example-letter-to-mp.doc
example-letter-to-media.doc
letter-to-joseph-volpe.doc
example-letter-to-friends.doc
Here is a sample letter you can send to your Member of Parliament. Please post any suggested changes to this letter you feel may improve it.
<date>
<Address of MP>
Fax: <fax number>
Email: <email address>Dear <name>:Re: Automobile Manufactures Taking Advantage of recent Transport Canada Directives to Maintain High Automobile Pricing for New Cars in Canada
<Name of MP> is my member of parliament in my riding of <name of riding>.
I have recently become aware that vehicle manufactures may be abusing a recent requirement by Transport Canada for all vehicles manufactured after September 2007 to have anti-theft systems (Vehicle Immobilization Systems (“VIS”)) installed. Because the VIS standard prescribed by Transport Canada is uniquely Canadian, manufacturers are claiming that their US vehicles do not meet the standard and as such they are inadmissible into Canada under Transport Canada’s list of Vehicles Admissible From the United States (VAFUS). This is despite the fact that in most cases the manufacturers are likely selling the exact same vehicles with equivalent VIS installed in Canada today.
The consequence is that Transport Canada has secured an opportunity for North American manufacturers to charge significantly higher amounts for their cars in Canada. The difference in prices between equivalent cars in the US and Canada ranges from $4,000 to $40,000. My understanding is that General Motors has convinced Transport Canada that nearly all of its 2008 US vehicles are inadmissible into Canada regardless of the fact that they sell the exact same vehicle in Canada and even build many vehicles in Canada.
Transport Canada has effectively stopped Canadians from purchasing many new US cars which will continue to keep car prices high in Canada. Without this restriction, as a result of competition, manufacturers would have been forced to drop their prices in Canada.
As the purchase of a vehicle is the largest consumer purchase made by most people, Transport Canada’s actions are very discriminatory to all Canadians. Car prices in Canada need to come down to reflect parity. As it stands today Canadians are been forced to pay inflated prices for new cars and will then suffer when they sell there cars based on North American pricing.
I am writing to ask that the Government of Canada take action to; fix this travesty to ensure that Canadians have access to free trade between Canada and the US, and to stop North American automobile manufacturers from gouging Canadian consumers. On my behalf, I would appreciate you speaking to the Minister of Transport about this issue.
Sincerely,
For people that have vehicles manufactured after September 1, 2007 that cannot be registered in Canada, the following additional items can be added to the above letter.
I have purchased a <make of car> that can not be registered in Canada because of a change in Transport Canada policy between the time I bought the vehicle and today. I can’t import this vehicle into Canada because it has been declared inadmissible by Transport Canada.
My personal situation is as follows:
<outline personal circumstances>
Should I not be able to register this vehicle in Canada, I will suffer both financial harm and the disappointment of my family who were looking forward to the use of this vehicle. I went out of my way to follow the rules and the rules changed during my process, I believe that I should be grandfathered.
I am writing to request your assistance in helping me obtain an exception / amnesty letter from the current VAFUS requirements which were not in force at the time I purchased my vehicle.
December 14th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Failing a reply From Kash Ram, RIV or Transport Canada by this day Friday December 14, 2007, we should consider another bombardment of letters to these people.
December 16th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
rx fioricet school fioricet
February 14th, 2008 at 8:03 am
I’ve written a deal with a BMW dealer in US on a late model car that is NOT new and NOT certified. It seemed to me that Government of Canada would be on my side and help to import the vehicle as they have done so with many other items I’ve imported in the past.
It turns out that the Transport Canada has hired a private company called Registrar of Imported Vehicle, which manages the import processes, has put together a list of highly inequitable, suspiciously brand-specific, and ‘take the manufacturer’s word for it’ requirement for a generic requirement for equipment. Instead of requiring daytime running lights, 8km/hr bumper, child-seat anchorage system, immobilizer, these requirements indicate that the work must be done by a ‘Canadian dealer’ and the letters for approval can be duplicated(letter of admissibility AND recall clearance letter, each for a fee), and with no restrictions on the timelines, fee justification, and even the need for the said replacement of the equipment being independently researched. Kind of like letting the wolf guard the hen house…
My very recent(Jan 08) conversation with real BMW dealer in Canada: BMW needs to replace the instrument cluster because the attempt to turn on the DRL will possibly damage the electrical system. This work will cost $2600… and it must be done by BMW dealership in Canada to ensure it is done properly.
My conversation with real BMW dealer in US: He turned on the DRL from the driver’s seat… without an instrument cluster change.
So, here is the actual cost to get the BMW here, e
- Letter of Admissibility: $350
- Instrument Cluster change: $2600
- Recall Clearance Letter: $500
Does anyone know about the possibility of the BMW 3 series “frying” itself?
My other question would be why is it that a US car with the DRL turned on would need a programming to turn it on again in Canada? As I recall some transmission shops were charged with fraud a few years ago for doing unnecessary work on unsuspecting consumers…
If this turns out to be a fraud, then I would be extremely disappointed in BMW who has represented themselves as upstanding, ethical company. I would also be concerned with the RIV’s lack of ability to represent the best public interest: competitive pricing on same car with same safety features, and allowing fraud to become a part of the importation process.
If I was to persue this, I would then find out what kind of relationship RIV has with those manufacturers who seem to be controlling them without full disclosure on the technical reason for these barriers to the free trade.
Disappointing and certainly worth my attention when we go to the polls… My next steps are finding out who runs this area in Transport Canada, who has the responsibility for this area in RIV, and what they have to say about this. I have friends in the local and national media who are interested in this story and will be prepared to use those relationships(!) for the good of the general public, the same people Transport Canada & RIV purport to represent.
Does anyone at Transport Canada & RIV know the forgotten song “God keep our land, Glorious and Free, Oh Canada we stand on guard for thee”? Those words mean little in this context. I didn’t think we were living in Mexico.
I would love to hear about what your experience is on this topic.
February 26th, 2008 at 2:00 am
I concur with David Wagental pointing out that RIV has given up its responsibilities, and allowed its authority to be usurped by BMW (now Mercedes, and soon Volvo) in order to protect their hold on the market. All these fees are essentially commissions. The technical arguments used are essentially fraudulent. This whole process is so transparent, and a disappointing lack of ethics.
March 1st, 2008 at 1:08 am
I have been reading a lot about importing a BMW into Canada and I have been very disappointed about how I have been treated by BMW Canada. This is my first experience with importing a vehicle,actually I am importing two vehicles, the other is a Saab. It is particularly interesting because I am importing them both at the same time and under identical circumstances. Saab(GM) was a brease and cost only $250 for a recall letter. I say only now after dealing with BMW Canada. At the time that I was dealing with Saab I thought it was robbery paying that kind of money for a simple look up. As far as a recall goes the only information that BMW needs is the last seven digits of the VIN to find out about any recalls and if it is out of warranty then why do I care if I have to be personally notified or not. While I am saving a lot of money on buying the cars in the States that is no justification for inventing a whole new industry based on isolating your client base. This is the first and last BMW I will buy and I have been telling everyone I know about my experience in dealing with BMW Canada particularly those dealerships which are based in southern Alberta. They probably do not care weather or not I bring my car to them for service or not (and it will be ‘NOT’ if I decide to keep the car rather than sell it). I have heard that there was a law suit being brought against BMW Canada for their business practices as of late. Does anyone know about this and is there any way that people such as ourselves can lend a hand either by petition or adding our names to a class action law suit participation?
March 6th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
My experience with BMW was simillar to others. I was furious when I was told that I had to replace the instrument cluster on my
my 2007 X5 for $2,000 in order to activate DTRL, which were acivated by the US dealer. But I was more dissapointed with RIV
and TC, who were behind these car manufacturers. I purchased my BMW because of it’s German design, and if I could I would
import it directly from Germany. BMW Canada lost and will be loosing even more sales if they don’t adjust their prices. BMW
dealers lost the car maintenance business on all imported cars, they should fight for that… I will go to Buffalo for my
free maintenance and even spent a few good Canadian $ shopping in the US, it is not a big deal for me.
March 26th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
I feel the same way..what happened to Free Trade?? I purchased a 2007 328xi coupe last Monday, which is sitting in my garage, as I wait for a Recall Letter…that was already provided to me by the US Dealer…The car comes with an IDrive which easily converts miles to km…as well as switches to daytime running lights…The odometer has kms on the dial..I had an immobilizer installed at the US Dealership for a mere ($700) in Canada it is double if not more…so I am ready to go..I also made the mistake of calling BMW to get an admissibility letter for $ 392 which reads IT IS NOT ADMISSIBLE until they do the work to install the daytime running lights!!!! Oh god…please….
Whatever..I still saved at least $25,000 on the car..had I ordered it at Brian Jessel…I plan to write our government along with the hundreds of others that find themselves in our shoes..
March 26th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
i took the seminar in downtown vancouver about importing cars and they never told us half the dtuff im finding out about on this website and others.someone shouls sue them too for misleading consumers into buying a car from the u.s.a. nowonder the americans think were socialist and commies.
April 1st, 2008 at 10:22 am
As RIV requested me to get a letter of admissibility from BMW Canada for a purchase of 2007 BMW 550i in the states.
I called and emailed BMW Canada and never got any call back and any reply from them since last week. Anyone of you got that exprerience?
it seems it is impossible to get that letter. I will contact RIV telling them that I am unable to get the letter. it is so frustating.
We have to fight for this. We are in NAFTA does not it mean Free trade?
April 13th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Currently having a similar experience with my 2006 330i. I’m American and was just transferred here. I wasn’t even trying to circumvent Canada’s ridiculous car prices; just trying to bring in a car I’ve owned for two years. I figured after paying BMW’s abssurd fee for a photocopied admissibility letter I’d be set, but the letter just demands–in very crude, unapologetic language–another $1800 worth of work. It stated in BOLD PRINT that the work must be done at a Canadian dealership or I would not receive a recall clearance letter. Can you say extortion? I will never buy a car from BMW Canada. Ever. No matter how hot the new 7 series turns out to be. This is extremely foolish on their part, and I’m amazed BMW would let their Canadian dealerships destroy the bond BMW has created with its customers. I’m still furious and I found out about this over a week ago. I’m not even a “letter writer” but am about to become one.
April 24th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Does anyone know the email format for BMW Canada email addresses? I want to spam them to death on this
DRL issue. Thanks! Paul.