BUYER BEWARE WHEN THINKING ABOUT PERSONALLY
IMPORTING VEHICLES INTO
With the strength of the Canadian dollar, many individuals have started to think of purchasing a vehicle in the
NEW VEHICLES:
As a consumer, what do you have to be aware of in purchasing a new vehicle from the
1) Check the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) website - www.riv.ca - or call them at 1-888-848-8240 to make sure that the vehicle you are interested in is admissible in
2) Transportation of the vehicle - don't forget to include the costs you will incur in going and getting the vehicle or getting it shipped. Shipping will likely cost you at least $1,500.
3) There are several steps and costs that you will incur prior to being able to register the vehicle:
a) The U.S. Customs requires the title of the vehicle and Bill of Sale 72 hours prior to the vehicle arriving at the border, so don't think that you can arrive at the border, spend an hour or so and keep on driving with everything done. There is a $500 fine if this is not done properly.
b) The Canadian Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) requires that you complete a Form I, which will cost you $195, plus GST.
c) Taxes on the vehicle - will be collected at the Border.
d) Canadian Federal Inspection - refer to the RIV website for locations - cost included in RIV fee.
e) Provincial Out of Province Inspection - variable cost (Brand new vehicles may be exempt.)
f) Provincial Registration - you are required to provide the original
4) Warranty - you need to research this thoroughly if you want a warranty. Some manufacturers cancel the new vehicle warranty as soon as they find out that the vehicle is out of the country. Go to the dealer where you would go for any warranty work and tell them what you are planning on doing. They will inform you of any warranty issues that you will encounter. Several manufacturers cancel the warranty on vehicles brought in from the
5) Canadian manufacturers have created CAMVAP - the Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration Plan which helps out consumers if there is a problem with a new vehicle. This program would be unavailable with a vehicle purchased in the
6) Service - check with the dealer where you would plan to have the vehicle serviced and see if there will be any issues with having the vehicle serviced.
7) Vehicle Modification - not all vehicles from the
8) Financing - no manufacturer financing is available to Canadian citizens purchasing in the
9) Instrument Cluster - Canadian vehicles are required to register speed in km/hour. If the vehicle that you are importing does not register speed in both km/hr and miles/hr, they you will have to get the instrument cluster changed. In most cases, the vehicle will have MPH and kilometres per hour on the speedometer. If not, stick on numbers are allowed. One exception to this rule is BMW - the cluster has to be replaced because of the daytime running light requirement.
USED VEHICLES:
You are also likely to find that used vehicles are priced cheaper in the
1) The same requirements are in place at the border for used vehicles as for new. Be especially careful to check with the RIV to assure that the vehicle is admissible in
2) If you purchase a used vehicle from a dealer in
3) Ask to see the most recent registration and insurance for the vehicle, and to see receipts for any service done on the vehicle. This will be a good indication if the seller has actually used the vehicle. If they cannot provide them, ask where the vehicle cam from. The
4) In
5) You can check the vehicles history by getting a vehicle history report. CarFax and CarProof are two popular reports that will give you important information from a third party. You can get these at Registry Agents or via internet websites. These reports will not tell you everything about the history of the vehicle, but will give you a sense as to where the vehicle has been and will usually report significant problems.
6) Don't rush into buying a vehicle. There are over 200 million vehicles in
7) If you do want the vehicle, try to get it inspected by an independent mechanic near where the vehicle is located. You probably found the vehicle using the internet, so you can also find a mechanic that will give you a third party opinion.
8) If you are uncomfortable at all, stop the purchase! This is an instance where "Buyer Beware" has real meaning.
The proceeds will be directed to both sending children with disabilities to Camp Easter Seal in 2010 and to Access for All, a capital campaign to improve the camp?s facilities. Camp Easter Seal hosts approximately 800 adults and children with disabilities each summer. Children?s camp sessions are completely funded by donations to Camp Easter Seal and Easter Seals Saskatchewan.
Paul Savoie, Chairman of SADA, says, ?It is important to all of our members to support the communities and province in which we live and do business.?
Su Huynh, Camp Easter Seal Manager, extends a heartfelt thank you to SADA. ?The generous support from this community-minded organization moves us closer to our capital campaign goals and allows more children with disabilities to experience Camp Easter Seal,? expresses Huynh.
Camp Easter Seal is located at
The Saskatchewan Automobile Dealers Association is a non-profit corporation representing the franchised new automobile and truck dealers of
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BARBER MOTORS TOPS SASK. AUTO DEALERS BLOOD CHALLENGE
FOR SECOND YEAR IN A ROW!
REGINA, November 8, 2009 ? Barber Motors of Weyburn has driven off with top honours for the second year in a row in the 2009 Sask. Auto Dealers Assoc.'s (SADA) blood donor challenge, besting other participating new car dealerships from across the province.
Bennett Dunlop Ford Sales, in Regina; was the runner-up; with Honourable Mention going to all three dealerships in Humboldt, who all participated in the Challenge.
?The members of SADA support and encourage participation from their staff in the Canadian Blood Services and SADA?s ?Partners for Life? program,? said Susan Buckle, Executive Director of SADA. ?With the large number of collective employees within our provincial membership base, we all know of someone who has had the need for blood, in whole or part.?
The challenge is an annual event with management and staff of SADA members throughout the province challenged to donate blood during the months of February and August, when the need for blood is very high.
?Community involvement is important to our members and we are very pleased and proud to be able to support our communities through activities such as blood donation,? added Buckle. ?Such a simple, selfless act is often the most meaningful. When one can affect another human being?s life is such a positive way with so little input, it makes the act of donating blood all that more significant.?
?Once again, Canadian Blood Services is grateful to the Saskatchewan Auto Dealers Association for its strong support of the SADA Challenge,? said James Topinka, CBS Community Development Coordinator. ?As one of our strong ?Partners for Life?, SADA is showing leadership in supporting its employees as they promote the need for increased blood donation.?
For information on clinics or an appointment, please call Canadian Blood Services at 1-888-2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283).
About the Saskatchewan Automobile Dealers? Association
The Saskatchewan Automobile Dealers? Association (SADA) is a not-for-profit membership organization whose members are the new car and truck franchises in the Province of Saskatchewan. Their mandate is to provide a medium through which their members may advance their views of subjects of common interest and advance the interests of the motoring public; as well as to foster, promote and encourage by all lawful and proper means, those common interests.
About Canadian Blood Services
Canadian Blood Services is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization that manages the blood supply in all provinces and territories (except Quebec) and oversees OneMatch -the Stem Cell and Marrow Network. A dedicated team of 4,800 staff and 17,000 volunteers enable us to operate 40 permanent collection sites and more than 20,000 donor clinics annually. While Canadian Blood Services is a non-governmental organization, it receives operational funding from the Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Health and is regulated by Health Canada. For more information, please visit www.blood.ca
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NEW CAR DEALERS ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS
GOVERNMENT PROPOSAL ON CELL PHONE USAGE WHILE DRIVING
The Saskatchewan Automobile Dealers' Association (SADA) wishes to endorse the Saskatchewan Party's recent statement (September 17, 2009) on their proposal to go forth with legislation this fall to ban the use of handheld electronic devices to text or talk while operating a vehicle.
The Association is very pleased to see this type of legislation being proposed. "Safety is of the utmost importance when driving, and drivers need to be responsible when it comes to their cell phone usage and other distractions in their vehicles," states
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About the
The Sask. Automobile Dealers? Assoc. (SADA) is a not-for-profit membership organization whose members are the new car & truck franchises in the
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PRESS RELEASE - December 8, 2008
CONSUMERS BE AWARE!
VEHICLE EXTENDED WARRANTY SCAM!
The
Susan Buckle, Executive Director of the Sask. Automobile Dealers Assoc, (SADA), says, "We are working with our members to try to eradicate this consumer harassment scam. Our members are very concerned about the harassment calls to their customers and urge everyone to be aware of this issue. We also want to make the public aware that dealership nor manufacturers "sell" or "give out" any customer information, as it is against Privacy Legislation.
The details that have been gathered to date are as follows: A business or call centre (out of the United States, it is believed) has been calling consumers telling them that their vehicle warranty is expiring and trying to sell them extended warranties for their vehicle, over the phone. It is not known how this company is accessing customer names and phone numbers. This company calls the customer, directly, telling them that they know that their warranty is about to expire and trying to sell them extended warranty; even to the point of being very rude and harassing them for a credit card number. The telephone prefixes that have been appearing on customers? phone are 732, 203, and 603.
SADA has advised the Superintendant of Insurance, with Sask. Financial Services Commission, about this issue, as warranty products of this nature must be provided by a licensed insurance provider. If consumers have questions or concerns on this or similar issues, they can contact the Sask. Financial Services Commission at 787-6700.
Please remember - never give out personal or credit card information to anyone over the telephone!
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Code of Ethics, Statement of Purpose and Function