Try a different MTO agent. When I went to the one at Sheppard/McCowan in 'Trono and the knob in there told me the same thing. I told them to read the paperwork and to call the main MTO office. They did and found out I was right.

The agents have a hotline number they call to get this type of stuff cleared up.

I called MTO's 800 number linked to from RIV's webpage under the "What to do after the vehicle enters Canada" section:
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/officeloc.htm

Went through the proper prompts to the Imported vehicles section and it stated that a Safety is required....it didn't say anything about new vs. used though, so I'll talk to a person in the morning.

Thanks again Monsieurmaggot, you've been a great help!

[Monsieurmaggot]

OK guys... I finally had a chance to sit down and create a Wiki...
With 376+ pages of information, I think that's what has to happen! =)
I am waiting for Monsieur to email me his guide so I can put it up there or if someone has it, go ahead and put it on there.

http://www.carburner.com/
I got the domain name idea thinking of 'smoking hot deals on cars'... lol... lame I know.. oh well.

As I get time, I'll work on it and add stuff, but I'm hoping that being a Wiki other people will add stuff as well and fix errors and edit etc =)

I've gone in and added my introduction.

Now someone will go in and change stuff around.

Can we lock some areas?

By the way, I sent out exactly 347 FAQs to those who requested them. I revised them last night and now include EIGHT pages.

Crazy.

[alpenrock]

I am planning to buy a NISSAN MURANO any inputs????

[eastsidesubaru]

I've gone in and added my introduction.

Now someone will go in and change stuff around.

Can we lock some areas?

By the way, I sent out exactly 347 FAQs to those who requested them. I revised them last night and now include EIGHT pages.

Crazy.

I locked it to unregistered users, I can lock it 100% to sysops only if needed. I really don't think any canadian dealers will go vandalizing with the site, if they do, oh well that's why it's a wiki and anyone can easily revert the damage. :) If they do it just shows how desperate they are..

[Kamloops]

Huh?

Toyota was the only manufacturer that had been sued and settled for $35 million in their warranty claim case. They have to honour it unless they want to pay that money again.

Under the Toyota settlement, agreed to in late February, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. admits no wrongdoing in the class-action lawsuit.
Paying a settlement without admitting guilt was a better use of its legal team's time and money than going to court, says Toyota spokesman Xavier Dominicis.

[crasher]

Just to update, and prove how misleading info Toyota posted on their website. I got the provincial rebate for my Camry hybrid today:cheesygri

[johnsa]

I called MTO's 800 number linked to from RIV's webpage under the "What to do after the vehicle enters Canada" section:
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/officeloc.htm

Went through the proper prompts to the Imported vehicles section and it stated that a Safety is required....it didn't say anything about new vs. used though, so I'll talk to a person in the morning.

Thanks again Monsieurmaggot, you've been a great help!

Check the website again..I have a print up stating that new vehicles imported do not require safety or emissions in Ontario...

[johnsa]

Check the website again..I have a print up stating that new vehicles imported do not require safety or emissions in Ontario...



here is my original post on the subject.....

Link to MTO website..see number 3...not required on new, unregistered vehicles...also number 4 re: exemption from emissions test.........

www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/vehicle/rgoutcan.htm

I have printed it to bring with me to crappy tire when I go next week.

[johnsa]

My co-workers just finalized deals on 2 new Toyota Tundras today at the same dealer...2007 supercab 4x4 TRD 5.7litre 30,000USD O-T-D....BEST PRICE at local dealer 44k!!!!!!

whoopeee......28 k to spend on accessories..that should go a long way!!!!

Hey..they could just buy :D me a third Tundra for helping them out......

Ok..a case of beer will do...:cheesygri

[fsabbagh]

I called Nissan 3 times yesterday to confirm (with 3 diffferent individuals) that the warranty is applicable in Canada. I still don't trust them. Tomorrow, I will ask for it in writing. I'm thinking of either Subaru Legacy, Nissan Maxima or a Volvo XC70. Just need a second car for a good deal!!! The thing that scares me about the Maxima 3.5SL is the fuel economy. I hear it drinks alot!


Sorry still not clarify, did you buy used car or a new car, as state in www.apa.ca webpage:
"Nissan vehicles must first be registered in U.S. for coverage to apply. If the car moves to Canada after it is six months old the warranty will be valid. However, if a U.S. market car is brought to Canada and sold before the car is six months old, the warranty will be void. "

If we bought new car and import the car to canada without register in the state, the warranty will not apply (if I understand it correctly)

[J233]

What a great site !
Does anyone know of a US Saturn dealer in NY, OH, PA, NH, MA (500 miles from GTA) that would be willing to sell a 2008 model for export ? We really love the Outlook and the price difference now is 11K!. Pls PM me and I will follow the drill.

J233

[johnsa]

I called Nissan 3 times yesterday to confirm (with 3 diffferent individuals) that the warranty is applicable in Canada. I still don't trust them. Tomorrow, I will ask for it in writing. I'm thinking of either Subaru Legacy, Nissan Maxima or a Volvo XC70. Just need a second car for a good deal!!! The thing that scares me about the Maxima 3.5SL is the fuel economy. I hear it drinks alot!

disagree on the fuel economy on the max..very comparible to accord or camry V6 that family of mine own.......

[longdong]

http://www.nissanusa.com/owning/warranty.html

Click 2007 sample warranty ... looks like yes / no / maybe it's not quite clear

[eastsidesubaru]

whew.. this is a lot of work... I gotta try to find that list of what warranties are valid..

come on guys, please help =)
http://www.carburner.com/

[cookiemunster]

Eastside, is this what you were looking for?

http://www.apa.ca/template.asp?DocID=253

[joe friday]

Which licensing center have you taken your car??? The licensing center on St Clair and McCowan Rd in Scarborough had no problem when I showed her the printout that says "current and future model year do not require safety certificate..."

Don't you agree that it's so frustrating that the government website outlines what is needed and not needed and yet you have MTO staff that insists they know better? I just wished government centers like these were not privatized!

Just a point of clarification...these are not MTO staff as all of this work was contracted out to private companies during the Harris downsizing (as you rightly indicated in your next sentence. I realize that it was an unintentional slip...)

[joe friday]

Under the Toyota settlement, agreed to in late February, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. admits no wrongdoing in the class-action lawsuit.
Paying a settlement without admitting guilt was a better use of its legal team's time and money than going to court, says Toyota spokesman Xavier Dominicis.

Right......$35M buys an awful lot of court time.....

[yyz2hkg]

whew.. this is a lot of work... I gotta try to find that list of what warranties are valid..

come on guys, please help =)
http://www.carburner.com/

This is Great! Alas, I have something to recommend my family and friends to view for reference. Can we put in testimonials? I purchased my Subie in OCTOBER 2006 and have never looked back...this was my post HERE, back in Nov, and was happy to share my experience. Anyhow, great post guys. (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4160338&postcount=1)

[joe friday]

Not that I am defending Toyota's tactics on preventing US sales to Canadians, but I am not sure that they are any worse than Honda or others that refuse to honour the warranty on cars exported from the US. For most people, this is a deal breaker. At least with Toyota, if you can get one (and lots of us have) the warranty is 100% transferrable.

Pay attention to the posts from Toyota importers - they are buying hybrids, Siennas and Tundras, which all offer unique features and benefits no Subaru can offer.

I think that you must have assumed that I am promoting Subaru's. To put some context to my comments, I have owned a Sienna for the past three years, and I am completely unimpressed with the vehicle. I also did not state that Toyota is the only villain in this story and I would agree with you that there are other companies which don't deserve our business either.

I simply made the comment because I sense that some posters feel that Toyota's are the ultimate in a vehicle, and I just don't share that view.

[bkushner]

Anyone recently purchased an Infiniti G35 or is looking? I need some courage!!

[eastsidesubaru]

This is Great! Alas, I have something to recommend my family and friends to view for reference. Can we put in testimonials? I purchased my Subie in OCTOBER 2006 and have never looked back...this was my post HERE, back in Nov, and was happy to share my experience. Anyhow, great post guys. (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4160338&postcount=1)

Yeah, I put up a section called "Wall of Savers"... go there, click edit, and add your testimonial :)

http://www.carburner.com/index.php?title=Wall_Of_Savers

[eastsidesubaru]

Eastside, is this what you were looking for?

http://www.apa.ca/template.asp?DocID=253

Yes, that's perfect! Thanks!!

[yyz2hkg]

Anyone recently purchased an Infiniti G35 or is looking? I need some courage!!

DO IT! I was a bit intimidated at first, but when the car was in my garage, I said to myself, "That was easy, and well worth it"

[johnsa]

I have 5 words for you ......

2008 G37 coupe 330 hp.....

saw one last week..beauty..list price about 15k cheaper in the US>.I will be watching prices on them in a year or two

[toolman]

Does anyboy have any tips on importing at the Ambassador Bridge Detroit / Windsor?
I will be bringing my new Sienna in that way.
Thank's

[Fx45]

Anyone recently purchased an Infiniti G35 or is looking? I need some courage!!

Nope, but I brought home TWO infiniti FXs on Monday (one for myself, one for the father-in-law). Full report after I get the insurance (just got the RIV form 2s today), but definitely worth the effort so far!

[Billyboy]

Having a tough time with my two first choices:

Mercedes C-300 (2008) - not worth it when you factor modifications.
Volvo S-40 T5 AWD - not too many 2007s around (2008 models don't have manual transmission).

Am considering other cars.

Does anyone know of any Volkswagon, Lexus and BMW dealerships that will see to Canadians?

Feel free to email me privately so as to protect these dealers identities. I will reply to your email with my contact info.
gnrlbilly@hotmail.com

Thanks.

[Jin]

Can anyone tell me if any modifications are required for Lexus RX350's for import?

Also, are any RX400h's made in Canada in any year?

[allknowing]

What are people's opinions on resale value of US cars? If 2 cars are offered, one US based, the other CDN based - do you expect the same $$ or will people be turned off the US car?
On similar note - could you sell your car in a year and perhaps make $$ or break even?!

Daryl.

[smpmush]

What are people's opinions on resale value of US cars? If 2 cars are offered, one US based, the other CDN based - do you expect the same $$ or will people be turned off the US car?
On similar note - could you sell your car in a year and perhaps make $$ or break even?!

Daryl.


Dealers and experts Like Denis will tell you that you will lose your shirt when trying to sell your US bought vehical! How they come to this conclusion is a mystery.. Quality and reliability are the same for a car/truck built for the NA market.. Other than some minor changes to meet Canadian DOT requirements there is no difference in most car/trucks... This is just another ploy used by Canuk dealers and manufactures to scare peolple into buying here in the north.. It's generally a groundless statement! when the dollar rises a little more i can just hear dealers .. telling peolpe .. " Ya we just imported this car from the US and we are passing the saving's on to you...." Some dealers are already importing US used vehicals driving down our used car prices! But they are keeping the savings on the car they sell you and taking you for a ride on your trade in! it's a great deal for dealers with US contacts! Cut out the canuk dealer and go straight to the US for a used car, you won't be disapointed.. :lol:

[ian46]

Anyone have any updates on what is happening with the class action law suit launched in Sept?

Just one person's opinion:
Class action lawsuits can take UP TO 5 years to
resolve in court, much sooner if a settlement
happens before court.

The Cdn action must first be "certified" as
being a "class action" - a slam dunk in my
view, but it still will take months, not days !

The more interesting question is: What is going
on in the US Class Action lawsuit, launched
in California in 2003 and from published
reports now in court (or going to court) in
Maine as we speak. Jury Trial no less !
Allegations are related to violations to
"Sherman Act" - TRIPLE damages are being
sought !

IF US lawsuit is successful - the Cdn suit
will likely be settled very soon after its
certification - a BIG win for all Cdns !

Does anybody have any info on the status
of the US lawsuit ?

As always, my personal opinions are my own and do not necessarily represent those of any group,
company, etc. You should do your own research first before coming
to your own opinions and conclusions.

[Louist]

Of course it will affect resale...this is a no brainer. Ever sell your house private and find it difficult to get the same price as the guy next door who has a remax sign or whatever in the ground.

I have 3 concrete examples of how it affects the market.

My bud on the same street wanted a boxster....found out it was a us vehicle..bought a canadian M3 convertible.

My workmates friens...bought a us vehicle toyota tundra. saved large..wanted to sell it 6 months later...lost 9k. He claimed no one wanted the truck for his reasonable price once they found out it was US...they wanted it for much less. Now he has a mini van. LOL

At work my cubicle next to me...bought a Jeep US used in canada...truied to trade it in 1 year later and the dealer would not touch the thing..wanted to shave 8k off the book value...she tried private, and with soo many cars for sale used right now...no chance. She ate the 8k.

Now i am not saying not to buy US...but the reality check is that unless you fail to disclose the vehicle as an import...(ilegal) to the potential buyer of your used vehicle, you will lose some resale. Not so much as to prevent you from buying from the US. Best case scenario is you buy new and drive it 10 years then sell it as a beater private for almost the same dollars.

You will get whacked by 10% or as much as 20% on resale, but if you save 30% well no brainer right.

[KillaB]

Check the website again..I have a print up stating that new vehicles imported do not require safety or emissions in Ontario...

Just spoke with Sham/MTO (1-800-387-3445) and she's telling me the same thing.....New vehicle purchased out of country directly from the dealer requires a SSC to be registered in Ontario.

So either you guys getting plates where not telling the truth when registering or you got lucky with an MTO agent not knowing "the system".

[Shojin]

Nope, but I brought home TWO infiniti FXs on Monday (one for myself, one for the father-in-law). Full report after I get the insurance (just got the RIV form 2s today), but definitely worth the effort so far!

Please do post your full experience on importing your FXs - I am looking at doing the same and it would be great to get it straight from the horse's mouth (not that I'm calling you a horse or anything :cheesygri )

[dlseeker]

This issue pops up from time to time on this forum.

Has anyone asked US dealers that they purchased from if they are willing to take back the car as a trade in at a later point?

Please post feedback for the benefit of us all.

[Monsieurmaggot]

My co-workers just finalized deals on 2 new Toyota Tundras today at the same dealer...2007 supercab 4x4 TRD 5.7litre 30,000USD O-T-D....BEST PRICE at local dealer 44k!!!!!!

whoopeee......28 k to spend on accessories..that should go a long way!!!!

Hey..they could just buy :D me a third Tundra for helping them out......

Ok..a case of beer will do...:cheesygri

That's too funny. But sadly so true.

Why on earth would any sane person pay $10,000 more for a vehicle is beyond comprehension. I guess those that do are the spineless sheep the "wolves" at the Canadian dealerships prey on.

To those I say, we're the shepherds. We'll guide you....

(Boy am I ever a philosopher).

[longdong]

Dealers and experts Like Denis will tell you that you will lose your shirt when trying to sell your US bought vehical! How they come to this conclusion is a mystery.. Quality and reliability are the same for a car/truck built for the NA market.. Other than some minor changes to meet Canadian DOT requirements there is no difference in most car/trucks... This is just another ploy used by Canuk dealers and manufactures to scare peolple into buying here in the north.. It's generally a groundless statement! when the dollar rises a little more i can just hear dealers .. telling peolpe .. " Ya we just imported this car from the US and we are passing the saving's on to you...." Some dealers are already importing US used vehicals driving down our used car prices! But they are keeping the savings on the car they sell you and taking you for a ride on your trade in! it's a great deal for dealers with US contacts! Cut out the canuk dealer and go straight to the US for a used car, you won't be disapointed.. :lol:

Check this dealer:
http://www.kanataford.com/flash.html

They bought a bunch (15 ?) of used US Toyota Sienna LE 2007 from 5k miles to 10 k miles .. they have sold haft of them (their asked price is 29900$, so they may sell at 29k ?) and for this US Toyota Sienna LE 2007 brand new, ou can get easily 26k (if any dealer is still willing to sell cars to canadian).

[Monsieurmaggot]

What are people's opinions on resale value of US cars? If 2 cars are offered, one US based, the other CDN based - do you expect the same $$ or will people be turned off the US car?
On similar note - could you sell your car in a year and perhaps make $$ or break even?!

Daryl.

Go ask a Canadian dealer who's flipping used American cars. They're out there. I'd love to hear what they have to say then. I bet there's no difference when it suits them.

[longdong]

Check this dealer:
http://www.kanataford.com/flash.html

They bought a bunch (15 ?) of used US Toyota Sienna LE 2007 from 5k miles to 10 k miles .. they have sold haft of them (their asked price is 29900$, so they may sell at 29k ?) and for this US Toyota Sienna LE 2007 brand new, ou can get easily 26k (if any dealer is still willing to sell cars to canadian).

Sorry I mean that you can get US Toyota Sienna LE 2008 brand new for 26k

[Bullseye]

I've read a large chunk of this thread but haven't seen this answered yet...does the 6.1% duty on non-NA made cars apply only to new vehicles? Or used ones as well? Considering a nearly new Forester.

[HighFlyer]

I've read a large chunk of this thread but haven't seen this answered yet...does the 6.1% duty on non-NA made cars apply only to new vehicles? Or used ones as well? Considering a nearly new Forester.

It applies on both.

[HighFlyer]

Canadian dollar gains again....

1 CAD = 1.0172 Bush Pesos

[Ebola]

I've read a large chunk of this thread but haven't seen this answered yet...does the 6.1% duty on non-NA made cars apply only to new vehicles? Or used ones as well? Considering a nearly new Forester.

Both. Even if it is not new, you are importing a foreign made vehicle into Canada. Hence a duty rate willl apply.

[Bullseye]

It applies on both.

Thanks. Also considering an Outback, so that fact makes me lean a little more towards that, then.

[smpmush]

Go ask a Canadian dealer who's flipping used American cars. They're out there. I'd love to hear what they have to say then. I bet there's no difference when it suits them.

Well put! Back in the day 70 cent dollar they were taking trades at book and they were sending them to the US! They made a killing on the exchange! And kept the used market artificially inflated by having minimal new used cars/trucks available!
Now that lots are stuffed with newer used car/trucks prices are going to fall and fast.. I predict lots of empty lots soon when the carrying costs kill the little guys! The correction is comming in the car market but it will be a bloody one.. ALL CANADIANS will lose as the price for the vehicals we all drive will drop overnight to reflect the "correction"! I say, if you can't go to the US to buy it's best to lease at the moment as any "equity" you think you have in your ride might just dissapear in quick fashion with really no way to cushion the hit! Unless of course you got a ride from the US and already have a cushion to enjoy!!!!!
Manufacturers and dealers have shown how greedy they are and will not change there ways until the bottom line is being affected.. They have deep pocket's after the good ride they have enjoyed the last few years.... It's not going to be easy to get them to play fair.. >:(

[fireguy9]

Does anyboy have any tips on importing at the Ambassador Bridge Detroit / Windsor?
I will be bringing my new Sienna in that way.
Thank's

I did it a few yrs back at that bridge,,,,, it is a long long wait, during business hrs as at that time they directed me to customs location under the bridge where all the truckers go ,, to get the title

[hotgo]

I have seen this asked before, but I have not seen an answer in this thread... after some searching.

What options does a buyer have when the dealer is not offering a temporaty permit? (Massachusetts) Can I get a temporary Ontario permit and drive it with that? Any other ideas?

Thanks a lot!!!

[diigii]

I called Nissan 3 times yesterday to confirm (with 3 diffferent individuals) that the warranty is applicable in Canada. I still don't trust them. Tomorrow, I will ask for it in writing. I'm thinking of either Subaru Legacy, Nissan Maxima or a Volvo XC70. Just need a second car for a good deal!!! The thing that scares me about the Maxima 3.5SL is the fuel economy. I hear it drinks alot!

you heard wrong. Since the Altima uses the same 3.5 V6 with recommended premium fuel, my car's fuel mileage is about the same as 4-cyl. Maybe it's just me driving my Altima on the 5th or 6th gear in city driving.

[diigii]

http://www.nissanusa.com/owning/warranty.html

Click 2007 sample warranty ... looks like yes / no / maybe it's not quite clear

Why do you keep on hashing this warranty thing about Nissan? I already told you that Canadian dealerships honor the 3-yr basic car warranty, just not the extended warranty! And I've proven it is honored by saying I took my car for some warranty work last week. You still make an issue out of it? The reason why we are all on this forum is to share info. I'm sharing my info already. Do you want me to show you the receipt to convince you? :mad:

[diigii]

Yeah, I put up a section called "Wall of Savers"... go there, click edit, and add your testimonial :)

http://www.carburner.com/index.php?title=Wall_Of_Savers

Done! Thanks Zach.

[Symcrapico]

Done! Thanks Zach.

Done it too, even though I dont have the car in my driveway. I at least have in my possession the Certificate of Authenticity as well as the Bill of Sale.

Im going this afternoon at the Champlain border US Export Office to give them these papers since they DONT accept faxes and courier!

[tico 1948]

This issue pops up from time to time on this forum.

Has anyone asked US dealers that they purchased from if they are willing to take back the car as a trade in at a later point?

Please post feedback for the benefit of us all.

A very good question dlseeker! I must ask my Dealer/Salesman that very thing, when I pick up my vehicle. That may tend to keep RFDers buying Stateside if you can't get a decent price selling used up here.

[diigii]

Just spoke with Sham/MTO (1-800-387-3445) and she's telling me the same thing.....New vehicle purchased out of country directly from the dealer requires a SSC to be registered in Ontario.

So either you guys getting plates where not telling the truth when registering or you got lucky with an MTO agent not knowing "the system".

Certainly, I'm telling you the truth by giving you the MTO location I registered my car. Secondly, I did not get lucky with the MTO agent I dealt with. She asked for the security certificate at first. But when I showed her the Ministry printout, she read it. But she also went to a more senior staff and asked if I indeed a new one. She came back and apologized, saying I don't need one.

[Symcrapico]

FYI,

I've just reformated the Wall Of Savers (http://www.carburner.com/index.php?title=Wall_Of_Savers) in a table format so its easier to put information in it.

If you dont know how to do it, just PM me the informations, and ill add it for you

[diigii]

A very good question dlseeker! I must ask my Dealer/Salesman that very thing, when I pick up my vehicle. That may tend to keep RFDers buying Stateside if you can't get a decent price selling used up here.

But most of us RFD'ers are keepers, not trading our cars after a few years. I intend to drive my 2007 well beyond 2017 into the ground. I've got another 2000 Altima that has done approximately 150,000 kms that still runs like new. There is no way a dealer will rip me off since I don't have plans of trading it in.

[vim]

After submitting fax to Lewiston export office, I left a message yesterday asking to confirm date when I can do export. But I have not got call back. Anyone here got a call back from them, if so how long after leaving message?

[KillaB]

Certainly, I'm telling you the truth by giving you the MTO location I registered my car. Secondly, I did not get lucky with the MTO agent I dealt with. She asked for the security certificate at first. But when I showed her the Ministry printout, she read it. But she also went to a more senior staff and asked if I indeed a new one. She came back and apologized, saying I don't need one.

All I can say is you got lucky!
I just spoke with Sham/MTO again and she's confirmed it with her supervisor twice now on the situation. She says I need a Safety done because of the fact it's already in my name. The only way I could get out of it is with a New Vehicle Information Sheet....which I can't obtain because of buying in the US.

[diigii]

All I can say is you got lucky!
I just spoke with Sham/MTO again and she's confirmed it with her supervisor twice now on the situation. She says I need a Safety done because of the fact it's already in my name. The only way I could get out of it is with a New Vehicle Information Sheet....which I can't obtain because of buying in the US.

I don't think I got lucky. So does that mean that the other Ontario importers here on this forum got lucky with their registration? Monsieurmaggot also posted his experience when he registered and licensed his Outback.

Show them the original Certificate of Title because that should not be in your name, if you bought a brand new car. My CoT had the dealership name on it.

[whampoa]

Certainly, I'm telling you the truth by giving you the MTO location I registered my car. Secondly, I did not get lucky with the MTO agent I dealt with. She asked for the security certificate at first. But when I showed her the Ministry printout, she read it. But she also went to a more senior staff and asked if I indeed a new one. She came back and apologized, saying I don't need one.


All I can say is you got lucky!
I just spoke with Sham/MTO again and she's confirmed it with her supervisor twice now on the situation. She says I need a Safety done because of the fact it's already in my name. The only way I could get out of it is with a New Vehicle Information Sheet....which I can't obtain because of buying in the US.


You're both right, what happen is this. Some MTO offices acted like a$$hole and want you to get both the safety and emissions certify, once you drive off the dealership. You can ask them to verify with MTO head office, senior staff, etc. They will come back and say the same thing. Get certify.

Now the trick is tell them the car is tow to Canada and has zero mileage on it. They are not going to get their lazy butt off the chair and check your odometer. However, under no circumstance will you show them the Form 1 that has pass the CT inspection. It has the odometer reading written on it.

If that doesn't persuade them, go to another MTO office and have it register there. I suspect the private MTO offices are more insistence of the safety and emission test, than the more lenient public MTO offices. Or it's the other way around?

[dlseeker]

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/vehicle/rgoutcan.htm

The above link was provide many pages back, print it and take it with you when you go to the Ontario MTO office.

They will argue otherwise but in the end give in. It's just like the insurance binder, they will give you a hard time but in the end give it to you.







All I can say is you got lucky!
I just spoke with Sham/MTO again and she's confirmed it with her supervisor twice now on the situation. She says I need a Safety done because of the fact it's already in my name. The only way I could get out of it is with a New Vehicle Information Sheet....which I can't obtain because of buying in the US.

[KillaB]

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/vehicle/rgoutcan.htm

The above link was provide many pages back, print it and take it with you when you go to the Ontario MTO office.

They will argue otherwise but in the end give in. It's just like the insurance binder, they will give you a hard time but in the end give it to you.

I already know the link, but thanks.
Actually, I think this one is better, as it states requirements for new vehicles purchased out of the country: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/faq/vehicle.htm#used4

I just stated my case on MTO's Feedback form, let's hope they respond in a timely manner.

[vim]

Hi,

My Insurance company refused to provide letter that my car will be insured. But they did say it is insured for 14 days, just no letter will be given.

I talked to dealer. He does not need letter. He said if I have any insurance, that is OK with him.
Somebody said that if I am stopped by policy, they can charge me with driving without insurance. But isn't that the same as driving rental car? My insurance covers rented cars. Will US police look into the printout that I do have automatic coverage for 14days?

Also, is it possible that I'll be stopped at the border and not let in or out if I do not have insurance letter? Anyone checked for this letter?

[whampoa]

I already know the link, but thanks.
Actually, I think this one is better, as it states requirements for new vehicles purchased out of the country: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/faq/vehicle.htm#used4

I just stated my case on MTO's Feedback form, let's hope they respond in a timely manner.

KillaB,

By just browsing the above site, it stated clearly, if you have purchased a new unregistered vehicle/trailer purchased outside Ontario, I don't see vehicle emissions inspection as required.

And how can you registered a new vehicle in the US without having a State driving license? Lets say you did register, in that case, the vehicle is considered used since it's already been register and plated.

[diigii]

Hi,

My Insurance company refused to provide letter that my car will be insured. But they did say it is insured for 14 days, just no letter will be given.

I talked to dealer. He does not need letter. He said if I have any insurance, that is OK with him.
Somebody said that if I am stopped by policy, they can charge me with driving without insurance. But isn't that the same as driving rental car? My insurance covers rented cars. Will US police look into the printout that I do have automatic coverage for 14days?

Also, is it possible that I'll be stopped at the border and not let in or out if I do not have insurance letter? Anyone checked for this letter?

Don't ask for a letter. Ask for a temporary insurance card (the pink slip your insurance provider sends you) with your new car's VIN printed on it. So in the event you are stopped by any state police or provincial police, the insurance card will be your peace of mind.

[LoDown]

To all of you that are getting refusals. I suggest you send back something like the following reply. Hoperfully they dealerships will all meet in Atlantic City - greet/eat and meet and come up with their own Free-Market rules of engagement.



I am very sorry to hear that Toyota USA is preventing your hardworking dealership from earning a living by conducting it’s normal course of business.

My understanding is that Toyota USA is threatening dealerships with penalties, fines, etc if they sell a single new Toyota car for export to a Canadian. If this is true, then I would like to point out that Toyota USA’s actions are in actual fact illegal, according to the laws of the United States of America and Canada.

Given that we live in a free capitalist society, it is clear that this Japanese owned entity – Toyota USA, is breaking American laws in many ways. I therefore respectfully suggest that your dealership meet with like minded dealerships in your area and defy Toyota USA’s un-American directives. I predict that it will take just of handful of dealerships to create a critical mass and make converts of the rest of them. The like-minded group simply needs to openly declare that ‘they have had enough and will not take it anymore’ and resume selling new cars to anyone who can pay for them – just like any other business is allowed to do. With mass-media attention it will only be a matter of time before all other dealerships say – enough – let me earn my living without illegal restrictions. The group’s manifesto can include the following facts:

Toyota USAs directive to stop selling cars to anyone, is in the Legal sense:

a. Discriminatory
b. Anti-Competitive
c. Price-Fixing


Also:

d. Toyota Inc. recently lost a lawsuit for refusing to honour Warranty service to Americans who bought Toyota cars in Canada
e. A new lawsuit is currently in the works that names many Car manufacturers that are preventing Canadians from buying their cars in the USA
f. The directive constitutes a clear harassment of Dealerships
g. The directive is definitely costing Dealerships money



Thank you,

Signed
I just want to buy a Car

[fulrach]

To all of you that are getting refusals. I suggest you send back something like the following reply. Hoperfully they dealerships will all meet in Atlantic City - greet/eat and meet and come up with their own Free-Market rules of engagement.



Thank you,

Signed
I just want to buy a Car


lol... love it! I think I'll do this for all the dealerships that are refusing to sell to me

Thanks!

[Boodie]

is there a list of dealerships to NOT do business with bcs they wont sell to canadians?

I am looking to buy a hyundia which is about 7- 8k less in the states.

[Monsieurmaggot]

After submitting fax to Lewiston export office, I left a message yesterday asking to confirm date when I can do export. But I have not got call back. Anyone here got a call back from them, if so how long after leaving message?

I called them after 48 hours to confirm everything was in order. They told me that my car was still being "processed".

They called me the next day and told me it had been cleared.

[southpaw4golf]

Looking to import a 2008 Toyota from the Montana or Idaho regions.
Please PM me with any leads, please.

[CatchMoreFish]

I have just purchased a car in Ohio. I am planning to bring it in through Windsor. Can anyone share the information about border crossing? I don't want to miss the US custom and go throught into Canada custom.

If I go through Buffalo, can I go through peace bridage and rainbow bridge? I heard the Lewinston one closes at 4:00 PM. What's the others?

Many thanks.

[J233]

Hi,

My Insurance company refused to provide letter that my car will be insured. But they did say it is insured for 14 days, just no letter will be given.

I talked to dealer. He does not need letter. He said if I have any insurance, that is OK with him.
Somebody said that if I am stopped by policy, they can charge me with driving without insurance. But isn't that the same as driving rental car? My insurance covers rented cars. Will US police look into the printout that I do have automatic coverage for 14days?

Also, is it possible that I'll be stopped at the border and not let in or out if I do not have insurance letter? Anyone checked for this letter?

Last year, the fact that I could not get insurance from my insurance company (12 years of loyalty, no accidents, etc) to drive a car (used) from Florida to Toronto killed my deal. Here is what I learned from this experience:

1.The 14 day insurance automatically applies to any vehicle you are buying but only in Ontario. If they (your insurance folks) can’t find the VIN in their system (interconnected with MTO database) they can deny the coverage. If you are buying a brand new model in the US the chances are 100% they will not be able to locate that VIN#. What it means to them is that no VIN in the system - the car does not exist. In other words, they can’t insure a car that doesn’t exist (I am almost quoting from the conversation that took place last year). What my insurance company can do this year for me though, for example, is that they would cover the import for the trip (14 days) but for 1 ml liability only. This means that until I don’t appraise the car (my expense) and send the papers to them it won’t be covered for theft, collision, fire, etc. This limited coverage idea is apparently their policy not Province of Ontario, so I am looking for a different insurer now before I renew next month. The thing is that I would definitely check with your insurance about what you are actually covered for during these 14 days – they may have a more accommodating policy.
2. Your dealer may not need to see the pink slip but some states, like Florida, will not issue a temp trip plate if you don’t bring a proof of insurance with the VIN # stated on the paper. Make sure that if you planning to drive your import, you understand what the local DMV office requires insurance wise.
3. Can’t elaborate on how the cops would react in case you are pulled over – they usually ask for a DL only but if you have a paper plate on the window and are driving a brand new vehicle they may ask for all the documents, including insurance :)

J233

[cobretti]

I already know the link, but thanks.
Actually, I think this one is better, as it states requirements for new vehicles purchased out of the country: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/faq/vehicle.htm#used4

I just stated my case on MTO's Feedback form, let's hope they respond in a timely manner.

I would also use the section further above in the link you provided:

When do I require an SSC?
An SSC is required when:

registering a rebuilt motor vehicle;
transferring a used motor vehicle to a new owner as fit;
registering a motor vehicle in Ontario that was previously registered in another province or country;
changing the status of a vehicle from unfit to fit.

Do any of those apply?

[lightbulb]

I picked-up my Subie last Friday, went to the RIV office Monday morning, had the Canadian Tire rubber stamp and picked up my Ontario plates, all before noon. Today I arrived home to find this:
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/1342/rivgg7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


All done painlessly within 1 week. Obviously not so speedy if you don't live in the GTA but don't let that be a hinderance.

[tico 1948]

Last year, the fact that I could not get insurance from my insurance company (12 years of loyalty, no accidents, etc) to drive a car (used) from Florida to Toronto killed my deal. Here is what I learned from this experience:

1.The 14 day insurance automatically applies to any vehicle you are buying but only in Ontario. If they (your insurance folks) can’t find the VIN in their system (interconnected with MTO database) they can deny the coverage. If you are buying a brand new model in the US the chances are 100% they will not be able to locate that VIN#. What it means to them is that no VIN in the system - the car does not exist. In other words, they can’t insure a car that doesn’t exist (I am almost quoting from the conversation that took place last year). What my insurance company can do this year for me though, for example, is that they would cover the import for the trip (14 days) but for 1 ml liability only. This means that until I don’t appraise the car (my expense) and send the papers to them it won’t be covered for theft, collision, fire, etc. This limited coverage idea is apparently their policy not Province of Ontario, so I am looking for a different insurer now before I renew next month. The thing is that I would definitely check with your insurance about what you are actually covered for during these 14 days – they may have a more accommodating policy.
2. Your dealer may not need to see the pink slip but some states, like Florida, will not issue a temp trip plate if you don’t bring a proof of insurance with the VIN # stated on the paper. Make sure that if you planning to drive your import, you understand what the local DMV office requires insurance wise.
3. Can’t elaborate on how the cops would react in case you are pulled over – they usually ask for a DL only but if you have a paper plate on the window and are driving a brand new vehicle they may ask for all the documents, including insurance :)

J233
My Insurance Broker has me insured with ING. I just rec'd my temp. permit for bringing the vehicle home on Oct.25. The Temporary card states right along the bottom :Line 1) Motor Vehicle Insurance Card:Line 2) CANADA INTER-PROVINCE: Line 3)Applicable Within Canada And The United States of America.(printed in both official languages) My card is from Oct. 25-07 to expiry on Mar. 21-08. They told me that after I arrive home, they will issue me with a new permanent card. I have never had any B.S. problems with my Agent or with ING. They Rock!:D

[eastsidesubaru]

FYI,

I've just reformated the Wall Of Savers (http://www.carburner.com/index.php?title=Wall_Of_Savers) in a table format so its easier to put information in it.

If you dont know how to do it, just PM me the informations, and ill add it for you



holy smokes.. that is awesome :lol:

trying to keep the site independant btw, and not promote any one manufacturer over any others, etc.... i intend it to be a resource for you guys. :)

By the way though.. I have had a few people send me questions about purchasing Nissans since my dealer group owns 2 nissan dealers as well- I am happy to announce I can now provide you with some resources for purchasing Nissans as well, so PM me your name/number and email if you want to get a Nissan.
One more reminder.. if you are in the far eastern part of canada, i recommend karl @van bortel subaru.. shipping costs are way too cost prohibitive for me to offer any good prices over there. i keep getting a lot of PMs from people in east canada :)

[eastsidesubaru]

A very good question dlseeker! I must ask my Dealer/Salesman that very thing, when I pick up my vehicle. That may tend to keep RFDers buying Stateside if you can't get a decent price selling used up here.

as for me, I will of course take US cars back in on trade, but our used car values are much lower here of course since used car prices are very closely related to new car prices.
However, one (unfortunate?) side effect to this phenomenon that I see is that used car prices in canada will come down if canadian dealers lower their prices or more people import...
pretty soon canada used car prices may be at parity with US used car prices, and that is not good for anybody who was planning on selling their car.

[cookiemunster]

For June 2007, Subaru ranks 15th of 18 rated manufacturers for the number of vehicles sold in Canada. http://images.theglobeandmail.com/archives/RTGAM/images/20070704/wautosstaff0704/june_auto_sales.jpg

Can you imagine what would happen if Subaru corrected their prices to the par dollar? This is their opportunity to go from being a car that most Canadians have never even sat in the brand, to the top selling manufacturer in the country.

Subaru, this is the best opportunity you are ever going to get, to kick all the other manufacturer's butts! So get your own head out of your butt, and give us pricing at par now, while the rest of the idiots are busy hiring lawyers to fight lawsuits!

[toolman]

I have just purchased a car in Ohio. I am planning to bring it in through Windsor. Can anyone share the information about border crossing? I don't want to miss the US custom and go throught into Canada custom.

Many thanks.
I would be interested in the answer too. This is all I could find:
Detroit
Name: Fort Street Cargo Facility
Phone: (313) 226-3139
Fax: (313) 226-5347
Operational Hours: Twenty Four (24) Hours A Day
Seven Days A Week (7)

[ziploc]

For June 2007, Subaru ranks 15th of 18 rated manufacturers for the number of vehicles sold in Canada. http://images.theglobeandmail.com/archives/RTGAM/images/20070704/wautosstaff0704/june_auto_sales.jpg

Can you imagine what would happen if Subaru corrected their prices to the par dollar? This is their opportunity to go from being a car that most Canadians have never even sat in the brand, to the top selling manufacturer in the country.

Subaru, this is the best opportunity you are ever going to get, to kick all the other manufacturer's butts! So get your own head out of your butt, and give us pricing at par now, while the rest of the idiots are busy hiring lawyers to fight lawsuits!

very well said....
Subaru US is still making money with theirs pricing..i don't see why You wouldn't.....
I know that it will lower the used subies pries and make your very loyal costumers unhappy....but that might be a big incentive for them as well to renew their car too...

[Monsieurmaggot]

For June 2007, Subaru ranks 15th of 18 rated manufacturers for the number of vehicles sold in Canada. http://images.theglobeandmail.com/archives/RTGAM/images/20070704/wautosstaff0704/june_auto_sales.jpg

Can you imagine what would happen if Subaru corrected their prices to the par dollar? This is their opportunity to go from being a car that most Canadians have never even sat in the brand, to the top selling manufacturer in the country.

Subaru, this is the best opportunity you are ever going to get, to kick all the other manufacturer's butts! So get your own head out of your butt, and give us pricing at par now, while the rest of the idiots are busy hiring lawyers to fight lawsuits!

Subaru only sold 995 units in September? Heck it could have been more than 1000 if they just try to actually sell to the Canadian consumer.

C'mon Subaru, you know you want to. Stop hassling Karl about selling to Canadians. He's not going away and we're not going to stop promoting US sales. I won't anyway.

Here's my public challenge to Subaru Canada: I have a family member looking for a new vehicle. Should be even try to speak to a Subaru Canada dealer? Do I need to start promoting yet another sale to the US? Imagine me again in a different television interview eating crow this time telling the audience that I was wrong and Canadians manufacturers will let their dealers compete. You are offering a $2000 on the Outback. How about doing something with the Tribeca? The Legacy? (Then I wake up from my dream in Utopia and realize the US market continues to flourish).

[collector]

Subaru only sold 995 units in September? Heck it could have been more than 1000 if they just try to actually sell to the Canadian consumer.


That makes average 11 cars / per dealership (there are 90 Subaru dealers listed on their website).
I bet some salesmen didn't even sell one.

[LoDown]

Globe and Mail today: "Loonie breaks $1.02 U.S. as jobless rate tumbles"

It's official folks. Canadian's can buy US Cars for less than Americans can - that is if you get an exchange rate with less than a 2% differential.

Prediction: 1 Cdn $ = 1.11 US $ by Mid 2008.

[yu130960]

I am trying to price out an outback for the last couple days and not having much luck....there must be a run on them now

[KillaB]

I would also use the section further above in the link you provided:

When do I require an SSC?
An SSC is required when:

registering a rebuilt motor vehicle;
transferring a used motor vehicle to a new owner as fit;
registering a motor vehicle in Ontario that was previously registered in another province or country;
changing the status of a vehicle from unfit to fit.

Do any of those apply?

Trust me, I've tried. Printed out the three references for when I went in.

I had a reply from the MTO head office on my answering machine when I got home from work today. The man that left the message stated that since I don't have a New Vehicle Information Statement (NVIS) I have to get it safetied.

What kind of Bull$417 system do they run over there?

I quote....
"If you have purchased a new unregistered vehicle/trailer purchased outside Ontario, the following documents are required:

* New Vehicle Information Statement (NVIS) (if NVIS is not supplied by manufacturer a dealer's certificate of sale/bill of sale or certificate of origin is acceptable)
* application for registration—completed and signed
* Vehicle Import Form (only required if the vehicle is purchased outside Canada)
* insurance information if vehicle is plataed, not required for trailer
* plate portion of the permit, if registrant attaching currently owned licence plates
* payment for retail sales tax (if the registrant is exempt from paying retail sales tax then the appropriate supporting documentation is also required)
* for commercial vehicles and trailers whose empty weight is more than 900 kilograms, an Empty Weight Certificate is required if not shown on the NVIS or the other acceptable proof of ownership.
* proof of identity for applicant who has never registered a plate or vehicle with the ministry e.g. driver's licence
* payment for licensing fees: for plates and permit, $20or $35 for a trailer plate or $10 if plates that are already owned are attached. (For plate validation, the owner will be required to pay for the validation period from the date of vehicle registration to the assigned validation expiry.) Trailer plates do not require validation."

I most certainly have the item in bold and everyone I've talked to knows it. I'm going to snap on them when I call back Tuesday morning!
They really need to update their website if things have "changed".

[Mei Yee]

I am in Alberta. I want to purchase either a Lexus RX350 or an Acura RDX from the States. Can anyone guide me through what I should do? Should I contact a dealership in Washington (Spokane) or Montana (Great Falls)? Does anyone have any contacts/experience with such a purchase? Thanks!

[cookiemunster]

Just to clarify, the link I posted shows the sales figures for June. The 995 may seem shocking, but if you look at the third column, it shows the year to date sales as app 6000. So that would be right on average for them.

Here is the link to the full article that chart was from.

http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070704.wautosstaff0704/BNStory/Business/home

[Shaun091382]

Hello again friends...I need some strong advice here and hopefully someone can help me out. I am importing a pickup from the U.S. to Canada the original title shows that a lien exists on the truck however the debt has been paid per agreement and a lien release form has been obtained from the banking institution. My question is does anyone know if the lien release form also needs to be faxed along with the certificate of title 72 hrs before or does just the title need to be and I can bring the lien release at time of arrival at the border? If someone can clear that up for me it would be appreciated! thanks,

Shaun

[Monsieurmaggot]

This thread broke 700,000 hits earlier today :lol:

Welcome all new readers. You're only now finding out what many of us on RFDs already know. There are huge savings to be had buying cars in the US.

While you might have just found out about this, you can actually save more than many of us since the Canadian dollars is now trading at the 1.01 - 1.02 level. That means you can check out pricing in the US and know THAT'S WHAT YOU SHOULD BE PAYING in Canada. To be fair, add a $1000 to the cost. Anything above that is merely greediness and gouging of the Canadian consumer.

I would imagine the "hit" numbers on this thread probably reflect "non-unique" hits but rather actual thread visits. In any event, someone is reading this stuff and I'm sure threads like this are having an impact on Canadian sales.

This site and others like it seem to be mentioned in the press a lot lately.

I love the article where Mr. DesRosiers was asked about the "conversations" going on in the forums. And it mentioned that people are posting actual documentation online.

The only site doing that IS RIGHT HERE!

[jdeals]

I didn't realize subie sales are so low. No wonder I don't see too many around..see mostly hondas and toyotas.

[scouzi]

I didn't realize subie sales are so low. No wonder I don't see too many around..see mostly hondas and toyotas.

I think a lot of them are sold in Quebec. Lots of them here.

[elmst200]

http://www.canadiandriver.com/news/071003-1.htm

September auto sales "respectable" but not great, analyst says

Richmond Hill, Ontario - Canadian new car sales enjoyed a "respectable month but not a great month," says industry analyst Dennis DesRosiers, noting that sales were down 2.9 per cent over last year, and that sales were higher four times in the last eight years.

"The economy was still very strong in September and prices were coming down with the strong dollar and the huge incentive dollars in play, so there must be other things at work," DesRosiers says.

DesRosiers suggests that a weakness in the U.S. dollar, with customer perception that prices are too high, may be to blame, but says "With this story blasted from one end of the media to the other, I'm sure some consumers just sat on their hands. This is how markets work and why I'm not concerned about the price differentials."

Sales for September 2007 were as follows:

Manufacturer September 2007 September 2006 Per cent change
Chrysler 17,011 16,191 +5.1
Ford 13,851 15,294 -9.4
General Motors 31,922 35,166 -6.4
Acura 1,525 2,180 -30.2
Audi 620 850 -27.1
BMW 1,929 1,826 +5.6
Honda 13,317 14,702 -9.4
Hyundai 7,080 6,090 +16.3
Infiniti 471 580 -18.8
Jaguar 58 60 -3.3
Kia 3,330 2,471 +34.8
Land Rover 279 221 +26.2
Lexus 982 957 +2.6
Mazda 7,055 7,044 +0.2
Mercedes-Benz 1,329 1,229 +8.1
Mini 320 291 +10.0
Mitsubishi 1,260 1,015 +24.1
Nissan 5,947 6,544 -9.1
Porsche 160 128 +25.0
Saab 168 277 -39.4
Smart 31 192 -83.9
Subaru 1,575 1,292 +21.9
Suzuki 1,058 904 +17.0
Toyota 15,910 16,247 -2.1
Volkswagen 2,854 3,176 -10.1
Volvo 785 831 -5.5
Passenger Car 70,783 72,813 -2.8
Light truck 61,044 62,951 -3.0
Total light vehicle sales 131,827 135,764 -2.1

[icecom]

they asked for that on someone else's used imports when I cleared mine.


Hello again friends...I need some strong advice here and hopefully someone can help me out. I am importing a pickup from the U.S. to Canada the original title shows that a lien exists on the truck however the debt has been paid per agreement and a lien release form has been obtained from the banking institution. My question is does anyone know if the lien release form also needs to be faxed along with the certificate of title 72 hrs before or does just the title need to be and I can bring the lien release at time of arrival at the border? If someone can clear that up for me it would be appreciated! thanks,

Shaun

[ecgz88]

Subaru 1,575 1,292 +21.9

Impressive :cheesygri

[ryehigh17]

Anyone know if I buy a Honda from one state, say Maryland, if the warranty is valid in NY state?

I know the US warranty is not valid in Canada, but want the option to drive from Toronto->Buffalo to handle any major warranty work.

Thanks a lot in advance.

[smpmush]

Mr. DesRosiers should be worried about the loss of sales to the US market.. Being how he relies on the Canuk auto industry to make a buck, and with sales going south it will have an effect on his bottom line soon..Manufactures will cut back on consulting costs and he will feel the pain..
He has held to the mantra that there are minimal savings to be had shopping down south although he has softened his stance since the media presented him with the facts found here.. lol ... But it seems he is looking at this as free advertizing for his monopoly consulting business.. I had a friend who is a very smart person point out to me that Mr. DesRosiers has claimed minimal savings and used the issues of warrenty and resale to "scare" the public into believing that buying in the US is not an option.... I directed him to this thread and boy did it open his eyes.. More and more people are finding this thread everyday... and thats a good thing!!!!!

[WantaCar]

For June 2007, Subaru ranks 15th of 18 rated manufacturers for the number of vehicles sold in Canada. http://images.theglobeandmail.com/archives/RTGAM/images/20070704/wautosstaff0704/june_auto_sales.jpg

Can you imagine what would happen if Subaru corrected their prices to the par dollar? This is their opportunity to go from being a car that most Canadians have never even sat in the brand, to the top selling manufacturer in the country.

Subaru, this is the best opportunity you are ever going to get, to kick all the other manufacturer's butts! So get your own head out of your butt, and give us pricing at par now, while the rest of the idiots are busy hiring lawyers to fight lawsuits!

I believe Toyota owns enough of Subaru to prevent that from ever happening. Just Google "Toyota owns Subaru". I would not expect new car prices to drop any time soon. Just look at what happened to Apple when they slashed the price of the iphone. However, used car prices will probaby drop to be in line with US prices. This is not a good time to buy a new car in Canada.

[eastsidesubaru]

Question... for US customs, is there a vehicle export crossing in Sumas, WA? Can my customer get everything they need done at the Sumas crossing?

[eastsidesubaru]

I believe Toyota owns enough of Subaru to prevent that from ever happening. Just Google "Toyota owns Subaru". I would not expect new car prices to drop any time soon. Just look at what happened to Apple when they slashed the price of the iphone. However, used car prices will probaby drop to be in line with US prices. This is not a good time to buy a new car in Canada.

Alright, I'll play :)
Toyota owns about 9% i believe... you think that really gives them that much control over Subaru??

[shopper-X]

#3 is the only one that confuses me. A person Can register in Quebec a car that isn't even in their name in the first place? In other words if the car has the transit paper on it when we cross the border, I just get to quebec and plate it in my name?

Won't the people at the border find it wierd that a car is being driven up with transit papers.

Important question: Additionally the reason my friend wanted to get it plated in the states and then transfered to his name in quebec as a "gift" is to get around paying taxes, although i duno the legalities of that.

AFAIK, as long as the vehicle is in transit, not registered, you can transport it to Canada and register it. This can be done if she purchases a vehicle from a state other then the one she is a resident of. A bonus would be to avoid state taxes by picking a state that does not have a reciprocal tax agreement where they collect tax for resident state.

[WantaCar]

Alright, I'll play :)
Toyota owns about 9% i believe... you think that really gives them that much control over Subaru??

I don't know. However, there must be a reason they purchased these shares from GM. It is unlikely to be a passive investment. Also, does GM own 11% of Subaru? It seems like the auto manufactures are all owned by one another. These are just my thoughts.

[shopper-X]

Alright, I'll play :)
Toyota owns about 9% i believe... you think that really gives them that much control over Subaru??

Is "TOYOTA MOTOR CREDIT CORP" not the financial organization who you pay for your vehicles?

[Raikkonen]

Are there others out there looking for a Camry or Toyota model......:?:
Can we pool our purchasing resources....any ideas on where to buy (which dealerships).

I imported a 2007 Acura MDX last Novemeber with zero hassles.

I'm near Oakville, Ontario

[Fx45]

Finally got my license plates... so another succesful import! Here are the full details:

Car
2008 Infiniti FX35 Touring /Handsfree (i.e. same as Canadian base model)

Savings
Expected Cost including all taxes if purchased in Canada $61,911 (MSRP-2000 + freight and taxes)
Total of all costs incurred by purchasing in US: approx $49,850.
Savings: Approx $12,000
(maybe closer to 8-9K since borrowing/interest cost is higher through bank)

Process
1. Contacted a dealerships in Washington and Oregon and negotiated prices via email and phone. Used the Edmunds.com price to negotiate.
2. Monday Afternoon: Finally made agreement with Infiniti of Tacoma, who were quickest to respond in WA (as per previous post, some dealerships pulled back from offer stating new penalty for selling to Cdns. <-- unconfirmed since Tacoma had no problems).
4. Tuesday: Went to bank and got certified cheques to pay for the car.
5. Wednesday, drove down to Tacoma (approx 3 hrs) to do an inspection & test drive of the car, then signed papers, paid. Faxed in documents (worksheet, MSO, bill of sale) to US Border from the dealership.
6. Thursday Emailed US Border to confirm receipt of the documents. Made arrangements for hotel and rental car.
7. Friday. Received email from US Border saying that the car will be ready for export on Monday. Went to the insurance agent and bought a binder of insurance.
8. Saturday, drove back to Tacoma to pick up the car. Border wait time at 8am was 2 hours 45 mins. Plus 3 hour drive. Dropped off the rental car, and got the salesperson to pick me up. Made sure everything was okay and I had all original documents, and drove away.
9. Saturday to Sunday. Shop :)

10. Monday: drove to the US Border @ Blaine. The process at the US border took all of 30 seconds to complete. No line up, and basically all they did was check that they had me on file, and stamped my MSO.
11. Went over to the Canada side, paid my RIV fee, GST, and duty (the FX is made in Japan). Got Form 1 stamped and left.
12. Got to work at noon, and faxed in my letter of recall to RIV. Note that although Canada Customs will fax in the Form 1 for you, can also fax it in yourself to 1-416-626-0366. I did it just in case Canada Customs waited till the end of the day or something. The phone # for the letter of recall is 1-888-642-9899.
13. Pre-scheduled an appointment for Saturday at Canadian Tire for Federal and Provincial inspection. Note, that quotes for provincial inspection vary from location to location (from $90 to $130).
14. Tuesday. Phoned RIV, asked if they got my form 1 on file. Asked to add my email address so that they would automatically email me form 2.
15. Thursday, received form 2 (yeah!). Went to insurance agent and bought a 1-day insurance for the car.
16. Today: Went to Canadian Tire to do the inspection. Said it would take 2 hours, they called me 20 minutes later and said it was all done (I had the DRLs done by the dealer). They stamped all of my copies of Form 1 and Form 2. Drove to the insurance agent, and paid PST and insured the car. (They took the original MSO, didn't know that!)

All in all, it was an easy process, just a lot of nervousness in between that I would miss something or do something wrong.


:cheesygri Thanks to everyone on this forum for all the information and help - couldn't do it without you guys!!:cheesygri

[J233]

Congratulations !!

Just two questions....I assume the dealer took care of the temp plates you needed for the trip ? Also, the recall letter...did you get it from the dealer or from the OEM ?

J233

[CheapScotsman]

Finally got my license plates... so another succesful import! Here are the full details:

Very nice ... in addition to temp plates ... what did you do for temp insurance?

[eastsidesubaru]

Is "TOYOTA MOTOR CREDIT CORP" not the financial organization who you pay for your vehicles?

Nope, that varies per dealership...
Ours is Nissan, believe it or not =)

[shopper-X]

Finally got my license plates... so another succesful import! Here are the full details:

Car
2008 Infiniti FX35 Touring /Handsfree (i.e. same as Canadian base model)

Savings
Expected Cost including all taxes if purchased in Canada $61,911 (MSRP-2000 + freight and taxes)
Total of all costs incurred by purchasing in US: approx $49,850.
Savings: Approx $12,000
(maybe closer to 8-9K since borrowing/interest cost is higher through bank)


Don't cut the savings short.

I do not know what bank rate you got, but I am going to use rates that I can find.
Currently on Infiniti.ca it's 4.9% for 60 months financing and PC Financial at 6.95% (All-Purpose Loan up to $50,000) for the same time frame.

Cost to borrow:
Infiniti Canada @ 4.9% for $61,911 for 60 months = $8,019.16
PC Financial @ 6.95% $49,580 for 60 months = $9,304.85
That's only $1,285.69 more over 60 months (5 years)

So that's:
$61,911 + $8,019.16 = $69,930.16
$49,850 + $9,304.85 = $59,154.85
Savings of $10,775.31 and if you got a lower rate at your bank, that's more savings.

[shopper-X]

Nope, that varies per dealership...
Ours is Nissan, believe it or not =)

Wow, I would have never thought that.

[ryehigh17]

I maybe interested in a 2008 Highlander - depending on price. I found a dealer about 9hr drive from Toronto.


Are there others out there looking for a Camry or Toyota model......:?:
Can we pool our purchasing resources....any ideas on where to buy (which dealerships).

I imported a 2007 Acura MDX last Novemeber with zero hassles.

I'm near Oakville, Ontario

[640m]

For the people that purchased a new Nissan/Infiniti or Honda/Acura in the states, what are you going to do about warranty work? Are you planning to take your car to the states when it requires warranty work? I'm interested in an Acura, but worried since Honda Canada said it would not honour warranties for automobiles purchased in the U.S.

TIA
640m

[longdong]

For the people that purchased a new Nissan/Infiniti or Honda/Acura in the states, what are you going to do about warranty work? Are you planning to take your car to the states when it requires warranty work? I'm interested in an Acura, but worried since Honda Canada said it would not honour warranties for automobiles purchased in the U.S.

TIA
640m

you can buy the warranty from external company (recommend by CAA, I called one and they said a warranty of 1400$ cover 3 years (cover about 80% of the manufacture warranty). Or if we want to cover only power train, it's a lot cheaper around 1200$ for 5 years, I think (from Quebec, le groupe PPP).

[Fx45]

Congratulations !!
Just two questions....I assume the dealer took care of the temp plates you needed for the trip ? Also, the recall letter...did you get it from the dealer or from the OEM ?
J233

Yes - they gave me a 3-day trip permit (some on the thread here got 30 days, but doesn't matter that much since it's a point A to point B permit). I got a letter from the dealer + a computer printout (forgot what it's called) that also showed in their system there are no recalls. Note that just a letter from the dealer by itself does not quality - you need that print out. My wife was smart and once we had the VIN#s from the dealer over the phone she called Infiniti USA immediately and asked them to mail us an official recall letter (this does qualify). I ended up faxing all 3 in to be safe.


Very nice ... in addition to temp plates ... what did you do for temp insurance?

I got a "binder of insurance" which allows you to drive the car in the US to your house ($91 for 10 days). Once you're home, you need to buy another 1-day insurance ($21) that covers you from home to Canadian Tire to Insurance Agent.

[Fx45]

For the people that purchased a new Nissan/Infiniti or Honda/Acura in the states, what are you going to do about warranty work? Are you planning to take your car to the states when it requires warranty work? I'm interested in an Acura, but worried since Honda Canada said it would not honour warranties for automobiles purchased in the U.S.

TIA
640m

For Acuras - the warranty is void on both sides of the border. i.e. you can't even drive it back across the border to do the work. When we looked into the Acuras, we included $3000 for buying insurance from secureDrive in the comparison (still worth it). It's more a problem of whether you can find an Acura dealer willing to sell.

As for Infiniti's, the warranty is completely transferrable to Canada. So I can do the work at a dealership here. Nissan is a little unclear; when you ask Nissan Canada they say warranty is only valid if it's registered in the US for minimum 6 months; but I think someone in an earlier thread found that in the warranty booklet it's transferrable to Canada (might want to do a search).

[maskedloser]

I emailed Nissan USA and this is their response to me:

In regards to the vehicle being transferred to Canada from the United
States the following exceptions apply:

When a vehicle is purchased in the United States and then exported to
Canada, warranty coverage continues IF
a) the vehicle is first registered in the U.S.; and
b)transfer of ownership and registration outside the U.S. do not BOTH occur within 6 months of being first registered in the U.S.

[bcbud]

My understanding is there is no provincial inspection requirement (in BC) for New Vehicles, I would confirm that to save yourself the"(from $90 to $130)"



Finally got my license plates... so another succesful import! Here are the full details:

Car
2008 Infiniti FX35 Touring /Handsfree (i.e. same as Canadian base model)

Savings
Expected Cost including all taxes if purchased in Canada $61,911 (MSRP-2000 + freight and taxes)
Total of all costs incurred by purchasing in US: approx $49,850.
Savings: Approx $12,000
(maybe closer to 8-9K since borrowing/interest cost is higher through bank)

Process
1. Contacted a dealerships in Washington and Oregon and negotiated prices via email and phone. Used the Edmunds.com price to negotiate.
2. Monday Afternoon: Finally made agreement with Infiniti of Tacoma, who were quickest to respond in WA (as per previous post, some dealerships pulled back from offer stating new penalty for selling to Cdns. <-- unconfirmed since Tacoma had no problems).
4. Tuesday: Went to bank and got certified cheques to pay for the car.
5. Wednesday, drove down to Tacoma (approx 3 hrs) to do an inspection & test drive of the car, then signed papers, paid. Faxed in documents (worksheet, MSO, bill of sale) to US Border from the dealership.
6. Thursday Emailed US Border to confirm receipt of the documents. Made arrangements for hotel and rental car.
7. Friday. Received email from US Border saying that the car will be ready for export on Monday. Went to the insurance agent and bought a binder of insurance.
8. Saturday, drove back to Tacoma to pick up the car. Border wait time at 8am was 2 hours 45 mins. Plus 3 hour drive. Dropped off the rental car, and got the salesperson to pick me up. Made sure everything was okay and I had all original documents, and drove away.
9. Saturday to Sunday. Shop :)

10. Monday: drove to the US Border @ Blaine. The process at the US border took all of 30 seconds to complete. No line up, and basically all they did was check that they had me on file, and stamped my MSO.
11. Went over to the Canada side, paid my RIV fee, GST, and duty (the FX is made in Japan). Got Form 1 stamped and left.
12. Got to work at noon, and faxed in my letter of recall to RIV. Note that although Canada Customs will fax in the Form 1 for you, can also fax it in yourself to 1-416-626-0366. I did it just in case Canada Customs waited till the end of the day or something. The phone # for the letter of recall is 1-888-642-9899.
13. Pre-scheduled an appointment for Saturday at Canadian Tire for Federal and Provincial inspection. Note, that quotes for provincial inspection vary from location to location (from $90 to $130).
14. Tuesday. Phoned RIV, asked if they got my form 1 on file. Asked to add my email address so that they would automatically email me form 2.
15. Thursday, received form 2 (yeah!). Went to insurance agent and bought a 1-day insurance for the car.
16. Today: Went to Canadian Tire to do the inspection. Said it would take 2 hours, they called me 20 minutes later and said it was all done (I had the DRLs done by the dealer). They stamped all of my copies of Form 1 and Form 2. Drove to the insurance agent, and paid PST and insured the car. (They took the original MSO, didn't know that!)

All in all, it was an easy process, just a lot of nervousness in between that I would miss something or do something wrong.


:cheesygri Thanks to everyone on this forum for all the information and help - couldn't do it without you guys!!:cheesygri

[Fx45]

My understanding is there is no provincial inspection requirement (in BC) for New Vehicles, I would confirm that to save yourself the"(from $90 to $130)"
Unfortunately it's not a cost that can be avoided:

See bullet #3 of this link: http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/cvse/vehicle_inspections/
We also confirmed with ICBC as well.

[Tender]

is there a list of dealerships to NOT do business with bcs they wont sell to canadians?....

I think this is a good idea. That'll save some time for the people looking for cars now.

[KillaB]

Unfortunately it's not a cost that can be avoided:

See bullet #3 of this link: http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/cvse/vehicle_inspections/
We also confirmed with ICBC as well.

Looks like the same political B.S. is happening in BC as it is for me here in ON.

So does a New vehicle which you (the customer) hold the MSO for considered as Registered or Unregistered?

I think this is where the confusion lies amongst the MTO staff that I've spoken with thus far.

[vim]

Can anyone confirm if when you cross border anyone is checking insurance on your new car or not?

Thank you

[Monsieurmaggot]

Wow I just read that RIV reported 17,603 vehicles were imported from the US into Canada in August.

That`s incredible.

[ggweci]

Are there others out there looking for a Camry or Toyota model......:?:
Can we pool our purchasing resources....any ideas on where to buy (which dealerships).

I imported a 2007 Acura MDX last Novemeber with zero hassles.

I'm near Oakville, Ontario


I maybe interested in a 2008 Highlander - depending on price. I found a dealer about 9hr drive from Toronto.

I'm considering a RAV4 V6 Sport or Limited. There is a dealership just a short distance from the Lewiston border (Fuccillo Toyota)... I have emailed them to see if they will sell to me. We'll see what they say.

[whampoa]

Wow I just read that RIV reported 17,603 vehicles were imported from the US into Canada in August.

That`s incredible.

And according to DesRosiers:

"The economy was still very strong in September and prices were coming down with the strong dollar and the huge incentive dollars in play, so there must be other things at work."


The guy is still as clueless as before, or want to remains as monkey say, monkey do.


I attribute that other things at work, as word of mouth, site like this and media attention.

[trex]

haven't seen it posted here before but 2008 tribeca owners get no charge maintenance.

http://www.subaru.ca/WebPage.asp?WebPageID=6464&WebSiteID=282&LanguageCode=en-ca

of course, that hardly puts a dent in the $10K or so saved by importing from the US but it should be factored in to the equation nonetheless.

[sheriffabc]

I'm considering a RAV4 V6 Sport or Limited. There is a dealership just a short distance from the Lewiston border (Fuccillo Toyota)... I have emailed them to see if they will sell to me. We'll see what they say.


I would be interested.

[shopper-X]

Hi - just attended on Friday the Canada Customs seminar on importing new cars from USA.

Have an extra set of package - the first one to pm me can have it - has complete information and copies of form 1, MSO, Certificate of title, etc.

Will have to pick up from my office at Leslie/401

Can you scan and post them here and on the www.carburner.com site?

[teep]

My understanding is there is no provincial inspection requirement (in BC) for New Vehicles, I would confirm that to save yourself the"(from $90 to $130)"

Nope. In BC you need BOTH the Federal inspection AND a BC inspection. I had mine done last week at the same time at Canadian Tire. The BC inspection entails a short road test. Total cost was $117. Time for both tests combined was 15 minutes, but a 1 hr wait in the CT lounge (pleasant enough).

[teep]

Can anyone confirm if when you cross border anyone is checking insurance on your new car or not?

Thank you

No one checked that either on the US or Canadian side of the border. But you would have to be pretty brave not to purchase that $80 'binder', especially if anything happened in the US. We took out $3 million liability. Then we took out a $60-for-2 weeks storage insurance while it was parked on our drive waiting for the recall-letter-RIV-form-2 procedures needed before inspection.

Our main problem on the insurance front was finding an insurance agent who knew what they were doing rather than trying to make it up on the spot. Even then we had to more or less force them to phone ICBC HQ to know what to do. (ICBC HQ were courteus, patient and helpful).

[teep]

BTW, when you finally have your new car inspected and are about to register it in Canada, make sure you write in the value as the replacement cost IN CANADA, not the great price you just purchased it for in the US. We got the new car "replacement-with a-new-one" insurance, and the ICBC agent write in the total Canadian replacement cost when we pointed this out. )( I am guessing in that would amount to a few dollars extra, but worth it).

[Fx45]

BTW, when you finally have your new car inspected and are about to register it in Canada, make sure you write in the value as the replacement cost IN CANADA, not the great price you just purchased it for in the US. We got the new car "replacement-with a-new-one" insurance, and the ICBC agent write in the total Canadian replacement cost when we pointed this out. )( I am guessing in that would amount to a few dollars extra, but worth it).

Are you sure about this? The only place where I wrote in the value of the car was a form that requested an explanation why the car was valued under market for the purposes of PST calculation. There is no where on my ICBC registration that shows the replacement value of the car (I got the replace-with-new as well).

Doesn't replace-as-new mean they need to get you the same car?? And unless ICBC want to go down to the US to save some $, it means a new Canadian version of the same car?

[scouzi]

haven't seen it posted here before but 2008 tribeca owners get no charge maintenance.

http://www.subaru.ca/WebPage.asp?WebPageID=6464&WebSiteID=282&LanguageCode=en-ca

of course, that hardly puts a dent in the $10K or so saved by importing from the US but it should be factored in to the equation nonetheless.

I had originally had calculated that to be worth around $500.

[tico 1948]

I don't know. However, there must be a reason they purchased these shares from GM. It is unlikely to be a passive investment. Also, does GM own 11% of Subaru? It seems like the auto manufactures are all owned by one another. These are just my thoughts.

Yes, there is a definate reason why Bill Ford dosen't want to dump his Mazda shares anytime soon. Hedgeing his bets? :rolleyes:

[J233]

I'm considering a RAV4 V6 Sport or Limited. There is a dealership just a short distance from the Lewiston border (Fuccillo Toyota)... I have emailed them to see if they will sell to me. We'll see what they say.

I paid them a visit in July as soon as they got their first 2008 Highlander model. Very nice people but would not sell to Canadians. They were quite firm on that. At least they let us spend some time with the car to check things out:) Maybe things have changed though....

[vim]

No one checked that either on the US or Canadian side of the border. But you would have to be pretty brave not to purchase that $80 'binder', especially if anything happened in the US. We took out $3 million liability. Then we took out a $60-for-2 weeks storage insurance while it was parked on our drive waiting for the recall-letter-RIV-form-2 procedures needed before inspection.


I am from Ontario and I have automatic 14 day insurance to any new car I buy. Problem is my insurance is refusing to provide me with a proof of that. So I want to confirm that at the borders they will not try to make a big deal out of this. I might try to ask them to give me at least a proof of liability insurance.
And you made a very good point about replacement price! I'll make sure to clarify with insurance when I'll put new car on my policy.

Thanks for you help!

[scouzi]

I am from Ontario and I have automatic 14 day insurance to any new car I buy. Problem is my insurance is refusing to provide me with a proof of that. So I want to confirm that at the borders they will not try to make a big deal out of this. I might try to ask them to give me at least a proof of liability insurance.
And you made a very good point about replacement price! I'll make sure to clarify with insurance when I'll put new car on my policy.

Thanks for you help!

The borders (US and Canada) never ask for insurance information. It's not their business to do so.

But I would make sure to have some kind of proof if you get pulled over by the cops. My insurance sent me a PDF by e-mail for the proof. I had one for liability and the other regular one.

[johnsa]

BTW, when you finally have your new car inspected and are about to register it in Canada, make sure you write in the value as the replacement cost IN CANADA, not the great price you just purchased it for in the US. We got the new car "replacement-with a-new-one" insurance, and the ICBC agent write in the total Canadian replacement cost when we pointed this out. )( I am guessing in that would amount to a few dollars extra, but worth it).

don't use this value with insurance,though....eventhough they have used the higher cdn replacement cost , if you were to write off the vehicle, they will not pay higher than what is on the bill of sale, that is higher than what you paid for the car..i found this out the hard way a few yrs ago...wrote off a nissan maxima and eventhough the replacement value was higher (it was only 5 weeks old) I only received the discount price on the bill of sale...I had to pay $5k more to get a similarily equipped brand new car as the 2000's were all sold out and now I had to purchase a 2001....sucks

Check your policy..they will likely never payout higher than what you actually paid for the car....

[aznxtambOy]

haven't seen it posted here before but 2008 tribeca owners get no charge maintenance.

http://www.subaru.ca/WebPage.asp?WebPageID=6464&WebSiteID=282&LanguageCode=en-ca

of course, that hardly puts a dent in the $10K or so saved by importing from the US but it should be factored in to the equation nonetheless.

Also it seems that in Canada the 2008 Tribeca includes Xenon High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights and in Subaru USA it only has the Projector-beam.

I wonder why Subaru USA does not include the Xenon lights for the Tribeca?

[Monsieurmaggot]

I am from Ontario and I have automatic 14 day insurance to any new car I buy. Problem is my insurance is refusing to provide me with a proof of that. So I want to confirm that at the borders they will not try to make a big deal out of this. I might try to ask them to give me at least a proof of liability insurance.
And you made a very good point about replacement price! I'll make sure to clarify with insurance when I'll put new car on my policy.

Thanks for you help!

Don`t assume your 14-day insurance is transferable to the US. My insurer (State Farm) needed to get approval from their underwriter before they would allow me to travel from the US in an unregistered car.

They stipulated that I NOT drive the car aimlessly in the States. They also insisted that I get transit permits for both Canada and the US before they would honour the binder. I paid $77.50 for NY State DMV fees which I believe included some form of temporary NY State insurance.

[Monsieurmaggot]

Also it seems that in Canada the 2008 Tribeca includes Xenon High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights and in Subaru USA it only has the Projector-beam.

I wonder why Subaru USA does not include the Xenon lights for the Tribeca?

Good thing.

Subaru is giving free maintenance on some products, free accessories AND giving the consumer special goodies.

That`s a start. Unfortunately the US market`s been doing that for years. Subaru US offered rebates and free accessories years ago. They also had Air Pressure monitoring as standard equipment. In Canada it wasn`t even offered as an option for some time.

[scouzi]

Good thing.

Subaru is giving free maintenance on some products, free accessories AND giving the consumer special goodies.

That`s a start. Unfortunately the US market`s been doing that for years. Subaru US offered rebates and free accessories years ago. They also had Air Pressure monitoring as standard equipment. In Canada it wasn`t even offered as an option for some time.

I don`t see any value in the TPMS. It doesn't tell you which tire. At this time of year sometimes it's on sometimes it's off. I guess the best way to avoid this is to fill your tires with Nitrogen instead.

If you have extra wheels for you snow tires, you have to buy more sensors for about $200. In my case , I will just tolerate the light being on for the winter.

As for the HID, it is kind of weird that it's not offered in the US.

[DrXenon]

[Subaru] also had Air Pressure monitoring as standard equipment. In Canada it wasn`t even offered as an option for some time.

Subaru didn't do this out of the goodness of their hearts. They had to phase in tire pressure monitoring systems startiing in 2005 by law in the States. These systems have been feasible since the 80s and the car companies sat on their hands in the same way that they ignored air bags and seat belts until they were forced to include them.

There were also expensive head gasket problems on the Subaru 4 cylinder engine that's used more or less unmodified in the current car - anybody know if Subaru is being proactive about this problem, or if they're simply waiting for warranties to expire?

[shopper-X]

I don`t see any value in the TPMS. It doesn't tell you which tire. At this time of year sometimes it's on sometimes it's off. I guess the best way to avoid this is to fill your tires with Nitrogen instead.
...

I was thinking about using Nitrogen instead but can't find anything that says it's OK with the Subaru TPMS. Anyone know, or I'm just paranoid and doesn't matter?

[DrXenon]

I was thinking about using Nitrogen instead but can't find anything that says it's OK with the Subaru TPMS. Anyone know, or I'm just paranoid and doesn't matter?

Nitrogen is a nice, friendly gas. It's perfectly safe to use it with any TPMS.

That said, Nitrogen is a marketing gimmick. It's fine if your shop uses it, but you shouldn't pay a dime extra for it.

[bcbud]

Unfortunately it's not a cost that can be avoided:

See bullet #3 of this link: http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/cvse/vehicle_inspections/
We also confirmed with ICBC as well.

I guess I could be mistaken, I thought if you buy a new car and bring it straight away up to Canada it would be considered “unregistered" and thus exempt from bullet 3.
As well point 11 on this thread:
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=477998
strongly implies provincial inspection not required.

I guess my question is : Does a new car purchase in the US considered to be registered in the US?

[shopper-X]

Nitrogen is a nice, friendly gas. It's perfectly safe to use it with any TPMS.

That said, Nitrogen is a marketing gimmick. It's fine if your shop uses it, but you shouldn't pay a dime extra for it.

Thanks. Being in Saskatchewan it might be a better choice weather wise to use Nitrogen.

I know Costco uses Nitrogen and I'm planning on getting Synthetic oil there after the second change as recommended by the Subaru Dealer here. Anyone have any thoughts about getting Synthetic Oil from Costco? I think they use Castol and only have one weight in it (I forgot the weight).

[Binden]

Are there others out there looking for a Camry or Toyota model......:?:
Can we pool our purchasing resources....any ideas on where to buy (which dealerships).

I imported a 2007 Acura MDX last Novemeber with zero hassles.

I'm near Oakville, Ontario

im looking for a dealer that will sell me a camry. from what ive been reading so far... it might be hard to find one.

[scouzi]

For those in the Montreal area, there are 4-5 pages of devoted to the whole process in the car section. It's quite informative and well researched.

It's in french however. Some articles have interviews with frustrated US dealers who must turn back Canadian buyers by the dozens.

[eastsidesubaru]

There were also expensive head gasket problems on the Subaru 4 cylinder engine that's used more or less unmodified in the current car - anybody know if Subaru is being proactive about this problem, or if they're simply waiting for warranties to expire?

Phase II EJ25 Head Gasket Leak / WWP-99 Service Campaign - Cooling System Conditioner - Subaru has determined that certain 1999 through 2002 model year 2.5L equipped Subaru vehicles may experience an external coolant leak from the cylinder head gaskets. This is the result of normal relative thermal expansion and contraction variations of engine parts. As a precautionary measure, SOA is recommending that a special conditioner be added to the engine cooling system to prevent leaks from occurring or to correct existing leaks.

Only early Phase II 2.5 liter engines are affected by this campaign. Phase I 2.5 liter engines (some 1999 model year and prior years) are not affected. Countermeasures applied to the manufacturing process for those 2002 and later VINS not affected by this campaign have eliminated the need for this campaign to be performed on those vehicles.

In the future, it will be necessary to add Genuine Subaru Cooling System Conditioner to the SUBARU vehicle cooling system whenever the engine coolant is replaced. The updated recommended service procedure as well as intervals for coolant replacement will be added to all applicable service manuals. As a reminder, we will include an update page in the owner notification letters that should be added to the Owner’s Manual and Warranty and Maintenance Booklet. We ask you to keep in mind that replacement of fluids (including Subaru Cooling System Conditioner) during inspection and maintenance services are not covered under warranty.

If the vehicle owner has this Service Program repair performed promptly, Subaru will extend coverage under the Subaru Limited Warranty on the vehicle for cylinder head gasket external coolant leaks to a period of 8 years or 100,000 miles, whichever occurs first. Warranty coverage begins on the date the vehicle was delivered to the first retail purchaser. If the vehicle was used as a demonstrator or company vehicle before being sold at retail, warranty coverage begins on the date the vehicle was first placed in such service. As a further condition for this extended warranty coverage to apply, the vehicle owner must have Genuine Subaru Cooling System Conditioner added to the vehicle at any subsequent cooling system services at the interval specified in the Warranty and Maintenance Booklet under the heading “Schedule of Inspection and Maintenance Services”.

[teep]

Check your policy..they will likely never payout higher than what you actually paid for the car....

In fact the replacement-as-new policy will get you the a new car exactly like you had. If this costs more than you actually paid for the car, then it will still happen. This policy is an extra option here in BC: the standard policy is as you state. The actual cost of this optional insurance depends on the value of the car, which is why our ICBC agent wrote in the actual Canadian value of the car we purchased. (If ICBC wont go down to the US and get the equivalent car for us, I would have no objection!).

I am certain that is how this works in BC as about 12 years ago some 17 year old kids skidded, hit us head on, and wrote off my VW Corrado. (Darn near wrote us off too - our gratitude to well-engineered crumple zones). The car was 1 month short of two years old (when the policy would have expired) . Within a week of the crash ICBC presented me with a cheque for the full purchase price of the Corrado (which was no longer being marketed), way more than the book value of the 2-year old car. They also said they would have got me brand new Corrado to the spec I had.

This optional policy is not cheap, but to my mind its a great deal.

[teep]

I must take a little space here (among all the moans and groans about some manufacturers) to express gratitude to the helpful staff at Subaru of America (SoA).

Their staff in the recall clearance letter (RCL) department were most helpful. They emailed a PDF letter within a few hours of my phone call. The PDF looked like a a fax when printed out (with grey lines down the edge), so I used that throughout the import process. After your car is over the border and on your drive, its the one thing you are waiting for to fax to RIV to get your Form 2. The original snailmailed letter arrived here way after the car was registered and plated, so SOA saved me almost 2 weeks of waiting.

One interesting thing I only just noticed on the RCL. Its is copied to Dennis McWilliams, Warranty Manager, at Subaru of Canada in Mississauga. So SoC will have an exact body count of SoA cars exported from the USA.

[vim]

Anyone knows name or address of Canadian Tire close to RIV office at West Mall street in Toronto that does car testing and knows the process?

[eastsidesubaru]

I must take a little space here (among all the moans and groans about some manufacturers) to express gratitude to the helpful staff at Subaru of America (SoA).

Their staff in the recall clearance letter (RCL) department were most helpful. They emailed a PDF letter within a few hours of my phone call. The PDF looked like a a fax when printed out (with grey lines down the edge), so I used that throughout the import process. After your car is over the border and on your drive, its the one thing you are waiting for to fax to RIV to get your Form 2. The original snailmailed letter arrived here way after the car was registered and plated, so SOA saved me almost 2 weeks of waiting.

One interesting thing I only just noticed on the RCL. Its is copied to Dennis McWilliams, Warranty Manager, at Subaru of Canada in Mississauga. So SoC will have an exact body count of SoA cars exported from the USA.


Yea.. amazingly enough... we just found out that our warranty admin here can do that for us and it should be acceptible :)
per RIV:
The letter must come from the OEM's head office and be written on official company letterhead, duly signed with the name and position of the official at the OEM clearly visible. If the manufacturer's logo is not on the letter it will not be accepted.

In some cases, we will also accept a printout from an authorized American dealer. If you obtain a printout from an American dealer, you must ensure that they are an authorized dealer and not a re-seller. You can confirm this by calling the head office of the manufacturer and providing them with the location of the dealership in question

If the printout is from an authorized American dealership, the company stamp must be affixed to the printout. In either case, the 17 digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the vehicle in question must be included in the letter.

If your vehicle does not have any outstanding recalls then the letter should say "this vehicle has no outstanding recalls." This letter must be presented to the RIV department prior to your Vehicle Inspection Form being released.

[HighFlyer]

Anyone knows name or address of Canadian Tire close to RIV office at West Mall street in Toronto that does car testing and knows the process?
I went to the Queensway and East Mall location. Was out in 10 mins.

[ggweci]

I paid them a visit in July as soon as they got their first 2008 Highlander model. Very nice people but would not sell to Canadians. They were quite firm on that. At least they let us spend some time with the car to check things out:) Maybe things have changed though....

Unfortunately, their policy hasn't changed... this is their reply to my iquiry:

Thank you for interest in purchasing a vehicle from here at Fuccillo Toyota, where it truly is HUGE! Unfortunately there is a binding contract through Toyota that does not allow any United States Toyota dealership to sell to a Canadian resident. I can on the other sell you a pre-owned vehicle. IF this may interest you, please get back to me and let me know. Thanks again for your inquiry and I look forward to working with you.

So looks like a go only for those interested in used vehicles.

[galaxyworld]

I want to import an Toyota to Winnipeg...

Do you know any dealership in near by area in USA that offer Toyota to Canadians..

Please help... and share your experiance...

[Fx45]

don't use this value with insurance,though....eventhough they have used the higher cdn replacement cost , if you were to write off the vehicle, they will not pay higher than what is on the bill of sale, that is higher than what you paid for the car..i found this out the hard way a few yrs ago...wrote off a nissan maxima and eventhough the replacement value was higher (it was only 5 weeks old) I only received the discount price on the bill of sale...I had to pay $5k more to get a similarily equipped brand new car as the 2000's were all sold out and now I had to purchase a 2001....sucks

Check your policy..they will likely never payout higher than what you actually paid for the car....

Here is what I found on the ICBC Website:

Replacement Cost Coverage in a write-off
If your vehicle is damaged beyond repair, or if it would cost more to repair than the car is worth, you have a write-off or total loss.

If you have Replacement Cost Coverage, ICBC will replace your vehicle with the most current model of the same vehicle with similar equipment and options. For example, if your 2007 vehicle is written off in 2008, we will give you a 2008 model of the same vehicle.
If we can't find a replacement

If you bought your car new, and we can't find a replacement vehicle for you within 30 days, ICBC will pay you an amount equal to:

* either the price you paid for your vehicle, or the manufacturer's suggested list price for it at the time you bought it, whichever is less, plus
* an allowance for inflation. The allowance will be 2.5% of your vehicle's value in its first model year, 5% in its second year, and 7.5% in its third year.


So if I am reading this right - if they can replace the car, then you would be getting the Canadian version. If they can't, then you'll only get back what you paid for.

[cinqhoda]

I'm considering a RAV4 V6 Sport or Limited. There is a dealership just a short distance from the Lewiston border (Fuccillo Toyota)... I have emailed them to see if they will sell to me. We'll see what they say.

If you can wait... Toyota will be building the RAV4 in its new Woodstock plant which is supposedly starting up in early '08. Will save you the 6.1% duty on the current Japanese built ones. Toyota lowered the price on the 2008 V6 RAV4 by $2000. I was actually impressed that they lowered the Canadian MSRP, but then with similar options (Limited with leather) it actually came out to about $240 cheaper than the '07.

[MB123]

Thanks for all this great info--one last thing. If I buy my new Tacoma pickup in say New York but don't register it there (to avoid NY sales tax), how do I put licence plates and insurance on it to drive it home in Ontario?

[dreaderus]

im looking to buy a nice Nissan Rogue 2008.

anyone hear of any US based dealers that work for canadians for nissans? A fully loaded rogue is like 24k in the usa, and over 30 here from preliminary review.

cheers

Dreaderus

[Ridgeback]

Has anyone found any bank that will give them a loan for a US car? TD has told me they will not give me a car loan, and then allow me to turn around and convert that loan to USD. I can get the money required from a line of credit, however the minimum monthly payment demanded on the line of credit is much much higher than I would have on a car loan. Anyone have any other thoughts or solutions on financing?

thanks

[johnsa]

Here is what I found on the ICBC Website:

Replacement Cost Coverage in a write-off
If your vehicle is damaged beyond repair, or if it would cost more to repair than the car is worth, you have a write-off or total loss.

If you have Replacement Cost Coverage, ICBC will replace your vehicle with the most current model of the same vehicle with similar equipment and options. For example, if your 2007 vehicle is written off in 2008, we will give you a 2008 model of the same vehicle.
If we can't find a replacement

If you bought your car new, and we can't find a replacement vehicle for you within 30 days, ICBC will pay you an amount equal to:

* either the price you paid for your vehicle, or the manufacturer's suggested list price for it at the time you bought it, whichever is less, plus
* an allowance for inflation. The allowance will be 2.5% of your vehicle's value in its first model year, 5% in its second year, and 7.5% in its third year.


So if I am reading this right - if they can replace the car, then you would be getting the Canadian version. If they can't, then you'll only get back what you paid for.

I think you are fine, as they will replace your vehicle with a current model year..my company only would if was no more than I paid for the original car.

[scouzi]

Has anyone found any bank that will give them a loan for a US car? TD has told me they will not give me a car loan, and then allow me to turn around and convert that loan to USD. I can get the money required from a line of credit, however the minimum monthly payment demanded on the line of credit is much much higher than I would have on a car loan. Anyone have any other thoughts or solutions on financing?

thanks

Buy it with the credit line. Import it and register it. After it is legally imported and registered in Canada, TD will no longer have a reason not to give you a car loan.

[shopper-X]

Has anyone found any bank that will give them a loan for a US car? TD has told me they will not give me a car loan, and then allow me to turn around and convert that loan to USD. I can get the money required from a line of credit, however the minimum monthly payment demanded on the line of credit is much much higher than I would have on a car loan. Anyone have any other thoughts or solutions on financing?

thanks

The one we used was the PC Financial All-Purpose Loan (http://www.banking.pcfinancial.ca/a/rates/allPurposeLoanRate.page):



all-purpose loan
competitive rates and no collateral needed

variable rate loan
daily balance annual rate
as low as (%)
on all balances 7.25 (prime*+1.00)
* The variable rate loan is based on prime plus a percentage determined at the time of credit approval. Prime means the variable interest rate declared from time to time to be the CIBC prime rate for Canadian Dollar loans made by CIBC in Canada. CIBC prime is subject to change.
---------------------------------------------
fixed rate loan
term of loan annual rate
as low as (%)
1 year 9.65
2 year 8.80
3 year 7.85
4 year 7.15
5 year 6.95
6 year 7.35
7 year 7.05

[WHO]

For those in the Montreal area, there are 4-5 pages of devoted to the whole process in the car section. It's quite informative and well researched.

It's in french however. Some articles have interviews with frustrated US dealers who must turn back Canadian buyers by the dozens.

Link online : http://monvolant.cyberpresse.ca/article/20071008/MVAUTOCAMION01/710070537/6730/CPACTUALITES

[shopper-X]

Link online : http://monvolant.cyberpresse.ca/article/20071008/MVAUTOCAMION01/710070537/6730/CPACTUALITES

The Google Translated link: LINK (http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmonvolant.cyberpresse.ca% 2Farticle%2F20071008%2FMVAUTOCAMION01%2F710070537% 2F6730%2FCPACTUALITES&langpair=fr%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&prev=%2Flanguage_tools)

[babu889]

Has anyone paid a broker for importing a car? how much do they cost?

[shopper-X]

Has anyone paid a broker for importing a car? how much do they cost?

We used A&A Customs Brokers because we could not get time off work. If you can do this yourself, do it and do not use a broker.
They quote you $250+GST and never mention the other fees.
I'll list the breakdown:

Entry Preparation: $250.50 + 15.03 GST
Tariff Classification: $7.50 + $0.45 GST
Initialization Process: $64.06 (no tax)
Vehicle Import Form - Form 1: $21.00 + $1.26 GST
Vehicle Inspection Fee - Form1 (RIV): $206.70 + 12.40 GST (if you pay RIV it's $195 + $11.70 GST, but since they have an account it's 6% more:twisted: )
Total: $549.76 + $29.14 GST = $578.90
Remember you have to pay the RIV fee anyways but at a lower rate so I'll back out $195 + $11.70 GST.
Total: $354.76 + $17.44 GST = $372.20

[Ridgeback]

The one we used was the PC Financial All-Purpose Loan (http://www.banking.pcfinancial.ca/a/rates/allPurposeLoanRate.page):

Thanks for the link. Do you know if the minimum monthly payments are comparable to a standard auto loan? As an example, my TD line of credit wants 3% of the outstanding balance as a minimum payment on a monthly basis. On a $35000 car, that would be over $1000 a month, which is beyond what Im looking to pay per month.

thanks again

[Ridgeback]

Buy it with the credit line. Import it and register it. After it is legally imported and registered in Canada, TD will no longer have a reason not to give you a car loan.

Would this work? TD would be giving me a car loan for a car which Ive already purchased and one which is registered already in my name.....??

[shopper-X]

Thanks for the link. Do you know if the minimum monthly payments are comparable to a standard auto loan? As an example, my TD line of credit wants 3% of the outstanding balance as a minimum payment on a monthly basis. On a $35000 car, that would be over $1000 a month, which is beyond what Im looking to pay per month.

thanks again

This is a loan not a Line of Credit. There will be fixed monthly payments.
I would use the Loan Payment template in Excel to get an idea of the payments.


Would this work? TD would be giving me a car loan for a car which Ive already purchased and one which is registered already in my name.....??

TD Canada Trust was willing to give us a loan on a US bought vehicle without issues, however were @ 1.20% HIGHER then PC's rate. TD would not match PC's rate even with my 20 year history, RRSP's, Mortgage, etc accounts.

[Ridgeback]

This is a loan not a Line of Credit. There will be fixed monthly payments.
I would use the Loan Payment template in Excel to get an idea of the payments.



TD Canada Trust was willing to give us a loan on a US bought vehicle without issues, however were @ 1.20% HIGHER then PC's rate. TD would not match PC's rate even with my 20 year history, RRSP's, Mortgage, etc accounts.

Im not a PC Financial customer, so I would have to apply for a mastercard, or online banking to be considered for one of those loans.

I guess I will have to go back to TD bank and ask again. The woman at the branch in downtown Toronto was adamant that they will not give a CDN auto loan, allow you to convert those funds to USD, and buy the car.

[shopper-X]

Im not a PC Financial customer, so I would have to apply for a mastercard, or online banking to be considered for one of those loans.

I guess I will have to go back to TD bank and ask again. The woman at the branch in downtown Toronto was adamant that they will not give a CDN auto loan, allow you to convert those funds to USD, and buy the car.

No, you do not have to be a PC customer. If your loan is approved, you just bring them a VOID cheque from your chequings account and they will pull the money out of there. Very simple process.

Our loan was approved and 2 days later, we were handed a certified cheque for the full amount and we deposited it in to our TD Canada Trust account without issues. Once it's in your TD account, you do what you want with it.


***My 1,000th post :cheesygri

[J233]

Unfortunately, their policy hasn't changed... this is their reply to my iquiry:

Thank you for interest in purchasing a vehicle from here at Fuccillo Toyota, where it truly is HUGE! Unfortunately there is a binding contract through Toyota that does not allow any United States Toyota dealership to sell to a Canadian resident. I can on the other sell you a pre-owned vehicle. IF this may interest you, please get back to me and let me know. Thanks again for your inquiry and I look forward to working with you.

So looks like a go only for those interested in used vehicles.

Interesting wording....maybe it would be worth checking what constitutes a used vehicle...how about a 2008 demo with, let's say 700 miles on the odometer ? Would that be a used one or still brand new ?:)

[Ridgeback]

I would use the Loan Payment template in Excel to get an idea of the payments.



Sorry, one last question. Where do I find the payment template? Can't seem to find it on the site.

[scouzi]

We used A&A Customs Brokers because we could not get time off work. If you can do this yourself, do it and do not use a broker.
They quote you $250+GST and never mention the other fees.
I'll list the breakdown:

Entry Preparation: $250.50 + 15.03 GST
Tariff Classification: $7.50 + $0.45 GST
Initialization Process: $64.06 (no tax)
Vehicle Import Form - Form 1: $21.00 + $1.26 GST
Vehicle Inspection Fee - Form1 (RIV): $206.70 + 12.40 GST (if you pay RIV it's $195 + $11.70 GST, but since they have an account it's 6% more:twisted: )
Total: $549.76 + $29.14 GST = $578.90
Remember you have to pay the RIV fee anyways but at a lower rate so I'll back out $195 + $11.70 GST.
Total: $354.76 + $17.44 GST = $372.20

Does this include delivery across the border or you still have to pick it up yourself?

[scouzi]

Would this work? TD would be giving me a car loan for a car which Ive already purchased and one which is registered already in my name.....??

It might work. Check with them first. Once the car is registered and plated in Canada. The risk is gone for them.

You can usually convert a credit line to a loan.

[shopper-X]

Sorry, one last question. Where do I find the payment template? Can't seem to find it on the site.

It's not on the PCF Site, it's on your hard drive if you have EXCEL installed.
1. Click File-->New (do not use the New button)
*if you have Version 2003 on the right side panel will appear and click "On my computer..." .
2. On the pop-up dialogue box click "Speadsheet Solutions" and then open "Loan Amortization".



Does this include delivery across the border or you still have to pick it up yourself?

This was just for "Clearing". Shipping is extra with the carrier of your choice. If you're driving it across, do not bother with a Broker and as the ING guy says "save your money".
A&A will also collect the GST, Excises Taxes, and Duty based on the Purchase Order date not crossing date, which I have an email in to CBSA about.

The email is asking CBSA if the collected amount matches the paid amount as my Purchase Order exchange rate was 1.0563 and crossing date was 1.016, and the difference in GST and later PST will be over a $100.

[jafferk]

Here is an interesting article in today's Calgary Herald. Looks like the manufacturers continue to make it tougher to import US cars into Canada:

Canadian shoppers flock to U.S. auto dealers
Cross-border deals can save $10,000-plus
ALLISON LAMPERT
BCANWEST NEWS SERVICE


MONTREAL rian McBride was looking forward to this Thanksgiving weekend, and he’s not even Canadian. McBride, whose family owns the Bill McBride car dealership in Plattsburgh, N.Y., about 100 kilometres south of Montreal, was expecting big business over the three-day holiday. There are the Americans, celebrating Columbus Day, and an expected influx of customers from Quebec.


For McBride and other U.S. auto dealers near the northern border, business has been soaring over the last few months, right along with the loonie, which closed Friday at $1.018 US.


In September, when the loonie hit par with the dollar for the first time since 1976, McBride’s sales of new Subarus nearly doubled compared with the same month last year.


Quebecers, eager to save $10,000 and more on higherend U.S. cars, accounted for a third of those sales.


“The response has been very, very good,” McBride said. “It’s progressively mushrooming.”


The strong loonie is coming at an ideal time for dealers like McBride.


In the U.S., already weak auto sales are predicted to decline in 2008 to a decade-low level, due to slowing employment growth, the housing market and high energy costs, a report last week by Scotia Bank economist Carlos Gomes said.


Yet how long will the cross-border car shopping frenzy — fuelled largely by recent media reports — last?


Car manufacturers such as General Motors, BMW and Porsche are penalizing U.S. dealers that sell new models to Canadians. For example, they may refuse to supply dealers with top-of-the-line, high-margin models. In other cases, they may decline to reimburse dealers who incur costs for customer incentives.


Other makers, including Honda, won’t honour warranties on U.S. imports.


Even Subaru, which permits these sales, is now making it tougher for Canadians to get their 2008 U.S. car warranties honoured in Canada.


As a result, said McBride, “We’re anticipating future growth, but we don’t expect this to continue forever.”


In 2007, Canadians are expected to import about 150,000 U.S cars, up from 112,800 last year. Scotia Bank’s Gomes estimates 1.65 million vehicles will be purchased this year in Canada, up from 1.61 million in 2006.


Auto manufacturers said cars are priced based on local market factors, including operating costs, that tend to be higher in Canada. Gomes noted that companies have had trouble adjusting their prices to the value of the loonie, which ascended from 85 cents to the U.S. dollar in March to parity in September.


“You have to keep in mind that the change of the currency has been very rapid,” he said.


Still, manufacturers of luxury cars — the market with the most pronounced gap on prices between Canada and the U.S. — are trying to discourage crossborder shopping. Audi Canada is offering free equipment on two of its 2008 Canadian car models.


Audi’s September sales dropped 27 per cent compared with the same month a year earlier, a recent report by car industry analyst Dennis DesRosiers says.


“Audi Canada is . . . mindful of the ever-changing exchange rate between the Canadian and the U.S. currencies and does respond by making adjustments to the value equation of our cars through packaging and equipment,” the company said in a statement.


Last month, Porsche Cars North America, Inc. cut its Canadian prices by 10 per cent.


Despite demands by Canadian dealers for deeper price cuts, Porsche spokesperson Tony Fouladpour said further reductions would lead to a depreciation in the value of used cars.


“We have to protect that higher vehicle value,” Fouladpour said. “That’s something our current owners appreciate.”


New Porsches are still getting over the border, imported by brokers using a U.S. address, said Michel Larin, general manager of Lauzon Porsche in Laval, Que.


While Lauzon is obliged to service Porsche vehicles purchased from a U.S. dealer, he said his clientele still gets preferential treatment.


“If I’m very busy and I have a client who buys here, and one who buys in the U.S., guess which one I’ll service first?” he asked rhetorically.


For customers, potential vary widely from car to car.


Canadian buyers don’t pay state taxes on new U.S. cars, but they’re charged the GST and provincial sales tax (if applicable), plus all fees one would pay for a vehicle in Canada. They might also have to pay a 6.1 per cent customs duty, depending on where the car was assembled.


Under NAFTA, if a car is made in North America — even if it was designed by a European, or Asian man-


savings ufacturer — the owner is exempt from paying customs duties. In an age of globalization, some foreign manufacturers assemble their models in more than one place, forcing the customer to be extra vigilant, shoppers say.


Montreal accountant Joanna Pasturczyk considered buying a Subaru Impreza from a U.S. dealer, but decided against it when she discovered the model was built outside of North America.


Yet Subaru, a Japanese manufacturer, assembles its Outback and Tribeca models at a plant in Indiana.


The Tribeca, which carries a manufacturers’ suggested retail price of more than $45,000 in Canada, compared with $32,000 in the U.S., is one of McBride’s bestsellers.


“Window sticker to window sticker, the difference is huge,” he said.


While McBride said demand is still strong for the 2008 models, Pasturczyk said she was dissuaded from buying a U.S. car because of Subaru’s new rules on warranties. For the first time, Canadians who get their U.S. Subarus serviced in Canada under warranty, will have to pay the Canadian dealer for the work and get reimbursed by the company’s U.S. division.


Then there’s the process of importing the car, which obliges the owner to pass through three government bodies: Canada’s Registrar of Imported Vehicles, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Canada Border Services Agency.


Although new cars don’t have to be registered in the U.S., they must be brought to American customs 72 hours before export.


For Ashlee Lynn Wismach, the time invested to import her Audi TT coupe, when she moved from California back to Montreal last year, would make her think twice about buying a car in the United States — unless she could get a really good deal. “It’s a headache,” she said. “That’s why people hire a broker to do it. If it was a matter of saving $500 I wouldn’t do it. If it’s a question of saving, say $5,000, I would do it.”


In Shelburne, Vt., John DuBruhl won’t sell new Mercedes, BMWs and Porsches to Canadians because of potential repercussions from the manufacturers. “Please, put it in the headline — we can’t sell to Canadians,” his receptionist says. “They’re killing me with calls.”

[scouzi]

Here is an interesting article in today's Calgary Herald. Looks like the manufacturers continue to make it tougher to import US cars into Canada:

Canadian shoppers flock to U.S. auto dealers
Cross-border deals can save $10,000-plus
ALLISON LAMPERT
BCANWEST NEWS SERVICE


MONTREAL rian McBride was looking forward to this Thanksgiving weekend, and he’s not even Canadian. McBride, whose family owns the Bill McBride car dealership in Plattsburgh, N.Y., about 100 kilometres south of Montreal, was expecting big business over the three-day holiday. There are the Americans, celebrating Columbus Day, and an expected influx of customers from Quebec.


For McBride and other U.S. auto dealers near the northern border, business has been soaring over the last few months, right along with the loonie, which closed Friday at $1.018 US.


In September, when the loonie hit par with the dollar for the first time since 1976, McBride’s sales of new Subarus nearly doubled compared with the same month last year.


Quebecers, eager to save $10,000 and more on higherend U.S. cars, accounted for a third of those sales.


“The response has been very, very good,” McBride said. “It’s progressively mushrooming.”


The strong loonie is coming at an ideal time for dealers like McBride.


In the U.S., already weak auto sales are predicted to decline in 2008 to a decade-low level, due to slowing employment growth, the housing market and high energy costs, a report last week by Scotia Bank economist Carlos Gomes said.


Yet how long will the cross-border car shopping frenzy — fuelled largely by recent media reports — last?


Car manufacturers such as General Motors, BMW and Porsche are penalizing U.S. dealers that sell new models to Canadians. For example, they may refuse to supply dealers with top-of-the-line, high-margin models. In other cases, they may decline to reimburse dealers who incur costs for customer incentives.


Other makers, including Honda, won’t honour warranties on U.S. imports.


Even Subaru, which permits these sales, is now making it tougher for Canadians to get their 2008 U.S. car warranties honoured in Canada.


As a result, said McBride, “We’re anticipating future growth, but we don’t expect this to continue forever.”


In 2007, Canadians are expected to import about 150,000 U.S cars, up from 112,800 last year. Scotia Bank’s Gomes estimates 1.65 million vehicles will be purchased this year in Canada, up from 1.61 million in 2006.


Auto manufacturers said cars are priced based on local market factors, including operating costs, that tend to be higher in Canada. Gomes noted that companies have had trouble adjusting their prices to the value of the loonie, which ascended from 85 cents to the U.S. dollar in March to parity in September.


“You have to keep in mind that the change of the currency has been very rapid,” he said.


Still, manufacturers of luxury cars — the market with the most pronounced gap on prices between Canada and the U.S. — are trying to discourage crossborder shopping. Audi Canada is offering free equipment on two of its 2008 Canadian car models.


Audi’s September sales dropped 27 per cent compared with the same month a year earlier, a recent report by car industry analyst Dennis DesRosiers says.


“Audi Canada is . . . mindful of the ever-changing exchange rate between the Canadian and the U.S. currencies and does respond by making adjustments to the value equation of our cars through packaging and equipment,” the company said in a statement.


Last month, Porsche Cars North America, Inc. cut its Canadian prices by 10 per cent.


Despite demands by Canadian dealers for deeper price cuts, Porsche spokesperson Tony Fouladpour said further reductions would lead to a depreciation in the value of used cars.


“We have to protect that higher vehicle value,” Fouladpour said. “That’s something our current owners appreciate.”


New Porsches are still getting over the border, imported by brokers using a U.S. address, said Michel Larin, general manager of Lauzon Porsche in Laval, Que.


While Lauzon is obliged to service Porsche vehicles purchased from a U.S. dealer, he said his clientele still gets preferential treatment.


“If I’m very busy and I have a client who buys here, and one who buys in the U.S., guess which one I’ll service first?” he asked rhetorically.


For customers, potential vary widely from car to car.


Canadian buyers don’t pay state taxes on new U.S. cars, but they’re charged the GST and provincial sales tax (if applicable), plus all fees one would pay for a vehicle in Canada. They might also have to pay a 6.1 per cent customs duty, depending on where the car was assembled.


Under NAFTA, if a car is made in North America — even if it was designed by a European, or Asian man-


savings ufacturer — the owner is exempt from paying customs duties. In an age of globalization, some foreign manufacturers assemble their models in more than one place, forcing the customer to be extra vigilant, shoppers say.


Montreal accountant Joanna Pasturczyk considered buying a Subaru Impreza from a U.S. dealer, but decided against it when she discovered the model was built outside of North America.


Yet Subaru, a Japanese manufacturer, assembles its Outback and Tribeca models at a plant in Indiana.


The Tribeca, which carries a manufacturers’ suggested retail price of more than $45,000 in Canada, compared with $32,000 in the U.S., is one of McBride’s bestsellers.


“Window sticker to window sticker, the difference is huge,” he said.


While McBride said demand is still strong for the 2008 models, Pasturczyk said she was dissuaded from buying a U.S. car because of Subaru’s new rules on warranties. For the first time, Canadians who get their U.S. Subarus serviced in Canada under warranty, will have to pay the Canadian dealer for the work and get reimbursed by the company’s U.S. division.


Then there’s the process of importing the car, which obliges the owner to pass through three government bodies: Canada’s Registrar of Imported Vehicles, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Canada Border Services Agency.


Although new cars don’t have to be registered in the U.S., they must be brought to American customs 72 hours before export.


For Ashlee Lynn Wismach, the time invested to import her Audi TT coupe, when she moved from California back to Montreal last year, would make her think twice about buying a car in the United States — unless she could get a really good deal. “It’s a headache,” she said. “That’s why people hire a broker to do it. If it was a matter of saving $500 I wouldn’t do it. If it’s a question of saving, say $5,000, I would do it.”


In Shelburne, Vt., John DuBruhl won’t sell new Mercedes, BMWs and Porsches to Canadians because of potential repercussions from the manufacturers. “Please, put it in the headline — we can’t sell to Canadians,” his receptionist says. “They’re killing me with calls.”

Strange but McBride didn't seem very interested in selling a car to me. I called 3 times and sent many e-mails without much interest on their part.

Porsche:
“We have to protect that higher vehicle value”

What a stupid reason. Used Porsches will be imported by the mega used car dealers reducing the prices anyways.


Lauzon:

“If I’m very busy and I have a client who buys here, and one who buys in the U.S., guess which one I’ll service first?” he asked rhetorically.

Now why is a Porsche dealer so "busy" for service? Maybe I'd think twice before buying one if it has to spend some time in the shop.

[CanAm]

I am looking for a BMW dealer who sells to Canucks. Prefer West of the Rockies. Much appreciated.

[5136440]

Strange but McBride didn't seem very interested in selling a car to me. I called 3 times and sent many e-mails without much interest on their part.

Porsche:
“We have to protect that higher vehicle value”

What a stupid reason. Used Porsches will be imported by the mega used car dealers reducing the prices anyways.


Lauzon:

“If I’m very busy and I have a client who buys here, and one who buys in the U.S., guess which one I’ll service first?” he asked rhetorically.

Now why is a Porsche dealer so "busy" for service? Maybe I'd think twice before buying one if it has to spend some time in the shop.

Lauzon:

“If I’m very busy and I have a client who buys here, and one who buys in the U.S., guess which one I’ll service first?” he asked rhetorically.


Or you get two service requests and find out both are from the US, so what are you gonna do? Turn them away because you may have another "Canadian customer" to come but nobody shows up. What a joke.

[eastsidesubaru]

Interesting wording....maybe it would be worth checking what constitutes a used vehicle...how about a 2008 demo with, let's say 700 miles on the odometer ? Would that be a used one or still brand new ?:)

I dunno about toyota, etc but Subaru counts dealer Demos as new cars as long as they are under a certain mileage (like 5000)... Service loaners on the other hand are considered used from the time they are sold.

[whampoa]

Lauzon:

“If I’m very busy and I have a client who buys here, and one who buys in the U.S., guess which one I’ll service first?” he asked rhetorically.


Or you get two service requests and find out both are from the US, so what are you gonna do? Turn them away because you may have another "Canadian customer" to come but nobody shows up. What a joke.

On top of that, Porsche Canada wants to charge you an arm and a leg for the regular maintenance oil change.

How is that for friendly service?

[toolman]

Quote:
Originally Posted by toolman
Does anyboy have any tips on importing at the Ambassador Bridge Detroit / Windsor?
I will be bringing my new Sienna in that way.
Thank's


I did it a few yrs back at that bridge,,,,, it is a long long wait, during business hrs as at that time they directed me to customs location under the bridge where all the truckers go ,, to get the title

I wonder if this is still the same?
All I can find is:

Name: Fort Street Cargo Facility
Phone: (313) 226-3139
Fax: (313) 226-5347
Operational Hours: Twenty Four (24) Hours A Day
Seven Days A Week (7)

[Pixy]

I am looking for to buy 2006 BMW 330i. I can find nice deals south of the border and save almost 10K compare to buying in Ontario. I don't want to visit and checkout all the cars in US. I am looking for some agent/broker do this job (checking the car, mechanical check up etc) and import the car to Ontario. I am prepare to share the savings.

I will pay and broker/agent and he has to import (behalf of me) and bring the car to Ontario.

Is there any agents or brokers perform these services? Can you post the contact details.

[runningdog]

Been reading this thread for months...and haven't saved a penny! I don't need a car now, but will definately look into importing when I return to Canada in a year. Do you think there will still be the same magnitude of price differential in a year?

Anyway, to the point of my post, I know that in the Motor Vehicles Forum of RFD there is not a lot of love for Canadian Tire, and I see that some people here are having a bit of hassle there. According to the RIV website, you don't have to go to CT. There are other authorized inspection centers. Take a look at http://www.riv.ca/english/html/inspection_centres.html for more info.

[fitbrit]

Here is an interesting article in today's Calgary Herald. Looks like the manufacturers continue to make it tougher to import US cars into Canada:

Canadian shoppers flock to U.S. auto dealers
Cross-border deals can save $10,000-plus
ALLISON LAMPERT
BCANWEST NEWS SERVICE



Thanks. I came in here to post this, as it was written by my wife :razz: . It ran in Saturday's Gazette. She did a lot of work in preparing for it. We're now thinking of getting a car from the US as she's done so much research and knows the ins and outs.

[Ebola]

Does this include delivery across the border or you still have to pick it up yourself?

You are either going to drive the car over yourself to import it, or you will pick the car up at a bonded Queen's warehouse in whatever city you live in, and import the vehicle and pay all the applicable fees inland.

Whatever company you are using as a broker / shipper cannot import the car for you. A broker can get the paperwork rolling, a shipper can bring the vehicle in, but either at the POE (port of entry) or an inland office, you the registered owner have to import the vehicle.

[shopper-X]

I am looking for to buy 2006 BMW 330i. I can find nice deals south of the border and save almost 10K compare to buying in Ontario. I don't want to visit and checkout all the cars in US. I am looking for some agent/broker do this job (checking the car, mechanical check up etc) and import the car to Ontario. I am prepare to share the savings.

I will pay and broker/agent and he has to import (behalf of me) and bring the car to Ontario.

Is there any agents or brokers perform these services? Can you post the contact details.

Why not search the www.BMWUSA.com site for "Certified Pre-Owned (http://www.bmwusa.com/cpo/cpomain?navid=modelsearch&source=USACPOMSTOPNAV)" vehicles. They do their own intensive inspections and you will not have to share the savings.

Check out the Certified Pre-Owned program here: Link (http://www.bmwusa.com/cpo/benefits/default?navid=programbenefits)



Owning a Certified Pre-Owned BMW is its own reward, a driving sensation made even more pleasurable considering BMW's demanding standards and extensive protection benefits. The Certified Pre-Owned title is awarded only to those BMWs which pass meticulous inspection. Once certified, they enjoy comprehensive roadside assistance and protection plans.

Every Certified Pre-Owned BMW is backed by a special BMW Protection Plan which provides coverage on the car for up to two years or 50,000 miles (whichever comes first) from the date of expiration of the 4-year/50,000 mile BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty.1

The Certified Pre-Owned BMW Protection Plan has three elements:
Certified Pre-Owned BMW Limited Warranty (http://www.bmwusa.com/CPO/Benefits/Warranty.htm)
Certification (http://www.bmwusa.com/CPO/Benefits/Certification.htm)
BMW Roadside Assistance (http://www.bmwusa.com/CPO/Benefits/Roadside.htm)
1 Subject to all terms, conditions and exclusions of the Plan as in effect on February 1, 1999. See your BMW center for complete details.

[Pixy]

Why not search the www.BMWUSA.com site for "Certified Pre-Owned (http://www.bmwusa.com/cpo/cpomain?navid=modelsearch&source=USACPOMSTOPNAV)" vehicles. They do their own intensive inspections and you will not have to share the savings.

Check out the Certified Pre-Owned program here: Link (http://www.bmwusa.com/cpo/benefits/default?navid=programbenefits)

That is a good idea and solve one of my requirement. Second, I need to import the car and I need and agent or broker to do all the paper work and bring the car to Ontario. Can someone recommend agent or broker.

[shopper-X]

That is a good idea and solve one of my requirement. Second, I need to import the car and I need and agent or broker to do all the paper work and bring the car to Ontario. Can someone recommend agent or broker.
I posted this two pages back and honestly, if you are driving it back, do it all yourself, if you are having it shipped, listen Ebola and save the close to $400 they charge.


We used A&A Customs Brokers because we could not get time off work. If you can do this yourself, do it and do not use a broker.
They quote you $250+GST and never mention the other fees.
I'll list the breakdown:

Entry Preparation: $250.50 + 15.03 GST
Tariff Classification: $7.50 + $0.45 GST
Initialization Process: $64.06 (no tax)
Vehicle Import Form - Form 1: $21.00 + $1.26 GST
Vehicle Inspection Fee - Form1 (RIV): $206.70 + 12.40 GST (if you pay RIV it's $195 + $11.70 GST, but since they have an account it's 6% more:twisted: )
Total: $549.76 + $29.14 GST = $578.90
Remember you have to pay the RIV fee anyways but at a lower rate so I'll back out $195 + $11.70 GST.
Total: $354.76 + $17.44 GST = $372.20


You are either going to drive the car over yourself to import it, or you will pick the car up at a bonded Queen's warehouse in whatever city you live in, and import the vehicle and pay all the applicable fees inland.

Whatever company you are using as a broker / shipper cannot import the car for you. A broker can get the paperwork rolling, a shipper can bring the vehicle in, but either at the POE (port of entry) or an inland office, you the registered owner have to import the vehicle.

[Pixy]

I posted this two pages back and honestly, if you are driving it back, do it all yourself, if you are having it shipped, listen Ebola and save the close to $400 they charge.

I would like to go south, checkout and test drive the car before buying it but, I have to get the US visa (since I am not a Canadian citizen yet and 1-2 months waiting for visa application). All I need someone bring the car to Canadian land. So that I can finish up importing.

Can shipper bring the car to Canadian land without my present? and how much do the charge?

[moguy]

Why not search the www.BMWUSA.com site for "Certified Pre-Owned (http://www.bmwusa.com/cpo/cpomain?navid=modelsearch&source=USACPOMSTOPNAV)" vehicles. They do their own intensive inspections and you will not have to share the savings.

Check out the Certified Pre-Owned program here: Link (http://www.bmwusa.com/cpo/benefits/default?navid=programbenefits)

BMW sells the certified pre-owned vehicles at quite the premium. You only end up saving a few (or even less) grand over what you can get these vehicles for new (in the US).

[CatchMoreFish]

First thing, is this circled location right? I am bringing a car from US to Canada next week. I need your driving direction to this office compound.

Thanks.

http://aycu24.webshots.com/image/30503/2003103518581950289_rs.jpg

[dumbass]

I wonder how many extra vehicles Subaru of America is selling thanks to their policy of selling to Canadians?

I know 2 people personally that weren't even considering a subaru until they saw all the hassles everyone was having with other car manufacturers. Now they both own shiny new Subarus.

Congrats (and thanks) to SoA for being smart enough to allow Nafta to work the way it was designed!!!!

[Bullseye]

I wonder how many extra vehicles Subaru of America is selling thanks to their policy of selling to Canadians?

I know 2 people personally that weren't even considering a subaru until they saw all the hassles everyone was having with other car manufacturers. Now they both own shiny new Subarus.

Congrats (and thanks) to SoA for being smart enough to allow Nafta to work the way it was designed!!!!

Likewise, other manufacturers are losing because of it. We were originally shopping for a Sienna, we're repeat Toyota buyers, but because of their anti-customer service stance on this, we looked at the Outback instead. We were pleased to find that it is quite suitable for our needs, even though we never even considered Subaru before.

Auto manufacturers, are you listening? That's the sound of your customer base stampeding away in protest.

[bimmerfans]

it's really frustrating. >:( i have tried several tens of dealers in the US; some of them were nice enough to talk about a 2007 CPO car though.

[brendonp]

Why not search the www.BMWUSA.com site for "Certified Pre-Owned (http://www.bmwusa.com/cpo/cpomain?navid=modelsearch&source=USACPOMSTOPNAV)" vehicles. They do their own intensive inspections and you will not have to share the savings.

Check out the Certified Pre-Owned program here: Link (http://www.bmwusa.com/cpo/benefits/default?navid=programbenefits)


That is a good idea and solve one of my requirement. Second, I need to import the car and I need and agent or broker to do all the paper work and bring the car to Ontario. Can someone recommend agent or broker.


Might want to check into that CPO warranty - from what my dealer and other buyers have related to me, US CPO warranties are not valid in Canada (the regular warranties still apply). Unfortunately it seems that the only way to get a CPO'd BMW is to buy one in Canada - if you find out something different, I'd be very interested to know about it! If you really want a CPO warranty, try to find a cheaper BMW on a Canadian lot that isn't currently listed as a CPO'd vehicle (usually a few $$$$ cheaper), then ask the dealership to sell it to you as a CPO vehicle; worked well for me. That being said, I'll probably save my $$$ and go for a non-CPO'd used US vehicle next time.

Brendon

[bimmerfans]

US CPO warranties are not valid in Canada (the regular warranties still apply).
Brendon

i got the same info from a US dealer.

[flatman]

Might want to check into that CPO warranty - from what my dealer and other buyers have related to me, US CPO warranties are not valid in Canada (the regular warranties still apply). Unfortunately it seems that the only way to get a CPO'd BMW is to buy one in Canada - if you find out something different, I'd be very interested to know about it! If you really want a CPO warranty, try to find a cheaper BMW on a Canadian lot that isn't currently listed as a CPO'd vehicle (usually a few $$$$ cheaper), then ask the dealership to sell it to you as a CPO vehicle; worked well for me. That being said, I'll probably save my $$$ and go for a non-CPO'd used US vehicle next time.

Brendon

While the CPO warrnaty isn't transferrable to Canada on a US CPO BMW. At least you are getting a car that the dealership considered up to that level and the fact remains CPO US Bmw's are still thousands cheaper than the same car in Canada. I've been pricing Z4's, 2004 to 2006, and have found the price difference to be from 10,000-14,000 dollars. Too big a difference to consider buying in Canada even with their free oil changes.

[bimmerfans]

While the CPO warrnaty isn't transferrable to Canada on a US CPO BMW. At least you are getting a car that the dealership considered up to that level and the fact remains CPO US Bmw's are still thousands cheaper than the same car in Canada. I've been pricing Z4's, 2004 to 2006, and have found the price difference to be from 10,000-14,000 dollars. Too big a difference to consider buying in Canada even with their free oil changes.

good point

[jafferk]

Wow, there is almost 400 pages in this thread, a lot getting dated (info from 2006).
Isn't here a place (I havent' searched, maybe exists already:
- Summarizes by manufacturer which ones allow \ not allow transfers of cars into Canada and what hoops does one have to jump through for each manufacturer.
- A FAQ (which I might have seen somewhere imbedded into the 400 pages) that summarizes the process.
Then we can work to maintain that information as it changes from our individual experiences.

Just throwing out a suggestion for the moderator.

Thanks

[DrXenon]

I'd be careful about a CPO BMW if you don't get the benefit of the enhanced warranty in Canada. A CPO warranty is just that, a warranty. It doesn't imply that the dealer has done much extra inspection-wise, it just means that the customer has an avenue of redress should a problem occur. The dealer is not disassembling the tranny to inspect it for incipient failure, believe me.

I think you'd have to factor a possible international tow into your decision, if indeed they'll honour the CPO warranty if you return it to the US.

[DrXenon]

Wow, there is almost 400 pages in this thread, a lot getting dated (info from 2006).
Isn't here a place (I havent' searched, maybe exists already:
- Summarizes by manufacturer which ones allow \ not allow transfers of cars into Canada and what hoops does one have to jump through for each manufacturer.
- A FAQ (which I might have seen somewhere imbedded into the 400 pages) that summarizes the process.
Then we can work to maintain that information as it changes from our individual experiences.


Some kind person put up a wiki at carburner.com. I nominate _you_ to go there and add all the information you want. Thanks.

[bobsyouruncle]

I guess I could be mistaken, I thought if you buy a new car and bring it straight away up to Canada it would be considered “unregistered" and thus exempt from bullet 3.
As well point 11 on this thread:
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=477998
strongly implies provincial inspection not required.

I guess my question is : Does a new car purchase in the US considered to be registered in the US?

From the ICBC website:

Question

Why do I need a vehicle inspection?

Answer

Vehicles are inspected to ensure they meet B.C.'s requirements for safety, mechanical condition and road worthiness.

A vehicle must be inspected when it is:

registered, licensed or titled outside of B.C. and imported into B.C.
salvaged and repaired
altered
examined by law enforcement authorities and found to be unsafe
end

If you imported the vehicle into Canada using the MSO rather than a title then you can argue that it does not need an inspection. If you had it Titled in the US then you will need an inspection

[flatman]

I'd be careful about a CPO BMW if you don't get the benefit of the enhanced warranty in Canada. A CPO warranty is just that, a warranty. It doesn't imply that the dealer has done much extra inspection-wise, it just means that the customer has an avenue of redress should a problem occur. The dealer is not disassembling the tranny to inspect it for incipient failure, believe me.

I think you'd have to factor a possible international tow into your decision, if indeed they'll honour the CPO warranty if you return it to the US.

But bottom line do you think this warranty is worth 10,000-14,000 dollars!
I haven't found many non-CPO vehicles listed on any BMW dealers website.
Maybe you have to go to the dealership to see these?

[eastsidesubaru]

Some kind person put up a wiki at carburner.com. I nominate _you_ to go there and add all the information you want. Thanks.

That would be me.. I'm working on it.. slowly but surely. :D

[ExcelPremium]

I have a very important question!

If I were to say buying a used BMW(private) that still has ORIGINAL warranty, would I be able to buy extended warranty in Canada's dealership with my car?

Will it be the same? or do I have to buy it in the USA?

If so, could I get the extended warranty SERVICES in Canada(if I bought the extended warranty in USA)??

etc..

[Monsieurmaggot]

“We have to protect that higher vehicle value,” Fouladpour said. “That’s something our current owners appreciate.”


What the hell is he saying?

"It's okay that we charge more for our cars (in Canada) since we care about the previous consumers we screwed over". They won't drop their prices since they don't want to antagonize an existing customer.

He's actuallyl saying people would complain if prices go down!. I should remember that next time I buy a computer and discover that I can get a better one next year for less money. Maybe I should take the computer industry to court and sue them. Wait, didn't some goofball in the US just sue Apple for dropping the price on their iPhone?

It never ceases to surprise me.

[aimfox]

thanks OP. my parents have asked me about finding info about importing cars from US to Canada.

this is useful

+1 :)

[hksun]

I found out this site is quite useful for people try to find a car in US.
Those cars are all dealer's listing. That is how I find my X5 there.

http://www.diamondlot.com/

[scouzi]

What the hell is he saying?

"It's okay that we charge more for our cars (in Canada) since we care about the previous consumers we screwed over". They won't drop their prices since they don't want to antagonize an existing customer.

He's actuallyl saying people would complain if prices go down!. I should remember that next time I buy a computer and discover that I can get a better one next year for less money. Maybe I should take the computer industry to court and sue them. Wait, didn't some goofball in the US just sue Apple for dropping the price on their iPhone?

It never ceases to surprise me.

I got a chuckle out of that one also :)

With that kind of thinking. Nothing would ever go down. In the end, the market forces will win. The last holdout will lose.

I read an article and the conclusion was that if you really need a Car and you will get it in Canada, rent and do not buy. When they lower the prices, it's the finance company that will take a hit on the buyback vs market value.

If you buy, you will take the hit.

If they keep prices artificially high, the financing arms of the Canadian car companies will have problems selling their paper to investors. It's a little like the commercial paper crisis in the states.

[eggshen]

I'd be careful about a CPO BMW if you don't get the benefit of the enhanced warranty in Canada. A CPO warranty is just that, a warranty. It doesn't imply that the dealer has done much extra inspection-wise, it just means that the customer has an avenue of redress should a problem occur. The dealer is not disassembling the tranny to inspect it for incipient failure, believe me.

I think you'd have to factor a possible international tow into your decision, if indeed they'll honour the CPO warranty if you return it to the US.

As mentioned above, the CPO does not mean that the dealer spent any time saying "yea" or "nay". All it means is that they built into the cost, an insurance of sorts. BTW, this was all news to me a few days ago.

For the vehicle I'm looking at, the dealer said, since the CPO wouldn't apply in Canada, he'd knock off $1200.

[Bullseye]

What the hell is he saying?

"It's okay that we charge more for our cars (in Canada) since we care about the previous consumers we screwed over". They won't drop their prices since they don't want to antagonize an existing customer.

He's actuallyl saying people would complain if prices go down!. I should remember that next time I buy a computer and discover that I can get a better one next year for less money. Maybe I should take the computer industry to court and sue them. Wait, didn't some goofball in the US just sue Apple for dropping the price on their iPhone?

It never ceases to surprise me.

I'm not one to defend manufacturers (see above posts!), but I think what he meant is re-sale value, not just being annoyed that they didn't get the lower price. Lowering the prices of new cars would also lower the value of current owners vehicles on the re-sale market.

Not that that isn't a reason to do it, of course!

[shopper-X]

As mentioned above, the CPO does not mean that the dealer spent any time saying "yea" or "nay". All it means is that they built into the cost, an insurance of sorts. BTW, this was all news to me a few days ago.

For the vehicle I'm looking at, the dealer said, since the CPO wouldn't apply in Canada, he'd knock off $1200.

Toyota dealers in the US will knock off $500 if you do not want the "Toyota Certified Used Vehicles" status. So $1,200 for BMW seems right.

[longdong]

I have a very important question!

If I were to say buying a used BMW(private) that still has ORIGINAL warranty, would I be able to buy extended warranty in Canada's dealership with my car?

Will it be the same? or do I have to buy it in the USA?

If so, could I get the extended warranty SERVICES in Canada(if I bought the extended warranty in USA)??

etc..

if you want to buy extended warranty from dealer, you need to spend around 100$-> 200$ to certify your vehicle. To buy extended warranty from third party company, you just bring your vehicle to their certified seller (CAA), they will judge if your vehicle is valid for an extended warranty or not. And then you will be able to buy extended warranty for your vehicle.

[longdong]

The car must either be returned to the U.S. for warranty repairs, or the owner can have the car repaired by a Subaru dealer in Canada, pay for it in full, and submit the bill to Subaru U.S. for re-imbursement."

So we only need to submit the origninal bill and that is ? no need to send also the bad part to the Subaru US ? (if I understand the warranty's rules, the dealer made the repair and then the dealer will send the bill including the bad part to the manufacture for the refunds)


So anyone for more clarification ?

[southpaw4golf]

Friend of mine is seriously looking at a 08 Tribeca, today he contacted a local dealer in Edmonton with warranty related questions about US imported Subarus. They stated that Subaru is going to change their policy on honoring the Subaru warranty in Canada, basically said Subaru will eventually not honor the warrantly, sounds like bs to me...

[bmm34]

Friend of mine is seriously looking at a 08 Tribeca, today he contacted a local dealer in Edmonton with warranty related questions about US imported Subarus. They stated that Subaru is going to change their policy on honoring the Subaru warranty in Canada, basically said Subaru will eventually not honor the warrantly, sounds like bs to me...

I was considering a Toyota 4Runner - can't find a dealer to sell me; I was going to buy a Nissan Pathfinder - Have to buy one 6 mths old for warranty to be valid in Canada.

I have never thought of owning a Subaru; however, I find myself considering a Tribeca. My questions are:

1. Has anyone had a US Subaru serviced under warranty in Canada? Could you share your experience?

2. I see there is a $2750 rebate on a 07 Tribeca in lieu of financing. Can a Canadian get that rebate?

3. I checked out the invoice price and I am curious if dealers will sell close to that price. While researching the 4Runner (before they found out I was CDN) I found that most dealers were offering them at invoicing less rebates.

4. If you live in Ontario and have recently bought a Subaru, where did you buy it? I live in Toronto.

Great thread with lots of informative info. Thanks to those who have shared their experience!

[jabelone]

Can someone explain to me how US auto dealers stating that they refuse to sell new cars to Canadians is any different than them saying they refuse to sell new cars to Iranians, or Jewish people or.... people from any country? It's illegal on so many levels.

Imagine if any other international retail business (Home Depot, Old Navy, McDonalds, Safeway, Walmart...) suddenly declared that they refused to sell product to Canadians at all US-based franchises because it might interfere with the sales at Canadian stores. This is an outright violation of so many civil laws, trade agreements and consumer rights in both Canada and the US that it simply boggles the mind.

I hope someone sues the living s**t out of Toyota and whoever is doing this, because they are on very tenuous legal ground. It's time Canadians stood up against this sort of thing. Good on this site for providing a forum, as there are obviously a lot of people who are opening their eyes to what is going on both sides of the border.

[brendonp]

While the CPO warrnaty isn't transferrable to Canada on a US CPO BMW. At least you are getting a car that the dealership considered up to that level and the fact remains CPO US Bmw's are still thousands cheaper than the same car in Canada. I've been pricing Z4's, 2004 to 2006, and have found the price difference to be from 10,000-14,000 dollars. Too big a difference to consider buying in Canada even with their free oil changes.

I'm not sure you really need to look at BMW dealer to get a "good" used vehicle... When I purchased my last one (in Canada), it was not classified as CPO - I asked the sales guy about CPO status, who in turn asked his manager about it. Within about 2 minutes he was back and said they'd sell it as a CPO vehicle at no extra cost to me (and I still negotiated about 3k off afterwards). The CPO status is just a tool that the BMW dealerships can use to help sell their used vehicles at a higher price then a regular dealership - it's based purely on statistics and not necessarily on the condition of the vehicle. I was speaking with a Mini rep a while back - apparently you could at one time buy an extended warranty on a Mini up until the end of the new warranty period, but Mini Canada was discouraging this since they felt it was detrimental to their CPO (Mini "Next") program - which was designed specifically as a dealer assistance tool...

There are some caveats - ie, a vehicle that has been in an accident or had major repairs generally won't be eligeable, but otherwise so long as they are under the required mileage & year limits, they are fair game.

Oddly enough I just spoke /w my Land Rover service advisor today and asked him about this topic - he's getting back to me about carrying an extended warranty from the US to Canada, but he did report that LR is happy to provided the LR Assured warranty to any US vehicles imported into Canada from the US - the rates are the same as if the vehicle was purchased in Canada and the vehicle must be within it's new vehicle warranty period - some great deals on used LR3s to be had in the US! (If you can stand the gas bills every month!)

Brendon

[brendonp]

Can someone explain to me how US auto dealers stating that they refuse to sell new cars to Canadians is any different than them saying they refuse to sell new cars to Iranians, or Jewish people or.... people from any country? It's illegal on so many levels.

Imagine if any other international retail business (Home Depot, Old Navy, McDonalds, Safeway, Walmart...) suddenly declared that they refused to sell product to Canadians at all US-based franchises because it might interfere with the sales at Canadian stores. This is an outright violation of so many civil laws, trade agreements and consumer rights in both Canada and the US that it simply boggles the mind.

I hope someone sues the living s**t out of Toyota and whoever is doing this, because they are on very tenuous legal ground. It's time Canadians stood up against this sort of thing. Good on this site for providing a forum, as there are obviously a lot of people who are opening their eyes to what is going on both sides of the border.

I'm not sure there's actually much of a problem. As far as I know, a business is not obligated to sell their merchandise to anyone who walks through the door. It also sounds like the franchises are actually not prevented directly from making sales, merely that there is a repercussion from head office - splitting hairs perhaps, but it still may be within the law - and this puts the onus on the individual franchise to actually turn down a buyer.

[googz]

I was considering a Toyota 4Runner - can't find a dealer to sell me; I was going to buy a Nissan Pathfinder - Have to buy one 6 mths old for warranty to be valid in Canada.

I have never thought of owning a Subaru; however, I find myself considering a Tribeca. My questions are:

1. Has anyone had a US Subaru serviced under warranty in Canada? Could you share your experience?

2. I see there is a $2750 rebate on a 07 Tribeca in lieu of financing. Can a Canadian get that rebate?

3. I checked out the invoice price and I am curious if dealers will sell close to that price. While researching the 4Runner (before they found out I was CDN) I found that most dealers were offering them at invoicing less rebates.

4. If you live in Ontario and have recently bought a Subaru, where did you buy it? I live in Toronto.

Great thread with lots of informative info. Thanks to those who have shared their experience!

I'm in a similar situation myself. Considered other vehicles but now set on the Tribeca.

Yes, you do get the $2750 rebate on 2007 models. For 2007 models, your price should end up being about $5500-6000 below the MSRP as a rough guide. Tough part is finding stock of a model you want. 2007 models are getting very, very scarce.

For 2008 models, I'm just in the middle of getting pricing details but looks like you should be able to get it below invoice...how much is the question?

PM me if you want details on dealers I've dealt with.

[yyz2hkg]

I was considering a Toyota 4Runner - can't find a dealer to sell me; I was going to buy a Nissan Pathfinder - Have to buy one 6 mths old for warranty to be valid in Canada.

I have never thought of owning a Subaru; however, I find myself considering a Tribeca. My questions are:

1. Has anyone had a US Subaru serviced under warranty in Canada? Could you share your experience?

2. I see there is a $2750 rebate on a 07 Tribeca in lieu of financing. Can a Canadian get that rebate?

3. I checked out the invoice price and I am curious if dealers will sell close to that price. While researching the 4Runner (before they found out I was CDN) I found that most dealers were offering them at invoicing less rebates.

4. If you live in Ontario and have recently bought a Subaru, where did you buy it? I live in Toronto.

Great thread with lots of informative info. Thanks to those who have shared their experience!

1. Warranty for any Subies 08 and on will have the full warranty. There's a catch now. The owner must pay for the warranty work first and then will be reimbursed through Subaru of America. I bought a 07, so there were no issues as far as warranty, and no need for reimbursement. Warranty done on my vehicle with no questions asked except for the VIN number. In a nutshell "The car must either be returned to the U.S. for warranty repairs, or the owner can have the car repaired by a Subaru dealer in Canada, pay for it in full, and submit the bill to Subaru U.S. for reimbursement."


2. If you pay in full, rebate will apply, as we can't finance a US vehicle, due to non-resident status.

3. Depending on your negotiating skills, you can actually go below Invoice. Karl at Van Bortel Subaru has been a regular on this thread, and has been giving out great deals to Canadians. Located in Rochester, IIRC.

4. Alot of people have purchased through Karl at Van Bortel, but there are others. Northtown, West Herr. Take your pick.

Hope that helps.

[jabelone]

I'm not sure there's actually much of a problem. As far as I know, a business is not obligated to sell their merchandise to anyone who walks through the door.

How could there be laws to prevent discrimination then? What would stop a company from refusing to sell to Black people, for example? Of course, businesses are obligated to sell product to anyone who walks through the door with payment, except in uncommon cases which legally justify such refusal, such as creating a disturbance, endangering the lives of customers etc... Being a Canadian is not valid grounds for refusing service. Ever heard of "rights"?

[brendonp]

How could there be laws to prevent discrimination then? What would stop a company from refusing to sell to Black people, for example? Of course, businesses are obligated to sell product to anyone who walks through the door with payment, except in uncommon cases which legally justify such refusal, such as creating a disturbance, endangering the lives of customers etc... Being a Canadian is not valid grounds for refusing service. Ever heard of "rights"?

Sure have... take a quick google for "right to refuse to sell"; (you'll probably find lots of links about pharmacists - hot topic in recent years) in the US it's certainly a law in many if not all states and I wouldn't be surprised if it's also law in Canada. I'd say this is actually a rather common practice (generally as per your comment about safety, intended use, etc), and generally the merchant isn't held accountable for their reasoning as long as it doesn't go against corporate policy - if one exists. I would certainly have a problem if the dealers chose to sell at different prices for different people (cause that's what credit agencies are for ;) ), which would be obvious discrimination...

If you want an interesting example, a video-game clerk recently refused to sell video games to kids because he felt they should be outside playing! He was suspended for his actions (as they go against corporate policy), but not charged with anything... This was last month in Texas IIRC...

[bambam38111]

I went to a few Nissan dealers looking for a 2007 Nissan Altima 2.5s
Both dealers had different answers to my questions
1 dealers told me he could not sell to me the other had no difficulty a selling to Canadians but would not give the $1000 incentive and also wanted to charge me the Michigan Sales tax 6%
He said that I would get it back at the border when I paid the GST
(I don't think so)
both dealers would honor the warranty in th US
Since I live near the Canada/Michigan border(Sarnia) that would be no problem
Has anyone had any luck or good dealers in Michigan or near Buffalo NY?


I also stopped at the Honda dealer in Port Huron Michigan and the would have no problem selling me a vehicle
it would cost $300 for them to deliver it to the border on a flatbed
no State tax and of course a void warranty( thought they might service it there) no luck

[jadeboy]

How could there be laws to prevent discrimination then? What would stop a company from refusing to sell to Black people, for example? Of course, businesses are obligated to sell product to anyone who walks through the door with payment, except in uncommon cases which legally justify such refusal, such as creating a disturbance, endangering the lives of customers etc... Being a Canadian is not valid grounds for refusing service. Ever heard of "rights"?

US FTC complaint Form

https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup

[jadeboy]

http://stores.ebay.com/Metro-Lexus/Canadian-Buyers.html

Ok.. here is a Lexus dealer that's willing to sell to Canadians but only USED or Pre-owned Certified.

[teep]

Thanks. I came in here to post this, as it was written by my wife :razz: . It ran in Saturday's Gazette. She did a lot of work in preparing for it. We're now thinking of getting a car from the US as she's done so much research and knows the ins and outs.

Good luck on you car hunt and import! We would never have been brave enough to tackle it without all the help from members of this RFD blog.

By the way, your dear lady made one small slip-up in the article, viz "Although new cars don’t have to be registered in the U.S., they must be brought to American customs 72 hours before export.". This is not right: you have to get a fax of the US Title document (both sides) and a document filled in by the selling dealer called the "Car Export Worksheet" to the US border car export office 72 hours in advance of you showing up with the car. Not the car itself.

Is most cases the dealer will do this for you, but Ive seen some reports of the purchaser having to do it, in which case youll need a fax of these two documents from the dealer.

Before this we hadnt used a fax in years, having cancelled our separate business fax line at least 5 years ago: I had to get it working again temporarily just for this.

[flatman]

1 dealers told me he could not sell to me the other had no difficulty a selling to Canadians but would not give the $1000 incentive and also wanted to charge me the Michigan Sales tax 6%
He said that I would get it back at the border when I paid the GST
(I don't think so)
I also stopped at the Honda dealer in Port Huron Michigan and the would have no problem selling me a vehicle
it would cost $300 for them to deliver it to the border on a flatbed
no State tax and of course a void warranty( thought they might service it there) no luck

I have spoken to a couple of Michigan dealers and the tax situation seems to be: If you drive the vehicle across the border you are charge Michigan tax. If you have them ship the vehicle and you take delivery in Canada you are not charged tax. I was quoted $1.25/mile shipping, way less than the tax.

I don't think there's any way you'd get state tax back after you paid it, anyone else know?

[shopper-X]

http://stores.ebay.com/Metro-Lexus/Canadian-Buyers.html

Ok.. here is a Lexus dealer that's willing to sell to Canadians but only USED or Pre-owned Certified.

All US Toyota/Lexus dealers are allowed to sell Used or Pre-owened. They are not allowed to sell New and New is what people are after.

[tico 1948]

Good luck on you car hunt and import! We would never have been brave enough to tackle it without all the help from members of this RFD blog.

By the way, your dear lady made one small slip-up in the article, viz "Although new cars don’t have to be registered in the U.S., they must be brought to American customs 72 hours before export.". This is not right: you have to get a fax of the US Title document (both sides) and a document filled in by the selling dealer called the "Car Export Worksheet" to the US border car export office 72 hours in advance of you showing up with the car. Not the car itself.

Is most cases the dealer will do this for you, but Ive seen some reports of the purchaser having to do it, in which case youll need a fax of these two documents from the dealer.

Before this we hadnt used a fax in years, having cancelled our separate business fax line at least 5 years ago: I had to get it working again temporarily just for this.
I just recently was informed,via a phone call, by a U.S. Customs Agent at the Calais, Maine to St Stephen's N.B. crossing point that "We Do Not accept faxed documents. We do NOT have the time to sort through faxes, file them to-gether per client (meaning Canadians) so we only accept Courier'd Documents or Personally Delivered Documents." It really does seem that with the increasing volume of Cdn. importing going on that the U.S. Exporting Section Desks are getting extremely busy. Wonder why Mr. Desrosiers:confused: ?

[longdong]

Good luck on you car hunt and import! We would never have been brave enough to tackle it without all the help from members of this RFD blog.

By the way, your dear lady made one small slip-up in the article, viz "Although new cars don’t have to be registered in the U.S., they must be brought to American customs 72 hours before export.". This is not right: you have to get a fax of the US Title document (both sides) and a document filled in by the selling dealer called the "Car Export Worksheet" to the US border car export office 72 hours in advance of you showing up with the car. Not the car itself.

Is most cases the dealer will do this for you, but Ive seen some reports of the purchaser having to do it, in which case youll need a fax of these two documents from the dealer.

Before this we hadnt used a fax in years, having cancelled our separate business fax line at least 5 years ago: I had to get it working again temporarily just for this.

It's depending on the border, my border (Champlain), they required us to send them 1 Original of title and 2 copies , 1 copy of bill of sale
So just call the US Custom border first to make sure what document that you need to send them.

[shopper-X]

I just recently was informed,via a phone call, by a U.S. Customs Agent at the Calais, Maine to St Stephen's N.B. crossing point that "We Do Not accept faxed documents. We do NOT have the time to sort through faxes, file them to-gether per client (meaning Canadians) so we only accept Courier'd Documents or Personally Delivered Documents." It really does seem that with the increasing volume of Cdn. importing going on that the U.S. Exporting Section Desks are getting extremely busy. Wonder why Mr. Desrosiers:confused: ?


It's depending on the border, my border (Champlain), they required us to send them 1 Original of title and 2 copies , 1 copy of bill of sale
So just call the US Custom border first to make sure what document that you need to send them.

I know you should keep copies of everything, but what if they lose the originals that need to be stamped? Can the manufacture reproduce the Title and how long will that take?

[scouzi]

Can someone explain to me how US auto dealers stating that they refuse to sell new cars to Canadians is any different than them saying they refuse to sell new cars to Iranians, or Jewish people or.... people from any country? It's illegal on so many levels.

Imagine if any other international retail business (Home Depot, Old Navy, McDonalds, Safeway, Walmart...) suddenly declared that they refused to sell product to Canadians at all US-based franchises because it might interfere with the sales at Canadian stores. This is an outright violation of so many civil laws, trade agreements and consumer rights in both Canada and the US that it simply boggles the mind.

I hope someone sues the living s**t out of Toyota and whoever is doing this, because they are on very tenuous legal ground. It's time Canadians stood up against this sort of thing. Good on this site for providing a forum, as there are obviously a lot of people who are opening their eyes to what is going on both sides of the border.

It's not that they can't sell to "Canadians". It's more that they can't sell for export to Canada. An american can't buy a car for export either.

[leseuldaniel]

http://www.apa.ca/template.asp?DocID=253

Canadian Warranty Information on U.S. Cars


Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada

1-888-576-4878

2090 Matheson Blvd. E., Mississauga, ON, L4W 5P8



Limited Warranty Coverage


Will honour the 5 year/60,000 mile new vehicle limited warranty but not the 10 year extended powertrain warranty.
.

FYI
This was according to APA. However, contacting Mitsubishi Canada returns this very different answer:

Thank you for contacting Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada. We appreciate receiving the opportunity to respond to customer comments and questions.


Vehicles registered in the United States, but temporarily traveling in Canada are covered by the terms of the Mitsubishi Motors Warranty and may be brought to Mitsubishi dealers in Canada for warranty repairs. However, vehicles operating outside of the U.S., its territories and possessions on a permanent basis, are not covered under the terms of this limited warranty. This is detailed in the Warranty and Maintenance Manual that is included in the vehicle at the time of sale.

Again, thank you for contacting Mitsubishi Canada.

So buy at your own risk from Mitsu

[gusst3]

My understanding is there is no provincial inspection requirement (in BC) for New Vehicles, I would confirm that to save yourself the"(from $90 to $130)"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Can anyone tell me for sure if Infiniti warranty coverage is valid in Canada? I am thinking about buying FX35 in States.

Thx

[ChemicalBoy]

Does one have to give the MSO to the registry when you get your license plate, the one that I used wanted to take my MSO and said wanted to send it to the government since it is already registered in Alberta I wouldnt need it.

[james-007]

Does one have to give the MSO to the registry when you get your license plate, the one that I used wanted to take my MSO and said wanted to send it to the government since it is already registered in Alberta I wouldnt need it.

In BC I had to give up my MSO to ICBC agent.

[cuto]

I am looking for a BMW dealer who sells to Canucks. Prefer West of the Rockies. Much appreciated.me too but somewhere along the lines of the eastern std timezone. heh. seems like it is impossible to buy a new BMW from the US.

any idea of when BMW Canada will begin to lower their prices to match our American neighbour? Porsche started to already... I hope BMW will soon. if someone were to buy a BMW now and the price drops say 1-2 months later, do you think BMW Canada would reimburse them for price protection?

[Louist]

Seeing that extended warenty is about the worst waste of money one can even consider on a new vehicle...see what all the experts say...right next to the rust proofing..blah, blahs list,

If I and I expect many others could buy a new vehicle and opt out of the warrenty for 4k? well I know where that 4k would end up for me. I just think it is a joke that anyone would even waste the time to think about warrenty issues when you are saving 10k. Maybe a reality check is needed? Sell the car you saved 10k on before it reaches 60,000 kms and you will only ever have to put oil in the beast.

Recalls will be covered...it is law, so you are more than covered for the big stuff. As for warrenty issues?? that is like getting hit by lightning these days. In 12 new vehicles I have had 1 issue and it was a 1989 Mustang, (cough junk)..which they ended up not covering anyway..oil burner it was.

Purchasing warrenty on a new car with none, (likely winable in court as well)...well this is why the one selling the warrenty is rich, and some are not.

Then again some people insure vehicles for fire and theft, when the vehicle is basically worthless, still others put a 200 dollar theft device (ever see the club on a beater that would not even certify?) on a car not worth stealling, and then there are the ones that live their life paranoid and shelling out the little money they have to whichever snake oil saleman they meet that preys on this ? fear ?

Maybe cross border shopping is not up for everyone, (too much to worry about, too much to reseach, too many unknowns, too many what ifs). Those who want 10k in the pocket today....take the plunge.

[threeflags]

me too but somewhere along the lines of the eastern std timezone. heh. seems like it is impossible to buy a new BMW from the US.

any idea of when BMW Canada will begin to lower their prices to match our American neighbour? Porsche started to already... I hope BMW will soon. if someone were to buy a BMW now and the price drops say 1-2 months later, do you think BMW Canada would reimburse them for price protection?

A lousy 8% drop by Porsche is really nothing in terms of what the selling price is. Smart money always finds a better way. As for price protection ... I serious doubt any dealer will pass that price difference to you after the deal is signed. If they quibble over floor mats .that not written in teh contract .. do you really think that they will give you back $100s of $$$. The manufacturers are just ripping off the customers. Show the manufacturers your dissatisfaction by telling the dealers that their prices are no good.

[jabelone]

It's not that they can't sell to "Canadians". It's more that they can't sell for export to Canada. An american can't buy a car for export either.

Agreed, but as I stated in my original post, how is that different than importing other items like Plasma TV's etc into Canada? A Walmart in the states doesn't ask what I plan on doing with any merchandise I buy there. Is the auto industry unique in being able to refuse us export rights suddenly, because the dollars is at parity. You have to be suspicious about it, and the legalities.

[VWPablo]

Wow, I must have really hit a nerve with a local Toyota dealer.

To be honest, I'm not looking for them to match US prices but a least be willing to negotiate to not make it really worth my while to hop the border. I'm even willing to pay $3k-$4k for that privilege :confused:

He pulled out the Dennis Desrosier article which I countered by placing my laptop on the desk and showed him my research (it's quite the detailed spreadsheet with amortization tables included) and asked that he meet me halfway. His reaction was odd. He told me to leave now (which I did) and he followed that up with an email rant about how we're going to become the 51st state, lose our independence, and that it's US prices that should rise, not CDN prices that should be lowered. Needless to say the rant was very unprofessional and I made it a point to forward to the franchise owner.

Any ways, looks like I have an interested dealer in the US willing to sell to Canadians with direct flights. Unless a CDN dealer speaks up by the end of the week, I'll be booking that flight.

[thien]

you should post the email on this forum so everyone can see how much of a dick they can be.



Wow, I must have really hit a nerve with a local Toyota dealer.

To be honest, I'm not looking for them to match US prices but a least be willing to negotiate to not make it really worth my while to hop the border. I'm even willing to pay $3k-$4k for that privilege :confused:

He pulled out the Dennis Desrosier article which I countered by placing my laptop on the desk and showed him my research (it's quite the detailed spreadsheet with amortization tables included) and asked that he meet me halfway. His reaction was odd. He told me to leave now (which I did) and he followed that up with an email rant about how we're going to become the 51st state, lose our independence, and that it's US prices that should rise, not CDN prices that should be lowered. Needless to say the rant was very unprofessional and I made it a point to forward to the franchise owner.

Any ways, looks like I have an interested dealer in the US willing to sell to Canadians with direct flights. Unless a CDN dealer speaks up by the end of the week, I'll be booking that flight.

[Tender]

Agreed, but as I stated in my original post, how is that different than importing other items like Plasma TV's etc into Canada? A Walmart in the states doesn't ask what I plan on doing with any merchandise I buy there. Is the auto industry unique in being able to refuse us export rights suddenly, because the dollars is at parity. You have to be suspicious about it, and the legalities.

+1.

Where is NAFTA? Is it just for the manufacturers? I guess consumers are just too small to fight for it.

[Spritzup]

Has anybody had any look or heard any feedback when it comes to importing Mazda's?

[DarkCat]

Hi Again,
I posted a message on page #391. For those of you who didn't read that, I'm Xan Peterson (pronounced ZAN). I work for Manchester Subaru in New Hampshire. I guarantee ..... I look forward to hearing from you.

Try answering some of the queries that have popped up.
My 2 cents worth...

[longdong]

Wow, I must have really hit a nerve with a local Toyota dealer.

To be honest, I'm not looking for them to match US prices but a least be willing to negotiate to not make it really worth my while to hop the border. I'm even willing to pay $3k-$4k for that privilege :confused:

He pulled out the Dennis Desrosier article which I countered by placing my laptop on the desk and showed him my research (it's quite the detailed spreadsheet with amortization tables included) and asked that he meet me halfway. His reaction was odd. He told me to leave now (which I did) and he followed that up with an email rant about how we're going to become the 51st state, lose our independence, and that it's US prices that should rise, not CDN prices that should be lowered. Needless to say the rant was very unprofessional and I made it a point to forward to the franchise owner.

Any ways, looks like I have an interested dealer in the US willing to sell to Canadians with direct flights. Unless a CDN dealer speaks up by the end of the week, I'll be booking that flight.



hmmm, there is nothing todo with local toyota dealer, it's Toyota Canada responsible for the pricing.

So you can buy a car from another manufacture. Toyota is not the only one selling cars

[jabelone]

+1.

Where is NAFTA? Is it just for the manufacturers? I guess consumers are just too small to fight for it.

Exactly. The simple fact of the matter is this: we (Canadians) are legally entitled to import certain vehicles into Canada. This has been going on unfettered for many years (in both directions). So... on what legal grounds are some US dealerships (like Toyota) suddenly attempting to deny Canadians this right?

[ADHR21]

I am looking for to buy 2006 BMW 330i. I can find nice deals south of the border and save almost 10K compare to buying in Ontario. I don't want to visit and checkout all the cars in US. I am looking for some agent/broker do this job (checking the car, mechanical check up etc) and import the car to Ontario. I am prepare to share the savings.

I will pay and broker/agent and he has to import (behalf of me) and bring the car to Ontario.

Is there any agents or brokers perform these services? Can you post the contact details.

ANY LUCK ON YOUR 330i YET.I AM LOOKING FOR A 07 328i RIGHT NOW, COST AROUND 40, JUST FOUND OUT PAY AROUND 47, I CAN GET A BOXTER

[VWPablo]

you should post the email on this forum so everyone can see how much of a dick they can be.

Will do once I get back home.

Also, to those PM'ing me for the name of my dealer in the US, I'm not releasing the name until the deal is finalized (i.e. the car is in my driveway) but do recommend you inquire at tourist friendly US states where many snowbirds hang out.

[bobsyouruncle]

I successfully completed importing a new 2007 Toyota Camry this morning so I thought I would share my experience.

I have been looking to buy a Camry for a couple of months and phoned or emailed all the dealers in Washington State and Oregon but none of them would sell me a car. I had a business trip to Phoenix at the end of September and found a couple of dealers willing to sell me a new car. I made a deal over the phone (I knew exactly what I wanted) and wired the money to the dealer within the day. The next week I flew out to Phoenix and the salesman picked me up at the airport and went to the dealership, signed numerous papers and drove the vehicle away. I had gotten a 90 non-resident permit (which is good in all US states) and 10 days of insurance from ICBC ($77). After my business appointments I drove the car from Phoenix to the Blaine border crossing (a long two day drive). The one mistake I made was letting them title the car in Arizona rather than getting the MSO directly from the dealership. The result is that I had to park the car at a storage lot at the border for a few days until the title arrived.

When the title arrived I exported the car from the US (5 minutes) and imported the car into Canada. This was about the most time consuming process as there were so many people importing cars that I had to wait in line at Canada Customs for almost an hour. When that was done I faxed the recall clearance letter to RIV and as it was just before Thanksgiving I had to wait until yesterday to get the form 2 for the inspection. I took the car in for the RIV inspection and provincial inspection and got the plates and insurance this morning.

The Camry has DRL but it also has the ability to be turned off. There is a solution posted on the Toyota nation website that describes how to fix this problem.

So how much did I save? The final price I paid (all in including inspections, taxes & temp insurance) was about $24,300 vs $31,700 in Canada. So I estimate as savings of about $7300 although it's not completely accurate. For one thing the US version of the Camry LE comes with 8 way power drivers’ seat as standard while it is part of a package in Canada. I conservatively estimated about $500 for this. Also it was hard to find an estimate of a few of the other options for things like cargo net and rear and front mudguards. For those I used the US dollar value which is likely low. I am also not adding in the cost of driving the car from Phoenix to Vancouver as that cost was covered by my company but you could do it for about $300 ($100 gas + 2 nights at a hotel $200). Also, when you import a car you do not pay the Battery Levy ($5) and the Tire Levy ($20) that you would pay here in BC on a new vehicle.

There have been a number of pros and cons listed on this forum but the one pro that I haven't noticed was the ability to pay GST and PST with a credit card. I get rewards for using my credit card so that was a bonus for me.

All in all it was a fairly easy process and I would definitely do it again.:)

If anyone wants the name and contact information of the salesman in Phoenix please PM me.

[flaming homer]

If anyone wants the name and contact information of the salesman in Phoenix please PM me.I'm certain Toyota Canada will be PMing you ASAP :twisted:

Congrats

[diigii]

I successfully completed importing a new 2007 Toyota Camry this morning so I thought I would share my experience.

I have been looking to buy a Camry for a couple of months and phoned or emailed all the dealers in Washington State and Oregon but none of them would sell me a car. I had a business trip to Phoenix at the end of September and found a couple of dealers willing to sell me a new car. I made a deal over the phone (I knew exactly what I wanted) and wired the money to the dealer within the day. The next week I flew out to Phoenix and the salesman picked me up at the airport and went to the dealership, signed numerous papers and drove the vehicle away. I had gotten a 90 non-resident permit (which is good in all US states) and 10 days of insurance from ICBC ($77). After my business appointments I drove the car from Phoenix to the Blaine border crossing (a long two day drive). The one mistake I made was letting them title the car in Arizona rather than getting the MSO directly from the dealership. The result is that I had to park the car at a storage lot at the border for a few days until the title arrived.

When the title arrived I exported the car from the US (5 minutes) and imported the car into Canada. This was about the most time consuming process as there were so many people importing cars that I had to wait in line at Canada Customs for almost an hour. When that was done I faxed the recall clearance letter to RIV and as it was just before Thanksgiving I had to wait until yesterday to get the form 2 for the inspection. I took the car in for the RIV inspection and provincial inspection and got the plates and insurance this morning.

The Camry has DRL but it also has the ability to be turned off. There is a solution posted on the Toyota nation website that describes how to fix this problem.

So how much did I save? The final price I paid (all in including inspections, taxes & temp insurance) was about $24,300 vs $31,700 in Canada. So I estimate as savings of about $7300 although it's not completely accurate. For one thing the US version of the Camry LE comes with 8 way power drivers’ seat as standard while it is part of a package in Canada. I conservatively estimated about $500 for this. Also it was hard to find an estimate of a few of the other options for things like cargo net and rear and front mudguards. For those I used the US dollar value which is likely low. I am also not adding in the cost of driving the car from Phoenix to Vancouver as that cost was covered by my company but you could do it for about $300 ($100 gas + 2 nights at a hotel $200). Also, when you import a car you do not pay the Battery Levy ($5) and the Tire Levy ($20) that you would pay here in BC on a new vehicle.

There have been a number of pros and cons listed on this forum but the one pro that I haven't noticed was the ability to pay GST and PST with a credit card. I get rewards for using my credit card so that was a bonus for me.

All in all it was a fairly easy process and I would definitely do it again.:)

If anyone wants the name and contact information of the salesman in Phoenix please PM me.

CONGRATS!!!! Now who said Toyota won't sell? As I've said all along, there will be dealers who will not obey corporate orders.

I could just see a flood of inquiries from potential Toyota buyers posting to get the dealer info.

But I'd be wary of giving out the dealer info because there are spies for the auto corporate headquarters for both US and Canada and will snitch on them. I suggest you give them area in Phoenix and let them do the research. No offense meant to Toyota hunters but the snitches will report the dealership to Toyota USA. As what the MasterCard TV ads says, in this case, "Yup! We've got snitches!"

[DarkCat]

CONGRATS!!!! Now who said Toyota won't sell? As I've said all along, there will be dealers who will not obey corporate orders.

I suggest you give them the city in Phoenix and let them do the research...


Never been there, but I gotta ask: just how big is Phoenix???

[diigii]

Never been there, but I gotta ask: just how big is Phoenix???

bwahahahahhaa!!! It's a redundant typing on my part because I was rushing to finish my post! thanks for the joke there!

[teep]

I just recently was informed,via a phone call, by a U.S. Customs Agent at the Calais, Maine to St Stephen's N.B. crossing point that "We Do Not accept faxed documents. We do NOT have the time to sort through faxes, file them to-gether per client (meaning Canadians) so we only accept Courier'd Documents or Personally Delivered Documents." It really does seem that with the increasing volume of Cdn. importing going on that the U.S. Exporting Section Desks are getting extremely busy. Wonder why Mr. Desrosiers:confused: ?

Interesting! Looks like there are some important differences among the US border posts: I will try to list these on the on the Carburner wiki.

[overboost]

Only the original owner of the BMW can buy the factory-backed extended warranty. The car must still be under the warranty period when this extended warranty is purchased.

On the other hand, you can buy third-party extended warranties yourself, but they are not BMW warranties.

I am in the same boat as you...will be importing a used BMW from a private party in a couple weeks.



I have a very important question!

If I were to say buying a used BMW(private) that still has ORIGINAL warranty, would I be able to buy extended warranty in Canada's dealership with my car?

Will it be the same? or do I have to buy it in the USA?

If so, could I get the extended warranty SERVICES in Canada(if I bought the extended warranty in USA)??

etc..

[reddy54]

I have a friend who has a business branch (a corporation) in New York State. I was considering buying the car in his company's name at a New Hampshire Totota dealer, getting a temporary plate and driving the car back to Canada. Do you think that 1) an invoice from his company to myself will be sufficient to transfer title for import purposes? 2) Will I rouse suspicion at the Toyota dealership if I ask for a MCO and a recall letter 3) If so can I get these somewhere else?

[vim]

Can anyone here post Insurance company name or broker in Toronto that knows about insurance for imported cars. My insurance company TD General Insurance so far refused to give me any letter that my car will be insured. Although they did say agan and again that it is insured for 14 days, just they cannot give me letter (even Liability one). I am looking into options of cancelling insurance or insuring new car with another company. I read in this thread that for example ING insurance should not have any problem, but I would need a broker name in Toronto.

Thank you

[diigii]

Can anyone here post Insurance company name or broker in Toronto that knows about insurance for imported cars. My insurance company TD General Insurance so far refused to give me any letter that my car will be insured. Although they did say agan and again that it is insured for 14 days, just they cannot give me letter (even Liability one). I am looking into options of cancelling insurance or insuring new car with another company. I read in this thread that for example ING insurance should not have any problem, but I would need a broker name in Toronto.

Thank you

As I posted earlier to your question, don't ask for a letter. They don't know what kind of letter you are asking for. Ask for the temporary pink insurance slips with the VIN printed on them.

[tico 1948]

I know you should keep copies of everything, but what if they lose the originals that need to be stamped? Can the manufacture reproduce the Title and how long will that take?

I am sending (by Courier) to my U.S. Customs Port, My Copy of my Bill of Sale along with a photocopy of my Cert. of Origin. My dealer Couriered to me, all the Documents pertaining to my purchase.He walked me through where I had to sign,via telephone, what documents(photocopies only) to send to SoA for my Recall Clearance Letter. What copy of the 3 part Bill of Sale Invoice ( in my case, the middle yellow coloured copy) to keep and to be sent to the U.S.Border. The Certificate of Origin was to be photocopied, with one copy of BOTH SIDES to be sent to the U.S. Border.One side of that document is Serial #'d and very official looking, whereas the reverse is Notarized by a Public Notary that your dealer asks you to sign,to make that document legal. I was told to return all of the documents (originals) back to the Dealership and they would be there waiting for me when I arrive to pick up my vehicle. If by some chance the U.S. Customs were to loose your sent documents, you still have copies from the Dealer with you when you arrive at U.S. Customs. I know that sh*t happens but you have to believe that the Border Agents have a degree of Competancy.You also have to have a bit of optimism that things will go smoothly. Other than that its up to the RFD Gods to smile upon your efforts.

[vim]

As I posted earlier to your question, don't ask for a letter. They don't know what kind of letter you are asking for. Ask for the temporary pink insurance slips with the VIN printed on them.

I tried for this as well. I was told that they cannot put a car completely into the system till I have not provided customs paper. They actually put a VIN# into their system, I faxed them Certificate of Title and purchase order, but they are not giving me any document that car is insured. I talked to supervisors, faxed to underwriting department, etc. Nothing helps. All agents I talked agreed that based on Ontario policy this car is insured, but they they cannot print a document.

[torontostar1966]

I just talked to two dealers in Rochester. They both told me that they are not allowed to sell to canadians (unless you have a us address). One of sales told me that they got a big letter yesterday from Honda USA.

I don't know if I can find one that can sell to canadian further north.

[regrus]

BOBSYOURUNCLE please advise what happened with the State and City taxes when purchasing your Toyota in AZ.

It is my understanding that AZ is one of the States that dealers are required to collect sales tax unless the vehicle is shipped out of State. Also in AZ there are also City Taxes added in some locals.

That's one reason the famous collector car auctions that are held in January each year there are not held in Phoenix but instead in Scottsdale; the taxes are less on each vehicle sold.

[CheapScotsman]

Exactly. The simple fact of the matter is this: we (Canadians) are legally entitled to import certain vehicles into Canada. This has been going on unfettered for many years (in both directions). So... on what legal grounds are some US dealerships (like Toyota) suddenly attempting to deny Canadians this right?
They probably have no rights but the problem is, to prevent your rights from being violated, you have to go to court ... and for Toyota (or whichever car company) it really just all about money.

If Toyota were to just roll over and let people buy from the States then their Cdn sales would plummet. Instead they will just "prevent" it; wait for the lawsuits to wind their way through court for 5-10 years then, just before it goes to trial; make a plea deal paying 100million in fines with no acknowledgment of wrong doing. This costs them a LOT less money than 10s if not 100s of thousand of lost vehicle sales at $10K each AND allows them to do it all over again cause then didn't acknowledge any wrong doing.

If you really want to figure out how it works, send an email / letter to a toyota dealer offering to purchase. when you get the letter back saying that they won't cause you are canadian then go visit a US lawyer and sue the dealership. Let us know how it turns out.

[dheath]

don't use this value with insurance,though....eventhough they have used the higher cdn replacement cost , if you were to write off the vehicle, they will not pay higher than what is on the bill of sale, that is higher than what you paid for the car..i found this out the hard way a few yrs ago...wrote off a nissan maxima and eventhough the replacement value was higher (it was only 5 weeks old) I only received the discount price on the bill of sale...I had to pay $5k more to get a similarily equipped brand new car as the 2000's were all sold out and now I had to purchase a 2001....sucks

Check your policy..they will likely never payout higher than what you actually paid for the car....

When I registered, I had planned to purchase the extra insurance for replacement and quickly learned that the extra $$ would have been a total waste. MB AutoPac will only give you back what you paid. http://www.mpi.mb.ca/english/insurance/optional/NewCarProtection.html Save your $$.

[Shaun091382]

Hello All I am also having poor insurance coverage problems. I am insured with Economical Mutual Insurance Company through a broker.

My current insurance (on my currently used truck not the one I want to import) reads as follows:

Canada Inter-province
Applicable within Canada and the United States of America

"This certifies that the party named herein in insured against liability for bodily injury and property damage by reason of the operation of the motor vehicle described herein, in an amount not less than the statutory minimum requirements in any area of Canada"

Anyways I contacted my broker and mentioned about getting a binder or a letter for temp coverage while bringing back vehicle into Canada it was an immediate NO and that the coverage is only for vehicles purchased within Ontario. This is hampering my attempt to get a temp plate in ontario or NY state. I am not bound by a dealer not releasing the vehicle as I made my purchase in a private sale. I am just wondering if anyone has any suggestions but I couldnt seem to find much on the search of the forums. If worst comes to worst my seller is willing to pick me up and drive to the export office so I can make payment and get my title stamped and then drive me on through into Canada where hopefully I can get coverage since being within Ontario and slap on some temp plates when I get to the Canada border crossing. Again looking for suggestions on this issue

Thanks,

Shaun

[diigii]

Hello All I am also having poor insurance coverage problems. I am insured with Economical Mutual Insurance Company through a broker.

My current insurance (on my currently used truck not the one I want to import) reads as follows:

Canada Inter-province
Applicable within Canada and the United States of America

"This certifies that the party named herein in insured against liability for bodily injury and property damage by reason of the operation of the motor vehicle described herein, in an amount not less than the statutory minimum requirements in any area of Canada"

Anyways I contacted my broker and mentioned about getting a binder or a letter for temp coverage while bringing back vehicle into Canada it was an immediate NO and that the coverage is only for vehicles purchased within Ontario. This is hampering my attempt to get a temp plate in ontario or NY state. I am not bound by a dealer not releasing the vehicle as I made my purchase in a private sale. I am just wondering if anyone has any suggestions but I couldnt seem to find much on the search of the forums. If worst comes to worst my seller is willing to pick me up and drive to the export office so I can make payment and get my title stamped and then drive me on through into Canada where hopefully I can get coverage since being within Ontario and slap on some temp plates when I get to the Canada border crossing. Again looking for suggestions on this issue

Thanks,

Shaun

Call them again tomorrow or when you can, and ask them to give you their reasoning why you can't have temporary coverage for a newly acquired vehicle in the US. It is likely the person you talked is not even aware of the provisions in the OAP. Take it from me, the insurance advisor I talked to with my former insurance provider didn't know a thing about temp coverage for a newly acquired vehicle in the US. Ask to speak with his/her manager. On the Ontario Automobile Policy effective Jan 1, 2007, there are sections that allow you to have temporary coverages. Look this link up http://www.fsco.gov.on.ca/english/forms/autoforms/endorsement/OAP1_23-10-2006.pdf and Sections:
1.2;
1.3 3rd Paragraph where it says Newly Acquired Automobile;
2.2;
2.2.1.

Section 2.2.1 gives you the 14-day temporary coverage, regardless of where the car is bought.

Throw the book at them. If they don't comply with their responsibilities, then they are in violation of Ontario law.

[Billyboy]

After much reading and research I am down to a few choices.

I will be buying either a used Volvo in Boston or a new one in Ohio. I already have all the details I need for warranty coverage and modifications.

USED VOLVO SCENARIO:

I want to go down to Boston, pay the dealer and drive off with it back to Canada. Can someone who has gone through this before look at the following and let me know if I am missing anything?

1. Get “binder” insurance in Canada to drive vehicle in US ($35 for 10 days)
2. Ask dealer for Recall Clearance Letter in advance
3. Verify compliance label on car when I get there.
4. Buy car - Dealer will give me title certificate, 30-day temporary title and license (plates) and sales receipt.
5. I fax COPIES of the title certificate, VIN and sales receipt to US customs 72 hours prior.
6. At the border, I present the car, sales receipt and original title certificate to US customs and get stamped.
7. Then go Canada Border Services to fill out the “Vehicule Import Form” ($195) and pay GST on the value of the car.

- Does the car need to be temporarily registered in MA?
- Do I need to do anything with the MA DMV office?
- Do I need tags (not sure what these are) for MA or any other states?
- OR can I just drive away!!!

NEW VOLVO SCENARIO: (In Ohio)

Dealer is selling new 2007 model with 70 miles on it. I have not told him I am Canadian yet, because I am worried he will not give me a good price. He simply knows that I am "out-of-state".

Of course, when I tell him I am Canadian he might refuse to sell altogether. My solution would be to have an American friend buy it for me. He lives in California.

Is there any way to have my friend buy the car from California and I show up at the dealership in Ohio to drive off with it?

Is the following possible?

1. We ask dealer for Recall Clearance Letter
2. We give a $2000 deposit to initiate the transaction
3. Dealer Fed Exs paperwork and my friend signs in front of a Notary in CA.
4. Once vehicle is fully paid, the dealer mails all titles, 30 day temporary license, sales receipt to my friend.
5. My friend does not pay sales tax or registration in Ohio. Car stays in Ohio.
6. Can my friend "sell" me the car by transferring title WITHOUT registering / inspecting it at the DMV in CA? Would this avoid him paying CA sales tax?
7. If he needs to register/inspect the car in CA before he can sell it to me, does the car physically have to be present?
8. I show up at the dealers in Ohio one week later with my friend's paperwork and a sales receipt and my title and my binder insurance to pick it up.

Alternatively, because the car has 70 miles on it, can the dealer sell it to me as a "used" car, thus contravening Volvo's new car sales prohibition?

Thanks.

[tico 1948]

Hello All I am also having poor insurance coverage problems. I am insured with Economical Mutual Insurance Company through a broker.

My current insurance (on my currently used truck not the one I want to import) reads as follows:

Canada Inter-province
Applicable within Canada and the United States of America

"This certifies that the party named herein in insured against liability for bodily injury and property damage by reason of the operation of the motor vehicle described herein, in an amount not less than the statutory minimum requirements in any area of Canada"

Anyways I contacted my broker and mentioned about getting a binder or a letter for temp coverage while bringing back vehicle into Canada it was an immediate NO and that the coverage is only for vehicles purchased within Ontario. This is hampering my attempt to get a temp plate in ontario or NY state. I am not bound by a dealer not releasing the vehicle as I made my purchase in a private sale. I am just wondering if anyone has any suggestions but I couldnt seem to find much on the search of the forums. If worst comes to worst my seller is willing to pick me up and drive to the export office so I can make payment and get my title stamped and then drive me on through into Canada where hopefully I can get coverage since being within Ontario and slap on some temp plates when I get to the Canada border crossing. Again looking for suggestions on this issue

Thanks,

Shaun
It almost seems as though some of the insurance companies are in cahoots with the auto mfgrs. to stymie Canadian imports of U.S vehicles. Maybe not, but it sort of smells a bit. I'm with ING and had NO problems getting my temp. insurance.All I had to provide was Make, Model,& VIN#. Since we have our house insurance, my business insurance, and two present vehicles insured with our insurance agent, maybe the volume of insurance they have from us means something? An RFD member in Quebec who is with an ING insurer but, was getting a negative reaction to a temp. ins request, had to get after the ING head office in Montreal to lean on his insurance agent. to agree to temp.ins. His insurance agent finally relented and gave him his temp. ins. permit. It seems that you indeed have to fight "City Hall" in order to get what is supposed to be nothing more than a reasonable request. Too many insurance companies turn it into somekind of VooDoo B.S. or like I said before, are they part of the suspected conspiracy?

[Shaun091382]

Thanks Guys I will try to push the issue without harping with this company...It shouldnt matter but my insurance dealings is through a broker who is selling me a policy from Economical..is it possible the broker can have its own rules? or should I just go after Economical and skip my broker?

I will look at the links you have provided me it is greatly appreciated!

so many hurdles

Shaun

[bcbud]

From the ICBC website:

Question

Why do I need a vehicle inspection?

Answer

Vehicles are inspected to ensure they meet B.C.'s requirements for safety, mechanical condition and road worthiness.

A vehicle must be inspected when it is:

registered, licensed or titled outside of B.C. and imported into B.C.
salvaged and repaired
altered
examined by law enforcement authorities and found to be unsafe
end

If you imported the vehicle into Canada using the MSO rather than a title then you can argue that it does not need an inspection. If you had it Titled in the US then you will need an inspection

Thanks for your reply and congratulations on a successful Toyota import. I assumed the same as you did regarding MSO/MCO's but I emailed ICBC with the following question:

Comments: Do I need a vehicle inspection if I buy a
NEW vehicle in:
1) British Columbia
2) Alberta
3) Washington State USA
In all cases the vehicles will be have not
been registered before, brand NEW, and
will be registered in BC.

ICBC Answer:

Mr. BCBud

Thank you for your e-mail.

If the vehicle is brand new, and has never been registered or titled anywhere, you will not need an inspection if the vehicle is sold by a dealer in BC, Alberta, or anywhere else in Canada. However, an inspection will be required if the vehicle is being purchased from a dealer in Washington State or anywhere else outside of Canada.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.


withheld
Customer Contact
ICBC


This e-mail is intended solely for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain personal, confidential and/or privileged information. Any review, reproduction, use or disclosure of this e-mail by persons or entities other than the intended addressee is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please contact the sender immediately and delete the material from any and all computers or other devices.

[sheriffabc]

Call them again tomorrow or when you can, and ask them to give you their reasoning why you can't have temporary coverage for a newly acquired vehicle in the US. It is likely the person you talked is not even aware of the provisions in the OAP. Take it from me, the insurance advisor I talked to with my former insurance provider didn't know a thing about temp coverage for a newly acquired vehicle in the US. Ask to speak with his/her manager. On the Ontario Automobile Policy effective Jan 1, 2007, there are sections that allow you to have temporary coverages. Look this link up http://www.fsco.gov.on.ca/english/forms/autoforms/endorsement/OAP1_23-10-2006.pdf and Sections:
1.2;
1.3 3rd Paragraph where it says Newly Acquired Automobile;
2.2;
2.2.1.

Section 2.2.1 gives you the 14-day temporary coverage, regardless of where the car is bought.

Throw the book at them. If they don't comply with their responsibilities, then they are in violation of Ontario law.


My broker (also a broker for Economical Insurance) told me that it doesnt matter when you bought the car - but in whose name the title is. So go get your broker to listen up!!

[heel_hook]

Hey everyone,

Been lurking in this thread for a while but I just wanted to say thanks to Monsieurmaggot for starting this very informative thread. Reading about other people's experiences about the import process helped me alot. I imported a new 07 Subie and saved thousands!

Just a few tips for future importers:

1) MTO confirmed that US temp permits are honored in Ontario, so no need for Ontario temp permits.

2) If your insurance company tries to deny you temp coverage, just quote section 2.2.1 of the Ontario automobile policy.

3) If required to fax your info, always confirm reciept of fax!

All the other stuff is straight forward - Recall clearance, title, bill of sale.

Also, thanks to diigii for the info!

[shopper-X]

I am sending (by Courier) to my U.S. Customs Port, My Copy of my Bill of Sale along with a photocopy of my Cert. of Origin. My dealer Couriered to me, all the Documents pertaining to my purchase.He walked me through where I had to sign,via telephone, what documents(photocopies only) to send to SoA for my Recall Clearance Letter. What copy of the 3 part Bill of Sale Invoice ( in my case, the middle yellow coloured copy) to keep and to be sent to the U.S.Border. The Certificate of Origin was to be photocopied, with one copy of BOTH SIDES to be sent to the U.S. Border.One side of that document is Serial #'d and very official looking, whereas the reverse is Notarized by a Public Notary that your dealer asks you to sign,to make that document legal. I was told to return all of the documents (originals) back to the Dealership and they would be there waiting for me when I arrive to pick up my vehicle. If by some chance the U.S. Customs were to loose your sent documents, you still have copies from the Dealer with you when you arrive at U.S. Customs. I know that sh*t happens but you have to believe that the Border Agents have a degree of Competancy.You also have to have a bit of optimism that things will go smoothly. Other than that its up to the RFD Gods to smile upon your efforts.

I too was couriered all the original documents except for the COO/MSO, which to me seems like the most important one. All the other ones can be reproduced in a reasonable amount of time, but not the COO/MSO.
I signed the Odometer Reading, Purchase Order, Bill of Sale, "We owe you", etc forms and sent them all back. I think you can agree that chances of losing the documents once the package is signed for is very slim since only two or three people will be handling these forms.

With everyone here talking about the increased North-bound traffic, it's easier to loose things then if it was not so hectic.
So now instead of sending a COPY, you are sending the original COO/MSO to a busy multi-person office were people will trip over themselves working.

I'm not saying they WILL lose it, I'm saying the chances are greater since there is more to process then before.

I have full trust in the border agents and believe they can and will do their best job, but I have lost important papers when my work load is higher then usual.

[bobsyouruncle]

BOBSYOURUNCLE please advise what happened with the State and City taxes when purchasing your Toyota in AZ.

It is my understanding that AZ is one of the States that dealers are required to collect sales tax unless the vehicle is shipped out of State. Also in AZ there are also City Taxes added in some locals.

That's one reason the famous collector car auctions that are held in January each year there are not held in Phoenix but instead in Scottsdale; the taxes are less on each vehicle sold.

The car dealership that I bought my car from is actually just outside of Phoenix and not in Phoenix itself. I did have to pay the city tax but it was only 1.5% (or about $300) and I did not have to pay state tax. One of the dealers in Phoenix offered to ship the car just out of state (Blythe, CA) and pay no taxes at all but as that was about 140 miles away it just wasn't worth saving $300. Even with the extra $300 I felt the deal was good enough.

[eastsidesubaru]

After much reading and research I am down to a few choices.

I will be buying either a used Volvo in Boston or a new one in Ohio. I already have all the details I need for warranty coverage and modifications.

USED VOLVO SCENARIO:

I want to go down to Boston, pay the dealer and drive off with it back to Canada. Can someone who has gone through this before look at the following and let me know if I am missing anything?

1. Get “binder” insurance in Canada to drive vehicle in US ($35 for 10 days)
2. Ask dealer for Recall Clearance Letter in advance
3. Verify compliance label on car when I get there.
4. Buy car - Dealer will give me title certificate, 30-day temporary title and license (plates) and sales receipt.
5. I fax COPIES of the title certificate, VIN and sales receipt to US customs 72 hours prior.
6. At the border, I present the car, sales receipt and original title certificate to US customs and get stamped.
7. Then go Canada Border Services to fill out the “Vehicule Import Form” ($195) and pay GST on the value of the car.

- Does the car need to be temporarily registered in MA?
- Do I need to do anything with the MA DMV office?
- Do I need tags (not sure what these are) for MA or any other states?
- OR can I just drive away!!!

NEW VOLVO SCENARIO: (In Ohio)

Dealer is selling new 2007 model with 70 miles on it. I have not told him I am Canadian yet, because I am worried he will not give me a good price. He simply knows that I am "out-of-state".

Of course, when I tell him I am Canadian he might refuse to sell altogether. My solution would be to have an American friend buy it for me. He lives in California.

Is there any way to have my friend buy the car from California and I show up at the dealership in Ohio to drive off with it?

Is the following possible?

1. We ask dealer for Recall Clearance Letter
2. We give a $2000 deposit to initiate the transaction
3. Dealer Fed Exs paperwork and my friend signs in front of a Notary in CA.
4. Once vehicle is fully paid, the dealer mails all titles, 30 day temporary license, sales receipt to my friend.
5. My friend does not pay sales tax or registration in Ohio. Car stays in Ohio.
6. Can my friend "sell" me the car by transferring title WITHOUT registering / inspecting it at the DMV in CA? Would this avoid him paying CA sales tax?
7. If he needs to register/inspect the car in CA before he can sell it to me, does the car physically have to be present?
8. I show up at the dealers in Ohio one week later with my friend's paperwork and a sales receipt and my title and my binder insurance to pick it up.

Alternatively, because the car has 70 miles on it, can the dealer sell it to me as a "used" car, thus contravening Volvo's new car sales prohibition?

Thanks.
Unlikely...They dont go off mileage. Demos with 4000 miles are considered new (full warranty, factory incentives, etc) for Subaru...(And are usually a great deal!)
In your 70 miles scenario.. The problem is it has to be registered in SOMEBODY's name first before it can be considered used... When it's in the dealership's name... It doesn't count.
Probably a lot easier for you to go with one that's slightly used....

[tico 1948]

Thanks Guys I will try to push the issue without harping with this company...It shouldnt matter but my insurance dealings is through a broker who is selling me a policy from Economical..is it possible the broker can have its own rules? or should I just go after Economical and skip my broker?

I will look at the links you have provided me it is greatly appreciated!

so many hurdles

Shaun
When you stop and think about the power the Insurance companies have over their clients, it's almost dictatorial. In our household experience our Insurer twice Demanded upgrades be done to our premises. First Instance was that we had to have a new Certified Furnace Oil Tank installed because our existing one was 25yr. old. It MIGHT leak.Replacement cost $750. Second instance, we were told that we HAD to reshingle our House because the shingles were the old asbestoes type and were also in excess of 25 yr. old.That cost us $28,000 (Sales Taxes In) because we included having my shop done so our property wouldn't look like a patchwork quilt. At least we got the metal interlocking Lifetime roofing, coloured & embossed to look like slate. In either instance, had we refused to comply, they would have cancelled our insurance; no ifs, ands, or buts. They kept contacting us until we told them that arrangements had been made to carry out their "requests". I know this may be somewhat off-topic but its just to give an idea of how much power the insurers wield over their clients. The temp. insurance thing is such a simple request. Once you have your VIN# , according to my Accountant, you can even have your vehicle registered and that would give you title to your imported vehicle even if you haven't picked it up yet. Something to think about.If they have your Make, Model, Vin#,Colour,etc. why can't they Insure it? My agent had NO problems giving me my temp. card. It was even typed out, not hand written. Very permanent looking to me and to the Police if ever asked to produce proof of Insurance.Bug the Hell out of your agent or their Head Office. Tell them you will take all your insurance business elsewhere. If they say go ahead, then do it. Just find an agent that represents ING for automotive insuring.PM me if you want and I will give you my Insurance Agents contact info. They can certainly provde helpful, insightful, info. to you. Good luck in your endeavour.

[sajkaj]

Hey guys,

I'am looking to buy suv from usa can somone give me some advice,which suv should I buy and from which dealer.


Thanks

[VWPablo]

hmmm, there is nothing todo with local toyota dealer, it's Toyota Canada responsible for the pricing.

True, but I didn't know what the invoice price was and what kind of wiggle room local dealer have. Though CDN MSRP is $39.5k, looks like invoice is around $36.5k based on offers I've received. Still about $1.5k-$2k over what I'm willing to eat compared to US prices.



So you can buy a car from another manufacture. Toyota is not the only one selling cars

Unfortunately, Toyota is the only manufacturer selling the Toyota Sienna's :razz:

I know what you're saying. However, Honda doesn't have a comparable model with the features I want in the same price range. In order to get leather, power sliding doors and power tailgate, the only Honda Odyssey with these options is the Touring model and it is considerably more expensive because it has a NAV system, DVD system and back-up camera system that I don't really need or wish to pay extra for.

The only reason I'm not considering the Hyundai/Kia minivans is due to the fact that their 2nd row seats don't slide together. This is critical for me as I will have 4 car seats in the vehicle making it impossible for me to slide and tilt the 2nd row seats to get access to the 3rd row.

And Dodge/Chrysler options... well, nuff said.

[hunter_net]

I have seen this asked before, but I have not seen an answer in this thread... after some searching.

What options does a buyer have when the dealer is not offering a temporaty permit? (Massachusetts) Can I get a temporary Ontario permit and drive it with that? Any other ideas?

Thanks a lot!!!

Well Massachusetts just threw a wrench in my bike wheel. Here's a perfect example of American Retardation:

Registry, FeedBack (RMV) [Feedback.Registry@state.ma.us]
Massachusetts does not issue temporary and/or in-transit plates. In order to transport a motor vehicle and/or trailer, the new owner will need to properly insure and complete the registration process in their home state/foreign country before transporting the motor vehicle or trailer, have the motor vehicle or trailer towed/flatbed to their residence or they may have the seller/titled owner deliver the motor vehicle or trailer to their residence.

Since Ontario won't give me a transit without the original Title and the border papers, and I have nothing to trailer the vehicule with, I'm screwed into sending the full amount to a perfect stranger and hoping he sends me the title in the mail and keeps the car for a few days while I go to the border, have them do their paperwork, then bring it to MTO, have them issue a transit and then go pick up the car in Boston. What a clueless State. :mad: :mad:

[longdong]

True, but I didn't know what the invoice price was and what kind of wiggle room local dealer have. Though CDN MSRP is $39.5k, looks like invoice is around $36.5k based on offers I've received. Still about $1.5k-$2k over what I'm willing to eat compared to US prices.



Unfortunately, Toyota is the only manufacturer selling the Toyota Sienna's :razz:

I know what you're saying. However, Honda doesn't have a comparable model with the features I want in the same price range. In order to get leather, power sliding doors and power tailgate, the only Honda Odyssey with these options is the Touring model and it is considerably more expensive because it has a NAV system, DVD system and back-up camera system that I don't really need or wish to pay extra for.

The only reason I'm not considering the Hyundai/Kia minivans is due to the fact that their 2nd row seats don't slide together. This is critical for me as I will have 4 car seats in the vehicle making it impossible for me to slide and tilt the 2nd row seats to get access to the 3rd row.

And Dodge/Chrysler options... well, nuff said.


Nop, right now you can get a great deal on Honda Odyssey 2007 brand new, I think you can get around 26k or 27k (of the MSRP price around 32k) for a Honda Odyssey 2007 EXL (has leather and power sliding doors). Also in state, you can get more discount on Odyssey and on a Toyota Sienna.

[tico 1948]

Well Massachusetts just threw a wrench in my bike wheel. Here's a perfect example of American Retardation:

Registry, FeedBack (RMV) [Feedback.Registry@state.ma.us]
Massachusetts does not issue temporary and/or in-transit plates. In order to transport a motor vehicle and/or trailer, the new owner will need to properly insure and complete the registration process in their home state/foreign country before transporting the motor vehicle or trailer, have the motor vehicle or trailer towed/flatbed to their residence or they may have the seller/titled owner deliver the motor vehicle or trailer to their residence.

Since Ontario won't give me a transit without the original Title and the border papers, and I have nothing to trailer the vehicule with, I'm screwed into sending the full amount to a perfect stranger and hoping he sends me the title in the mail and keeps the car for a few days while I go to the border, have them do their paperwork, then bring it to MTO, have them issue a transit and then go pick up the car in Boston. What a clueless State. :mad: :mad:
Man, bummer,bummer!:mad: May I suggest that you try shopping in New Hampshire? My Dealer in N.H. supplied the temp. transit sticker for FREE!:D Valid for 20 days.That was a total hassle free experience! Sounds to me that you could use something similar rather than the Bull S**t you've been subjected to.I don't know what make of vehicle you are looking for but I hope you find someone who uses their customers as well as I was used.Keep looking. You'll land something, somewhere, possibly N.H.,with which you'll be happy with:) .If you want to know about my deal, feel free to PM me. Cheers.

[bimmerfans]

Hi, guys! Could you please share your experience and knowledge on the following items, I really have no idea about them:

1. Infant restraint kit

2. French supplementary restraint system label for airbags that require periodic maintenance

Thnak you for your inout.

[diigii]

Hi, guys! Could you please share your experience and knowledge on the following items, I really have no idea about them:

1. Infant restraint kit

2. French supplementary restraint system label for airbags that require periodic maintenance

Thnak you for your inout.

1. These are the LATCH anchors at the rear deck just about your back seats where you anchor your child's seat.

2. Multilingual stickers on your overhead sunvisors.

[bimmerfans]

1. These are the LATCH anchors at the rear deck just about your back seats where you anchor your child's seat.

2. Multilingual stickers on your overhead sunvisors.

Thanks again, diigii! Since RIV list both "Infant restraint kit" and "Child tether anchorage" on their website as seperated items, I really got confused.

For the stickers, could you post content in French here. I appreciate it.

Thanks a lot.:)

[diigii]

Thanks again, diigii! Since RIV list both "Infant restraint kit" and "Child tether anchorage" on their website as seperated items, I really got confused.

For the stickers, could you post content in French here. I appreciate it.

Thanks a lot.:)

The airbag stickers on your overhead visors should contain both English and French language content.

I'm sorry, I'm not fluent in French. Perhaps someone here who has taken a pic of the bilingual stickers. I think someone posted their pics in earlier pages.

Importing aside, I'm privileged to have opened the 400th page of this forum. :cheesygri

[bimmerfans]

I'm sorry, I'm not fluent in French.

Neither me. :razz: Thanks anyway.

[bimmerfans]

I think someone posted their pics in earlier pages.



I saw those pix, but not clear.

[bimmerfans]

Importing aside, I'm privileged to have opened the 400th page of this forum. :cheesygri

Yeah! Woohooooooooooo! 400 pages!

[paul29]

Unlikely...They dont go off mileage. Demos with 4000 miles are considered new (full warranty, factory incentives, etc) for Subaru...(And are usually a great deal!)
In your 70 miles scenario.. The problem is it has to be registered in SOMEBODY's name first before it can be considered used... When it's in the dealership's name... It doesn't count.
Probably a lot easier for you to go with one that's slightly used....

Don't know your situation , but you can rent a U haul dual axel trailer or a dolly if it is a front driver to tow your vehicle from Mass . That's what I did ,the dealer compensated me in the price to cover the cost of same . And you are correct Mass does not have transit stickers or plates , they use dealer plates to move vehicles around the state and will not normally let the plates go outside which is understandable . If you are still dealing , explain to the dealer what you are up against and ask for an additional $400 off to cover the expense , they may bite . Now this is assuming you have a tow vehicle and want to do it of course , just another option . Mass law is based on the old original British system and in most cases is not updated to any extent . You should see how they handle property land searches or estate settlements , straight out of the 17-1800's . Other than that , it is a beautiful state and you won't find better people to deal with anywhere else .

[ChemicalBoy]

Hey guys,

I'am looking to buy suv from usa can somone give me some advice,which suv should I buy and from which dealer.


Thanks

Why don't you go test drive the SUV in your town and try to decide on it, then look on the internet and find the dealers near you in the states. Your range is too big right now for SUV so try to narrow it down to the car that you want by test driving it first in canada.

[Billyboy]

Guys, the idea here is to buy a NEW car in the US. That's where the big price diference is.

I have noticed that the price gap narrows significantly between Canadian and US prices for used cars. Add the duties, travel expenses and hassle and what have you saved on a used car?

Hence my determination to buy new. NEW cars have the latest features and you can custom build them. You can hence own a car without any compromises.

The best way around dealers that won't sell to Canadians would be to get an American friend to circumvent the manufacturer.

This is where there appears to be some ambiguity!

If the friend lives in the state in which you are buying the car, then he goes to dealer, buys it, pays state sales tax in the state where he buys the car, drives off with it, registers it at DMV (or can we skip this step) and then sells it to you (do you both need to go to DMV?). When I buy it from him, I pay no state taxes or registration, but how do I drive it back to Canada? Don't I need for the car to be registered so I can drive it across the US?
Anyone done this before?

If the friend is out-of-state, does he pay sales tax in the state where the car is purchased or in the state where he lives when he registers the car at his local DMV? If that is the case, best find a friend in a tax-free state. Can he sell me the car before registering it at his DMV? Does he physically have to pick up the car at the dealer or can he sell it back to me without the car leaving the lot?
Anyone done this before?

If we can figure out the process, it could be easy buying a new car. I think a new car would be most people first choice.

[Billyboy]

Don't know your situation , but you can rent a U haul dual axel trailer or a dolly if it is a front driver to tow your vehicle from Mass . That's what I did ,the dealer compensated me in the price to cover the cost of same . And you are correct Mass does not have transit stickers or plates , they use dealer plates to move vehicles around the state and will not normally let the plates go outside which is understandable . If you are still dealing , explain to the dealer what you are up against and ask for an additional $400 off to cover the expense , they may bite . Now this is assuming you have a tow vehicle and want to do it of course , just another option . Mass law is based on the old original British system and in most cases is not updated to any extent . You should see how they handle property land searches or estate settlements , straight out of the 17-1800's . Other than that , it is a beautiful state and you won't find better people to deal with anywhere else .

Thanks for the info. The AWD Volvo I am considering in MA is used (being purchased from a dealer).

Can I buy it (without paying state tax and registration in MA) and drive off with it? Will the 'dealer' plates and 'temporary title' (not sure what this is) allow me to drive it across MA, through Vermont and up to Montreal? What do I need to be able to drive the car? What are these DMV "tags" I keep reading about?

Thanks.

[Billyboy]

Well Massachusetts just threw a wrench in my bike wheel. Here's a perfect example of American Retardation:

Registry, FeedBack (RMV) [Feedback.Registry@state.ma.us]
Massachusetts does not issue temporary and/or in-transit plates. In order to transport a motor vehicle, the new owner will need to properly insure and complete the registration process in their home state/foreign country before transporting the motor vehicle, have the motor vehicle towed/flatbed to their residence or they may have the seller/titled owner deliver the motor vehicle or trailer to their residence.

Since Ontario won't give me a transit without the original Title and the border papers, and I have nothing to trailer the vehicule with, I'm screwed into sending the full amount to a perfect stranger and hoping he sends me the title in the mail and keeps the car for a few days while I go to the border, have them do their paperwork, then bring it to MTO, have them issue a transit and then go pick up the car in Boston. What a clueless State. :mad: :mad:


What is a "transit"? Is that the Ontario registration?

I am faced with a similar situation in MA (but I live in Quebec). I am assuming it's the same thing for me. The problem isn't Ontario or Quebec, it's MA.

So you're saying:

- Send full payment to the dealer
- They then send the sales receipt, Recall clearance letter and title certificate in the mail.
- Take paperwork to border to do what exactly? Canada Customs needs to see the car, no? At that point, you won't have any stamp from U.S Customs either? What 'border papers' do you need to get the transit?
- Then you get transit and binder insurance.
- Fax copies of paperwork to US customs 72 hours prior
- Pick up car and drive back. After US Customs,do you need to see Canadian customs again?

[michelb]

Thanks for the info. The AWD Volvo I am considering in MA is used (being purchased from a dealer).

Can I buy it (without paying state tax and registration in MA) and drive off with it? Will the 'dealer' plates and 'temporary title' (not sure what this is) allow me to drive it across MA, through Vermont and up to Montreal? What do I need to be able to drive the car? What are these DMV "tags" I keep reading about?

Thanks.

Do a search on it, but I believe MA will charge full-tax to Canadians who purchase.

[Billyboy]

Hey everyone,

Been lurking in this thread for a while but I just wanted to say thanks to Monsieurmaggot for starting this very informative thread. Reading about other people's experiences about the import process helped me alot. I imported a new 07 Subie and saved thousands!

Just a few tips for future importers:

1) MTO confirmed that US temp permits are honored in Ontario, so no need for Ontario temp permits.

2) If your insurance company tries to deny you temp coverage, just quote section 2.2.1 of the Ontario automobile policy.

3) If required to fax your info, always confirm reciept of fax!

All the other stuff is straight forward - Recall clearance, title, bill of sale.

Also, thanks to diigii for the info!

Did you buy new or used? I think it's easier with a Subaru because the US dealers are prevented from selling to Canadians.

What state did you buy from? MA for example, doesn't issue temporary permits.

Perhaps we should compile a list of all the states it is easiest to buy a car in... I've been negotiating for weeks with this MA dealer only to find out I can't drive off with the car!!!

[Billyboy]

If an America buys a car:

Is state sales tax payed in the state where the car is purchased or in the state where he lives?

Can he pick up the car in any state and drive off with it if he hasn't paid sales taxes and rtegistration to the dealer?

If he pays state tax in the state he lives, is this done at the DMV, when he registers the car?

Can he sell the car before regitering it in his home state?

[Billyboy]

If my cousin who lives in Boston (5% tax) purchases a car in New Hampshire (where the is not tax), do they have to pay sales tax?????

Is the tax charged in NH or MA?

If the sales tax is chargeable in MA, can they sell the car to me BEFORE registering it in MA?

Will I/they be able to get tags in NH to drive around without registering the car in MA?

[johnsa]

Guys, the idea here is to buy a NEW car in the US. That's where the big price diference is.

I have noticed that the price gap narrows significantly between Canadian and US prices for used cars. Add the duties, travel expenses and hassle and what have you saved on a used car?

Hence my determination to buy new. NEW cars have the latest features and you can custom build them. You can hence own a car without any compromises.

The best way around dealers that won't sell to Canadians would be to get an American friend to circumvent the manufacturer.

This is where there appears to be some ambiguity!

If the friend lives in the state in which you are buying the car, then he goes to dealer, buys it, pays state sales tax in the state where he buys the car, drives off with it, registers it at DMV (or can we skip this step) and then sells it to you (do you both need to go to DMV?). When I buy it from him, I pay no state taxes or registration, but how do I drive it back to Canada? Don't I need for the car to be registered so I can drive it across the US?
Anyone done this before?

If the friend is out-of-state, does he pay sales tax in the state where the car is purchased or in the state where he lives when he registers the car at his local DMV? If that is the case, best find a friend in a tax-free state. Can he sell me the car before registering it at his DMV? Does he physically have to pick up the car at the dealer or can he sell it back to me without the car leaving the lot?
Anyone done this before?

If we can figure out the process, it could be easy buying a new car. I think a new car would be most people first choice.


I completely disagree..If you watch prices on ebay.com and autotrader.com..there are still significant deals to be had on low mileage, barely used vehicles...you must remember that looking at prices on dealer websites and autotrader.com these are asking prices and generally speaking there is much more room for negotiation than on a new vehicle. I usually make an assumption of about 2-3 k negotiation room on these prices...

Even buying a 3-5 yr old vehicle will save you significant dollars compared to used vehicle prices in Canada...you simply have to take the time to browse the net and compare with cdn listings..I do this every day ..wife thinks I'm nuts...I enjoy it..have bought auto and bike traders since the 80's...just "window" shopping

[paul29]

Thanks for the info. The AWD Volvo I am considering in MA is used (being purchased from a dealer).

Can I buy it (without paying state tax and registration in MA) and drive off with it? Will the 'dealer' plates and 'temporary title' (not sure what this is) allow me to drive it across MA, through Vermont and up to Montreal? What do I need to be able to drive the car? What are these DMV "tags" I keep reading about?

Thanks.

Billyboy : Doubt if dealer will let you use his plates . For insurance reasons and he might not get them back . You will need something from Quebec or elsewhere and this is difficult as you need to import the car to register and get a set of plates or permit . Every state has different rules same as every province here . Normally these permits/temp plates etc are for purchases to be used within the state , it was not set up to facilate moving cars for export , so you have to be understanding and not too critical , the export buyer is the odd one in these purchases not the licensing system of the state. Some of the posters here get an idea that they want to buy an car stateside then try to get around or shortcut every bit of good advice on how to do it given in this fine forum , the object of the excercise is to get a vehicle have it properly registered or transported and fully insured for movement back to Canada , to suggest anything else is asking for and probably will get you in trouble . DMV (Dept of Motor Vehicles) Some states issue temp plates ie Maine which look like a regular Maine plate but are a cardboard matl which they put in a plastic sleeve and attach to the rear in the normal place . The Maine temps are good for 14 days and only cost a dollar or so and you do not have to pay state tax . On picking up the car ( after the title bit to the border ), show proof of insurance and your away. Mass is a difficult place to purchase a vehicle for export due to the nonavailability of temp transfer tags , stickers or what ever you want to call them. It can be done but you have to inventive . I found trailering to be the best for me , to each his own . If you have vehicle shipped by trailer or whatever you shouldn't have to pay state tax but if you find a way to drive it , you may have to . I didn't pay the state tax as a company trailered my car for me .

[tico 1948]

I'm certain Toyota Canada will be PMing you ASAP :twisted:

Congrats

It's too bad that the genuine RFD membership dosen't have a secret password or some other device that would weed out the Maufacturers & their snitches when it comes to revealing U.S. Dealer info. on PM's. Any ideas out there? I have one but I don't think it's printable on this forum.:twisted:

[sika]

Please PM me with some US TOYOTA dealers close to Niagra Falls that sell new cars to CAD
I live in KW area , ONTARIO.
I'm interested on a Camry SE V6...here is apporx 40K, the KW-dealers will not give more than $500 discount :twisted: .

PS this web site is the best. Thanks all!

[Billyboy]

I completely disagree..If you watch prices on ebay.com and autotrader.com..there are still significant deals to be had on low mileage, barely used vehicles...you must remember that looking at prices on dealer websites and autotrader.com these are asking prices and generally speaking there is much more room for negotiation than on a new vehicle. I usually make an assumption of about 2-3 k negotiation room on these prices...

Even buying a 3-5 yr old vehicle will save you significant dollars compared to used vehicle prices in Canada...you simply have to take the time to browse the net and compare with cdn listings..I do this every day ..wife thinks I'm nuts...I enjoy it..have bought auto and bike traders since the 80's...just "window" shopping

In many cases, buying the 2008 model is not the same as the 2006 or 2005. Engine isn't the same, styling isn't the same, interior trim isn't as smart.

A 2-3 year old car can look really dated compared to the fresh 2008!

Furthermore, buying a new car is pretty straight-forward in terms of price and risk. Used car prices are all over the map.

Lastly, warranty is also an important consideration. Used cars don't have it unless the are "certified" pre-owned.

The price difference for 2008 Audi A4 Quattro or Volvo S4 T5 AWD is more than $12,000 (including GST/PST consideration) between US and CAD.

Can you find a $12k difference on a $25,000 used 2005/06 Audi or Volvo between the USA and Canada?

Anyway, the point of my thread is to get information about how most of us can purchase NEW cars from the US. This requires knowledge of state laws and taxation, knowledge that seems to be in short supply!

[smpmush]

Gm has started to recognize the problem and has released the "facts" to set the record straight.. Marc Comeau Vp of sales , service and marketing put out a message to employees to "give them a better understanding of the facts".. I will paraphrase what he said as I don't think i can copy and paste this memo....

First he claims that US customers are "primarily cash buyers" while 90% of canadian sales are lease or finance sales! He claims "MSRP" is a refference point and does not tell the whole story! He claims most lease payments in Can. are comaparable to US lease prices .. IE: 07 Maibu LS is $280/ month (US)and $282 month(CAN) . he points out that comparisons like this are more appropriate! He goes on to state that credit costs should also be included..He claims you cannot comapre a bank loan at 7% to 0 % GM financing... ( he seems to conviently forget that if you take the 0% financing inmost cases it will mean losing the incentives which might apply to a "cash" sale) He also points out that higher end vehical customers need to realize they will need to pay up to $4000 ecoauto tax when importing over the border?????

He then goes on to say that Canadians must recognize "unique Canadian content" And how these costs drive up the Canadian price.. (Im guessing he is referring to DRL"s and multilingual stickers!)( It's also amusing how dealers can buy used cars and resell them up here and they don't seem to have any problem retrofitting these vehicals for the Canadina market..) Cross border shoppers should also realize that they will lose such perks as roasdside assistance, not being able to use GM points towards purchase, and no charge maintainence programmes..

In the end he says that while the currency exchange rate is something they monitor, it tends to be highly volitile and not the determing factor in GM's marketing strategy!

All I can say is that thsi makes things clear as day!!! GM see's no reason to align prices more competivily with the US as the US is not a competitor to them.. Market conditions, and competition which differ from country to country are the deciding factor in determining pricing!

I just though some on here would like to hear the "real facts" from the manufacturers! Happy cross border shopping folks it seems this game will go on for some time if this is there stance!!! Only when sales hit rock bottom due to imports will they wean themselfs off this gravy train which is the Canadian market! Hell they won't even adjust the shipping costs which differ $400 to $500 more in Canada than the US... I wonder how much "extra" profit that cost alone brings in for them? It not hard to see how they are holding on to the golden egg which is Canada!!!

[diigii]

Please PM me with some US TOYOTA dealers close to Niagra Falls that sell new cars to CAD
I live in KW area , ONTARIO.
I'm interested on a Camry SE V6...here is apporx 40K, the KW-dealers will not give more than $500 discount :twisted: .

PS this web site is the best. Thanks all!

It has been mentioned in this forum that US Toyota dealers in the border states have been ordered not to sell NEW cars to Canadians. Use the SEARCH feature of this forum to see why.

[diigii]

I'd like to thank and express appreciation to SMPMUSH for his insider information. You're brave to share what privileged info you get from where you are. It's makes us more informed of what goes in these so-called meetings of high-level marketing types who should be listening to their only reason of existence, we the consumers.

In a utopian society, when we all consumers combined our purchasing clout, and decide to boycott a particular business, we will succeed in bringing down these business off their high chairs. Auto manufacturers, oil companies, insurance companies and banks should feel our wrath.

[Billyboy]

1. Dealer plates are good to drive all the way up to the Canadian border (as per dealer.

2. No problem crossing the border with dealer plates (as per Canada Border Agency).

3. Cannot drive with dealer plates in Quebec or Ontario though. Quebec HAS a SAAQ representative office at the LaColle Border, 10 Ste-Marie, Where you can purchase a Transit (valid 4 days) for $8.00. You need to show your title, sales receipt and Form 1.

As far as Ontario is concerned, if the MTO does not have an office or agent at the border crossing, then you need to leave the car at the border, make your way to the closest MTO office with your paperwork and get the Transit. Then go back to the border to pick up the car. If you have a friend meet you at the border with a car, it's doable. Otherwise, you can just drive and hope that no cop notices you.

For Quebec, anyway, it's EASY as 1,2 3.

Now, hopefully someone can answer my questions about circumventing the manufacturer ban on selling to Canadians by processing the sale through an American friend.

There are two circumstances.

When the friend is in state (as pertains to the dealer)
When the friend is out-of-state.

In which state are sales taxes payable? The state where the car is purchased or the state where he resides?

The main issue here is can they buy and sell the car without registering it in their state first (thus saving on registration costs as well as state sales taxes).

[dealcatcher]

Is nissan usa allows canadians to purchase their cars from USA at the current moment?

[dealcatcher]

Please PM me with some US TOYOTA dealers close to Niagra Falls that sell new cars to CAD
I live in KW area , ONTARIO.
I'm interested on a Camry SE V6...here is apporx 40K, the KW-dealers will not give more than $500 discount :twisted: .

PS this web site is the best. Thanks all!


i think all these newbies are either dealer or from toyota usa HQ....

[diigii]

Is nissan usa allows canadians to purchase their cars from USA at the current moment?

There are some reports of US dealers being ordered by Nissan USA not to sell. I've encountered one dealer in Chicago, two in upstate New York state. But Nissan dealers in the Niagara-Buffalo area are willing to sell, although you won't get to negotiate below invoice cost because they know (they tell you up front) selling MSRP still saves us thousands.

So I suggest you go further south if you want to hunt for a better price. Try Maryland and Virginia.

And I will beat you to this. Right now, the basic car warranty on a US-bought car is valid in Canada as long as ownership does not get transferred within the first 6 months. You will find other members posted their doubts because they are quoting the US Nissan warranty booklet.

I'm giving you the first-hand information since I got warranty work for my brand new 2007 Altima 3 weeks ago at a Scarborough-area Nissan dealership at NO CHARGE.