Dec 26
CWB proclaims Car of the Year!
- CWB proclaims the Car of the Year :
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The
- Over 166,000 Smart Canadians Purchased “The Car of the Year” saving a total of $1,660,000,000.
- Stay tuned to www.carswithoutborders.com !!
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December 26th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
I saved $8,100 on my 2008 Prius bought in October.
December 26th, 2007 at 9:50 pm
I saved over $5,500 on my Honda Civic… wonder how much the Caddy and MB folks saved!
December 27th, 2007 at 12:20 am
I saved roughly $13,000 on my 2008 Sienna XLE. It paid for my family vacation down to Disney and then some…
December 27th, 2007 at 2:22 am
I saved approximately $12,000 on a new Highlander Hybrid
December 27th, 2007 at 10:12 am
I saved over $10,000 on my 2007 Honda Ridgeline RTS while Sandra saved over $4000 on her Honda Civic. Combined it was enough to buy us a new Lund fishing boat!! (Which we imported as well at a savings of almost $10,000)
December 27th, 2007 at 10:50 am
A Short Story:
I purchased a Canadian Car, however, I purchased it in the USA.
I first visited a local dealer and made an attempt to negotiate.
The local dealer said that the very best he could do was give me four New snow tires. (used tires may be considered an insult)
After getting a written quotation from a US dealer I eventually purchased a Canadian car from a US dealer.(no snow tires offered)
I was quite impressed with the American dealer as he was able to have the car shipped from Canada via Canadian Truck Transport and still able to sell to me at a saving of more than $5000 even though it was equipped with more options than offered by the local dealer.
My first thought was, He must be selling at a loss.
However, snow tires were not offered by this US dealer either.
My car is equipped with a great Immobilizer/Safety System, Child Restraint System, Dallight Running Lights, Odometer in Miles/KMH, 8 KMh Bumpers and meets all the Canadian Trumped-up Standards.
(it has a white sticker proclaiming same on the drivers’s door frame just like all the other US/Canadian Hondas)
In effect it is the same as most all other cars imported from the USA which meet all the Canadian trumped-up standards.
My experience has been that Transport Canada dictates to the Car Manufacturers that they must meet certain standards with the following stipulations:
“You are on the honour system so pleae be good fellows and do your own testing”
“We are too busy dreaming up new specs to bother with any testing”. “Whatever you say is OK with us”.
“We are presently working with Transport Quebec on the Snow Tire Requirement for next year” (should be a dandy)
“When you are finished testing to your satisfaction, please be kind enough to provide a letter to any Canadian importer who is stupid enough to travel to the USA in order to import and save a measly $5000 to 30,000 Canadian Dollars”.
I was able to import my car in late October and get my Form 2 easily as Canadian Customs, RIV and Transport Canada were not on speaking terms at that time. (I believe that they have since made up)
I was happy to save $5000 while contributing to the Canadian
Economy as my car was built in Alliston Ontario.
This created jobs in the Canadian Auto and Truck Transport Industries.
In closing may I suggest the following.
To the Canadian Auto Dealers and Manufacurers:
Please make an effort to assist your fellow US dealers as I suspect that they must be selling at a loss.
To The Canadian Tire Industry:
Please reduce the cost of your tires to the Canadian dealers as $5000 for four Snow Tires is a bit heavy.
To Transport Canada:
May I suggest that you be a little more vigilant as I suspect there may be some Manufacturers who could take advantage of your trust and goodwill and not do the proper testing.
Imagine if the bumper fell off or was damaged, we would have to send the car back to the manufacturer to have the engine un-installed similar to the Immobilizer situation.
December 27th, 2007 at 11:17 am
Saved 12K on my Subaru WRX Impreza
December 27th, 2007 at 11:50 am
I saved 10,500 on my 2008 Toyota Tacoma - 2000 miles and running like a top! It is really hard to be mad at Toyota when they make a pretty good product (at least in my mind!). Now, let’s see how I get treated with service… This could be an area to expand this website to cover as well.
December 27th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
I will have saved 30k on my Cadillac Escalade if I ever get it plated. It’s post sept 1st manufactured. When I took it to Canadian Tire, they called RIV who told them that I have to provide CT a letter from the manufacturer stating that the vehicle has an immobilizer. Apparently, the window sticker is not good enough because it says anit-theft and not immobilizer. Even if it were reasonable to disregard the window sticker, what about the other options like looking at the key etc. Of course, GM will not provide such a letter. I cannot believe this is our government. I am so embarrassed for them.
December 27th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
Shelly,
Take it to a different Canadian Tire.
December 27th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
Right on A Craig, There are also independent garages in some areas.
Shelly,do you have a sticker on the Driver’s side door frame with any anti-theft/Immobilizer info?
December 27th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
The thing to remember when dealing with Canadian Tire (or RIV for that matter) is that many of the decisions they need to make are subjective. Walk in with an attitude and you just failed.
I have about 10 Canadian Tire’s in my area so I pick one first and chat with the service rep. I discuss my concerns about the vehicle and importing restrictions and ask him/her what their thoughts are. I make sure that we at least agree on what is required and what he/she will deem acceptable. I then ask to set an appointment when that person will be available to inspect my car. If I sense any sort of tension or disagreement then I go to the next shop or wait until another tech is working the counter.
Most of the techs are working for peanuts. Treat them with respect and you will be rewarded.
December 27th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Canadian Tire in my area only asked for Forms 1 and 2.
My understanding was that the Letter from the Manufacturer was for recalls and and only required for form 2.
It appears that they are still trying to change the rules.
December 27th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
Shelly, Cadillac Website shows Standard equipment for 2008 Cadillac Escalade, ESV and EXT as Follows:
Under Safety and Security:
Theft Deterrent-Electronic Immobilizer
Tamper-Alarm for Doors and Liftgate
Audible/Visible Alarm
It has the Pass-Key lll Plus System
December 27th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
Because I have nothing better to do with my life, I read the Motor Vehicle Safety Act and specifically the section that relates to import documentation requirements at http://www.tc.gc.ca/acts-regulations/GENERAL/m/mvsa/regulations/mvsrg/010/mvsr12.html.
If you refers to para 3(c) you will note a reference to the requirement to demonstrate that defects are repaired prior to import. Nowhere can I find any reference to a statement that it must be the manufacturer that states that the defects have been repaired.
The RIV decision then to stop accepting dealer recall letters and warranty printouts for specific models appears to be arbitrary.
December 27th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
Saved $14,000 on my 2008 Toyota Tundra double cab,5.7 L,4×4 truck.
December 27th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
I purchased a 2004 BMW Z4 I would calculate a saving of over $14000.00 for the same car here in Montreal Canada.
December 27th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
Robert Lamb
Could you tell me what dealer did you buy the CIVIC from?
December 27th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
I saved $15,000 on a 2008 Buick Enclave CXL AWD.
I purchased my US money at an average cost of 97.28 cents Canadian per $1 US.
December 27th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
I saved over $14,000 on my 2008 Saturn Outlook XR AWD. Shelly call the sevice advisor where you bought your Caddy and ask
December 27th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Sorry about that, big fingers!!!! Shelly call the service advisor where you bought your Caddy and ask for the IMMOBILIZER DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION printout. It comes from service.gm and will also list the part numbers of your TDM and ECM that are a part of your PASS KEY III IMMOBILIZER. Good Luck
December 27th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
I saved $13,000 on a 2008 Sienna XLE.
December 27th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
I was just reading through the Canada Gazette dated Dec 26, 2007. I noticed that Transport Canada “has agreed to remove the requirement for the manufacturers to indicate which vehicles cannot be fitted with an aftermarket immobilizer” as was originally proposed by TC on December 1, 2007. This is because of feedback that “Canadian consumers are concerned that manufacturers would simply indicate that all of their non-electronically immobilized vehicles could not be modified.”
This would appear to be good news for those people wanting to import a vehicle that does not have an electronic immobilization system ( ie has a mechanical one or none at all).
December 27th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
As I have mentioned in other letters submitted elsewhere, in this website, Transport Canada already has recall information. Manufacturers are required, by law, to provide this information to Transport Canada and to registered vehicle owners. This information is also posted on the manufacturers websites and is readily available, through their websites, to all Franchised dealers. This information, is also posted on Transport Canada’s own website and is easily found at http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/recalls/search_e.asp The instruction, coming from RIV, that vehicle owners must obtain a recall letter from the manufacturer, is a scam, a very dishonest and very deliberate attempt to mislead the public, into believing that this is law, when, as Craig has stated, in letter#15, above, it is not the law. Transport Canada and it’s agent the RIV have been abusing the public, lying to the public, misleading the public and trying as hard as they can, for a very long time, to make it as difficult, as possible for private individuals and small independent importers to import vehicles. Canadians, must start asking why. A public inquiry is a very good way to do this. It is also an excellent way, in which to apply sufficient pressure and in particular, extreme embarrassment to Transport Canada, to force Transport Canada to change it’s regulations, to change it’s behavior and to remove all standards related barriers to trade, so that Canadians can at last, be free to import, without being subjected to this disgraceful, outrageous, deceitful and illegal process.
December 27th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
Canadian Tire does the Federal Inspection and I believe according to them, they are also approved to do the Provincial Inspection. On that note , three (3) Can. Tire stores quoted a Provincial Inspection fee of $179.00. Called another non Can. Tire but approved Inspection garage and they only charge $ 120.00. Another rip off !!
December 28th, 2007 at 12:20 am
Andrew Timmis,
I am trying to determine where exactly the recall letter intrepretation is occuring.
It may or may not be accurate to suggest that TC has a role in this but at the moment
all of the information I have is that RIV is making the decision themselves and
arbitrarily. I hope to get more information in the next few days.
If anyone else knows the answer please let us know.
December 28th, 2007 at 2:43 am
Craig,
I really appreciate the effort that you are making to get to the truth, on this matter. I shall keep watching, to see what you find out. That is what is so very wrong about all of this. We are just being misled and deceived, all the way along. In my letter above, I placed a link to TC’s recall section, on their website. They have the information. It is scandalous, for them to tell us, that we must provide the information to them and beg to the manufacturers to get it.
December 28th, 2007 at 9:57 am
Andrew,
It is like playing “whack a mole”. As soon as we get one regulation overturned,
another barrier is created.
I think it is very important to determine exactly where the policy decisions are
being made. If TC is setting the rules and RIV is simply following them then fine. It
appears to me however that in the specific case of recall and admissibility letters
it is RIV that is creating policy. This concerns me as I do not believe that
RIV / Livingston can be neutral in this process given their extensive business
relationship with auto manufacturers and dealers in the shipping and logistics business.
Rest assured, whatever I find out I will post.
December 28th, 2007 at 11:58 am
Craig,
This is precisely why, I have been asking for a public inquiry and an investigation by the Competition Board of Canada. I firmly believe that somewhere, in the middle of all this, people have been paid off, as in the cash payments, on another matter,that we have recently been told about.
December 28th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Andrew,
I won’t go as far as saying that someone has been “paid off” but I am finally pissed enough enough that I am doing something about this rather than just bitching.
Stay tuned.
December 28th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
I saved $14,000 on a Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4×4 truck as well. We should add filters to the website to see which manufacturer rips off Canadians the most.
December 29th, 2007 at 10:14 pm
I saved $13000 on a ‘06 BMW 330xi
December 30th, 2007 at 9:46 pm
I think we should start a forum on where to buy snow tires. I hears that it is being mandated in Quebec. Also forums on where to buy vehicles would be great.
December 31st, 2007 at 3:06 pm
VP says - snow tires from the US can come from http://www.tirerack.com - on the forums everyone - we are actively looking at new software that will give us forums. We badly need that for our future; early in the new year hopefully.
January 2nd, 2008 at 9:43 am
Between $10,000 to $12,000 saved on my 2007 Toyota Tundra Crewmax AFTER flights for my whole family, car rental, hotel rentals, and a trip to Radium.
January 2nd, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Saved $13,522.00 on a “used” 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser, loaded.
I say “used” as the FJ had a grand total of 111 miles on it when I took delivery from the Toyota dealer. Yup, picked it up on behalf of the ‘original, US purchaser’. HeHe…
The amount saved includes all associated: duty; taxes, fees, $100 for phone calls; 5x FedEx envelope charges; and even the differential between the 7% money I borrowed vs. the 5.9% I could have had with Toyota Canada Finance. Oh, yes — also included is the “loss” I experienced with regard to the sales tax I could have — uhhummm — ’saved’ by trading in north of the border.
Worthwhile? Damn straight it is.
Best part about it is something I don’t see any reference to: when the FJ is one (even two) years old it should be worth, here in Canader, almost as much as I initially paid. I don’t forsee the dollar changing much one way or the other in the next year or 2 and if that proves to be the case, fully intend to do it all over again.
TO SHELLY HANSEN: if you go to http://www.riv.ca and click on “ADMISSIBLE VEHICLES” you’ll get the [ever-changing] list. Look in the NOTES at the beginning and it lists clearly what is acceptable….
TO ALL: kindly include reference to the province in which you reside. For instance, I’m baffled by the cost of a provincial inspection refered to above…costs $25 + 13% HST here in NB….
January 4th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Saved approx. $17,000 (or more …) on a 2008 Subaru Legacy GT limited. this including hotel, bus and an optimistic $2,000 off MSRP should I have bought this car in Canada. This was early december at slightly above par exchange rate.
January 5th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
We saved $6,800 on a base model Rav4..4WD 6 cylinder. Couldn’t be happier. Dealer in Spokane was more than helpful. Took 1 hr at the border. Luck was with us. It was manufactured in Aug 07. There is no immobilizer on ti.
January 8th, 2008 at 1:18 am
Hi guys, to those who bought 2008 Toyota Sienna. I was told by the Toyota
dealer in the US that they would not sell 2008 model to Canadian.
So please tell me which dealer you bought yours from and what about
warranty service and all that?
Can I ask my friend to buy it for me like in the case of Sarah Shaun Oko?
What about paper work that is involved in the US? Appreciate it
January 8th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
I just purchased a 2008 pontiac- G6 in california(my daughter is going to school there). The total difference in price was $9021.00, the exchange rate was even, my daughter will drive the car in california for 3 years then bring it back to ontario. Can anyone tell me what the importing regulations will be on this car. Thank You
January 10th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Shelly says thanks and she declares that she saved over $30,000 on her Caddy!
January 10th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
I would have saved $10,000 on my 2008 Tacoma but bailed at the last moment. Short synopsis
- I made the deal with Spokane dealer Oct 13. (factory ordered to be delivered Nov 20)
- Purchased 2 1-way tickets to Spokane from Edmonton
- RIV puts Tacoma on “not admissible” list October 27
- Spent 3 weeks reading every word of edmunds.com discussion group (fantastic resource)
- Spent eternity trying to get info from Transport Canada and RIV
- Multiple phone calls and emails to Exec assistant for my MP (very professional person)
- Nov 20 - 2 hrs to flight time, still no movement in Ottawa so I pulled the pin, called the dealer and asked for my money back. No problem (another very professional person whom I would highly recommend to anyone who asks).
- When I sent the money to the US the Canadian dollar was at $1.07. When they sent my money back it was at $0.99. I made a couple of grand on the currency exchange!
- Nov 21 - Edmonton Toyota dealers dropped their price by 10% so I went for it. Still gave up approx $7000.00 in savings but the truck (which I need) would have been parked for a month.
Collin