Aug 01
Volvo Canada and U.S “double-up” - put boots to Canadians!
Our Government sits by and watches!
It has been reported by several of our members that Volvo North America, upon the insistence of Volvo Canada, has stopped helping Canadians. Shopping in the U.S., Canadians were saving between $10-20 thousand on identical vehicles!
Located in New Jersey, Volvo North America has ended the practice of providing Canadians that purchased vehicles in the U.S. with a recall and safety compliance letter.
As reported a few months ago, several Volvo dealers in Western Canada were charging up to $3,000 for a 5 minute inspection on new Models that were purchased in the U.S. These models did not require any modifications , but Transport Canada and the RIV were insisting that Canadians go to an Authorized Volvo dealer in Canada to get “gouged” and have them provide a letter of recall and compliance. All this before Transport Canada would authorize them to drive their new car on Canadian roads!
Many U.S. dealers found a work around. They asked their head office to provide all the documentation. When the RIV was flooded with these letters they had no choice but to accept them. The text of the letter read along these line: “This Volvo Vin # xxxxxxxxxx, has no outstanding recalls and complies with all U.S. and Canadian safety standards. ” Needless to say the $3,000 5 minute inspection was no longer required.
Now the current practice will be for the U.S. dealer to provide the recall letter, and Canadians will have to go to the local Canadian dealer to get “gouged” for the Safety compliance letter and 5 minute inspection.
A woman out west was recently charged only $1950 for this 5 minute inspection on her U.S. purchased Volvo. Over the last several years she and her family had purchased 4 vehicles from this one Canadian dealer. We assume she received a discount based on her past purchases! What a sweet dealer!
On a further note, the nice individual that provided the documentation is no longer working in the same department!
Both Volvo Canada and Volvo North America refused to comment on the situation.
These ”self-compliance” rules have been established and maintained by your own Government. Despite requests for change Transportation Canada sits by and allows these Canadian Car Manufacturers to “guard the henhouse” and continue to gouge and fleece hard working Canadians.
August 1st, 2008 at 10:51 am
No problem, now Volvo will lose even more sales and Ford will go belly up even sooner.
August 1st, 2008 at 12:15 pm
We need to charge $3000 for 5 min of work here in Canada because “The U.S. has economies of scale with 10 times the population. Marketing costs are higher here by doing everything in two languages. There is only one port of entry in Canada , while there are three or four in the U.S. Taxes are higher here.”
Volvo
August 1st, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Lots of good stuff in this article:
http://www.wheels.ca/article/319265
-”The Transport Canada agent knew about the recall, he recited it to me”
-”The experience of Meeson and Einhorn may surprise many Canadians who believe automakers are required to make safety recall repairs at no cost to the vehicle owner, regardless of its age and mileage. Not so, says George Iny, president of the Automobile Protection Association and a vocal consumer rights advocate. Iny says differing laws between Canada and the United States are part of the confusion. “The law requires only a notice be issued in Canada, which is in contrast to the U.S., where the manufacturer is legally bound to make the repair at no cost to the consumer,” he says.”
-”With toothless government regulation sadly the norm, legal action is the best course of action, agrees Iny.”
So we need to pay $500 for a recall letter when TC can recite it to you?!
So we need a letter to say all recalls have been performed on a US automobile even though the manufacturer is legally bound to make the repair in the US, while in Canada you only need to be notified?!
Incredible!
August 1st, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Volvo is not the only carmaker in the world, and Canadians should let their wallets do the talking.
Enough said.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Why would anyone buy a Volvo anyway?
August 2nd, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I am not even shocked when aloha of Volvo does not even acknowledge or sympathize what volvo is doing (charging $3000.00 for 5 min). This is the true picture and reflection of what the Auto manufacturers feel toward Canadian buyers, (Put up or Shut up).
We need to tell them, No more fleecing and gouging of Canadians. By the way our government,(Transport Canada) is fully involved and in bed with the Auto makers in this issue.
August 4th, 2008 at 11:59 am
I just called my volvo dealer and asked for the service dept. and explained that I would be importing a car and that I required a safety and mechanical inspection. I was quoted $150-200. Sounds reasonable to me
August 4th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Yes, I called a few months ago and was quoted the same price in Quebec. I guess we have better consumer protection laws, or the Volvo boys here are respectable. The issue appears to be in Western Canada. For a in-year model, They are charging anywhere from $1500 to $3000 for the compliance letter, that includes a 5 minute inspection of vehicles that are all equpped to operate safely in Canada.