Hi Guys/Girls,

My name is Louis and I freequent a Land Cruiser forum. As you know now the BC gov't is trying to have TC close the doors to imports. A few of us who own RHD cruisers have started a yahoo group to register all the RHD owners that we can. The hope is that the word will spread and the group will grow large enough to have an impact on the BC gov't and feds in the near future.
Please go here for further info:

autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/RHDTLC/


As we know for a fact now - the BC gov't is trying to shut the doors to RHD imports and 15 year old vehicles - now is the time to register with the group and become active in preserving your right to RHD vehicles.

Sincerely,

Louis Skebo

 

just the bc govt, not the ontario gov.

 

Yeah, but it's a slippery slope. I wonder how many new-car dealers got together to bring this barrier to free trade to the fore-front.

BTW, thanks for the info Ishobie.

 

wow, look at the OTHER SAME THREAD about this.

 

Um lets see how many?.............None.....wow that's alot

 

All sarcasm aside I hope you're right. Then again, you did say your friends are car dealers so.....

 

They primarily own dealerships that sell imported cars. Mercedes, Toyota, Acura, VW etc. The RHD influx may affect these dealerships less, Dodge, Ford, Chev maybe those feel it more?

 

Makes sense. As I just now mentioned on the other thread, the domestic manufacturers might feel it --- and therefore have a thing or two to say to their dealer networks if any of their dealers decide to tap this market on the side. Whether or not said manufacturers have a legal right to excercise such control over their dealers is another matter.

 

Agreed

 

One of the things that i've noticed over the years, is that the problem is not pissing off the Domestic automakers, it's pissing off the CAW union.

I point to Ontario's emmissions and inspection laws on used cars. It's been a few years (10) since i lived in ontario, but they USED to have an emissions exempt age, that being used cars beyond a certain age no longer had to pass emissions testing.

It's my understanding that this has be scrapped, making no vehicle emissions exempt.

From what i remember, a used vehicle exhanging hands, must undergo a manadatory safety inspection, thus eliminating the concept of a "winter beater" unless you happen to have owned said beater for 10 years or so.

I believe both of these "initiatives" placate the Canadian Auto Workers union because they're probably the strongest, or second strongest (next to teachers or nurses) government lobbying union and without their support and the teacher's and nurse's support, you WILL NOT GET ELECTED in Ontario.

This placates the CAW because the governemtn is keeping them gainfully employed by forcing people to go lease a Ford Focus or Chevy Cavalier for 179$/month rather than go buy a 1991 Tercel for 1500 and drive it untill the wheels fall off.

Luckily, BC has no CAW of any significance (i could be wrong) or any strong VOTING lobby group that would oppose RHD vehicles, so it's my guess that this will go nowhere. So long as it's just the industry lobbying the governemnt, i doubt that much will change. Real changes happen when 1 million + people in a union and their family's stand up behind their union reps and say "change this, or we're voting for the other guy"

If BC had the automobile industry that Ontario has, that 15 year rule/RHD rule would have been scrapped as soon as more than 1 or 2 a month were coming in.

My $0.02

 

Your understanding is wrong. My 86 DD was/is exempt, my 84 Jetta was/is exempt, my 87 TII was/is exemept and my 1974 RX-4 wagon is also.......exempt

er? I don't understand this. All vehicles no matter of age in every country of the world need safety inspections. I don't see how that affects winter beaters...I for one at least want my winter beater to pass a saftey.

I don't see that either. You can and many people do drive old cars/beaters/what have you. They just have to pass a saftey. Meaning the car will stop and the tires won't explode on the highway....

Ontario has many imported RHD cars. I know of several Skylines in Hamilton along with the numerous FC's floating around. And thats only tuner cars, not the british stuff, the land cruisers, etc.

You've obviously been away from Ontario a while Heck, some counties don't even have emissions testing WHATSOEVER for ANY vehicle of ANY age. I don't see that as super-encumbersome.

 

The 15 year rule doesnt only affect RHD vehicles. Its for any vehicles, from anywhere. The 15 year rule allows a bottle neck on the importation of cars. If it were a 0 year rule, then you could bring over Ariel Atoms and the like, cars that are unsafe in any capacity.

 

[QUOTE=Crymson]

One of the things that i've noticed over the years, is that the problem is not pissing off the Domestic automakers, it's pissing off the CAW union.

Yeah, no kidding. But the Manufacturers can't be very happy about it either. Strange seeing the manufacturers and the union sitting on the same side of the fence on an issue other than who to vote for in a provincial or federal election.

This placates the CAW because the governemtn is keeping them gainfully employed by forcing people to go lease a Ford Focus or Chevy Cavalier for 179$/month rather than go buy a 1991 Tercel for 1500 and drive it untill the wheels fall off.

Coincidentally, I just bought a '91 Tercel in decent shape for $1200 (on a private deal after a lengthy search--- a dealer here wouldn't have sold it for less than $2500 after the haggle was over. The car passed safety in flying colors and (so far) we have no mandatory emissions testing in Alberta. And yes, I intend to drive it "until the wheels fall off" on my daily 165km round trip commute --- The 7 would bleed me dry in fuel costs.

As for people not having this option in Ontario and being forced to lease (it's usually only cheaper on the surface--- dealer "gotchas" often tend to ultimately cost the leasee more than if the car had been purchased outright) I don't see this happening as long as the older cars can still pass both emissions and safety.

Luckily, BC has no CAW of any significance (i could be wrong) or any strong VOTING lobby group that would oppose RHD vehicles, so it's my guess that this will go nowhere. So long as it's just the industry lobbying the governemnt, i doubt that much will change.

But if TC decides the perceived safety issues surrounding RHD vehicles is a big enough red flag they certainly have enough clout to effect changes as they see fit. But any lobby group (whether for valid reasons or a personal agenda) would certainly try to butter up TC to make a decision in their favor. ICBC is most likely genuinely concerned about the safety aspect.

Real changes happen when 1 million + people in a union and their family's stand up behind their union reps and say "change this, or we're voting for the other guy"

Interestingly, I was in a union in the '80s in Vancouver that was known to subtly hint to its members that "if we find out you vote for a political party other than the one we're supporting we'll find a "reason" to pull your membership. (totally illegal tactic btw, if it could have been proved). Unions usually vote left (or far left) so needless to say I didn't share with them the fact that my political leanings were near the center-right of the bell curve.

If BC had the automobile industry that Ontario has, that 15 year rule/RHD rule would have been scrapped as soon as more than 1 or 2 a month were coming in.

Assuming of course that they could somehow blackmail Transport Canada. The province of BC doesn't have enough seats for that tactic to work even if the votes did number in the millions and besides, that province is even more left-leaning than Toronto and surrounding area. Those who don't vote liberal vote NDP or Green, rarely PC. Since the PCs are the biggest threat to a Liberal party (and vise-versa) the most they could hope for is to split the left and allow the PCs to possibly ride up the middle in that region--- not an option that most on the left coast would be willing to exercise. Then again, many voters are complete idiots who vote on only one issue--- the one that happens to be important to them at that particular time when in that particular mood...