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Importing Car into Canada from US

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Comments

  • rjmbcrjmbc Member Posts: 51
    I am in the process of buying one (CX-9) in Oregon. If the deal closes I will provide the information. I should know by the end of the week.
  • yeboyebo Member Posts: 13
    Thanks budd, i would really appreciate tht. Good chance i 'll end up buying in OR. I talked to a dealer or 2 there as well and one of 'em mentioned tht someone had just this last weekend made a purchase through the 'corporation' route.

    Look forward to the dealer contact and ur final negotiated price. Wht model r u shopping btw? I got Touring model (FWD should suffice) on mind wz leather + moonroof + bose package.

    Good idea to call some other states such as Alabama/Louisiana ....

    Cheers.
  • yeboyebo Member Posts: 13
    Hey rjmbc - On second thought, we may be able to collectively negotiate a better deal wz the dealer sales so consider tht as an option if you like. Of course, the big Q is whether there will be in residency restrictions in place.

    cheers.
  • thecannyscot1thecannyscot1 Member Posts: 2
    Hi rjmbc,

    Just noticed your Juky 28 post. My email is allan.taylor@persona.ca

    Thanks a lot.

    Mr T
  • rjmbcrjmbc Member Posts: 51
    That could be me. I used the "corporate route" it cost about $750 to $850 but it is still a substantial saving. I'll keep you posted if I run into problems. We are just waiting for the purchase documents right now.
  • timrileytimriley Member Posts: 6
    Hoping someone here might know off the top of their head... today I requested the Recall Letter required from Toyota and then only afterwards read on RIV.ca's site that there is a 30day expiry on it (that one has 30 days to import the car). I am not planning on shipping my car up to Canada until late January. RIV's site is not clear about whether the 30day validity of the Recall Letter means that I have '30 days' from the date that the letter is issued by Toyota to ship the car up, or whether I have 30 days to ship the car up from the date that RIV receives the letter. Does anyone know? Worst case scenario I guess is I"ll need to call up Toyota for another updated letter next month....
  • yeboyebo Member Posts: 13
    Hey rjmbc - Great. So how did you make out on your sale .. closed the deal or still some unanswered questions? I tried another dealer who was willing to sell if i could provide 'em wz a US address but then the problem was that would want the vehicle registered there first, which means i would need to pay sales tax..crazy stuff $$$

    cheers.
  • bav_fan07bav_fan07 Member Posts: 68
    In new hampshire there is no sales tax....register your car there if you can.
  • bav_fan07bav_fan07 Member Posts: 68
    Call RIV.ca and find out. I'm pretty sure you'll have to get a new letter...but I could be wrong...no matter how many times this import process has been done, my friends/colleagues tell different stories each time. No matter what, its never 100% consistent...though I hear now its getting better....

    The obvious reason for the expiry is to make sure that if there are any other major re-calls that follow, they are not missed. I mean that could happen anyways, but I think the 30 day limit is to put some sort of control on it.

    I mean if you held a re-call letter for 365 days...and there were 3-4 major re-calls on the car, RIV wouldn't want a potentially problem-filled vehicle coming into the country....so there has to be some sort of limit....
  • rjmbcrjmbc Member Posts: 51
    Dealer advised Thursday afternoon that they were forwarding documents via FedEx - I expect them Monday. No sales tax involved in the transaction.
  • yeboyebo Member Posts: 13
    Good stuff. No sales tax coz Alaska has none. Neither does OR or NH and there may be coupla other states too but then you need an address for those places. I only have tht for CA and you gotta pay over 10% so the savings disappear by another 3-4k for nothing.
  • shabishabi Member Posts: 15
    I bought a car from Florida, get it shipped to new york.
    How to get a new york temp tag to drive the car to brampton ontario.
    Also I have Driving licence and insurance from Quebec and going to register the vehicle there, Can I cross the border at lewiston bridge niagara falls to ontario or I must have to cross the border in Montreal like champlain /Lacolle
  • mdebreynemdebreyne Member Posts: 6
    Unfortunately to be lawful, you might have to get the car towed. I believe that both Ontario and NY will only issue as temp permit if you bought the car from there or if it's being registered there. If you are registering in Quebec, I believe you'll have to get a temp permit from there if that's possible.

    As far as the port, you can enter wherever you want.
  • shabishabi Member Posts: 15
    Thanks for reply
    Any body had an idea about transporters to tow the car to Toronto (brampton) on reasonable rates, onlineautoconnection is asking $250.
  • dieseldudedieseldude Member Posts: 6
    This is a long reply, but of interest to anyone considering importing from the US...

    I have never gotten a good answer on this question about temp permits. I bought a vehicle in Florida and drove it to NS via Ontario, Quebec, & New Brunswick. Due to an impossible red tape situation in Florida about insurance, I got a temp permit in Alabama. I was fortunate not to have the permit noticed by any cops, so never had any trouble, even having been stopped once by the Quebec police who only casually glanced, without scrutinizing.

    Upon registering the vehicle in NS, I asked if my Alabama permit was legal here. The NS registery official answered that the permit was only good in Alabama. Anyway I was lucky to have the temp sticker escape notice of any police the entire trip. It seems that each state and province does not allow for driving of newly purchased vehicles through their own territories. I got away with it, and so have others.

    Stopping for a new permit at each state and province crossed is just not practical. Towing could cost a rediculiously huge amount of cash. Anyway not sure if each state or province crossed will issue permit if not registering in that particular place. Also, may be required to pay sales tax on vehicle to get permit. This whole situation seems to be quite a rediculous state of provincial and state laws. If you drive carefully and below the speed limit you are not likely to be bothered by any police if they see the permit stuck to the back window from a distance. If tinted glass, I would consider putting permit photo copy inside a clear plastic pouch and tape to outside of back window with clear tape, but with original permit stuck on the inside. Permit will not be seen through dark tints and you are likely to be stopped by nosey police who see no plate or temp sticker. Then you could have big trouble.

    I found out that to get the temp permit in Florida, I woud have had to pay state sales tax, and there is no opportunity for nonresidents to get a refund. Florida also requires insurance be purchased locally. But I could not find an agent who would sell a 30 day or less policy. They want to bill you for a year's worth just for a few days of driving. Alabama was not so arrogant, much better place to do business. Did not require insurance and did not demand sales tax. The only way to legally get a vehicle put of Florida is to have it transported. If you are not a resident of Florida you cannot legally drive a locally purchased vehicle out of the state. At least that was the situation about 8 years ago.

    I would be interested to know if anyone else has found a solution to this matter.
  • shabishabi Member Posts: 15
    Thanks! for such a detailed reply, I have one more question, please reply who has the answer:
    My permanent residence is in Ontario Brampton and same is written on my passport
    But I work in Bombardier Montreal and mostly lives there, my driving license and my existing car registration and insurance is in Montreal and I will register this car also there.
    So which address do I provide to Dealer to be written on sales papers and title.
    Please reply ASAP
  • rjmbcrjmbc Member Posts: 51
    We received the MSO on the vehicle and are in the process of registering in Alaska. Everything went fine. With any luck I will bring it back to Canada on 26 Dec. I bought a brand new 2009 CX-9 Grand Touring AWD MRSP $37,915.00 for $30,000.
  • rjmbcrjmbc Member Posts: 51
    This obviously varies from province to province. Both Alberta and BC recognize these temporary permits as long as they are still valid in the state in which they were issued.
  • yeboyebo Member Posts: 13
    Great stuff ..almost there! Yep, i have spoken to a few dealers here and there but pretty much get stuck on the residency restriction. Considering to buy an older one but the price for a new one is only expensive by a coupla grands and that makes for a difficult decision. Nevertheless, lets see how it works out.

    BTW, has anyone on the board has experience buying a used vehicle in CA and bringing it over? Understand that i cant drive in CA without registering the vehicle, which would mean paying sales tax there. So the best option then so far i have been able to figure is to transport to Seattle and drive from there? Thoughts/comments.

    Cheers!!
  • rjmbcrjmbc Member Posts: 51
    If you want to email me at rmcgill.elan at gmail dot com - I can explain how you can get around the residency requirement.
  • 1ram11ram1 Member Posts: 1
    I am interested in purchasing a 2008 Tacoma in California - after reading the RIV admissable vehicles, they mention an EIS requirement, has anyone imported a 2008 Tacoma lately. thks Rob
  • smackergsmackerg Member Posts: 4
    Can anyone give me some info on importing a new 2010 Lexus RX350?
    Would Lexus sell me a brand new car to export from US to Canada and transfer full warranty?

    If not, how about a used 2010? Are there any restrictions/modifications required?
    Would the warranty be trasferred?

    I'm in Cali for a few days and looking around. I can see on RIV's site that the 08 and 09's are ok; no mention of 07's which is really too bad since I found a very clean one. and for '10, they say contact Lexus.

    I need to figure this out soon so any info is appreciated.
  • sloan55sloan55 Member Posts: 10
    2007 are fine, you would have to contact RIV directly to find out if/when they expect Lexus to give them the details on 2010 model. You will have a tough time firnding a Lexus dealer that wills ell brand new, dealer demo or lease returns are considered used, so you can buy those with no problems.
  • smackergsmackerg Member Posts: 4
    RIV said they don't have exact details as to what modifications are required.
    I contacted Lexus Canada, they weren't much help and told me to contact Lexus US. Lexus US said they have no info; Lexus Canada would have it. So called Lexus Canada again and waiting for a manager to get back.

    RIV said possible required modifications would be: daytime running lights, electronic immobilization system, metric odometer and speedometer labels

    Has anyone imported a 2006-2009 or 2010 RX350 from California? Did you have to do any mods? if so, which ones and how much was the cost?
  • pkfollypkfolly Member Posts: 7
    I wouldn't count on the dealer, mine (BMW) wanted to sell me a whole new instrument cluster with kilometer numbers big and miles small, which wasn't required. As long as the speedo has kilometers on it it's OK. All they seemed interested in at the Canadian Tire RIV inspection were daytime running lights. Your car probably already has these, they just need to be programmed to come on with the ignition (10 minute job).
  • bav_fan07bav_fan07 Member Posts: 68
    I agree with pkfolly. The dealer is called the "stealer" for a reason.

    Check out www.riv.ca. The list is right there. here is the list taken from the site its self. You can't go wrong as long as you follow their list. There are links for more explanations on the site.

    http://www.riv.ca/ModificationAndInspectionRequirements.aspx

    Recall clearance letter
    The vehicle must bear a manufacturer's valid U.S. Statement of Compliance (SOC) label at the time of import.
    Valid alpha-numeric 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN)
    Metric speedometer and odometer labels (provided by inspection centre)
    Daytime running lights
    Child restraint tether anchorage hardware kit
    Child restraint tether anchorage point locations (see Transport Canada’s List of Vehicles Admissible from the United States)
    French supplementary restraint system label for airbags that require periodic maintenance
    Air bag equipped vehicles are required to have functioning air bags at the time of inspection.
    If the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of the vehicle is less than 10,000 lbs. and the manufacture date is after September 1, 2007, it must be equipped with an electronic immobilizer system that meets Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 114.
  • bav_fan07bav_fan07 Member Posts: 68
    You need to be persistent with Lexus here.

    If I were you I would do the following (see my previous post also.) Look at the RIV.ca modification requirement list. Ask Lexus, heck even make the sale conditional on these requirements, that I need my new car to have the following for me to import into Canada (hopefully you can tell them that you are importing it.) Make sure you have your own checklist and make sure all of your requirements are met. Again, the requirements are listed on RIV.ca.

    That's really all you need to do ( I know a lot of this is obvious, but its a good read for beginners.) I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but as long as you complete the work to meet the requirements for importing, it doesn't really matter "what else" needs to be done to the car.

    Also, anytime you talk to RIV.ca, document everything they say. Take down their name, phone number, agent # whatever. if you have problems in the future, you tell them "so and so, on this date and time, said to do this." Also, make sure you do that when you call US or even CDN customs.
  • handystevehandysteve Member Posts: 2
    It's the first time for me to buy a car from the States. Does somebody know if that 72 hours notice is mandatory? I'm bidding for a car on Ebay, the auction ends on January 6th evening. The car in located in Philadelphia, PA. So, if I would win, I could pick it up on the 7th, Thursday, but I'm leaving for Europe on Monday the 11th, evening. So I'm worry, that if they consider just the weekdays in that 72 hours, than I would not have time to bring home the car. Could somebody help me out with useful information regarding this? Thanks, I would really appreciate.
  • sloan55sloan55 Member Posts: 10
    72 hours is mandatory at any border crossing. No way around it.
  • defrederickdefrederick Member Posts: 52
    I'm pretty sure the 72 hours includes the weekends, since the border crossings are open 7 days a week. Still, you're not leaving yourself much time to spare on this deal. Normally it takes a while for your payment to clear before they'd release a vehicle.
  • pkfollypkfolly Member Posts: 7
    The 72 hours does include the weekend, but you have to leave the US Monday through Friday during business hours (8 to 4:30 I believe) as the US export office is not open on the weekend (at least at Lewiston in NY where I came across). Also be sure to phone them to confirm the fax. I faxed all my titles together but came across at two separate times. The second time, they couldn't find my earlier fax, and were going to make me wait another 72 hours.
  • rjmbcrjmbc Member Posts: 51
    This can vary from entry point to entry point. For example Osoyoos / Oroville crossing is 24/7 on both side. I crossed at about 10:00PM one night.

    Also I believe the Coutts / Sweetgrass crossing may also be 24/7.

    And in both cases 72 hours is 72 hours. At Blaine 72 hours is 3 business days. "These Documents must be on file with our office for 3-business days prior to export!!!" This is a direct quote from their (Blaine) documentation.

    You should check ahead with the crossing you are going to use.
  • handystevehandysteve Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for all of you for the helpful informations. Does somebody know which border crossing point is 24/7 in Ontario?
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    The crossings at Buffalo, New York and Detroit, Michigan are 24/7 and it's probably true of any metro area on the border.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • smackergsmackerg Member Posts: 4
    anyone know which borders in BC are 24/7?
    I guess that eliminates Blaine.
  • smackergsmackerg Member Posts: 4
    I've been doing lots of research and it seems like the RX350's made in Canada don't require any modifications. Activating the Daylight Timing through the computer seems to be the only modification required; bumpers, clusters and everything else is fine.

    I think I'll be buying an 07-09 since brand new is not such a great deal.
  • sloan55sloan55 Member Posts: 10
    Buffalo, NY (aka Queenston-Lewiston) is 8:30-4:00 Weekdays only

    Detroit is 24/7

    Port Huron I think is 8-8 Monday-Thursday and 8-12 on Fridays
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Thanks for the Buffalo update. It's been quite a while since I lived in that region.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • pkfollypkfolly Member Posts: 7
    The border crossings themselves into Ontario are all open 24/7, but the only place you can import a car in the Buffalo area is at Lewiston-Queenston.That is the only place that has an office on the US side that will stamp the title for exporting the car, and its only open Mon through Fri business hours.
  • rjmbcrjmbc Member Posts: 51
    This website has a lot of information regarding border crossings all across Canada:

    http://www.ucanimport.com/Border_Crossing_Info.aspx
  • chrisw5chrisw5 Member Posts: 1
    Hi
    my mother bought a car in Bellingham WA in 1996. She is a US resident. It is a 1995 Geo Prizm. Now she moves to Vancouver BC and she wants to bring her car to Vancouver.
    She has the receipt of purchase and all yearly registration with her.

    How can I help her to do it? Please give me the steps. Thank you
  • rjmbcrjmbc Member Posts: 51
    Contact RIV at either RIV.CA or on the phone. The vehicle is close to 15 years old so I doubt that there would be any problem. Call & find out.
  • abydybyabydyby Member Posts: 2
    I am new to this forum . I am thinking of buying a new ML 350 in US and wants to import into canada via detroit border. i live in toronto. can this is possible. What are the complications / process involved in it.
    1. first of does teh US dealer will sell to canadians.( i am looking for a brand new)
    2. do i need to pay any additional taxes while importing.

    any help would be aprreciated.
  • sergelbergeronsergelbergeron Member Posts: 138
    check out the Carswithoutborders.com web site there is lots of info on importing from the USA
  • shabishabi Member Posts: 15
    I am interesting to import Toyota Highlander limited 2010, I got quotes from different newyork dealers, it is varying $36000-$37000, but they are not willing to sell to canadians.
    What is the best strategy to import a new Toyota car.?
    Is any dealer selling to canadians?
    some one here to help me to buy thru his us registered corporation?
  • easym1easym1 Member Posts: 218
    I find it surprising that the car companies here in Canada are still continuing to gouge us, I wont be surprised that many of my fellow Canadians will start crossing the border to buy their car now that our dollar is almost equal with USA.. What a shame to the car companies here and to our government that don't want to protect us from obvious scam against us by the car companies.
  • bav_fan07bav_fan07 Member Posts: 68
    They are not going to sell to Canadians because Toyota North America has intructed their franchise-dealers not to.

    If they do, they will face stiff penalties. Your best bet is to buy a demo or have a relative buy the car, then buy the car off the relative since at that point its resale. The only real way to avoid state taxes and so forth is to buy the car through New Hampshire or a state where there is no tax. I believe there are third party companies that would also do this for you - but you would have to pay them large fees that may prohibit your savings of buying the car in the good ole USA.
  • bav_fan07bav_fan07 Member Posts: 68
    I'm not defending the car companies - but its pretty simple why the prices are high. Canada's sales volume will never meet that of the USAs. Never. The USA has 10 times the population, thus 10 times the market potential...and thats just a small part of it...the whole business cycle is just huge...you already know this but It's simple economics.

    I feel your frustration too - but there isn't much we can do about it.
  • rjmbcrjmbc Member Posts: 51
    I have a US registered company that has purchased vehicles for people in the past. I am located in BC. Send me an email to rmcgill dot elan @ gmail dot com
  • hybrid10hybrid10 Member Posts: 26
    Dear Shabi;

    I can tell you that I used rjmbc who replied to you on Mar 20 to purchase my 2009 Highlander and I highly recommend using him. It most certainly can be done and no issues on this side of the border getting warranty work etc.

    Regards,
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