When the loonie hits par, Canadian car shoppers no longer need to do the math to see that in many cases new vehicles are more expensive in Canada than in the U.S., writes Jeremy Cato.
"It's a nightmare; it's all we're talking about in the office right now," one representative of a high-end vehicle manufacturer says, asking not to be identified.
The nightmare has to do with outrage among Canadians who take the time to comparison shop U.S. prices versus Canadian. It also has to do with the need to lower prices to close the pricing gap. Lower prices mean lower profits, of course. Manufacturers and their dealers selling in Canada also worry about buyers heading south to purchase a new vehicle, thus losing sales to dealers across the border and creating the potential for other issues - disputed warranty coverage? - down the road.
Canadian dealers have avoided lowering prices, instead offering various incentives including cash rebates and inexpensive financing and lease offers.
Senior Globe Drive writer Jeremy Cato was here earlier to take your questions about cross-border car shopping. You can click on the box below to read the discussion.
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