[Nssan]

I'm looking to purchase a car from US now since our dollar is strong. So, I made this little spreadsheet that calculate all the known costs that could be associated with importing a car to Canada.



http://rapidshare.com/files/296108741/PurchaseCar.xlsx


Made in Excel 2007, so should work in any Excel.

*updated

The spreadsheet will not account for insurance, PST, DRL Fix, Recall Letter, or any other inspection required by the individual manufacture. It does account for most of the necessary costs. Please use it at your own discretion.

Duty is charged on cars that were built outside of US, Canada, or Mexico. Therefore, most Japanese, and German cars will incur Duty (6.1%)
thanks

[freakshow]

Nice spreadsheet. Since I'm looking to import a car soon, other people who use the spreadsheet should also be weary of the costs that the spreadsheet will not be able to account for. Eg. Recall letter(s), DRL fixes, certain manufacturers have standards to meet (i was told BMW/Merc can charge in the range of 2-5K for these 'mods'), etc.

[Spaceship_coupe]

Nice work.

Check this one out as well.

http://www.importcartocanada.info/tools/vehicle-import-price-calculator/

[asian_XL]

$20,000 usd car

- or -
Vehicle Year Manufactured in Select North America Outside North America
Importing to Alberta British Columbia Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador Nova Scotia Ontario Prince Edward Island Saskatchewan Northwest Territories Nunavut Yukon Air Conditioning?


Total: $24,652.75
Price Paid After Exchange: $20,616.43 today's rate of 0.9701
Duty Paid: $1,257.60 duty rate of 6.1%
GST Paid: $1,030.82 Canadian GST is 5%
PST Paid: $1,443.15 British Columbia PST rate of 7%
Air Conditioning Tax $100.00
RIV Fee: $204.75


Your cost after Import & Registration: $24,652.75

[skyxx]

I want a Pontiac G8 GXP. :/ sigh

[03c0upe]

I'm looking to purchase a car from US now since our dollar is strong. So, I made this little spreadsheet that calculate all the known costs that could be associated with importing a car to Canada.



http://rapidshare.com/files/296108741/PurchaseCar.xlsx


Made in Excel 2007, so should work in any Excel.

*updated

The spreadsheet will not account for insurance, PST, DRL Fix, Recall Letter, or any other inspection required by the individual manufacture. It does account for most of the necessary costs. Please use it at your own discretion.

Duty is charged on cars that were built outside of US, Canada, or Mexico. Therefore, most Japanese, and German cars will incur Duty (6.1%)
thanks

excel 2002 here, not working

[lonelydriver]

excel 2002 here, not working

Download the compatibility pack:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466&displaylang=en

[ShyGuy]

A general rule seems to be an additional 25% or so. So $20k usd= around $25k cad
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[twitchyzero]

after the HST in july comes into an effect I can see more people opting for used cars from US

[freakshow]

You should factor for at *least* 25% if you wanna be safe. I just did this a few months ago.. and it was a long, expensive process..
I'll add to asian_XL's example:

$20,000 usd car

Price Paid After Exchange: $20,616.43 today's rate of 0.9701
Duty Paid: $1,257.60 duty rate of 6.1% (if it's made outside of NA)
GST Paid: $1,030.82 Canadian GST is 5%
PST Paid: $1,443.15 British Columbia PST rate of 7%
Air Conditioning Tax $100.00
RIV Fee: $204.75
Shuttle or gas to go down and check out the car you want: ~$100 (assume it's in seattle)
Temp ICBC Insurance while you take the car to get inspected: ~$100
WA State day permit: ~$30
Recall Letter: ~$550 (Only some companies need this, some charge more)
Activate DRLs: $200 (This is for BMW, others may be less, or more)
Federal Inspection + Repairs: ~$300 (Depends on condition)

Your cost after Import & Registration: $25,932.75

So you're really closer to $26K after things add up, and this is if things go relatively well.

This assumes that you don't have that many repairs; they actually go over the car pretty well at Canadian Tire. They'll catch anything that's cracked or broken. My car was in superb condition: no accidents, no dings, nothing broken, still smelled new, interior didn't even look worn, but they still found a slightly cracked belt and bushing.

Then theres the cost of your time to go down. You need a day of time to go check out the car, then another day off to go down and pick it up and drive back, assuming it's close by (Seattle).

There's also the fact that your resale will be lower if you decide to sell.

Overall, there are a lot of things to consider, and you need a lot of time. It isn't a complicated process, but it's not a walk in the park either.

edit: I've updated lowside's post in the stickied thread to reflect changes over the years.
http://www.revscene.net/forums/importing-vehicle-information-t355806.html?p=6802951#post6802951

[Graeme S]

xlsx won't work for non-MS office users (ie: people like me who use openoffice on my netbook).


save as .xls por favor?

[03c0upe]

Where do people get cheap cars in usa?

[1exotic]

Where do people get cheap cars in usa?

connections... (mainly people with a dealer license or something which have acess to all the auctions).

other than that, just go look around craigslist or something.

[03c0upe]

How do people normally do this. Let's say there's a car in the east. Do you guys go down to check it out? Or jus judge by pics?
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[ruthless]

How do people normally do this. Let's say there's a car in the east. Do you guys go down to check it out? Or jus judge by pics?
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

thats a gamble

personally I would search for cars in the closer states such as washington, oregon, or california since its easier for you to go down and look at the vehicle in person as well as test drive it.

[trd2343]

My friend quoted this section from LP Auto and said it is illegal (now) for US dealerships to sell new vehicles to Canadians. I've never heard of this before and up till now, I've still hear about Canadians buying new vehicles down in the States.


http://www.lpauto.ca/faqs.html#7

Can I personally go to the USA and purchase a new car from a dealer?
Unfortunately not. In 2008, many USA dealerships were doing this and it was possible to import a new vehicle yourself from the USA, but manufacturers have now placed strict rules with all of their dealers and a dealer could lose his franchise for selling to a Canadian. This has now completely stopped any Canadians from being able to import a brand new vehicle from the United States as it is not worth the risk to them.


I'm wondering if this is true (or true as of now).

[Nvasion]

yes it is true

[Nvasion]

legally US dealerships cannot legally sell canadians a car if they know we are going to be bringing it into canada

[ruthless]

^ car has to have a used title and be registered at least 6 months in the U.S. if i remember correctly

[baggdis300]

you have actual proof from a government site stating that its illegal?


cause until i see that i call BS

from my limited google search i can't find anything current..

everything from 2007-8 when the dollar economy was doing real well....

[Nssan]

No, this restriction is not placed by the government. It was by the individual car manufactures. However, they do have a say in providing 'recall' documentations. Thus, you might not be able to get it across if you can't get a recall letter.

[ruthless]

No, this restriction is not placed by the government. It was by the individual car manufactures. However, they do have a say in providing 'recall' documentations. Thus, you might not be able to get it across if you can't get a recall letter.

+1 you can't its one of the requirements of the RIV process

[lowside67]

The problem with the internet is lots of people who "think" they know what they are talking about, or more dangerously know a "little" bit about what they are talking about.

The facts are as follows:

1) There is no US government law of any type that prevents a US dealer from selling a Canadian car.

2) There ARE several manufacturers who restrict their US dealers from selling cars to Canadians - different manufacturers have different policies on when it is acceptable to sell the car but the general rule of thumb is once the car has been titled, ie has had an owner, it is usually good to go. This often includes demo vehicles.

3) The manufacturer is not going to change their recall letter process regardless of whether you bought the car new or used in the US, it is simply the dealer that sold it to you whose ass is on the line.

4) You DO need a recall letter to get a form 2 to complete your RIV inspection.

Mark

[mr_chin]

reviving old thread.

so basically, the cost for everything could be about the same as if you buy a car here.

price for a 2013 v6 accord coupe in vancouver, wa is $29k, add roughly 25% to that and it's $36k, just like the price here.

so what's the myth about people getting cars cheaper in the states?

[dvst8]

reviving old thread.

so basically, the cost for everything could be about the same as if you buy a car here.

price for a 2013 v6 accord coupe in vancouver, wa is $29k, add roughly 25% to that and it's $36k, just like the price here.

so what's the myth about people getting cars cheaper in the states?

Your rough guess of 25% is pretty off.
Last time I checked the fee was 12% tax + $200 RIV FEE. If car was made outside North America add 6%. Most cars now are NA made.

You'll also get more car features/options.

[dared3vil0]

reviving old thread.

so basically, the cost for everything could be about the same as if you buy a car here.

price for a 2013 v6 accord coupe in vancouver, wa is $29k, add roughly 25% to that and it's $36k, just like the price here.

so what's the myth about people getting cars cheaper in the states?

Take a 2012 760Li USA MSRP of $137,300 And a Canadian MSRP of $186,000
After tax and the fee, You save ~30k.

[k3lv]

IMO the myth applies to SOME cars, I think the rule applies best to USED cars. The gap in price for buying a new car in the US compared to Canada has also lessened, the customs(tax) is in place to almost equal the price. I got this information(and more but I'm not going to explain everything he said) from a current class I'm taking at BCIT from a current CBSA customs officer.

Also, when I recently imported a car, I paid $12% at the time of import(customs), and I was notified that ICBC will be charging me another 5%. So in total it's 17% + RIV fee + Inspection etc.

[freakshow]

As I outlined before, all the little things add up.
You're paying at LEAST 18.1% in duty and tax. (to be fair, you pay 12% taxes in canada as well).

but you have to factor in:
- transportation to and from the states (~$100)
- recall letter (upto $500)
- activate or install DRLS ($1-200)
- Federal insp. repairs ($1-400)
- RIV fee ($200)
- AC tax ($100)
- temp insurance in canada for inspections (~$100)
- state insurance to drive back (~30-50)
- time
- reduced resale value in canada

all in all, there are still some deals to be had.. but mostly when you are paying $40-50k+ for a car.

[Ride]

And the stupid tire levy that Canadian tire charges which is $5 per tire
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[mr_chin]

Your rough guess of 25% is pretty off.
Last time I checked the fee was 12% tax + $200 RIV FEE. If car was made outside North America add 6%. Most cars now are NA made.

You'll also get more car features/options.

If you're driving it over, then there is no transportation fees right? I also heard that if the car doesn't have DRL, you have to get it installed.

[payrent]

You save the most when importing a used, made in North America car from the USA. Best examples are lexus RX, BMW X5, MB M, GL class.
Foreign makes are a hit or miss due to the duty.

Ever since the government slapped the gas guzzler tax on imports theres not much of an incentive to import a gas guzzling foreign car like an AMG.

[k3lv]

If you're driving it over, then there is no transportation fees right? I also heard that if the car doesn't have DRL, you have to get it installed.

correct on both terms

[bcrdukes]

As I outlined before, all the little things add up.
You're paying at LEAST 18.1% in duty and tax. (to be fair, you pay 12% taxes in canada as well).

but you have to factor in:
- transportation to and from the states (~$100)
- recall letter (upto $500)
- activate or install DRLS ($1-200)
- Federal insp. repairs ($1-400)
- RIV fee ($200)
- AC tax ($100)
- temp insurance in canada for inspections (~$100)
- state insurance to drive back (~30-50)
- time
- reduced resale value in canada

all in all, there are still some deals to be had.. but mostly when you are paying $40-50k+ for a car.

To add to this list, if you fail the provincial vehicle inspection, you must repair everything on the list prior to re-inspection. So keep that in mind as a variable cost and that some inspection facilities do not provide free re-inspections.

[death_blossom]

reviving old thread.

so basically, the cost for everything could be about the same as if you buy a car here.

price for a 2013 v6 accord coupe in vancouver, wa is $29k, add roughly 25% to that and it's $36k, just like the price here.

so what's the myth about people getting cars cheaper in the states?

as others have mentioned, it depends on what cars. but people buy a lot of USED cars from the states as these are generally much much cheaper than what what the same used car sells for in the Lower Mainland.

also, in recent years many car manufacturers have lowered the Canadian price of their cars to match the USA more tightly. they adjusted for the dollar difference and realized all the importing going on.

[PUPPY]

just a quick question, so this 18.1% tax is from the price i bought the car for? or the price of this car at the dealership? if it was the sale price and i were receiving the car for free from a relative, how would i be taxed?

[Graeme S]

just a quick question, so this 18.1% tax is from the price i bought the car for? or the price of this car at the dealership? if it was the sale price and i were receiving the car for free from a relative, how would i be taxed?
First, I have a giant hunch that you'd get detained at the border for a really long time with them interrogating you and asking for banking details to prove that you got the car for free. Then, they'd most likely look up the estimated retail value for a car like yours, and then charge you for that. So something like craigslisting comparable cars and charging you based on an estimated value.

That's just my guess, though.

[PUPPY]

First, I have a giant hunch that you'd get detained at the border for a really long time with them interrogating you and asking for banking details to prove that you got the car for free. Then, they'd most likely look up the estimated retail value for a car like yours, and then charge you for that. So something like craigslisting comparable cars and charging you based on an estimated value.

That's just my guess, though.

:suspicious: sounds like a huge hassle
would i rather have my relative "sell" it to me at a low price

[Graeme S]

:suspicious: sounds like a huge hassle
would i rather have my relative "sell" it to me at a low price
If it's something like a Bimmer and they're selling it to you for like $3k, expect to be interrogated just as hard. A vehicle is not a small thing, and if they think you're trying to dodge taxes on something that big...not fun.

[ruthless]

If it's something like a Bimmer and they're selling it to you for like $3k, expect to be interrogated just as hard. A vehicle is not a small thing, and if they think you're trying to dodge taxes on something that big...not fun.

+1 to this...they are not stupid and will tear you a new one by seizing your car and making you pay a penalty to get it back. Have fun getting searched in your undervalued car every time you cross the border. :fullofwin:

[PUPPY]

might as well report that i paid an average craigslist price and skip the interrogation process then :okay:

[ruthless]

might as well report that i paid an average craigslist price and skip the interrogation process then :okay:

Might as well report what you actually paid for it and have all the documented proof...

[Graeme S]

If you actually do get it for free, you'd better have extremely detailed documentation--who the person is in relation to you, the reasoning behind why they're giving it to you for free (especially across the border), and be ready to pay 'fair market value' in import taxes if they ask you to. Think about it like this: you're getting a car for the tax on what it costs rather than actually paying for the whole thing.

And you may want to start doing some CL searches for some comparable cars so that you can find out how much tax you'll be paying in case they do bust your balls. Which they probably will.

[heleu]

+1.

Customs does not care if you got the car for free. They are more concerned with the actual value of the car and will charge you accordingly.

[freakshow]

+1.

Customs does not care if you got the car for free. They are more concerned with the actual value of the car and will charge you accordingly.
This is not, or maybe, shouldn't, be true.

You get charged taxes on what you paid.. If you actually did get it for free, you shouldn't have to pay taxes. However, as you can imagine, fraud is so common, that they will interrogate you like no tomorrow. If you did get it for free, be prepared to do some explaining, and have the proof. Like Graeme said, have their name, phone number, address, relation, signed letter, pictures of them, their kids, their dog, your family tree drawn out, etc.

[ruthless]

This is not, or maybe, shouldn't, be true.

You get charged taxes on what you paid.. If you actually did get it for free, you shouldn't have to pay taxes. However, as you can imagine, fraud is so common, that they will interrogate you like no tomorrow. If you did get it for free, be prepared to do some explaining, and have the proof. Like Graeme said, have their name, phone number, address, relation, signed letter, pictures of them, their kids, their dog, your family tree drawn out, etc.


If you get an item as a gift or for free regardless of what it is. You will be taxed/dutied according to its market value.

In the above example with the car. If it is valued (Canadian Red Book) at $10,000 then you will pay taxes and possibly duty when importing it into Canada. Even though you paid $0.00 for it, it is still subject to taxes, duty, and any other import fees based upon its value

With that being said you are correct in terms of having the appropriate proof that you received it as a gift with the sellers contact info, bill of sale, etc.

[freakshow]

If you get an item as a gift or for free regardless of what it is. You will be taxed/dutied according to its market value.

In the above example with the car. If it is valued (Canadian Red Book) at $10,000 then you will pay taxes and possibly duty when importing it into Canada. Even though you paid $0.00 for it, it is still subject to taxes, duty, and any other import fees based upon its value

With that being said you are correct in terms of having the appropriate proof that you received it as a gift with the sellers contact info, bill of sale, etc.
Hmm, didn't know that. That's kinda crappy.
CBSA website doesn't even say..

Duty and taxes are assessed on your vehicle's value for duty. This is a value in Canadian funds based on the price you have paid
This indicates that you won't pay any tax/duty
If you are not importing your vehicle as result of a sale (for example, you received it as a gift) you can contact the CBSA for information on how to calculate its value for duty. Information on how to contact the CBSA can be found in the "Additional information" section.
This indicates that you MAY still have to pay duty, but you still won't have to pay tax.

BSF5048 : Importing a Vehicle Into Canada (http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/pub/bsf5048-eng.html#s5)

[bcrdukes]

I forgot where I read this (I think BC Sportbikes or Pelican Parts) but basically the guy either had a BMW motorcycle or a Porsche 911 gifted by his grandfather and was notarized that it was a gift at zero value etc. Ended up paying taxes (no duty due to age) by factoring declared and market value.