Jan 30
Shopping Day 2 - Volvo Canada Surprises me!
If you are confused or a first time visitor, please check out my earlier post on “going shopping”! — Thanks
Now what a surprise when I called Volvo Canada! A customer service specialist Sheila, took my call, and proceeded to walk me through the new procedure. I went over it several times with her trying to find some problems or issue. But she insisted that if I followed the procedure everything would be ok. But she declined to put it in writing. So here it is:
- Before you Purchase the Car - call Volvo Canada with the VIN number and they will mail/fax you a “Letter of Admissibility” for the Border people. ( check with the RIV if a Fax is OK?)
- Call Volvo US at 1-800-458-1552 and request from them the recall letter. It must be mailed to you and on Volvo letterhead. ( The Volvo rep also thought that the RIV, might accept a letter from the dealer, like they do for Honda) ( check with the RIV if a Fax is OK?)
- (Editor’s note : I would have this done before purchasing the car, I might even have the U.S. Dealer do all this work for me. )
- Once your Car is purchased, bring it across the border following the RIV process… Form 1 etc… and bring it to a Canadian Volvo dealer. They will inspect it and do all the required modifications so the car will meet Canadian Safety Standards. - Cost for the Inspection $195.
- Fax the inspection report to Volvo Canada 1-416-850-5618 and they will mail you the Safety Compliance letter. - no Charge-
- Then send this letter to the RIV and they will send you Form 2, to then go to Canadian Tire and continue the same process as everyone else.
So I called the Volvo Dealer in Montreal to check out the story, the service department manager told me:
- Confirmed the process, they just finished doing 3 cars last week.
- I also ventured to find out what modifications could be required and found out the following:
- Always buy AWD ( all wheel drive ) they don’t have parts for regular drive.
- Always buy a U.S. Model With DRLS ( daytime running lights)
- Always buy a U.S. Model that has miles and kilometers “combined” on the dashboard.
- I confirmed that the 2008 XC90 I was going to purchase had all these features, and he indicated that I would only have to pay the $195 inspection fee, and maybe minor work to the child tether strap mounts - I could could check this out myself.
So in summary, that is it. Do I believe it will work - yes! Would I bet my life on it - no! - I think I would call the RIV and reconfirm everything with someone like Moriarity or Natasha ( one of the managers ).
My main thought at this time is that that Transport Canada, the RIV , Volvo Canada and Volvo US have really done a good job keeping people employed at mundane tasks and attempting to frustrate the Canadian Public.
But if I believe in the fine individuals that I have discussed this with today, it appears this procedure will work!
Finally I received the final quotes from each one of the dealers.
- The Canadian dealer wanted me to come in to the showroom, before he would give me the incentive he promised. After some ackward discussion it turns out his manager was willing to offer me $3000.00 off. We both agreed not to waste each others time anymore.
- The American dealer, indicated that he had a model on the lot, with more features than I was looking for. If I purchased it prior to month end he would give me the standard $3500 Volvo American Incentive plus an additional $3200 off. He was willing to meet me at the border with all the paperwork. He was even willing to help me rent an apartment and obtain a lease in order to complete the purchase.
- Note: all U.S. dealers can only sell their vehicles to buyers with U.S. adressess. From what I understand the monthly rental business in the North Eastern U.S. is booming!
Stay tuned tomorrow, I will let you know how much I saved, and what the RIV had to say! ( if they return my calls!)
Please note that I am just doing this to test the waters and confirm a the process that TC refuses to document.
If you would like to buy a 2008 Volvo XC90, V8 AWD Special Purp, metallic Black, with C70 Chesnut Brown/Sft/Leather, with Climate Package, with Nav. System, Convenience PKG and BLIS, plus the executive Package. Let us know, we would like to follow you through the process, document your story and publish it on our web site. ( we will keep your name confidential if requested)
January 30th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Good Morning Robert
I have just read your story on buying a Volvo in the US, great detail and well outlned. You did not give the price in the Day 2 story, is the final price for the car the one stated in the first story?
Thanks for the work you are doing. I have imported a number of vehicles into Canada and have had great experiences especially working with US sales people, there is such a different attitude towards selling vehicles.
GJW
January 30th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Price is almost finalized. I will post it tomorrow A.M. Do u want it!
January 30th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
which new-york/vermot volvo dealer?
January 30th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Can’t give that out over the net, I don’t want to get them in any trouble, might not even be New York or Vermont! Register on our forum, then send me an e-mail at carswithoutborders@hotmail.com, We need to check you out and avoid “mole” issues.
January 30th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
This is great investigative journalism!
January 30th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
canadian tire will do the riv inspection for no charge:) unless you need the drls ( a universal unit costs 24.99) happy driving!!
January 31st, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Thank you for the quick insight. How did the “lease” portion work? Is it possible to just use a family member’s address? Did having a different address on the bill of sale to your home address have any impact on bringing it back across?
January 31st, 2008 at 6:33 pm
I am embroiled in the process of dealing with Volvo Canada right now and just returned from having my XC90 ‘inspected’ so I can receive my ‘Letter of Compliance’ which is now necesarry before RIV will release the form 2. Volvo Canada will only MAIL the LOC to you after you send them the completed and passed inspection report (attempting to stall your importation process)and absolutely refuse to fax or .pdf the Letter to you or to RIV! Also…the fee is not $195.00…Volvo Canada is making their Service Departments charge upwards of 2.5 hours for this ‘Inspection’,which cost me $400.00! $75.00 for wiper blades I don’t believe I needed, but didn’t appear to have a choice:(
BTW..my XC90 is a 2005, but I would MAKE SURE you do your due diligence on the 2008 models, as they are said to not meet TC’s requirements. There are rumors regarding the immobilizer and the speedo cluster that I’d investigate thoroughly!
Disgruntled…but far from defeated!!!
January 31st, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Keep fighting, please feel free to document your entire experience, we will post it on our web site.
Concerning your issues, in my posts I am only quoting what I was told at Volvo Canada and from the manager at one of the Canadian service departments.
I agree, the fact that you can not use a pdf or a fax is quite stupid in this day and age…
As a matter of fact, once you get your letters you could probably scan it, modify a few digits using the software we have today and start issuing the documents yourself. Charge only $50 per letter! … only kidding I think this is against the Law, but it just goes to show you how backward the entire process is!
January 31st, 2008 at 9:00 pm
<canadian tire will do the riv inspection for no charge:) unless you <need the drls ( a universal unit costs 24.99) happy driving!!
No Charge??? Ahhhh…did you not pay RIV $207.00? I’d say CT and there 450 outlets across Canada are being paid well enough through the RIV program:)
February 8th, 2008 at 10:52 am
A friend sent me an e-mail after talking to Volvo recently. Here is what Volvo told him.
Volvo will give a letter of “admissibility” to a private importer….BUT NOT to a dealer or broker. NO dealers can import a Volvo.
UNLESS they are a Volvo dealer. Volvo dealers do not even need the letter of admissibility.
How about that for blatant protectionism?
wow !!!
So who is next, to be denied the right to import, or export a product ?? Will people of certain religious faiths be denied, or will it be ethnic background, or will it based on whether they speak a certain language, or another one, or will it simply be, because, they are Canadian. ??????? Where is our government that we elected to protect us ????? Where are you Lawrence Cannon, ?????