Monday, March 29, 2010

Volkswagen Denies Warranty Coverage for Brand New Jetta Imports from US

UCanImport has just learned that Volkswagen is choosing not to honour warranty coverage on some brand new vehicles purchased in the US. The vehicle in question is a 2010 VW Jetta.

For those importers who are fortunate enough to find a dealership willing to sell them a brand new VW vehicle, beware that the OEM warranty may be declined.

It is uncommon to find VW dealerships who will sell new vehicles for export as most claim they are prohibited from doing so under their dealership agreement with the manufacturer. It seems very likely that this dealership's choice to sell the 2010 Jetta to a Canadian triggered a backlash from VW, who responded swiftly by stating that it will remove warranty coverage once the vehicle leaves the US. In the case of this particular importation, only the dealership was hurt as the purchaser walked away from the deal - thanks in part to their in-depth knowledge of the importation process and their capacity to research these nuances.

If you are interested in importing a VW vehicle, please research warranty coverage particularly if you are in the market for a brand-new vehicle.

There you go folks, another blow to NAFTA.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Mercedes-Benz Charging for Recall Clearance Letters

UCanImport has learned that Mercedes-Benz USA is now imposing a US$350 fee to issue a previously-free recall clearance letter.

At this time, importers are advised to telephone MB USA in advance of their importation to ascertain whether this fee will be charged. The telephone number is 1-800-367-6372.

UCanImport's earlier advise on how to request a recall letter from MB USA is no longer valid to importers.

How to benefit from purchasing an MB vehicle in the US:

1. Despite this new fee, importing Mercedes-Benz vehicles from the US still offers value to the importer. Lower prices and larger inventories are available to you.

2. Purchase a Mercedes-Benz vehicle that is nearing the end of its warranty coverage and you will be free to avoid dealing with the MB dealerships in Canada. MB Canada states it cannot honour a warranty on a vehicle unless one of its dealerships in Canada have been paid to inspect and modify the vehicle. So, if you don't have to worry about a warranty, you don't have to pay them a fee for inspecting your vehicle.

3. And finally, as part of your purchase negotiations with the US seller, request an Internal System Printout off the MB system. This free printout, which shows if the vehicle is subject to any current recall campaigns, will satisfy RIV and save you the US$350.

Last, but not least, save yourself hundreds of dollars on exchanging your funds from Canadian Dollars to US Dollars. Contact CanadianForex and set up your currency account with their professional assistance. Then simply use this account to convert funds and transfer them to the US. We think the savings you experience through this institution will compensate you for the monies you may have to fork over to MB.

Thank you to our ever-vigilant subscribers who share their experiences with us.