Topic: Why Japanese manuf. don't exoport their full menus to the USA?

[BigMike]

Hey guys

I've been wanting to ask this on the forum, and I thought I had, but I couldn't find if I had or not so here goes.

Gonna keep this really short and to the point.

I would like to know if anyone can shed some light as to why Japanese manufactures hold certain models/engines/applications from the U.S. Market.

When I got a 1993 Toyota Levin front clip imported from Japan back in 2000, the importer explained this to me as a "credit system" that America uses to prevent importers from taking over the US Market with superior products. I explained this once on this thread, here is the quote:

Here is how someone once explained it to me. It is quite interesting and I would like to share it.

Think about it on a Credit system. Toyota sees America's market and wants to sell some cars here. So America says "Toyota, we will give you 60 Credits this year." So Toyota asks to Import their Camary. America says "hmm that's much better than our Ford Contour/Taurus/Crown Victoria/etc, much better than our Chevy Caprice/Cavalier/etc, much better than our Dodge etc... so that will cost you 15 Credits."

So now Toyota has 45 Credits left. Then Toyota says, ok I want to import our Tercel. America says "ok that cars a little POS I want to poop on it so that will be 2 Credits."

So now Toyota has 43 Credits left. Then Toyota says, ok I would like to import our AE111 Levin with a 20 valve 1.6L 4AGE 180 Horsepower non-VTEC--old valve technology that makes more power and torque throughout the entire power band than Honda's much larger 2.2 L VTEC engines and we would like to import our Twin Turbo Supra. Then America says "hmm that 4 Cylinder engine is better than any other 4 cylinder that we American auto makers choose to develop, and that Supra is about as fast as our C5 Z06 Corvette, faster than our Camaro, Mustang POS I want to poop on it, Firebird, etc. and America says, ok that will be 50 Credits."

So Toyota does not have that many credits left, so they can not sell those cars here unless they hurt their lineup somewhere else.

So what does Toyota and Honda and Nissan do? They "create" sister, or daughter companies, Toyota > Lexus, Honda > Acura, Nissan > Infinity. Now They all get a fresh clean sheet of Credits at their disposal!

So that is how I have been informed the system works. It sounds reasonable and believable, but I have never actually researched this myself, but it is very interesting non the less!

Regards,
BigMike

So that is how it was explained to be a long time ago by just one person and I am looking to hear more input on this to see what the real deal is.


My thoughts: I understand America must protect it's own interests, but after learning more about the Japanese culture, I have learned that Japanese companies are modest and typically don't intentionally seek international markets (seems strange to me since businesses exist to make money, so go where the money is right?). They feel that companies in other countries are doing a great job over there, so they just focus on their domestic market and try to be the best they can in their own country. My reply to this is that this may explain why certain Toyota models/engines are kept in Japan and are not available in America, but it doesn't explain why these models/engines are available in other countries (other then America).

Discuss

BigMike

[fade]

I think its mostly importing taxes, like how alot of the 4x4 pickups were imported with out a bed to keep taxes down.
Plus then they have to change so much smog stuff on cars and safty glass and everything, which is why nissan said f-it with the sky lines for so long.

Sorry if that does not make sense. To sum up what I'm trying to say is, that it costs to much for them to set up all the smog and limiting stuff on a car, install safty glass and devices, ect.... to send it here and not know how its going to take off is my thought.

[Hammerhead]

I've often pondered the same...  Yamaha has a gob of cool models that don't come to the US also.

[kneedownnate]

Aside from import tax issues, it also has a lot to do with meeting our safety and emission standards.  Not that they wouldn't meet the emission standards as they are, probably just lots more hoops to go through and not worth it for the manufacturers.  Imagine how people's image of the small diesels would have changed before vw tdi if we'd been allowed the 1kzte in toyota pickups!

[BigMike [OP]]

I think its mostly importing taxes, like how alot of the 4x4 pickups were imported with out a bed to keep taxes down.
Plus then they have to change so much smog stuff on cars and safty glass and everything, which is why nissan said f-it with the sky lines for so long.

I understand what you are saying. But I feel it is more than this...

I know they have very smart marketing personnel and I suppose one could argue that their analysts took some surveys of the "American consumer" and they proved with high certainty that a 1986 Hilux will have better sales with Independent Front Suspension instead of a Solid Front Axle, whereas the opposite was predicted to be true in say Australia...

But even if a solid axle truck is less safe, they shouldn't care if it doesn't get a "5 star crash rating" if they are able to sell more units than if it was a "safer" IFS version...

[Stocker]

Aside from import tax issues, it also has a lot to do with meeting our safety and emission standards.  Not that they wouldn't meet the emission standards as they are, probably just lots more hoops to go through and not worth it for the manufacturers. 

This would be my guess. I haven't found any hard numbers, but I seem to recall reading years ago that every engine / powertrain combination in each vehicle is required to undergo vigorous, extensive (and expensive) emissions and safety certification processes before they can be offered for sale in the US.

Given that scenario, it stands to reason that manufacturers would only offer models that their studies indicate would sell in sufficient numbers to justify the certification costs.


 

[Cheesemaker]

There is definitely alot of check and balances that play into what is allowed and not allowed.  Given the Asian, mostly Japanese, market has some of the coolest of cars.  Ones that we can only dream about.  I feel that there are 3 factors that decide on whether a rig is allowed in.
1. safety features  (and cost for testing)
2. credits
3. whether it fits into a lineup that hasn't been filled by US made cars.

Look at when Toyota, Mazda, and Datsun brought their little trucks over.  Their sales exploded!  Why??  There was no market for a little pickup.  They were all fullsize trucks in the market.  

Look at this rig, you Mike drove one similar to this one, I loved the one I drove, and would soooo ROCK one if I could drive it legally on the hwy.




But do to the fact that it doesn't have ABS, airbags, a crash rated bumper, and could easily be a little squirrely at high speed, you can't legally drive on it here on the hwys, do to safety issue.  But you could own one on private property only.  And the fact that they are brought in under an agriculture lic, they don't have to pay taxes on them.  So, it would cost twice as much for them, so who would buy one that cost over $10,000?  Not me, but if I had a farm/ranch, I'd spend $5000 for one in a heartbeat.  They are so fun to drive.


But I feel that since alot of them are made here now, they are able to bypass alot of the credit issue.

As for you mentioning the Aussies getting the straight axle while we got the IFS versions.  Since most of the US drivers spend 90% of their driving on paved roads and 10% offroad, they felt that the IFS handled better for us.  And the other 2nd/3rd world nations have more gravel roads vs paved, they needed something that was stronger to handle the rougher terrain.  

[sayanything]

this is a big deal on the car forums im on. Nissan S13/14/15 came with awesome performance built turbo 220HP+ SR20DET's while the US version Nissan 240sx, came with the KA24e/DE 140HP truck motor(also found in the hardbody/frontier/xterra)  and this was back in 1989..

[Tofudude]

Because obama doesn't have control of them like GM.

[fade]

You new people make me almost fall off my chair laughing. This has been a issue since the 70s with imports not a new issue. Its mostly because they don't think us "average" americans will have a use for sr20det powered 240, or a diesel solid axle pickup becuase "most" americans want a good quiet runnning comfertable driving car/truck not something loud or striped down race car.

[BLACKDOG]

I think the big issues with it really started with the oil embargos.  Up until then, nobody really cared about gas mileage.  however, at that point in time, Japanese companies already had high (or relatively high) mpg ratings.  The US government stepped in to protect the US companies.  It has simply continued since then.  The big 3 never really stepped up to their potential to stay competitive because they've been protected by the feds.

This is part of the reason that the big 3 are in the trouble they're in.  They've been protected from the brunt of the competition for a very long time.  However, as mentioned above, the bigwigs at foreign automakers got smart.  Thats part of the reason that more toyotas are made in the states than any of the big 3 vehicles.  The foreign automakers have essentially been running the big 3 out of their own country by the simple fact that now, vehicles are being made in the US, by US autoworkers, using japanese technology.  Its hard to levy taxes and fines against foreign vehicles when they're not so foreign isn't it?  

[Rocksurfer]

Some of the stuff is due to import tax and tariffs. If you remember when the 4Runner first came over it was shipped without the rear seat and offered as an aftermarket upgrade. The reason behind this was to avoid the import tariff that would have been placed on them with the seats. You can thank the Big 3 for us not getting a lot of the stuff other countries get. Another is safety, some vehicles did not meet U.S. safety regulations so they could not be sold here. Then there's the diesel issue, nuf said. And of course our vanity some of the vehicles just didn't fit the U.S. market so they never got here. Then there's the big one and the reason straight axle fronts disapeared here while other markets continued to get them, compared to most countries we really don't use 4x4 for what it was intended for. A trip up to the ski resort doesn't need the stoutness of a straight axle and the harsh ride one produces for most of the softies that roll around in a 4x4 here so while others were still getting straight axles we had to suffer with IFS thanks to our excellent paved roads to almost anywhere we want to go.

[zembalayan]

I chatted with a Toyota test driver at a gas station in AZ back in 2003.  He was driving a compact test car that was disguised to a certain extent.  I asked him why Toyota never sent the good stuff our way, such as their solid-axled, diesel trucks.  Now his answer may have been mere speculation, but what he said jibes with what others here have posted.  He said that Americans do most of their driving on highways for long distances and naturally the IFS will better suit such conditions.  Remarkably, he also said that American women comprise the majority of Toyota’s customers in America, and naturally the vehicles manufactured by Toyota must suit the tastes of Toyota's targeted buyers.  After I heard this, I started to blame the American full-size diesel truck lovers for our lack of diesel Toyota trucks.  
(I actually like HD American trucks too , but I'd bet that people in Australia and Africa have less of a choice than we do when it comes to purchasing Toys or American beef; even still, because they are Toy's target consumers, their desire for diesel Toys and solid axles affects Toyota and counterbalances the milder tastes of other buyers in those markets.)

As for my opinion, I do think the differences have a lot do with culture and government policies.  What Blackdog says seems to make a lot of sense about the big 3, and for better or worse, the Japanese government’s domestic policy on vehicle ownership and maintenance standards, particularly the Shaken system, allows the Japanese auto manufactures to hold Japanese consumers hostage by forcing domestic car buyers to purchase new vehicle after new vehicle every three or four years so that consumers can avoid the costly inspection, repair and licensing costs of owning an “older” vehicle.  Again for better or worse, Japanese car buyers have been engendered by this governmental policy to expect some high tech advances and more bells and whistles from the new models that they are forced to buy because of Shaken.  As such, there’s none of this fine wine, 1st Gen Hi-lux connoisseurship among the masses there; they couldn’t afford such a fetish even if they wanted to; instead, they go for new stuff and expect something cool.  I posted here earlier to describe my speculations about the shaken dilemma:

If you had a little more time, you could develop an argument that describes the stringent Japanese "Shaken" policy/system (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaken ) , which rarely allows Japanese consumers a chance at keeping their new Toyotas for more than a few years because ultimately the vehicles will fail required vehicle inspections, and the consumers will have to fork out a ton of Yen for repairs and inspection fees to keep their beloved used cars on the road.  Because the Shaken policy basically forces consumers to replace their vehicles every three years or so with brand new cars, the Japanese manufacturers do not have to worry about losing future sales because they over-engineered or built their cars too well; furthermore, because Toyota, like other Japanese car makers, fanatically wanted to lift its world wide reputation above and beyond all other manufacturers, Toyota knew that the exportation of used Japanese vehicles, which would be discarded by the original Japanese owners due to Shaken laws, meant their vehicles had to continue to kick ass overseas to build Toyota’s reputation and to allow it to carve out a bigger world wide market share.  Truly, the side benefit of Shaken is that Japanese consumers continue to export all of their good used vehicles to other countries (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_used_vehicle_exporting) for probably pretty good resale prices, while at the same time the auto manufacturers continue to reap the benefit of a government policy that forces Japanese consumers to buy new vehicles whether they need to or not, which in turn may drive real and quicker-paced design innovation to capture the higher expectations and technologically savvy tastes of Japanese new car buyers.

Compare this Shaken/Used-Car-Exportation system with what exists in the United States. Over here, many people drive their junk for a lot longer than Japanese consumers do (because they can).  Also, many people over here buy new cars whenever their warranties expire because they fear high repair costs and inconvenience.  This trend to buy a car for a new warranty illustrates the low expectations of U.S. new car buyers, and the reason I’d rather own a 1980 Toyota Hi-lux.  I certainly didn’t purchase mine last year for the warranty.
When you think about it, hardly anyone in the United States buys a new car because he expects to drive it for 30 years, well intending to exceed the terms of the warranty.  

Then we come to the idea of “planned obsolescence.”  In the U.S., manufacturers will never benefit in terms of future and continuous new car sales by building vehicles that are designed to last for 50 years.  They know that consumers would keep and cherish these types of vehicles for a lifetime or at least until TRUE innovations in technology persuade them to buy something new or better.  By incorporating planned obsolescence, manufacturers can build junk that conks out right on cue with consumers’ low expectations that they have to buy new cars with warranties.   I’d even say that Toyota knew that without any planned obsolescence for its U.S. motor designs they might last too long and hurt new car sales as well; you can see this change in its R Series engine design when it converted from the double row timing chain to a single row design in the 1980s.  Why was this change made?  Did it save money?  Probably, yes.  Will it wear out quicker and require enough future maintenance costs to drive someone to just buy another vehicle?  Maybe and maybe not.   Toyota never sold the 22R in Japan, and its reputation for reliability had already been solidified by that time, which hints at its move to not “overbuild” its newer 22Rs.

This is just my opinion, which I thought might be interesting to put forth for the essay writer or general discussion.  I am certainly not advocating for the U.S. to enact a Shaken-like system that would take my Toy babies off the road and thwart aftermarket Toy innovators.  No way, but we owe some gratitude to the Japanese consumer who has to buy all of the new stuff so we can benefit through this side-effect.  

I remember when some of my buddies from Japan expressed their shock at seeing all of the old junk cars still on the road when they visited me in the U.S., which is something you don't see in Japan.  

I also understand that many Japanese people choose to rent rather than own houses, which frees up a lot of income for other things, such as vehicles.  On the flipside, a lot of Americans invest in homes and they have no choice but to drive a beater, and hopefully it’ll be a reliable one like an older Toyota.

[BigMike [OP]]

Hey guys, great discussion here this is what I was hoping for

The big 3 never really stepped up to their potential to stay competitive because they've been protected by the feds.

THIS makes a lot of sense and really explains a LOT as to why 80s and 90s American cars were complete junk in my opinion, but now that they are being threatened with so many competitors, they are finally starting to improve their cars -- which would explain why American cars are built much, much better today.

zembalayan, I remember reading your post there. That is a lot of great things to ponder. Hmmmmmm Women make up the Toyota consumer, that is interesting.

As for you mentioning the Aussies getting the straight axle while we got the IFS versions.  Since most of the US drivers spend 90% of their driving on paved roads and 10% offroad, they felt that the IFS handled better for us.  And the other 2nd/3rd world nations have more gravel roads vs paved, they needed something that was stronger to handle the rougher terrain.

....or a diesel solid axle pickup becuase "most" americans want a good quiet runnning comfertable driving car/truck....

....Then there's the big one and the reason straight axle fronts disapeared here while other markets continued to get them, compared to most countries we really don't use 4x4 for what it was intended for. A trip up to the ski resort doesn't need the stoutness of a straight axle and the harsh ride one produces for most of the softies that roll around in a 4x4 here so while others were still getting straight axles we had to suffer with IFS thanks to our excellent paved roads to almost anywhere we want to go.

Regarding these comments about Toyota IFS vs. Toyota solid axle, NOPE, I don't buy it. If this is true, then explain why the Jeep Wrangler is still available with a live axle?

[fade]

Because jeep it the american "wheeling" machine or so every one thinks. Jeeps are known to be rugged and all that crap is what most magazines say. The big 2/3 of the big 3 went ifs and dodge stayed in it with the solid axle rams. But I'm not sure really. Dumb call on toyota's end.

[BigMike [OP]]

Here are some sales figures found on Wikipedia

Jeep Wrangler
2007    119,243
2008    84,615
2009    82,044

Toyota Tacoma
2000    147,295
2001    161,983
2002    151,960
2003    154,154
2004    152,933
2005    168,831
2006    178,351
2007    173,238
2008    144,655

There are of course many, many other factors to consider, and one cannot directly compare the two trucks sales performance as they are completely a different style of truck. But it does show that there are a lot of people who don't mind the "harsh bumpy ride" of a live axle rig

[NorCalToy]

Id agree wtih fade about why you can still get a jeep with a live axle...Id say Jeeps were marketed as 4x4s and off road machines where the Toyota was marketed as a truck to drive and use as a truck and less as a wheeling vehicle.

[BigMike [OP]]

Id agree wtih fade about why you can still get a jeep with a live axle...Id say Jeeps were marketed as 4x4s and off road machines where the Toyota was marketed as a truck to drive and use as a truck and less as a wheeling vehicle.

Are you willing to defend the continuation of the FJ40 (aka the FJ Cruiser) on this notion?

[kneedownnate]

Its mostly because they don't think us "average" americans will have a use for sr20det powered 240, or a diesel solid axle pickup becuase "most" americans want a good quiet runnning comfertable driving car/truck not something loud or striped down race car.

Ever heard a toyota diesel truck?  They're not at all loud, you usually have to look for the diesel badge to realize it's not a 22r with a slight miss.

[fade]

I've heard about 10-12 yota diesels, you can deff tell the difference well I could. And to the fact about the solid axle we had fj80s and newer landcruisers that came solid axle up till 97ish in the states so I don't really know why toyota threw ifs at us truck owners. Blame it on mexico.

[kneedownnate]

Maybe because landcruisers were heavy enough to more easily obtain a decent ride still, or maybe, more likely, because they tried holding on to the ideal that a landcruiser was tough for longer.

[jimbo74]

we have quite a few of these on base. i have personally driven them on several occassions....

[Tofudude]

we have quite a few of these on base. i have personally driven them on several occassions....

My school uses those instead of golf carts...way better IMO

[Rocksurfer]

If you haven't noticed Mike slowly but surely the straight axled Jeeps have been disapering. The only one left is the TJ everything else is IFS and there are plans for an IFS and IRS TJ. I think the main reason it isn't IFS is it wouldn't sell at even the small numbers they currently sell, thus killing the icon. It would be like putting a V6 in a Vette.

[BigMike [OP]]

If you haven't noticed Mike slowly but surely the straight axled Jeeps have been disapering. The only one left is the TJ everything else is IFS and there are plans for an IFS and IRS TJ. I think the main reason it isn't IFS is it wouldn't sell at even the small numbers they currently sell, thus killing the icon. It would be like putting a V6 in a Vette.

It's all a real travesty.

[fj-rankenstein]

My school uses those instead of golf carts...way better IMO

we see these all over the place up here in saskatchewan.. there are two just down the block from me..   lots of people use them for delivery services and small business vehicles.   as well, you see quite a few of these up north.  hunters use these because its like a quad but with a cab and heater but can still go most places where a quad can go..   
  we are pretty lucky up here as far as what we see and can get for toyota diesels and random "other country" vehicles..  there are still quite a few toyota diesel pickups running around and tons of toyota landcruiser diesels everywhere..  there are at least 15 diesel bj60's all within a 10 block radius of my house..  they are everywhere and complete vehicles are still pretty easy to come by for around 1000 bucks. (bj60, 3b diesel, 5 speed, powersteering, etc..)  heck, i just parted one out and am putting my fj45 body on one.. as well, i own a bj42..
 what it seems is that really the USA is the only place that didnt get any real cool vehicles coming to your country. i read that it was totally due to what the majority population wanted out a vehicle.. it had to be nice running, easy to drive, comfy riding and operate on gasoline because diesel has always been percieved to be a stinky fuel that no family wants to smell when filling up their daily driver.. diesel is meant for your work truck, heavy equipment or heavy hauler rig..
  too bad the Canadian government is trying to put an end to importing vehicles into the country..  we have a 15 year import rule and i think within the next few years thats going to be gone.. or lengthened to mabey 20 or 25 years..  its mostly the rhd vehicles that they dont like.. i believe one, mabey two provinces have now banned any new rhd vehicles from entering their provinces..   where its mostly coming from is the north american auto manufacturers that are trying to put a stop to importing..  mostly the domestic manufacturers..  they are crying and saying that importing is taking away from profits that they potentially could be making..   not so much with the import dealerships though.  the toyota dealers here sometimes will have a rhd vehicle or two on the use vehicle lot and arent concerned about it taking away from new vehicle profits..    everything is up in the air right now..

[BigMike [OP]]

diesel is meant for your work truck, heavy equipment or heavy hauler rig..

I would say this accurately describes how I first felt about diesel. I do remember however that my 3rd grade teacher drove a diesel VW Rabbit. But a lot of us made fun of her car and we thought it was a real POS. So even then I didn't have a good view of diesel. It's crazy, since learning about other countries, I once read that over 75% of cars in France are diesel. WOW. Then when I studied the diesel cycle, and compared that to the Carnot cycle, it's really dumb why diesel isn't the dominating engine type here also.

too bad the Canadian government is trying to put an end to importing vehicles into the country..  we have a 15 year import rule

Would you mind expounding on this? Are crash tests required? How much do you pay for taxes? Are their still a lot of limitations? Are their some criteria for the car or car type that also must apply? Thanks

i believe one, mabey two provinces have now banned any new rhd vehicles from entering their provinces..

If you already have a registered rhd vehicle, you can still drive through those provinces, right?

   where its mostly coming from is the north american auto manufacturers that are trying to put a stop to importing..  mostly the domestic manufacturers..  they are crying and saying that importing is taking away from profits that they potentially could be making..

I can't believe how much of an impact you guys get over this from the US. Go cry me a river. If the US automakers would step it up when the competition came, there wouldn't be this issue. Other countries should be crying trying to get our "really cool" American cars, but I don't think this happens as much as ppl desire cars from other countries. That's just my belief from an insider looking out.

the toyota dealers here sometimes will have a rhd vehicle or two on the use vehicle lot

So when you go to a Toy dealership, you can browse through JDM Toyotas as well as UDM Toyotas?

[jrock]

[fj-rankenstein]

toyota did very well for diesel equipped vehicles here in canada..   a good majority of them have well over 300000kms on the clocks and i have seen personally a few with over 600000 and 700000kms on those toyota 3b diesels..  i dont think any other manufacturer can say or prove they have done as well in Canada as toyota has.. (as for the small diesel engine market anyways..)  VW has done quite well for themselves as well but than you are stuck with a VW..  lots of diesel rabbits still running around..
 This being said it still amazes me that there werent even more diesel vehicles sold.. diesel engine technology is one that just makes sense. i dont see why manufacturers are putting millions of dollars every day into gasoline technology when the obvious better choice is diesel.  i think the new VW's have taken things to a whole new level as far as making a diesel a daily drivable vehicle. it would scare me to own one more than 5 years old, but they are definitelly on the right track. the way most diesels run now adays they barely even sound or smell like a diesel that we all traditionally know..   personally, nothing wakes me up better than a good dose of old school toyota diesel in the morning.    my daily driver cruiser that i had for a few years and now sold to a buddy was a diesel (13bt turbo charged) and it was great on fuel, had tons of pulling power for its size and never gave any issues..   i cant see why more people cant see the light sorta speak and try one out for a while..   i guess the downsides are longer warmup times when its cold and until they warm up, cab heat isnt that great, But when they are warm, they are great..  i am quite a patient person though so nothing like that bothers me.. the reward is worth the wait.. 

With the Canadian Goverment issue and importing vehicles into the country its actually quite complicated at the moment..   the North american auto manufacturers are indeed crying about the fact that people can import a vehicle from another country and now things are getting a bit ugly..  the auto manufacturers have said everything from importing an out of country vehicle that it is unfair practice, unsafe due to all the rhd vehicles coming in and bad for the economy because its potential sales that those manufacturers could be making..  lately they have been pushing the "unsafe" angle.. with public perception of things that are different must be unsafe and all, it plays well into the fears of the general public. they have presented rhd vehicles now as something that can harm you due to lack of experienced drivers with an unframiliar vehicle and that they are costing insurance companies million in unneccesary payouts..  its complete crap and of of their facts are just fluff but try telling the 80 year old lady down the street that my rhd vehicle is safe and she will come back and say that if the government says that they are unsafe and have all of these statistics, than they must be right and they must be unsafe.. the lack of crash testing and dot approved stuff on some vehicles is also a concern with the government..  really though its coming from auto makers not being able to deal with the fact that people want a better made vehicle from overseas that is rust free generally, will last twice as long as their american counterpart and can be had for a great price..  oh yeah, if you havent read that far into it, the Canadian government is taking sides with the Northamerican automakers and for the most part have their full backing..  its all crap though..  heck if i had enough people and could get a petition going telling everyone that white cars were dangerous to drive in the winter because they are hard to see, than i bet the government would get on board with that as well..     as far as going to other provinces that have banned any further sales of rhd vehicles..  you  can drive one anywhere you want but you cant buy one in those provinces.. the government is just trying to stop more vehicles from entering the country, not restrict the people who already own one from not being able to drive theirs..   

there are no extra "taxes" per say by wanting to own or purchase an import vehicle..  the import business is soo big around here and you would be surprised with how many independent little dealerships have popped up selling freshly imported vehicles..  for the most part,  imported vehicles are everywhere and can be had for quite cheap.. if you are buying an imported vehicle from a car lot than just the regular taxes apply just like if you were to buy any other vehicle..  no taxes on a private sale unless it is over a certain amount but that applies for everything.. its typically easier to buy an import  for dirt cheap as it is to sell one for a good asking price..  its a funny market in that you have to find that one person out there that is willing to be open minded enough to try one out and own one..  i would have still owned my rhd bj74 but i had to sell because the stable is full of vehicles and i need a bigger truck..

like i had written earlier, you will never see a rhd import vehicle on a domestic  manufacturers lot but you will see them on the other guys lots..  everyonce in a  while one shows up at our dealership here in town but if you drive a couple hours north to another city where there are a few toyota dealerships you will see quite a few come and go off their lots.. its quite refreshing to see that they support their own off shore vehicle types.. i guess they figure the toyota name carries a lot of weight and if its either on a domestic toyota vehicle or an import, it doesnt matter because they will sell it and its no threat to their dealership..

[BigMike [OP]]

Thanks for the detailed reply, I wish we could just walk to a dealership and buy an imported car/truck