Escape 19 vs 5.0 TA?

[BCnomad]

Originally Posted by Bill and Earline

Very observant, Dave.
I just changed it this morning on the site.
I had high hopes for the Nissan Titan 5 liter Cummins, but when I saw it weighed in at 7500 lbs, and a preliminary test came in with fuel mileage in the teens, not towing, that took it out of the running. Honda Ridgeline is just now being released, and it won't be much stronger than the former one, although it looks great. Ford 3.5 liter Eco-boost is a race car, if you want that, but towing mileage is apparently pretty low. So, here I am with the 3-liter Eco-diesel, crew cab 4wd. First three tanks without towing have been 24, 25 and 28mpg. That's using a calculator and not the truck's computer--although it shows cumulative result on the truck's screen of 25 point something.

What were your thoughts on the GM midsize truck twins?


So....... 5er?

[Bill and Earline]

They both received great reviews in one of the car magazines I take, and with the 2.8 liter diesel, they would be contenders. Earline and I drove around a Chevy lot without getting out and just came away with the impression that they were not "fullsize" enough for us. I'm sure some would be very happy with them, they just were not what we had in mind.

[Iowa Dave]

Bill, I probably wouldn't have noticed but with the vw Touareg talk I was thinking of you and VW and had tow rigs on my mind. Had to get my sons CTS from the airport this A M early. He went to Hawaii and was in North Liberty Iowa Yesterday picking up my oldest daughters dog as they left for Florida today. So yes you have it right the kids are smarter than the old man, and making more money too. We're dog sitting and waiting for -35 windchills tomorrow into Monday. Still better than a good day at work. Tell Earline hello from Rita, Teresa, Todd and me.
Dave

[Iowa Dave]

Do they build vehicles that could tow an Escape in Canada? If so, can an American go to Canada and buy one and have it US delivered like an Escape? How about boats, ATVs Snow machines too? Are a considerable number of Canadian manufacturers being caught in the current wedge?
Dave

[gbaglo]

Ford, GM, Chrysler, Toyota...
However, plants are moving to Mexico...

[JohnB]

I once heard that a new Toyota made in Canada and sold in California is cheaper down there than in Canada

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Do they build vehicles that could tow an Escape in Canada? If so, can an American go to Canada and buy one and have it US delivered like an Escape? How about boats, ATVs Snow machines too? Are a considerable number of Canadian manufacturers being caught in the current wedge?
Dave

Since the Auto Pact of the 1960's - since replaced by the Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement and then by NAFTA - vehicles have moved essentially freely (by the manufacturer, not after being sold to the consumer) between Canada and the United States. As a result, it doesn't matter in which country a vehicle is made.

Pricing is usually adjusted quickly enough that it would be difficult to benefit from this sort of cross-border shopping. Even if you do, it is common to have difficulties with warranty service, because the distributor or dealers in the destination country don't want you buying from their counterparts in the other country.

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Ford, GM, Chrysler, Toyota...
However, plants are moving to Mexico...

Sure, plus Honda, and maybe others. Most manufacturers with large sales in Canada and any manufacturing in North America has put some of their plants in Canada. The tendency - in all countries - has been to concentrate a particular model line in a single plant (or small number of plants) so one brand will have some models made entirely in the U.S. with some shipped to Canada (such as my Toyota Sienna) and other models made in Canada with some shipped to the U.S.

Within the trade zone, auto plants go where the combination of labour costs, labour (unioin) issues, other costs, government incentives, and political forces push them. Your "domestic" vehicle could come from any country in the zone, and since that has expanded to include Mexico, there's lots of production down there.

Originally Posted by JohnB

I once heard that a new Toyota made in Canada and sold in California is cheaper down there than in Canada

Since the trade agreements mean that there is no duty charged for vehicles crossing the border, it doesn't matter if the factory and the consumer are in the same country or not. At times vehicles have been cheaper in Canada than the U.S., but for many years it has been the other way around. There are lots of factors in pricing beyond manufacturing cost, and so prices are different.

Escape doesn't price separately for the two markets, but it has a pretty simple distribution system compared to the car companies and their distributors and dealerships.

[Iowa Dave]

Thanks for that summary and explanation. I've never been one to look real hard for a competitive advantage, I always just worked harder and "paid the freight" as my dad used to say. I do like Canadian blended whiskey with a Pepsi chaser.'my tribute to international imbibing.
Dave