Importing into Canada

Search the archives......use the function in the upper left corner of the page. There are many threads on this, and most conclude it is not financially viable to import a recent model Ferrari into Canada at this time.

 

www.riv.ca

 

Here are the costs:
Vehicle cost * 1.25 (currency exchange)
6% duty
Pst
Gst
add $15000 for bumper mods to make car legal in Canada

If the car is 15yrs or older the bumper mods can be avoided.

 

Which generally makes it more trouble than it's worth. Don't forget the added hassle at re-sale time (warranted or not, it's there).

 

I heard that the new 430's bumpers are the same for North America. The only thing to add to the american 430's coming into Canada are the stickers for the speedo, the french stickers for the gas cap and the day time running lights (US car may have them already?). If that is the case, someone can save about $25,000 to $30,000 importing a car from the US.

Their was an articule in the Saturday Star about a month ago where they say there was a savings of almost $15,000 when purchasing a new Porsche 997 S from the US.

 

Isn’t there a windscreen difference between U.S. and Canadian markets as well? I seem to remember something about the blue tint at the top.....

 

I read that same article. I quickly did the math on a base 911 and that $15,000 can easily get eaten up. NOT making it the deal they say...

First of all I know a couple of Porsche dealers that will always offer a decent discount to clients (if of course it's just a simple 911 and nothing to "Special - Edition") Then you tack on minimum $1500.00 for proper shipping from U.S to your Canadian door step. Then you add the 2.7 Duty (Base model usually costs approx. $90g's if I am not mistaken). Then last but not least you have the heavy depreciation the car takes being a "grey market" car. This will always be MINIMUM $5000.00 on any hi-line car.

There is a poor sole here (Dealer) in Ontario trying to blow out (what he thought was a great idea importing 911's from the U.S) at the auction here and can't sell any of them...and they are cheap. All the boys turn their heads when they see these U.S cars run at the block. There is always the odd case of course where one dealer may get a deal that makes it worth while.

$15,000 Saving? I don't think so.

This is also just my opinion.

V.

 

Vasco

The 2006 997 S lists for $81,400US and in Canada 119,000 CDN. The diffrence between the US and Canadian cars (in Canadian dollars) is $19,500 for the same car, if duty is at 2.7% with a .845 cent dollar. Porsche should be pricing the Canadian 997 S around $100,000 Cdn .

The same discounts off the list price is available from the US dealers as well, when I was in Florida last week the local dealer was offering cost plus $1500 off a 2006 in stock 997 S.

I don't know what you call "cheap" in regards to what the dealer is trying to sell the US here in Canada for but the savings on a new 911 S coming into Canada is about $17,000 with shipping, duty and fees. If you want to add the 15% tax you would save by not paying the extra $19,000 on the diffrence and you should add another $2850.00 more to the over all savings.

If one goes with your number of a $5000 discount on it being a US car at resale time the savings is still $12,000 to $15,000 not including the opportunity cost savings. What is $12,000 to $15,000 worth over 3-4 years??

I don't know about you but that is still a lot of money to save, even for me.

The more important question everyone should be asking is why does Porsche and Ferrari pricing their Canadian cars 22% to 25% higher then their US cars??

 

I just heard on the radio that Chad Kroeger, the lead singer for "Nickleback" just became the first Canadian citizen to import a Lamborgini from the US into Canada. Reportedly took 6 months. He was quoted as saying something about how frustrating it was to spend a quarter of a million dollars on a car just to have it sit in Customs at the border.

I'm no expert on the subject. Just writing what I heard.

Good luck.

 

They do that well?

 

all that to go into canada ??? f--k that !!!! dude buy the car, you can leave it at mu house for FREE and you can come over whenever you like to drive.

 

I see your point. But my concern is and will always be re-sale value. I look at that factor basically because I am in the car biz and I have seen how much dealers WOULD NOT pay for a U.S car being traded in as apposed to a Canadian car. That is why I brought up the example of the guy at the auction trying to sell U.S spec 911's at the local auction. Has he been selling any? Nope. Actually, that is also the same dude selling them dirt cheap in the trader with the full page ad. His cars are nice and I have nothing against this dealer nor his cars. I wish him well but all I know is that his cars are still for sale.

Just my .02 Spyderman, thats all. If you are buying the car and hold on to it long enough then U.S spec and CDN spec wont make as much of a difference then.

Best,

Vasco

 

Vasco,

You make a good point, what can you sell a US car in Canada for in 3 years from now?

It is funny that how things have changed for three years ago Canadian cars were about 10-15% cheaper then the US cars (dollar for dollar). Do you recall when Ford was trying to stop the Thunderbirds from leaving for the US. Ford Canada may have even fined some Canadian dealers for doing some because US dealers were complaining that Canadian re sale cars were eating into their profits.

It is interesting to see why the manufactures would allow such huge price diffrence between two countries?

If the numbers work out, as spyderman so throughly worked it out for us, then I would be tempted to buy a new Porsche in the US and pocket the savings. When it come down to reselling the car you can always bring it back down to the US.

Regarding bringing a US Ferrari into Canada...good luck! Between changing the bumpers for $25,000 hit and the rumor that Remo will not warranty the US car it would not be worth it IMO!!