[JKNorth]

It's the same as the Toronto Maple Leafs man, as long as people are willing to pay to fill every seat the price isn't too high. As long as BMW keeps making their sales targets, the prices aren't too high...

[sti jaguar]

Good post OP. Do not worry about the mindless herd that are telling you that if you do not like the system, then do not buy a BMW.

It is always good to question why we are paying higher prices.

[MRQturbo]

stop comparing apples vs oranges....canadian market and us markets are different entities...

[RobertaZ]

Originally Posted by AmericanInToronto

Just a thought and I'm sure if anyone did this, BMW would slam them with a lawsuit.

It would be better if someone set up a company that "referred" prospective clients to the appropriate local brokers for a quick car turnover.

It would also be interesting to see what a judge would say about BMW suing an individual or company for reselling a product for which they owned title! It's not like a CD or book, where ownership of the contents is maintained by the author/musician/publisher. Once a car is purchased (for cash), the manufacturer has no rights to that vehicle.

[RobertaZ]

Originally Posted by MRQturbo

stop comparing apples vs oranges....canadian market and us markets are different entities...

YOU may be comparing the Cdn. to the U.S. markets. We, however, are comparing Cdn. BMW cars to U.S. BMW cars and they are identical vehicles at vastly different prices.

[RobertaZ]

Originally Posted by JKNorth

It's the same as the Toronto Maple Leafs man, as long as people are willing to pay to fill every seat the price isn't too high. As long as BMW keeps making their sales targets, the prices aren't too high...

Not quite the same.....You can watch the Leafs on TV for (virtually) free, but watching a car doesn't help at all.

R

P.S. Why in heaven's name would you want to watch the Leafs?

[AmericanInToronto]

Originally Posted by RobertaZ

It would be better if someone set up a company that "referred" prospective clients to the appropriate local brokers for a quick car turnover.

It would also be interesting to see what a judge would say about BMW suing an individual or company for reselling a product for which they owned title! It's not like a CD or book, where ownership of the contents is maintained by the author/musician/publisher. Once a car is purchased (for cash), the manufacturer has no rights to that vehicle.

They'll claim violation of clause (10) of the purchase agreement where the buyer agrees not to sell the vehicle for till 12 months after purchase date.

[335BBS]

Fridays globe has Canadian price for new 1M at $6000 more for identical car in US. THATS wrong while Porsche etc have lowered their prices. They still arent equal but much better.

[RobertaZ]

Originally Posted by AmericanInToronto

They'll claim violation of clause (10) of the purchase agreement where the buyer agrees not to sell the vehicle for till 12 months after purchase date.

I'd bet anything that that clause is legally unenforceable. It's even weaker than "not working for the competition for X years" clauses in employment contracts.

I can't imagine BMW suing my cousin in NH for buying a car and reselling it to me. I'd LOVE to see that hit the courts.

R

[AmericanInToronto]

Originally Posted by RobertaZ

I'd bet anything that that clause is legally unenforceable. It's even weaker than "not working for the competition for X years" clauses in employment contracts.

I can't imagine BMW suing my cousin in NH for buying a car and reselling it to me. I'd LOVE to see that hit the courts.

R

They don't need to win....just bankrupt your cousin.

[RobertaZ]

Originally Posted by AmericanInToronto

They don't need to win....just bankrupt your cousin.

I'm not even slightly concerned. Can you imagine the bad rep BMW would get by doing this.

Another solution: My cousin sells the car to his wife who sells the car to me.

[AmericanInToronto]

Originally Posted by RobertaZ

I'm not even slightly concerned. Can you imagine the bad rep BMW would get by doing this.

Another solution: My cousin sells the car to his wife who sells the car to me.

LOL! Hey, I'm on your side!

I'm American so I can buy in the US but I don't have a NH/Delaware/OR address. The idea is to avoid having to pay ANY US tax because we'll pay taxes in Canada and we don't need double taxation.

[m-technik]

The cost of pretty much everything is higher in Canada than it is in the States. I'll put it this way, if I lived in many areas of the U.S. right now, I'd be living in a large house with a 997 out front and a 40 ft. boat parked at the marina! Instead I live in a 1,000 sq ft. 2 bedroom condo in Vancouver, no 997 in the driveway and no boat in the marina. Living in Vancouver (and in the rest of Canada to varying degrees) is a ripoff in many more ways than just the car prices...

[RobertaZ]

Originally Posted by AmericanInToronto

LOL! Hey, I'm on your side!

I'm American so I can buy in the US but I don't have a NH/Delaware/OR address. The idea is to avoid having to pay ANY US tax because we'll pay taxes in Canada and we don't need double taxation.

I contacted the DMV in NY and was told that if a car purchased in NY is not going to be licensed in that state, then no sales tax will be charged in NY. I guess the question is, "Can a NY resident buy the car on my behalf without paying sales tax and then resell it to me?" I'll check that out.

I have a relative in NY who is a lot closer to my home in Toronto than my cousin in NH.

[AmericanInToronto]

Originally Posted by m-technik

The cost of pretty much everything is higher in Canada than it is in the States. I'll put it this way, if I lived in many areas of the U.S. right now, I'd be living in a large house with a 997 out front and a 40 ft. boat parked at the marina! Instead I live in a 1,000 sq ft. 2 bedroom condo in Vancouver, no 997 in the driveway and no boat in the marina. Living in Vancouver (and in the rest of Canada to varying degrees) is a ripoff in many more ways than just the car prices...

Correct.

I have thought a lot of the US vs Canada model and basically, the bottomline is that Canada is a closed economy. As a result, consumer fees are high (cars, insurance, communication bills, bank fees etc etc) but jobs are stable (unions, pro-employee labor laws).....the tradeoff of living in Canada is a more "stable" life vs the US where over a lifetime people will have more ups and downs. But their "reward" or trade-off is cheaper stuff and a competitive economy.

[RobertaZ]

Originally Posted by AmericanInToronto

Correct.

I have thought a lot of the US vs Canada model and basically, the bottomline is that Canada is a closed economy. As a result, consumer fees are high (cars, insurance, communication bills, bank fees etc etc) but jobs are stable (unions, pro-employee labor laws).....the tradeoff of living in Canada is a more "stable" life vs the US where over a lifetime people will have more ups and downs. But their "reward" or trade-off is cheaper stuff and a competitive economy.

Exactamundo. We trade off higher taxes and higher consumer goods prices for much cheaper health care and a more socialistic and protective "government knows best" society. We, at this forum, are trying to get the best of both worlds! :-)

[AmericanInToronto]

Originally Posted by RobertaZ

I contacted the DMV in NY and was told that if a car purchased in NY is not going to be licensed in that state, then no sales tax will be charged in NY. I guess the question is, "Can a NY resident buy the car on my behalf without paying sales tax and then resell it to me?" I'll check that out.

I have a relative in NY who is a lot closer to my home in Toronto than my cousin in NH.

In OH, I was told if they deliver in KY (KY and OH share the border minutes away in Cincinnati area), then the car doesn't need to be registered in OH.

You might wanna ask your NY cousin to check in OH. PM sent.

[RobertaZ]

Originally Posted by AmericanInToronto

In OH, I was told if they deliver in KY (KY and OH share the border minutes away in Cincinnati area), then the car doesn't need to be registered in OH.

You might wanna ask your NY cousin to check in OH. PM sent.

This is funny, as I also have a relative in Cincinnati. Does this mean my relative can buy the car in OH and have it shipped to KY? Would I need to have a permanent address in KY (no relatives there!), or could I say, "Here's my cash, ship it to the Wal-Mart at the corner of........." ? and then drive it to Ontario?

R

[AmericanInToronto]

Originally Posted by RobertaZ

This is funny, as I also have a relative in Cincinnati. Does this mean my relative can buy the car in OH and have it shipped to KY? Would I need to have a permanent address in KY (no relatives there!), or could I say, "Here's my cash, ship it to the Wal-Mart at the corner of........." ? and then drive it to Ontario?

R

No KY address needed. If the car is delivered in KY and you're a non-resident of OH, the OH dealership doesn't have to charge OH sales tax.

Yep...so drive to the Walmart and meet up there and done!

edit: No shipping required. Cincy is minutes from KY.

[Madhouse]

Originally Posted by RobertaZ

YOU may be comparing the Cdn. to the U.S. markets. We, however, are comparing Cdn. BMW cars to U.S. BMW cars and they are identical vehicles at vastly different prices.

Really? Have you ever seen a South African 3 series in Canada (other than a US import)? All our's come off the German production line. I would rather have one of those.

And as for other posters, it's all in how you negotiate.

[RobertaZ]

Originally Posted by Madhouse

Really? Have you ever seen a South African 3 series in Canada (other than a US import)? All our's come off the German production line. I would rather have one of those.

The 3 Series vehicles are made in one of the following countries: Germany,
South Carolina, South Africa & China. To the best of my knowledge, the Canadian 3 Series cars are from Germany.

All I am saying is that we both can get German made 3 Series vehicles. Therefore, we are comparing apples to apples on pricing.

[Madhouse]

Originally Posted by RobertaZ

All I am saying is that we both can get German made 3 Series vehicles. Therefore, we are comparing apples to apples on pricing.

True, but I actually priced a MSRP 335i in the US and Canada, and I could have ordered either from the factory as I am ordering through diplomatic sales. The US 335 comes with significantly less options at the lower price. Once optioned the same, they are quite close. Where they (the US) get us is the ability to negotiate to invoice pricing, where the lack of competition causes us to pay close to MSRP.

My $0.02.