Hi everyone,

Am having a lot of problems importing a Crossfire to Canada.

First the warranty will be void completely, and I also need to change the bumpers foam under them... +/- $600, just to comply with Canada specifications. That is probably just a way to protect their market.

Is there other people in the same situation?

Please could you post your experiences.

Thanks,
George

 

Yes you will be having some headaches... I too wanted to import a new car into Vancouver for my Grandmother to drive, since her old ford jalopy was rusted out...
She did all the motor vehicle research on getting it through, only to conclude it's easier to buy in Canada.

If your close to the boarder, I would try and get a mailing address in Washington, and have the car registered there if your in BC area, or any other US state nearby, Heck maybe you can buy a small cheap lot on the US side for $10,000 and just post a mailbox on it. You could probably make a business out of it for other poor Canadians, charge like $400 for the year to register their cars there, I'm sure my grandmother would go for it.

As for converting to Canadian specs, the initial cost may be recouped when you sell the car. Why are you buying it in the States anyways? Does not DC have a dealership there?

 

You asked why am buying in the States? How about a $22,000 difference!

I live about 35 minutes from the US, so this is why I don't mind going back to the US dealer for my warranty. And I should had, I will not be overcharge like Canadians dealers do.

I had to change my transmission oil in my Murano, my Canadian dealer charge me
$30 a quart for the CVT oil, and I need 10 of them. In the US, the quart is $18,
do the math.

My friend Corvette Z06, he had to change a brake master cylinder, in Canada $465,
in the US, $165 from the dealer.


So this is why I like to buy American.

George
Montreal

 

Importing a Crossfire Roadster into Canada.

RIV requirments.

Replacement of front and rear bumpers - Why? Because of the minute difference between 8KM (Canadian) and 5 mph (US) bumper crash test requirements.

Bumper kit.

LF (5102545AA) and RF (5102547AA) + Center (5102556AA) (foam absorbers +bumper skin < another cash grab.
LR (5159187AA) RR (5159183AA) foam absorbers + bumper skin.

10 hours labour.

Canadian stealership quote: $3,250.

 

Mine came in in Oct '06, 3 grand covered the transport and mods to bring it up to Canadian standards. The US warrentee is not valid in Canada, I paid $2,500 for a 3 year bumper to bumper, and if I do not make a claim in the 3 years I get 95% back, this was all done thru a local dealership.

 

Wow! There is something to say about living in the good old USA! I had no idea what Canada's rules were. Good luck though.


2005 limited sapphire blue matallic and loving it!

 

Georges,

I just ordered the bumpoer absorbers from an honest dealer in Pentiction > By being honest, they just earned my service business, and possible warranty purchase.

Here is the information: NOTE the different part numbers listed than in the "Bumper kit" in my previous price quote for 3200.00 from a Kelowna dealer.

05 CROSSFIRE - 1C3AN65L35X------ US MARKET

FRONT

ABSORBER RIGHT- 5102547AA (CANADIAN SPECS) - RETAIL FOR 105.97 YOUR PRICE 90.07
ABSORBER LEFT- 5102545AA (CANADIAN SPECS) - RETAIL FOR 105.97 YOUR PRICE 90.07
BOTH ABSORBERS COMING FROM (USA) ABOUT 7-10 DAYS DELIVERY!!!

REAR
ABSORBER CENTER - 5102556AA ( CANADIAN SPECS) - RETAIL 238.05 YOUR PRICE 202.34 <-
ABSORBER RIGHT -5102554AA (CANADIAN SPECS) - RETAIL 94.19 YOUR PRICE 80.06 <---
ABSORBER LEFT - 5102553AA (CANADIAN SPECS) - RETAIL 94.19 YOUR PRICE 80.06 <--

TOTAL PRICE (TAXES IN) $613.10 - UNFORTUNATELY OUR POLICY ON SPECIAL ORDER PARTS IS FULL PAYMENT FOR CASH CUSTOMERS

PLEASE LET ME KNOW...



I found a body shop willing to charge 4 hours to install.

2005 Crossfire Roadster LE Auto with GPS Nav and 12000 miles (20,000 kilometers)
I am now into the car for:
19020 (including money transfer costs)
2,262 (GST + PST at registration)
1100. shipping
1200 Conversions Bumpers, daytime running lights
Total 23582

I'll get my ICBC insurance for a 40% reduction

Not bad considering I saw the same car with similar miles and options listed on a lot in Victoria BC for 34,000

I feel much less raped now...LOL

How did you make out?

 

It's not your fault however you got hosed by your friendly neighborhood Chrysler Stealership....I would have bought the same story however I couldnt beleive the bumper skins would be any different and did some research. What they sold you was a complete bumper kit front and back....I'm sorry.

Importing a Crossfire to Canada..

 

I'm also importing a 2007 Crossfire LTD convertible into Canada
Can you tell me if the part #s are same for 2007 bumpers or who I call?
Thanks
greg

 

Maybe its about the volume. I always heard Canada was a kind of utopia and all the crooks lived in the US of A. When I was stationed in Newfoundland during the Cuban missle crisis the Newfies were as kind and helpful as could be. One fellow did some body work on my Corvair that I dinged sliding into a Newfie on ice. Did it almost free. Course that was back in the 60s...

 

Just as a note, most border sites are now aware that a Crossfire is made in Germany, so you will get hit with duties as well as GST. Cost me $1400 more than I had planned to bring it over.....that one really hurt. Fortunately I did the DRL install myself...

 

My guess is that you can thank the Canadian dealerships for the added cost of importation.

You can bet that the auto industry is lobbying the government hard to limit cross border shopping.The game is to make it cost prohibitive to import a car to Canada. First the Canadian manufacturer created the bogus retro bumper requirements, then they refused to honour the warranty, and now they have RIV charging the foreign import tax.

The Bull- **** argument you might hear is that cross border shopping is adversely affecting the Canadian economy.
How is it that world prices from gasoline to food affect my pocket book but when I attempt to benefit from those same world prices the auto industry cries foul?
The bottom line is that Canadians have been getting hosed on a plethera of consumer products and services. I just have to take a trip to Seattle to prove this. I can purchase a bottle of Coke from a convenience store in the States cheaper than I can purchase it from a food department store here! I can get my car repaired for 30% cheaper south of the border.

Cross border shopping is merely forcing Canadian manufactures to be more competitive based on world market prices. If you don't think this beginning to take affect, check out the recent price reductions on auto, RV, boat and motorcycles. There is no sound reason why a car should cost more in Canada, than in the States.

P.S My buddy from Kelowna BC just purchased an 06 LTD Roadster with 6000 miles on it for 19,000 from a dealer in the States. I don't think he paid the import tax.

Cheers!

 

If you can wait until June or July Transport Canada is expected to change bumper standards to U.S., requirements. I would check with them. It would save you some money.

 

I heard that also but pardon my skepticism when I suggest seeing is beleiving...;-)

 

Interesting. The Vin starts with a 1. Which means built in U.S., even though it wasn't. I wondered how Chrysler got around that? A vin starting with a 2 indicates Canada a 3 is Mexico.

 

I imported mine in April of this year.
I did not have to pay duty because the VIN indicates it was made in the US. They didn't even go out to the car and check.
I emailed Chrysler Canada to get the part numbers required for the bumpers and the dt running lights.
The bumper mods with labor totaled $1000.
The dt running lights required the entire light switch module to be replaced which with labor totaled $750.
Still saved a bundle though.
I had no problems importing the car. The bumper mods are just a goofy old law that is in the process of being changed. The Cdn govt is more than helpful and is making it easier to import cars into Canada. It's just the car companies trying to make it difficult.

 

It might have been cheaper just to buy the car in the States and than move here. I hear Canadian beer can be dangerous anyway.

 

Thought I'd take a moment and introduce myself. I joined up last week and have really enjoyed some of the threads.
I'm middle aged, live in Brampton, work in Mississauga, run a Data Centre.
Saw a Crossfire Coupe a couple of years ago and fell in love, but as it's a summer car, it had to be a Roadster. What can I say?
Flew down and picked up my 2005 black roadster, cedar interior, 6 spd in Virginia a week + ago (70F) and drove it back mainly on cruise. What a ride. Love the American divided highways. It was pure pleasure until I crossed and hit the QEW. Then I had to DRIVE!

Did the Import process myself, very easy to do, through American and Canadian Customs in 1/2 hour.
As to the bumpers, 8 km/hour is 5 mph and I didn't have to change anything.
My only cost at Canadian Tire, the RIV approved inspection site was to have the headlight module replaced with their generic module because the standard tranny comes with a U.S.A. headlight switch while the automatic comes with DRL. Cost parts and labout $243.00. On the automatic the Dealer just logs in and changes the country code.
As to warranty, I'm an hour from the border and had it transferred to a Buffalo ZIP code, spoke to a Buffalo Chrysler dealer who stated, It didn't matter where you live or have it registered. If you're over in the States, any dealer will service you under warranty. Cost $125 to transfer.

You can buy a bumper to bumper in Canada for $2500.00 and get it serviced anywhere you wish.
The double ** for the bumper on the import list is deceiving. I spoke to the RIV office and got the run around because they didn't know that the U.S. 5mph is equivalent to 8 kmh in Canada. Just ask at your local Canadian Tire first.
Good luck.

Bob D

2005 Black/Cedar Roadster
6 Spd and loving it

 

The tip about service in the US very timely we live 15 min from Bellingham WA, as to price, I started my purchase (through
a broker) in Nov 07, cars in Canada at least 12, 000 more than the US, made a deal on the coupe 15K for miles, c/w GPS for 18,000.00 CDN + the bumper shock replacements by the time it showed up in Edmonton it had gone thru 2 brokers and the costs of cars in Canada had dropped dramatically, I ended up $24,000 all in. In my home of Aldergrove BC I "think" I can or could have gotten a SRT6 for that price ----no trade all cash and a warranty.

Live and learn, just bought an 07 Dyna 600 miles many add-on from a broker in Edmonton $14,000.00 could have bought cheaper in US but would have had to go and get it myself and the Alberta Oil Sands pay me to much money to take time off.

 

Hi, I can't speak to why some of you are getting hit with the bumper change. I spoke to Canadian Tire before I went down and the store I spoke to said no issue. When I got it inspected with the VIR form2, I actually went to a different Canadian Tire and they did the headlight DLR install in 2 hours, the emissions test and safety. The bumpers never came up in conversation and weren't on the inspection form.
I wonder if going through brokers, they are covering their butts because of the double **beside the Crossfire on the import list?
I paid $18,840, GST(5%) and Air Conditioning tax ($100)at Canada Customs, ($204) to RIV which covers the Canadian Tire inspection, ($243) for the headlight switch installed, ($35) emissions test, ($100) safety certificate, PST(8%) and I'm all in for $22,100 Cdn.
Here in Ontario, a 2005 Roadster sells for $24,000 - $26,000, plus taxes (13%) dependent on mileage. Mine has 11,000.
I figure I saved $5000 - $6000. That was worth the trip.
As to importing a vehicle, you can send a friend. It doesn't have to be the owner.
The only thing I had to do before I hit the border was to have the dealer fax a copy of the title with the VIN number rewritten in marker to be legible.
That has to be at U.S. Customs where you are crossing at least 72 hrs in advance of you getting there. That let's them do a title search because they stamp your title with an export stamp.
You also have to take a photocopy of the title for them as they don't make photocopies for anyone.
Note: Even though border crossing might be 7/24, U.S. Customs for vehicle export are only open 8-4, M-F.
Anyway, hope this helps someone out there.

Bob D
2005 Black/Cedar Roadster
6 Spd and loving it