Canadian prices and accessories

[paul c]

A .pdf announcing the prices for the Canadian models, including an accessory list. Either they're overpaying or we're underpaying. It's true that they get more standard features, but even so... I'm guessing (my favorite occupation and so suitable for our present situation) that our accessory prices will be about 25% less.
http://www.mercedes-benz.ca/mbccusto...cecard_eng.pdf

[propes]

I was rather surprised about that, too. I had considered taking a drive up to Winnipeg and buying it there, but I think I'll be better off being patient and wait until my number comes up.

I'm still taking a trip up to Winnipeg, where I'll see if I can get a test drive (although I'm not going up for that reason, it'll just be a bonus, because I missed the roadshow in the Twin Cities).

[Old smart]

We never thought that much about it when there were 1.40 or more loonies to a buck. Now that the C$ and US$ are at parity it is a different story. Worse if you have to eat import duty on big ticket items too. Hint - drive your trick wheel and tire set across.

[jonnysan]

That's the first I've seen any warrantee info...cool. 48 months isn't bad for most of the things listed. Not sure what the prices differences are all about, though. Same continent, slight difference in geography...go figure...or is this an look into the future?
Anyway, Good info, Paul!

[Twojjs]

There’s a class action lawsuit on behalf of some Canadian consumers in relation to the discrepancies in car cost.

There is gap in prices involving comparable cars sold in both countries. Generally carmakers set their Canadian prices separately from their U.S. parent corporations.

Some say the reason is car-buying patterns. Canadians want and buy different vehicles than Americans.

The base price of a Smart Cabriolet in Canada was $ 21,250, which equals $21,079 USD. The American Smart Cabriolet is priced at less than $17,000.

Read this article about differentences in car prices between the two countries. Click Here

[mfoster]

Canadian warranty is 4 years/48000 miles, ours is 2 year/24000 miles. We'll be able to raise the price of our vehicles to meet the Canadian price when we up our warranty.

[jwight]

Hopefully any additional warranty will not set us back 4 thousand bucks!

[SmartAmerica]

Porsche recently slashed their prices 8% in Canada to keep up with the recent news about class action lawsuit and the U.S dollar vs. Canadian dollar issues.

However, price discrepancy between U.S and Canada is still fairly large and now they are only 20% less in the US (vs. 28%). Could this be because we purchase 50 times the number of Porsches!

With this as a measuring device the difference between the prices for a Smart in Canada is actually a deal?

[SmartAmerica]

Customarily, car prices have been higher in America. The fast decline in the value of the U.S. dollar has reversed this and many cars are now priced lower in the United States than Canada.

There could be significant savings available to Canadian's that are able to buy vehicles from the United States and imported them to Canada. U.S. vehicles are practically indistinguishable to Canadian cars, apart from some minor differences, like metric odometers and labeling.

One example is a 911 Turbo. The 2007 Canadian MSRP was 170,700, current U.S. MSRP is 126,200.

A Canadian could literally fly to Florida, purchase a brand new car, drive it back to Canada and pay for his or her vacation with the money saved and even make up for some of the first year depreciation. As long as things remain as is, Canadian buyers could basically have a nice vacation; have a new car to drive around while on holiday, and sell the car after a year or so for what they originally bought it for new, thereby basically driving a new car for free!

Unfortunately, this would not work far a Smart car!

[SmartCard]

I think you have that backwards. Car prices are higher in Canada, and have always been in recent memory. And that Canadian flying down to the US use to take a beating on the exchange rate, so while the car cost less here, he'd lose it on the exchange rate (unless, of course he/she had US dollars squirreled away some place!)