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Buying a truck imported from Canada?

Discussion in 'General Tundra Discussion' started by kb1982, Aug 18, 2018.

  1. Aug 18, 2018 at 9:52 AM
    #1
    kb1982

    kb1982 [OP] New Member

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    Does anyone have experience buying a truck that was imported from Canada? I am seeing more of them popping up.

    I have read some articles that say it is only a function of beneficial exchange rates and tax differences, but I have read other articles saying that it’s a good way to ‘cover up’ problem vehicles.

    Most of the ones I see are at reputable dealers that were bought from a Pacific NW auto auction.

    I am assuming rust and ensuring the odometer conversion was done correctly are issues; anything else?
     
  2. Aug 18, 2018 at 10:41 AM
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    Max Power

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    What would be the benefit of buying a truck imported from Canada?

    EDIT: I mean, aside from potential exchange rate benefits. But it seems like maybe you'd only manage that if you bought the truck in Canada with American money and then imported it yourself. Are you talking about Canadian trucks that have made their way onto American dealer lots?
     
  3. Aug 18, 2018 at 11:47 AM
    #3
    kb1982

    kb1982 [OP] New Member

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    Yes, they have all ready been imported. I have came across quite a few lately (not that it is a new practice). They are usually priced a couple thousand lower than a comparative US truck. One I am looking at is at a Toyota dealer. One negative I read, don’t know if it’s true, is that Carfax has limited data sources in Canada so damage could be missing from the report.
     
  4. Aug 18, 2018 at 5:59 PM
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    Professional Hand Model

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    One way to bypass the lack of Online info is to be a very smart mechanic. You could really take advantage of an arbitrage situation and benefit up in maple leaf territory. Like in other thread someone just posted, its buyer beware. In your case, you could really benefit from whats happening. Your assumptions are rust or just the tax benefit. I think its more of the tax arbitrage thats in play, but you still need to crawl under the vehicle and do your diligence. Same goes for checking mechanicals.
     
  5. Aug 18, 2018 at 11:30 PM
    #5
    kb1982

    kb1982 [OP] New Member

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    Part of the problem is my mechanical knowledge is low, but i can poke around and see if things are dripping that shouldn’t be, other than that I am a little enept. My plan would be to get a full inspection after I bought it as long as there is a no questions asked buy back.

    They did say they replaced the ABS actuator and the transfer case output shaft seal.

    However, it may be a mute point since the price on the thing is way too high for a 2014 crew cab with 90k miles.
     
  6. Aug 19, 2018 at 1:20 AM
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    computeruser6

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    The truck I bought was originally sold and then used in Canada for about eight years before winding up at a dealer in Washington (Titus-Will I think?) and turned out pretty well. It was mechanically and electrically sound with some minor surface rust and a bunch of scratches in the tailgate.

    DSCF2170.jpg
     
  7. Aug 19, 2018 at 9:31 AM
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    kb1982

    kb1982 [OP] New Member

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    Thank you for the info. I’ve never actually been into Titus-Will but I have never had much luck with them working on the price of a vehicle via email. They currently have a truck that is what I am looking for that is priced high and they showed 0 interest in coming down.
     
  8. Aug 19, 2018 at 9:28 PM
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    kb1982

    kb1982 [OP] New Member

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  9. Aug 19, 2018 at 9:56 PM
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    831Tun

    831Tun heartless Bastrd

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  10. Aug 19, 2018 at 10:10 PM
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    Aron9000

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    So do they leave the odometer and speedometer in metric???

    Or do they change these out to read MPH and miles????

    That would be my main concern about buying a truck from Canada. How was this conversion handled? Are the miles stored in the gauge cluster, the ECM/PCM, both??? There is a lot of ways to be very nefarious with these electronic odometers now days. Lets just say I'd assume anything from Canada would have a rolled back odometer if it the gauge cluster was converted.

    I know this abuse is extremely common with late model exotic cars, just plug your scan tool(you have to have a good one, maybe the factory one in some cases) into the ODB II port on any Ferrari with a digital odometer, you can make it read whatever you want.
     
  11. Aug 19, 2018 at 10:31 PM
    #11
    Y0TA PR0

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    Have you tried Carproof?
     
  12. Aug 20, 2018 at 4:15 AM
    #12
    SOB

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    My truck was originally purchased and used in Canada for 3 years before being imported and then I bought it from a non-Toyota dealer in Ohio. They had two similar trucks both of which sold that same day. I knew based on the carfax (or something similar) that it had been imported and there were no accidents but I was still a bit skeptical. During my investigation and test drive I found that all the service records were in the glove box and the lady that owned it was VERY diligent in getting all the service performed. There was some minor cosmetic damage to the tailgate and the undercarriage was a little rustier than expected but nothing horrible.

    Odometer and other units (temp, etc.) was already changed to imperial. First time I took it to a Toyota dealership they had a hard time looking up the VIN. Nothing was popping up in their search until I told them it was Canadian. Had me worried for a minute but everything was fine.

    All in all I'm happy with the purchase. I was able to get a Platinum for around the same price as I was expecting to pay for an SR5.
     
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  13. Aug 20, 2018 at 5:13 AM
    #13
    computeruser6

    computeruser6 Gott Mit Uns

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    I waited about two months before buying from them as this truck had $2,000 knocked off the price.

    Thank you. You can check it out some more here if you like.

    In mine the instrument cluster was the U.S. version.
     
  14. Aug 20, 2018 at 7:27 AM
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    BuckWallace

    BuckWallace Ball don't lie.

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    This is totally anecdotal, but I looked at a truck that was imported from Alberta that supposedly had never been in any accidents. After about 1 minute looking it over I could tell it had definitely hit or had been hit by something. I pointed out what I saw to the salesman and he agreed with me all while playing dumb. Maybe he really didn't know, but I but whoever is in charge of buying these at dealers doesn't even want to know.
     
  15. Aug 20, 2018 at 12:18 PM
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    tundras00

    tundras00 New Member

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    Be VERY careful with those trucks guys. When I was looking to buy trucks I saw a lot of F150'S that were imported. On reviews from Cars.com and reading around I was made aware that Ford wouldn't even touch these trucks even for recalls. If you paid for work would be different but there was no warranty whatsoever. Don't know if Toyota follows the same route but I would give them a call first.
     
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  16. Aug 20, 2018 at 1:46 PM
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    Y0TA PR0

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    Toyota warranty works in USA if the truck is from Canada and works in Canada if the truck is from USA. Toyota is the only one that does this. Big 3 don’t do this.
     
  17. Aug 20, 2018 at 2:54 PM
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    tundras00

    tundras00 New Member

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    I see it as a way to screw the client from the big 3. They bought your truck, why deny them the warranty or even recall repair?!
     
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  18. Aug 20, 2018 at 3:00 PM
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    Black Wolf

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    My 09 Taco was still under warranty when I drove up to AK thru MooseHead land. I verified that in fact if I had any issues my USA warranty was good up there.
     
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  19. Aug 20, 2018 at 3:12 PM
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    Professional Hand Model

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    The 02’ was ‘assembled’ in Canada using Japanese parts.
     
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  20. Aug 21, 2018 at 4:29 AM
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    SOB

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    Yep - I took mine in because the rear diff pinion seal was leaking and they replaced it under warranty. Here the axle breather was clogged (prev owner must have gotten into some mud) and it pressurized the rear diff causing the seal to fail.

    I didn't know this was a Toyota-exclusive thing. I assumed all companies warrant the vehicle regardless of where it was purchased.
     
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  21. Aug 26, 2018 at 6:41 PM
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    kb1982

    kb1982 [OP] New Member

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    I have noticed a crap ton of F-150s from Canada, I’d say almsot 25% of the ones I’ve came across. (Full disclosure: I am no switching to the dark side, just peering over the fence).
     
  22. Aug 26, 2018 at 6:47 PM
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    kb1982

    kb1982 [OP] New Member

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    The ‘Candian’ Tundra that I was looking at had no accident listed on the carfax, but dealer admitted that drivers door looked like it was painted and didn’t quite match. Of course, the accident may not have been reported to insurance so it may not have been a import related carfax issue.

    With the price the truck was it probably would have been worth the risk. It was a 5.7 ‘15 crewmax Trd Offroad with SR5 upgrade package, a sunroof, and 40k miles. It was listed for $29k before it sold.

    I’m not looking at another import that is WAY overpriced. Similar to the one above, but 94k miles, a canopy, and some upgraded wheels, but asking $31k. Said they’d do $28.5k and acted like they were doing me a favor.
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2018
  23. Aug 26, 2018 at 6:50 PM
    #23
    kb1982

    kb1982 [OP] New Member

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    The conversion is supposed be done via a certified process that is documented. That is about all I know about it. Not sure if it is part of the process that the dealer does or what. Also don’t know if all it takes is slipping someone a couple $100s to roll it back a few thousand miles.
     
  24. Aug 26, 2018 at 7:09 PM
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    belanger9

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    A lot of this is likely fleet vehicles. I know my old company would run F350's for 140-170k km's and then have them shipped to the US for auction. If this is the case be very weary of buying one because ours were sold off at such low km's because they were beat to shit on oilfield roads. At that age (usually 3 to 5 years) they were starting to need so much work every 10k km's that it wasn't worth keeping them.
     
  25. Aug 27, 2018 at 4:20 AM
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    SOB

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    Just to compare, my "Canadian" Platinum was $31k - 2013 (bought 1.5 years ago) 5.7 w/ 50k miles, nerf bars and hard tri-fold cover. I had been looking at "USA" SR5s that were around the same price so I couldn't pass up all the bells and whistles for the same $$.
     
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  26. Dec 26, 2018 at 7:09 AM
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    Voda48

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    Last edited: Dec 26, 2018
  27. Dec 28, 2018 at 4:58 AM
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    SOB

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    Thanks for sharing however the author seems very biased and states claims but doesn’t back them up or is mearly speculating. I too might be a bit biased the other way as I bought a Canadian truck but of the 5 points he makes I think the first one (regarding climate and corrosion) is the only valid argument against buying Canadian.

    His argument #5 doesn’t make any sense to me. Canada isn’t “sending” us their vehicles cuz they can’t get rid of them. Demand is higher in the US and with the favorable exchange rate dealerships can import these vehicles for a small fee and sell them for higher. For example, the current exchange rate is 36% ($1US = $1.36CAN). If a dealer buys a truck for $40k CAN it’s only $29.4k US. If they sell that for $34k US they’ve made 15%. I bet these trucks go for higher prices at the CAN auto auction than sitting on a lot because there are more US dealers playing this game and making less margins but moving more vehicles.
     
  28. Dec 28, 2018 at 9:02 AM
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    belanger9

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    You are bang on about this author being out in left field. And even the first point could be easily argued (what if the vehicle came from rural Alberta, most likely never seen any salt compound ever). Saying the vehicles are sent to the US because they couldn't sell in Canada is BS for the most part (maybe for clunkers it applies). For example my old company would send their trucks to auction once they miled out (150k kms, beat up on oilfield roads) and for the most part US buyers would beat out Canadian buyers. It's not that there isn't a market in Canada for diesel 1tons, it's the point you mentioned that US buyers could spend more CAD to buy the truck.
     
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  29. Jan 2, 2019 at 7:47 AM
    #29
    Jleebo77

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    Mine was from Canada. Defintely made me a little nervous but so far so good. When I was researching it basically said they are originally sold cheaper up there because they won't pay as much for a new truck as Americans will. They get them across and sell them at a better margin for them.
     
  30. Jan 2, 2019 at 7:58 AM
    #30
    Dilsky

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    Bahaha you should see what we are paying for trucks up here! I can see this happening a lot now though, with the dollar how it is it is way cheaper for them to buy our sweet Canadian trucks and bring them over the border. I don't think it is a different truck in anyway with the exception of the mandatory block heater in some provinces and daytime running lights. It would be beneficial to know more of the history of the car, but I believe we have everything accident wise stored on file as well, and Toyota should still have access to the service schedule if they followed it.

    I don't think it would be any different than buying a USA used vehicle, there is always a bit of risk.
     
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