STAGE6Z06

Hi All

I am planning to drive my car across the border to leave it down at Katech for a few days, anybody driven their car across and if you did any issues at the border ?

Thanks

VETFEVER

Did it for tires. I guess when you’re asked where you’re going and what the purpose of your trip is, you should have a real and true answer. Do you have friends in the area?

dankhts

done it before as well, just declared what I had done etc... tires in that case, no issues...

walleyejack

but.. is it worth a drive 300 miles to save a few rubles ?
I wouldn t think so. but i was mistaken once before.

VETFEVER

Katech is a pretty special shop, so I understand the motivation for going there, but if you’re thinking of coming back without declaring the work it would be at a risk. The CBA is a much more aggressive organization these days. All it takes is for an agent to suspect something about your sports car, asks you to pop the hood, and your nailed.

If you declare the work you’ll have zero issues

dankhts

'I thought I was wrong once before as well, but I was mistaken! It only takes me 35 mins to Niagara Falls NY, picked up most of my parts there over the years plus did a lot of shopping...haven't been over lately though

walleyejack

my mistake.. i was thinking from Trana

dankhts

I bin Tronna before... couple times... it's quite the big city compared to Tony Cheap...

walleyejack

can t see anyone crossing the creek to save $100 a tire. waste it all in time and gas and currency exchange.

dankhts

we aint all got that kinda money Mr Walley.. we not all Liberal voters...some of us gotta save when we can...

walleyejack

is all good Dan...i just don t like driving 300 miles to save $100 I think gas is cheaper in london than in Oshawa.. will take a drive down and fill up tomorrow.

dankhts

Tony Cheap Al, not London....previously known as Stoney Creek....

My Sharona

CBSA has an inquiry line - 800 461-9999

transamtom

I went to meet some friends at SLP Day at Milan Dragway in Michigan back in 2001 to do a little drag racing in my 94 TA

I basically blew out my head gaskets at cylinders 7 and 8.

I had my car towed to the SLP facility and had heads/cam and headers done and on the way back that day I told them the car had broken down on the trip.

I rented a car in Windsor to get home and went back a few weeks later to pick my car up and just crossed back with no problem

PaulUptime

Check the CBSA website for actual wording on the regs, but I believe any repairs done to your vehicle while traveling in the US that were necessitated to continue travel (keypoint, I believe) are non-taxable. So if work and materials cost was quoted and paid for in advance these were not unanticipated repairs necessary to continue travel, and would likely be taxable upon re-entry. Remember though that CAD$800 person is non-taxable so bring a companion and the first CAD$1600 is deducted.

Maymyvetteliveforevr

Good point but keep in mind:

"You cannot combine your personal exemptions with another person's or transfer them to someone else."
"In general, the goods you include in your personal exemption must be for your personal or household use"

.Guide for residents returning to Canada (cbsa-asfc.gc.ca)

EDIT:

"f you plan to have repairs, alterations or additions made to your vehicle, vessel or aircraft outside of Canada, you must declare the work when you arrive at the border. In such cases, you should check with the CBSA for information before you leave.You may have to pay duty and/or taxes on the work done. In some cases, where the work is carried out in certain countries outside North America, you may have to pay duty and/or tax on the entire value of the vehicle, vessel or aircraft when you bring it back.

Emergency repairsIf you are outside Canada and you have emergency repairs made to your vehicle, vessel or aircraft, the repairs are duty and tax exempt. To be eligible for this special provision, be sure to declare the value of all repairs and replacement parts when you return to Canada with the vehicle and provide any supporting documentation, such as police or insurance reports.

If there is any doubt that the repairs were required as a result of an emergency, you will be required to pay the duty and taxes that apply for a non-emergency repair or alteration. If you are later able to provide proof supporting the emergency repairs and eligibility for duty and tax relief, you may appeal the initial decision.

For more information, refer to D8-2-4, Canadian Goods Abroad Program – Emergency Repairs."

PaulUptime

Good info there and why everyone should check the actual source for specifics.
In practice however, we've never had an issue when dividing purchases between us to fully use the $800CAD exemption, or using the "goods to follow" when the item are being shipped.

VETFEVER

If you’re related it usually isn’t a problem. Three of us (friends that is) went to spring Carlisle. One of us bought about $2500 in parts, me and the other bought almost nothing. When we hit the border, the CBA agent asked specifically who these parts were for, and as we were not about to lie to him, he wound up charging the entire goods declared to the one guy.

So sharing the $800 per person is definitely NOT a given

PaulUptime

Boy Scouts in honour, just not necessarily preparedness then!

VETFEVER

I have a Nexus pass and the last thing I’m going to do is risking it by getting caught up in a situation with the CBA.

My experience is that the agents have gotten more aggressive over the years.

In our case one of us was a senior who, if we were separated and asked about our cars that we had bought parts for, would have tripped up after the very first question.

No need to prepare when you’re simply telling the truth