US car price differential?

Plenty of selection , especially in the 355 market.

Becareful with US cars, with all the flooding the last 15 yrs, these cars seem to have washed titles and passed from state to state.

Last thing you need is a flooded / written off car that has a clear title to save 10k , buy a CDN car, your better off, lots of decent deals around.

The question I always ask is why someone spent the time and effort to get a car from the US and then once here within 3 yrs wants to sell it ? Careful with the BS stories, they all sound good when selling.

 

You are right on and you can add to that the many rolled back odos.

 

Canadians want more for their cars then they are worth on the world market.Do your due diligence and you will find exactly the car you want in the US. The import proceedure is not that difficult if you have done it 2 or 3 times. Far greater selectioin of colours and equipment,and the salespeople tend not to be snotty and are willing to deal.As far as mileage roll back-you find it everywhere-just run your ferrari with a speedometer from a wreck-you accumulate no miles. So really unless you are stupid you are buying condition confirmed by a detailed PPI.As far as condition,I saw an FF in the snow 2 weeks ago,probably leased like so many Porsches-do you really want to buy that Canadian car when he finishes with it? My first Porsche was Canadian-on detaied inspection the engine tin was rusting to bits,obviously run in salt. My next Porsche came from Florida-still have it. My Aston from California-still have it. My Ferrari from Texas_still have it.My Jaguar from North Carolina-still have it.Nuff said.

 

^

Cough, cough, big difference buying a daily driver .... All the cars you talked about is not the same as talking about the 355 he is searching for, and he is talking about buying a US car that is already here imported. Compare apples with apples, use the search feature, you will see PLENTY of cars that were written off in one state and transferred somewhere else that a PPI and carfax may not show.

Here is just one example that is current , care to bet where this car ends up in 20 yrs ?

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/ff-f12/382721-ff-copart.html

Ps, your beloved Texas car , congrats, has maybe led the life 3x as much as a Canadian car , our cars here drive maybe 5-6 months out of the year, and we never see 105 degree weather like they do over there, therefore the cars here tend be used a little less, and are in better condition because they aren't BAKED in an oven 11 months of the year.

Nuff said

 

there are more 355s available for sale in the US than in Canada so the more are available, the lower the price...it's simple economics.

buying in the States is a great idea and, NO, not all the cars are flooded..

you get more choice, more chance of finding what you want and lower prices.

downside is you incurr travel, transport fees and have to pay 6% duty and RIV fees.

however, in most cases, you'll still save money even with all the extras.

My friend in Montreal bought a 348 in Illinois recently for 38k. a pristine car with documentation, records, 20k of aftermarket upgrades and in mint mint condition. finding such a deal on the canadian market is close to impossible.

My car has recently been professionally evaluated at 70k here in Montreal. I am happy with that number but there is no way I'd be able to sell this car for more than 55-60 in the US if I wanted to.

There is a market difference, always as been and likely will remain this way in the future...

 

Main issues with cars that have been baked are cracked dashes and leaking oil seals-what a proper PPI will pick up. Factor those into the price if you are negotiating. Most cars down south like these high end cars sit in garages all the time. How many cars in Canada spend winter in a heated garage? Its just possible that minus 40 temperatures have an effect on our cars too. But its a semi-free country. If your patriotic buy Canadian,overpay,enjoy.As for use,their cars sit a lot more than ours. Even considering possible roll backs on both sides of the border,compare the average miles on a ferrari or aston down there and up here. Nuff said.

 

They should be priced the same, less ,say, 6% import duty. But they are not. Pick a car in Calgary ask the lowest price they will let it go for,no negotiations,then price as near an idential car in the southern US. Try it and let us know.I thing you will find a difference of 15-20%. Why? beats me.

 

Economies are quite different! Auto prices have historically been lower in the US (except in early 2000, and that caused a lot of anger from US dealers as a lot of new cars made their way south)

Do the math before you go and buy a late model car in the US don't forget your transportation, taxes, duty, shipping, getting the car pass thru customs - the paperwork may be expensive when it is a Ferrari or Lamborghini. Then meeting the work to meet Canadian specs - speedo + drl. Find one here and negociate seriously.

 

Ive seen many 355s that came up from the US and the owners all thought they got a good deal only to find out they had to spend 20gs and higher to get the car where it should be. Many US cars have been exposed to the heat and sun and yet have lower miles for some odd reason. Sorry Andrew but most and im talking 90% of Canadian Ferraris are stored in warm garages. We are fortunate up here that we can hide our cars from the cold but there is no hiding a Ferrari from that heat and blazing sun in the southern states. The other thing is that the US is not into European cars that much and dont have many good Ferrari mechanics in most of their areas. This is why many do not get their proper service if they get it at all.

Ok so lets say you are settled on buying a US 355. I know for a fact that anyone looking for a 355 has to look long and hard and Im talking about seeing the car in person. I also know that one has to look at dozens before finding the right one that is of course if you have high standards. Many dont and dont give a damn if the car leaks oil, if it has some dents in it or if it runs the way its supposed to. So once your done flying out to see a few US cars and eventually see the one you like, you have to find a place to get a "proper" ppi. Who does it for you in a place you may not know very well? Who do you trust to do a proper ppi?
Ill tell you right now that its not worth it and 9 times out of 10 you will come out with a chit box that needs work you never say. As for those who complain about our car prices...move to the USA and you can have everything cheap including quality of life. O before i forget the wages down there are lower too and when your done buying your health insurance, you might be able to buy a Ferrari....maybe

 

Gerry you make some good points. I found that when looking for a car in the US everything just has to smell right. If its a wholesaler-walk away. If they wont negotiate price-walk away . If the sellers story is at all fishy-walk away. If the title isnt right-walk away.There are lots of cars-dont be in a hurry.

 

Often there are little differences: which car has a complete maintenance history with it, which car had the most owners, same features, etc..........test drive the one you like best and get a PPI done at a trusted source and things should be fine. Remember a PPI does not predict the future so things can come up later..........but enjoy!

Terry Jones
Ottawa, canada

 

If you want to get a Ferrari from US, try to buy it from a Ferrari dealer there, or if it's offered by a non-Ferrari dealer, after the price negotiation is done (always negotiate yourself, never let any representative to negotiate for you), before you pay them make sure they allow you to get the car checked by a Ferrari dealer there. You pay for the checking, only few hundred bucks. They can tell you exactly if there are paint jobs or engine problem or ex flooding, etc. And to bring it in, the best if you can do it yourself, otherwise be careful not to get local crooks to do it for you. Telling you this price, when the car is in their hand, then different price comes out. Surprise!!!
Cars in US are lots cheaper than Canada, because dealers in US sell maybe 200 new cars a month, while in Canada 200 cars a year. Cost of running business in Canada is equal or maybe more than USA, that's why Canadian dealers have to make more profit by selling higher price in order to survive. And sometimes the specs are better in USA. For instant, try to see the spec of all new Mercedes GL. In Canada it is sold more expensive, but the engines : 350 diesel, 450 gasoline and 550 gasoline all have lower hp and torque compared to cheaper US' all new GL. They use the old engine for Canadian market. But of course stuff like this never happened in Ferrari.

 

The US population is 314 000 000 people. Canadian population is 34 000 000 people.

Do the math and see who has more buying power....

It's absolutely normal that the US retail, automotive and any other type of market has better prices. We're only 10% of people that they are.

 

Canadian Dealer acquisition prices are higher than US cars, only late in 2001 did the Canadian dollar gain momentum over the US . In a few months many thousand vehicles were exported to tthe US. Many US dealers brought suits their manufacturers as their local used car dealerships were offering the same products for $1000s of dollars less than the dealer cost. Since then base bare bones models are no longer offered in Canada and base prices are higher in Canada than the US.

The Montreal Lamborghini dealer still has in inventory non-e gear Gallardos he paid 235K, and he wont let them go for less than invoice. I am sure the other dealers are also in the same position.

 

I have imported about 500 Porsches and a dozen Ferrari's from the US since 2002. Never been burned by a car that was hit, or had major mechanical repairs required when it got back.

Learn everything you can about the car you want. Time is money.........spend the time first and you'll save the money later.

355's can be incredibly expensive money pits.........I had one in my inventory for 4 months that I took on trade on a new GT3.......and while I didn't get burned by their faulty shocks, cracked headers, valve guides, cats, bad convertible top mechanisms, etc, etc, etc...........it would have been a major pill if I did. I'd never buy a 355 personally. I think they are crap.

Don't worry about it if the vendor won't negotiate, if it is a dealer/wholesaler/private seller etc. Always buy a car that needs a major service........never buy a car that just had one done. Do a CARFAX, CARPROOF, AUTOCHECK report, check the state DMV websites, learn what to look for when it comes to accident damage. Expect to spend money to make it right regardless of what the PPI says. Buy the cheapest car you can that meets your criteria. Do not buy a low mileage car. Don't worry about tough paint, just make sure it is original, or a quality non-accident related repaint. Paint and interiors are easy and cheap to correct.

ALWAYS FLY DOWN TO SEE THE CAR YOU ARE GOING TO BUY.

There are a hundred other things I have learned over the years.............but basically, don't worry about cosmetics or minor **** that adds up, each car has blemishes and hidden stuff.

Ferrari's were not carried over here swaddled in the wings of angels in the shadow of Enzo........the communist laborer who dragged your front bumper cover across the factory floor before bolting it on the front of your "new" used car didn't care either when it got rolled outside to sit in the rain, then at the docks, then on a boat.....etc...etc......don't get fooled 'cause it is shiny and the owner wipes it with a diaper every day......and remember this.......THEY ALL COST THE SAME TO FIX WHEN THE BREAK.......which is why you don't want to pay a premium for one.

People used to ask me when I was selling Porsches......"where is the come from"......and I'd say "it was built in Stuttgart"......the look on their face was priceless........but many got the point.

 

Wow.

This may qualify as the most uninformed post I have ever read on fchat. Definitely top 10.

 

I look at it this way.

A major service plus the "while you are in there stuff" can run $5-15K on "any" Ferrari...............it all matters on what it needs.

So, would you rather trust someone's piece of paper, or have seen it all done yourself and watched it go together, and then paid for it knowing it was done the way you wanted, plus have recourse if there are problems due to faulty parts/work. I can create a template from an existing service invoice in PS10 and make you one for a major service.....or I could bribe a tech at a shop who has a coke habit (or something else) with $2-3K cash and have him print me one from said shop. You will be 2-3000 miles away and years later you'll realise you got taken.......

Now obviously it also depends on who did the work, how well known they are and if they'll verify it. There are also a few of those kinds of folks here on F-Chat.........and if they did the work, I'd break my rule, but I would not pay up for the fact it was already done. A small premium yes, but some vendors want all their service money back at resale time.

 

I take it you have imported many a Ferrari into Canada.

 

I don't know how my import history is germane to the conversation but I wasn't referring to your comments about importing. I don't know if they're correct or not but based on the rest of your post, I have very strong doubts.

 

The above comment makes absolutely no sense.

No, haven't imported any Ferraris into Canada, BUT I did own a 1995 Ferrari F355 GTS here in blazing hot Arizona and ANOTHER 1995 Ferrari F355 GTS is frigid cold Munich, Germany.

Everything you have said about the heat and cold is absurd. What you said about US versus European mechanics is absurd. If you have a car in Arizona, put it in a garage. Heat does nothing bad to a car (direct sun, yes. To the interior only). If you have a Ferrari, take it to an authorized dealer. Truth be told, I had MORE problems with my cold weather German F355 with both service and weather than my Arizona counterpart.

So how many Ferraris have you owned in Europe and in U.S. southern states?

 

Wheres your data? Or is this your opinion? Do you have something against Americans?

Is there no odo rollbacks happening in Canada?

Chris