Per Silver Fox's request, I'm starting a thread on the process of purchasing a car in Canada to bring across the border through customs into the U.S.. My best recommendation is to also visit the website that I discovered when I was purchasing the Colony Park: http://www.canadatotwincities.com/buy_car.html. Without that helpful information, I think I would have been sunk. My memory is a bit foggy on all of the details, but I did need a letter from the manufacturer stating that the car met US safety and emissions requirements at the time of manufacture. The kind seller was able to get this for me ahead of time. It was not an original document, but sufficed for customs. (Registering the car in NJ was far more difficult, requiring about 7 different pieces of original documentation, involving trips to customs in Newark and Motor Vehicles in Trenton). Also, I had to have temporary Canadian insurance and registration, paid for by me and facilitated by the seller through his government insurance agent. This basically involved the seller signing papers with his agent saying that he was selling me the car and giving me permission to get the temporary insurance and registration. This allowed me to drive the car in Canada and to take it into the U.S.. I had to display the temp registration on the left side of the rear window. After touring the island with the seller and spending an enjoyable evening with him, his wife and a friend, I took the car on the ferry the next morning from Victoria to Port Angeles, Washington. Upon arrival in the U.S., I had to park and bring my documentation to the customs official. In my documentation I had a signed bill of sale stating the purchase price and was afraid that I would have to pay sales tax at entry, but did not have to. The delay was only 30 minutes, and then I was free and clear, on my way to Sea-Tac to pick up my buddy and head back across the US. Hope that this info is helpful. Owen
This would make a very nice sticky. I have done it the other way, bought the Fairmont in North Dakota.
Maybe you should give us your details. I know when I was purchasing my parts from Texas I had conflicting sources of info come my way. But it is totally different when your transporting parts and transporting an entire car.
Thanks, merc! This is valuable info that has eluded us when members found a car in Canada and didn't know what to do or how to get it here. I have not yet read the link you offered but I'm wondering what the paper work was at your home state and what all the costs were from Canada to complete registration in your state. I am SO glad we finally have a thread on this subject! It's been discussed over and over with no real results.
Sure thing Fox. The costs weren't really the issue. I'm sure each state is different, but I went through a lot in NJ. NJ required 3 different pieces of documentation from customs (don't even remember what they were because I had to surrender them to Motor Vehicle Services in Trenton), the original of the letter from Ford verifying that the car met U.S. emissions and safety requirements at time of manufacture, the notarized (?) bill of sale, a clear photo of the VIN, proof of insurance and possibly more. My temporary Canadian policy was only good for 10 days, so I had to stop driving the car soon after getting back to the East Coast. That was when the fun began trying to get everything I needed to put the car on the road here. Not the easiest way to get a used car, but I'm sure happy with the result.
another way is to have it "brokered" at the border and you can call ahead to have this done. i have personally never had any problem at the border bringing cars into the states, at least into wa. state always hassle free. the first one i purchased in b.c. i freaked out when when i noticed no plates on the vehicle and the guys says "i have a old set you can use"! not realizing they issue plates with insurance there unlike wa. state.
they are usually located at the border crossings and for a $fee they will provide you with the paperwork that the border folks need to make them warm and fuzzy. used them to bring small machinery back and forth for repair under warranty. call and shop around as their prices vary and are very competative for your business. i used to tell them i only wanted to pay a certain price and was always happy with the deal i struck. b.c i believe is the only provence that actually uses a title for a vehicle the rest simply go by registration. i always threw the price of brokerage into the negotiation with the seller since a simple phone call could back me up even though 99% of the time a broker wasn't needed and being savy to that saved me some money.
