Buy Canadian?

[SKIROULE]

We went down to the U.S (Montana) for a few days during the hollidays. I checked out the local sled dealers, Cat, Yam, Poo and Doo and found alot of the prices were very close to ours considering the high dollar at that time. What I did find strange is that in the Ski Doo dealer the prices were even closer to ours? Is this not a Canadian company? I bought the fancy jerry can for my Summit because it was a few dollars less than I can get it for here (around $130), I paid $90 US. The strange thing is that when I looked at the shipping label on the box it shows being shipped from Montreal to the dealer in the US, but on the can it is made in the US and shipped to Que? So that means this can is made in the US then shipped to Que then shipped back to the dealer in the US and is still less than we can get for here? I did manage to pick up and original Muff Pot from a Yam dealer on sale for $26 US. The last time I looked at one here it was close to $50!

 

[Summiteer]

We went down to the U.S (Montana) for a few days during the hollidays. I checked out the local sled dealers, Cat, Yam, Poo and Doo and found alot of the prices were very close to ours considering the high dollar at that time. What I did find strange is that in the Ski Doo dealer the prices were even closer to ours? Is this not a Canadian company? I bought the fancy jerry can for my Summit because it was a few dollars less than I can get it for here (around $130), I paid $90 US. The strange thing is that when I looked at the shipping label on the box it shows being shipped from Montreal to the dealer in the US, but on the can it is made in the US and shipped to Que? So that means this can is made in the US then shipped to Que then shipped back to the dealer in the US and is still less than we can get for here? I did manage to pick up and original Muff Pot from a Yam dealer on sale for $26 US. The last time I looked at one here it was close to $50!

Originally the jerry cans that were made in canada were not approved for use by the US DOT so they made their own. Not sure if that is the case now.

 

[RMKer]

not a big difference????

I just bought a 09 dragon 800 with 30 miles out of a middle state for 7600!!! There's no reason the polaris dealers should be charging 13800 for them!!! It's absolute highway robery.

There's a huge difference when you go to the states still! Even if you get it shipped to the border crossing. If more of us do this maybe the canadian prices will finally get lower....

rmker

 

[merv jennett]

not a big difference????

I just bought a 09 dragon 800 with 30 miles out of a middle state for 7600!!! There's no reason the polaris dealers should be charging 13800 for them!!! It's absolute highway robery.

There's a huge difference when you go to the states still! Even if you get it shipped to the border crossing. If more of us do this maybe the canadian prices will finally get lower....

rmker

yes i agree the canadian prices a scam sombody is making alot of money they always blame the boarder crossing for the hike in prices cdn. boarder all you have to pay is gst.

 

[ttpowersports]

i agree with u guys that in a perfect world
the exchange should be exactly what its suppose to be
this is called free trade right? welcome to canada

As a dealer i here this all the time an if u think it frustrates you when u buy your new sled, and the us price is a lot less, imagine if u will the frustration that your dealers have when they are buying 50 or 60 plus machines, thats alot of $$$.....

heres the response i have gotten in the past, as being in business for almost 2 decades this isnt the first or the last im sure we will have to deal with it..

The manufacturers, and i deal with three, pre- buy their raw materials, ie a year ahead at least-as we all know that 2010 sleds were made in 2009,
Therefore the prices are based on the exchange at that time.

That is why we found ourselves in 2009 with new sleds that were cheaper than 2008, we had a stronger dollar.

As im sure u can realize this was not really good if any dealers had new 2008 s left... yes the manufactures came out with rebates, but it doesnt cover ur carring costs or lost profits.

Now 2010 double ouch...... retail prices are up a lot compared to last year.. again nobodys happy about that...... Personally when i saw the 2010 prices last yr, i scaled back my 2010 orders and purchased left over 2009s, there may be some upgrades on the 2010 s but the 2-3 k or higher difference in the price to an almost identical unit is pretty appealing....

whats the answer,, lobby the goverment , may as well hit ur dik with a hammer, sorry...

course all us dealers could go and buy from the US dealers, but then we wouldnt get any warranty or support or be a dealer for that matter..

we always seem to find a cheaper deal, with my luck its after i buy, but is the support there, as thats what i think us dealers try our best to give..

Some times as a Proud Canadian i feel no matter what we get the short end of it, Will it change,,,probably not... what are our choices,,,well we are Canadians and we have the choice to do what we want, shop were we want, buy the brand we want, so i know its not a perfect place....
but i love it.....

I just dont want the mass population to start supporting the Country that keeps kicking us in the teeth...... dont get me wrong i like the Us i like to visit there, i like the people, and i like their snow........

So fellow canadians shop, buy, and do what u want, just remember to save a bit for your own home town,,,,,or who knows one day we may be the next STATE..........

this is my opinion, i dont want to start a hoop law and i am not trying to tick anyone off...... i think it should be fair for everyone.....the exchange i mean, thats one reason why we try our best to go the extra mile.....

dang politics......and people wonder why i drink........:d:d:d:d.


T

 

[Cyle]

I agree that the local dealers can't completely compete with the price, but they need to try, and not gouge. I will say if I knew I was going to get good service buying local, I would pay more for it, but not $4000 or so you can buy a lot of good service for that! But with the reputation of most edmonton dealers what the point of supporting them? Their attitude is they don't care! So yea I will take my money elsewhere.

I buy a lot of stuff for my truck, just spent about $8000. I got 2 local prices, first of all the shops kept telling me you need this and crap, I got sick of that. I want a price on the stuff I am telling you, don't tell me what I need! Second of all, of the jambled prices I got, I would be looking at about $13,000+/

I know I can't afford that kind of difference when it's just a days drive to the border to pick the stuff up and only $200 in fuel.

The stuff that really pisses me off is why I can get a set of tires from the US shipped to my door for still a TON less then a local dealer wants?

 

[Ridin High]

Agreed! Priced at set of tires here $1700 plus tax. Bought exact ones shipped to the door for $726 brokerage, shipping, and taxes included. makes a person wonder.

 

[ttpowersports]

I agree that the local dealers can't completely compete with the price, but they need to try, and not gouge. I will say if I knew I was going to get good service buying local, I would pay more for it, but not $4000 or so you can buy a lot of good service for that! But with the reputation of most edmonton dealers what the point of supporting them? Their attitude is they don't care! So yea I will take my money elsewhere.

I buy a lot of stuff for my truck, just spent about $8000. I got 2 local prices, first of all the shops kept telling me you need this and crap, I got sick of that. I want a price on the stuff I am telling you, don't tell me what I need! Second of all, of the jambled prices I got, I would be looking at about $13,000+/

I know I can't afford that kind of difference when it's just a days drive to the border to pick the stuff up and only $200 in fuel.

The stuff that really pisses me off is why I can get a set of tires from the US shipped to my door for still a TON less then a local dealer wants?

well i can.t speak for all the dealers and all the retail outlets, however i have been in retail for a long time, and i feel ur pain as im not always the guy behind the counter i am often the buyer as well.

i do know this...the reality is if most people new what little we made on a sled or atv sale, they would think were nuts...... it aint much. unfortunately,..and compared to dealers that charge closer to the retail prices or (more than the going rate) they are labeled as gougers ,,,

Sometimes as a dealer we are overshadowed by the big chain stores as far as our buying power goes,, I was told by a atv rep that there are states in the US that sell more than Canada.... ouch.... so once again were the little dogs...

I know what ur saying and respect it. We have the choice to support those who give us the service and the deals that we expect and deserve.

That is one reason why me the FORD guy,with almost a blue oval tattoo has just purchased a CHEV..... service and consistency - a dealer that owns and runs two ford shops one in my town (across the street) and one half an hour away,,,,, the one half an hour away is always cheaper on there parts........WTF.......... Lets have a shot and contemplate life and the dumb things we have to put up with...........

 

[maxwell]

yeah....

the way i see it.....its purely service, support and attitude i base my buying off. when i buy new stuff i will pay the extra 2g if i know i will get the service and support no problem.

however. in edmonton this is not the case. the dealers here are so large and have a " when you walk out someone else walks in attitude" for this i will drive to the states to save the extra and risk the warranty. because chances are i will not even be able to have my warrenty addressed here anyways.


ps. terry im looking for a new cat in the spring. talk to ya then!

 

[ttpowersports]

well just so you all know T&T is alot closer than the US......just saying....

have great day fellow Canadians.......

 

[powerteker]

ps. terry im looking for a new cat in the spring. talk to ya then!

X2 but I'd like a test drive I tried a 08 xp and I didn't like it! I'm lookin for m8 hcr or maby I'll spring order a le

 

[ttpowersports]

well, we will be in blue river at easter for our 3 annual easter ride, should be about 25-30 of us give r take a couple, plus peeps and friendstomers.... we will have m8 there as well as m1 and abunch of other sleds.... be riding for two days...... come and check it out...course we may have some 2011 by then as last year at easter we did!!!

let us know

T

 

[Longhorn]

I agree with all of you guys and I have been in a super huge dilemna for weeks as to what to do...

In the end I have finally made up my mind...bought a USED sled from the US as it was off warranty and I wasnt worried about service back home. Bought a NEW sled from a dealer so that I have a reliable shop and dealer to back me up when and if there are issues. For the remaining sleds I need to get the whole family involved, Terry has been sending me some great info on 08, and 09 models and when I compare the pricing to the US it doesnt make sense for me to go down there and the additional grief of the bozos at the border and then the final insult, the 'tech' at Canadian Tire that has to perform the final RIV inspection...

For me, I will buy from a Canadian, and pay a bit more if I have to. It might be easier for me to justify as a business owner dealing with similar issues, but right or wrong, that is what I am planning...

 

[powerteker]

well, we will be in blue river at easter for our 3 annual easter ride, should be about 25-30 of us give r take a couple, plus peeps and friendstomers.... we will have m8 there as well as m1 and abunch of other sleds.... be riding for two days...... come and check it out...course we may have some 2011 by then as last year at easter we did!!!

let us know

T

2011 is what i'd be after anyhow, it's in my mind now so I will think about it

 

[retiredpop]

We as Canadians cannot buy a new sled in the US. The dealers won't sell to anyone that does not have a US address. Our only choice is to buy used from the US. This is the policy of the manufacturers, not the dealers. This really burns me up but what can you do? Even Skidoo fines their US dealers if they sell new sleds to Canadian citizens. WTF is up with that? The government doesn't give a rat's a**. I've written to all the government people I can think of but no one will even answer. I wish the dealers would get behind us consumers and put some pressure on the manufacturers to lower their prices for Canadians. Even with our high dollar in 2008 our 2009 sleds were still way higher than the same sled in the US so I don't really buy the argument that it is based solely on the dollar difference. We're getting shafted by the manufacturers just because they can. Historically when our dollar tanked and sled prices went up we all got used to paying through the nose and are for the most part willing to continue to do so. I would really like to support local dealers but $3k difference even with factoring in the dollar is a bit much irregardless of service. Times that by 2 cause I need 2 new sleds. I would even fore go getting warranty done here in Canada if the need arose and take it down to the US for warranty but they won't even give me the chance.

 

[summit889]

you can buy new Yamaha's, unless something changed recently.

 

[ttpowersports]

We as Canadians cannot buy a new sled in the US. The dealers won't sell to anyone that does not have a US address. Our only choice is to buy used from the US. This is the policy of the manufacturers, not the dealers. This really burns me up but what can you do? Even Skidoo fines their US dealers if they sell new sleds to Canadian citizens. WTF is up with that? The government doesn't give a rat's a**. I've written to all the government people I can think of but no one will even answer. I wish the dealers would get behind us consumers and put some pressure on the manufacturers to lower their prices for Canadians. Even with our high dollar in 2008 our 2009 sleds were still way higher than the same sled in the US so I don't really buy the argument that it is based solely on the dollar difference. We're getting shafted by the manufacturers just because they can. Historically when our dollar tanked and sled prices went up we all got used to paying through the nose and are for the most part willing to continue to do so. I would really like to support local dealers but $3k difference even with factoring in the dollar is a bit much irregardless of service. Times that by 2 cause I need 2 new sleds. I would even fore go getting warranty done here in Canada if the need arose and take it down to the US for warranty but they won't even give me the chance.

well it seems we in the same boat, whats the answer, i can assure u that we dont make huge bucks, but we do have to make a bit.. i always say i like to take ur money, but i just dont have to take it all..... i put my shorts on one let at a time same as everyone else , and i always appreciate new customers, give us a chance to give u a deal, we are fair, we dont bs , and we give the service that we like to receive ourselves, are we perfect, no, do we promise the moon, no, we just enjoy the industry and enjoy helping others do the same, whether its by offering honest deals, helping out a fellow atver or sledder in need, or just socializing..

I cant change the goverment, cant change city dealers attitudes or reputations, we just do what we can, and treat everyone as our equal.

Hope your as proud to be alive and living in our beautiful country as i am..

cheers to you... pray for a snow storm....with 3' drifts (the small ones)

and hopefully one day we get to meet in person and swap some life experiences....

Have a great nite

Terry Coulombe

 

[canuckchampfan]

While I agree we may be paying more that we should for products in Canada there may be a few reasons people may not be thinking about:
-average salaries higher in Canada than US, some trades people make as low as $15.00 per hour in the USA while Canada $30-$40 per hour.
-raw material prices higher based partly on wages and geography
-supply and demand, need I say more
-business costs higher in Canada we have WCB, Health Care and Pension

 

[ttpowersports]

While I agree we may be paying more that we should for products in Canada there may be a few reasons people may not be thinking about:
-average salaries higher in Canada than US, some trades people make as low as $15.00 per hour in the USA while Canada $30-$40 per hour.
-raw material prices higher based partly on wages and geography
-supply and demand, need I say more
-business costs higher in Canada we have WCB, Health Care and Pension

ok ur depressing me who the h makes 40 an hour ...wtf im in the wrong business....

t

 

[Can-Do]

im much closer to $40 then i am to $30...

which bring up a simple thought i just had.. dosnt matter how much i make now or in the future. fair price for items should not be dictated because i make more then an average US employee.

hmmm maybe il apply for dual citizenship...should be able to buy US items then...hehe and still get warranty. Heh! not likely ..BRP will find away to veto that thinking