Buying cars in Canada.

Posted by: darwin

Buying cars in Canada. - 27/06/2003 10:49

I'm going car shopping and someone told me that cars are cheaper to buy up in Canada. I'm within a 3 hour driving distance to downtown Vancouver and was thinking about doing some shopping. Does anyone know if anything special needs to be done. If I don't have to pay taxes or have to pay fees. Besides changing the dash from KM to Miles (Hopefully electronic) I'm just trying to figure out all of the pros and cons from buying in Canada.

PS: I'll be selling my 80gb empeg when I get the new car.
Posted by: Dignan

Re: Buying cars in Canada. - 27/06/2003 10:52

PS: I'll be selling my 80gb empeg when I get the new car.
Why on earth would you do such a thing?
Posted by: thinfourth2

Re: Buying cars in Canada. - 27/06/2003 10:53

make sure you throw a bog in the trunk when you come home
Posted by: robricc

Re: Buying cars in Canada. - 27/06/2003 11:00

I investigated buying a Delorean from Canada once so I know a few things about the subject.

You can buy a car in Canada and register it in the US if it is an exact copy of the model sold in the US as far as safety and emissions goes.

There are times at which buying cars in Canada is temporarily prohibited, such as when the US economy is in the shitter.

That's all I remember, but it is doable.
Posted by: tonyc

Re: Buying cars in Canada. - 27/06/2003 11:07

such as when the US economy is in the shitter.
Oh, so he should be fine now, then...
Posted by: darwin

Re: Buying cars in Canada. - 27/06/2003 11:23

Dig, I'm selling my durango to get a Lexus GS430. The one I want will have integrated navigation with the stereo. I don't think there's any other place to put it.

Posted by: Dignan

Re: Buying cars in Canada. - 27/06/2003 11:29

If that's the case, are you sure the stereo is all that integrated? I know it's a Lexus so it's going to be all fancy and high-tech, but depending on the system, the "integration" may be no more than voice commands.

Do you have any info on what make/model the nav system is?
Posted by: darwin

Re: Buying cars in Canada. - 27/06/2003 11:39

I'm not sure, it's the ones that come with the brand new cars. I attached a pic.
Posted by: robricc

Re: Buying cars in Canada. - 27/06/2003 11:45

That system is made by Kenwood.

My office mate's ES300 has the same system, but with a motorized screen.
Posted by: Dignan

Re: Buying cars in Canada. - 27/06/2003 12:02

Ah, that makes sense. My dad's company car (also a Lexus) had the same brand in it, though I suspect it's a later model. It looks like the toughest part would be to fit the empeg in there, since it looks proprietary.

You're right, though. That system is probably a lot more integrated, though as far as I can remember, the CD controls are in the nav portion.

I don't know, perhaps it isn't possible. I much prefer my nav system to that one anyway. The Kenwood loses its direction every time you start driving. And the only thing I lost when I switched out my stereo was the voice commands. Voice commands are awful.
Posted by: robricc

Re: Buying cars in Canada. - 27/06/2003 12:06

I am always the passenger in the Lexus, and I am unable to do much of anything while the car is in motion (lame "safety" feature). Many of the restaurant POIs (in New Jersey at least) are simply in the wrong place. I think the map data sucks, but the recalculation is very fast when you go off route.
Posted by: Dignan

Re: Buying cars in Canada. - 27/06/2003 12:53

I need to start a new topic on something, I don't want to hijack this nice man's thread