Jan 26
Corvette in the garage for 5+ months
Mr. Turanovic gave us permission to reproduce emails of his extensive battle to get his 2008 Corvette plated in Canada - ref - Bumper problems. In this exchange of e-mails, P.O. Tremblay of Transport Canada, even admits that Transport Canada and the Canadian Public is at the mercy of GM. He admits that the Car Companies are running the show! When will Cannon wake up and change the law! When will Cannon just wake up!
CWB members can you help our friend?
January 26th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
[…] Read the rest of this great post here […]
January 26th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Keep up the fight! Have you posted on the corvette forum? Post your story under the Canadian Events section.
Good Luck with your battle.
I am hoping to import a 2008 STS latter this year and will likely face the same problem.
Lots of people behind you.
January 26th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Dr. Turanovic,
Your letters and the research that you have performed are excellent. I am in the process of, attempting to research legal options that are available, in order to address, what, without any doubt, is an outrageous example of illegal collusion, between transport Canada and major vehicle manufacturers to defraud and mislead Canadians. This could be one of the worst cases of monetary fraud, ever, involving Canadian government and industry officials. Every effort made and every letter written, to these people, can be considered as very valuable pieces of evidence, for the legal campaign, that is about to begin. I urge every one, who can, to try to gather and provide as many facts, as they possibly are able to, by contributing information, in written form. I hope to provide some information on what can be achieved, and who to contact, once I have consulted with certain persons, this week.
January 27th, 2008 at 3:06 am
I have been reading the letters again. What Mr. Tremblay says, is that, even if, the vehicle is fitted with exactly the same bumpers, as the ones that are fitted by General Motors, to the Corvettes, that General Motors imports, into Canada, Transport Canada, still won’t allow Dr. Turanovic, to import his Corvette. Transport Canada, will, of course, allow General Motors to import their Corvettes, even though, the bumpers that they will have installed on their Corvettes, are absolutely identical, to the ones that Dr. Turanovic will have installed on his Corvette. Transport Canada is saying that it will trust General Motors to tell them the truth, about the bumpers, that they install on their Corvettes, however, they will not trust what Dr.Turanovic is telling them about the bumpers that he will have installed on his Corvette, even though, Dr. Turanovic has proven, part number, by part number that his bumpers are the same bumpers. This is very similar to the position originally taken by Transport Canada, on the immobilizer standard. It also makes it very clear, that if Transport Canada succeeds in introducing a fuel mileage standard, in the near future, then Transport Canada, will use the fuel mileage standard, to obstruct Canadians, in the same way. For example, even if a Canadian were to prove that his vehicle achieved a certain fuel mileage, Transport Canada would still refuse, to allow the Canadian to import his vehicle, simply because the manufacturer had not provided information confirming that it’s vehicle achieved the same mileage. This is, obstruction of justice, by the Minister of Transport and must surely be, a criminal offense.
January 27th, 2008 at 4:15 am
Dr. T. should speak with a member of the Fraud Squad of his local police department and seek to have GM and TC charged with fraud. In my view, using the exact same parts and then saying that the imported vehicle doesn´t comply is fraudulent conduct.
January 27th, 2008 at 4:34 am
Hi Andrew,
Thanks for your comments regarding my plight. I think that we are merely scratching the surface of this widespread duping of the Canadian public by the automotive manufacturers. They must truly believe that we are all a bunch of buffoons!!
To suggest that there is corruption within Transport Canada (TC) is certainly worthy of mention. Or quite possibly the whole system of checks and balances has been so horribly convoluted over the years that those in power might not even know how bad things have gotten. Unequivocal “blind trust” of anything or anybody will ultimately lead to a complete failure of who TC is supposed to be protecting in the first place - us the Canadian citizens.
My only experience has been with General Motors of Canada so far, but talking to others it seems that this is going on with most of the other automotive manufacturers as well. I certainly feel that acts worthy of criminal distinction are occuring on a daily basis whenever “imaginary roadblocks” to the importation of equally equiped (but much lower priced) U.S. cars are erected by the automotive manufacturers and blindly endorsed by TC. Additionally if one was to include all of the flagrant NAFTA violations committed by this “unholy alliance” against us, we should be absolutely livid.
Unfortunately over the years the Canadian automotive manufacturers have amassed a vast legal fund capable of sustaining a prolonged legal battle against them for a very long time. When I initially contacted a lawyer and explained my situation to him he asked me only one question: “Are you willing to spend $50,000 - $100,000+ in legal fees to fight this, so that you can save $25,000 - $30,000 on a car?” I, of course, said no - but he then suggested if a group of people banded together and pursued this action it would be far more feasible. There is always strength in numbers.
We as citizens however have one very powerful weapon in our arsenal which is the ability to shame and expose all of these acts of wrong doing in the public arena, on the internet and all in full view of the media.
As you mentioned in your post above, it is the bumpers now - what will it be tomorrow and the day after that? fuel mileage? exhausts? headlight shapes? colors?? If action is not taken now we will be subject to these falsly fabricated obstacles for years to come, and all those excess hard earned dollars will be quietly extricated from our pockets into the hands of the automotive manufacturers with the blessing of Transport Canada and the blind trust of the RIV.
This is not acceptable!!
January 27th, 2008 at 8:56 am
I am determined that we shall soon move forward, from the current position of experiencing and complaining about this situation, toward a position of intense action against those responsible, for creating and maintaining it. WE are going to do this. !!!!!
January 27th, 2008 at 9:16 am
And to all members - this site is yours - it is your tool to get things fixed. It is the power that we did not have 5 - 10 years ago. Please use it. Bob and I will do everything we can to help but the power is in the people
January 27th, 2008 at 10:38 am
I imported my new 2008 Toyota Doublecab 4 x 4 on Jan 14/08, had a satisfactory experience with RIV receiving Form 2 within 5 days and had it inspected at Cdn Tire, insured and on the road on Jan 22/08. My total saving was between $10,000 and $11,000 after all fees and travel costs. The experience should be over for me but I fully realize that the efforts and advice of everyone on this website made my purchase possible. I read all comments on CWB to stay up to date on the problems some of our members are still having.I will continue to do so. I am prepared to write more letters and sign more petitions to support those of you still having problems and I will always be prepared to contribute financially to any action that CWB decides to launch against the auto manufacturers or others.
January 27th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Transport Canada:
Over the past months, Transport Canada has flip flopped about issues such as Immobilizers, Daylight Running Lights, Odometers
and Bumpers.
The Transport Minister has also done the same in his interviews with the Media.
Is This what is referred to in parliament as a loose Cannon?
Veritas vos liberabit. Vox populi.