If you were buying an Ex-Canadian Car, would a swapped gauge cluster scare you off?
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 249
Likes: 31
From: Kirkland, WA (Seattle to most of you)
2014 E63 Wagon
If you were buying an Ex-Canadian Car, would a swapped gauge cluster scare you off?
Hey guys,
I'm bringing a wagon in from Canada, so I can easily swap to MPH digitally, but there is still the speedo surround and the temp gauge which is in crazy ol' metrics.
So let's imagine that I could either
1) Swap the instrument cluster entirely
2) Get someone to stick a mph surround on there and re-code the needle to move correctly (there is a local place that does exactly this)
If I did this swap, would it increase or decrease the value of the car? I can see both sides of the argument, but curious to those of you shopping for these things...do you trust a seller that is willing to have someone take apart the odometer? Sort of a scary prospect right?
I'm bringing a wagon in from Canada, so I can easily swap to MPH digitally, but there is still the speedo surround and the temp gauge which is in crazy ol' metrics.
So let's imagine that I could either
1) Swap the instrument cluster entirely
2) Get someone to stick a mph surround on there and re-code the needle to move correctly (there is a local place that does exactly this)
If I did this swap, would it increase or decrease the value of the car? I can see both sides of the argument, but curious to those of you shopping for these things...do you trust a seller that is willing to have someone take apart the odometer? Sort of a scary prospect right?
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 378
Likes: 29
From: San Francisco, CA
no MBs at the moment :(
If you had it done at an MB dealership in the USA and had proof in the MB records, I'd probably be okay with it. If not, I personally would place a lower value on a car with it swapped b/c I don't know if anything got screwed up in the process.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 3,966
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From: Republic of Texas
'99 and '05 E55 AMG
My '99 E55 is Canadian-spec; speedo surround replaced with English units (at the dealer) and I'm not bothered by the metric readings on the rest. I find it kind of cool....
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 358
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2018 E63S
It would decrease it's value. People have this phobia that there is something wrong with a car not from the American market. Canadian vehicles are spec'd for daytime running lights and then on some car lines, the way TPMS is handled is different for US vs CDN(tire sensors vs abs). Complete cluster swap is ideal - dealer can do this with keeping the mileage intact. Carfax would show where the car was bought - Canada and then DMV record updates once registered in USA state. May want to verify warranty coverage (if applicable). Sometimes this is denied until the MB USA or MB Canada bless the car (meaning force you to change cluster and get a recall clearance letter).
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Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 249
Likes: 31
From: Kirkland, WA (Seattle to most of you)
2014 E63 Wagon
It would decrease it's value. People have this phobia that there is something wrong with a car not from the American market. Canadian vehicles are spec'd for daytime running lights and then on some car lines, the way TPMS is handled is different for US vs CDN(tire sensors vs abs). Complete cluster swap is ideal - dealer can do this with keeping the mileage intact. Carfax would show where the car was bought - Canada and then DMV record updates once registered in USA state. May want to verify warranty coverage (if applicable). Sometimes this is denied until the MB USA or MB Canada bless the car (meaning force you to change cluster and get a recall clearance letter).
1) For anyone interested, the warranty is NOT honored at any USA dealer. EasyCare also won't warranty it, but haven't really looked into other options yet.
2) EPA and NHST will both say the car is ok except the speedo and a compliance letter from MB is super easy, so they don't stop you from bringing it in. In theory the state should let you register because you can put it in miles...so no swap needed
3) My local dealer, despite Seattle being so near the border, is NOT willing to do a cluster swap so my only option would be 3rd party place. Even if I could find a local dealer to do it, you're talking like 3k for a new one probably which definitely feels not worth it.
Based on reading comments above, it sounds I'd be wasting money doing the swap because it would raise more questions about the car than it answers so you know what? Forget it. I'll just enjoy the car.
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Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 174
Likes: 9
From: Seattle, Washington, USA
2006 BMW M5 Sedan SMG III, 2014 Mercedes-Benz E 63 S AMG V8 BiTurbo 4Matic Sedan
Are you in the Seattle area? Good luck with the buy! I am up there a lot. Almost tried to go for that nice Wagon that's been up for sale in Montreal but after all was said and done it was not quite worth the effort.
I would just leave the cluster as is.
I would just leave the cluster as is.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 249
Likes: 31
From: Kirkland, WA (Seattle to most of you)
2014 E63 Wagon
I'm in Kirkland (just east of Seattle). I bought a wagon from a friend who was leasing it, so he gave it to me at his lease buyout rate. Based on MB terrible residuals and exchange rate you can probably imagine that I essentially am stealing this car 
The wagon is at a shop just south of vancouver today getting it's resonator out. HA!
Pickup tomorrow...pics soon.
The wagon is at a shop just south of vancouver today getting it's resonator out. HA!
Pickup tomorrow...pics soon.
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 418
Likes: 44
From: Vancouver, BC
2014 E63 S
Yeah, I'm going to pickup the car from Vancouver on Thursday so wish me luck at the border. Got a lot of advice from this forum already that was SUPER useful.
1) For anyone interested, the warranty is NOT honored at any USA dealer. EasyCare also won't warranty it, but haven't really looked into other options yet.
2) EPA and NHST will both say the car is ok except the speedo and a compliance letter from MB is super easy, so they don't stop you from bringing it in. In theory the state should let you register because you can put it in miles...so no swap needed
3) My local dealer, despite Seattle being so near the border, is NOT willing to do a cluster swap so my only option would be 3rd party place. Even if I could find a local dealer to do it, you're talking like 3k for a new one probably which definitely feels not worth it.
Based on reading comments above, it sounds I'd be wasting money doing the swap because it would raise more questions about the car than it answers so you know what? Forget it. I'll just enjoy the car.
1) For anyone interested, the warranty is NOT honored at any USA dealer. EasyCare also won't warranty it, but haven't really looked into other options yet.
2) EPA and NHST will both say the car is ok except the speedo and a compliance letter from MB is super easy, so they don't stop you from bringing it in. In theory the state should let you register because you can put it in miles...so no swap needed
3) My local dealer, despite Seattle being so near the border, is NOT willing to do a cluster swap so my only option would be 3rd party place. Even if I could find a local dealer to do it, you're talking like 3k for a new one probably which definitely feels not worth it.
Based on reading comments above, it sounds I'd be wasting money doing the swap because it would raise more questions about the car than it answers so you know what? Forget it. I'll just enjoy the car.
It drives me crazy to see how uncooperative automakers are in facilitating cross-boarder transactions. When the USD was on par with CAD, we saw the opposite thing up here. Manufacturers were quite difficult and obstructive in issuing recall clearance letters, they would not provide warranty coverage and they were generally difficult to deal with.
I hope in the end that your process is relatively simple.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 375
Likes: 18
From: Michigan
2014 GLK250BT, Polar White; 2016 GLE 300d, Polar White
Yeah, I'm going to pickup the car from Vancouver on Thursday so wish me luck at the border. Got a lot of advice from this forum already that was SUPER useful.
1) For anyone interested, the warranty is NOT honored at any USA dealer. EasyCare also won't warranty it, but haven't really looked into other options yet.
2) EPA and NHST will both say the car is ok except the speedo and a compliance letter from MB is super easy, so they don't stop you from bringing it in. In theory the state should let you register because you can put it in miles...so no swap needed
3) My local dealer, despite Seattle being so near the border, is NOT willing to do a cluster swap so my only option would be 3rd party place. Even if I could find a local dealer to do it, you're talking like 3k for a new one probably which definitely feels not worth it.
Based on reading comments above, it sounds I'd be wasting money doing the swap because it would raise more questions about the car than it answers so you know what? Forget it. I'll just enjoy the car.
1) For anyone interested, the warranty is NOT honored at any USA dealer. EasyCare also won't warranty it, but haven't really looked into other options yet.
2) EPA and NHST will both say the car is ok except the speedo and a compliance letter from MB is super easy, so they don't stop you from bringing it in. In theory the state should let you register because you can put it in miles...so no swap needed
3) My local dealer, despite Seattle being so near the border, is NOT willing to do a cluster swap so my only option would be 3rd party place. Even if I could find a local dealer to do it, you're talking like 3k for a new one probably which definitely feels not worth it.
Based on reading comments above, it sounds I'd be wasting money doing the swap because it would raise more questions about the car than it answers so you know what? Forget it. I'll just enjoy the car.
Any taxes involved?
Last edited by Alex Bel; Aug 16, 2017 at 10:01 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 329
Likes: 97
From: Ottawa, Canada
2016 E63 S AMG
This is a great resource if bringing in a US car to Canada. I imported one in 2007.
http://www.riv.ca/ImportingAVehicle.aspx
But short answer to you question is yes. 6% duty and then HST which will vary on which province you are going to register the vehicle in.
As for modifications to the car, has to be able to display kph, air bag stickers that are in English and French I believe, and DRL.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 375
Likes: 18
From: Michigan
2014 GLK250BT, Polar White; 2016 GLE 300d, Polar White
Are you relocating or just importing without owning the car previously? As there are slight differences between the two.
This is a great resource if bringing in a US car to Canada. I imported one in 2007.
http://www.riv.ca/ImportingAVehicle.aspx
But short answer to you question is yes. 6% duty and then HST which will vary on which province you are going to register the vehicle in.
As for modifications to the car, has to be able to display kph, air bag stickers that are in English and French I believe, and DRL.
This is a great resource if bringing in a US car to Canada. I imported one in 2007.
http://www.riv.ca/ImportingAVehicle.aspx
But short answer to you question is yes. 6% duty and then HST which will vary on which province you are going to register the vehicle in.
As for modifications to the car, has to be able to display kph, air bag stickers that are in English and French I believe, and DRL.
