Same thing, friend of mine bought a Corvette C5 when they first came out, got a Canadian car from a US dealer. Speedo went to 300 (analog) and all temp gauges were in C. Problem with the speedo however was that in mph mode, the movement was so small compared to what it would have been doing in km/h that it was somewhat hard to quickly glance to read 40mph vs 60mph. <grin> And in that car, it made getting a ticket pretty easy. At least it was gunmetal silver instead of red or yellow.
On Tue, 24 Apr 2007 08:48:03 -0700, Kim, Rich \(ECY\) wrote > In 1994 I was looking at minivans and a dealer here in western > Washington had brought in some Dodge Caravans from a dealer in Canada > > (BC) since the demand for them was high here at the time. They still > had the km/h speedometers. The salesman said that they change them > when a person buys the van. I didn't buy one, but I would have left > it metric! :) > > . ______________ > ____ | | RICH KIM, Spatial Database Administrator > \ | | | Washington State Department of Ecology, GIS > | // | P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, Washington USA 98504 > | * Olympia | Phone: (360) 407-6121; Fax: (360) 407-6493 > \ _____| E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > `---------' http://www.ecy.wa.gov/services/gis/index.html > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Michael Payne > Sent: Monday, April 23, 2007 10:43 > 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
