2013 GTS Canadian spec?
- Thread starter Donzi
- Start date
flyboy999
Enthusiast
Hi Donzi,
I own a Canadian spec 2013 GTS. Here are my thoughts. First, although you can cycle from mph to km/h on the instrument cluster, it is displayed in two places. One, on the left, which is the old standard sweeping needle, and I can't see that changing from Km/h to mph, but the digital numerical read out in the center wouldn't have a problem changing. Also, here in Canada, we are required to have daytime running lights. So, whenever you turn on the car, the lights automatically come on. Now, the selector does allow you to turn the lights off, but I just leave it in auto mode. The funny thing is, when it is in auto mode and I start the car to leave, the headlights and running lights both come on. But when I come home from a drive, only the running lights are on, so it must sense that it is daylight out and shuts off the headlights, which kinda defeats the whole "daytime running lights" requirement. Funny. Beyond that, I can't see there being any differences. I have imported several vehicles from the States into Canada, as I am a U.S. citizen, and have lived in both countries. Generally, all I have to do is go to Canadian Tire, buy a Hamsar module to hook into the oil pressure switch so it turns on the headlights to pass the Canadian inspection process, and that's it. The rest of the car from the States is good to go. My S2000 only has a digital readout for the mph so you just switch it to km/h. Our FJ Cruiser has the typical sweep needle in mph, and you can't switch it, but the Canadian inspection doesn't care, as long as the km/h are displayed in the inner portion. Let me know if you have any other questions. If you can get to a U.S. GTS we can compare the two if you like.
Edit - I'll check if the sweep needle changes to mph from km/h when I finish my coffee, get dressed, etc.
I own a Canadian spec 2013 GTS. Here are my thoughts. First, although you can cycle from mph to km/h on the instrument cluster, it is displayed in two places. One, on the left, which is the old standard sweeping needle, and I can't see that changing from Km/h to mph, but the digital numerical read out in the center wouldn't have a problem changing. Also, here in Canada, we are required to have daytime running lights. So, whenever you turn on the car, the lights automatically come on. Now, the selector does allow you to turn the lights off, but I just leave it in auto mode. The funny thing is, when it is in auto mode and I start the car to leave, the headlights and running lights both come on. But when I come home from a drive, only the running lights are on, so it must sense that it is daylight out and shuts off the headlights, which kinda defeats the whole "daytime running lights" requirement. Funny. Beyond that, I can't see there being any differences. I have imported several vehicles from the States into Canada, as I am a U.S. citizen, and have lived in both countries. Generally, all I have to do is go to Canadian Tire, buy a Hamsar module to hook into the oil pressure switch so it turns on the headlights to pass the Canadian inspection process, and that's it. The rest of the car from the States is good to go. My S2000 only has a digital readout for the mph so you just switch it to km/h. Our FJ Cruiser has the typical sweep needle in mph, and you can't switch it, but the Canadian inspection doesn't care, as long as the km/h are displayed in the inner portion. Let me know if you have any other questions. If you can get to a U.S. GTS we can compare the two if you like.
Edit - I'll check if the sweep needle changes to mph from km/h when I finish my coffee, get dressed, etc.
Thank you! I just found a photo of that speedometer, and it looks fully mechanical, so I bet it would have to be swapped out for the US version.
I rented a Chevy Traverse last week and the sweep needle did actually change, when going from English to metric....please let
me know.
Thanks
I rented a Chevy Traverse last week and the sweep needle did actually change, when going from English to metric....please let
me know.
Thanks
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flyboy999
Enthusiast
I went out and checked. The mph/km/h is only changed under the numbers for the centre display. The left sweep needle display remains in km/h. I'm not sure what it would cost to get that changed, but I'm sure it isn't cheap.
flyboy999
Enthusiast
No problem.
AZTVR
Enthusiast
Just be careful in being able to register it in the US. I have not read a post from someone that has done it. One guy described what was necessary and said that it was a very iffy proposition. Then there is also a debate about whether any warranty from Chrysler, CA would be transferrable to a US registered/owned car. It did not sound like a risk that I would want to take; although the price may be worth it to some.
AZTVR
Enthusiast
Thanks for that update. I would never have thought to check where a car was originally sold, with respect to the warranty, until the recent talk about buying Vipers sold in Canada.
A person recently posted on one of the Viper forums that he checked with SRT twice and he said that they told him that the Canadian-sold Viper he was buying would be covered by the full manufacturer's warranty in the US. He said he purchased it; but, several folks told him that reports from a Viper dealer representative on the forum and others were that the Chrysler-Canada warranty would not be honored in the US for a car registered in the US to a US citizen . I'm afraid that he got the wrong info or did not ask the question the right way or to the right company reps.
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Jim – ‘02 GTS ACR gray/silver -- sold – ( enthusiastic custodian for 8 years )
flyboy999
Enthusiast
My take is this: the amount of money saved by purchasing a Canadian Viper is offset by the hassels of importation (shipping, taxes etc.), modification, and warranty concerns.
Be aware, the taxes paid on the purchase of the car vary from province to province. For example, if you purchase the car in Alberta, since Alberta doesn't have any Provincial Sales Tax (PST), you wouldn't pay any tax at all in Canada, assuming that the vehicle is used. If you are purchasing a new Viper anywhere in Canada, you have to pay the Goods and Services tax, which is 5%. But, if you are purchasing the vehicle in Ontario, you have to pay what is called the "harmonized sales tax", which is a combination of PST and GST, regardless of whether or not the vehicle is new or used. So, you have to pay 13% tax on a used Viper bought in Ontario. Yes, you read that right, 13%!!!!!!! When you consider that any Gen V car is going to be selling for 80K-100K, you are looking at over $10,000.00 Canadian (about $8,000.00 U.S.) in tax alone, before you have even moved the vehicle towards the border. Then you start looking at shipping costs, which are going to run at least a few thousand dollars. I haven't even touched on resale value. In Canada, a U.S. vehicle traditionally takes a hit on resale value. I'm not saying that it should, necessarily, but they do. People up here want to purchase a vehicle that was originally purchased and imported into Canada directly from the manufacturer for various reasons. One of which is the speedometer/odometer issue.
At the end of the day, I have seen many people suggesting U.S. residents consider purchasing a Canadian Viper based on the price differential and exchange rate, but it isn't that simple. A closer look reveals that any potential savings will likely be nullified. I can easily see the cost of this transaction eclipsing $15,000.00 not to mention the "hassel factor". One last point, typically, a Canadian bank will not finance the purchase of a vehicle located outside of the country, particularly when the vehicle itself is being used as the collateral for the purchase. I would imagine U.S. banks would take a similar approach, since they have no jurisdiction over recovery of the car should there be a default on the loan, and the car is the collateral. This is opening them up to an unreasonable amount of risk. Therefore, you need to either pay cash, or put something else up as collateral for the loan, such as your house. In other words, unless you have 80-100 large sitting in your bank account, you are probably out of luck. Particularly if you're married. I can't even begin to imagine the conversation, "Honey, how do you feel about me putting up the house as collateral for a Viper I want to purchase in Canada?" Hahahahaah.................. Um, I don't think that will end well.......
Be aware, the taxes paid on the purchase of the car vary from province to province. For example, if you purchase the car in Alberta, since Alberta doesn't have any Provincial Sales Tax (PST), you wouldn't pay any tax at all in Canada, assuming that the vehicle is used. If you are purchasing a new Viper anywhere in Canada, you have to pay the Goods and Services tax, which is 5%. But, if you are purchasing the vehicle in Ontario, you have to pay what is called the "harmonized sales tax", which is a combination of PST and GST, regardless of whether or not the vehicle is new or used. So, you have to pay 13% tax on a used Viper bought in Ontario. Yes, you read that right, 13%!!!!!!! When you consider that any Gen V car is going to be selling for 80K-100K, you are looking at over $10,000.00 Canadian (about $8,000.00 U.S.) in tax alone, before you have even moved the vehicle towards the border. Then you start looking at shipping costs, which are going to run at least a few thousand dollars. I haven't even touched on resale value. In Canada, a U.S. vehicle traditionally takes a hit on resale value. I'm not saying that it should, necessarily, but they do. People up here want to purchase a vehicle that was originally purchased and imported into Canada directly from the manufacturer for various reasons. One of which is the speedometer/odometer issue.
At the end of the day, I have seen many people suggesting U.S. residents consider purchasing a Canadian Viper based on the price differential and exchange rate, but it isn't that simple. A closer look reveals that any potential savings will likely be nullified. I can easily see the cost of this transaction eclipsing $15,000.00 not to mention the "hassel factor". One last point, typically, a Canadian bank will not finance the purchase of a vehicle located outside of the country, particularly when the vehicle itself is being used as the collateral for the purchase. I would imagine U.S. banks would take a similar approach, since they have no jurisdiction over recovery of the car should there be a default on the loan, and the car is the collateral. This is opening them up to an unreasonable amount of risk. Therefore, you need to either pay cash, or put something else up as collateral for the loan, such as your house. In other words, unless you have 80-100 large sitting in your bank account, you are probably out of luck. Particularly if you're married. I can't even begin to imagine the conversation, "Honey, how do you feel about me putting up the house as collateral for a Viper I want to purchase in Canada?" Hahahahaah.................. Um, I don't think that will end well.......
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