U.S. car dealer rejects Canadian shopper

[CenterIce]

Has anybody heard or come across this happening with Saturn/GM?

http://www.mytelus.com/ncp_news/arti...icleID=2746304

(CBC) - A Calgary man is fuming after a U.S. car dealership refused to sell him a new car because he's Canadian.

Like many Canadians, Ken Wang planned to take advantage of the strong loonie and buy a car in the U.S. He intended to trade in his Buick for a new Lexus, figuring he could save as much as $20,000 if he bought the car in the states.

But when he contacted a Lexus dealership in Washington state, he made a rare discovery: A car salesman who refused to sell him anything.

He was especially surprised as to the reason why.

"They said, 'Oh you know what? If you are a Canadian resident then we can't sell you a new car,'" Wang recalled.

The dealers told him it was part of their franchising agreement.

Frank Lee, the general manager at a Lexus dealership in Tacoma, Wash., confirmed such a deal exists.

"It's a dealer agreement with the factory," he said. "We don't want to go into Canadian Lexus dealers' marketplace."

Wang called the practice "biased."

"How come, because we are Canadian, we can't buy a brand new car from the States? Why, because our money is different," he said.

Practice not illegal

Biased or not, it's not an unheard-of phenomenon in the states. Angry auto shoppers are typically referred to the Competition Bureau, which says there's nothing illegal about the practice.

Bureau spokesperson Chris Busutill said it's generally done to foil "arbitragers" - people who buy cars in the U.S. just to bring them back to Canada to sell at an inflated price.

Arbitragers stand to make good money by the practice since some U.S. and Canadian car prices are vastly different, even though the loonie is now closer to parity than in recent years.

The manufacturer's suggested retail price for a new Lexus ES 350 in the U.S. works out to $35,621 Cdn, while the same model costs over $7,000 more north of the border.

A new Honda Accord sedan costs over $3,000 more in Canada than the U.S., with a base price of approximately $24,000 in Canada.

[ggccg]

The dealer probably doesn't want to deal with non-residents of his state because of titling issues.

[shamayim]

This is not a new story. American dealers will not knowingly sell a car to a Canadian resident because their franchise agreements prohibit them from doing that. The practice is legal.

[belletire]

It's good business.

[Leather]

I live in Alberta and the Dealer in Sask did not want to sell me the Sky for the same reason. They did not want to sell to someone elses region. Not that the couldn't but the manager told me they could get in trouble by Saturn. I still got the car they just had to send it to my localy dealer and have them sell it too me. At first I fought and said NO I want to buy it from Sask, but after hearing of some possible problems I agreed. It was just the point I should be able to buy from whoever I want. I see this US story is similar.

[Rustyknight]

Don't forget that the US and Canadian cars are slightly different, and legally if you take a car across the border the car should be updated with the canadian options lights, speedo, etc..

[CenterIce]

Originally Posted by belletire

It's good business.

Believe it or not, but I agree. If only the price differential wasn't so out of whack with the exchange rate.

Originally Posted by Rustyknight

Don't forget that the US and Canadian cars are slightly different, and legally if you take a car across the border the car should be updated with the canadian options lights, speedo, etc..

Not to mention the warranty implications.

[MidniteBlues]

It happens across the board with all kinds of products all over the world. Manufacturers of autos, medical devices, electronics and many other stuff have "exclusive agreements and franchises" all over the world with individuals and companies. This "entitles" them to be able to sell the manufacturers products "exclusively" in "that area, province, country or state" and prohibits them in selling "outside your area". IF you sell to outsiders, you have breached your contract and you can and will lose your franchise/license or whatever agreement you had COULD be voided. Many companies will not put that in jeopardy just to sell a car to an "outsider", just not worth it. By the way it is routine in my business. I cannot sell medical equipment, parts or anything else to anybody outside of the USA--It is routine, if I did in my case, I could go to jail AND get fired from my company, serious consequences to gamble with my job and my freedom- - AND the law in my case, I cannot sell medical devices outside the USA cause the laws of the receiving country for medical devices requirements MIGHT be different--

[greenhornet]

Originally Posted by belletire

It's good business.

Good business? Phooey. It's simply a matter of self defense keepin them hordes of screemin, bugle blowin Canucks from invadin and havin thar way with our wimen. Anb thisaones even worse cause hes ona them oriental midgets an everybodie knows they eat puppy dawgs too.

I say build another wall, jest like we done in the south to keep them durned beaners out. them sex cravin beaners wants our wimmen too, an god knows no god fearin christian cood eat that hellfire devils stuff them little devils eat an liveto tell about it.

Jest remember th wurds thet kyles mom sung in thet movie, THE SOUTHPARK MOVIE, "BLAME CANADA" I sez, let thet be the battil cry ov every true Merican. amen

An ifin y'all thank i'm serious, go bak to bed.

[SKYtime]

Phuck the Cannucks?

Anyway, this has been going on for ages and is perfectly legal even if it pi$$es off a few Canadians....

[SkyMan 08]

Originally Posted by Rustyknight

Don't forget that the US and Canadian cars are slightly different, and legally if you take a car across the border the car should be updated with the canadian options lights, speedo, etc..

What are the differences in the lights? Only thing I know of is they used to have DRL's and we didn't but all GM cars and trucks now have DRL's.
If you will look the speedometer has KPH already on them.. although in smaller numbers...
what other differences?

[CenterIce]

Originally Posted by greenhornet

Good business? Phooey. It's simply a matter of self defense keepin them hordes of screemin, bugle blowin Canucks from invadin and havin thar way with our wimen. Anb thisaones even worse cause hes ona them oriental midgets an everybodie knows they eat puppy dawgs too.

I say build another wall, jest like we done in the south to keep them durned beaners out. them sex cravin beaners wants our wimmen too, an god knows no god fearin christian cood eat that hellfire devils stuff them little devils eat an liveto tell about it.

Jest remember th wurds thet kyles mom sung in thet movie, THE SOUTHPARK MOVIE, "BLAME CANADA" I sez, let thet be the battil cry ov every true Merican. amen

An ifin y'all thank i'm serious, go bak to bed.

Isn't the last line of that song:
"We must blame them and cause a fuss
Before somebody thinks of blaming us!"?



(BTW, )

[Rustyknight]

Originally Posted by SkyMan 07

What are the differences in the lights? Only thing I know of is they used to have DRL's and we didn't but all GM cars and trucks now have DRL's.
If you will look the speedometer has KPH already on them.. although in smaller numbers...
what other differences?

I am not 100% sure what all the differences are, a few months back there was some discussion of this subject and I remember finding a web site that listed all the changes required to import a new car into canada from the US the only specific changes I remember that were generic to all cars were some type of canadian specific day time running lights, the speedometer, and I recall while the sky was not listed as an excluded car the Solstice 2006-2007 with spoiler was, I do not know the age of the web site/import list was so I do not even know if they Sky was available when the excluded car list was made, also while I remember the solstice with a spoiler as being on the excluded list, I would guess that since they listed it with a spoiler someone could probably get a solstice without the spoiler in.

Also note there are a number of companies that do nothing but modify cars and trucks to go from the US to be imported into Canada, I am guessing that in addition there are probably a large assortment of documents that would also need to be filed, the other item that also comes to mind is what are the ramifications on trying to get cross border financing.

All and all I don't think it would be, just a matter of driving across the border and registering the car.......

[ggccg]

See page 6 of the PDF below from Transport Canada. Specifically listed as INADMISSIBLE are the Pontiac 2004-2006 GTO and 2006-2007 Pontiac Solstice with D52 Spoiler Option. All other 1992-2007 GM/Saturn passenger car models are admissible (except for some VINs of the Cadillac Catera and Corvettes prior to 2003).

[SkyMan 08]

Originally Posted by Rustyknight

I am not 100% sure what all the differences are, a few months back there was some discussion of this subject and I remember finding a web site that listed all the changes required to import a new car into canada from the US the only specific changes I remember that were generic to all cars were some type of canadian specific day time running lights, the speedometer, and I recall while the sky was not listed as an excluded car the Solstice 2006-2007 with spoiler was, I do not know the age of the web site/import list was so I do not even know if they Sky was available when the excluded car list was made, also while I remember the solstice with a spoiler as being on the excluded list, I would guess that since they listed it with a spoiler someone could probably get a solstice without the spoiler in.

Also note there are a number of companies that do nothing but modify cars and trucks to go from the US to be imported into Canada, I am guessing that in addition there are probably a large assortment of documents that would also need to be filed, the other item that also comes to mind is what are the ramifications on trying to get cross border financing.

All and all I don't think it would be, just a matter of driving across the border and registering the car.......

Thanks

[CenterIce]

This is a follow-up story from the original. The thing in this story is that it mentions the town where I grew up (Trail, BC)! I don't think I know the people quoted, though.

http://www.mytelus.com/ncp_news/arti...icleID=2756271

(CBC) - With the loonie closing at more than 98 cents US on Tuesday, a consumer advocacy group is urging Canadians shopping for a car to do it south of the border.

As the Canadian dollar flirts with parity with U.S. greenback, the Consumers Association of Canada said major retailers just aren't keeping up.

Bruce Cran, the president of the group, said Wednesday in Vancouver patriotism shouldn't affect where someone buys a new car.

Cran said prices, particularly for high-end vehicles, are significantly less in the U.S., even with Canadian taxes and import fees taken into account.

"We have been advising consumers for the last year to go across the border and take advantage of whatever savings they can have," said Cran. "If you can save up to twentysomething thousand dollars on a car, why would you buy it in Canada?"

But Canadian retailers point out that in some cases, warranties on U.S. vehicles won't be honoured in Canada.

As well, some U.S. dealerships may refuse to do business with the cross-border shoppers. A spokesperson for Lexus dealership in Tacoma, Wash., has told CBC News that it has an agreement with Lexus to refuse sales to Canadian shoppers for fear of hurting sales in this country.

Border businesses say rising loonie no problem

Jeff Boag, who owns a bar in Trail in B.C.'s West Kootenay region, said the skyrocketing loonie has improved his operation. Boag saved about $17,000 buying parts for the bar's kitchen in the United States.

"I bought a makeup air unit from a California firm, rather than from the local up here. And all the stainless steel, it was quite a bit cheaper on the other side of the line," said Boag.

Meanwhile the surging Canadian dollar does not seem to be keeping American customers away from B.C. businesses along the border.

Business owners in the border communities of Trail and Rossland said the lower exchange rate hasn't frightened away U.S. consumers.

Naomi McKimmie, of the Trail Chamber of Commerce, said cross-border traffic remains healthy.

"From our numbers that we've had come through our doors this summer, we haven't seen much of a change from the American traffic that we had last year to this year," said McKimmie.

Businesses in nearby Rossland are maintaining their American customers. Blaine Benner, who runs a mountain bike and ski company, said Americans are adjusting to the change. "Booking are as the norm. Our bookings aren't down at all. A lot of our clientele are repeat clientele," said Benner, "They're going to keep coming back for a number of reasons: the town, the ski hill, the people that they know and continue to have that relationship with."