bmmn

Hi there!

me and my partner will head over to canada for 4 weeks in september. Initially we planned to fly to vancouver and then travel by bus and train around to end up in toronto where our flight goes back to germany.
Now we more and more realize that a car would make much more sense to be flexible and sometimes even sleep in it.

Usually i would try to buy a car and then sell it in the end, instead of spending 3000 CAD just for a car rental. But i'm a little worried that it is not that easy in canda. Especially buying one in BC and then sell it in Ontario.

Has anyone some experiences with buying a car for travel in canda ? That would be soo helpful !

Thank you a lot guys !
As always, safe travels to all of you

KDS777

Rent.

The requirements to purchase and legally license and insure will be a serious hassle and very cost prohibitive, as well as tie up a lot of your travel time.

Renting won't be cheap either, but it can easily be done versus the alternative with less financial risk.

sydneyracquelle

You can rent a uhaul for much cheaper than a rental car.

tentseller

The basic rental of a U-Haul is cheaper. The per miles charge is much much more

YVR Cockroach

U-Haul won't work. While there's a mileage allowance provided for the distance, there is also a time limitation (pretty much enough time to load, drive and unload). Fuel economy also sucks with a Ford E-350 (smallest long-distance rental chassis of 10' box) and gets worst with E-450s. Sample Vancouver-Toronto only allow 9 days and ~5,100 Km. No quote for extra days. Forgot to mention it's also $2,900 + taxes and no very few insurances offer coverage as they're commercial vehicles.

Could try an RV rental repositioning special (or pay a lot for a one-way if not on special). There may be driveaways (drive/move someone's vehicle) but mileage and time may also be limited.

YVR Cockroach

That's for local r/t (returning to same town/same rental location) rentals.One-way long-distance rentals come with the appropriate mileage allowance but have time limitations.

YVR Cockroach

As for buying a car, not a problem to get insurance (and hence registration in B.C. (ICBC the public insurer sells at least basic coverage). Bear in mind there's a 12% tax whether the vehicle is new or used. Safety inspection may be required if someone in Ontario buysand wants to register the car so that will reduce the value of the vehicle vs. a locally-registered one. Keep in mind if buying and selling that license plates don't belong to the vehicle when transferring ownership (or even selling the car). If you sell the vehicle with license plates and the new owner doesn't register and insure the vehicle, you're responsible for anything they do with the vehicle.

KDS777

You need to surrender your existing license, acquire a BC license, provide legal proof of a BC address, pay the insurance premium assessed to a new driver (easily 5x that of a experienced one) and it must be paid in full for the year as you are new, etc, etc..........not easy nor functional in reality.

YVR Cockroach

You might (or definitely) have to in Alberta and Quebec but not necessary in BC, Quebec and New Brunswick.

KDS777

Could be.........it's been a while for me.

When I lived in YVR this was the procedure.......and today in Alberta it is the same. Governments and laws change, but, regardless this traveller should rent.

Finkface

This part isn't true either. You can choose the length of your policy with ICBC from a one day up to a 15 day TOP, a 3 month term or more all the way up to 11 months, or a one year policy. You should delete this entire post as it is incorrect.

YVR Cockroach

That was because you became resident in B.C. Tourists (who are not even "temporary residents") by definition aren't doing that.

That isn't the topic.

KDS777

Yes, it was the question actually.

Regardless, I could not find a link on icbc.com to help the OP determine if what you are saying is correct, or disprove my statement.

All that seems to be there is a requirement for proof of past driving history from the jurisdiction of origin, and a requirement to obtain a BC license immediately upon application for insurance if you intend to reside in BC. When I did that I had to surrender my existing license. I see nothing that pertains to a TEMPORARY VISITOR who is not going to reside in BC.

So, in order to minimize liability....

Too much trouble all around. I wish the OP the best.

r2luo

I think renting a vehicle is a more convenient option compared to buying one, especially if you're only going to need it for a short period of time. However, based on my personal experience, I'd recommend opting for a regular SUV or small car rental over using U-Haul, as I found their vehicle performance to be somewhat lacking. As for purchasing a car, not only would it be expensive upfront, but you'd also have the added hassle of needing to sell it before you leave. Overall, it seems like more trouble than it's worth.