I moved from Toronto to SoCal with my 2.5 HB MT and used the thing to tow a trailer of my stuff. So now I'm looking at registration and importation, and apparently this car isn't compliant with CARB emission standards, yet it's fine with Federal EPA emission standards? I know Ontario has some cash-grab "Drive Clean" cert for cars of a certain age for emissions testing, so is Cali going to run me through the same thing? Is the issue simply that the 2.5 wasn't sold in Cali and just never got certified, or does it actually fail emissions standards?
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Importing Canadian 2.5 to Cali
- Thread starter krooj
- Start date
How was it?? That's awesome. What kind of hitch? Pic of your hitch on the car?
Idk about the rest, but the 2.5 was sold in cali, and passes emissions.
Have you taken it to your local 30 dollar smog place and just run it to see the numbers?
Towing was... interesting. The hitch was bought at U-Haul (branded by them, but actually made by Curt), then installed by Hitch City in Mississauga (didn't trust U-Haul to install it). I towed the 5x8 with as much stuff as I could, and it was pretty unnerving at first, since I didn't know how the car would behave. It was my first time towing anything other than a 14ft. aluminum boat, which was done with a 94' Regal. Basically, the Golf can do it. The fuel economy is shit (~450km/tank or less), and you probably want to do it with a manual transmission, since you need that ability to select gears. I ended up in 3rd a whole lot while towing up the rockies through Colorado, and you need to use the brake + gearing to safely make it down some of those grades. Things only got rough at the continental divide, just at the Eisenhower tunnel, where I made it to the entrance in 2nd. Going up grades was def. awkward. You're faster than the trucks, but much slower than other cars, generally peaking at 60mph.
I'll try going to a regular smog check place - see what they make of the emissions.
It's confusing - the 2.5 is super-popular in southern Ontario, but all I see here are GTIs or the occasional TDI. My guess is that since cars are cheaper in the states, the 2.5 can't compete. People just get their $23K GTI or TDI, either of which pushes $30K in Canada.
GTI starts at 25k MSRP, while the golf 2.5 starts at 18k MSRP. There is still quite a gap in the price.
Golf starts at 19k CAD north of the border, the base price doesn't seem that much higher. Canada may charge a bit more in fees and taxes, depending on which state you are comparing to. In southern California, you are looking at $895 freight and about 10% in tax and fees. So a base model Golf 2.5, assuming sold at MSRP, would be roughly $21.5k USD out the door. A base model in Canada is $25k CAD. After you factor in conversion rate, it's only about 3% difference.
Peter
Golf starts at 19k CAD north of the border, the base price doesn't seem that much higher. Canada may charge a bit more in fees and taxes, depending on which state you are comparing to. In southern California, you are looking at $895 freight and about 10% in tax and fees. So a base model Golf 2.5, assuming sold at MSRP, would be roughly $21.5k USD out the door. A base model in Canada is $25k CAD. After you factor in conversion rate, it's only about 3% difference.
Peter
Yeah, it seems possible. The thing needs to be "imported" first, after which I may not sell it in the states. I'd like to get the TPMS system enabled, but everyone I talk to about this seems to go fuck-eyes when you mention the ABS TPMS. Nobody seems to get that it's built into the car, and just needs activation and installation of the set button.
mycrors7
Go Kart Champion
i believe all golfs 2012 and up had the ABS TPMS.
my car has it, and it was bought in california and has the CBFA engine as well.