The number of Canadians heading south to buy a car appears to be growing daily, according to the Registrar of Imported Vehicles. Here's a breakdown:
25,000
Number of Canadians who bought U.S. vehicles last month.
170,000
Estimated number of Canadians who will buy a vehicle in the U.S. this year.
112,000
Previous record for number of Canadians buying U.S. vehicles.
40%
Estimated number of vehicles purchased in the U.S. that will be new.
5,000
Number of Canadians calling the registrar per day, looking for information on importing American cars.
7,000
Number of Canadians who called earlier this week, when the dollar hit $1.08 (U.S.)
Source: Registrar of Imported Vehicles
Well, I imported my car today, literally, and if it was any indication the 4 guys in front of me importing cars were all new car dealers importing "demo's" for their used car lots. One guy was doing 38 cars.
What did you import and how smooth was the trasaction?
Many of us sitting on the fence about importing like to hear others experience.
Quote:
Originally Posted by picus
Well, I imported my car today, literally, and if it was any indication the 4 guys in front of me importing cars were all new car dealers importing "demo's" for their used car lots. One guy was doing 38 cars.
What did you import and how smooth was the trasaction?
Many of us sitting on the fence about importing like to hear others experience.
A friend of mine just bought a Lexus 400 Hybrid. He saved $24,000. He bult the car on the .com site opposed to the .ca. Had the system find a dealer just south of the boarder. He called knocked another $1500 off the price. Dealer delivered the car to his door. He paid GST at the boarder. $195 RIV Fee. 6.1% duty (import not exempt under NAFTA. NAFTA only applies to made in the USA,Canada and Mexico) PST at the ministry.
He called a dealer here before to confirm full warranty.
Its not tough. The biggest deterent in the past was warranty. Most refuded to honor it if the car was bought in the USA by a Canadian. But several class action suits were launched in the past few years. The manufacturers lost because their warranty book states "warranty any where in North America".
Two important things to check. One is the RIV site to see whats admissible and what needs modifications. Two is to call a local dealer and confirm full waranty.
A CBC News investigation found that between May 1, 2006, and Nov. 5, 2007, 852 American lemons were imported into Canada, with more than 110 of those crossing the border since the Canadian dollar reached parity.
This CBC piece looks like propaganda from the Government as they are up to their arses in alligators on this one. Yeah, and the dealer who sold the llemon appeared to be a GM dealer.....wonder how many loads a week he has been getting.
Last edited by racecam; 11-14-2007 at 12:37 PM.
Reason: delete reference to BWM
What did you import and how smooth was the trasaction?
Many of us sitting on the fence about importing like to hear others experience.
I imported a Mini Cooper S for my wife. Here is the breakdown in cliff notes.
1) Found car on autotrader.com, e-mailed the dealer (prestige mini, NJ) Tuesday of last week.
2) dealer called me back, I told them I was Canadian, they knew the process. Sent me ~100 pics of the car, got a carfax, had an SA call me to go over it.
3) They fedex overnight paperwork. I sign it and send back with bank draft. This was Wednesday.
4) Thursday they fax the title to the Queenston border (you need to have it faxed 72 hours before you show up with the car)
5) Monday morning I flew into Newark, they picked me up and brought me to dealership where I took delivery.
6) Drove back to border.
7) Go to US customs, get title stamped.
8) Drive across to Canadian customs, fill out form 1, pay GST and import fee (7% and 6%).
9) Go to RIV, give them form 1 and a copy of a letter from Mini Canada showing that there are no outstanding recalls on the car.
10) they give you form 2, which you bring to Canadian Tire with the car, where they determine if the car needs modifications (it didnt).
11) License it, pay PST, done.
Some details. I had to pay $500 for the clearance letter, BMW caught on and is using it as a cash grab. No biggy. I also had to have the DRLs turned on, dealership here did it no problem.
Money: Car is a 2006 MCS with 12k miles, price after currency conversion was $18,126 CAD. With GST, PST, Import fee, riv fee, clearance letter fee
, plan ticket, gas, etc.. total was ~24,100 CAD. The equivalent car in Ontario is $32k cad before tax, for a savings of about $13k.
I imported a Mini Cooper S for my wife. Here is the breakdown in cliff notes.
1) Found car on autotrader.com, e-mailed the dealer (prestige mini, NJ) Tuesday of last week.
2) dealer called me back, I told them I was Canadian, they knew the process. Sent me ~100 pics of the car, got a carfax, had an SA call me to go over it.
3) They fedex overnight paperwork. I sign it and send back with bank draft. This was Wednesday.
4) Thursday they fax the title to the Queenston border (you need to have it faxed 72 hours before you show up with the car)
5) Monday morning I flew into Newark, they picked me up and brought me to dealership where I took delivery.
6) Drove back to border.
7) Go to US customs, get title stamped.
8) Drive across to Canadian customs, fill out form 1, pay GST and import fee (7% and 6%).
9) Go to RIV, give them form 1 and a copy of a letter from Mini Canada showing that there are no outstanding recalls on the car.
10) they give you form 2, which you bring to Canadian Tire with the car, where they determine if the car needs modifications (it didnt).
11) License it, pay PST, done.
Some details. I had to pay $500 for the clearance letter, BMW caught on and is using it as a cash grab. No biggy. I also had to have the DRLs turned on, dealership here did it no problem.
Money: Car is a 2006 MCS with 12k miles, price after currency conversion was $18,126 CAD. With GST, PST, Import fee, riv fee, clearance letter fee
, plan ticket, gas, etc.. total was ~24,100 CAD. The equivalent car in Ontario is $32k cad before tax, for a savings of about $13k.
Would I do it again? In a second.
Nice work. You know there is a business in all this somewhere....
Corvette Store
Guess ...... who imports the MOST Cars from the US to Canada
