Stories from the Sales Frontlines

driver100

After 4 years & maybe 25,000 miles, you can sell it to me for less than 1/2 what you paid for it & then get your wife a new car.

Hmm, let me think that one over....for about 1.5 seconds!
Fezo's offer was better, he would just take it for a spin for 8 months of the year.

jmonroe

Technically Hyundai honored thier policy on warranty work. Jmonroe had a "discrepency" in his log book... not Hyundai's fault he made a mistake.

Like I said before, I’m not so sure that I was the one that made the mistake. I proved to the dealer that their oil sticker printing machine could make a mistake but they didn’t like it when I pointed that out. So I know they know how to make mistakes. Since I didn’t check the mileage on the warranty receipt when they did warranty work the month before my log sheet “discrepancy”, I was left holding the bag. In the end I paid for that mistake. That’s the only mistake I made.

If you want to talk “technically”, I still maintain that Hyundai is the one that got out of this on a technicality because the engine was clean. And let’s not forget that I was a three time customer in 5 years. That should count for something but “technically” it didn’t.

jmonroe

driver100

Here are the Top 10 Best-Selling Luxury Vehicles In America in 2010.

I replied to the wrong post but here goes. First, about the number of Gennies in our area in Canada. We have 10% of the population so most things we should sell about 10% of your total sales. We lean toward less expensive and smaller cars in general. But surprisingly, the Gennie sells more proportionately in Canada than the U.S. So does the 3 Series BMW.

I would say I see about 2 a week back home, and about the same in the Tampa area.

The numbers after each model show sales in 2010, and 2009.

Rank Luxury Vehicle 2010 2009
#1 BMW 3-Series
100,910 90,960
#2 Lexus RX 95,970 93,379
#3 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 60,922 43,072
#4 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 58,785 52,427
#5 Infiniti G 58,143 47,174
#6 Cadillac SRX 51,094 20,237
#7 Lexus ES 48,652 48,485
#8 Acura MDX 47,210 31,178
#9 Cadillac CTS 45,656 38,817
#10 BMW 5-Series 39,488 40,109
#11 BMW X5 35,776 27,071
#12 Audi A4 34,672 37,070
#13 Lexus IS 34,129 38,077
#14 Acura TL 34,049 33,620
#15 Acura TSX 32,076 28,650
#16 Mercedes-Benz M-Class 29,698 25,799
#17 Hyundai Genesis 29,122 21,889
#18 Cadillac Escalade 26,874 25,884
#19 Audi Q5 23,518 13,790
#20 Lincoln MKZ 22,535 22,081
#21 Lincoln MKX 21,932 21,433
#22 Mercedes-Benz GLK 20,946 21,944
#23 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class 19,943 15,012
#24 Cadillac DTS 18,640 17,330
#25 Lexus GX 16,450 6235
#26 Audi A5 16,379 9800
#27 Acura RDX 14,975 10,153
#28 Infiniti M 14,618 8501
#29 Lincoln MKS 14,417 17,174
#30 Mercedes-Benz S-Class 13,608 11,199

Here are the top 30 in Canada;
Rank Luxury Vehicle 2010 2009
#1 BMW 3-Series
14,009 12,610
#2 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 8090 7317
#3 Lexus RX 7383 8828
#4 Acura MDX 5994 5994
#5 Mercedes-Benz GLK 5852 5012
#6 Audi A4 5211 4224
#7 Lincoln MKX 4458 2471
#8 Infiniti G 4408 3998
#9 BMW X5 4012 3410
#10 Hyundai Genesis 3924 3438
#11 Mercedes-Benz E & CLS-Class 3914 2819
#12 Mercedes-Benz M-Class 3871 3146
#13 Acura RDX 3163 2869
#14 Audi Q5 3060 1942
#15 Mercedes-Benz B-Class 2994 2865
#16 Cadillac CTS 2974 2488
#17 Cadillac SRX 2918 990
#18 Acura TL 2895 3577
#19 BMW X3 2840 2236
#20 Lexus ES 2688 2999
#21 BMW 5-Series 2382 1619
#22 Audi A5 2309 1520
#23 Acura TSX 2297 2020
#24 Lexus IS 2233 2617
#25 Acura CSX 2064 2526
#26 Infiniti EX 1925 1785
#27 BMW 1-Series 1764 2533
#28 Volvo XC60 1540 1211
#29 Lincoln MKZ 1493 1508
#30 Mercedes-Benz G & GL-Class 1437 1143

Now, about driving our 2 cars down here.
Well, that's a lot, my wife won't want to do that much driving. Then, the idea of having a car here was in case we come down for a shorter time, say 2 weeks. In that case we would like to fly and have a car here.
Coming down in two cars would really be a waste of resources and just changes the whole dynamic of the enjoyment of coming down here.

There are no bad ideas, all ideas are worth thinking about because they all get you to formulate a plan. Sometimes the ideas that don't work actually get you to find the plan that does work. All the input I am getting has been very helpful....I know only a BMW in Florida will work - just have to figure out the best way to do it

Kirstie_H

that some vehicles just don't need to be tricked out in any way. Spotted at our local Walgreens just moments ago:

tjc78

yes, major Fail!!

fezo

They are a dime a dozen in the Delray Beach area that my brother lives in. My SIL has one of them and she’s on her second.

What? You didn't warn her about Hyundai? :confuse:

fezo

OK, I'll throw another idea at you which also involves me driving your BMW for a nice period of time. When it's time t go down, get me up to Canada, I'll drive the second car to Florida and you figure out how to get me back. When the weather gets nice repeat the process.

By the time it's time for you to head south again I'll be back to being able to do things.

Of course with this since I won;t have the car six months of the year I'd actually ahev to figure out how to get a financial angle on this....

driver100

Of course with this since I won;t have the car six months of the year I'd actually ahev to figure out how to get a financial angle on this....

This is very tempting and sounds great, but, I just know, somehow I am going to come out the loser on any of these deals.............

bolivar

I think I would have been much more un-accepting of the decision about your warranty claim.

I would have made a real point about having them show some evidence that oil problems caused a thrown rod (Or something like this, something that punched a hole in the engine block) and was a direct effect of oil change problems.

Even if you did actually miss an oil change, what would this have put the milage at between the other documented oil changes? Something like 8,000 miles? A modern engine, with modern oil, should not be throwing a rod between 8,000 mile oil changes.

Unless an engine is abused, pushed past its red line, it should not drop a rod. This was obviously some kind of manufactoring defect, and the motor should have been replaced under the warranty.

I would have, at least, taken this to small claims court.

fezo

Actually, assuming I could get away with it on the home front, I'd have a very good time just running a task like that. My only problem would be explaining at the border why I, as US citizen, was driving a Canadian car across the border.

Might have to meet in Buffalo.

driver100

Might have to meet in Buffalo.

Sounds like a good plan...we can cross at Buffalo or Detroit any way. So we drive down to Buffalo in the 335 and 535. My wife gets out of her 335 and into my 535 and we drive down to Florida. You hop into the 335 and drive it down to Tampa Florida. Then what, do you stay in the guest bedroom or are you the butler for 4 months?

Or do we take you to Tampa airport for a trip back to NJ?

driver100

that some vehicles just don't need to be tricked out in any way
Very nice!

That reminds me, some of the golf carts around here are pretty fancy. There are some that look like a Rolls or a BMW, Cadillac etc. I saw one the other day that had flames on the sides.

This picture shows how a Hummer could make a really cool golf cart;

venture

I know only a BMW in Florida will work - just have to figure out the best way to do it

Have you considered renting a car while you are in Florida? That way you don't have to maintain it or insure it for times you won't be using it.

Not only could you rent a BMW for a week, two weeks, or a few months, you could also try out a Fusion or other cars for a while.

I don't know what rental rates are in Florida, but maybe if you explain your plan to a rental outfit and they know that you will be visiting frequently, they may be more inclined to cut you a deal.

Just thinking outside the pen. :shades:

driver100

Have you considered renting a car while you are in Florida?

Thinking outside the pen or box is good. I have never heard of somebody actually renting a car for 3 or 4 months at a time. We are flying down the last 2 weeks of March and most rental companies charged over $800 for a full sized car. I found on Expedia which was a surprise I could get a Fusion (it never is what it says) from Budget for 2 weeks for $287 all in...that's unusual.

I think, renting a car for 3 or 4 months would be expensive, you would never actually own it, and the deal might change or fall apart at some point. If any one can see advantages that would out weigh the disadvantages let me know. It is true, you would avoid a lot of costs and storing the car when we aren't here, that is one big advantage. Maybe I should buy the car and rent it to my neighbors when we aren't here?

driver100

A far ways from deciding but all your ideas have given us this rough plan so far;

*My wife keeps her 335 in Canada and may look into warranty, about $2500 for 3 years of trouble free driving.

*We look into buying a BMW or Audi to use in Florida. Hopefully, it will cost a lot less if we buy it here. Thinking of buying and not leasing because it will give us more flexibility if we can't come down in the future.

*After the 3 years are up on the warranty on the 335 is up, we drive this one back to Canada and use it there. It won't have very much mileage and I think being a used car there won't be too many hurdles to get it back into Canada......that we definitely have to look into though....there is some background work we have to do...can't make a mistake.

*Then we can bring the 335 down to Florida to use or sell it to Fezo and start all over again.

That's the rough plan for now, but it could all change at any time. One other thing that could help is buy a 2012 BMW in about August after the 2013s are out and maybe get it for a few $1000 less....but, since my wife will be driving it in Canada for awhile she may want it exactly the way she wants it....color, equipment, etc.

tjc78

It really comes down to your wallet IMHO. I'm a bit on the cheap side, so I would probably find something 4/5 years old I could buy cheap, something like a Chevy Impala, CV/GM, Taurus and suck it up. You guys would still have the 5er for the "nice" car and if you need to go separate ways or just a quick getway down there you have transportation. You would save a boatload of money for something that in all honesty may get 2K miles a year.

I'm just saying what I would do with my money. I have no idea of your financials which brings me back to what I said earlier if you have it, buy what makes you (and much more importantly your wife) happy.

jmonroe

What? You didn't warn her about Hyundai?

My Hyundai problem was in November of 2011 after her 2 Genny leases.

Her first Genny was an ’09 then she got one of those mailings about how valuable used cars were in May of 2011 so she decided to see just how valuable. I told the tale back in June after we returned from a visit. Long story short, she got a knock out lease deal with her lease payments actually going down by $6, IIRC. Now that she knows what happened to me she is spreading the word to the handful of owners in the over 55 community she lives in. When her lease is up in May of 2014 she was thinking about leasing the newly designed 2014 Genny but now she isn’t.

jmonroe

Kirstie_H

That's a sweet ride!

Flames on stuff that you would absolutely NOT want to see engulfed in flames always cracks me up.

There's a store down the road that sells custom sheds, and one of the display models that's on their lawn has flames on it. Flames, to me, symbolize one of two things: the object is going faster, or it's literally on fire. If your shed is on fire, you have a problem. If it's going faster, time to head to the basement.

driver100

I said earlier if you have it, buy what makes you (and much more importantly your wife) happy.

I kind of agree with you...I don't like to spend money needlessly. In fact, I think it would feel more like a vacation if it was an older car we don't have to think about much. A nice new car is actually another thing to have to think about. On the other hand, I wouldn't want a car that has to be taken to the garage when we are here for fun.

It is a problem coming up with a solution, but it is a good problem to have I suppose. In a way it is a good thing that we didn't have much income until about 10 years ago when the business started to do well, so we are used to not spending......and I don't want to blow money needlessly, but I think the comments here are right....there's no use buying a car you aren't really happy with.

jmonroe

I would have made a real point about having them show some evidence that oil problems caused a thrown rod (Or something like this, something that punched a hole in the engine block) and was a direct effect of oil change problems.

Even if you did actually miss an oil change, what would this have put the milage at between the other documented oil changes? Something like 8,000 miles? A modern engine, with modern oil, should not be throwing a rod between 8,000 mile oil changes.

That was the technicality that I mentioned. They (the dealer) readily admitted that the engine was VERY CLEAN and that the problem was NOT because of the lack of maintenance. They were just hung up on an entry that I made in my oil log sheet. This is what happened; I did an oil change in April of 2010 that showed less mileage than the mileage that they showed in March of 2010 when they did some minor warranty work. Engine cleanliness meant nothing to them. FWIW, I think they are the ones that recorded the wrong mileage but because I didn’t catch it, I paid the price for that. When I said, “OK, disregard that oil change and 5 others for that matter. The car has had 15 oil changes in a little over 40K miles and you admit that the engine is VERY CLEAN”. They said they couldn’t ignore what they had already seen on my oil log sheet and even if they were willing to do that, Hyundai corporate wasn’t.

I would have, at least, taken this to small claims court.

I considered doing that until I spoke to my BIL who is a lawyer. He said, “I would like to write them a letter for you but since the firm I work for does work for them (the dealer), I can’t do that because of a conflict of interest. You can go to small claims court where you live (the dealer is in the same town) but because he is a large dealer and has very good standing in the community. I know that for a fact because of our dealings with him. They buy some of their vehicles from him and he does a good bit of charity work in the community too (Cub Scouts, Brownies, church fund raisers, etc.). So, don’t be surprised when the court finds in his favor because the magistrate will not be without prejudice. I know that stinks but that’s the way these things work”.

He gave me the name of a firm that might want to handle my case. When I talked to them they said I have a good case but it’s not as cut and dried as it first appears and it would probably drag on for a while. They could not tell me how long nor could they give me a good estimate of what it would cost me, so I caved.

jmonroe

driver100

Flames on stuff that you would absolutely NOT want to see engulfed in flames always cracks me up.

Can I add that to the drivers books of rules to live by...that says it all.

BTW, is Edmunds working a little slow these days or is it me?

This one looked pretty nice;

stickguy

you can definitely do LT rentals. Might be better off witha a smaller outfit, not one of the big airport chains (though that is just a WAG).

my company occasionally brings over people from oversees for semi-extended stays, and most of them don't try to buy a car, but some do an extended rental.

when you factor in all the costs (purchase, depreciation, insurance, maintenance) for something that will be sitting 2/3 of the tiem (and that is nto good for a car either), very likely that renting just when you need it comes out cheaper overall.

plus, you don't have to worry about having it sit in the garage for months at a time.

Reading between the lines, I think the bigger issue is you not wnating to let your wife drive the 5'er!

Kirstie_H

Yeah, I get spotty slowness. I'll move along here at a snail's pace, then suddenly I'll pick up and zip right along. No idea why.

driver100

I think the bigger issue is you not wnating to let your wife drive the 5'er!

That's a big issue to me, sharing my car is like sharing my toothbrush, or underwear.

I am not sure renting works although you make a good case for it, what if we come down for 2 weeks in Oct or Nov and have to get a short term rental?

Now I am leaning toward keeping the 335 in Canada. Getting a certified used BMW and getting an extended warranty. Another possibility, is my wife liked the Passat, so we could get a new manual Passat for about $21k. It would have a 3 year warranty, get a manual, lots of room. We might get a good deal in November when 2013s are out or we might order one in August for November delivery.

I checked the closest BMW dealer for used cars. Didn't see any bargain bimmers, but a 2007 Saab 9.3 Aero for $13500 that sounds like it could be interesting. Don't know how you get parts if you need them. They had lots of Jettas.


Nothing is for certain, still thinking and just pass along any ideas or opinions.

driver100

I get spotty slowness. I'll move along here at a snail's pace, then suddenly I'll pick up

This time the reply screen came up fast but other times I keep spinning for about 15 minutes. I sometimes have to do something else and come back...I get dizzy watching it spin.

tjc78

I think the bigger issue is you not wnating to let your wife drive the 5'er!

I don't have a problem with my Fiance driving my car, now if she would stop taking all my sweatshirts!

Driver,

The Passat may be a nice compromise. Its not as boring as a Fusion/Accord, but not as wallet breaking as a Bimmer. I didn't realize you could still get a manual.

driver100

Its not as boring as a Fusion/Accord, but not as wallet breaking as a Bimmer. I didn't realize you could still get a manual.

Here is a good review of the 2012 Passat, that holds no punches. Interesting too. It could be the answer, the manual is a 5 speed and with shipping comes in at about $20800 MSRP but I doubt if there is much discounting.

Where should I look to get a real price I could actually buy for?
Fist Look 2012 Passat

nyccarguy

We all know you are going to end up with another BMW, stop kidding yourself. I also notice in your posts that you seem to be very hung up on the vehicle's warranty. Just buy what you want and enjoy yourself. Yes, eventually down the road something might go wrong and you will have to pay for a repair out of pocket, but it is 2012. Cars, especially $50,000 (US) BMWs are very reliable cars.

tjc78

Where should I look to get a real price I could actually buy for?

Start right here at Edmunds. "Build" one how you would like it and then they show you invoice price and the TMV which is what they claim others are paying. They also show any rebates etc.

fezo

It's amazing how much you are willing to spend to avoid flying me back and forth and driving your wife's car.....

None of your plans are bad. You'll decide on one and go with it.

jmonroe

Didn't see any bargain bimmers, but a 2007 Saab 9.3 Aero for $13500 that sounds like it could be interesting. Don't know how you get parts if you need them.

I can see that you like “interesting”. You should be running from anything Saab related. If you think a BMW has to have an extended warranty you’re in for a real treat getting a Saab. The warranty is worthless if there are no parts.

Speaking like a salesman…”Can I interest you in this nice Land Rover I have over here. It’s had more rack time than road time. Almost no miles on it. Whaddaya you say about taking this beauty home"?

jmonroe

driver100

We all know you are going to end up with another BMW, stop kidding yourself.

I like the idea of the Passat, and my wife liked it so far. We haven't driven in it yet though...that should be interesting. I think it could be a good Florida car. About $20000 new, lots of room, looks nice inside, gets good reviews. If I like it I might trade in the 5er for one........

driver100

Start right here at Edmunds. "Build" one how you would like it

Excellent, I will do it for sure when we get back from our $7.49 turkey dinner at Village Inn. Turkey, Cranberries, potatoe pancakes, salad, biscuit, and slice of pie (peanutbutter and chocolate) and endless coffee for $9.49 each and we have a 20% off coupon. 4 can eat for $26!

driver100

It's amazing how much you are willing to spend to avoid flying me back and forth and driving your wife's car.....

Yeh, now the plan is to get a Passat which you won't even want to drive.

driver100

I can see that you like “interesting”. You should be running from anything Saab related.

Any used car that we would want and trust is going to be over $20k. The Saab is $13500, has 55k miles, and could be fine or could be a lemon. The Passat comes in at $21k, has a 3 year warranty, probably put on 5000 miles a year maximum. It doesn't look like we should risk getting a used car when the odds will be against me.

tjc78

4 can eat for $26!

Only in Florida, (and maybe Vegas)

Enjoy!

fezo

Actually I've driven a couple of Passats and liked them very much - not the current generation though.

The Passat is actually a pretty good choice for what you want. My only concern would be reliability.

driver100

4 can eat for $26!
Only in Florida, (and maybe Vegas)

Pretty hard to do in Vegas these days unless it's off the strip. We actually had 6 at dinner and the bill came to $40. We were all stuffed, and 2 had to take their pie home with them.

driver100

The Passat is actually a pretty good choice for what you want. My only concern would be reliability.

My concern too, but it will have a 3 year warranty, and we will be doing a maximum of 6000 miles a year, and probably more like 3 or 4000.

It should last through 12000 miles without too much hassle.

A really good review from Edmunds. One line I liked:
The materials look good and every piece is solidly assembled. It's like a Crown Vic that's been to finishing school.

Edmunds review of the 2012 Passat

robr2

I can see that you like “interesting”. You should be running from anything Saab related.

Well the 9-3 has been around in that current form for about 8 years. Parts availabilty shouldn't be an issue for many years. Now a 2011 9-5 or 9-4X, I'd run.

As for renting, all the rental companies offer month + rentals. Just google long term car rental and you'll see your options.

stickguy

when I was looking 2 weeks ago, one place I stopped (mostly Volvo, but some saabs) had a 2007 93 2.0T listed for $7,200. sliver over gray, all loaded up.

106K on it, but hey, pretty cheap for an '07! Would have driven that one, but they didn't have it in yet.

driver100

The Passat is actually a pretty good choice for what you want. My only concern would be reliability.

This thought came to me in the middle of the night! We should test drive the Passat soon to see how it actually feels driving it...keep in mind it was $20k, $800 transportation.....not sure of dealer prep.

The Accord was about $24k...not sure about transport and prep. I think it would be worth testing it too. They had a red one with tan interior which looked good, and it was a standard. Although the Accord is about $4000 more it might be a much better car to drive, or maybe not...but it would be good to try both.

The Passat has some European feel, but the Accord should have good driving dynamics.

Which do you prefer to drive Fezo, in case we need you to move it somewhere?
Oh, good luck today too!

jmonroe

Well the 9-3 has been around in that current form for about 8 years. Parts availabilty shouldn't be an issue for many years.

I’ve read a couple articles about Saab parts availability lately and they conflict with each other. It could be who is writing the info, people with a vested interest in selling Saab’s and people who are telling it like it is. However, both seemed to say that immediate needs for new parts could be a problem. Of course an ’07 should have plenty of junk yard parts but there are times when old won’t do because of the mileage on the car that the part came from. So, I’d at least stay away from any Saab right now and probably forever. I’d just not want to knowingly walk through that door.

jmonroe

driver100

Start right here at Edmunds. "Build" one how you would like it and then they show you invoice price and the TMV which is what they claim others are paying

I went on the Edmunds site and built it...found MSRP but not the lowest price or a realistic price to offer. Is that info there.

The Accord was almost $24k. Salesman said, when asked, well, we would probably take something off that. The same car is listed on the internet at $22,150. Would it be reasonable, to take the car out for a test drive...if we liked it (and were ready to buy, which we aren't) off $22150. Or even, we'll sign right now at $21k!

stickguy

My bet?

if your wife likes BMWs, and thinks the 5 series is too big, then she is not going to enjoy driving an Accord barge.

I have not driven the current Passat, but I did find the interior to be vbastly better than in the Accord. VW might not drive like a BMW, but it will probably give more of a european feel.

Actually, if you will spend a little more, the new Jetta (GLI?) sounds like the way to go. Smaller, much sportier, etc. Probably a heck of a lot closer to a 3 series than a Passat is.

tjc78

Driver,

Doesn't look like much of a discount and no rebates according to Edmunds. I plugged in a Tampa Zip and went for a base model no options to get an idea.


I would start out offering invoice and see how much you get bumped to get the deal done (if this is the car for you)

stickguy

I have a couple questions about this for driver.

1, obviously, is has his wife driven one and given 2 thumbs and a big grin up on the concept?

2) can you buy/register/insure a car in the US if you are a canadian sitizen? i know you bought a house, but was wondering how the logistics would work on an automobile. I assume you cna't buy it here and register in canada?

I sitll think the LT rental option is overall cheaper, but hey, that is just me. I would not want to have a car sitting for months at a time in the garage.

driver100

Actually, if you will spend a little more, the new Jetta (GLI?) sounds like the way to go.

Good thoughts stick. I haven't seen a base model Passat but the seats will be black cloth. Not the best color for Florida. We will test drive a Passat and Accord to see. Remember, the main use for this car will be as a 2nd car for my wife to go off and do what she wants to do if I am doing something. If we come down for a few weeks, it will be our main car. It won't have to be a BMW, might even be more like a vacation if it isn't...it will be like roughing it and going camping (however, that I won't be doing). It might be worth taking the Jetta GLI out though....you never know.

Oh yes, it does have to hold 4 adults in case it is our only car and we want to take people some where.

driver100

Excellent info tjc, much appreciated. Could you do it for a base Accord, see how much I should try for off. I realized I said the salesman said a base Accord would be about $24k but the online price was $22,150. The may add transport, prep and advertising to that so it might come out the same.

The Accord at least can come with an ivory interior, which is better for Florida.
Thanks for checking on the Passat, that's good info....looks like I can't try for a 4 or 5% discount.

I look at used ones and they are often more than the new ones....if it has a few options it really raises the price. I get the feeling the base model with nothing on it is almost a loss leader to be able to advertise the low price and get people to come in.

driver100

has his wife driven one and given 2 thumbs and a big grin up on the concept?

She loves bmws but she thought both of these cars had potential as a 2nd car for Florida. We will test them both for sure before we buy. Each has some advantages and disadvantages I am sure.

2) can you buy/register/insure a car in the US if you are a canadian sitizen?
Yes you can, my BIL is doing that now. He pais $22k for an Impala in 2008.
My wife has no desire to drive a big Impala. But, sure the same insurance company that insures our house would insure the car. My Ontario drivers license works fine too.

I assume you cna't buy it here and register in canada?
We can drive it and use it in Canada for awhile. We can't register it in Canada unless we pay taxes and have some of the equipment modified. Some makes won't honor the warranty if brought in from the US, such as BMW. Many makes not as fussy. I think you pretty well need a broker to fill out forms and get modifications made.

Interesting I looked up the price of a base Passat in Canada. It was $20k in the U.S. and $24k in Canada. A 328 was $34k US, $42k Canada!

I sitll think the LT rental option is overall cheaper, but hey, that is just me.
I don't like leaving it in the garage either but I think renting will actually cost more. Some times we may stay for 3 or 4 months, sometimes for a week or two. I don't know if you will always get a good price, and you can pay a lot for a week or two rental. I'd rather know my cost ahead of time, and the car we own can be traded in one day....after 4 years it will probably be worth about half with very low mileage...I don't think renting would be cheaper.