Topic: Import STi to Canada

[dorin]

I just went to the Subaru Canada site and lo-and-behold the STI is $44,995 + $1495 freight & PDI + $100 A/C tax + PST + GST = $52,646.70.  That's expensive but nowhere near $61k.  Keep in mind that the US comparison only works if you have the money to actually buy a US car with cash.  If you buy in the US you also still have to pay the A/C tax, PST and GST regardless so you have to add those and the $200 RIV fee to US prices to have something approaching an apples to apples comparison.

I wish it was only $50can.

Go to the Subaru Canada site and price up the base STI car...

Financed the car over 5 years and the Canadian STI will cost you a WHOPPING $60,921.72 

[HeliDriver]

I wish it was only $50can.

Go to the Subaru Canada site and price up the base STI car...

Financed the car over 5 years and the Canadian STI will cost you a WHOPPING $60,921.72 

OMG!    Do you mean to tell me that Subaru's financing arm charges interest when you choose to finance the car?

Those greedy, thieving bastards!!!     

[HeliDriver]

I just went to the Subaru Canada site and lo-and-behold the STI is $44,995 + $1495 freight & PDI + $100 A/C tax + PST + GST = $52,646.70.  That's expensive but nowhere near $61k.  Keep in mind that the US comparison only works if you have the money to actually buy a US car with cash.  If you buy in the US you also still have to pay the A/C tax, PST and GST regardless so you have to add those and the $200 RIV fee to US prices to have something approaching an apples to apples comparison.

For the love of God, are we now adding taxes onto the cost of a new car to prove that Subaru is screwing us poor Canadians over?

And, BTW, Americans also get charged freight and PDI.  And yes, I know they also pay a lot less for that than we do. 

[Ex-airbalancer]

I wish it was only $50can.

Go to the Subaru Canada site and price up the base STI car...

Financed the car over 5 years and the Canadian STI will cost you a WHOPPING $60,921.72 

OMG!    Do you mean to tell me that Subaru's financing arm charges interest when you choose to finance the car?

Those greedy, thieving bastards!!!     

 

[dorin]

I just went to the Subaru Canada site and lo-and-behold the STI is $44,995 + $1495 freight & PDI + $100 A/C tax + PST + GST = $52,646.70.  That's expensive but nowhere near $61k.  Keep in mind that the US comparison only works if you have the money to actually buy a US car with cash.  If you buy in the US you also still have to pay the A/C tax, PST and GST regardless so you have to add those and the $200 RIV fee to US prices to have something approaching an apples to apples comparison.

For the love of God, are we now adding taxes onto the cost of a new car to prove that Subaru is screwing us poor Canadians over?

And, BTW, Americans also get charged freight and PDI.  And yes, I know they also pay a lot less for that than we do. 

No, we are adding taxes to prove that the on-the-road price of the Canadian STI is still around $50k, not over $60k as LBJGH claimed.

[LBJGH]

If you have cash you can have the canadian car for 50k, if you have to finance you pay 60k.

You guys must be dreaming if you think you can get a 2008 STi for under 50K.  Oh well... 35k usd (+tax) or 45k cad (+tax)

we are getting screwed...

I just went to the Subaru Canada site and lo-and-behold the STI is $44,995 + $1495 freight & PDI + $100 A/C tax + PST + GST = $52,646.70.  That's expensive but nowhere near $61k.  Keep in mind that the US comparison only works if you have the money to actually buy a US car with cash.  If you buy in the US you also still have to pay the A/C tax, PST and GST regardless so you have to add those and the $200 RIV fee to US prices to have something approaching an apples to apples comparison.

For the love of God, are we now adding taxes onto the cost of a new car to prove that Subaru is screwing us poor Canadians over?

And, BTW, Americans also get charged freight and PDI.  And yes, I know they also pay a lot less for that than we do. 

No, we are adding taxes to prove that the on-the-road price of the Canadian STI is still around $50k, not over $60k as LBJGH claimed.

[HeliDriver]

No, we are adding taxes to prove that the on-the-road price of the Canadian STI is still around $50k, not over $60k as LBJGH claimed.

Fair enough.

It seemed to me that this thread had turned into yet another "Canadians-are-getting-ripped-off-look-how-much-cheaper-cars-are-in-the-U.S." thread.

In that case, taxes are irrelevant.

[dorin]

If you have cash you can have the canadian car for 50k, if you have to finance you pay 60k.

And how do you intend to pay for the US car if you don't have the cash?

If you want to compare with the US then it has to be a cash-to-cash comparison.

[JSCC]

If you have cash you can have the canadian car for 50k, if you have to finance you pay 60k.

And how do you intend to pay for the US car if you don't have the cash?

If you want to compare with the US then it has to be a cash-to-cash comparison.

Line of credit from the bank? 

[dorin]

It seemed to me that this thread had turned into yet another "Canadians-are-getting-ripped-off-look-how-much-cheaper-cars-are-in-the-U.S." thread.

In that case, taxes are irrelevant.

I definitely agree.  The only two valid Canada to US comparisons are either car cost and PDI before taxes or, even better, actual on-the-road price.

[dorin]

If you have cash you can have the canadian car for 50k, if you have to finance you pay 60k.

And how do you intend to pay for the US car if you don't have the cash?

If you want to compare with the US then it has to be a cash-to-cash comparison.

Line of credit from the bank? 

Last time I checked my evil bank charged me interest on my line of credit too...  Either way, including financing costs is useless in this comparison.

[jromanjr]

Since I started this discussion  I should put my 2 cents in.

I know that the Can$ is on par with the US$ and this might only last x number of months but the problem is that we as consumers should have the ability to buy our cars from where ever it is cheaper. 

Why not just say ok Canadians here is the new price of your cars.  2% more then the US models and then just add/minus a % when even the dollar moves up or down.  That way we are not getting scr..ed when the dollar goes to par and the manufactures are still making more money.  What I want is just a fair purchase price.  Why should my canadian dollars mean less then an american dollar when they are even. Do we not work just as hard a they do for our money.

I know subaru is not the only manufacture that is hosen us but they are in my sights now cause I want a STi at a price that is reasonable.  I want options not just the loaded model.

[quadzilla]

I know that the Can$ is on par with the US$ and this might only last x number of months but the problem is that we as consumers should have the ability to buy our cars from where ever it is cheaper. 

You do have the option of buying the car in the USA if you wish. Just bring your bag of cash with you. Nobody will stop you.

How about if cars were cheaper in another country, should we be able to get it even cheaper still?

Isn't gas only 25 cents/L in some countries....shouldn't we get ours for that price also?

Where does it end?

[LBJGH]

OK, lets start with Canadian built cars shipped to the USA that actually cost more in Canada.

Even you people who don't mind getting screwed are going to have a hard time explaining this to yourself... let alone me!

[jromanjr]

I know that the Can$ is on par with the US$ and this might only last x number of months but the problem is that we as consumers should have the ability to buy our cars from where ever it is cheaper. 

You do have the option of buying the car in the USA if you wish. Just bring your bag of cash with you. Nobody will stop you.

How about if cars were cheaper in another country, should we be able to get it even cheaper still?

Isn't gas only 25 cents/L in some countries....shouldn't we get ours for that price also?

Where does it end?

It ends when I have freedom of being able to buy from were ever I want to get the cheapest price for the same product.  Why should I have to pay more for something just cause I live in Canada....

You say no one will stop you but have you looked at the RIV list and seen how many cars are not allowed in because of some silly reason only to protect the Canadain dvision of the manufacturer.

[quadzilla]

You say no one will stop you but have you looked at the RIV list and seen how many cars are not allowed in because of some silly reason only to protect the Canadain dvision of the manufacturer.

Isn't the STI on the allowable list?

I also thought that the cars on the list that couldn't be imported didn't meet our safety rules. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[dorin]

Even you people who don't mind getting screwed are going to have a hard time explaining this to yourself... let alone me!

There's a difference between minding getting screwed and using false and misleading comparisons.  I like getting a good deal at least as much as the next guy, but given that I've bought a lot of stuff from the US I've learned that the only thing that matters is how much the item costs once I have it in my hands at home.  Simply comparing retail prices makes the US seem cheaper than it really is.  Now it generally is cheaper to buy from the US, but it's important not too fool yourself into thinking it's way cheaper than it actually is.

[quadzilla]

There's a difference between minding getting screwed and using false and misleading comparisons.  I like getting a good deal at least as much as the next guy, but given that I've bought a lot of stuff from the US I've learned that the only thing that matters is how much the item costs once I have it in my hands at home.  Simply comparing retail prices makes the US seem cheaper than it really is.  Now it generally is cheaper to buy from the US, but it's important not too fool yourself into thinking it's way cheaper than it actually is.

True and that number has not been used here yet as it varies for each person. Travel expenses, RIV, delays....these things also add to the true cost. It you buy the car in the USA they just don't drop it of at your door.

[Zombie]

After duty, PST and GST the base STI should come to around: $41900

As for comparing apples to oranges in Canada your not given a choice in trim level so if you just want the base level then that is what your going to have to compare against. So in Canada the STI is $50850 a difference of $8950

Huh? 

The STI is only sold one way in Canada: Fully loaded for $44,995.

The only way to get the price of an STI up to 50 large is if you include accessories like ski racks, kayak stackers, floor mats, side window deflectors, cargo nets, short-throw shifter, etc., etc. ... And all that stuff also costs extra in the States. How is that an aplples-to-apples comparison?

Well if you weren't so quick to reply (or maybe your just not very good at math) maybe you would have realized that I was comparing the price after taxes for a cash deal as stated "After duty, PST and GST the base STI" .
For every dollar over the price in Canada is over the US (price+duty) you actually need to add %13 (in Ontario) for taxes. In the thousands of dollars that starts to add up. $130 per $1000 for you mathematically challenged.
I actually forgot to add the PDI which is $650 in the US and a whopping $1495 (Those bastards actually raised it again from $1300) in Canada, oh and both are subject to tax.

So with PDI added a base US imported STI should be around: $43029.86 (including duty, taxes, riv, and air tax)
According to the subaru.ca webpage in Canada it is 52,646.70 after taxes.

The difference should be about $9616.84.

[marineboy]

There's a difference between minding getting screwed and using false and misleading comparisons.  I like getting a good deal at least as much as the next guy, but given that I've bought a lot of stuff from the US I've learned that the only thing that matters is how much the item costs once I have it in my hands at home.  Simply comparing retail prices makes the US seem cheaper than it really is.  Now it generally is cheaper to buy from the US, but it's important not too fool yourself into thinking it's way cheaper than it actually is.

True and that number has not been used here yet as it varies for each person. Travel expenses, RIV, delays....these things also add to the true cost. It you buy the car in the USA they just don't drop it of at your door.

So what you are saying is that we are still getting screwed even when we purchase from the US. Just to a lesser degree. The manufacturers are hoping that the hassle and extra expenses will deter most people from shopping in the USA. Our dollar may be at par in theory but in practice we still have a .75 exchange rate when buying things locally.