Have you successfully exported a vehicle from the US into Canada?
June 29, 2017 5:37 PM Subscribe
I'm looking to buy a new camper van (class B motorhome) from a dealership in the US, and bring it into the Canada. According to everything I've read (multiple times!) from government agencies on both side of the border this seems very doable, but I was curious if anyone had first hand experience with the process.
I'd much rather buy locally, but even with the canadian dollar being so low compared to the USD it's still a significant savings that makes it very much worth my time and effort to fly half way across the continent and then spend a week driving the van back to BC. The dealership I'm buying from also seems very familiar with the process and is doing their part.
I'm sure it'll be fine... I can recite the steps that are required as I understand them, and the documentation will all be in order, but I'm still worried there's something I don't know about that will seriously bite me in the butt. I'm spending lot of money here and i'm a tiny bit terrified of this.
Has anyone done this before? How'd it go for you?
I'd much rather buy locally, but even with the canadian dollar being so low compared to the USD it's still a significant savings that makes it very much worth my time and effort to fly half way across the continent and then spend a week driving the van back to BC. The dealership I'm buying from also seems very familiar with the process and is doing their part.
I'm sure it'll be fine... I can recite the steps that are required as I understand them, and the documentation will all be in order, but I'm still worried there's something I don't know about that will seriously bite me in the butt. I'm spending lot of money here and i'm a tiny bit terrified of this.
Has anyone done this before? How'd it go for you?
I have friends that are very finance/legal wonky and did this when they moved from Seattle to Vancouver. MeMail me if you want their contact info. They will give you more detail than you ever knew you wanted.
posted by matildaben at 8:09 PM on June 29, 2017
posted by matildaben at 8:09 PM on June 29, 2017
Yes. I exported two vehicles. It is fine, just expensive and a lot of steps. Do price in the GST, import fee, provincial inspection and mods into the price. That cost me over $1000 on a car with declared value (less personal exemption of $10k for moving) of $0. You also have to file the US paperwork something like 72 hours in advance, so either you stay in the US a couple days or leave and come back. The US customs export has to be done during business hours.
Since you have a dealer that knows the process it should be easy for them to produce a recall letter. Ford charged $250 for this.
Temporary insurance is kind of a drag, I think you need 2 weeks from a US insurer to cover the time until you plate it with ICBC. Be sure the export is covered!
Overall I found the process stressful, time consuming, full of hidden charges and more expensive than it ought to be. However it was worth it, we drive both cars over 5 years later and could not have simply purchased equivalent vehicles in CAD.
posted by crazycanuck at 8:16 AM on June 30, 2017
Since you have a dealer that knows the process it should be easy for them to produce a recall letter. Ford charged $250 for this.
Temporary insurance is kind of a drag, I think you need 2 weeks from a US insurer to cover the time until you plate it with ICBC. Be sure the export is covered!
Overall I found the process stressful, time consuming, full of hidden charges and more expensive than it ought to be. However it was worth it, we drive both cars over 5 years later and could not have simply purchased equivalent vehicles in CAD.
posted by crazycanuck at 8:16 AM on June 30, 2017
Oh and to do US customs, Canadian customs, and RIV takes about 4-6 hours depending on wait time, this was at the truck crossing in Blaine.
posted by crazycanuck at 8:19 AM on June 30, 2017
posted by crazycanuck at 8:19 AM on June 30, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
I was driving back home (BC) from college (IA) in a beater with all my stuff; was pulled aside, searched, and told that I had (some amount of time, about a week?) to get the car modified to Canadian standards (extra seatbelt, daytime running lights, some other small thing) before I could get insurance for it.
They let me go. I should have scrapped the car, but I ended up getting the mods, but the car died shortly afterwards.
Getting temporary insurance in the US should be relatively cheap, for the drive back up the border (and some short amount of time before getting it to a mechanics), and I'm sure you know that insurance up here is bonkers expensive.
posted by porpoise at 6:08 PM on June 29, 2017