Changes to importation rules!! effective this week

[petee_c]

bureaucracy's....

our 1st baby seat for our kids was illegal. We bought a Peg Perego set in the states cause our cars at that time would not take any other clipin rear facing seat. Got a deal online from a babystore, and used it. Was exactly the same as the Cdn one... just missing the cdn sticker, but saved over $300 or about 30%

I can sort of understand the pricing discrepancies between Cdn and US MSRP (population density, economics of supporting a sparcely populated country).... I can also understand supporting the Cdn Dealer network too....

Too bad, we don't really have a network of dealers for Porsche.... we have 2 dealerships in T.O., and that's it from Windsor all the way to Ottawa?

[ANDREW_D.]

There are Canadian dealers who are fair. I'm the one who brought in the BMW and Jaguar(and a 993 long ago). I brought in a VW Touareg from Palm Beach-Mint. The Canadian VW dealer was totally fair with compliance letter and honoured the warrenty. My wife now goes there for everything, oil changes interior trim ,full brake job,tires, all in the last 2 1/2 years,prob spent $4000. So which dealer is the real winner? Short term gain as punishment will not give them long term success.I also think that the ombudsman or a lawyer could find some non compliance under NAFTA.

[theiceman]

Originally Posted by KrisKringle

ok, I spoke to PCNA @1800-Porsche to request a vehicle clearance letter/letter of compliance yesterday.
They informed me that started this week, the imported vehicle has to be presented to a local dealer for an 'import inspection'.

The dealer will then issue the letter of compliance which you can present to RIV.

PCNA will be advising RIV that this will be the only option. Called RIV and while there's no official guidelines yet, they mentioned more manufacturers will be doing this.

I will still try to get a letter from a US dealer (bought my car privately from a rennlist member).

I also spoke with local dealer who pretty much said exactely the same: new guidelines that came in this week.

Until it becomes a RIV guideline (I expect very near future) one can only hope US dealers will continue to hand out clearnce letters (or until they get told by PCNA not to do so).

Will also contact clearanceletter.com today to see if they can get me one. And talk to a few dealers around Houston. It would be nice to save the $1200 (=mods!)
I will keep you posted.

okay what am I mssing here . I was under the impresion they need to see that leter at the border before they will even allow the car into the country. If some guy at the border sees you do not have a letter saying your car is clear of recalls and refuses to let you in , how are you supposed to take it to a local dealer.
Secondly the RIV fee you pay is to cover the inspection contarcted to C.T. are thay gonna refund you that if now you have to pay Porsche more cash ? also wouldn't C.T have something to say if they already have the contract ?

[DeAd-EyE]

Recall Clearance letter does not need to be presented to the border. It needs to go to the RIV in toronto/wherever once u've got the car.

[theiceman]

ah thanks Omar

I think i would definitely make some kind of clearance letter a condition of sale ..

[leblangb]

I understand the importance of getting the the recall clearance letter from the selling dealership in the US, but from what I understand from this thread is that the CT inspection after "canadianizing" the car (daytime running lights, etc...) is not enough, RIV needs a letter of Canadian compliance from a Canadian Porche dealership ? and that is more than 1000$ , is that what I'm understanding from previous posts ? Do we still go to CT at all ?

Sorry if I sound confused, I imported an Outback last year and it was a lay up, 30 minutes at CT, form 2 from RIV and then I got provincial plates + registration...

thanks for this new info, I had a Cayman S in the line of fire, this would really suck ...

Gino

[theiceman]

yeah i think you have it , at least that's what i get out of it. Basically it reads as Porsche Canada is gonna surcharge you 1200.00 if you go out and buy a car from the US, keep in mind that is the minimum. Anything they "find" has to be fixed. In amounts to nothing more than protectionism really when you consider the old process worked just fine.

[scubadawg]

I think it's a total rip off for Canadians to get stung with an inspection fee.
If Canadian dealers would be willing to deal on a Porsche instead of being so arrogant, if you want a Porsche, then you have to pay our price. I would buy in Canada.

Luckily for me, I purchase a Porsche last year from U.S., but I am thinking of selling and upgrading to a 996 TT or 997 TT, that has been modded, what is the Porsche dealership going to say, all the mods have to come off. WTF? The Porsche dealership will have the final say, pay us X $$$ or you won't get your letter from PCNA. We are being held hostage by the Canadian Porsche Stealerships.

It's making me think twice about upgrading my Porsche and buying something else as a second vehicle, or switching away from Porsche, Buying a Porsche from the US, only makes sense, since we only have a limited supply to choose from.

Maybe all of us should call PCNA, and tell how dissatified we are of this new Policy, and they are losing future Porsche owners, because a lot of us cannot afford to purchase a Pcar in Canada, but can bring in an affortable one from the US.

[theiceman]

you don't have .. to . there is a Porsche Canada now .. so how's THAT workin' out for us all..

[scubadawg]

I just looked up Porsche Canada, still PCNA

http://www.porsche.com/canada/en/dia...ndinformation/

Please check out the links below for answers to some of our most frequently asked questions. If you have a question that isn't answered in our FAQ or if you'd like to get in touch with us, this is the place to do it. Please do not hesitate to:

Call us at 1-800-PORSCHE ( 1-800-767-7243 )

Send us a letter:
Porsche Cars North America
980 Hammond Drive
Suite 1000
Atlanta, Georgia 30328

[JasonKM]

I'm currently dealing with a warranty issue with PNA in Atlanta. Seems Porsche Canada does not really have a real function

[swbatte]

I got my recall clearance letter from Porsche USA for no charge. The previous owner got it for me as part of the conditions of the sale. Very easy. It was fine with RIV - but really this is for exportation of the car out of the US at US Customs - I don't think it impacts RIV.

I had my DRL conversion etc done at Porsche of Farmington Hills (Detroit) for $200 & a 4 year service for $1200. Same work at Pfaff was over $2500.

I find it odd that the dealership figures - we can't compete with sales prices, so let's jack our service prices and be uncomptetitive there as well.

[Nontoxic88]

I just got off the phone with Porsche USA and my local dealership.

Apparently, two weeks ago Porsche changed their policy regarding issuance of recall letters required to import Porsche's into Canada.

Old Policy:
1. Call up Porsche USA with VIN for verbal confirmation of recall status
2. Buy car
3. Provide documentation to Porsche USA and receive written recall letter in 3-5 days

New Policy, as of two weeks ago:
1. Call up Porsche USA with VIN for verbal confirmation of recall status
2. Buy car
3. Import car into Canada (and pay 6.1% import tax?)
4. Take car down to local dealership for inspection
5. Inspection now costs CAD 1,250 + tax (new fee)
6. Pray the car passes all inspection points or your warranty is void (or fix/replace any non-Canadian approved parts)
7. Receive recall letter from Porsche Canada, if your car passes

[Nontoxic88]

I just got off the phone with Porsche USA and my local dealership.

Apparently, two weeks ago Porsche changed their policy regarding issuance of recall letters required to import Porsche's into Canada.

Old Policy:
1. Call up Porsche USA with VIN for verbal confirmation of recall status
2. Buy car
3. Provide documentation to Porsche USA and receive written recall letter in 3-5 days

New Policy, as of two weeks ago:
1. Call up Porsche USA with VIN for verbal confirmation of recall status
2. Buy car
3. Import car into Canada (and pay 6.1% import tax?)
4. Take car down to local dealership for inspection
5. Inspection now costs CAD 1,250 + tax (new fee)
6. Pray the car passes all inspection points or your warranty is void (or fix/replace any non-Canadian approved parts)
7. Receive recall letter from Porsche Canada, if your car passes

[Jamie140]

Originally Posted by swbatte

I got my recall clearance letter from Porsche USA for no charge. The previous owner got it for me as part of the conditions of the sale. Very easy. It was fine with RIV - but really this is for exportation of the car out of the US at US Customs - I don't think it impacts RIV.

Sorry, but that's incorrect. US export cares ONLY about liens, nothing else.