Maybe it's just me, but it seems like there are more Canadians on the board on a percentage basis than U.S. Are there more Canadian buyers on a relative basis than U.S. buyers, or are my friends to the North more connected?

 

I've notice that too. There seems to be a disproportionate number of Canucks on this board. My guess is that the biggest factor is that we're more connected, as you suggest.

Canada outpacing U.S. in broadband penetration

 

Very interesting (I would like to note that despite being in the center of Silicon Valley, I can't get cable or DSL and Wireless requires 2yr contracts, so I had to get satellite ).

 

Ouch. Well, I might as well rub it in - I've had cable internet service since Jan/96 and DSL for about 18 mo. For both services I pay a total of CDN$93/mo. :P

 

Oh, well since 1997 I've had broadband, and I moved 1.8 miles up the street from my old place where could get both. Who's to blame? SBC.

 

Canadians are definately more connected, especially if you look at the number of high speed users.

But I dont think that tells the whole story. In Canada our initial 2004 allotment was for 4000 vehicles. This is not THAT much less than the 15,000 the US is getting.

And when you factor population ....

US population to TSX allotment ratio-> 292,000,000:15,000 =
1 TSX for every 19,467 people.

Canada population to TSX allotment ratio-> 31,000,000:4000 =
1 TSX for every 7,750 people

 

Good point, fdl. I hadn't thought of that. Also, the pricing works out to be a bit cheaper in Canada than a simple USD$/CAD$ conversion would predict and the Canadian dealers seem a bit more willing to discount. So that probably factors in a bit.

In my market, there was less than CAD$2000 diff between the Mazda 6 and the TSX. That definitely worked in favour of the TSX. If it had been say $4000-$5000 more for the TSX, I'd have had a hard time justifying it.

 

There you go, I knew you'd have some info on this! It makes sense for both reasons, but I strongly suggest it's because of the allotment from these figures.

 

schalliol, does your sat connection require a land-line & modem as well? The only sat service I've seen here still requires that, but I've heard that bi-directional systems are on the way.

 

It did for commissioning (only at install), but not daily, and it's been available in Canada for quite some time. There is a new DirecWay 6000 that just came out that doesn't require a modem, even for commissioning, at the same price. Also that unit doesn't require a Windows Machine (so I could toss the POS PC I have that serves the connection). They had a DW4020 before that didn't require it, but it was expensive (DW isn't cheap anyway).

 

thx for the info. I haven't heard of DirecWay before, but it's good to know there's another option. I have ExpressVu sat TV and they offer an internet service as well, but it requires a modem and second dialup account. Anyway, has nothing to do with TSX ownership...

 

I wondered about this on the old site, and we had a thread on it.

Consensus was:

(1) You're absolutely right -- A disproportionate number of people on this board are from north-of-the-border.

(2) Probable reason is that cars like Acuras and Hondas are more popular up north because FWD is more appreciated in snow areas.

BTW as far as I'm concerned, that includes New York. It's a big reason I'm an Acura guy.

 

hum... i also think its because Acura is a cheaper/less expensive luxury brand than the BMW,MB,Audi, Lexus. and Canadians on average have lower annual income and disposable income compared to the US. Hence a cheaper car like Acura would sell more in a country where the people have less money to spend on MB's and such. kind of like why we have the Acura EL here..the normal acura's are not cheap enough, they have to make a guissed up civic and sell as luxury car... .

 

I think it's because it's so damn cold in Canada for much of the year that there's nothing to do but type away indoors on your high speed connection...(j/k..I was actually born and raised in Chicago so I know what it's like to have crappy weather)

 

I think you're on to something there, wishiwere. The winters are long, the days are short, the weather cold. It's either sit at the computer or ...
:-*

 

I don't think so. In fact the EL is probably more fitting as an Acura than the RSX is.

 

Seems like it to me too, though I haven't been in one or seen one in person, there is an RSX thread discussing the quality of it for others' reference.