not another importing cars from the US thread....

[tboy]

Not to start this up again but I found this site and it offers a load of information on the process. It even provides a step by step checklist on how to do it.

I'm seriously looking at buying a bike down there as people here think their Harley's are made of platinum and want the same price for a 3 yr old bike as a new one. In the US they are about half the price. Now with the dollar almost at par, it is a good deal again....

Here's the site:

http://www.riv.ca/ImporterChecklist.aspx

 

[Belleville69]

TONS of people do it, not that hard really.

 

[nofrills]

Is there a website to check used car prices in US?

 

[tboy]

Is there a website to check used car prices in US?

yeah, ebay is one.......

 

[harry ballsonya]

Is there a website to check used car prices in US?

cars.com

bought my car there last time the dollar was at par and it was pretty easy. There was a bit of a wait at the border on the US side, but the Canadian side was all business ie. pay the GST and GTFO

 

[tboy]

Pay the GST and gtfo...lol that's funny.

I'm seriously thinking of bringing a bike up so I'll keep you posted as to how it goes. According to the link I posted you have to let CBSA know that you're taking the car out 72 hrs before you do it.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Canada and the rest of the world subsidizes cheap cars for American consumers.
Management at big car companies have decided that the arses of American consumers are sacred and so they deserve better prices than anyone else on the planet.
That's just the way it goes.

 

[Stockboy]

Appreciate the link. I was looking to pick up a M3. Prices are just stupid down south right now.

 

[Why Not?]

Canada and the rest of the world subsidizes cheap cars for American consumers.
Management at big car companies have decided that the arses of American consumers are sacred and so they deserve better prices than anyone else on the planet.
That's just the way it goes.

This is pure BS. In this day of wildly changing exchange rates the auto makers have to make long term commitments and need relativley stable pricing. They can't just go by the excahnge rate on the day of sale. The car you're buying may have been made months ago. The Canadian dollar has varied from about $0.90 to $1.11 in the last 18 months.

Do you remember a few years back when the Candain dollar was at $0.67? Well at that time Canada was one of the cheapest places to buy a car, far cheaper than the US. Car prices, in absolute dollars, have stabilized or come down in Canada. If the dollar stays up for a long time they will come down more.

 

[Why Not?]

Appreciate the link. I was looking to pick up a M3. Prices are just stupid down south right now.

This has been discussed ad nauseum in other threads. Do a search. Not all vehicles are eligible for importation and when you do you will pay to have it converted to meet transport Canada regs (daytime running lights, metric speedo etc.) Some cars cannot practically be converted in situations such as if they don't meet bumper regs. And remember part of that difference in price may be due to Canadian import duties if the car is not made in North America. You will pay that duty if you bring a new, or nearly new, car in.

Bringing in cars like Cadillacs is easy and inexpensive and done all the time. Other cars are prohibitively expensive or impossible. Some will not have their warranties honoured (Honda). Do your research.

 

[tboy]

actually, most cars that are made in the US or meets the US safety standards can be brought up with only the daytime driving lights converter installed. I have NEVER heard of a vehilce needing it's speedo replaced. EVER

If the vehicle is made in Europe? it already has a metric speedo. If it is made in britain? it has both. If it is made in the US? The metric numerals are smaller (like ours only reverse).

 

[SaturnFan]

actually, most cars that are made in the US or meets the US safety standards can be brought up with only the daytime driving lights converter installed. I have NEVER heard of a vehilce needing it's speedo replaced. EVER

If the vehicle is made in Europe? it already has a metric speedo. If it is made in britain? it has both. If it is made in the US? The metric numerals are smaller (like ours only reverse).

The odometers need to be converted to read in kilometres. Not sure if this can be done electronically, or whether a module has to be replaced.

 

[tboy]

actually, when I was looking to buy an F150, and I looked up the modifications needed at the RIV site, the only mod needed was the installation of a daytime running light module. No mention whatsoever about changing the speedo or odometer.

Same as motorcycles, there was NO modification of the speedo required either and I just looked the day I posted the original link.

If you have a link to where it states this on the RIV site, I'd be interested to read it.

 

[jaycam]

The odometers need to be converted to read in kilometres. Not sure if this can be done electronically, or whether a module has to be replaced.

Not sure where you read that but never have I seen this done or required to pass the RIV inspection.

 

[james t kirk]

Canada and the rest of the world subsidizes cheap cars for American consumers.
Management at big car companies have decided that the arses of American consumers are sacred and so they deserve better prices than anyone else on the planet.
That's just the way it goes.

Very true

 

[tboy]

Canada and the rest of the world subsidizes cheap cars for American consumers.
Management at big car companies have decided that the arses of American consumers are sacred and so they deserve better prices than anyone else on the planet.
That's just the way it goes.

I wouldn't say that. Fuel costs are a LOT higher in most places outside of North America so the basic energy costs to build a vehicle are lower here right from the get go. Then couple with the size of the market, the existing dealer network, etc plus (according to most here at terb) the cars are cheap pieces of crap anyways so of course they'll be sold at a reduced price.

I know I speak of top gear a lot because it does offer an entertaining look at the auto industry outside our borders. They knock US models left right and centre but if you ever watch it, cars aren't just "higher" in Britain, they are often double the price. There's NO way an OEM would double the price of a vehicle in one country to offset the reduced pricing in another. That's suicide from a business sense. Can you imagine the outrage the buying public in britain would exhibit if they found out that they were paying 50 - 100% more for their vehicle so Bubba in Tennessee could get his truck cheap? Ford would go out of business in Britain overnight.

Put it another way: how would YOU feel that you were effectively paying for someone else's vehicle? Would you ever buy another of that brand? I think not.

 

[Why Not?]

Not sure where you read that but never have I seen this done or required to pass the RIV inspection.

Where did I read this? Many places, but for one I went to the link in the first post above and entered in 2010 BMW passenger car, imported into Ontario, from New York. The information given was that a BMW will probably need its speedometer converted. Also all work must be done at a BMW dealership in order to maintain the warranty.

Basically you have to make all of the changes necessary for the car to meet the Transport Canada regulations in place at the time of its manufacture. For some cars this is relatively simple for others it is not.

 

[tboy]

actually, I entered a 2010 BMW passenger vehicle and it states application of metric speedometer LABELS... and they are provided by the inspection centre......doesn't say anywhere anything about a BMW dealer.........

 

[Why Not?]

actually, I entered a 2010 BMW passenger vehicle and it states application of metric speedometer LABELS... and they are provided by the inspection centre......doesn't say anywhere anything about a BMW dealer.........

Read my post. I didn't say you had to buy a new speedometer. I said it must be converted. Labels are a conversion. By the way a new odometer may also be needed. As for the BMW dealership stuff there is a link on the page you went to that says List of vehicles Admissible from the United States" http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/safevehicles/importation/usa/vafus/list2/menu.htm. Look up BMW on the Transport Canada website and it says the following:

1999 TO 2010 All models built AFTER September 1, 1999 (see Notes 1 and 3)

See explanations section.

Note 1: BMW Canada informed Transport Canada that ALL modifications MUST be performed (and documented) by an authorized BMW Canada or MINI retailer and must be completed before a recall clearance letter can be issued by BMW Group Canada. Contact an authorized Canadian retailer for information on exact nature and costs of modifications required. Modifications vary by model and may be expensive.

Note 2: Modifications may include: daytime running lights, child tether anchorage systems, metric odometer and speedometer labels.

Note 3: Modifications may include: daytime running lights and metric odometer and speedometer labels.

Visit BMW Canada's website at www.bmw.ca for detailed contact information on retailers in Canada, as well as information on U.S. vehicle importation.

I am not saying don't try this. However, there is a lot of vehicle-specific information that needs to looked up before doing it. I have heard of people who have waited months and gone to considerable expense and effort to get a car titled here. Some exotic cars are almost impossible to get titled.

 

[tboy]

Sorry my bad.....

But the key words there are:

MAY include.

You MAY have to replace the tires, you MAY have to replace the transmission, you MAY have to replace the brakes.

That's a mighty big MAY.