[electricmba]

Originally Posted by kipawariver

BTW I got the "Vehicle Warranty " printout stamped by the dealer and RIV accepted it. No $500 to BMW Canada. Now fully licenced, insured and driving legally here in Ontario.

Consider yourself very lucky - and I hope you don't get any BS from the dealer on getting it warrantied. All dealers I contacted outright refused to provide this. Perhaps the "memo" didn't get down to Austin yet...those Texans are their own country anyway!

Good info on the Trip Permit though, you've done something that none of us have, and actually made some phone calls to get the real info - thanks.

[Rossland]

Originally Posted by kipawariver

BTW I got the "Vehicle Warranty " printout stamped by the dealer and RIV accepted it. No $500 to BMW Canada. Now fully licenced, insured and driving legally here in Ontario. I even got a super deal in Michigan on my way back on a set of Nokian Hak5's and had them studded here in Northern Ontario. All in all a saving of at least $10 grand and probably $14. The misinformation out there is rampant and if you spend a little time doing your research it is pretty painless. Bought a Caddy SRX last year for the wife and had the same experience.

Way to go kipawariver!!

[mekeni]

kipawariver, did you buy your 335i new?

[homydevil]

Originally Posted by kipawariver

Bought my 335i in Austin Texas on the 26th of October. I got a 20 day temporary permit from the dealer. I checked with all the DOT's on my route back to see if they would honour my plate (didn't want to get pulled over by a State trooper and not be able to explain myself). Checked with Ontario DOT and the plates are valid here as long as they are valid there. The only issue I had was insurance once I got back but that is resolved now. BTW I got the "Vehicle Warranty " printout stamped by the dealer and RIV accepted it. No $500 to BMW Canada. Now fully licenced, insured and driving legally here in Ontario. I even got a super deal in Michigan on my way back on a set of Nokian Hak5's and had them studded here in Northern Ontario. All in all a saving of at least $10 grand and probably $14. The misinformation out there is rampant and if you spend a little time doing your research it is pretty painless. Bought a Caddy SRX last year for the wife and had the same experience.

Hey hey !!! FInally I see some one with a realwheeldrive in timmins
Thanks Rossland!!! for letting me know about this tread.... I would have never found it otherwise

So I have a lot of questions about winter driving in Timmins,, specially about the studed tires you mentioned. do they make a lot of noise? and would they be fine on snow, ice and clear roads as well? cuz I am still looking at getting some good tires for my baby
thanks

[electricmba]

Update on the Recall Letter - It has been 12 days since I paid my $570, and I still don't have the compliance letter yet. I just called the service department at Budds and left a VM for the ASM I worked with, and decided I'd call BMW Canada while I was at it.

Well I was told in a very matter of fact way, that my letter was being processed, and that the normal processing time is 15 TO 20 BUSINESS DAYS. The dealer told me 5-10 days, now BMW has upped it to what ends up being an entire calendar month to get this stupid, ridiculous, rip off of a letter.

I asked her why I had to wait so long for a letter that simply states there are no outstanding recalls on my car, and her response back was "The documents have to go for signature, and we've put some new authorization limits in place". Whatever that means.

I am so mad right now I could drive down to BMW Canada and drop a flaming bag of dog shit on their front doorstep. This is extremely POOR BMW, POOR after I gave you $500 and you then tell me I have to wait a month.

I'm now screwed on my trip permit and more importantly, my insurance and the 30-day RIV deadline for registration.

I am hating life right now.

[Lost Horizon]

Originally Posted by electricmba

... I'm now screwed on my trip permit and more importantly, my insurance and the 30-day RIV deadline for registration.

I am hating life right now.

Ah, I see you also have met the pin-striped-suited-gucci-shoed-mental-midgets that guard the marketing gates to the ultimate driving machine..

In truth, BMW succeeds in spite of those turdelles, not because of them, although they will be first in line to take the credit. In the background are great Engineers who spend their time on product design and improvement, but are managed by sleezy oil slicks who sip mint julips in comfortable surroundings at the front verandah of the plantation.. but, again, I digress..

At least I don't feel alone now.. thx.. you made my day better..

[sandecker]

"The only issue I had was insurance once I got back but that is resolved now" - kipawariver

"I'm now screwed on my trip permit and more importantly, my insurance and..." - electricmba

Can you guys clarify what insurance issues you were/are having - I called my insurance company (state farm) and they said they would put full coverage on the car at the date of pick up in U.S. if I provide the basic details, VIN and sales price etc. over the phone. Am I missing something?

[electricmba]

sandecker - my situation is a little more complicated than most, as I did a little bit of fast footwork during my import to avoid paying GST (well deferring it anyway). My car is in my company's name, and I have a temporary policy extension from my personal auto insurance company to cover it while I get the paperwork/inspections completed. This was 14 days, now extended to 28, but that is up next week.

The initial thought was this was more than enough time to get the paperwork completed so I could sell the car to my leasing company and then transfer ownership / insurance to the personal side...but this delay is screwing me over, and it looks like I'm going to need to pay for a new policy to hold me another couple of weeks, as I doubt my insurance company will give me any further extensions (they're doing it for free right now).

I don't want the picture painted that importing is difficult because of this - because it isn't. I'm in this situation because I tried going the dealer printout route, which ended up coming back inadmissible (which is total BS), and I had to initiate the recall letter AFTER importing...so I have to wait a bit more.

[Rossland]

Originally Posted by electricmba

I am so mad right now I could drive down to BMW Canada and drop a flaming bag of dog shit on their front doorstep. This is extremely POOR BMW, POOR after I gave you $500 and you then tell me I have to wait a month.

I'm now screwed on my trip permit and more importantly, my insurance and the 30-day RIV deadline for registration.

I am hating life right now.

I am very sad for you, since my importation went so smooth. BMW Canada are shooting themselves in the foot. Do they not realize that the Cdn$ will not always be this high. They are screwing the very people who are most likely to buy a new one in a few years.

Both Acura and Caddy have made huge improvements in the last few years, and while they are not up to BMW standards yet, in 5 years, they may be better. Then BMW Canada will wonder where all their "customer loyalty" went.

[picus]

RIV has a 30 day limit on registering, huh? Looks like I might be up the creek on that one too.

[electricmba]

Originally Posted by picus

RIV has a 30 day limit on registering, huh? Looks like I might be up the creek on that one too.

I was wrong on that - it's 45...but I'm likely still going to miss that. Don't sweat too much, because I think you can get an extension from them so long as you call prior to the 45 days expiring and explain.

It's insane when you think about it - RIV is telling us that we now have to go direct to the manufacturer, we do that - and the manufacturer is taking so long that I'm going to risk missing the deadline.

Infuriating.

[linus]

These are the type of stories that BMW Canada is hoping that will be spread, so that we are intimidated into buying in Canada. I know there are some who believe that if the Company's Canadian sales are being "hijacked" by the C$, that Canadian pricing will eventually be reduced. I disagree. I think BMW Canada will increasingly resort to these type of pathetic antics. In all likelihood, though, it will do little damage to their image as long as their vehicles are in demand by enthusiasts like us and the common badge inspired consumer.

[electricmba]

My thinking is much like Lost Horizon's, where I see a clear delineation between the German engineers and manufacturers, and BMW Corporate. The latter is the problem, and are the people that deserve the flaming bag of dog shit.

I think the engineers and people that construct these amazing automobiles are all that keeps the company from imploding due to their own arrogance and incompetence.

[linus]

Did any of you see this article in the Globe this morning, and were you aware of this? Are the US E90s/E92s also suffering from the lack of this theft immobilization device? Just another fly in the ointment.


Buyers of barred cars can drive home, but no farther
GREG KEENAN AND STEVEN CHASE

Globe and Mail Update

November 20, 2007 at 1:23 AM EST

TORONTO AND OTTAWA — — Michael Hill saved $15,000 on a Toyota Sienna minivan, but he can't drive it around Calgary because it's sitting on a dealer's lot 320 kilometres away in Kalispell, Mont.

Mark Perry saved $11,000 on a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck that remains parked in his brother's driveway in Spokane, Wash.

They and dozens of other Canadians have cars and trucks that are stuck in legal limbo because their vehicles don't have a theft immobilization device that meets a new Transport Canada regulation and thus were banned from entering Canada. There's no similar requirement for U.S. cars.

Now, in a bizarre twist in the saga of the high Canadian dollar and low U.S. car prices, cross-border car shoppers can drive their vehicles home, but nowhere else.


Enlarge Image
Toyota’s Sienna minivan, one of numerous U.S. vehicles without the required theft immobilization device. (David Zalubowski/Associated Press)

Related Articles
From the archives

Cars face border roadblock
Buyers of new vehicles that lack the proper theft immobilization device may now import them, but must park these cars or trucks until Transport Canada finds a permanent solution to the regulatory snafu that prompted the ban. The reprieve may be temporary and the ban put back in place, Transport Canada spokesman Patrick Charette said Monday, but for now Mr. Hill, Mr. Perry and others are allowed to bring their vehicles home.

“But that doesn't solve the issue,” Mr. Charette cautioned. “If their vehicle is not admissible, they will not be able to plate their vehicle and it's not a guarantee that their vehicle will be allowed permanent importation and licensing in Canada.”

Ottawa banned vehicles sold by several manufacturers in the United States because they didn't have theft devices that met a new standard established by Transport Canada for vehicles manufactured after Sept. 1. The ban was rescinded after the Canadian Border Services Agency raised the problem of cars being denied entry to Canada, Mr. Charette said.

There are “dozens and dozens and dozens” of Canadians affected, said Robert Lamb of Kirkland, Que., who has a 2008 Honda Civic EXL in his garage that he bought in the United States, but can't drive in Canada. Mr. Lamb is leading a group seeking to persuade Ottawa to eliminate the regulation or find some other way to permit them to drive their vehicles in Canada.

Mr. Charette said Ottawa wants to “find a fair and balanced solution,” but declined to elaborate. In the meantime, importers are allowed to drive these vehicles to a parking lot, but won't be able to do much more because they remain in legal limbo.

“Right now we appreciate that there's obviously an issue with the anti-theft immobilizer, but it's the requirement and it was long planned,” Mr. Charette said of the new regulation, which Ottawa announced more than two years ago would take effect on Sept. 1.

Blocking U.S. vehicles because of the theft immobilization devices “is discriminatory to Canadians as it is allowing automobile manufacturers to maintain their high pricing structure for new cars in Canada,” said Mr. Hill, a Calgary financial consultant who bought a 2008 Sienna last month. “This is either collusion or unintended consequences.”

Several auto makers have pointed out that they actually opposed the change in the regulation on theft immobilizers, that discussion of the change first started more than four years ago and that the timing of the new regulation accidentally coincided with the rise in the Canadian dollar.

The list of banned vehicles was broadened last week to include 2008 models manufactured after Sept. 1 and sold in the United States by Ford Motor Co. [F-N], Hyundai Motor Co. and Suzuki Motor Co. Ltd. All 2008 General Motors Corp. [GM-N] models, several Honda Motor Co. Ltd. vehicles and about half of the Toyota Motor Corp. [TM-N] lineup are also affected.

“It was just a matter of timing,” Suzuki Canada Inc. spokesman Mike Kurnik said Monday. Suzuki vehicles sold in the United States either don't have the device or it doesn't meet the new Canadian regulation, he said.

In the case of its models that are inadmissible, Honda Canada Inc. [HMC-N] is not aware of a compatible after-market kit that meets government requirements, senior vice-president Jim Miller said Monday.

“If there is and it is installed the question becomes who is going to certify that the vehicle is compliant with the regulation as no testing has been done?” Mr. Miller said. “Who is responsible for any warranty problems as you are cutting into the wiring system of the vehicle?”

Neither Transport Canada, the Canadian Border Services Agency or the Registrar of Imported Vehicles was able to provide a definitive figure – or even a guess – at the number of Canadians who bought vehicles in the United States but were turned back at the border because their cars did not meet the new standard.

[electricmba]

linus - yes, my friend is a Toyota dealer, and he's told me a few stories about this. I feel for these people, but on the other hand, they haven't done the required homework prior to doing the import. They would have found out that these vehicles are inadmissible if they had checked with RIV first, as you are supposed to do with any and all cars you import.

The immobilizer is not an issue with e92s.

[picus]

e92's have an immobilizer, iirc.

Originally Posted by linus

These are the type of stories that BMW Canada is hoping that will be spread, so that we are intimidated into buying in Canada. I know there are some who believe that if the Company's Canadian sales are being "hijacked" by the C$, that Canadian pricing will eventually be reduced. I disagree. I think BMW Canada will increasingly resort to these type of pathetic antics. In all likelihood, though, it will do little damage to their image as long as their vehicles are in demand by enthusiasts like us and the common badge inspired consumer.

I agree. It's kind of sad, I was actually pretty psyched that BMW wasn't pulling a Porsche or Mercedes and just killing the factory warranty on US cars. This is almost worse, though. If you don't want us to import just man up and void the warranty. But in typical BMW fashion they want to ride the fence.

So, how's the Mini?

[Lotus99]

Originally Posted by picus

It's kind of sad, I was actually pretty psyched that BMW wasn't pulling a Porsche or Mercedes and just killing the factory warranty on US cars.

I didn't think their warrnties were void? According to APA Merc is ok as long as you get the letter from them, and I've not read about Porsche, but on Audiworld quite a few people were talking about it a long time ago being ok.

Do you think there's a chance they could retroactively void a warranty on a US car? I would highly doubt that would be legal, as the terms at the time of sale I would think are what count. SO if they sell a car with an NA warranty, they can't say later that it's void. They could say as of a certain point every car sold has a US only warranty. But they do dirty things...so who knows.

[electricmba]

Mercedes honors the warranty, with the exception of claims related to corrosion. Note that they are worse than BMW and make you pay $1000 for something called a "letter of admissibility", which needs to be acquired BEFORE you even think of bringing the car over. The Recall Clearance letter is then no charge as of now. Mercedes are unique in RIV's eyes, as ALL mercedes need a letter of admissibility prior to import, while BMW's and most others don't.

Porsche fully honors the NA warranty, less the free maintenance, just like BMW.

The only vendors that aren't honoring warranties as of the time of writing are Honda/Acura and Mazda - and they are getting in to hot water over it. Some others have weird hiccups like not having extended powertrain, or in GM's case, they don't honor the warranty for the first 6 months after import.

[Lotus99]

electric, what do you think about this comment of mine for BMW?

Do you think there's a chance they could retroactively void a warranty on a US car? I would highly doubt that would be legal, as the terms at the time of sale I would think are what count. SO if they sell a car with an NA warranty, they can't say later that it's void. They could say as of a certain point every car sold has a US only warranty. But they do dirty things...so who knows.

[seifufu]

they can't/won't do that for the simple reason that people who imported from the US for legit reasons will be screwed over...

[electricmba]

There is no possible way that a manufacturer could suddenly make a unilateral U-Turn like that AFTER they have published their intent to honor warranties.

That said - it's possible (but not plausible) that BMW could make an announcement next month that they will not honor warranties on newly imported vehicles effective XX/XX/XXXX - which would mean that the old ones would be grandfathered.

Truth be told - there's a class action suit going on that is accusing the Canadian dealers of violating NAFTA and other items, so in the end, even those car manufacturers that aren't honoring the warranties might be forced into it anyway.

Personally, in my humble opinion, I wouldn't worry about it. What I think will be more likley is an increase in this $500 fee.

[Lost Horizon]

Originally Posted by electricmba

linus -... I feel for these people, but on the other hand, they haven't done the required homework prior to doing the import. They would have found out that these vehicles are inadmissible if they had checked with RIV first, as you are supposed to do with any and all cars you import...

ah, not exactly, at least in some cases.. in the last two months, RIV has been changing the rules/list almost daily in their "wack-a-mole teach 'em a lesson" for supporting America, and a bunch of them got caught up in the "retro-rule RIV" scenario.. ie, their selections were OK when they bought, then while on the 72 hr ballistic curve back to the border the world changed and the target moved..

I know this because I imported a freshly minted 2008 for my wife on a "border friendly" RIV car that was OK on the list, and fortunately, stayed that way till I got it on the road here. Others I know were stuck on the Toyota/Honda loyalty thingy (lordy, I know that heartache with BMW) and got burned in the RIV-Toyota_Honda flame-thrower border back burn aimed at trying and stop the advancing fire from the south on a technicality.