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Thread: Importing a Car into Canada - A DIY

  1. #51
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Calgary Alberta Canada
    Posts
    11
    My Cars
    2002 Mini Cooper
    Here is my story,

    Did the research, CarFax CarChex

    Called insurance company, they emailed me a 30 day temp insurance for car: cost $0
    Kept my plate from old Alberta car and put it on US car and drove home, got 2 speeding tickets on the way (M3's cause heavy foot syndrome), US cops didn't care, they were very nice. You have 14 days to transfer a plate as long as that is your intent and it is not for resale, but who can prove otherwise.

    Got No Open Campaigns letter from BMW dealer in states, I got lucky and they gave it to me, they didn't do it for the previous owner when I asked him to get it.

    Flew down to Washington, bought a 2001 M3

    I of course faxed in the US Customs form 72 hours before (friday midnight)

    Took 1 day off work and drove into Alberta on Monday midnight.

    Don't LIE to customs about value of car!!! Make sure you declare everything even mods which you may have paid for separately.

    I'm now about to go through inspections ... fingers crossed

  2. #52
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Just West of Toronto
    Posts
    65
    My Cars
    '08 MB E300W4M / '02 MB
    Quote Originally Posted by tntomek View Post
    Here is my story,

    Did the research, CarFax CarChex

    Called insurance company, they emailed me a 30 day temp insurance for car: cost $0
    Kept my plate from old Alberta car and put it on US car and drove home, got 2 speeding tickets on the way (M3's cause heavy foot syndrome), US cops didn't care, they were very nice. You have 14 days to transfer a plate as long as that is your intent and it is not for resale, but who can prove otherwise.

    Got No Open Campaigns letter from BMW dealer in states, I got lucky and they gave it to me, they didn't do it for the previous owner when I asked him to get it.

    Flew down to Washington, bought a 2001 M3

    I of course faxed in the US Customs form 72 hours before (friday midnight)

    Took 1 day off work and drove into Alberta on Monday midnight.

    Don't LIE to customs about value of car!!! Make sure you declare everything even mods which you may have paid for separately.

    I'm now about to go through inspections ... fingers crossed
    I think those of us who have imported already or are in-process are finding it's not as difficult as it sounds. I was fortunate to find the car I wanted right across the border in Buffalo, so got to test drive it and think about it for a few days before pulling the trigger. Now that I've done it (almost completed), I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. It was financially well worth it!
    I'm all out of BMW's - doesn't mean I don't still love them...and might just be back soon...

  3. #53
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Toronto, ON, Canada
    Posts
    30
    My Cars
    '94 318i; '00 528iT
    FYI: The RIV now requires a "Letter of Admisibility" from BMW Canada since Nov 26th. BMW Canada is charging $350 for this... in addition to the $500 they're charging for the Recall Clearance Letter. However if the vehicle was bought before Nov 26th, then they don't require this letter, a bill of sale showing the date (before Nov 26th) would suffice (or so I was told by RIV Canada). BMW Canada is telling me that I'd need to get daytime lights installed by BMW Canada ($125+) and need to get a "Canadian spec cluster" in order to get the recall clearance letter (I wasn't aware there was a recall on these). Load of bs I tell ya... :S

  4. #54
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Toronto, ON, Canada
    Posts
    11
    My Cars
    X3 3.0

    Somebody help

    Does anyone know a sane BMW dealer? I did my research, checked the list of admissable vehicles from RIV, and went to the US and bought a 2005 X3 for about $10K less than I would have paid here.

    Now I find out in the last week they have changed the rules and I must now pay BMW Canada $500 to get a letter of admissibility. Fine - I understand they are trying to protect their business and are colluding with Transport Canada to make it more expensive and more difficult to bring a car in to Canada.

    So I called my local dealer, only to be told I need to make an appointment and come in in person. When I ask why, since I only need to give them the VIN number, model, and year, they say it is company policy. So says the second dealer I call. Does anyone know a sane dealer who realizes the damage this is doing to their customer base and reputation and would be willing to rob me over the phone instead of forcing me to come in and take it in person?

    Also, and incidentally, the same dealer casually mentioned that it would be 6-8 weeks until I could have it on the road. It seems that the recall letter, that any US citizen can get in about 10 minutes, now takes 15-20 days for Canadians. Coincidentally, RIV requires you to send it to them within 14 days of importing the vehicle. So, even if you take the car right over the border and into the BMW Dealership, you still are going to be in contravention of the RIV requirements. Very nice BMW. This is fantastic from a reputational perspective.

    Anyway... does anyone know a dealer that is willing to take my money over the phone?

  5. #55
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Calgary, AB...EH!!
    Posts
    16
    My Cars
    '04 330Ci Alpine White
    From what I've been experiencing (very similar in fact) the dealer has to physically make sure the VIN is the correct one for that particular vehicle before releasing the recall letter, and if the DTRL's aren't done to BMW's standards, they have the "right" to refuse releasing the letter. On top of that, the dealership in my area wants to charge me $350, so I'm travelling 300 km to the north to another dealership that's going to do it for $125.

    To me it's not the money really (I saved $15,000 buying from the US so paying a few hundred extra here makes no matter), but this dealersip is being real jackoffs about it. They also said the soonest they could book me in would be late Jan early Feb.

    I'll probably pay the $ and get it done and over with. I just wonder what they'll try to throw at me next...

  6. #56
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Toronto, ON, Canada
    Posts
    11
    My Cars
    X3 3.0
    I would understand and agree if it was for the recall letter, but this is for the admissibility letter... the car isn't even in Canada yet - I need to give them the VIN so they can "allow" me to bring it in to the country - since when does a private enterprise set admissibility requirements for Transport Canada.

    End result, I called a dealer in BC and they agreed to do it over the phone and email it to me.

    BMW dealers are an interesting type. Between my wife and I we make very good money. I walked into the flagship dealership in Toronto in jeans and a sweatshirt and it took 45 minutes and repeated requests to get someone to see us. They were very unhelpful, but when I gave them my business card and they saw "Vice President" of so and so, they were emailing and calling the very next day....

  7. #57
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Livin' off the fa' of the lan'
    Posts
    79
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    In the garage...
    Quote Originally Posted by deepseacowboy View Post
    I would understand and agree if it was for the recall letter, but this is for the admissibility letter... the car isn't even in Canada yet - I need to give them the VIN so they can "allow" me to bring it in to the country - since when does a private enterprise set admissibility requirements for Transport Canada.

    End result, I called a dealer in BC and they agreed to do it over the phone and email it to me.

    BMW dealers are an interesting type. Between my wife and I we make very good money. I walked into the flagship dealership in Toronto in jeans and a sweatshirt and it took 45 minutes and repeated requests to get someone to see us. They were very unhelpful, but when I gave them my business card and they saw "Vice President" of so and so, they were emailing and calling the very next day....
    Can you PM me the name of the dealership? I just spent all of today trying to wrangle a internal dealer report for me. They had previously said yes, but the manager changed his story. Now they want me there in person. BMW US said Canada should be able to view the records, but BMW Canada said they don't have access to it, and the entire time I was beaten over the head with the word "Privacy Act". BMW Canada said they couldn't release that information to me, and I told them, "Look, this is my information for the my car which has been bought and registered to me. I can get my medical records if I ask for them, same as any other record. So why can't you release my car's information?" She said once again, "It's an issue of privacy". So I guess it's so private that to protect it's secrecy, the owner can't even see it.

    Overall they were EXTREMELY unhelpful, and I don't see why the RIV doesn't just make a mandate that you can't charge for these letters. They seem to be helping them if anything. 850 for paper is frickin ridiculous if you ask me, and I'm doing my damnedest to find a way around it.

  8. #58
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Toronto, ON, Canada
    Posts
    11
    My Cars
    X3 3.0
    Let me be clear... this was for the Admissability letter. I still have a battle to face for the recall letter. Does anyone know someone who works for a BMW dealer in the states that wants to make some $$? I'll pay them to get me a letter from their dealership system. The RIV website says this:

    If the printout is from an authorized American dealership, the company stamp must be affixed to the printout. In either case, the 17 digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the vehicle in question must be included in the letter.

    If your vehicle does not have any outstanding recalls then the letter should say "this vehicle has no outstanding recalls." This letter must be presented to the RIV department prior to your Vehicle Inspection Form being released.


    So if someone can get that for me, I will happily slide some coin their way.

  9. #59
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Livin' off the fa' of the lan'
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    In the garage...
    Quote Originally Posted by deepseacowboy View Post
    Let me be clear... this was for the Admissability letter. I still have a battle to face for the recall letter. Does anyone know someone who works for a BMW dealer in the states that wants to make some $$? I'll pay them to get me a letter from their dealership system. The RIV website says this:

    If the printout is from an authorized American dealership, the company stamp must be affixed to the printout. In either case, the 17 digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the vehicle in question must be included in the letter.

    If your vehicle does not have any outstanding recalls then the letter should say "this vehicle has no outstanding recalls." This letter must be presented to the RIV department prior to your Vehicle Inspection Form being released.

    So if someone can get that for me, I will happily slide some coin their way.
    So they're trying to charge you $500 for the admissability letter, $500 for the recall clearance letter, and $350 for inspecting your DRLs? That's insane! I'm also willing to pay for a recall clearance letter. If anyone feels like voicing their concerns over this matter, the number for the BMW Canada customer service manager is 1-800-567-2691, ext. 5375. Her name is Jackie. She's helpful, but I figure if more people call in to say exactly what they think of this BMW Canada might get the message.

  10. #60
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
    Posts
    5
    My Cars
    2006 325i

    Angry Another Moneygrab by BMW

    I have been going through the process of getting my BMW registered in Canada for more than one month now, in fact, it's approaching two months. I thought it would be a piece if cake, as I had imported a Range Rover a few month prior and had little, if any, trouble doing it. However, I now realize that BMW Canada is doing what they can to make it as difficult, time consuming and expensive for Canadians to import BMWs into Canada, so as to dissuade people from doing it. Here's what's happened In my case and what anyone thinking of importing a BMW can look forward to:

    Getting the recall letter:

    [It should be noted that when I imported my Range Rover, getting the recall letter was one of the easiest parts of the process. Essentially, I called a 1-800 number for Land Rover Canada, gave them the VIN number over the phone and they faxed me a recall letter within 30 minutes ]

    Here's the situation I encountered in terms of getting a recall letter for the BMW:

    1. The recall letter is $500 plus GST. You can't get around paying it if you have a vehicle with warranty on it. Trust me, I looked at other ways of getting the RIV requirements satisfied, without paying this $500.00 to BMW Canada. However, I learned from the service manager at the dealership that, if you do not get the recall letter thru BMW Canada, BMW dealers won't later do warranty work on the vehicle as it's not "registered" in BMW Canada's list of imported vehicles.

    2. I delayed in going to the dealer to have them start the process of getting the recall letter, as I tried to find a way to avoid paying the $530.00. Don't bother and make an appointment with the BMW dealer right away. Otherwise, you will end up waiting for them to "find time" to do the "recall letter inspection". This is not a big priority for the dealers. It's work for them to do the paperwork that BMW Canada requires them to do, but they make nothing on it. The money, I was told by the service manager at the local dealership, all goes to BMW Canada.

    3. When I spoke with someone at BMW Canada, they told me that they have had to hire a number of people and had to open an entire new department in order to deal with the significant number of recall letter requests. Apparently, this is the reason why they need the $500.00 for the recall letter. However, given the amount of time it takes them to get a recall letter done and sent out, I wonder if they have only hired two chimps to do the work, as opposed to any qualified staff.

    3. I went into the dealership on a Saturday morning To have the "recall letter inspection" done. They had told me that I could show up on any day and wait around to see if they "could find time" to do the inspection. If I actually wanted an appointment, I was looking at a wait of 2 to 3 weeks. So, I went in on a Saturday morning, thinking it couldn't take a lot of time for someone to look at the VIN number of the vehicle, fill it in on a form, and fax the form out to BMW Canada. After all, I would think that if they really were doing as many of these inspections as they say, they probably had BMW Canada's fax number on speed dial on their fax machine. I was sure that it couldn't take long. I was wrong. Apparently, this must be a "complicated" process. First, I had to wait About 90 minutes for someone to look at my vehicle. It then it took them nearly one hour to do whatever needed to be done. Anyway, that was a write-off of an entire Saturday morning.

    4. After I paid them their $530.00 of extortion money and just starting to get sensation back in my rectum area, they mentioned to me that it could take up to twenty business days to get the recall letter. I thought they were joking. They weren't. I got the letter faxed to me from the dealership on the twentieth business day following the day I had brought my vehicle in. That actually ended up being 27 days in total. Surprisingly, the recall letter was dated two weeks prior to the date that I got it. I brought this up with the service manager who faxed it to me. He told me that he did, in fact, get the letter the day that he called me and faxed it to me. in a subsequent discussion, he that told me that he had just received a number of recall letters from BMW Canada that day that were dated more than 20 days prior. Thus, one has to assume that BMW Canada is holding these letters at their office, even though they are prepared very quickly after getting the request from the dealership.

    5. Quite honestly, I couldn't imagine why it was taking so long to get the letter sent to me. I had seen a previous BMW recall letters, having seen ones obtained by friends who had previously imported BMWs. They are essentially two line form letters, with the VIN number and the owner's name filled in. Thus, after waiting about two weeks for the letter, I called the dealership. They told me there was nothing they could do about it and that I should call BMW Canada.

    6. I did call BMW Canada and simply was told that they are very busy doing "all the numerous recall letters". I was told that they were doing twenty to 25 per day. They made it sound like this was "a lot of work". When I question them about this, they suggested that they did more than simply look on the computer and write a letter . However, they really couldn't explain what constituted all of this work that was involved in getting out a recall letter. Furthermore, they couldn't tell me where in the process they were with my letter. In retrospect, my letter had been completed prior to the date that I called, according to the date on the letter I alternately received, and they just didn't know about it. I called BMW Canada two times after the date on the letter, yet they couldn't tell me where they were in the process, nor were they willing to give me any specific date by which they would get me the letter. They told me that, with the significant number of letters they have to get out now, people are going to have to expect to wait six to eight weeks.

    7. Thus, I suppose that I should feel fortunate in getting the recall letter within one month of the date that I went into the dealership. After all, how much service can someone expect for $500.00. Only one month to write a two line letter and put it on a fax machine is probably pretty good service from BMW, when they are only charging me $500.00 for that service. According to what I was told by the person I spoke with at BMW Canada and the Service manager at the local dealership, some people are now waiting for much more than twenty business days to get their recall letters.

    8. Also, I should feel fortunate in that I did not have to get a "letter of admissibility" from BMW . The service manager told me that, as of November 29, 2007, in order to get a recall letter from BMW Canada, you first need to get the letter of admissibility from BMW Canada. This letter costs an additional $350.00, plus GST, over and above the $530.00 for the recall letter.

    Getting daytime running lights:

    [it should be noted that, when I imported my Range Rover, I did have to get it programmed for daytime running lights. This required me to make an appointment at the land rover dealership (which they gave me for about six days down the road), show up at the appointed time, and wait around for approximately 30 or 40 minutes while they reprogrammed the computer system. They ended up charging me for one hour of shop time, which totaled approximately $130.00]

    Here's the BMW situation:

    1. I knew that something would probably work be required in terms of daytime running lights. Accordingly, when my vehicle first arrived in Canada, I called the BMW dealership to inquire about the cost of getting the vehicle programmed with daytime running lights. [I was questioning whether this was even necessary, given that the owner's manual shows how you can "informally" program daytime running lights on the vehicle by adjusting some settings via the i-drive . . . However,] The service manager told me that they could program in the daytime running lights, switch everything over to metric , etc., for $165.00. In any event, I wanted them to do a winter inspection, since the vehicle had not previously been operated in cold weather. They had a "winter inspection special" for $99.00, so I thought I would go into the dealership in get everything done.

    2. With the delays in getting their recall letter, I put off the appointment to get the vehicle serviced and the daytime running lights installed. I figured I would wait until the recall letter arrived, until I received the form 3, and then I would have the dealership to the daytime running lights, the winter servicing, and the out of Province inspection all at the same time. Although the dealership charges significantly more than other shops to do the out of Province inspection, I figured that the time savings in having it done together, and the knowledge that it was being done by a dealership, were worth the extra bucks.

    3. I called the dealership today to confirm my appointment next week to have the daytime running lights installed, get the "winter inspection", and have the provincial inspection done. I had a ballpark figure in mind as to how much all of this would cost. However, I was wondering how long it would take, as I had to figure out how to get the vehicle to and from the dealership using the plates on my other vehicle. After all, my BMW is not registered and does not have license plates, which is why I am going through this whole process.

    4. Believe it or not, the dealership now tells me that, apparently, they now cannot do the work that I was booked to have done and that they are unwilling or unable to do the work that I have asked them to do. What they told me when I called them today has me shocked and outraged.

    4. And now I come to the reason why I titled this posting as "another moneygram by BMW". Apparently, within the last week are two, there has been a change in terms of what work the BMW dealers will do to comply with the Transport Canada requirement for daytime running lights. Apparently, they are no longer "allowed" by BMW Canada to do the cheap $165.00 job to bring the vehicle into daytime running lights compliance. Rather, they have now been told by BMW Canada that in order to comply with the "law" it is necessary for them to change the entire instrument cluster. The charge for this -- $1,400.00!!!!!!!

    5. I questioned how some work which I had been quoted a few weeks ago at $165.00 could now be $1,400.00. Surely, even BMW dealers can't inflate their prices that much and that quickly. I was told that what they were doing previously to "install daytime running lights" was simply reprogramming some items via the i-drive. No tools were required. No particular expertise needed. However, they were charging $165.00 for this "service". They have since been told by BMW Canada that they can no longer do this, as it does not comply with the law. Apparently, someone recently found out that the work they were doing does not actually "install daytime running lights". The only way that can be done on the e90 is it by changing the instrument cluster had a cost of about $1,400.00 to $1,500.00.

    6. I think this is a bunch of hogwash. This is yet another way that BMW Canada is looking to make money off people who are importing vehicles from the United States. I find it difficult to believe that a vehicle cannot be programmed with daytime running lights within five minutes, let alone having to replace the entire instrument cluster. The land rover that I imported was a P38 Range Rover, which many think has one of the most over--engineered, overly--complicated electronic systems ever put into a vehicle. Getting daytime running lights programmed onto that vehicle took little work. Is it possible that a BMW can't be reprogrammed in the same way?

    More money grabs:

    I think that what we're seeing is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of how creative BMW Canada can become in terms of finding ways to make importation of BMW's more expensive, time consuming and burdensome. What I find most appalling is that RIV Canada and transport Canada seem to be in cahoots with BMW Canada. They are the ones who have these strict requirements in terms of recall letters, daytime running lights, etc., which gives BMW Canada the ability to charge exorbitant amounts of money for doing minimal work to get imported BMWs into "compliance".

    I was told by the service manager that I spoke to that I was "lucky" that I did not import a 5 series, 6 series, or 7 series BMW. Apparently, the work that is required on these vehicles under "new BMW Canada edicts" is extremely expensive. I was told that it costs approximately $3,500.00 to now gets the necessary work done on a 530i (which was the vehicle that I was thinking about importing). I did not entirely understand what he was saying in terms of the work required, or even why it was required. It had something to do with the climate control system having to be adjusted or replaced in order for all of the electronics to work together such that daytime running lights would work, blah blah blah. I think this is more hogwash, but I was told that all BMW dealers are now under strict orders from BMW Canada to require this work to be done to vehicles to bring them into "compliance". If the dealers fail to do this work and to a "lesser job" they could lose their license. Whether or not this is true, I do not know. That is what I was told by the service manager.

    In any event, I now need to figure out what I can do to avoid having to pay the $1,400.00 for work that is totally unnecessary. The fact is that I have already adjusted all of the Units on the vehicle to metric. This is easily done by changing the settings via the I-drive. The vehicle is, in essence, already equipped with daytime running lights, by way of the automatic light control setting. This setting can also be adjusted via the I-drive. Indeed, this is what I was told that dealerships were previously doing to "install daytime running lights" until a few weeks ago. The question is whether this will still pass a Federal inspection. Apparently it was good enough a few weeks ago. I question if it still is now.

    I have made this a lengthy posting, for two reasons. Firstly, I wanted to vent over the frustration I have felt in dealing with BMW Canada and the dealership in Edmonton regarding the Recall letter and daytime running lights issues.

    Secondly, I am sending it has a warning to others who are in the process of importing a BMW, or contemplating doing it. I think that it is fair to say that, if you are contemplating purchasing a vehicle in the United States and importing it into Canada, you have to account for the following:

    purchase price;
    transportation charges;
    GST;
    duty;
    brokerage fees;
    excise tax for air conditioning;
    any exchange rate issues;
    RIV fees;
    $530.00 for the BMW recall letter;
    $350.00, plus GST, for the BMW "letter of admissibility";
    up to $1,500.00 to have daytime running lights installed;
    additional expenses if you are dealing with a 5, 6 or 7 series;
    provincial inspection form;
    fee for provincial inspection (which by the way is about $350.00 at the BMW dealership, but as low as $100.00 to $150.00 at a "normal" shop);

    Also, If you are in an area where you need winter tires [which I assume would be most people reading this Canadian post] take into account the cost of getting winter tires (and a set of winter wheels) for your new BMW. You will probably find that most BMWs you import from the United States, particularly the southern United States, will not even have all season tires. Rather, they will come with performance summer tires, which are dangerous (putting it mildly) in Canadian winter driving conditions. Thus, you're probably going to have to buy a set of winter tires, and if you're like me and don't want to pay about $100.00 every six months to have the tires changed on the factory wheels, you will probably want to get a set of rims to put your winter tires on. This can be pricey!

    My vehicle, and I believe most newer model BMWs, are equipped with runFlat tires. They do not come with a spare tire, a Jack, or any place to put a spare tire or Jack. Run flat tires, which I understand are becoming pretty standard on most BMWs, are (surprise, surprise) more expensive than conventional tires. My BMW dealer quoted me the price of $3,700.00 for a set of BMW wheels and Bridgestone Blizzak LM-22 run flat tires. I ended up ordering a set of wheels and LM-22s from the TireRack in Nevada. However, with shipping, duty, GST, etc., that still cost about $1,500.00.

    Hope someone finds this useful.

  11. #61
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Ontario
    Posts
    42
    My Cars
    '03 745Li
    rf120: I'm scared since I'm importing my 745 tomorrow and dont know what to expect after reading all the stuff that you went through. Is there any way for you to scan the documents and email them to me? I dont think it would be hard to alter them since I doubt they are pretty simple letters from what I'm hearing. I dont want to give those scumbags at BMW Canada one penny.

  12. #62
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Alberta, Canada
    Posts
    28
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    Too lame to name it -_-;;
    Quote Originally Posted by lilmikey View Post
    rf120: I'm scared since I'm importing my 745 tomorrow and dont know what to expect after reading all the stuff that you went through. Is there any way for you to scan the documents and email them to me? I dont think it would be hard to alter them since I doubt they are pretty simple letters from what I'm hearing. I dont want to give those scumbags at BMW Canada one penny.
    +1 here

  13. #63
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Calgary, AB...EH!!
    Posts
    16
    My Cars
    '04 330Ci Alpine White
    That was a good post rf130, and I feel your pain as I'm going through some of the same things.

    The only thing I want to say is that not every BMW will cost the same to get the DTL's set up to Can standards. You have an '06, I have an'04, and the difference between getting the two set up "to BMW standards" is $1400-$125=$1275. The service manager told me I was lucky that mine wasn't two years newer because it would have cost me about $1500.

    I'm not saying that they're not ripping us all off, but everyone reading this should not be disgouraged from buying something that they want, rather be informed what they have to pay. I agree we're getting the short end of the stick, but when I saw the price difference between Can/US, I jumped at the oportunity. i figure that i saved anywhere from $15000-18000 from buying down south, and if I have to pay an extra few hundered bucks, c'est la vie , just make sure you know what you're paying in the long run. rf130 did his homework and checked on the prices of what he thought he had to pay to get it legal, but with crappy luck, they changed the laws of admissability on him at the right time and he got the short end of the stick. I think the laws are in place now and shouldn't change much (yea...okay), but this shouldn't discourage folks from taking advantage of a chance of a lifetime to get a quality sports/luxury vehicle that they may never have bought in the first place (or even an upgraded version of what they were willing to buy according to what they could afford).

    When i made a descision that I wanted to buy a second vehicle, I asked around to friends what I should get. I was looking for something that was somewhat sporty, yet luxurious, but still performed and commanded respect. They all said BMW. With my finances, I started looking at '01 523's, until my father told me to check out the US market. Soon I found out that for the same price, I could get an '04 330 loaded. I jumped and took the opportunity, and so should anyone else that has dreamed about owning this fine piece of machinery. If you're the type that doesn't want to take a chance to get what you really want, then they've won.

    Just a side note...I have a good friend that drives one of the trucks that brings the vehicles up from the US, and he tells me that the biggest buyer of US vehicles right now isn't you and me...it's the used car dealerships...the major ones that say Toyota and Ford in your cities, and they know a deal when they see one. He even told me that one of the dealerships gave one of his salesmen $500,000 and flew him to Pheonix and purchased a full truck load of vehicles (from Pathfinders to Mercedes). When he arrived at the reputable sales lot, he was told to make sure he removed ALL the license plates off FIRST before parking them in the back 40 so that noone would know (the other salesmen) where they came from before they started their "import inspections". This is all bigger than you and me, and if the larger companies are getting a grip on it, then why shouldn't the little guys taste it as well?

    My story...
    '04 330Ci w/sprt/prm pkg (excellent condition)
    • saved $15,000-$18,000
    • %12 duty/gst (-500 because i was down in US for 4 days)=$2000
    • $100 air conditioning fee
    • $250 for OOP insp
    • $125 for DTL's
    • $209 RIV fee
    • *not exactly sure what the cost will be for the Import Inspec yet...
    • I was lucky and bought mine before the $350 admissibility fee
    • $277 for fuel to drive it up from dallas, TX
    • 2 nights hotel
    =still doen't come close to what the bastards are charging up here in Canada!!!

    Sorry, I just don't see the math and am not sypathetic to the manufactures or the dealerships. People, this is a chance of a lifetime, and it won't last, they will eventually even the playing field out and your chance will pass.

  14. #64
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Alberta, Canada
    Posts
    28
    My Cars
    Too lame to name it -_-;;
    It's for the principle that these guys just steal our money. To me, it's the same ripoff that a guy that would blow out my 4 tires while I'm parked on the street and then come with a towing with a police officer forcing me to move my car. So screw them!

  15. #65
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    1,137
    My Cars
    '84 M635CSi, '86 M5, '99 540i/6, '04 XC70
    One more reason I will never again import a car less than 15 years old. I have no need for the latest and greatest examples of BMW's window regulator faults, nor do I feel inclined to line the pockets of BMW Canada and the RIV.
    Jay
    '84 M635CSi
    '86 M5
    '88 325i Cabrio

  16. #66
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Just West of Toronto
    Posts
    65
    My Cars
    '08 MB E300W4M / '02 MB
    It had to happen - eventually the bubble would burst. It took until now for BMW to realize they could soak the Canadian public for a bunch of ridiculous charges.

    I just imported a 2002 MB SL500 and had to pay the local dealer and MB Canada $3400 to get the car brought up to Cdn standards. This included $250 for the 'estimate of charges' and $500 'inspection fee'. The mods required included installing the DRL module, updating the rear bumper to meet Cdn crash standards and swapping our the 'BRAKE' warning ligh for the internation symbol. The admissability letter was free (I had it within 2 days) as was the recall letter from MB-USA. At least MB was up-front about the charges - I knew before deciding to buy the car what the costs would be. (Theoretically I was supposed to pay the estimate fee up front, but the service advisor at my local dealer gave me the $ figure over the phone no charge. I still had to pay the estimate fee, but it was added to the service invoice. I think I got fortunate importing when I did as I now understand the process has slowed down. I will say that as much as MB-Cda would prefer I bought a car here they did not try to get in the way. It sounds like BMW Cda is doing just that - making it unnecessarily difficult and creating some large negative feelings, which will only ultimately hurt their image and potentially negatively impact their domestic sales of BMW vehicles.
    I'm all out of BMW's - doesn't mean I don't still love them...and might just be back soon...

  17. #67
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Livin' off the fa' of the lan'
    Posts
    79
    My Cars
    In the garage...
    Quote Originally Posted by stiffy1 View Post
    It had to happen - eventually the bubble would burst. It took until now for BMW to realize they could soak the Canadian public for a bunch of ridiculous charges.

    I just imported a 2002 MB SL500 and had to pay the local dealer and MB Canada $3400 to get the car brought up to Cdn standards. This included $250 for the 'estimate of charges' and $500 'inspection fee'. The mods required included installing the DRL module, updating the rear bumper to meet Cdn crash standards and swapping our the 'BRAKE' warning ligh for the internation symbol. The admissability letter was free (I had it within 2 days) as was the recall letter from MB-USA. At least MB was up-front about the charges - I knew before deciding to buy the car what the costs would be. (Theoretically I was supposed to pay the estimate fee up front, but the service advisor at my local dealer gave me the $ figure over the phone no charge. I still had to pay the estimate fee, but it was added to the service invoice. I think I got fortunate importing when I did as I now understand the process has slowed down. I will say that as much as MB-Cda would prefer I bought a car here they did not try to get in the way. It sounds like BMW Cda is doing just that - making it unnecessarily difficult and creating some large negative feelings, which will only ultimately hurt their image and potentially negatively impact their domestic sales of BMW vehicles.
    You should check up on that "estimate of charges" fee. In Canada, it's illegal to charge for estimates. If your effort is worth $250, rattle your sabre and see if they back down.

  18. #68
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    1,137
    My Cars
    '84 M635CSi, '86 M5, '99 540i/6, '04 XC70
    Quote Originally Posted by xxplosive View Post
    You should check up on that "estimate of charges" fee. In Canada, it's illegal to charge for estimates. If your effort is worth $250, rattle your sabre and see if they back down.
    Is that only the auto industry? Lots of other industries charge for estimates "deducted from your bill if you have the work performed."
    Jay
    '84 M635CSi
    '86 M5
    '88 325i Cabrio

  19. #69
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Just West of Toronto
    Posts
    65
    My Cars
    '08 MB E300W4M / '02 MB
    Quote Originally Posted by xxplosive View Post
    You should check up on that "estimate of charges" fee. In Canada, it's illegal to charge for estimates. If your effort is worth $250, rattle your sabre and see if they back down.
    Seriously? Here's exactly what my work order invoice said:

    "Cost of providing estimate for compliance"

    Before I rattle their cage, anyone know how/where I can verify this is fact. The charge was mandated by MB-Cda but charged on their behalf by the dealer. I don't necessarily want to get a bad relationship going with the service advisor, in the event I decide to get service done their, but if this is fact, it's certainly worth my time to get $250 back. Thanks for the heads-up.
    I'm all out of BMW's - doesn't mean I don't still love them...and might just be back soon...

  20. #70
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Livin' off the fa' of the lan'
    Posts
    79
    My Cars
    In the garage...
    Let me clarify. If they're giving a quote without performing shop work or using labour, it is illegal. If they do work to source a problem before quoting a cost to repair it, then it's legal.

    Taken from the Ontario Gov't's Website (Since BC didn't have a similar page):

    The repair shop may charge for an estimate — if you are told in advance that a fee will apply and what the amount will be. The fee can include the cost of diagnostic time plus the cost of reassembling the vehicle. It can also include the cost of parts damaged and replaced while carrying out the estimate.
    Under the provisions of the act, the repair shop can’t charge for an estimate if you go ahead with the work, unless you make them wait for authorization and they must reassemble your vehicle to make room for other work.

    There's more good-to-know information on the site: http://www.gov.on.ca/mgs/en/ConsProt/STEL02_045947.html

  21. #71
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
    Posts
    5
    My Cars
    01 Z3 01TDI 92jetta 85TD Hondavf700 yamha xs11
    Too bad some smart parts person doesnt make the instrument clusters available to rent. Just long enough to pass the inspection. Then return it. Its not like anyone would ever take their beemer to a BMW stealership again anyway, after the stunts they are pulling...

  22. #72
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Just West of Toronto
    Posts
    65
    My Cars
    '08 MB E300W4M / '02 MB
    Quote Originally Posted by xxplosive View Post
    Let me clarify. If they're giving a quote without performing shop work or using labour, it is illegal. If they do work to source a problem before quoting a cost to repair it, then it's legal.

    Taken from the Ontario Gov't's Website (Since BC didn't have a similar page):

    The repair shop may charge for an estimate — if you are told in advance that a fee will apply and what the amount will be. The fee can include the cost of diagnostic time plus the cost of reassembling the vehicle. It can also include the cost of parts damaged and replaced while carrying out the estimate.
    Under the provisions of the act, the repair shop can’t charge for an estimate if you go ahead with the work, unless you make them wait for authorization and they must reassemble your vehicle to make room for other work.

    There's more good-to-know information on the site: http://www.gov.on.ca/mgs/en/ConsProt/STEL02_045947.html
    I suspect I wouldn't have much of an argument then - I can't imagine MB would do anything that would run afoul of the law. I think I'll just let it ride. Thanks for the info though.
    I'm all out of BMW's - doesn't mean I don't still love them...and might just be back soon...

  23. #73
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Calgary
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    '04 x3
    Quote Originally Posted by deepseacowboy View Post
    Let me be clear... this was for the Admissability letter. I still have a battle to face for the recall letter. Does anyone know someone who works for a BMW dealer in the states that wants to make some $$? I'll pay them to get me a letter from their dealership system. The RIV website says this:

    If the printout is from an authorized American dealership, the company stamp must be affixed to the printout. In either case, the 17 digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the vehicle in question must be included in the letter.

    If your vehicle does not have any outstanding recalls then the letter should say "this vehicle has no outstanding recalls." This letter must be presented to the RIV department prior to your Vehicle Inspection Form being released.


    So if someone can get that for me, I will happily slide some coin their way.
    I saw this on the riv website, but in the Admissibility List there seems to be a contradiction - it says "ALL modifications MUSt be performed by an authorized Canadian BMW or MINI retailer and must be completed before a recall cleareance letter can be issued by BMW Group Canada." According to this it sounds like the recall letter has to come from BMW canada - so I guess there is no way out of the $500?
    (it's on page 9 of the US vehicle admissibility list).


    As well, wouldn't it be possible to get the DTRLs fixed before you take the car across the border, that way it can pass inspection and your recall letter (which you may or may not have to get issued from BMWcad) will be done quickly? That way you won't have to get ripped off on the canadian dealer "inspection" and "modification" prices.
    And I'm guessing there's no way around the $350 admissibility letter, since it HAS to come from bmw canada?
    It's funny but all the obstacles they're putting in our way just make me want to stick it to them all the more. Good luck to you all who are looking to do this. Hopefully it will be ok for the post -november 26th crowd.

  24. #74
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Alberta, Canada
    Posts
    28
    My Cars
    Too lame to name it -_-;;
    I'll have to look again, but what I saw was contradictory. It was written that they would accept one from the US dealers. I'll try to call RIV directly.

    But I guess that BMW canada wouldn't accept it to give the admissibility letter.

    Who's the moron who gave the right to BMW to decide if Canadians have the right or not to import? I always knew than governments works more for companies than taxpayers, but it's getting ridiculous.

  25. #75
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Central Butte SK, Canada
    Posts
    106
    My Cars
    325xi

    BMW hates me too.

    I'm importing a 2004 325xi with the premium and winter packs and less than 65000 kms.
    What I've learned so far...$350 plus GST for the recall clearance letter.
    $500 plus GST for the admissibility letter.
    $303 plus GST for the DTR light "activation".
    I hate my dealer already and I've never met them!!
    The warranty is good but the maintenance plan won't be honored by BMW Canada according to the service rep I talked to.
    They have to feel threatened...my $18000 car lists for $34900 up here. Are we stupid?
    I'm planning on getting her home this month, depending on when I can get a truck to drop it off at the border and it'll be a cold day in hell before my baby ever sets foot in a BMW dealership(after the warranty is off, of course).

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