Mar 17
We found Kenzie’s video! Quote “I want to support my local gunfighter” ??!!
Thank-you for the outstanding feedback many of you provided on the week-end. We were so overwhelmed, that we made certain that we could find the Video -
Also find an email we have sent of to the producers and other folks working the show. We have offered to help them get the real message to the Canadian Automobile Consumer. 2008-03-17kenzie.pdf
Note: to really understand more of the issue , please take a look at the next post dated 2008-03-15.
March 17th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
It’s your move Jim.
You have violated the ethics of Journalism by not checking out your story with people directly involved and by accepting hearsay evidence.
Put it in gear and let’s hear your response if you have one.
March 17th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
To: JIm Kenzie: Just watched your video.
Jim, you said that you will be buying a car that’s fit for the Canadian market.
This is commendable as the Americans are driving cars that are completely unsafe. Just ask Transport Canada.
You also said that you would support your local gunslinger.
Also admirable, however, make sure he doesn’t shoot you in the foot as you may lose some teeth.
March 17th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
To Mr. Kenzie: I purchased a Subaru in the US and saved over 11K. Nice scare tactics by the way, but any Subaru dealership that turns a paying customer away because they didn’t buy Canadian won’t last long.
I, like many of us, have done our homework, are sick of your BS scare tactics and are voting with our dollars.
March 18th, 2008 at 3:29 am
I have been asking this question for months! Would we buy U.S. cars from Canadian dealers, aka local gunslinger, if we thought we were paying a fair price? The consumer has alot of power and should excercise it accordingly. Send a message to dealers…we will support your business as long as you support our needs. I do agree that Jim did not explore all the issues surrounding this problem. Obviously his time was short, however, time should be made to discuss this problem in greater detail so that viewers get a better understanding of the challenges consumers, and dealers, face when it comes to manufacturers and government bullying tactics.
March 18th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Hey Jim: You forgot a few things. What about the Canadian dealers who are importing US cars? http://www.fairwayautomall.com. Their newspaper add in the Waterloo Region Record says “Your source for US and Canadian vehicles. We are fully trained to take the mystery out of cross border shopping” (their web page doesn’t say anything about US vehicles).
Does that meet your criteria for “support your local gunslinger”?
March 18th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Ditto also to the Cornwall Toyota dealer who advertised that they were importing used cars from the USA.
March 18th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Hey Richard! Guess what I found on Steve Scherer Pontiac website? See for yourself :
http://www.steveschererpontiac.gmcanada.com/weblogic/gwn/dws/InternetRTRApps.Specials?dealer=85764&lang=en#usedvehiclespecials
That’s where you’ll find his North/South Auto Source box for used cars.
March 18th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
So I guess it is ok for Canadian Dealers to go south and buy,import, and sell US cars in Canada at inflated prices, but not ok for the individual Canadian to go direct?
Jim, please rethink your position, we need you on our side, the Canadian Consumer needs you on his/her side!
March 19th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
From: Blume, Karl
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 12:40 PM
To: ‘jim@motoringtv.com’; ‘brad@motoringtv.com’; ‘bill@motoringtv.com’; ‘graeme@motoringtv.com’
Subject: car shopping in Canada vs. the US
To the crew at MotoringTV:
I am writing in reference to your recent show regarding buying cars in Canada. You truly are doing a disservice to the Canadian consumer when you impart a bias to your reporting. Granted, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I agree that your reporting would be pretty dull if all it did was report facts without your opinion, but some objectivity with respect to this issue would be welcome.
I’m all for supporting Main street, but there is a difference between supporting Main street and taking advantage of somebody simply because you can. Car manufacturers are taking advantage of the Canadian consumer because they can. It’s that simple. If arbitrage were allowed to function, car manufacturers could not do so. It’s not a complicated issue. There are some regulatory differences, but in the vast majority of cases, the differences are quite minor and are not expensive to comply with.
If the difference were a thousand or two, I could live with that, but we are talking many thousands. I was pricing a Buick Enclave recently, and the difference in price for the exact same vehicle was over $11,000. That’s not bias – that’s an objective fact. I can think of no reason why I would want to reward GM for forcing me to pay $11k more. Buying a car in Canada only encourages the car manufacturers to continue doing what they are already doing. They would have no incentive to change their behaviour if people were to follow your advice. I do not understand how, in good conscious, you can recommend that Canadians buy their cars in Canada when you know it will only encourage the price gouging that is currently going on. If you truly do not receive any revenue from car manufacturers, why don’t you implore the manufacturers to be fair! That is all that I and others are asking for – fairness. Nothing more, nothing less. Regardless of your view of what “fair” means, you cannot say that it is “fair” to charge me $11,000 more for the same vehicle simply because you can.
Thank you,
Karl G. Blume
Ottawa, Ontario
March 22nd, 2008 at 11:01 pm
My dad retired from Ford Oakville so I can say I have a vested interest in the Canadian Automotive Industry.
I wonder how much Kenzie was paid for his speech?
I purchased a Luxus made in Canada, by Canadians, under Canadian taxes, in the Canadian business operating theatre, employed Canadians etc. in the U.S for thousands less then in Canada. The warranty is good here so my new “widget” will get fixed and the cash I saved will no doubt be put back into the Canadian ecomony. The only looser is the manufacterers stake holders who have been enjoying obscene profits and do not want to let go!
Perhaps Mr.Hired Motor mouths guilt trip should be placed where it belongs, not on the Canadian consumers!!!
March 23rd, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Wow…what an idiot.