Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Destinations > Americas > Canada
Reload this Page >

Buying/importing a car from the US into Canada

Buying/importing a car from the US into Canada

Old Sep 4, 2006, 7:14 am
  #31  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Southern Alberta
Posts: 20,550
Salisbury5: ....now for the important question.

Was it worth the effort to save the money?
airbus320 is offline  
Old Sep 4, 2006, 8:56 am
  #32  
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Programs: Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 431
Originally Posted by airbus320
Salisbury5: ....now for the important question.

Was it worth the effort to save the money?
The savings was CAD$13,000 or about 19%. I probably would not have bought the car in Canada at the Canadian price point. Since this was the car I wanted, yes I would say it was worth it. All told, it was no big deal (see above posts). YMMV since the safety issues for Canada for my car are expected to be really easy.

The best analogy would be to what you have to do to buy a used car. When you buy a used car privately, there is no dealer to handle licensing, etc. so you have to do that yourself. Here, you have to do the same stuff yourself as you would for a used car in Canada and add on only a few extra steps.

Would I do it again? Yes, most certainly. I would really do it again if there was a car I wanted that as manufactured in North America (like the ACURA MDX made in Alliston, ON). You then save an additional 6.1% duty.
Salisbury5 is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2006, 8:52 am
  #33  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: YUL
Programs: Super Elite 100K
Posts: 828
Quebec sales tax

Originally Posted by okazon69
Sounds like a good way to do things. I am supposing that our Great Republic of Quebec would ding you for another 7.5% QST to thank you for your efforts. Can anyone confirm?
The QST is paid when you register the car at the SAAQ, and not when you cross the border, as the Ministere de Revenu has not (yet) installed their own tax gremlins at Canada Customs! The QST is paid on the Canadian dollar value of the car, as declared by the importer (hint, hint).
willflyforfood is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2006, 11:28 am
  #34  
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Programs: Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 431
Originally Posted by willflyforfood
The QST is paid when you register the car at the SAAQ, and not when you cross the border, as the Ministere de Revenu has not (yet) installed their own tax gremlins at Canada Customs! The QST is paid on the Canadian dollar value of the car, as declared by the importer (hint, hint).
In my case, the Ontario Licence Bureau clerk was NOT going to charge me PST. She asked me to sign an exemption form instead. I knew that PST was owing and that I was not exempt. Since I did not want to sign something that I knew was not true I told her that indeed, PST was owed to the Province of Ontario (almost $4K). You should have seen her face!

The good news, in true FT fashion, is that all taxes and duty (federal and provincial) were paid with my AP visa card and so I got about 10,000 points for purchase of my new car.

The car has now been safetied, licensed and insured. All's well that ends well.
Salisbury5 is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2006, 12:37 pm
  #35  
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: OTTAWA
Programs: AC Aeroplan ;BA GOLD;HH GOLD;FAIRMONT PREMIER;SPG GOLD;PR PASS.
Posts: 616
[Now I wait for a form to arrive in the mail and then off to Canadian Tire for a safety check. After that, its off to the Ontario Licence Bureau for some plates.

All in all, not a big deal at all so far.[/QUOTE]


I would never take any vehicle to CDN tire,Expecially such an expensive one.PM me for info on a great garage where I take my cars.


wali
wali is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2006, 12:49 pm
  #36  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: YYC
Programs: AC*SE, MVPG, HH Diamond, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 84
Salisbury5, congrats on the new car - very nice.

One question, how did you handle the plates in the US vs Canada?

I looked into this earlier this year, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. From what I could gather talking to Canadian Customs, and several others, was that you need a temp plate for each state you plan to travel in when driving the car back to Canada (and apparently each state has different in transit procedures). After crossing into Canada, you can then put your Canadian plate on while going though the registration process. It sounds like this was a non-issue for you, so I'm guessing the dealer gave you some type of temp or in-transit tag/paperwork?

BTW, the car I wanted was an 03/04 Mercedes SL500, but I found the compliance mods could be a hassle. Apparently Mercedes has two different bumper systems for the US and Canadian markets, and the cost of replacing them is in the $5000+ range depending on the specific model. It's too bad they couldn't come up with one system that satisfied both markets.
TCoop is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2006, 1:15 pm
  #37  
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Programs: Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 431
Originally Posted by wali
[Now I wait for a form to arrive in the mail and then off to Canadian Tire for a safety check. After that, its off to the Ontario Licence Bureau for some plates.

All in all, not a big deal at all so far.

I would never take any vehicle to CDN tire,Expecially such an expensive one.PM me for info on a great garage where I take my cars.


wali[/QUOTE]

No choice, re: Canadian Tire. There are only a few other garages nationwide that are licensed to perform the necessary and mandated safety check (i.e. its not just any safety check). In Ottawa, Canadian Tire is the only garage. In all of Toronto, there may only be 1 or 2 garages other than Canadian Tire. See www.riv.ca.
Salisbury5 is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2006, 1:18 pm
  #38  
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Programs: Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 431
Originally Posted by TCoop
Salisbury5, congrats on the new car - very nice.

One question, how did you handle the plates in the US vs Canada?

I looked into this earlier this year, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. From what I could gather talking to Canadian Customs, and several others, was that you need a temp plate for each state you plan to travel in when driving the car back to Canada (and apparently each state has different in transit procedures). After crossing into Canada, you can then put your Canadian plate on while going though the registration process. It sounds like this was a non-issue for you, so I'm guessing the dealer gave you some type of temp or in-transit tag/paperwork?
Thanks.

The dealer in NH simply gave me a NH temporary permit good for 20 days. I was able to complete the licensing/safety requirements in under 20 days and so I simply replaced the NH temporary plate with the Ontario plate when I received it from the Licence Bureau (about 10 days after crossing the border into Canada). I believe Ontario would have given me another temporary plate had I needed one (and asked).

Note: You will need a permit of some kind to get insurance to drive the car up from the USA.
Salisbury5 is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2006, 2:02 pm
  #39  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: P.E.C., ON
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Gold Elite
Posts: 504
I've looked into purchasing a new car in the US as well (savings of approx $14,000), but have been told by an accountant who specializes in Canadian/US inpat/expat work that if you are a Canadian resident and you buy a car in the US, and then import it legally into Canada, you are not able to ever resell the car in Canada. He swears that the only people who are allowed to resell US cars in Canada are registered dealers, or former US residents who have moved to Canada.

Have you looked into what happens when you decide you are done with the car you brought in from the States? I know that when I have had my current car appraised as a trade-in, I am always asked if it is a US car.
CarNut is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2006, 2:25 pm
  #40  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: YUL
Programs: Super Elite 100K
Posts: 828
Maybe...but not in Quebec

Originally Posted by CarNut
I've looked into purchasing a new car in the US as well (savings of approx $14,000), but have been told by an accountant who specializes in Canadian/US inpat/expat work that if you are a Canadian resident and you buy a car in the US, and then import it legally into Canada, you are not able to ever resell the car in Canada. He swears that the only people who are allowed to resell US cars in Canada are registered dealers, or former US residents who have moved to Canada.

Have you looked into what happens when you decide you are done with the car you brought in from the States? I know that when I have had my current car appraised as a trade-in, I am always asked if it is a US car.
There is no restriction on reselling an imported car, regardless of point of origin, in Quebec. This would suggest to me that the rules would be the same across Canada as inter-provincial transfers are relatively simple, meaning that a prohibition in one province would be defeated by moving that car to Quebec. However, the resale value of a US imported car is typically impaired as title-washing is relatively simple in quite a few states, so beware that the bargain on the front-end has consequences on the resale end down the road.
willflyforfood is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2006, 2:43 pm
  #41  
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Programs: Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 431
Originally Posted by CarNut
Have you looked into what happens when you decide you are done with the car you brought in from the States? I know that when I have had my current car appraised as a trade-in, I am always asked if it is a US car.
I didn't look into it. I assume that resale in Canada is not prohibited (on what basis could it possibly be prohibited???). I also assume that I would take a hit on the back end if I tried to re-sell it - but we always drive our cars until the bitter end (or close anyway). By way of example, I have never re-sold any of my used cars which I bought new for more than $4000 (before today, the record was $1000). I am therefore not too concerned.
Salisbury5 is offline  
Old Sep 12, 2006, 6:36 am
  #42  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: P.E.C., ON
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Gold Elite
Posts: 504
Originally Posted by Salisbury5
I didn't look into it. I assume that resale in Canada is not prohibited (on what basis could it possibly be prohibited???). I also assume that I would take a hit on the back end if I tried to re-sell it - but we always drive our cars until the bitter end (or close anyway). By way of example, I have never re-sold any of my used cars which I bought new for more than $4000 (before today, the record was $1000). I am therefore not too concerned.
Once again, I'm just repeating what I was told by someone who works in this area - I have been unable to verify the information despite repeat web searches and phone calls. As well, I only know about the Ontario market.

I believe that Ministry records would show that the car was originally built for the US market and a transfer of title to a third party would be prohibited without proof of US residency at the time of purchase (this obviously doesn't apply to registered dealers).
CarNut is offline  
Old Sep 12, 2006, 8:57 pm
  #43  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC*SE 2MM
Posts: 16,578
Originally Posted by CarNut
Once again, I'm just repeating what I was told by someone who works in this area - I have been unable to verify the information despite repeat web searches and phone calls. As well, I only know about the Ontario market.

I believe that Ministry records would show that the car was originally built for the US market and a transfer of title to a third party would be prohibited without proof of US residency at the time of purchase (this obviously doesn't apply to registered dealers).

I brought my car with me when I moved back from the US to Canada in 1994. The car was sold privately in 2005 and there were no issues with transfgerring title.

Note: When I brought the car in I never had it "Canadianized" and nobody ever made an issue of it (and I did go through the proper channels at revenue Canada).
The Lev is offline  
Old Sep 13, 2006, 4:40 am
  #44  
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: 44*38.670N 63*37.548W
Programs: several
Posts: 1,870
Same question, but with recreational boats:

I'm thinking of buying a late-1980's vintage Boston Whaler (built of course in the States). I would buy in and trailer it across the border.

Anything special I should know, taxes that I'm subjected to?
jral is offline  
Old Jan 20, 2008, 3:16 pm
  #45  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: BA Gold, A3*G
Posts: 1,121
Afraid I need to revive this thread.
Were there anyone from BC that attempted this scenario? I'm looking at a 08 Escape Hybrid with most options and I'm the numbers I'm looking at (MSRP) are 31K in WA and 42K in BC. This is before taxes, and GST would be charged on import anyway - no duty since it is a US vehicle. There is a $2000 rebate on the 7% PST in BC for Hybrid cars and I'm assuming this applies to imported cars as well. Is this a fair assumption?
sjefenole is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.