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Thanks
Andy
A large number of people continue to contact me about buying a Maxima in Canada and bringing it home to the US. I promised to do a quick summary, so here it is
So why to do this? To save money. The exchange rate is great for us here in the US. Here are a couple examples of selling prices I've seen lately (converted to US dollars and including the duty):
- Maxima SE 6spd, Leather pkg, Meridian pkg, sunroof, Bose, side airbags, HLSD. $23,100. That's $4400 under US dealer invoice.
- Maxima GLE, Meridian pkg, sunroof, side airbags, TCS. $22,700. About $3800 under US dealer invoice.
Here's the answers to the most asked questions:
- Yes, it's perfectly legal as a US resident to buy a new car in Canada.
- Maxima meets all US safety and emissions requirements (California too).
- You will pay some Canadian sales taxes, but they send you a refund after you take the vehicle out of the country.
- The warranty is honored in the US.
- It's identical to the US Maxima, but in Canada they come standard with many of the options we have to pay extra for.
- Speedo is in kph and mph; odo is in km, but can be changed if you prefer.
- We've found dealers willing to sell over the phone at close to invoice, far below list price (Toronto and Vancouver are usually best).
- Get your financing at home first.
Quick summary of the process:
1. Call dealer and make a deal. Get VIN number.
2. Call Nissan and get US emissions and safety compliance letter (will fax if in a hurry).
3. Go to Canada, pay dealer, drive away.
4. Stop at Canadian customs. Get form stamped.
5. Stop at US Customs. Show compliance letter. Pay 2.5% duty.
6. At home register vehicle and pay your state's sales tax just like normal.
7. Get Canadian sales tax refund check in the mail.
I bought in Canada over a year ago and I know of over sixty others who have also done so since. Sure, there's a little paperwork to do, but it's not bad at all. Many people are surprised how close to Canada they really are. Anyone from Chicago to D.C. is easily within a one days drive home from Toronto. And much of the west coast is close to Vancouver.
There is more in the way of personal notes and savings above here and in the Pathfinder forum. I'm glad to help anyone out with questions or good contacts. I have lots more information available. Just email me.
-Jon
jonlofquist@aol.com
I would buy from Canada but that's a long way from Charlotte, NC. Too bad, though. $22700 would be a great price for a well-equipped GLE.
Going from NC to Toronto to buy wouldn't even be close to the record. How about Atlanta, Texas, and Alabama. And I get more mail from the DC area than anywhere else other than Seattle. Charlotte is only a 750 mile drive home (all Interstate). Not too bad to save a few thousand. I don't want to push this idea onto anyone, but most people don't realize how far "south" Toronto really is.
-Jon
Meantime, I switched to Sunoco 94. Not only is there no knock, but the car seems noticably more powerful.
Because of the power increase, I suspect this station may have been selling regular gas as premium all along and my engine controls have been compensating for it by retarding the timing. Probably the last tank I got there was simply a little worse than the usual regular being sold as premium.
Your solution is to switch to a gas station that gives you premium when you select and pay for premium.
I agree with you and share your concern that the new Max
will be Nissan's version of the Avalon. Current info. suggests
that the '03 Max. will be larger and based on the Altima
platform.
I'm perplexed because the new Max. is supposed to be rwd.
This would suggest a performance benefit, however, they
are going to make the vehicle larger ( as in boat). Even if
they approached the HP territory of the 350Z, the increased
weight would negate any perf. increase. I hope I'm wrong !!
I'm interested in your thoughts and any new info you
may have.
Sid:
If what you say is true about the 2003 model being
the same car that is on sale now, this is contrary
to Nissan's own model matrix found on freshalloy.
The model matrix says: "major redesign to full
size," "same 3.5L V-6," "independent rear suspension." I recognize that Nissan can change
their plans at will but if the matrix as noted
is correct, then the 2003 model will not be the
"same car that is on sale now."
I am interested, as I'm sure others here are, in
your commenting about this especially in light of
the fact that I, among others, are strongly con-
sidering trying to retain a car built in Japan as
opposed to TN where the 2003 model is supposed
to be manufactured!?
berbel
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
My guess about nissan's future:
Maxima: 300 hp V8 or 280hp V6 w/ AWD sedan
G35: 260(sedan) RWD
g35: 280(coupe) AWD or RWD
350z: 280hp+ rwd sports coupe
Altima: 240hp FWD sedan
This way Nissan offers something for everybody.
The car is running great, gas mileage has been between 17.5 and 22.5/gal. probably because my driving is stop sign to stop light mostly. I have only used premium gas, Shell & Moble 93 Octane. I do not like the 1st to second shift as it lags between gears and I believe that affects accelaration. Accelaration is good however - I would guess around 7.5 seconds zero to 60. I get a minor "thump" under moderate to hard acceleration form a dead stop and from accelerating hard from low speed - feels like motor mounts. Dealer service said "inherent with the car - there was another case and nothing alievieted the thump". This does not seem a big deal at all. I have no vibration whatsoever in the steering wheel at idle. The engine is truly smooth and has a refined sound out the exhaust.
Accelaration is real good after 3500 RPMs. Passing from anywhere between 50 and 80 MPH is just effortless, (peak torque @ 4000 RPMs). The car stops well from any speed - the pedal feel is good and not spongey. The brakes start to grab with slight application of the pedal. The car handles very well at normal speeds. This car is fun to drive.
The paint is not good. Many chips in the paint, mostly on the hood. I am concerned about this. This could be a problen when I decide to sell in 5 or 6 years. The paint chips range in size from less than 1/16" to a little less than 1/8". NOT COOL.
I have no noticable sqeaks or rattles inside the car. The fit and finish are very good, in & out. IMO, the only improvements could have been in lighting the sunroof controls and tinting the sunroof glass, adding rear A/C vents and moving the side view mirror controls to the driver's door so that you don't have to move forward to adjust. Perhaps also better or adjustable lateral support for the front seats. Minor stuff.
I am overall very satisfied with the performance, in & out of this car with the exeption of the paint.
Just my opinion. How is your '00 or '01?
Guessin' car mags are much more interested in the completely revised Altima and the soon-to-be-released completely new G35.
Motor Trend's 3/02 issue has 1-year Wrap UP of their 2000 Maxima SE w/5-speed manual. 0-60 mph in 6.7 seconds.
Altima
0-30: 2.8
0-60: 6.7
30-50: 2.4
50-70 3.5
1/4-mile: 14.9@95.5 mph
Maxima
0-30: 3.0
0-60: 6.9
30-50: 2.4
50-70: 3.4
1/4-mile: 15.0@95.6 mph
They also tested both cars on a chassis dyno and found that the Maxima really does make more power than the Altima. They don't explain why the Maxima is slower despite its power advantage.
Anyone notice this and have any ideas of what it might be.
Thank you,
Anthony
I passed. Aside from the suspension, I love the car. Service Dept tells me suspension cannot be changed to something softer. ANY SUGGESTIONS WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
1. Tire Pressure....you can adjust that to see if a lower pressure would give you a somewhat softer ride.
2. Trade up to the GLE. That's what I have...engine the same and the suspension is still fun when pushed, but also very comfortable in normal driving.
The previous generation M3, at 3,200 lbs and with 240 horsepower and 236 ft-lbs of torque would look below average in a horsepower comparison chart with many of today's wanna-be sport sedans. But on the road, it's quite a different story. Heck, even the 530i 5-speed, at 250 lbs of extra heft and with 30 less horsepower and 32 less ft-lbs of torque feels quicker to me than the Maxima SE 6-speed.
Somebody in another forum suggested Lotus would have trouble selling the Elise in the states because it's only rated at something like 120 horsepower. The implication was that the American market is too damn dumb to be able to objectively evaluate a car and simply gets caught up in horsepower numbers comparisons.
So, anybody know what the extra 65 horses that Nissan added to the Maxima since 1995 are actually doing?? Perhaps we should have a power window race or stereo competition to find out!
P.S. About 99.7% of the 122,300 miles on my Maxima have been at speeds below 95 mph. So, I don't really want to hear from Nissan that the "top end" of the Maxima has been improved. If did I want to go 120+, I'll do it in my S2000, which can actually handle those speeds. I'd just like a sedan with a little more oomph in the sane person's speed range.
If you look at other times SCC has published, they are similarly slow. Two or three months ago they tested the Acura RSX-S. 7.6 seconds 0-60, 1/4-mile in 15.6. Road & Track got 6.7 0-60 for the same car. This past month SCC got 8.9 seconds 0-60 for the Toyota Matrix XRS (with the 180 hp engine). Car and Driver got something like 7.3 seconds for the mechanically identical Pontiac Vibe GT.
Give your car a couple months. Two things happen: 1)The ride actually seems to get smoother as the car gets broken-in and/or 2)You get more used to it.
In the meantime, see how fast you can go around the curves on on and off ramps! The stiff ride is a worthwhile tradeoff for the handling you get. Now that I'm used to it, I actually like the ride and would not want it to be any less stiff.
Plus, I blew a tire out the other night and it sure came in handy!
I also noticed the harshness of the ride in my test drive. But never thought to check the tire pressure.
Also anyone got any feeling on what, if any, incentive Nissan will offer next.
Thanks,
T-Boom
I currently have a 2002 SE on hold, awaiting my 1998 Integra GSR to be sold. Dealer A said they have 0.9% financing for 12,24 or 36 months, through the end of Feb. Dealer B said 0.9% for either 12 or 24 months. What's up w/ conflicting facts from different dealers? Is this normal? The dealers are in Dayton vs. Cincinnati.
I actually think side airbags are a definite if you're spending the money on a new car. I really thought the heated seats were of little value until I started using them, now we love them and just traded up to a 2002 which has the heated steering wheel, also great....(as my pickup truck driving friend said...."you've turned into a wuss").
Here’s what Tom and Ray of NPR Car Talk say about your first oil change:
It IS a good idea to do the first oil change at 500 or 1,000 miles. Sometimes, there are small metal shavings left over from the manufacturing process, and it's a good idea to change the oil and get rid of them. After that, our recommendation is that you change the oil at 5,000 mile intervals.
The whole article:
http://cartalk.cars.com/Columns/Archive/1994/July/17.html