YACT: is there any difference between a car sold in Canada and one sold in the US???

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R

redly

Golden Member
Nov 15, 2004
1,159
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I'm test driving an 03 Pontiac Montana. I checked the carfax report on it, and for the first 17k miles, it was registered in Quebec and then imported to the US.

is there any difference (emissions, structural, ...anything?) between a car that was intially sold in Canada vs a car initially sold in the US?

thanks
 
MDE

MDE

Lifer
Jul 17, 2003
13,199
1
81
Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
daytime running lights are guaranteed
gauges are metric unless they were changed
Click to expand...

Most gauges that I see nowadays are all analog without any markings except the speedometer, which has both Imperial and Metric markings.
 
R

redly

Golden Member
Nov 15, 2004
1,159
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gauges are just like any other Montana, they have larger english numbers on the outside and smaller metrics on the inside, so the quebecians didn't influence that

funny thing, now that I think about it...there is a built in crossaint warmer in the dash
 
H

Horus

Platinum Member
Dec 27, 2003
2,838
1
0
Canadian cars are the exact same as american cars. Your cars are built here, our cars are built there.
 
T

tjh011

Junior Member
Feb 19, 2005
12
0
0
It depends on how many miles are on it. You probably wont be able to get any warranty coverage on it since it was first in Canada. If it is out of factory warranty anyway (over 36k miles) then it wont matter much. I sell cars and if we buy something from an auction the Canadian vehicles will bring $500 - $1000 less than American owned cars (for those that are under warranty - if not there is not much difference in price).
 
Banana

Banana

Diamond Member
Jun 3, 2001
3,132
23
81

It's illegal to import Canadian cars into the US. While some states (e.g. Wisconsin or Minnesota) may allow, or even HELP you to buy Canadian cars, the US Federal gov't and your local car dealer cannot guarantee that a Canadian car is as effective or as safe as an American car.
 
R

redly

Golden Member
Nov 15, 2004
1,159
0
0
Originally posted by: MommysLittleMonster
Canadian cars have no power.
Click to expand...


feels the same as the 03 silhouette we used to have
in fact, it was a pleasant change from the older van with a larger engine that I'm going to trade in (Silhouette with 3800 engine)
 
R

redly

Golden Member
Nov 15, 2004
1,159
0
0
Originally posted by: Banana

It's illegal to import Canadian cars into the US. While some states (e.g. Wisconsin or Minnesota) may allow, or even HELP you to buy Canadian cars, the US Federal gov't and your local car dealer cannot guarantee that a Canadian car is as effective or as safe as an American car.
Click to expand...


straight off the carfax report

09/22/2003 US Dept of Transportation
Port Huron, MI
Vehicle declared to meet US
highway safety specifications
Bond released

pwn3d
 
J

jagec

Lifer
Apr 30, 2004
24,442
6
81
They're more polite...meaning you really shouldn't plan on driving your Canadian car in NYC or Detroit.
 
E

eelw

Lifer
Dec 4, 1999
10,213
5,323
136
Do you have a lot of reports of people getting locked in car trunks in the US? The reason I'm asking is that for my Civic Hybrid, the US model has an internal emergency trunk release, while the Canadian model does not. When I posed this question on the Hybrid forums I read, I got a snarking response saying why does the Canadian model have DRLs, is it because Canada gets no sun.
 
jadinolf

jadinolf

Lifer
Oct 12, 1999
20,952
3
81
Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
Automobiles sold in Canada don't have any balls and they are subject to higher taxes. :D
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Yeah but they have FREE maintenance. :D
 
T

ToeJam13

Senior member
May 18, 2004
504
0
0
The instrument panels are different. The speedometer will be in Km/Hr primary (with Mi/Hr secondary), fuel will be in L and the lifetime odometer will be in Km. You can purchase replacement instrument panels.

Daytime running lamps are also standard on Canadian models.

There is a higher chance of a Canadian model being equipped with an engine warmer versus a US model.

If the vehicle was driven outside of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Australia, Taiwan or the Bahama Islands, you may be required to replace the O2 and/or catalytic converter.

Generally, however, cars sold for the Canadian market are very similar to those of the US market.
 
M

Mill

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
28,558
3
81
Originally posted by: Banana

It's illegal to import Canadian cars into the US. While some states (e.g. Wisconsin or Minnesota) may allow, or even HELP you to buy Canadian cars, the US Federal gov't and your local car dealer cannot guarantee that a Canadian car is as effective or as safe as an American car.
Click to expand...

BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ Customs doesn't even care.
 
FoBoT

FoBoT

No Lifer
Apr 30, 2001
63,084
15
81
fobot.com
Originally posted by: eelw
Do you have a lot of reports of people getting locked in car trunks in the US? The reason I'm asking is that for my Civic Hybrid, the US model has an internal emergency trunk release, while the Canadian model does not.
Click to expand...

that is because the liberals want to save all the Darwin award nominees from themselves

just stupid over-regulation by do gooders
 
J

jagec

Lifer
Apr 30, 2004
24,442
6
81
Originally posted by: ToeJam13
The instrument panels are different. The speedometer will be in Km/Hr primary (with Mi/Hr secondary), fuel will be in L and the lifetime odometer will be in Km. You can purchase replacement instrument panels.
Click to expand...

when's the last time you saw a fuel gauge that actually had numbers? Every one I've seen just has "E" and "F".
 
T

ToeJam13

Senior member
May 18, 2004
504
0
0
Originally posted by: jagec
Originally posted by: ToeJam13
The instrument panels are different. The speedometer will be in Km/Hr primary (with Mi/Hr secondary), fuel will be in L and the lifetime odometer will be in Km. You can purchase replacement instrument panels.
Click to expand...

when's the last time you saw a fuel gauge that actually had numbers? Every one I've seen just has "E" and "F".
Click to expand...


My parent's 1984 Buick Century hand-me-down. It had digital gauges for speed, fuel, odometer and temperature.

All of my cars since (S-10 pickup, Audi A4 and Lexus IS) have a simple analog gauge that goes from ?E? to ?F?.

Of course, a possible issue with a Canadian car would be if it came from Quebec. Instead of F and E (full & empty), couldn?t it possibly come with C and V (complètement & vide)? Of course, due to the dual language laws, it should come with both, or you could just cheat and use a picture.
 
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