Importing Car from Portland to Vancouver: HELP!
 

Hey guys,

As the title states, that's my plan. Does anyone have any recommendations for agents, private brokers or some sort of other delivery service? I'd love skip flying there, driving it back to the border and handling the customs stuff myself. I'm basically looking for the lazy way to do it:)

I'd need pickup from the owner in Portland, delivery to the border, complete importing, delivery to my door.

Any help would be appreciated!

Anthony Espinosa! helped a guy here get an IS-F :troll:

Give LP Auto in Richmond a call. They are a Revscene sponsor and very reputable from feedback I've heard. They offer a full import service according to their website.

My only other suggestion is to try uShip.com but keep in mind, a lot of people on uShip wont' do the customs work for you. You're better off finding somebody on Revscene who has done it before to do the importation work for you.

Just out of curiosity... this is assuming the car you want to import is a used car (I could be wrong), wouldn't you want to see the car up close before putting money down for it?

rich

lol. beat me to it

Messiah Motors (in Surrey). they do importing i believe. my friends friend drives a bunch of cars from the states over for Messiah.

http://www.mmcars.ca/

if you're interested, maybe i can let my friend know. (hopefully get my friends friend some extra commission or something xD)

EDIT: i didnt actually read through their import guidelines, so if they cant do the job for your situation, i apologize ;p

PuYang: Thanks for the link! I already have a car picked out from a private seller. I'll give Messiah a call and see what they can do for me. Thanks!

I would call LP Auto. I've heard great feedback about them, and they're an RS Sponsor as well. I've talked to them about the process before, and they'll handle all the details for you.

Trend Auto Group has importation services as well

^
thought trend auto group closed down?
unless they moved

Called both places, thanks guys. If anyone has done an import like this before, do you mind sharing the total cost you guys spent? I'm looking at a 350Z that's going to cost me about $16K. Anyone have some rough numbers if I were to go down myself to pick it up?

Thanks

It's not cheap, and there are a ton of little things that add up.

18.1% in duty and tax = $3K
Travel to the states: $100
Temp insurance in the states: $50
Temp Vancouver insurance: $100
Fixing the car for Prov/Fed inspection: $500 (rough estimate, who knows what they find)
A/C Tax: $100
RIV Fee: $200
Recall Letter: $500 (BMW needed this, not sure about nissan)

That's a total of $4-4.5K in additional expenses - at LEAST.
Although the dollar is good right now, you'll still probably pay an extra $500 or so when converting USD->CAD.
This doesn't include your own time going down there.
The Fed/Prov inspection was just an estimate. They will make you fix everything they find.

^ When I imported my Galant I didn't get charged a Recall.

For the Provincial and Federal Inspection, all I had to change was to get DRL installed, which didn't cost that much. Then I found out the OBD didn't work when I was doing aircare, so ended up having to fix that.

If you give me the cash for the car I can drive it back for you :troll:

Out of all seriousness... I'm headed down to Portland this weekend so if you're serious and are planning to get it rather soon I can drive it back for you to the border, all I ask for is to be reimbursed for the gas. I can give you collateral if needed.

If you want me to do all the papers for you I can probably do it for cash if you decide not to go through with LP Auto. I would recommend them if you want this done more professionally, and I've heard great reviews from them also. But I'm willing to do it as a cheaper alternative after you've inspected the car and are sure its the one you want.





`

^
You are an idiot beyond belief.

Thanks. I've been told that.

Your post was completely unnecessary and deconstructive.

You could at least explain your reasons instead of just posting "You're an idiot beyond belief."

use this calculator it will tell you most of the fees and the site has a lot of good info http://www.importcartocanada.info/to...ce-calculator/

Also keep in mind there will be no warranty in Canada since Nissan U.S. warranty does not transfer over...

I've been paid to fly down to the states and drive a car back to Canada for someone else. All the paperwork and documentation was handled through a broker. I was asked to simply drive the car.

My experience was not fun. Don't do it. Canada Border Services does not like people who try and import cars when you're not the purchaser.

To the OP: Either do it yourself or higher a licensed importer and transporter.

whatever car you want to buy, it's easier to buy a US car that has already been imported by somebody else.

US cars go cheap nowadays

ive done it once and did all the research, calling, faxing, and legwork myself.

dont do it yourself... you'll constantly run into little things that you wish an experienced person woulda told you in the first place. you're on the right track by paying someone to do it for you. the time and energy wasted in doing everything for the first time was NOT worth it.

since when did temp insurance cost $100? and become null in the US?
Buy it for the day you are bringing it back... remember the 24 hours notification for CBSA.
Taxes are HST and are paid in full at the Canadian border, not at ICBC.

$27 one day; Manual: paper plate. When you come back the RIV of CBSA will update the IRPE and you may register the car in BC... Right after the provincial inspection.
Prov inspection - $48, $500 is a gross amount if you let's say... need to replace crap, if not more.

So... yeah I don't know where you got $500 from as a standard OOPV inspection Freakshow.

Those are the rough numbers I had to pay.

You think you can get everything done in one day? What about a wait on parts? Appointments, etc?
I had to go to BMW to get a letter once i had the car. I also had to schedule an appointment with them to convert the car to CDN spec (required before getting the letter), and on top of that, had to go to canadian tire. You're right, my prov/fed inspections didn't cost 500, but they could have. both inspections cost money, and then the labour to fix any issues costs at least a bit of money. Then you have to get the car reinspected, unless you're gonna let cambodian tire do the work.

one day insurance? gl hf.