vettebuyer6369

I've heard this discussed before, but I don't know if it was answered firmly and if there's been changes.

Do any of our Canadian members know for sure exactly what the costs are for importing a car from a dealer in Canada to the US? Is there a difference if I have it picked up by an individual with a trailer as opposed to a carrier service?

Customs, fees, etc?

Pierre

I live in Canada and sold two C1's to people in the US last year. All you need at the border is the bill of sale and registrations. There were no charges at the border.

Good luck

kenba

USA made goods have NO import duty because they are made here. I brought one back with a title and a bill of sale.

vettebuyer6369

I wonder how they would view a Pantera... US distributor (Ford) but Italian build ( DeTomaso)?

cblankin

If it was sold new at a US Ford dealership it would a USA
car. Don't recall ever seeing a Pantera dealership in the US.

jimrat

I imported a '62 from Ontario to Florida last year and concur with all of the previous answers. The Customs guy at the border was more interested in seeing the car than he was at viewing the paperwork.

Registering it in Florida was quite easy... I did have to make a trip to the Florida State offices to verify Ontario title with the VIN before taking the papers to the County Office to get a title issued, but it was a ten-minute deal. No fees beyond what you would pay on buying an ordinary car from an individual...sales tax, license plate, etc. Your state may differ...

RJ1

The Panera was only sold by certain Lincoln Mercury dealers. No Ford dealers ships sold them.

wmf62

potatoe, potahdo; tomato, tomahto....


Bill

GCD1962

Lincoln Mercury dealers sold bread and sandwiches?. Was it a separate restaurant in the dealerships?

MidShark

That must be why Bill was talking about soups!

vettebuyer6369

So nobody got hit with a big bill at the border? I looked at bringing a car in during 2013 and I heard stories of a hefty % for some sort of tax or fee.

MidShark

No import tax or anything, (this was at the beginning of 2015) but I had to fill out some paperwork with the local Customs office (no cost) before I could transfer the ownership registration into a Michigan title for my '57.

Rich

RJ1

Sandwiches and soup was only sold on Ford dealer's ships!!! LOL
Great spell check I have!!

vettebuyer6369

OK, a guy on the Canadian board just told me:

The last car I looked at importing was from a dealer, and I was quoted a ton in taxes, etc. This car is also at a dealer.

So, is the difference Im getting in answers individual vs dealer?

I was also told that theres no fees on a car over 25 years old... but the last car was a '63, so Im wondering if that, or the previously mentioned "Car originally sold at a US dealership" rules are squashed by the fact that Im buying from a dealer in Canada.

Sam Kalmuk

Talk with James from Northern Corvette....he has done it numerous times

Rumblegutz

The taxes they cite if you buy from a dealer are basically sales taxes. 13% in total if you buy in Ontario. It varies across the country. Consists of Provincial sales tax now known as HST or Harmonized Sales Tax and GST. GST is Goods and Services Tax. A term they copied from the British. GST is the Federal tax which is supposed to pay down the National debt. Which doesn't seem to be happening.

Previous to the implantation of the HST the Provinces would only collect their own sales tax. They would not collect or report federally taxable transactions to to the Feds. The Feds finally bent over and agreed to give a piece of the their tax to the collecting provinces. Better that than receive no tax at all. Thus the burdensome HST or Harmonized Sales Tax which is provincial sales tax + federal sales tax.

Private sellers are like most places and do not charge tax which makes things much less complicated. In this case you pay applicable taxes in your home state when you register the car.

At least up until recently there was NOTHING to pay U.S Customs if it is a product produced by a U.S. company. Particularly if it was manufactured in the U.S. Just declare it upon entry and fill out a rather simple form. They will give you a document allowing you to register the car in your state.

Should you purchase a car in Canada I would do the following.

Do your home work doting your I's and cross your T's.

1. Make it clear to the seller you are exporting the car into the U.S. without delay.

2. Speak with the selling dealer about tax exemption for a vehicle being exported before and negotiations begin.

3. Verify with the Provincial Tax people any tax exemption or rebate and how to get it for goods immediately exported. I know this existed at one time. Take names times phone number and job title. I find these people unreliable. Particularly once the tax has been collected if you haven't done your home work.

4. Call U.S. Customs at the border crossing you intend to use to import the car and ask what they require. To the best of my knowledge Canada Customs have no interest as long as U.S. Customs do their job. U.S Customs mostly want the VIN to verify the car is not stolen and that the VIN on the paper work matches the VIN on the car as long as it is an American car. Imports are a different ball game. Right hand drive cars are strictly prohibited.

5. Maybe the most important. Keep precise records. Dates, names and job tiles, phone numbers, what you asked and what you were told and by whom etc.

Sounds worse than it is. I know I have sold into the U.S.

Importing a car into Canada is again, a whole different thing. U.S. Customs requires to have the Title at the crossing to be used 72 hours prior to export and you have to check in with them before proceeding to Canada who will have their hand out for the GST (federal tax). The provincial tax is collected when the car is registered.

kenba

This is just like Arizona. We can buy a car from a private party anywhere & pay NO sales tax but if you buy from a dealer even out of state you pay the sales tax.