I did exactly that, there is no duty to import US built TCH. I saved about 10K

 

Did you have a American friend buy it for you. I'm a Can. and tried to buy a Toyota Prius in Colville Wa. one yr. ago. Toyota can only sell a Can. a used car. H

 

I bought new car(s) gave them my Cad. address, so they dont charge any tax in states. Only thing to take care is that your dealer faxes the MSO 3 days before you cross the border. I had to make lot of phone calls to find a dealer willing to sell to Canadians. All you need is keep calling.

 

A couple of questions:

1. Were you are required to modify the vehicle to meet Canadian specifications when you registered it in Canada? Adding daytime running lights for example.

2. Does Toyota Canada honour the vehicle warranty or do you have to take it across the border if there is a warranty problem?

Thanks for your input.

 

Well I thought it would be the same at all Dealers! Boy it is really attractive now with our dollar at par. I would think they would have to take care of any warrenty problems.

 

I did installed foglights which are hotwired, to meet the DRL regulation. In my other car, I just went to CT with switch at auto mode, and they passed the car, as DRL works at auto position. But this depends on the inspector.
Warranty is honoured by both lexus and toyota dealers, so I think I have upper hand.
We bought 4 cars in our family. 2 Siennas, and 2 Camrys (XLE + TCH) all new and no issues at border.

 

I believe that dang is precisely correct. The US $ has dropped precipitously relative to other major world currencies in the past 5 years, while the Canadian $ has also risen marginally relative to other major currencies this year. The result is the enormous change in the C$ vs US$ exchange rate over the 2002-2007 period — the C$ has risen from ~US$0.62 to ~US$1.00; that is by ~61%! The Japanese automobile manufacturers have basically absorbed the loss by holding their US$ prices constant even as the US$ has dropped relative to the yen. So, US consumers have benefitted greatly, and Canadian consumers have been feeling shafted. By the way, Toyota has just announced a ~C$4500 "repricing" of the Prius which was selling in Canada at almost the same price as the TCH (which was itself priced a year ago at a less unfavorable rate for Canadians vis a vis the US$).

There is a class action lawsuit in the US against all the major automobile manufacturers for trying to prevent US citizens from importing vehicles from Canada when the C$ was so low relative to the US$. The manufacturers refused to honor the warranties in the US. As far as I know, the lawsuit is still ongoing, but Toyota were the first (and so far only) company to agree not to do so any more (without admitting guilt, of course) about 18 months ago. They paid US$30 million to settle. So, with the shoe on the other foot now, Toyota must now honor the warranty in either country, no matter where the car was purchased. Whether they are trying to "encourage" their US dealers not to sell to Canadians I can't say.

Stan

 

I do not think that it is necessarily true that the US price of the TCH is now too low. They are being built in Kentucky and the workers are being paid the same hourly rate in now cheaper US dollars. Also as Toyota sources the parts from around the world they will likely be using more less expensive U.S.-made parts. This over time should help the US economy and bring the value of the US dollar back up again! In the meantime I do not see any reason why cars made in Kentucky should sell for higher prices in Canada than in the US or vice versa when the Canadian dollar is low, excluding taxes etc.

 

Toyota should be able to charge whatever they like for their cars. If you don't like the price, buy something else. Simple supply and demand economics. Toyota is having record sales in Canada, sounds like their cars are priced just right "for the market". If I'm selling widgets for $20 and someone in Florida is selling the same widgets for $10, I wouldn't want some lawyer telling me I need to drop my prices to match even though I'm selling plenty of $20 widgets. If you want a $10 widget, go to Florida and get it. This is the only part I do not agree with, the restrictions dealers impose on cross border shopping. If they want a monopoly, THEN they should be treated like a monopoly and have their prices regulated. I would be happy if they did away with this practice, and let the market properly set the prices.