How do I import a car from us to canada?

Question

I wouldnt mind going down to the states to pick it up. I want to know the basic idea of getting it across the boarder and how much?

Answer 1

Be careful doing that.

Some car manufacturers in Canada will not honor the warranty and you will need to take it back into USA if anything needs to be done such as replacement of a defective component under warranty.

Also, in some cases, the entire dash must be replaced at an added cost of $1200 so that the electronic gear that is set to register in miles will show both kilometers and miles in Canada.

And of course there are forms to fill out, taxes and duty to be paid, etc to get it through Canada Customs.

It is certainly not impossible to buy a car in USA and bring it to Canada, and you can save some money doing it (between $2000 and $6000 in some cases!). Just be sure of all the conditions. I would check with the dealers, both here in Canada and in USA as to any company policies they may have on it.

Answer 2

I'll be doing the same thing next year when I move to Vancouver.  I copied this for myself, here you go:  

( If I am an American moving to Canada and am bringing my car, what are the regulations for importation?  If you are moving permanently to Canada from the United States, your vehicle(s) must still meet the regulations for admission that Transport Canada sets. For more information contact the Registrar of Imported Vehicles at 1-888-848-8240.  http://www.tc.gc.ca/pacific/faq/road/imp...   )

Another unfortunate thing, if your car is not fully paid off, you'll need to pay it off completely (with your own cash or by getting a private loan in the U.S. before you leave) because all U.S. car companies forbid owners from changing their residency to another country and bringing the car along with them (it is in your finance or lease agreement).  To aid in licensing the car, you will need to get a letter form the manufacturer stating that your car is up to date with all recall notices.  

If your car is still under the manufacturer's warranty, I hope you are living someplace close to the U.S. border; the Canadian counterpart to your manufacturer is a completely different company and will therefore not be able to honour your warranty.  Most cars for the 1990s and up show both miles and kilometers, so you will not need to replace any components in the dashboard.  

Lastly, be sure to change your plates ASAP.  So far, that's all I know.