Canadian Window Sticker

[240dkw]

Does anyone know if Nissan Canada use a window sticker like these on the 69-70 cars? Maybe even earlier on a 510. From what I read it was a US law to have them, but not sure about in Canada. 
@zKars

@grannyknot

@Namerow

@CanTechZ

Edited May 7 by 240dkw

[Namerow]

Interesting question.  I decided to turn AI loose to get an answer.  Here's what I found:

The Monroney sticker, also known as the window sticker, is a label required in the United States to be displayed in all new automobiles. It includes certain official information about the car, such as pricing, equipment, and fuel economy details¹. But why didn’t Canada adopt a similar sticker system? Let’s explore:

1. Historical Context:

   • In 1955, Senator Almer Stillwell “Mike” Monroney chaired a subcommittee that investigated complaints from U.S. car dealerships about abusive treatment by manufacturers. Dealers could inflate the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, leaving buyers unaware of the actual cost and options¹.
   • To address this, Monroney sponsored the Automobile Information Disclosure Act of 1958, which mandated information disclosure for all new automobiles sold in the U.S. This act required the Monroney sticker to be displayed on new cars¹.

2. Canada’s Approach:

   • Canada did not adopt the Monroney sticker system for several reasons:
     • Regulatory Differences: Canada has its own regulatory framework for vehicle informationdisclosure. Instead of a single standardized sticker, Canadian provinces and territories have their own requirements for vehicle information, including pricing and safety features.
       • Market Size: The Canadian automotive market is smaller than the U.S., which may have influenced the decision not to implement a nationwide sticker system.
       • Industry Practices: Canadian dealerships and manufacturers may have relied on other methods to provide information to consumers, such as brochures, websites, and sales representatives.
       • Consumer Awareness: Canadian consumers may have been more familiar with alternative sources of information, reducing the need for a standardized sticker.

     • Canadian Vehicle Information:

       • While Canada doesn’t have a Monroney sticker, pre-owned vehicles must have a Buyers Guide sticker as mandated by the Used Car Rule of the Federal Trade Commission. This decal informs buyers about warranties or indicates that the pre-owned car is being sold "as is".

So:  It looks, to me, like another example of how Canada and its bush league politicians have dropped the ball for decades as they've skirmished over inter-provincial trade issues.  As Canadian citizens, we all end up as losers because of this (continuing) parochialism.

It's possible that some of the provinces may have (or have had) a window-sticker rule in place -- but I doubt it.  I worked for GM Canada CHQ (Canada Headquarters) from 2004 - 2010 as a product training specialist.  I don't recall ever having to deal with window stickers for any of the new-stock vehicles that we used for dealer training programs carried out across the country.  Prior to that, I worked for about ten years in a similar role in the USA for GM and Mercedes-Benz and the new-stock production vehicles used for training purposes always came with a Munroney sticker.

[240dkw]

That is interesting, I wonder if that how we ended up with the unique brochure that came with all 69-70 Canadian cars, it was definitely printed by Datsun Canada in Canada. 

[Namerow]

The mainstream Canadian automotive 'industry' has always been premised on business activities restricted to 'sales, service and marketing' (SSM).  Canada-based manufacturing activities, where they apply (ref. GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, and Toyota), are operated as separate corporations with separate management.  The 'GM Canada' that we all know is actually an SSM-only operation, incorporated as 'General Motors Canada Limited'.   The manufacturing operations in Oshawa (vehicle), Ingersoll (vehicle) and St. Catharines (powertrain) are controlled by a division of the General Motors Corporation parent in the US.  I'm pretty sure that the same split-business model is used by Ford, Toyota and Honda for their Canada-based operations.

The OEM's who don't have Canada-based manufacturing operations (e.g. Nissan) operate here strictly as SSM businesses.

SSM activities include such things as determining which models, trim levels, and option packages will be offered for sale in Canada, as well as the equipment list and pricing for each of those trim levels and option packages.  That pricing activity also includes setting the amount for the 'delivery' charge. 

SSM also:

• Controls dealer liaison (the dealers are independent businesspeople who hold sales/service franchises with the OEM) and set and monitor dealer performance standards (e.g. mandatory signage standards). 
• Develops the marketing program for each of the vehicle lines on offer.  That includes developing (c/o outsourcing to major communications companies like McLaren and Cossette) all of the print and electronic materials used to support the marketing, sales and distribution of the vehicles.  Those materials include unique-Canada items such as TV/ online advertising, print ads, dealer showroom materials (brochures, etc), and (in most cases) the owner manuals that are provided with each vehicle.  That said, the owners manuals and warranty booklets for the Z were printed in Japan up until at least the 1972 models

AFAIK there are, and always have been, only two versions of these Canadian marketing/sales-support materials:  the English version and the French version.  However, since the advent of the internet (and certain federally-mandated requirements for the way the OEM's are permitted to display pricing), each manufacturer's Canadian website requires the user to declare their province of residence before it will display any pricing.  This permits province-to-province differences for PST and delivery to be factored into the 'all-in' price.

Back in the day, I think that the Canadian Datsun SSM activities were initially based in BC (New Westminster?), before transferring to Toronto.  It would be interesting to know if that early 1969-70 Z brochure was made available in both English and French versions.  It would also be interesting to know whether there was ever a French-language version of the Z owners manual.

 

[240dkw]

Yes they started it New Westminster, here is a 72 brochure that has that address. And the early brochure has nothing on it other then a printed in Canada mark. I have never seen anything from the early / mid 70 that is printed in French.

[Namerow]

Great stuff!  We Canadian Z-car supporters have a special role in the car's history and it's reflected in these print materials.  Can you maybe show us the full brochure?

I like the slightly-modified side-view graphic of the Z.  It looks slightly Cheetah-ish (terrible race car, great Cox slot car). 

BTW, I just noticed the dealer stamp on the brochure ('Terry Maher - Organ Datsun Limited - 2038 Dundas St. East, London, Ontario').  London is my hometown.  I lived there until I finished my undergrad engineering studies at Western in 1972.  I have zero recollection of a dealer called Organ Datsun.  Which is not to say that they didn't exist.  Instead, it points to how low-level the Datsun Canada dealer network was at the time when the Z was reaching (arguably) its pinnacle year in the international marketplace.

Edited May 9 by Namerow

[240dkw]

It is a tri-fold, so here is some photos, and the M is blended in with the Japanese writing. It is Morgan Datsun Limited.

[240dkw]

On 5/8/2024 at 3:52 AM, Namerow said:

Back in the day, I think that the Canadian Datsun SSM activities were initially based in BC (New Westminster?), before transferring to Toronto.  It would be interesting to know if that early 1969-70 Z brochure was made available in both English and French versions.  It would also be interesting to know whether there was ever a French-language version of the Z owners manual.

 

Quote

 

So there’s your answer. They did print the brochure in French for the Quebec market. @CanTechZ @Namerow

[CanTechZ]

Here is my collection of Canadian printed brochures, one is in French. These were included with my recent purchase of HLS30-00957.

1970 Printed in Canada (English)

 

1970 Printed in Canada (French) Poster Size

 

1972 Printed in Canada (English)

 

1973 Printed in Canada (English)

[zKars]

Great topic, great read, lots of stuff I am happy to learn about. Thanks fellow Canucks.

“En Grand VItesse Avec La Datsun 240-Z”

Magnifique!

[CanTechZ]

4 minutes ago, zKars said:

Great topic, great read, lots of stuff I am happy to learn about. Thanks fellow Canucks.

“En Grand VItesse Avec La Datsun 240-Z”

Magnifique!

Thanks for the translation, very cool.