AirSpeed VW Community Forums
General Forums => Air Speed Lounge => Topic started by: brentwoodbc on March 19, 2009, 05:39:54 PM
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Has anyone here bought an aircooled in the states and brought it to Canada.
I understand our dollar is now lower than it was compared to the US so you would be paying more but from what Ive seen there is alot more to choose from and its quite a bit cheaper.
Ive heard that with older cars you only need one inspection rather than two with a newer car. Do you need to get it inspected within a certain period of time or just when you want to insure it? Does anyone have experience with this ie. how big a process it is and how picky they are when it comes to rust etc.
Thank you, Ryan.
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do a search on "border"
http://airspeedparts.com/online-community/index.htm
http://airspeedparts.com/online-community/index.htm
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do a search on "border"
http://airspeedparts.com/online-community/index.htm
http://airspeedparts.com/online-community/index.htm
ya thanks I searched on the samba and found nothing but there is some good info on here about it thank you.
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I went through it a couple months ago. If you need any particular question answered I can likely help. Just Pm me.
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I went through it a couple months ago. If you need any particular question answered I can likely help. Just Pm me.
Thanks I'll keep your offer in mind. Im still just toying with the idea, maybe Ill take a trip down and take a look sometime.
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search "importing" or "importing a vehicle" here on the airspeed forum.
9 times out of 10, the cars are much cleaner (read rust free, straight, unhit, complete, etc) as soon as you cross the border and the farther south you go. the hardest part is actually getting to see the car in person so you can still get a chance to pick it apart and look in every nook & cranny. ideally, having a liason/friend down there that you trust would be best. pay them a finders fee or a certain amount of $$ to check out the car in person and go from there. without that...be patient and find a likely candidate (car) and take a road trip!!
something to keep in mind is that everyone has their own opinion on what a rust free, solid, running and safe car is. and pictures can be taken from certain angles to hide nastiness. so finding someone to truly represent the condition of the car is most important (seller or otherwise).
if you buy a car and bring it over...be thruthfull about the price you paid for it and have some representation to back up your price (copy of the for sale add, emails between you & seller regarding price, bill of sale, etc). i didnt correctly represent the price i paid and i took a hit (i know...stupid mistake...but i'm not ashamed to say i did if it saves someone else some trouble).
pretty sure you need a bill of sale, title, copy of your dl & birthcertificate/passport. pretty sure you need to submit all that info to both sides of the border 72 hours before you bring the car across. the car will need an oop (out of province inspection) before it can be insured & driven (after passing the oop you are also exempt from aircare for 1 year). not sure on the time restraint to get the oop...i've heard 30 days max...but i dont buy that because depending on the condition of the car some folks might need more time...and i know i took mine in for the oop after 30 days were up and it was fine...check it out tho to make sure.
if you need a a suggestion on where to take it for the oop...pm me and i'll set you up with the shop i took mine to (guy knows acvws & does alot of inspections...honest & reliable, but wont pass junk).
take mowser up on his offer and get in touch with him...he'll probably have tons of info too!!
good luck & keep us posted!!
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Check riv.ca (http://riv.ca)
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I brought an aircooled up last summer. I know what you mean about more to choose from, there's nothing local. Just get your papers to the border with 72 hours notice, and it HAS to be during the week between 9 and 4, and when you bring it across it has to be between those hours as well, don't forget that part. The border crossing is really easy, you only pay very minimal taxes of some sort, my total was $45 or so. Then just get it into shape, or if it already is, all you need is a provincial inspection. No need for a federal and you don't have to pay the hundreds of dollars to join the RIV program because of its age. The provincial is giving me grief right now. Surface rust is fine, but no holes. You can find mechanics though who will pass it without even looking, but for the most part, it needs to be tip top. I've spent the last year making EVERY single thing on my car work as it should, to pass provincial be prepared to spend money. They get ridiculously anal about it, to the point where 50% of cars more than 5 years old on the road probably wouldn't pass. Anyways, if you can't tell, I'm on the verge of ranting, so I'm done.
Cheers,
Lane
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I imported my bus last year. Like others have mentioned, very simple. You will have to pay GST on the purchase price aswell as PST (I"m assuming, I'm in Alberta.....no PST). Make sure the seller has the title, get a bill of sale, give border crossing 72hrs notice, drive it across. I used the Sumas crossing, it's not as busy, everything went smoothly.
Any vehicle NEWER than 25 years old and NOT built in North America is subject to duty, (NAFTA). Don't let them ding you for Duty on the VW because it will be older than 25yrs.
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The inspection time limit only applies to new vehicles, for vintage you could take 10 years, it doesn't matter.
You can fax in your paperwork any time (night or day) but it has to be 72 (IIRC) hours before you arrive at the border during their office hours.
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ok, thanks.
I also found this http://www.importcartocanada.info/faq/what-kind-of-documents-and-paperwork-are-needed-to-import-a-car-into-canada/ (http://www.importcartocanada.info/faq/what-kind-of-documents-and-paperwork-are-needed-to-import-a-car-into-canada/) It helped clarify some of the paper work stuff.
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I brought a ghia up from california last summer;very simple if paperwork is in order.For the information you need contact the u.s.border vehicle export people at (360)332 2632 fax(360)332 2639 and ask for a worksheet.They have an email address but I couldn't find it in my papers.After I paid the seller for the car I had him mail me the bill of sale and title.My bill of sale was just a few words and a signature,and it was accepted.The seller forgot to put the price paid on the bill;u.s.customs didn't care,but canadian side had a problem with that.The guy went out and looked at the car and accepted the price I told him,which was the price I actually paid,as this is not a good place to fudge numbers..they can look up the ads for the car to check,or contact the seller.You'll need a place for the transporter to leave your car for you to collect.Be sure to tell transporter the storage place's hours of operation.I used Pantec Storage,just a block or two south of the border.(360)332 6111.No problems there.There is also Yorky's gas station,but I don't know anything about them(360)332 4341.My car was over fifteen years old so I only need to have it inspected when I finish it and put it on the road(I'll have to pay pst at that time,gst is collected at the border;that's all you'll pay at the canadian border,u.s. side costs nothing)The u.s. border guard was very friendly on my way down and coming back,canadian people were very serious.My guess is they're trained differently to accomplish the same thing,which is to nail bad guys and let the good guys go.If every thing is in order you'll have no problem,and I highly recommend doing it.My car is very solid and any ghia around here if I could find one,would be gone from the door handles down;doing it this way saves me thousands of dollars in bodywork and there's lots to choose from(I got mine off the samba site)The only area you can get problems is truth in advertising and seller's honesty.If you're not comfortable with the seller,move on.Good luck and I'm happy to answer any questions;from your name I'm guessing you're in saanich,I'm on Saltspring but I drive through Brentwood damn near evey day...Mike
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no I'm not Victoria, I used to live on the Island. But the Brentwood comes from Burnaby ( I live in Coquitlam now) but all my other accounts online are brentwoodbc so I stick with that. It's funny Victoria seems to have more beetles for sale then in the whole lower mainland from what I've seen on usedvictoria.com
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i agree with everything jeff has to say its so easy it almost seems like a joke i have brought about 5 cars up now and only had one problem and that was there 72 hour rule, it is on working days only and they are not open weekends go through sumas thats the easiest and they dont take imports through the peace arch crossing
good luck
johnny
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The whole, "title, registration, insurance" thing seems to be different in the states. I would just go to a Dmv office/ insurance office anyways.
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Not too different, the big deal with the dudes at customs is a title from whatever state you bought it in, they have to have the thick, green (usually) state issued piece of paper with the PO's name matching the bill of sale and the bill of sale has to name you or your name has to be filled in on the transfer section on the back. A bill of sale is better when you get to Canada though (ask Silas ;)). You don't have to transfer it into your name ahead of time, just be named in the paperwork.
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I've done it...pm me and I will walk you through it.