Canadian CTR in US

Rowwwel_808

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There was a video on YouTube about two guys who purchased and imported a CTR from Canada. It needed to have a tire pressure monitoring system retrofitted but other than that, it was doable. Here’s the link to the video
 
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Axatax

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Thanks.

I wonder why the Canadian Civics don't have the TPMS. On these cars, it's performed in software based on feedback from the ABS sensors, so it's essentially "free", with the addition of the reset switch on the driver's lower dash and a pair of indicators in the cluster.

In the 80's, you used to be able to visit the Stuttgart factories and bring back German cars to the US. (My dad imported a Mercedes like this -- a lot of people did this). The US side has essentially shut that down which is a shame. It's over minor issues like the composition of the windshield glass and the reversed speedo readout.
 
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Rowwwel_808

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Thanks.

I wonder why the Canadian Civics don't have the TPMS. On these cars, it's performed in software based on feedback from the ABS sensors, so it's essentially "free", with the addition of the reset switch on the driver's lower dash and a pair of indicators in the cluster.

In the 80's, you used to be able to visit the Stuttgart factories and bring back German cars to the US. (My dad imported a Mercedes like this -- a lot of people did this). The US side has essentially shut that down which is a shame. It's over minor issues like the composition of the windshield glass and the reversed speedo readout.
I kinda wish we didn’t have a TP system in the car. It’s annoying. I don’t need a light to tell me my tires are low. Canadians are lucky! And they get the lane watch camera. And factory wireless chargers.
 

tinyman392

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Thanks.

I wonder why the Canadian Civics don't have the TPMS. On these cars, it's performed in software based on feedback from the ABS sensors, so it's essentially "free", with the addition of the reset switch on the driver's lower dash and a pair of indicators in the cluster.

In the 80's, you used to be able to visit the Stuttgart factories and bring back German cars to the US. (My dad imported a Mercedes like this -- a lot of people did this). The US side has essentially shut that down which is a shame. It's over minor issues like the composition of the windshield glass and the reversed speedo readout.
The CTR's TPMS system is kind of crap to begin with. The good side is that the false negative rate is extremely low, that is, if the system says no issues, there most likely aren't any issues. The bad side is that the false positive rate is stupid high. If the system says there is an issue, the majority of the time the tire pressure is fine.
 


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Careful; warranty will not be honored by US dealers. Honda imposed. To discourage cross border shopping.
 

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you also have to remember that in the US car dealers have a stranglehold on car sales and the manufacturers. The reason you cant import cars any more(or it is difficult) is because instead of paying high dealer prices people were going out of country and importing them instead. So the car dealer lobbyist had laws made up to stop it so they could keep overcharging. Its called the 25 year import rule. look it up. it all started with mercedes and customers importing cars costing them over 300 million in sales in America so off the lobbyist went. Now you can't import cars from overseas. every thing everywhere is about money, if you ever do not understand why something is the way it is , it typically is because someone somewhere wants to continue to screw you out of your money.
 
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Yeah, in the 80's BMW and Mercedes literally had vacation packages that included factory tours where you could watch your car being assembled, and they would arrange all the shipping back to the US.

I don't know how that was profitable for them, but it was a "trendy" thing do to then and a lot of cars got imported that way.
 

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It's funny how the pendulum swings. I live in Canada and imported two vehicles from the US back when money was at or close to par. At the time the price difference made it advantageous to import for the US. Now it's the other way around. Recently ran into a Acura sales person who says they are getting more than a few US buyers up here.
And yes, Honda/Acura will not honor your warranty if you cross the border with your vehicle. Thats one way they are trying to stop the cross border shopping but the reality is the current free trade agreement does allow allow you to do it if you do your homework (at least to Canada back in 2010). You do have to accept some risk though. We were very happy how it worked for us for both our two 'imported' vehicles back in '08 and '10.
 

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It's funny how the pendulum swings. I live in Canada and imported two vehicles from the US back when money was at or close to par. At the time the price difference made it advantageous to import for the US. Now it's the other way around. Recently ran into a Acura sales person who says they are getting more than a few US buyers up here.
And yes, Honda/Acura will not honor your warranty if you cross the border with your vehicle. Thats one way they are trying to stop the cross border shopping but the reality is the current free trade agreement does allow allow you to do it if you do your homework (at least to Canada back in 2010). You do have to accept some risk though. We were very happy how it worked for us for both our two 'imported' vehicles back in '08 and '10.
I guess it would all depend on what you are saving. I mean for me unless IM saving a grand or more Im not gonna go through all that trouble and loose a warranty. but there are those people out there that will spend 100s in time and energy to "save" 10 bucks on something. They don't see they are actually wasting more money then they are saving. My brother for example hes one of those that drives to a cheaper gas station... wastes time wastes the gas to get there to save 3 cents a gallon on 12 gallons. He spent more in time and gas then he saved on the 36 cents. my point is I don't see buying one from canada as any savings once you monetize your time and efforts and the trouble and the loss of warranty. I mean unless you just have to have the mirror blinkers and the lane watch camera.
 


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... I wonder why the Canadian Civics don't have the TPMS.
... because the Canadian government found TPMS was essentially useless, unlike, say, daytime running lights.

“Transport Canada has not followed suit as the department was unable to establish a direct link between these devices and improved vehicle safety. Until safety data becomes available supporting the mandatory requirement of tire pressure monitoring systems, Transport Canada is not considering reviewing this decision,” ...

https://www.autoserviceworld.com/features/dont-count-mandatory-tpms/
 

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Yeah, in the 80's BMW and Mercedes literally had vacation packages that included factory tours where you could watch your car being assembled, and they would arrange all the shipping back to the US.

I don't know how that was profitable for them, but it was a "trendy" thing do to then and a lot of cars got imported that way.
Apparently it still is. I know a guy that went to BMW in Germany to watch his vehicle be built.
 

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US MSRP $36300 x 1.33 = $48300 Canadian dollars
Canadian MSRP $41700 Canadian dollars.
However, Canadian dealers are strictly forbidden to sell to non-Canadian residents (and vice versa).
 

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Apparently it still is. I know a guy that went to BMW in Germany to watch his vehicle be built.
… to USA, likely California CARB, requirements - air bags, ABS, stability control, etc. Bringing a foreign auto into the USA today is a nightmare, and expensive.
 

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Can a Canadian CTR be brought into and legally titled in the US?
Yes, you will need:

-Letter of conformity from Honda USA (in order to get this letter, you may need to install/replace certain things, like TPMS)
-2.5% import duty
-Customs broker if shipping the car ($300-400)

You can likely save money over buying in the USA, but you would need to buy from a private party to avoid HST/GST, which can be in the double digits depending on province. Also, no warranty.
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