Reside in Ottawa Canada...
Own 1980 Corvette....
Needed new rear suspension spring...
Shopped for monospring kit...(canadian stores ....)
Ultimate Performance(1.5hr from my location) quoted a kit with taxes $804.00(Includes bolts, rubbers, center plate and 360lb composite spring)
Now here's the twist !
Called VBP in Florida.
Ordered a kit that included all of the above.
Got it shipped to a UPS Store($25) in the Ogdensburg NY, 1.5hr drive from my place. Picked up the package and declared it at duty counter and paid taxes GST and PST... Conclusion: $450.00 Canadian That includes after $ conversion fuel/lunch and all taxes.
Would like to support my local canadian stores BUT saving 50%!!!!!?????!!!!!...
I respect that the Canadian boys are trying to make a living BUT so am I !!!!
Now I have an extra $400 to play with !
Tks
Phil
Last edited by Spitfire80; 12-13-2008 at 11:25 AM.
Reside in Ottawa Canada...
Own 1980 Corvette....
Needed new rear suspension spring...
Shopped for monospring kit...(canadian stores ....)
Ultimate Performance(1.5hr from my location) quoted a kit with taxes $804.00(Includes bolts, rubbers, center plate and 360lb composite spring)
Now here's the twist !
Called VBP in Florida.
Ordered a kit that included all of the above.
Got it shipped to a UPS Store($25) in the Ogdensburg NY, 1.5hr drive from my place. Picked up the package and declared it at duty counter and paid taxes GST and PST... Conclusion: $450.00 Canadian That includes after $ conversion fuel/lunch and all taxes.
Would like to support my local canadian stores BUT saving 50%!!!!!?????!!!!!...
I respect that the Canadian boys are trying to make a living BUT so am I !!!!
Now I have an extra $400 to play with !
Tks
Phil
It has to make you wonder. They keep crying the blues but the margins are way out of line compared to the USA.
Location: Mississauga, Ontario I know all the answers it's the questions I don't understand
Been saying this for years, the only things I buy at local speed shops are inexpensive things that I need right away, like a gasket or spark plug, and not all 8 either. f'in ripoff artists, make a reasonable profit, don't try and retire off one sale
__________________ 1980 Corvette, 427ci Motown SBC 465RWHP N/A so far,500 is the goal, AFR 227 Eliminators
T&D Shaft Rockers,Vic Jr, XR286R solid roller,248/254 dur .640" lift 10.6:1 Mahle pistons
Eagle stroker rods, 4 in. Callies DragonSlayer crank, 825 Drag Race Demon, 3 in exhaust Paint by Dream Car Garage
Been saying this for years, the only things I buy at local speed shops are inexpensive things that I need right away, like a gasket or spark plug, and not all 8 either. f'in ripoff artists, make a reasonable profit, don't try and retire off one sale
Don't feel sorry for them at all. When ever I compare pricing I base it on the US cost + conversion + freight & Duty. Anything more than that is just a rip off. I will often let them get away with an extra 10 - 15% to save my own efforts. After all we buy at retail in the US and they buy at cost.
I agree 100%. I would always prefer to support the Canadian economy, but the prices on most things are just way too out of whack. Just so tired of getting ripped off just for being Canadian!!
Just another example, I just called an Active Green and Ross dealer, I'm trying to get prices on tires. Once again trying to buy Canadian, rather than American (Tire Rack, ect.) For ONE rear Z06 size tire, $900!! And that was just for a Continental Sport Cup!! What the hell are they smoking??!?! yes I know huge tires are expensive, but not even PS2's are THAT expesnive. No way woudl I even think of spoendin gtaht, and if I did it woudl be for a better tire than that tahts for sure! Do we have "sucker" written on our foreheads??
I'll continue to shop around, and buy US if I have to, even with the exchange, shipping etc, STILL way cheaper than that!!
Location: You Can't Buy Cool, No Friggin' Way - Mississauga Ontario
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil7755
Just for your information....
Reside in Ottawa Canada...
Own 1980 Corvette....
Needed new rear suspension spring...
Shopped for monospring kit...(canadian stores ....)
Ultimate Performance(1.5hr from my location) quoted a kit with taxes $804.00(Includes bolts, rubbers, center plate and 360lb composite spring)
Now here's the twist !
Called VBP in Florida.
Ordered a kit that included all of the above.
Got it shipped to a UPS Store($25) in the Ogdensburg NY, 1.5hr drive from my place. Picked up the package and declared it at duty counter and paid taxes GST and PST... Conclusion: $450.00 Canadian That includes after $ conversion fuel/lunch and all taxes.
Would like to support my local canadian stores BUT saving 50%!!!!!?????!!!!!...
I respect that the Canadian boys are trying to make a living BUT so am I !!!!
Have any of you guys bought tires for your vettes out of the states? I bought a set of tires for my '99 LHS a few years ago, they were $335.00 here, I paid $96.00 CDN ea shipped USPS.
I collected for a few tire companies for years, and I can honestly tell you that the markup is anywhere from 100-400%. And they still whine about 0 profit.....
Have any of you guys bought tires for your vettes out of the states? I bought a set of tires for my '99 LHS a few years ago, they were $335.00 here, I paid $96.00 CDN ea shipped USPS.
I collected for a few tire companies for years, and I can honestly tell you that the markup is anywhere from 100-400%. And they still whine about 0 profit.....
I've bought all my tires from the US for the last 6 or years. Even when the dollar was in the 60 cent range, it was still cheaper. Most recently I got a complete set of 17" snows, aluminum rims, mounting, shipping, and currency conversion for barely over $800 (from the Tire Rack). With taxes at the border I was still under $900. I could barely buy the tires alone up here for that cost.
I bought tires for my previous C4 last August from Halton Rad And Tire in Georgetown.
I paid $600.00 for Sumitomo HTR ZIII 275/40/17 tires installed mounted and balanced.
I shopped around and could not do any better in the U.S or Canada.
There are still some good deals here but they are few and far between.
I spent a whack of money this spring (CCW Rims, tires, rotors, etc. etc. etc.) and I didn't buy any of it from Canada. Picked everything up from the UPS store in Ogdensberg. Not only are the prices better, the selection is also better. I love how we are some how brain washed into thinking that we should always buy Canadian. Sorry, won't work on me.
Last edited by faster68; 12-14-2008 at 08:50 PM.
Reason: Wanted to add more!
Just another example, I just called an Active Green and Ross dealer, I'm trying to get prices on tires. Once again trying to buy Canadian, rather than American (Tire Rack, ect.) For ONE rear Z06 size tire, $900!! And that was just for a Continental Sport Cup!! What the hell are they smoking??!?! yes I know huge tires are expensive, but not even PS2's are THAT expesnive. No way woudl I even think of spoendin gtaht, and if I did it woudl be for a better tire than that tahts for sure! Do we have "sucker" written on our foreheads??
I'll continue to shop around, and buy US if I have to, even with the exchange, shipping etc, STILL way cheaper than that!!
Corrado,
Don't even bother looking around for tires in Canada. They are completely out to lunch. Just call disounttire.com and they have Canadian shipped pricing all ready for you now.
Yeah I know. They are out to breakfast, lunch and dinner!!
I bought my last set US, but was just curious to see if i could get something without doing the US thing again. Not gonna happen! When are these guys gonna wake up??
Last Nov I needed all new tires for the 99. One, yes one tire was $600+.......All 4 tires, shipped to the door,taxes everything $1,015, from Tire Rack.
There are some Canadian stores that use US distributors, 2kool performance has prices very comparable to US pricing, factoring in exchange and shipping.
Corvette Store
Encourage Canadian vette store BUT I SAVED...
