Why and the hell can you get a max in Canada for about 6 grand cheaper? It is really starting to **** me off. Is Nissan screwing us? do anyone know why the huge difference?

 

welcome to the world of foreign exchange markets my friend...

 

With all of our taxes (fuel, sales, provincial, federal, tire, AC, stupidity ) it is probably cheaper in the long run to buy and drive a Maxima in the US.

This doesn't even start to take into account that we have to dish out another $1500+ for winter wheels and tires or drive like granny for 5 months of the year. It's just not fair...

 

Are you talking $6K US, or 6$ Canadian? I think the exchange rate is around 1.5 Canadian to US

 

From what most of the Canadians have listed as their purchase prices I am talking about U.S. dollars.

As to the guy who mentioned the harse weather we have it too, up North, IE: Maine, Vermont, etc....

 

The weather isn't exactly sunny, warm and dry here in Chicago. We get blizzards every year. January of 2000 we had 24" (60cm for you Canadians) in just 24 hours.

 

To give you an other example of canadian cost of living, let's just say I paid my GXE 31,000$ (all $ in canadian, plus 500$ in destination and delivery charges. To that you add 15.56% sales taxes (provincial and federal) because I live in Montreal. You also add 3$ per tires (for recycling), plus 100$ for A/C tax, plus 225$ for car licence (good for 2 years), plus 10$ for registration, plus 165$ for the driver licence (also good for 2 years), plus 950$/year for insurance, plus the fact that gas is about 4$/gallon, plus a special tax of 70$/year to finance Public Transportation (because I live in the suburbs), plus 700$ for winter tires and steel rims, plus.....

So I think we probably end up paying more than you do...

 

It's called pricing to what the market will bear. American incomes are higher in real terms so the car companies believe they can charge more for the same items. It applies not only to cars, but also to computers, home electronics, food, just about everything. I am currently working in the States, but living in Canada and have a lot of opportunities to compare prices. Even with the exchange rate and higher sales taxes there are very few items that are better to buy in the U.S.

 

Yeah, but if we (US residents) buy the car in Canada we get the 15% taxes back plus most of the fees. We have to pay 2.5% import duty, but it is still alot cheaper. I've got mine on order from a dealer in Toronto Canada.

Stereodude

 

$1500 for winter tires, are you on crack?

 

Crack - No, but with fully tinted windows on a Black on Black SE, it looks like I sell the stuff.

I was quoted $360cdn/tire for 225/50 17" Blizzaks. Plus a $4 disposal tax, balancing and sales tax put the total over $1500. Not to mention $60/season to change between summer/winter tires.

I ended up getting 4 cheap mags ($140) and 225/55 HR16" Goodyear Ultra Grips ($200) for $1500 total thus saving the $60/season for remounts.

 

why put 17"s on?

buy 15" steelies & some tires .. $600 cdn final price out the door

plus they'll be better than the snow tires on your 17's b/c they are not as wide

 

it's actually now closer to 1.6 Canadian dollars for every USD ... sux 2 b me buying all my mods from the US!

 

My wife drives a 4th Gen SE with an extra set of 16" mags so by down sizing to 16" wheels we can share winter tires should we need. I also found that the 15" steels that the tire shop carried just brushed the brakes.

 

I'm pretty sure you have to send original receipts, not photo copies, cause I think each level of government wants originals, so get the dealership to punch out another invoice printout. You will be claiming at the federal and provincial levels. Find out to make sure.

LEADFOOT

 

Funny how the tides have turned. During the 70's and 80's we paid a huge premium over what Americans paid for the same car. Now cars, computer stuff and hard drives are cheaper here too, ditto for appliances.

There are still deals in the states for stereo stuff, like speakers and such, but even if the over all pricing is better in Canada, product availability and selection is usually better in the US.

The exchange rate definitely dampens increase in cost and what the market will bear is another factor.


LEADFOOT

 

I cant belive what some people spend money on. 15" steel rims with snow tires cost me $500, on the car. Brand new nokians on brand new steel rims. They will out perform any higher size tire. Anything bigger then 205 in the snow is asking for trouble. $1500 for 16" snows is truly something to laugh at. Im sorry buddy, but I even quoted 16's, nokians, and it would of cost me $800..on the car. Plus, you can pay $20 at any shop for them to switch your tires from snow rims to summer rims. Oh well, if you can afford it, by all means, I just feel you didnt get the best for your money, thats all.

 

You can't put 15" steel rims with snow tires on a 02 Max. Apparently Nissan changed the brakes enough so a 15" steel rim will not clear the calipers.

Stereodude

 

I just quoted you my cost for 16"'s. You paid alot of money. By any chance do u live in Toronto?

 

the post was in no way a knock on Canada. I was just curious as to why the big difference, $6,000 is a lot of money.

 

US citizens can clain back the sales taxes (I'm not sure it is either one or both taxes?) Nissans are signifcantly lower cost in Canada than in the USA!

 

For Good or Bad - here is the price I paid for my 02 SE, which I ordered on October 10th, and received on Nov. 27th. MSRP & Dealer Cost pricing also included. The dealer was Greg Vann Nissan in Cambridge - an hrs. drive west of Toronto.

Ordered
SE Maxima, Majestic Blue w/Frost Cloth Int.
Automatic

Canadian MSRP Invoice Price (via CarCost Canada.com)
SE Maxima $33,900 $30,602
Automatic 1,000 880
Freight 966 966

Total $35,966 $32,548

Purchase Price
Maxima SE, w/Auto $31,773
Freight 966
Dealer Admin Fee 179
(incl. wheel locks)
Total Sale Price $32,918

The above purchase price does not incl. taxes or vehicle licencing costs.
Canadian taxes in Ontario incl. Fuel tax $75, A/C Tax $100, Provincial Sales Tax of 8%, and federal Goods & Services Tax 7%.

Happy Holidays to All

 

What's the minumum wadge in canada? This should help put costs in retropect to the US. I think minimum wadge is about $6.30 in the US?{Maybe not}.

 

Are you in toronto? If so which store did you get your tires from? I can't find any store that sells that Finnish brand of tires!

 

Yes Im in toronto. Nokians Hallaps are truly one amazing winter snow tire. Rally car drivers use 3 tyoes of tires. yokahamas, toyo and nokians....And everybody i know uses nokinas, or knockoffs, cause the tread type is so good.

 

I'm not arguing that I paid too much, but here in the Edmonton greater area there is only one dealer that sells Nokian (Kal Tire is the exclusive dealer) and they are the ones that quoted me the prices that I referred to. $86 for steelies and over $200 a tire for 16" Hak's. The initial attempt at 15" wheels/tires would have cost me $1050 installed. There is a $15/tire charge to remount winter/summer tires which pays for a set of steel or alloy wheels in no time.

 

not wadge ... wage ...

our minimum wage is about $7 CDN = $4.75 USD ... cost of living is definately much cheaper than in the US ... e.g. a big mac combo is $4 CDN = $2.75 USD ... cigarettes cost $6 CDN = $4 USD

 

Name brand cigarettes cost me about $3.30-$3.50 on average. Big mac's go for I think $3.99. Sounds like you guy's are worse off then us money wise. $4.75 was the minumum "WAGE" back in 1996 for the US.

 

man .. when I was in Ithaca I paid over $5 USD for cigs & $5 USD for big mac .. where do u live?

worse off is not the right concept .. it's all relative ... if the cost of living were the same .. then yes .. we would be much worse off ... but it's not ... e/t is much cheaper .. so even if our wages r less .. our $$ goes further than a us greenback ...

 

Which store did you buy the tires from?? I'm looking for snow tires for my 240SX and I might have to settle for Canadian Tire Motomaster NordicTrak, which is something I don't want.

 

I paid $42,300 for the car. I also have the deflectors and the extended warranty. I bought the car when it first came out too. Damn this car's depreciates alot now is only worth $29,000

 

Motor master....gosh...all tires genrally do the same job, it depends what you really want for your money.

 

I got my Nokian Haak 1's at Pickering Tire

 

You can also buy Nokian tires at Steelcase Tires in Markham and Fred's Tire in Orangeville, which is where I bought mine from. I paid about $120 a tire (205/60/15) and $50 a peice for 15" steel rims. We got our first snowfall on Friday and I was very impressed with the Hakka 1's. Starting and stopping on snow covered roads was a breeze. Just remember that any winter tire is going to be better than the stock Bridestone's.

 

Where is Steelcase Tires located in Markham? Like what street?? I know where Steelcase road is, near the computer store 'Logic Computer House'

 

I live in Rhode Island{NE}. Ciggs were over $4.00 a few months ago but the price has dropped.

 

mine was around $40,500 after tax and brought it new when in 98 as a 99s model.

 

I work mostly in the US too. If I didn't have my expenses paid I could not live there. A light dinner with a beer can cost $15 - $20. A typical Holiday Inn is $89 - $120. I always laugh at the Customs and Immigration people when they ask if I bought anything. Not too often!

 

Steelcase Tires and Rims is located at 187 STEELCASE RD W tel: (905)479-8884.

 

Thanks a lot man!! I'll give them a ring tomorrow.