Used car experts needed
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 856
Likes: 347
Used car experts needed
I am wondering if anyone here knows the laws pertaining to American used car dealers buying car's from Canada at auction. Then of course importing them the the US to sell.
Main question.....If a car has had significant damage ( water or fire) or been involved in a accident or multiple accidents ....and if it has been documented on the canadian car fax can it be somehow NOT transferred to the American title or car fax when imported?
In other words can a auction bought Canadian car's title and history be doctored when being transferred to the US?
Main question.....If a car has had significant damage ( water or fire) or been involved in a accident or multiple accidents ....and if it has been documented on the canadian car fax can it be somehow NOT transferred to the American title or car fax when imported?
In other words can a auction bought Canadian car's title and history be doctored when being transferred to the US?
Pro
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 571
Likes: 207
I came across 2 different C7s from Quebec the last time I was in the market. They were at different dealerships 100s of miles apart. So that seemed a bit odd to me. I’m not sure if the car history would be accurate coming from another country. But I just wasn’t comfortable with it. You will also notice that the non configurable gauges in Canadian cars are slightly different.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 856
Likes: 347
I came across 2 different C7s from Quebec the last time I was in the market. They were at different dealerships 100s of miles apart. So that seemed a bit odd to me. I’m not sure if the car history would be accurate coming from another country. But I just wasn’t comfortable with it. You will also notice that the non configurable gauges in Canadian cars are slightly different.
There is a lot near me that sells higher end "luxury" just off lease cars, most of the cars are from canada is seems. They did have a C7 however i wasn't there to look at it, i was checking out a different car.
A couple cars i looked in did have the km gauge's ....they said if I want they will have it changed to MPH at no extra cost.
I dunno....its hard enough buying a used car let alone one that has crossed the border and even more potential for title issues or whatever.
Was just hoping to hear from one of the ex ( or current ) car dealer guys here.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 2,876
Likes: 2,506
I am not going to claim being an expert but I did spend forty-years buying and selling used cars. During those years I have seen a number of cars traded back and forth between the two countries. It is very common in border states such as Michigan, New York, etc. The title being transferred is not going to change the Carfax report found by the serial number inquiry. There is probably no less or more chicanery found than any other changes of ownership.
From time to time I have seen problems occur with the manufacturers being involved. These were normally when Canadian dealers were selling new cars back into the States as used cars and caused warranty concerns and even blocks in extreme cases. This happened with "hot" cars in short supply.
All of that said, I always stayed away from buying Canadian cars. There are just too many cars available normally without getting involved in the potential equipment problems such as the afore-mentioned kilometer speedos. I would seriously question there being any large monetary advantage unless there was a problem yet to be discovered.
From time to time I have seen problems occur with the manufacturers being involved. These were normally when Canadian dealers were selling new cars back into the States as used cars and caused warranty concerns and even blocks in extreme cases. This happened with "hot" cars in short supply.
All of that said, I always stayed away from buying Canadian cars. There are just too many cars available normally without getting involved in the potential equipment problems such as the afore-mentioned kilometer speedos. I would seriously question there being any large monetary advantage unless there was a problem yet to be discovered.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,340
Likes: 2,084
From: Lehigh Valley PA
When i was selling my C4 last year, I had a very nice Canadian buyer, who was ready to pull the trigger. But when he and I looked at all the fees involved in getting the car over the border, it made the deal too expensive for both parties. Also the Canadian government wanted me to sign a document claiming the sale of the vehicle as INCOME that would be reported to the US IRS... That was the nail that sealed the coffin for me.
As others have stated - you are adding additional costs and headaches buy going this route...too many for sale here in the US to even bother with this...just my .02 cents.
As others have stated - you are adding additional costs and headaches buy going this route...too many for sale here in the US to even bother with this...just my .02 cents.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 856
Likes: 347
I was reading google reviews of this place and i found a review that was NOT GOOD. This was the inspiration for my original post.
This is the review ( i copy pasted it )
UPDATE: Turns out the leaks we had in the vehicle were actually due to the fact that the vehicle had been in - not ONE, not TWO but THREE car accidents totaling over $17k in damage. Dealership knew about the damage when they bought the vehicle at auction in Canada but did not disclose to us. (Even offered us a “clean” Carfax.” Tried to lie and say they didn’t know, but I was able to obtain the Canadian Carfax information and have proof they DID know. BUYER BEWARE: this dealership gets cars out of Canada. Canadaian Carfax information DOES NOT transfer to America. Transfers of titles will show but accidents will not. Ask for Canadian Carfax if you buy a vehicle from them that originates from Canada. They took the vehicle back and paid us the value of our trade in which was a given after the stunt they pulled. Money aside, my children were riding in a vehicle that had a destroyed back end. Had we been rear ended I hate to think about what could have happened. Purely shameful business practice.
This is the review ( i copy pasted it )
UPDATE: Turns out the leaks we had in the vehicle were actually due to the fact that the vehicle had been in - not ONE, not TWO but THREE car accidents totaling over $17k in damage. Dealership knew about the damage when they bought the vehicle at auction in Canada but did not disclose to us. (Even offered us a “clean” Carfax.” Tried to lie and say they didn’t know, but I was able to obtain the Canadian Carfax information and have proof they DID know. BUYER BEWARE: this dealership gets cars out of Canada. Canadaian Carfax information DOES NOT transfer to America. Transfers of titles will show but accidents will not. Ask for Canadian Carfax if you buy a vehicle from them that originates from Canada. They took the vehicle back and paid us the value of our trade in which was a given after the stunt they pulled. Money aside, my children were riding in a vehicle that had a destroyed back end. Had we been rear ended I hate to think about what could have happened. Purely shameful business practice.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,021
Likes: 260
From: Sturgeon County Alberta
When i was selling my C4 last year, I had a very nice Canadian buyer, who was ready to pull the trigger. But when he and I looked at all the fees involved in getting the car over the border, it made the deal too expensive for both parties. Also the Canadian government wanted me to sign a document claiming the sale of the vehicle as INCOME that would be reported to the US IRS... That was the nail that sealed the coffin for me.
As others have stated - you are adding additional costs and headaches buy going this route...too many for sale here in the US to even bother with this...just my .02 cents.
As others have stated - you are adding additional costs and headaches buy going this route...too many for sale here in the US to even bother with this...just my .02 cents.
Most cars are configured nowadays so they can be legal in both countries (speedo switches from mph to Km, etc). As for titles mentioned by someone, we don’t have “titles” on cars.
Last edited by Vegas1500; Jan 13, 2019 at 03:07 PM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Team Owner
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 31,800
Likes: 2,422
From: DFW/Long Island
I am wondering if anyone here knows the laws pertaining to American used car dealers buying car's from Canada at auction. Then of course importing them the the US to sell.
Main question.....If a car has had significant damage ( water or fire) or been involved in a accident or multiple accidents ....and if it has been documented on the canadian car fax can it be somehow NOT transferred to the American title or car fax when imported?
In other words can a auction bought Canadian car's title and history be doctored when being transferred to the US?
Main question.....If a car has had significant damage ( water or fire) or been involved in a accident or multiple accidents ....and if it has been documented on the canadian car fax can it be somehow NOT transferred to the American title or car fax when imported?
In other words can a auction bought Canadian car's title and history be doctored when being transferred to the US?
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...3-themonk.html
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,884
Likes: 2,887
From: Toronto
When the guys says he would switch from KM/H to MPH at no cost I doubt he means he'll change out the entire cluster. He'll probably just change the settings, which means you'll have a 330 MPH speedo.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 379
Likes: 95
From: Ingersoll Ontario
I was reading google reviews of this place and i found a review that was NOT GOOD. This was the inspiration for my original post.
This is the review ( i copy pasted it )
UPDATE: Turns out the leaks we had in the vehicle were actually due to the fact that the vehicle had been in - not ONE, not TWO but THREE car accidents totaling over $17k in damage. Dealership knew about the damage when they bought the vehicle at auction in Canada but did not disclose to us. (Even offered us a “clean” Carfax.” Tried to lie and say they didn’t know, but I was able to obtain the Canadian Carfax information and have proof they DID know. BUYER BEWARE: this dealership gets cars out of Canada. Canadaian Carfax information DOES NOT transfer to America. Transfers of titles will show but accidents will not. Ask for Canadian Carfax if you buy a vehicle from them that originates from Canada. They took the vehicle back and paid us the value of our trade in which was a given after the stunt they pulled. Money aside, my children were riding in a vehicle that had a destroyed back end. Had we been rear ended I hate to think about what could have happened. Purely shameful business practice.
This is the review ( i copy pasted it )
UPDATE: Turns out the leaks we had in the vehicle were actually due to the fact that the vehicle had been in - not ONE, not TWO but THREE car accidents totaling over $17k in damage. Dealership knew about the damage when they bought the vehicle at auction in Canada but did not disclose to us. (Even offered us a “clean” Carfax.” Tried to lie and say they didn’t know, but I was able to obtain the Canadian Carfax information and have proof they DID know. BUYER BEWARE: this dealership gets cars out of Canada. Canadaian Carfax information DOES NOT transfer to America. Transfers of titles will show but accidents will not. Ask for Canadian Carfax if you buy a vehicle from them that originates from Canada. They took the vehicle back and paid us the value of our trade in which was a given after the stunt they pulled. Money aside, my children were riding in a vehicle that had a destroyed back end. Had we been rear ended I hate to think about what could have happened. Purely shameful business practice.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 9,127
Likes: 2,326
From: Pottsville, PA. USA Home Of America's Oldest Brewery Yuengling
I can tell you here in the US most of the auctions in the east are flooded with cars & trucks from Canada. Most are GM or Ford products because the factory warranty is good. Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, & Jeep have no warranty if imported from Canada to the US.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 379
Likes: 95
From: Ingersoll Ontario
Yeah,probably a good idea. We've got nothing better to do up hear than sit around in our igloos, drinking beer and maple syrup, waiting for our dogsled to warm up, all while thinking of different ways to mess with our southern neighbors. Have a good day EH!
Racer
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 395
Likes: 194
From: Goderich, ON
I have imported a few cars from the US to Canada and the procedure is a piece of cake. I must assume its the same the other way around. A few notes:
1) Canadian cars do not have a Title, they have an Ownership, proof of which is declared on a $20 document that is iron clad.
2) The reason I buy cars in the US is not because they are cheaper, but because the selection is increased by more then tenfold.
3) American buyers can increase their search by 10% by including Canada in the search if you are looking for something specific.
4) Especially with late model cars, Canadian and American are pretty close to identical and require no intervention to comply with each countries safety/emissions laws. There is a setting in the menus of most cars that can change your measurements to US (or Imperial or English as its sometimes referred to!).
1) Canadian cars do not have a Title, they have an Ownership, proof of which is declared on a $20 document that is iron clad.
2) The reason I buy cars in the US is not because they are cheaper, but because the selection is increased by more then tenfold.
3) American buyers can increase their search by 10% by including Canada in the search if you are looking for something specific.
4) Especially with late model cars, Canadian and American are pretty close to identical and require no intervention to comply with each countries safety/emissions laws. There is a setting in the menus of most cars that can change your measurements to US (or Imperial or English as its sometimes referred to!).
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 8,277
Likes: 691
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,365
Likes: 414
From: New Jersey
I've bought 2 "flood" cars. Both of them were cars that had been driven into fresh water and they sucked water into the engines. One got water in it when the person got out of the car, the other had no water inside. I put 130k miles on the one with water inside it and never had a problem related to the flood. I would be very leery of a car that had substantial water in the passenger compartment. Since most of these cars are salvage you can look them up by their VIN and find out the auction details which may include pictures of the damage before repairs. Otherwise ask the seller for the insurance report which will detail the damages. I would not buy a salvage car unless I had this information.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,075
Likes: 570
From: Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
I am wondering if anyone here knows the laws pertaining to American used car dealers buying car's from Canada at auction. Then of course importing them the the US to sell.
Main question.....If a car has had significant damage ( water or fire) or been involved in a accident or multiple accidents ....and if it has been documented on the canadian car fax can it be somehow NOT transferred to the American title or car fax when imported?
In other words can a auction bought Canadian car's title and history be doctored when being transferred to the US?
Main question.....If a car has had significant damage ( water or fire) or been involved in a accident or multiple accidents ....and if it has been documented on the canadian car fax can it be somehow NOT transferred to the American title or car fax when imported?
In other words can a auction bought Canadian car's title and history be doctored when being transferred to the US?