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Importing Canadian Vehicles to the U.S.

391 messages,  Last post on Dec 07, 2008 at 6:29 AM

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#302 of 391 My alternative by tboner1965 Aug 30, 2002 (2:41 pm)
Replying to: dusti (Apr 16, 2002 3:53 pm) Should be pretty clear. Flatten the organization so there isn't Brand XXX USA, Brand XXX Canada, Brand XXX Japan.   Ford and GM in particular irritate me because most of the models they make that appeal to me are not even for sale in the USA. I.E. Mondeo, Falcon, and much of the Holden hardware from down under.   This is where the consumer loses.   And I hope you don't think I blame you or hold you accountable for this because I really don't. I think dealers get a rather raw deal from the carmakers themselves.   Perhaps if each business unit of a dealership could turn a profit, you wouldn't need to rely on service/parts/bodyshop business.   All I know about is providing service. That's what I do for my customers.   Dealerships are in the unenviable position in so much as they bear the major burden of customer satisfaction, but are often hamstrung by the car maker.   I wish you well.   TB
#303 of 391 Oh, by tboner1965 Aug 30, 2002 (3:47 pm)
Replying to: dusti (Apr 16, 2002 3:53 pm) and I just thought of these. I believe BMW and Volvo let you buy their cars in Europe and bring them back to the US. At least with the BMW, the pricing is below what you would probably pay at the dealership.   So there is a model that seems to work for one or two car makers.   TB
#304 of 391 Regarding the question of "rights." by landru2 Aug 31, 2002 (9:44 am)
Replying to: dusti (Apr 16, 2002 3:53 pm) As a citizen of the U.S. you do not have the "right" to even be in Canada. Just as I do not have the "right" to enter the U.S. It follows that you do not have any "right" to buy anything in Canada. These things are allowed by the respective governments but they are certainly not rights.
#305 of 391 tb by audia8q Aug 31, 2002 (10:38 am)
Replying to: dusti (Apr 16, 2002 3:53 pm) Like you, I love some of the cars the domestics offer for sale in other countries. Especially Australia. But in defense of the automakers. If they thought for a minute they could sell those products here and make the type of profit shareholders expect they would....Those pesky shareholders always screw things up..haha   Rich
#306 of 391 Landru by tboner1965 Aug 31, 2002 (2:46 pm)
Replying to: dusti (Apr 16, 2002 3:53 pm) I guess that's the difference between me and you. I believe that we are born with all sorts of rights.   Only governments and God can take them away.   So you are telling the that the Canadian government doesn't want me to have the right to buy a car in Canada, or is it just Ford that doesn't want me to do that?   Again, if there is no law prohibiting my purchase, then I DO have the right.   Is there such a law?   TB
#307 of 391 TB, re: 181 by kcram HOST Aug 31, 2002 (3:52 pm)
Replying to: dusti (Apr 16, 2002 3:53 pm) I think where youcross yourself up is, BMW and Volvo are domestics in Europe. They don't also build their complete line of vehicles in the US for US consumption. Those European Delivery discounts reflect the fact that BMW and Volvo don't have to go through the trouble of getting that car to the coast for the big canoe ride. You do it yourself. Ford is domestic in the US, so bringing the same model Ford from Canada isn't doing yourself any favor in that regard - Ford is not discounting the car because they're saving some shipping costs. There's no Ford-sponsored "Canadian Delivery" program. Instead, you're dealing strictly with an exchange rate issue between the US and Canada. This is why the DOMESTIC manufacturers are trying to block this practice - they lose money on it!   kcram Host Smart Shopper and FWI Message Boards
#308 of 391 tboner by robr2 Aug 31, 2002 (4:31 pm)
Replying to: dusti (Apr 16, 2002 3:53 pm) Yes - BMW, Volvo, SAAB, MB all let you take delivery of US SPEC units built in Europe. You can't take delivery on a non US spec unit and bring it in without going through major EPA headaches and NHTSA paperwork and I believe limitations on usage.   As for getting rid of Ford US, Ford Canada, Ford Mexico, these subsidiaries are set up to meet local laws of presence, taxation, and incorporation. There is almost no way around those requirements short of relying on a local company to act as your distributor but then you risk having your name destroyed.
#309 of 391 I've allowed by tboner1965 Aug 31, 2002 (4:48 pm)
Replying to: dusti (Apr 16, 2002 3:53 pm) Myself to chase a rabbit, rising to the "right" question.   The bottom line is there are US consumers who buy "Canadian" cars every day and then find they are without warranty coverage. My original point, going back to my post about my experience with Philips/Magnavox is that the consumer has a reasonable expectation that the manufacturer stands behind the car. And all the denying of warranty coverage will do to the customer is alienate the customer from the car maker. What ever happened to service? All those commercials about the carmaker being there for you don't count if you buy the car in Canada?   I believe in all of these cases, the manufacturer sells/transfers the car to Brand XXX Canada, or Brand XXX USA, regardless of where the car is made. (It might be made by yet another division.)   Sure, make all the divisions you want carmakers, but then stand behind your product, and don't put up barriers to customers who are looking for a better value.   I just see this as another way to annoy customers instead of helping them.   What's next, outlawing currency exchanges or the stock exchanges.   TB
#310 of 391 tboner by robr2 Aug 31, 2002 (5:06 pm)
Replying to: dusti (Apr 16, 2002 3:53 pm) "...the consumer has a reasonable expectation that the manufacturer stands behind the car."   It's all what you define as reasonable of course. Manufacturers deem warranting what they consider to be gray market products as unreasonable. Even if they alienate customers, the numbers are relatively small and it probably doesn't worry them.   I've staged a one man battle against Goodyear since 1988 due to the incompetence of a tech at one of their stores (I never quite understood the need for using a screwdriver and ball peen hammer for weight removal from alloy rims). I basically was told by Goodyear corporate to pound sand. Since then I have refused to buy Goodyear tires or a car equipped with Goodyear OEM tires. It makes me feel better even if it doesn't hurt them in the least.   Once again it comes down to stopping the mass importers - the individual consumer just gets caught in the net.
#311 of 391 One other thought occured to me by tboner1965 Aug 31, 2002 (6:01 pm)
Replying to: dusti (Apr 16, 2002 3:53 pm) I don't know why I didn't think of this before.   On these very boards, car dealers complain that the new car sales typically are at a loss.   So we have US dealers complaining because consumers are not giving them the chance to lose money by selling the car.   So what do they get. The manufacturer will not pay them for warranty work. Some warranty work is gravy, easy money. Other warranty work, the dealer loses his shirt on. However, warranty work, in my view, is how a dealership can earn the trust of their customers. Do that part right, and you'll have a great chance of getting additional service work. Screw up the warranty work, and you won't see the customer until they are ready to buy a new car, maybe.   Once the average customer learns that there is no warranty coverage, do you really think he will return to his local dealer. Nope, probably won't return to the dealer for service, or the next car.   Yes the numbers are small. But again, the easiest (and probably cheapest) customer to keep is the one you have.   As long as the customer is maintaining his vehicle, not taking out for the World Rallye Championship, why not stand behind it and keep the happy customer?   If the Canadian dealer is selling the car for full sticker, I find it hard to believe that no money is made on those deals.   TB

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