Importing A TV from the USA to Canada - Montana Owners Club

MacDR50 · 10-16-2007, 01:22 PM

With the $Canadian above par with the $US, the import of trucks and high end cars from south of the border is taking off. I have been comparing prices for identical vehicles (including mileage) in the 2004-2007 range and the savings are incredible, in some cases as much as $12,000 for a 2YO C3500. There is no duty and the only extra costs are an inspection fee (about $280)and applicable federal and provincial taxes. A co-worker is flying down to Boston to pick up a new truck (less than 500 miles on it) that he bought at a Florida wholesaler. Even with the cost of his travel he saved over 40% of the cost of buying the same truck here in Newfoundland. Dealers up here are already starting to squawk bigtime.

There are several sites including the Canadian Border Services Agency which explain how importing is done. One caution, check with the manufacturer with respect to warranty coverage. I was told GM Canada requires new vehicles and those with less than 12,000 kilometers to be in Canada for six months before they will honour the warranty.

Jim Jarvis · 10-16-2007, 02:12 PM

Most of the auto companies are shutting down US sales to Canadians. It is getting difficult to find a border town where the US dealer has not already been told by headquarters NOT to sell to Canadians.

Montana Sky · 10-16-2007, 07:36 PM

Many dealerships are not willing to do warranty work on Canadian vehicles. I would sure do some investigating with the top 3 automakers to find out exactly what their stance on imported vehicle warranties are before you buy.

Bill and Ann · 10-17-2007, 01:44 AM

Boy, I find that hilarious that dealers in the States have been told not to sell to Canadians. When the U.S. dollar was .50 cents plus over the Cdn $ the Americans were buying everything on the lots up here. The only way I could get a truck was to order it.

Jim Jarvis · 10-17-2007, 03:13 AM

Thing on TV the other night about Honda sales in the NW of the US. Canadians had been buying Hondas, I think in North Dakota, but word had come down from Head Office to stop selling to Canadians. Turns out they are selling the identical car in Canada for $10,000 more. Sure, I can understand Honda wanting to keep the extra $10,000, but why are they doing that in the first place? Charging Canadians $10,000 more for the same car. Now the Big 3 are doing the same or telling customers warranty will not be honoured in Canada.

Bill Frisbee · 10-17-2007, 05:19 AM

I am trying to make a list of companies that tell US dealers not to sell to Canadians ... and will make every effort to ensure that I do not do so, ever again!

Jim Jarvis · 10-17-2007, 05:34 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Bill Frisbee

I am trying to make a list of companies that tell US dealers not to sell to Canadians ... and will make every effort to ensure that I do not do so, ever again!

Here is a story for you Bill.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/loc...-4662390c.html

MacDR50 · 10-26-2007, 11:59 AM

Well guys, time to write to your MP. Its after all a minority government and this is the kind of issue that can make quite a difference. If the prices don't drop on new vehicles then look at used ones. The GM warranty issue I put in my OP was straight from a GM dealer. I don't know about the other two, Ford and Chrysler.

berridge · 10-27-2007, 04:31 AM

I heard on the radio (CBC) about a month ago, as the dollar reached par, that there was a class action suit originating with a law firm in Toronto I believe that was going to challenge the legality of auto companies preventing sales to a specific group and/or declaring the warranties invalid. The feeling was that doing so was a violation of the NAFTA free trade agreement. Hopefully this will put an end to this nonsence. I have noted from past experience that these large price differences in US and CDN prices apply to tires and parts such as filters. A trans oil filter for my Ford lists online and at the dealer I checked with for $15 US. In Canada the dealer quoted $140 for the same part!

richfaa · 10-27-2007, 05:17 AM

There is something very wrong going on. We live close enough to the Canadian border to travel to Canada frequently. The difference in price should be only the difference in the value of the respective dollar not $10,000 or as in the case above 15US as opposed to 140 Can. The rate today is .9619 Can..nearly par so that 15.00 US filter should cost almost the same in Can $.When we go to Canada we go to our local bank and trade $ US for $Ca or use the credit card $ Canadian spend very well in Canada and no one has ever asked us which country we live in. Sound to me something the manufacturers are doing to increase the profit margin and has nothing to do with the respective governments.

MacDR50 · 10-27-2007, 09:06 AM

OK Here is the straight gen on warranties.

http://www.apa.ca/template.asp?DocID=253

Of the big three the only bad actor seems to be Chrysler.

MacDR50 · 11-04-2007, 07:48 AM

Just for fun I built three identical 1 tons using the online build tools of Ford, Dodge and GM on each of their US and CA web sites. The differences are unjustifiable even ignoring the current exchange rate:
Chev Silverado 3500 top of the line is $16,000 more in Canada. Dodge RAM 3500 and Ford F350 are $12,000. GM and Ford will honour warranties (have to wait 6 months for GM though) Dodge won't.

So my friend in Ohio will buy my new Ford, I'll buy it off him and then import it as a used vehicle. If the speculation is correct I will save, with the exchange rate at 1.10, about $15,000 on a vehicle that has a MSRP of $59,000 in Canada. That is a 25% saving.

smc · 11-04-2007, 11:13 PM

On the warranty issue, what happens if you buy your truck in Canada, then travel in the US, or visa versa? The price difference isn't restricted to vehicles, it happens on just about anything, from appliances to socks. A pair of Wranglers here are anywhere from US19-29. In Canada you are lucky if you can find them at $30. Same goes for appliances and furniture. T.V. are about half the price. So much for free trade and all that.

richfaa · 11-05-2007, 04:03 AM

I claim complete ignorance but why is there such a price difference with the $ being about par???16/12K difference for the same truck...how can that happen??On the surface it appears that folks north of the border are being held up???You would think that the manufacturers would want to sell trucks and not punish the consumer for buying one... There has got to be more to this story??/

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