Porsche Follows BMW and Mercedes-Benz By Imposing Compliance Letter Fees

Importers Face Payment of $1,250 For "Importation Inspection"

As of June 24, 2009, Porsche is insisting that it can no longer issue Recall Clearance Letters and that any such confirmation may only be obtained from a Canadian Porsche dealership once the vehicle has been imported.

The cost of the importation inspection is $1,250 and results in the issue of a Letter of Compliance from Porsche.

Here's what importers ought to know before completing their purchase:

1. RIV does not require a Letter of Compliance to issue Form 2; RIV only needs recall clearance confirmation, copy of Form 1 and payment of the RIV fee.

2. 1. If purchasing your Porsche vehicle from a US dealership, ask them to print off the Porsche warranty inquiry report off their internal systems. This is a screen capture that dealerships have access to and it will be accepted by RIV.

3. If purchasing from a private seller in the US, have them go to the dealership that does their service work for them and get this printout.

If the vehicle you desire to import into Canada is shown as admissible on the RIV website then Porsche has confirmed that the vehicle may be imported into Canada and can be modified to meet Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

Please post your Porsche importing stories here for others to read and learn from.

We're disappointed that Porsche has followed BMW and MB down this path.

For all of you who have paid the $1,250 fee, please sign on to the Class Action Lawsuit

Porsche Boxter, Cayman and 911 require modifications to bumpers

For Porsche importers, please note that on the 2008 models, RIV has recently updated bumper requirements to read as follows:


All passenger car U.S. models (Boxster, Cayman, 911 varients) do not comply with CMVSS 215 (bumpers). In order for these vehicles to be brought into compliance with CMVSS 215, the two impact pipes (part # 996 505 019 01) and their mating two desk pad impact absorbers (part # 996 505 775 00) that support the rear bumper have to be replaced with the Canadian specification impact absorbers (part # 996 505 015 01) and desk pad impact absorbers (part # 996 505 775 01).

UCanImport is encouraging importers to get a quote for this modification prior to commencing their importation.

Importing a 2007 PORSCHE CAYMAN S from the US

Submitted by a recent importer and client of UCanImport:

"There were no modifications required, only a Drive Clean emission test at Canadian Tire which was not included in the free Provincial Inspections in Ontario. Other than that, no modifications needed."

In addition, UCanImport can confirm that Porsche - at this time- does not require a Letter of Admissibility and does not charge for the Recall Clearance Letter.

Importing A Porsche From The U.S. Into Canada: Obtaining Recall Clearance Letter

To obtain a Recall Clearance Letter for a Porsche purchase in the U.S. please follow these steps:

1. Make sure you have proof of ownership of the vehicle i.e. Title, Purchase Order or a Bill of Sale.
2. Draft a cover letter using the Sample Letter in the UCanImport guide.
3. Fax the cover letter and proof of ownership to Porsche US at 1-800-322-2436
4. It will take up to 2 weeks to receive the Recall Clearance Letter, but they will advise you in advance if there are any recalls outstanding. If your Porsche has a recall, it will have to be completed in the US prior to importation.

To reach a customer service representative at Porsche US, telephone 1-800-767-7243 and don't select any options; simply wait on the line and a representative will answer your call.