A curious issue seems to be developing within the cross border car shopping process. More and more 2007 & 2008 model cars are showing up on the RIV’s list of cars that are not admissible to Canada from the States.

The Registrar of Imported Vehicles lists all the vehicles that are eligible to be imported into Canada. For the smart cross border shopper, it is the first place you should visit before heading south of the border to pick up a new car. The funny thing is that the list is showing a growing number of 2007/8 vehicles apparently do not meet a new law mandating immobilizer systems on new cars. That law came into play in early September, and now certain manufacturers seem to be using that as a definitive road block to cross border traffic.

You see, while the list is compiled by a government agency, it is up to the manufacturers to decide upon eligibility. What this means is that a number of manufacturers are hard at work making sure that their US models do not find their way into Canada.

Mainstream media outlets yesterday brought the problem to light yesterday, with several stories of folks who have imported cars through legal channels only to find out that their cars cannot be licensed. One such owner is Quebec resident George Lamb who imported a 2008 Honda Civic EXL on October 2 from a dealer in the States for a $5,500 savings. On October 29, the car was added to the list of inadmissible vehicles by Honda Canada, while Lamb’s temporary permit expired on October 31. Mr. Lamb now has a new car that he can’t drive.

While the folks involved in the class action lawsuit are certainly going to have a heyday with this, what can the rest of the buying public do to protect themselves? First off, the RIV list should be the first and last thing you check before heading south to score your deal. Secondly, don’t wait to register your car once you get back. Get the car registered immediately, while the car is still on the good list!