Buying a Car in US and bringing to Canada

[BlackBerry]

Has anyone purchased a Fiat in the US, and brought back to Canada? Does anyone know what's needed? If anyone can share the process or experience, it would be really helpful.

thanks,
marc

[courtenay]

It's not too difficult - a bit of paperwork and time to get across the border and then an inspection. Google importing cars from us to canada and you will get the Govt of Canada website info that will give you the paperwork side. I know others have done it and will no doubt chime in here.

[ORFORD2004]

I did it. Bought the car in Virginia and drive it back to Québec. You're suppose to leave a copy of the title 72 hours before you cross the border at US border where you will cross. And import the car during business hours. That's what you are suppose to do. When i cross the border, it was saturday morning. So i was suppose to leave the car at the border for the weekend. But there a trick you should know. If you import the car for you personnal not a company, you can skip the US border thing. Present yourself at Canadian border with an invoice an the title. You will pay the tax and $100 if you have AC in the car. And for the plate, the owner bought a plate good for 3 days so i was able to drive back.

Hope it help.

John

[burgandy81]

Sounds about right to me. I bought mine in WA and brought it home to BC.

In my case the seller agreed to fax a copy of the receipt and title the week before allowing the paper work to simmer for the complete 72 hours.

Most memorable moment was the Canadian customs guard asking what the car was going to be worth went complete. Following my response he looked at me with a mix of disbelief and pity!!

He was definitely missing the point.

[narfire]

I bought mine up from Eugene OR 5 years ago.
The Canadian border services wanted to see a stamp from the US border services showing the car had good title and was not stolen,liens ect. I stopped at the US side and the fellow stamped it after briefly looking at the restoration project. Usually they (US side)want 5 buis. days so they can check the car info with the police department from where the car came from. If good to go, then the rubber stamp on the us registration and that gets shown when you bring the car accross at the Canadian side.Perhaps if you know the crossing you will be using,have the current owner fax the border crossing the registration and a letter explaining what the deal is ect., and then go down and pick the car up after the border guys have done their due dilligence thing.
Once in Canada , before you can get the car insured , it will have to be inspected at a certified vehicle inspection facility,usually around $50.00.
A bit of dicking around but all worth it cause its-a-Fiat.
Chris

[124JOE]

but all worth it cause its-a-Fiat.



i agree 100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 times over

[DUCeditor]

Thanks Grandma and Granddad!

I suppose I should explain. Born and raises as a 3rd generation US citizen I sometimes take for granted just how much I have available to me. Not that you folks to the north have it so bad. Not in comparison the a Spider lover in Australia or New Zealand who not only has to go through the enormous cost of shipping his vehicle (if he is lucky enough to find what he wants elsewhere) but then has to pay doubly enormous fees for the right to drive it.

I suppose the U.S. is heading that way. Funny (is it?) how everything the governments say they are doing for us -- you know, the "safety inspections", the local "standards" blah, blah, blah, take money from our pockets and give it to the government.

I'd say "damn 'em all to hell" but that might seem rude and uncaring, so instead I'll just thank my grandma and granddad for getting here to the US and that before things get too, too socialized.



-don

[parsok]

I just brought in a '80 on Friday. As explained in the previous responses it's quite simple. I would recommend getting the bill of sale notarized if purchasing form an individual. Also, the Canadian Border seems to be quite focused on you having the online ad i.e. Craiglists, ebay, etc. I thnk it has to do with them verifying the original asking price and the reduced price you are stating. For some reason they tend not to believe you Guess they figure its worth spending the exra couple of hundered dollars of labour time giving you the rubber glove treatment in order to collect the $50 bucks in GST you're trying to save. or maybe it's alin a day's work????

[narfire]

the Canadian Border seems to be quite focused on you having the online ad i.e. Craiglists, ebay, etc. I thnk it has to do with them verifying the original asking price and the reduced price you are stating. For some reason they tend not to believe you Guess they figure its worth spending the exra couple of hundered dollars of labour time giving you the rubber glove treatment in order to collect the $50 bucks in GST you're trying to save. or maybe it's alin a day's work????

You must have the same fellow I did at the Osoyoos crossing. the guy spent 20 minutes to confirm the possible price on Brady's wind deflector, thought it was worth twice what Brady's invoice said. The old timers are usually great though seems the newbies are a bit over zellous trying to make an impact.
Chris

[parsok]

Yeah she was a newbie inspector. I'm almost convinced they have to meet a quota. Buddy told me he and his wife were interrogated separately for 15 minutes because the guards did not believe how much he paid for some flooring.