GMS_AMS

Hi all,

Well, that's us been in Toronto now for 6 weeks......its literally zoomed by!

In planning the move, we used every resource possible to find the best companies, but it still caused us much stress - I just wanted to pass these details onto you.

For shipping we used White & Company, and then Tippets Richards here in Canada - both were excellent. Our goods arrived 2.5months after being packed in the UK, and its all in one piece - which was a huge relief. We'd heard really bad things about Tippets, the 3 people that dropped off our boxes had no people skills what so ever, but that was fine, everything else was great.

Flights, we went with IcelandAir, Glasgow to Iceland, Iceland to Toronto. They were cheap even with the upgrade, and our baggage allowance gave us as much as we literally could carry (between 2 adults, we had 4 suitcases and 4 bags!).

As for our money, that was one of the biggest stresses for us. We dealt with Argentex, and I have to say the are absolutely amazing! Would highly recommend them. Chris Canning was out contact there, and he couldn't have been better. He is knowledgeable, polite, and helpful. I realise it can be a bit daunting transferring your money to a third party before it then gets moved to your Canadian account, but everything is very secure, the accounts are segregated at Argentex, and when they receive the money from your British account, it is transferred to your Canadian account in no time at all, maybe an hour at the most.

Since being in Toronto we have come across a group called Meet Up - which is an online resource for like minded people to meet....we went to the British pub quiz a few weeks ago, and it was so much fun.

I was going to write another post on how the move went, but seeing as its Thanksgiving, there is a meat coma I need to be in right now will write it asap.

ChrisCanning

Many thanks for your kind words.

I am pleased everything went through well. Keep in touch and I wish you all the best.

Chris.

Goodbhoy

If you don't mind me asking..............what was the shipping costs and what did you ship?

I looking to move, probably around January. It will be quick and probably sudden due to my job.

I really want to put my car, motorbike and other pieces into a container and go.
I know a LHD car would be better, etc but it would be something I could look at sorting at a later time once we were settled and all the other things were settled.

christmasoompa

Just checking, but can you take your car and motorbike? Only vehicles of a certain age (iirc it's 15 years and older) can be imported in to Canada.

Have a hunt of the forums for relevant threads to give you the info you need on this if you haven't already looked in to it, and you can also find loads of threads with shipping costs on, figure about £2-4k depending on the size of the container and if it's shared or not.

HTH.

Goodbhoy

Thanks for the reply................car 08 BMW 320, bike 07 Kwakasaki
Within the 15 year limit.

Not sure if my company will be paying for the shipping.

Tramps_mate

Seems very strict rules on car importing...

BSF5048 : Importing a Vehicle Into Canada

Appears they have to be older than 15 years unless brand new or you owned from new..

Atlantic Xpat

Your vehicles need to be older than 15 years. So neither your beemer nor your bike will be able to be used on the public roads or registered in Canada. Not much point in bringing them over then.

Photoplex

Even if the car could be brought over, the effective value would immediately drop to $0 as virtually nobody here would want to buy a used RHD BMW.

May as well liquidate the value of the vehicle now in the UK where there is a market for it, and sink that money into a vehicle here.

Goodbhoy

This did cross my mind as well as the thought of selling the vehicle in the UK and buying a LHD in the UK now, ready to import.
I was thinking that I could do this relatively cheaply as there should not be a market for LHD cars in the UK.
But no..............LHD still appear to hold their value. It w=must be due to all the European immigrants buying them and driving them back to their native homeland for a bit of a profit.

magnumpi

@GMS Congrats on the move

@Goodbhoy

Saw this 2008 BMW 328 on autoTRADER.ca's iPhone app

2008 BMW 3 Series i for $11,995 in Toronto | autoTRADER.ca

You can buy bikes here too, LHD bikes

Goodbhoy

Nice car at a reasonable price. Mine only has 47000 miles on the clock though.
I have only just converted my motorbike to LHD to no real need to buy another.

magnumpi

Lol :@)

Them miles is KM remember

If u move to Ontario you will have to take a bike test, no swop for MC here only car

Goodbhoy

I didn't know that.
Anyway, I am a competent rider so shouldn't be an issue.