For all the Canadian TCH owners out there, have any of you imported a TCH from the south. I'm finding that supplies of TCH's in BC are slim and the dealerships are taking full advantage of this fact by giving nothing for trade ins. Also, BC Toyota dealerships have what they call Access pricing. Basicly the charge everyone the full MSRP for their Toyota's hence ripping off everyone evenly! Anyways, I've found that there seems to be TCH's sitting on dealer lots in California just waiting to be sold. With the strengthing of the Can$, I'm thinking of a mini vacation where I would fly one way to LA and drive home. So... I was looking for any info anyone else may have on importing a TCH.

I was shopping this past weekend (Southern California). TCHs are plentiful.

It can be done, just not sure it can be done with a brand new car.
Here's some reading for you. Importing new cars from the U.S. There's a lot to go through 153 pages of responses.

Not sure how you go about purchasing said vehicle. I once asked a Toyota salesman in Calgary, what was to stop me from going down south and getting a much better price and as it turns out a fully functioning navigation system.

His response which could be complete b*llsh*t was they have an agreement with Toyota U.S.A. that they won't sell new vehicles to Canadians.

I would have thought any sale is a good sale.

I am in the same boat too. I am in Toronto, Ontario.

Based on the threads in redflagdeals.com, the neighbouring states were directed by Toyota to not sell cars to Canadians.

Further south it may not be a problem.

There is also the issue about government rebates. Nobody is sure if we will get the rebates if the car is imported into the country.

Some claim that as the rebate is based on the tax paid, they should give it..

Anyone from Toronto or Ontario, can you share the price paid by you for your TCH.

Blue is not on my shopping list, but from what I can tell (online inventories) there are many are Magnetic Greys and Super Whites to be had. I know the Super White is the Anniverary edition and that it is more $$ for some stick on badging and ebay door sills, but it would be more unique than any other TCH's in my area.

Well I need you to come down and put a Blue on your shopping list...thereby depleting the inventory so that they (Toyota) can ship the color I want. If you need directions or names of the Dealers with the Blue TCHs PM me.

I'll take blue haha but we're not ready to buy yet.

Yeah the neighbouring states have dealers that have (and they told me) an agreement with Toyota Motor Sales USA that they will not sell to Canadians.


Plus you can get the Energy Monitor/Consumption Screen in the US.

Mods: EV mod, VVT-i emblem, sport pedals, OEM cargo mat, JDM Prius interior footwell lighting, Sylvania Silverstars 9003ST, DICE iPod kit, OEM all-weather mats, TomTom ONE v2, LED licence plate lights.

Yes, there are some benefits to trying to import a TCH. A working integrated NAV is high on my list, as is the TMPS even though it does not display a digital reading. So far the only real disadvantage is the fact that the speedometer and odometer will be in miles vs KM. I'm not sure how expensive it would be or even if it is possible to have the instruments changed to display KM's. But from what I have found so far, it looks like to only thing that must be added or activated on the TCH is the daytime running lights inorder to be able to import the vehicle into Canada. So... has anyone figured out how to turn on the daytime running lights? The iguide shows that the DRL is a setting on the light stalk (might be on the XLE only). Is it the same with hybrid?

Thanks

Yes, the DRL are enabled/disabled by a setting on the turn signal stalk (US version).