Would it even be legal to have a car in the US with metric only
instrumentation? Despite the fact that the metric system is legal, it night not
be legal to have metric only in a car. It might vary by State too. A friend of
mine purchased a car at auction with metric only dash and the State made him
replace the instruments before he could register the car.
Howard Ressel
Project Design Engineer, Region 4
(585) 272-3372
>>> "Carleton MacDonald" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 4/23/2007 8:54 PM >>>
I had a 1988 Saab 900 which had a failed speedo, so I went online and found
one at a parts place. Turns out the parts place was in Ontario so the
speedo came in km only. No problem here! That same car died (ironically at
km 26 on autoroute 15 in Quebec, on the way home from visiting friends in
the Laurentians) so I had to give it up there. I thought of buying a used
car in Montreal so I could get home, and was told that the USA Saabs and the
Canadian Saabs are pretty much identical - except for the speedometer.
Canadian Saabs have km - only. No inner dial with mph. (If it had, I could
have gotten it across the border; there seems to be no problem with the
odometer, only the speedometer.) I finally took the train home and bought a
used car down here in Maryland for two reasons - didn't want speedometer
catfights at the border ("Did you buy anything in Canada? Oh, the car, huh?
Can I see the speedometer?") and didn't want to pay the nonrefundable TVQ
(Quebec sales tax; the GST would be refunded).
Carleton
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf
Of Michael Payne
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2007 13:43
To: U.S. Metric Association
Subject: [USMA:38489] Buying a SI display car
As some of you know, I've been looking at whether it's possible to buy a new
car with km/h speedometer here in the US. I find this an interesting
exercise in frustration, not being able to make a choice to use the
measurement system I want, which is not only legal in the US but preferred.
So much for being free to choose!
I've made many frustrating visits to all the various dealers for most
manufacturers, and none are willing to sell a car with a km/h speedometer
despite the metric system being the preferred system for trade and commerce.
GM to it's credit has a very well designed system where at the touch of a
button, the displays change from US to metric, everything, speed
temperature, tire pressure, all change to SI. Trouble is I'm not otherwise
enamored with GM vehicles. I personally like the design and fuel economy of
the Mercedes diesel known as the E320 Blutec for it's use of Urea to reduce
emissions.
http://www.dieselforum.org/fileadmin/templates/FactSheetMasterFolder/FS_SCR_
08.24.06.pdf
explains the process.
Being adamant that I want a km/h speedometer and km odometer I'm left with 3
choices. 1. Get the speedometer changed. 2. Buy a Canadian vehicle which has
to be a used vehicle. 3. Don't buy a new car at all. I wrote a letter to
Mercedes hoping that I can take advantage of their European delivery program
to pick up a car in Europe, they never replied but from a dealer I got the
reply that they were not willing to do this. I felt it would be no problem
to install the SI gauges at the factory and deliver the car to me. Because
the vehicle can display the speed in mph digitally via a menu selection (as
well as the analog km/h display) I feel it must meet US DOT requirements for
the display of either system which is what GM does on it's vehicles, which
obviously comply with the law because they sell them in the US this way.
Perhaps if they got more people asking for this they might make it an
option. More of us need to have the dealer ask the Head office if this is an
option.
One advantage of the European delivery program is that I can get a 7%
discount on the price, plus there is no delivery charge ($750 otherwise).
Not sure why this is. In Canada by comparison there is no discount and the
vehicle is much more expensive. Plus from what I've found out it's not
possible to buy a new vehicle in Canada and import it to the US, has to be a
used vehicle.
I'd be interested on feedback from Listserve members on their thoughts and
suggestions on what I could do. I've even considered a lawsuit but believe
these folks can sell what they want. But does it infringe on my rights under
the 1865 Metric system authorized law. (no contract or dealing, ... shall be
deemed invalid or liable to objection because the weights or measures
expressed or referred to therein are weights or measures of the metric
system).
Any Lawyers on this listserve?
Michael Payne
1 Thorton Court
Potomac Falls VA 20165
USA
