Refusing To Sell To A Canadian ?

[schitzo1978]

Hello All,

New member here.

I am situated in montreal, canada and have been researching the option of purchasing a car in the US and exporting it to canada where i will register it.

It seems as though Once all the duties (6.1% cause its assembled in Japan) and taxes (15% Federal and provincial taxes) as well as the exchane rate (around 8% these days).

I could end up saving in the neighborhood of 10 000$ for the is250 in 6 speed manual, with the X package at 3650$ on the website.

Assuming i could negotiate the price down a few grand, of course.

Anyways, My grandmother lives in albany NY, so I called the local Lexus dealer in Latham, and I wanted to ask a few questions. As soon as he heard that I was canadian he told me that he cannot sell to me. Lexus requires the car to be titled and registered to a US address (or citizen?) I forgot exactly what it is that he said.

Anyways, i've spoken to canadian and US customs officials and they have no issue with me importing a lexus is250, it's fully legal and can be easily done.

Is this rule that he told me about a sweeping rule the US lexus dealers have been forced to follow by lexus USA?

An is 250 runs you about 50 grand in canada (manual) and from the us once all is said and doe its around 40k.

I am considering buying the car in Jersey as I have some other family members there (not too far from route 17).

Any help or ideas would be appreciated.

Do any lexus employees frequent this user forum?

thanks,

schitzo1978 in montreal

[Ripcurl]

Woah, what dealer you talking to?? I paid about 40k cnd here in Ottawa for my 2006 IS 250 manual. I cant remember the numbers exactly but if you'd like I could get more detailed with them.

Welcome to the board and good luck with your search!

[schitzo1978]

well the 6 speed manual is 36 550, plus delivery and prep, the sport package is 9600$ (which is totally rediculous) so we're up to 46, 150. plus 15% tax.

I am assuming that ill be able to negotiate a thousand or two down, but i am still at 50k.

it could go down to around 40 if you take a base 250 in stick with no options on it., But if you compare the car i specked out above with one purchased in the US, add in all the taxes, duties and exchange rate....and you get to around 10 000 $ less when buying from the US and driving it home.

what did u get and what kind of deal were you able to swing with the dealership (cause i may have no choice but to buy from a canadian dealership, if i cant solve this US problem).

Thanks in advance,

eric.

[01el]

I am in Montreal & I tried buying an IS250 AWD from USA. Every Lexus dealers I emailed refused to sell to Canadians. They have an franchise agreement with Lexus USA. Every car they sell to Canadian they get penalized 2 cars from future allotments. Someone In the US has to buy the car for you and then you can import to Canada. Oh yeah you'll have to pay state taxes.

I am still looking for my IS250 AWD.

Anoop

[JIBBBY]

It sounds like a good business oportunity...Buy a bunch of new or one year old Lexus's and drive them up route 17 or up thru Seattle then into Canada..Get the Lexus cars legal in Canada and unload for profit....What entails getting a US plated Lexus legal in Canada? There has gotta be some taxes, transfer fees and what not, right?

I use to own a dealership here in LA, California so I am familiar with the laws and legal crap here in the States.....

[bartkat]

I come up with about $45,000 Canadian for the base car plus X package and including destination charge, duty and 15% tax at retail list prices, bought in the States and legally imported to Canada.

[schitzo1978]

I come up with about $45,000 Canadian for the base car plus X package and including destination charge, duty and 15% tax at retail list prices, bought in the States and legally imported to Canada.

at retails listed price.....US dealers are alot more aggressive with negotiating. there are reports of people buying at under dealer invoice price. You can assume a 3k rebate if your negotiating skills are decent. In Canada you'd be lucky to get 500-1000$ of sticker price. Montreal which serices around 2 million people has 4 lexus delaerships.

Jersey must have close to 20.

My question is, if someone in the US buys it then it will be registered and titled to their name, that will seriously complicate matters when iporting it to canada.

Especially that US customs requires a 72 hr minimum notice (with title) when exporting a car from the US.

I don't think that having someone else buy the car for you will be the solution. How would the car get signed over to you (the canadian)?

But I do know of some people who went to the US to buy scion xB's cause we dont have those in canada, how did that do through?

eric in montreal.

[01el]

I come up with about $45,000 Canadian for the base car plus X package and including destination charge, duty and 15% tax at retail list prices, bought in the States and legally imported to Canada.

at retails listed price.....US dealers are alot more aggressive with negotiating. there are reports of people buying at under dealer invoice price. You can assume a 3k rebate if your negotiating skills are decent. In Canada you'd be lucky to get 500-1000$ of sticker price. Montreal which serices around 2 million people has 4 lexus delaerships.

Jersey must have close to 20.

My question is, if someone in the US buys it then it will be registered and titled to their name, that will seriously complicate matters when iporting it to canada.

Especially that US customs requires a 72 hr minimum notice (with title) when exporting a car from the US.

I don't think that having someone else buy the car for you will be the solution. How would the car get signed over to you (the canadian)?

But I do know of some people who went to the US to buy scion xB's cause we dont have those in canada, how did that do through?

eric in montreal.

Eric,

I know someone in MTL who is bringing my IS250 AWD luxury package + NAV from Massachusetts.

Final Price 51k CAD landed at my place.

This includes Massachusetts sales tax 5%

Canada Customs Duty 6.1%

GST

PST

Transport

Inspection

MSRP in Canada is 54k + Tax

Anoop

[bartkat]

If this is a popular thing to do, then there must be brokers who will handle the paperwork and the technicalities for a fee.

[schitzo1978]

If this is a popular thing to do, then there must be brokers who will handle the paperwork and the technicalities for a fee.

the paper work is not very complicated, a few hours of reading and you are all set.

Anoop, we need to chat, based on your estimate you're saving well over 10K, which is jsut about what i estimated.

email me at eattard @ gmail . com i have family members in the US, but am missing a few bits of info, with regards to the portion whereby the US resident buys the car for you.

I have the other details and potential paperwork all sorted out.

or let me know how i can reach you.

Thanks,

eric.

in montreal.

[EnginePassion]

A friend of mine lives in Alberta/Canada bought his 250 06 premium package for around CAD 60k. He was aware of the low price here in USA when he complained to the dealer they told him to call Lexus Canada who set the price so he did and they told him Lexus Canada is different from Lexus USA! I think Lexus Canada rips off and I advised my friend to complain to the biz bureau but of course no one will listen to person compalint.

[schitzo1978]

A friend of mine lives in Alberta/Canada bought his 250 06 premium package for around CAD 60k. He was aware of the low price here in USA when he complained to the dealer they told him to call Lexus Canada who set the price so he did and they told him Lexus Canada is different from Lexus USA! I think Lexus Canada rips off and I advised my friend to complain to the biz bureau but of course no one will listen to person compalint.

I heard that Canadian prices were set to include the levy on Japanese products (6.1% for models not assembled in North America) and that fact that the Candian dollar was trading at about 1.50 about 2-3 years ago. At that time the prices made sence, 30k USD was about 45K canadian or so (maybe just a little less.... Now 30K USD = 32 500 CAD$ so the prices just dont make sence anymore....Given that the demand is there, Candian Lexus dealers have no reason to decrease their prices.....

God bless capitalism......

As an informed consumer, I want to have the choice to buy from the seller who is willing to sell for the least. In this case its the Americans due to circustance.

Another member here is working on having a few imported, so I will try to work with him to see if I can get one legally imported through the US.

If not I'll just have to buy from a dealer who is willing to sell to canadians...apparently Infinity dealers will....... So i may be forced to pickup a G35 instead of an IS250...we'll see how all this turns out.

cheers,

Has anyone here had success with importing or exporting a car to a neighboring country, or is anyone aware of a lexus dealership in the US (anywhere) that will sell to a Canuk (any maybe fudge their books a little to make it look like it was a Yank who bought ?)

TTYL,

Eric. in montreal

[Ripcurl]

40009.00 cnd is what I paid. It has leather and the moon roof, thats it. Tony Graham Lexus Toyota in Ottawa.