2002-10-28
Exactly why MUST their speedometers and odometers be changed to miles? Why
can't and don't the cars just keep the original equipment?
Personally I'm overjoyed that this cheating has happened. It shows the cost
and the folly of not keeping the vehicles metric. do Canadians require that
American cars sold in Canada have their meters converted from miles to
kilometres, or do they allow the car to be sold as is?
John
Federal law. I was in Montreal in August when my ancient 1988 Saab 900 died (engine blew). A dealer there took the hulk off my hands. I knew I had to buy another used car. They had a couple of nice ones. I went onto the Internet at my friend's house to do some research. Turns out Saabs for the USA and Canadian markets are identical so no problem with the emissions or the safety equipment, but there is one difference: those sold in Canada have speedomers in km (ONLY - good for them). To get it across the border I would have had to have it replaced. If it had miles inside that might have worked; I don't know. Odometers in km are ok; it's the speedometer that is the problem.
Ironically, there was a two-year loophole (1999-2001) in which EITHER miles OR km were acceptable. In 2001 they caught it, dammit. "We meant miles are mandatory, not optional. Sorry."
So there's the problem.
I don't know if it works the other way. American cars have km on the dial but it's almost grudgingly obscure. On the car I bought down here, km on the inside lights up in bright orange; miles on the outside in dimmer green.
The situation that has led to this idiocy should have ended long ago.
Carleton
