Author Topic: Importing a BMW that is pre 2008 (Read 8380 times)

tpl · « **on:** January 21, 2008, 05:38:45 pm »

I see on the RIV site that BMW no longer supply a list of admissible vehicles to RIV. I am sure that a few months back that the RIV pdf file did have a list and that BMW are playing silly buggers. Does anyone remember or actually have an older RIV file downloaded.

A buddy of mine wants to buy one of the last Gen 5ers which seem to have disappeared completely from BMW dealers used car lots in Canada

tpl · « **Reply #1 on:** January 29, 2008, 08:37:03 am »

My question answered.

BMW Canada began charging $500 per vehicle for supplying recall clearance
letters for imported vehicles coming from the USA, as of June 2, 2007.
Previously there was no charge for this service.

BMW Canada began charging an additional $350 per vehicle for supplying
letters of admissibility for imported vehicles coming from the USA, as of
November 26, 2007. This is over and above the cost of a recall clearance
letter. Previously nearly all BMWs were admissible for import from the USA,
and no such letters were ever required. BMW has also convinced Transport
Canada and the Registrar of Imported Vehicles that day time running lights
(DRLs) found on US spec. BMWs do not meet Canadian DRL requirements. As such
BMW Canada has mandated that only a Canadian BMW dealer can reprogram US
BMWs to meet Canadian specs. In most cases late model BMWs will also require
the installation of a Canadian instrument cluster and in some cases will
require an HVAC control unit (e60 5 series and e63 6 series) to meet these
Canadian DRL requirements. Expect to pay your local BMW dealer ~$400 to
program, ~$1400 for a cluster, and ~$1000 for an HVAC control unit.

More here:

http://www.willz.ca/importusatocanada.htm

A clever way of keeping US BMWs out of Canada and undoubtedly within the letter of the law if not the spirit of it.

99 Silver · « **Reply #2 on:** January 29, 2008, 09:21:16 am »

Thats too bad. BMW builds great cars, but they are arrogant p r i c k s. They are showing their lack of respect for the buying public.

tpl · « **Reply #3 on:** January 29, 2008, 09:39:20 am »

In this particular case, my buddy wants to import a 2003 540. BMW dealers in Ontario tend not to keep cars that old on their 2nd hand lots and they are rare.... manual transmission ones are REALLY rare, Manual ones with the Msport package are nearly non-existent. In the US they are still rare but at least there are some.

I told him to buy a Porsche instead for his mid-life crisis car

Guy · « **Reply #4 on:** January 29, 2008, 09:49:26 am »

BMW's is off my list for the S60 replacement in September. I will not buy a car from such arrogants !"/$%%$/.

sailor723 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 29, 2008, 09:56:55 am »

What really irks me is that it is Transport Canada who should be deciding what is and isn't admissable,not a car manufacturer. If TC needs data on any particular model of car they should send an official request to the manufacturer who should be compelled to reply within a fixed time.

If we should be ticked at anyone it's our government for letting car companies get away with this kind of nonsense.

Guy · « **Reply #6 on:** January 29, 2008, 09:57:53 am »

Ok, so I won't vote for Harper either....

mmret · « **Reply #7 on:** January 29, 2008, 09:58:18 am »

Quote from: tpl on January 29, 2008, 08:37:03 am

In most cases late model BMWs will also require
the installation of a Canadian instrument cluster and in some cases will
require an HVAC control unit (e60 5 series and e63 6 series) to meet these
Canadian DRL requirements. Expect to pay your local BMW dealer ~$400 to
program, ~$1400 for a cluster, and ~$1000 for an HVAC control unit.

Thinly, thinly veiled.

tpl · « **Reply #8 on:** January 29, 2008, 09:59:50 am »

Quote from: sailor723 on January 29, 2008, 09:56:55 am

What really irks me is that it is Transport Canada who should be deciding what is and isn't admissable,not a car manufacturer. If TC needs data on any particular model of car they should send an official request to the manufacturer who should be compelled to reply within a fixed time.

If we should be ticked at anyone it's our government for letting car companies get away with this kind of nonsense.

but it would be just as easy for TC to declare a common standard with the US and (IMHO) the EU, for bumpers, drls, emission, crash tests, lighting. What I really mean is to allow either the US or EU standards on any car imported or built here.

TopGun · « **Reply #9 on:** January 29, 2008, 10:58:25 am »

Quote from: tpl on January 29, 2008, 08:37:03 am

Expect to pay your local BMW dealer ~$400 to
program, ~$1400 for a cluster, and ~$1000 for an HVAC control unit.

Bendover Motoren Werke

anon · « **Reply #10 on:** February 27, 2008, 09:49:14 am »

Quote from: tpl on January 29, 2008, 08:37:03 am

BMW Canada began charging an additional $350 per vehicle for supplying
letters of admissibility for imported vehicles coming from the USA, as of
November 26, 2007. This is over and above the cost of a recall clearance
letter. Previously nearly all BMWs were admissible for import from the USA,
and no such letters were ever required.

Are letters of admissibility ever required by TC or RIV, or are they just used to assist or speed up the process?

ucda · « **Reply #11 on:** February 27, 2008, 12:50:39 pm »

TC and the RIV rely on manufacturers to tell them what vehicles are admissible.

articsteve · « **Reply #12 on:** February 27, 2008, 01:55:54 pm »

Ppl vote in an authoritarian government and then cry foul when they get bit by authoritarian practices.

dorin · « **Reply #13 on:** February 27, 2008, 01:59:06 pm »

Ppl vote in a~~n authoritarian~~ market-loving government and then cry foul when they get bit by ~~authoritarian~~ market-driven practices.

articsteve · « **Reply #14 on:** February 27, 2008, 02:07:16 pm »

That too.

marineboy · « **Reply #15 on:** February 27, 2008, 03:13:20 pm »

Yeah lets get back to the heady days Liberal inefficiency and the 60 cent dollar.

sailor723 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 27, 2008, 04:08:18 pm »

Wasn't it the Liberals who set up the whole "RIV" system in the first place and contracted it out to customs brokers Livingston International to run?

davidm · « **Reply #17 on:** February 27, 2008, 05:06:59 pm »

2002 MSport 6-spd 540 in Vancouver

http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/car/583961430.html

I'm happy to "check it out" for you.

eax · « **Reply #18 on:** May 08, 2008, 02:10:03 pm »

woah, woah...so what BMW charges for the import letter? If someone at the company has to do some work, any work, it comes off the bottom line and impacts available production time. As a result, there's a cost. If you own'd a company, you'd do it too. There's a cost to transfer paperwork and files. Someone has to process, update the database, write the letter, Management has to sit down and decide what they are going to do about imports and warranty ect....
BMW HONOUR'S the warranty on US imports. Dodge doesn't, Honda doesn't, Toyota nope!, most other manufacturers give you a hard time. As someone that paid the fee and had an warranty claim for $3,000.00 APPROVED after the warranty had expired on a US import I could case less about the $850 I paid. I still ended up with a M3 for the price of a similar year 3 series and had a MAJOR repair covered by BMW.

Paid $850, save thousands on the price of the car, saved thousands as the result of the warranty claim...good ROI IMO...

tpl · « **Reply #19 on:** May 08, 2008, 02:36:27 pm »

I had forgotten this thread. My bud found the exact car he wanted in Oakville....about 10k from where he lives and bought it. Low kms and looks perfect to me.