It's Time to Out the Gougers

I'm a motorcyclist so this is something that's been bugging me for a long, long time.

Despite the loonie's rise to near parity with the US dollar, Canadian prices for some products are often disproportionately higher than what you would pay "south of the line."

Take BMW's F650GS motorcycle as a typical example. In the US, manufacturer's suggested retail price is $7,100 (USD). In Canada, the MSRP is $9,500 (Cdn) which works out to $9,015 (USD). Why the difference? Don't ask BMW North America, the company that imports all bikes for both countries. They won't even respond if you ask.

When I bought a beemer two years ago, I went down to Oregon to get it. Oregon has no sales tax so I wouldn't get dinged twice. I saved thousands. I still had to pay the GST and PST when I brought the bike back to British Columbia but, even then, the sales taxes were on the lower American price. I even saved hundreds in sales tax.

Now I realize we kicked their ass at Vimy and Falaise and beat them senseless all the way up the Scheldt estuary but is that any way to treat Canadian customers?

CBC offers more examples. A Nissan Altima on the block for $24,000 in the States, $30,200 up here. GAP jeans - $49.50 US, $79.50 Cdn. Walmart's price for a type of Baush & Lomb contacts - $44.72 US in Buffalo, $89.97 Cdn. in Toronto. Walmart? That outfit?

BMW, Walmart, GAP, Nissan and all the rest of you who want to gouge Canadians - Get Stuffed! If you have examples, add them below.