Porsche Cars Canada - Import Process Sucks

[Bladecutter]

Looking at the RIV website, I think things are a bit funky, depending on what year car you are buying.

Here's the link I found for Porsche approved cars:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/safevehicles/importation/usa/vafus/list2/PORSCHE.htm

It lists all Boxsters as being admissible, all years.
The date on the bottom of the page says 7-22-2010 as the date modified.

I would pitch a fit, and find a way to force them to take the US printed recall notice.

The big issue that I see is that the process is being controlled by a PRIVATE COMPANY, and not the gov't. This means that if the company made a deal with Porsche, there really isn't any going around it, unless you can force the gov't to get involved.

BC.

[tawheed]

Originally Posted by Bladecutter

Looking at the RIV website, I think things are a bit funky, depending on what year car you are buying.

Here's the link I found for Porsche approved cars:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/safevehicles/importation/usa/vafus/list2/PORSCHE.htm

It lists all Boxsters as being admissible, all years.
The date on the bottom of the page says 7-22-2010 as the date modified.

I would pitch a fit, and find a way to force them to take the US printed recall notice.

The big issue that I see is that the process is being controlled by a PRIVATE COMPANY, and not the gov't. This means that if the company made a deal with Porsche, there really isn't any going around it, unless you can force the gov't to get involved.

BC.

Yeah, I looked again today.. Nothing solid on RIV saying they need something from Porsche Canada.. I think this can still be got around if you have the will

[Aron in Toronto]

Things have changed recently. When I imported my Boxster several years ago, all I had to do was call 1(800)PORSCHE and customer service faxed me the "Clearance Letter" required by RIV (Registrar of Imported Vehicles) Canada. When the CDN $ went to parity with the US $ several years ago the Canadian Dealers lost a significant number of sales to the US and started enacting new rules to stop imports from the US.

The first attempt was to refuse to schedule appointments for service on imports, next was an attempt to invalidate the North American new car warrantee on US vehicles, then CDN Dealers started charging a ~$500-1200 fees to inspect imports and "validate" cars to maintain their warrantee.

These measures understandably upset Canadian Porsche buyers and PCNA backed down but then created Porsche Canada with I believe a separate warrantee on US cars Vs CDN cars. The most recent attempt to reduce the number of imports is the RIV requirement that US Porsches be inspected by a Canadian Dealer to make sure they meet Canadian standards.

The problem is that the RIV relies on auto manufactures to let them know if their products meet the Canadian standards. Porsche could have done what most manufacture have done, which is to say their US market vehicles also meet Canadian standards, either “as is” or with some required modification(s) like DRLs and metric speedometers. Porsche has chosen to instead insist that all imported cars be brought into dealers to be inspected for ~$1000 before they will provide the needed “Clearance Letter”.

This is nothing more than a short sighted attempt to create a small profit for CDN dealers who have lost out on sales, but is in my mind has the effect of driving off new parts & service business and alienating potential customers.

The real problem is the drastic price difference between US and Canadian Porsches. Several will say that this is due to the smaller market in Canada that causes the higher prices, but in the case of Canadian Porsche dealers, most if not all are in major cities, with larger markets and closer to major transportation hubs than many US dealers.

Back to the OP’s issue of the clearance letter, I know the RIV website states that US Porsches must be inspected by a CDN dealer & a recall letter from Porsche Canada (at $$$), but here in Toronto the RIV is still accepting documents from US Dealers and the inspections done through Canadian Tire.

Good luck on your new car and sorry you to hear you are getting jerked around by your dealer.

Regards,
Aron