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[mastercaster]

First off, if you google that title you can find the entire process on the net but it's a tad wordy. Here's what you need to do.  I'm up to Step 7.

1) Make sure the vehicle you're after is admissable  by contacting info@riv.ca

2) BIG TIP: Go onto Edmunds.com and find your vehicle (new or used) by clicking in a U.S.
    zipcode which you can also google, the year, and how much you're willing to spend.  I chose
    Seattle and gave it a 100 mi. radius search but then lengthened it to 200 mi.  Dealers from all the
    place will get back to you with quotes, etc. if you're buying new.  All used ones will list their
    price.  I clicked in a price thet was a couple of thous. higher than I wanted to spend because I
    knew they would lower their price.

3) After negotiating a price I put a down payment on the truck with my Visa.  I bought sight
    unseen because it was Dealer Certified. I also got the VIN. number from them to arrange
    transport insurance.  Cost me $70 for 10 days.

4) I wired the rest of the money the next day to the dealer. Got them to fax me a copy of the
    original title, the bill of sale, and asked them to get a recall letter to show that there are no
    safety issues.  It comes from the manufacturer of the vehicle.   You're really supposed to phone
    for the recall letter yourself.

5) While waiting for these items, get in contact with the Export Office at US Customs in Blaine so
    that they can fax you an Export Form.  Fill out the form, fax back to them with a copy of the
    bill of sale, and the title of the vehicle (it will be the past owner's).  They need this information a
    minimun of 72 hrs. before you plan to bring the vehicle back into Canada. Call them a couple days
    later to make sure they got it.
 
6) Arrange the pickup of your vehicle. The car salesman was more than happy to pick me up at the
    airport.  I left from Bellingham because I knew I would have to leave the truck at my wife's boss's
    house.  Besides...you can't bring the vehicle back into Canada on the weekend.  It has to
    be between 8:00 and 3:00 through the week. The dealership gave me a temporary plate that
    you stick to the back window for the drive back.  It's good for 21 days.

7) Stop at the US Export office.  Make sure you have the original Bill of Sale and the Title to show
    them, as well as your Export Form.

They then send you the Canadian Customs office where you pay the GST, a $100 excise fee for
    airconditioning and $212 RIV fee.  An agent will fill out Form 1 and send it and the other paper
    work except the recall letter to the RIV.

9) You send the Recall letter to the RIV.  Call them and give them your email address so that you can
    receive Form 2.  When that gets back to them after the inspections (Sep 10) they'll send you
    new Title of Ownership.

10) The next step is to take your vehichle to Canadian Tire to get your car federally and provincially
      inspected.  They also do the modifications that are required or you get it done yourself.  You
      have 45 days to complete the modifications..  Check 1-888-848-8240 for them.  The main ones
      are that you need daytime running lights which most vehicles have, a tether for a baby seat
      (not needed in trucks) and a French label for airbag mainteneance.

 11) Get your vehicle licenced and insured and you're done.

Definitely get the printout of all this (and more) by googling "How to Import a Vehicle into Canada"

[jettabambino]

i t looks easy enough.. but with the work scheduel the way it is its nearly impossibly for me to do... are there places that will do the export for you for a small fee.... or are you up for another one master caster?

[gheart008]

More detailed information here:

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=477998&highlight=importing

[mastercaster]

i t looks easy enough.. but with the work scheduel the way it is its nearly impossibly for me to do... are there places that will do the export for you for a small fee.... or are you up for another one master caster?

There are importers but they charge you anywhere from a 1 to 1 1/2 thous.  I guess some people don't mind paying it if they think they are saving several thousand dollars.

[Stratocaster]

Thanks for the tips, mastercaster.  I spoke to Tommie at Gresham and he is going to email me if something I want comes in.  Was there a reason for you to look as far as Portland?  Did the Washington state dealers not give you the time of day?

[jettabambino]

anyone know where i can find a importers name?

[KLX]

An important note:

If the vehicle was not made in North America you have to pay PST and DUTY plus GST. Ends up being close to 20% on the cost of the vehicle at the border. (6 gst + 7 pst + 6 duty)

On a 4000 motorcyle i ended up paying almst 1000 more.

[mastercaster]

Thanks for the tips, mastercaster.  I spoke to Tommie at Gresham and he is going to email me if something I want comes in.  Was there a reason for you to look as far as Portland?  Did the Washington state dealers not give you the time of day?

There were one or two dealers in Washington that won't sell cars, even preowned ones, to Canadians but the others were very helpful.  In fact, I'm still getting calls on used Tacomas that are coming into their dealerships.  I had something fairly specific in mind so I had to look a little further a field to find the one I wanted.  ie. low mileage, off road package, double cab, etc.  Hence...Portland   There were a couple in Wash. that would have worked for me but they had more mileage on them than I really wanted.

 

anyone know where i can find a importers name?

Can't remember exactly where I found it but it was from googling on the net.

Good luck in your search guys.  BTW, it seems that new listings hit the autotraders everyday so if you miss out on one don't worry about it...there'll be another one that pops up a couple of days later that will spark your interest.

[jettabambino]

so mastercaster... care to share what sort of deal you got...

[mastercaster]

2007 Tacoma, automatic, 4x4, Double Cab with a short box ( only long box available in Canada), TRD off road pkg, SR5 pkg, tow pkg, downhill assist, step rails (after market), additional stabily control, 6 CD changer, and a whole wack of other options.  Only had 2000 miles on it.  All for $28500. Plus taxes, RIV registration...stuff you would have to pay for up here anyway.  I priced out the same vehicle up here for $39900

I just received another quote on a new 2008 with the same set up (minus the step rails) for the same price except they can't sell new cars to Canadians. However, after reading that other website  that was posted by gheart008 there seems to be a loophole as long as you know someone who lives in the States whose willing to drive to another State  to buy the vehicle for you.  That person won't pay tax until he registers the vehicle in his home State.  But if he transfers the car to you he won't have to get the vehicle registered so you'll be the first person to register it up here in B.C. and you will only pay GST and PST.  It sounds a bit complicated so go back to the website and read it yourself.

[Stratocaster]

Did you negotiate very much from the asking price?

I know for new cars there are two prices, the MSRP and Invoice.  Almost nobody pays MSRP.  Most people bargain up from the invoice price.  Some get their price below invoice.  If you go to a Toyota dealership here, they don't really let you bargain very much.  You might only get floormats included.

[mastercaster]

My wife has family and lots of friends who live in the States and they've informed us there's very little leeway on price unlike in Canada where they expect you to try to get them to lower the price.....it's like a game.  In Canada by bumping up the price they eventually get what they really wanted for the vehicle after negotiating.  In the States they set a more realistic price where the consumer feels they're not getting ripped off.

I tried my absolute best to get them to lower the price over several days of negotiating and the best I could do off the internet price (which BTW is lower than the lot price) was $500.  Even the other internet sales reps that I spoke to from other Toyota dealerships told me to jump on it when I told them the price.

[salmon river]

Whats up with all the dealers refusing to sell Canadians new vehicles down there?

[KLX]

I havent run into any dealers not willing to sell.

Important note:

Importing a NEW vehicle to Canada will void the warranty with most manufacturers.
You will have to arrange to purchase warranty with a local dealer. Depending on vehicle will be around $2000 for the 5yr/100k.

[leaseman]

I am sure glad to see you guys supporting our Canadian economy in general and the automotive community in particular....  ... I hope that those of you that buy vehicles in the USA have your pay checks cut by the raise in the canadian dollar the way we, in the auto industry, have!

I support those who support us....what do you US buyers do for a living....