Agreed but is Buffalo N.Y. closer to Germany ? Just a thought since if you buy a Tiguan there you pay $865 for frieght.
You can't hate on manufacturers for freight charges, though PDI is another story.
Freight:
-freight is calculated as an average within a country. Hence, even if you live in Cambridge, ON, you will not be able to pick up a Toyota from their factory. The actual freight cost is certainly lower to Cambridge, ON than it would be to Yellowknife, but paying actual cost would be prohibitive for remote locales. Imagine living in Edmonton and paying $2k for Delivery, versus $100 for Cambridge...Toyota's sales would suffer for every location farther from the plant. Instead, the average charge is about $900 per unit, and the other charge is a ridiculous PDI fee (more on that soon).
-Because the US has a higher population density than Canada, there are more people per unit area to split the cost of freight. That, and areas are not nearly as remote (for the most part). Freight charges are therefore valid, even if there is something of a mark-up to be had. Imagine having to set up and coordinate your own shipping for your vehicle, and then having to pay for insurance on top of that?! No thank you. South Park got it right (see attached pic)
PDI, on the other hand, is a ridiculous charge. It includes your first tank of gas (and all other fluids), which is fair (and worth a couple hundred bucks, maybe, depending on the type and amount of fluids used (synthetic oil, premium fuel, etc)), but to charge the consumer for "inspection?" You've got to be kidding me. If I buy a coffee-maker at Canuck Tire, do they explicitly charge me a price on top of the listed sales price to "check that it wasn't damaged in transit"? This is why we have warranties - if there's something wrong with my car, the dealer deals with it. I think dealers SHOULD check cars before delivery for paint imperfections, etc. to ensure that the car is, in fact, new - but any costs associated with inspection or repairs should be taken up with the insurers for the freight companies (if damaged during transit) or between dealership and manufacturer (for any defects in the manufacturing process).
I'm sure I'll get some sort of response from those who work for car dealers here (sorry, Tooscoops), but a charge for an inspection really is ridiculous. I think it needs to be outlawed like the "System Access Fee" - again, eff you, Rogers, for screwing us all for so long.