Importing a car from the US
Aug 14th 2007 | 3:31 am
#17
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 40,070
From: Ontario
Re: Importing a car from the US
We've just done the out of province test. Technically we are not importing the car yet as we are on work permits so we got form one. We then had to take form one to a registry to buy a form which allows us to take the car to the garage for the test. This is in Alberta, I am not sure if this is the same everywhere.
The form to okay the inspection was just under $10 and we called around and the cheapest inspection price around here was $169, the test takes a couple of hours.
You don't have to use Canadian Tire for the out of province test in Alberta, Alberta infrastructure has a list of approved garages and we called around the ones on the list. I think when you are actually importing the car, you get a different form in the post, form 2 and you can't get the test without that.
In the end we had to replace all of our tires, I'm assuming this was something to do with heat as the tires were for Texas and it's a good deal colder up here. One of our rims had some damage that was perfectly allowable in Texas, but not so in Alberta so we had to buy a new rim and then switching to daylight running lights cost $246.
We had a few maintenance bits that needed doing, something else to do with the wheels, thankfully everything to do with the engine and emissions etc was fine but in the end it cost us $2060.00 - the car is probably only worth a bit more than that but we didn't want to buy a new car now while our kids are still messy ;-)
The form to okay the inspection was just under $10 and we called around and the cheapest inspection price around here was $169, the test takes a couple of hours.
You don't have to use Canadian Tire for the out of province test in Alberta, Alberta infrastructure has a list of approved garages and we called around the ones on the list. I think when you are actually importing the car, you get a different form in the post, form 2 and you can't get the test without that.
In the end we had to replace all of our tires, I'm assuming this was something to do with heat as the tires were for Texas and it's a good deal colder up here. One of our rims had some damage that was perfectly allowable in Texas, but not so in Alberta so we had to buy a new rim and then switching to daylight running lights cost $246.
We had a few maintenance bits that needed doing, something else to do with the wheels, thankfully everything to do with the engine and emissions etc was fine but in the end it cost us $2060.00 - the car is probably only worth a bit more than that but we didn't want to buy a new car now while our kids are still messy ;-)
According to the RIV only Canadian Tire can certify compliance with the federal regulations. All other garages send the car out to CT for the certificate. Honda told me the same. There are additional provincial certification required in Ontario, compliance with the clean air act and a "safety", which many garages can provide. Perhaps the Alberta "out of province certificate" is similar.
Form 1 comes from the customs office at the time of importation. It says that customs knows you're importing the vehicle and is giving you 45 days to make it compliant. It has to go to Canadian Tire for stamping and then to the RIV with the recall letter. Once it's stamped they send form 2 which says they accept the vehicle is compliant. Form 2 is used to register the vehicle provincially but is a federal form.
The stuff about the tyres is the sort of thing I'm expecting from CT, there's no profit in just testing and certifying so they have to bill for something additional.
Aug 14th 2007 | 4:06 am
#18
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,713
From: Windsor, ON; Chicago, IL
Re: Importing a car from the US
You think I'd have a Hummer or Cadillac?? In that case I'm not quite so embarrassed, it's a Buick Enclave. Very nice toys and interior space but really, really, slow.
You really have to buy domestic here, driving Korean isn't good at all. And Mr B wanted sth understated - who likes to see their dentist in a flash car and realise they're paying for it?! - the Buick is perfect for that, most people will just snigger and never know how nice it is
You really have to buy domestic here, driving Korean isn't good at all. And Mr B wanted sth understated - who likes to see their dentist in a flash car and realise they're paying for it?! - the Buick is perfect for that, most people will just snigger and never know how nice it is
Aug 14th 2007 | 4:10 am
#19
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 10,630
From: Red Deer, Alberta
Re: Importing a car from the US
We've just done the out of province test. Technically we are not importing the car yet as we are on work permits so we got form one.
We had a few maintenance bits that needed doing, something else to do with the wheels, thankfully everything to do with the engine and emissions etc was fine but in the end it cost us $2060.00 - the car is probably only worth a bit more than that but we didn't want to buy a new car now while our kids are still messy ;-)
We had a few maintenance bits that needed doing, something else to do with the wheels, thankfully everything to do with the engine and emissions etc was fine but in the end it cost us $2060.00 - the car is probably only worth a bit more than that but we didn't want to buy a new car now while our kids are still messy ;-)
Aug 14th 2007 | 6:09 am
#20
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,043
From: Edmonton.
Re: Importing a car from the US
According to the RIV only Canadian Tire can certify compliance with the federal regulations. All other garages send the car out to CT for the certificate. Honda told me the same. There are additional provincial certification required in Ontario, compliance with the clean air act and a "safety", which many garages can provide. Perhaps the Alberta "out of province certificate" is similar.
Form 1 comes from the customs office at the time of importation. It says that customs knows you're importing the vehicle and is giving you 45 days to make it compliant. It has to go to Canadian Tire for stamping and then to the RIV with the recall letter. Once it's stamped they send form 2 which says they accept the vehicle is compliant. Form 2 is used to register the vehicle provincially but is a federal form.
The stuff about the tyres is the sort of thing I'm expecting from CT, there's no profit in just testing and certifying so they have to bill for something additional.
Form 1 comes from the customs office at the time of importation. It says that customs knows you're importing the vehicle and is giving you 45 days to make it compliant. It has to go to Canadian Tire for stamping and then to the RIV with the recall letter. Once it's stamped they send form 2 which says they accept the vehicle is compliant. Form 2 is used to register the vehicle provincially but is a federal form.
The stuff about the tyres is the sort of thing I'm expecting from CT, there's no profit in just testing and certifying so they have to bill for something additional.
Is the Canadian Tire thing just for importation? As I don't think our car was sent to Canadian Tire and the certificate was issued by the garage were we got the car from. We got form one from Customs when the car arrived and when hubby called RIV they told him that was all we needed to do as the car wasn't being imported as we are here on work permits.
We didn't need form 2 to register the car, (it's registered in Alberta now) just the out of province inspection certificate. I would think we would need form 2 if we officially import the car.
Aug 14th 2007 | 6:10 am
#21
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,043
From: Edmonton.
Re: Importing a car from the US
Oh My God! With bills and hassle like that I am so pleased my hubby is a mechanic. He is not yet licensed to do OOP tests (and wouldn't be able to do his own anyhow) but working at a garage, someone else does the test over a lunch break - he fixes whatever is needed and goes to crappy tire in his work overalls and they just stamp the form. We haven't yet OOP our Bronco as we are waiting for the Expedition to sell. As the Bronco is from Texas it will be interesting if we have to change the tyres due to Texas heat? Sounds a bit odd to me but living in a new country lots of things seem a bit odd to me these days
They put all season tires on our van, and I don't think it was all season tires they had on before, I can't think why else they would have needed to be changed as they had plenty of tread on them.
Aug 14th 2007 | 6:39 am
#23
Moderαtor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 30,771
From: Upstate South Carolina
Re: Importing a car from the US
His associate has a nice (and much more reasonably priced) infinity G35 coupe
The local ortho on the other hand, he does drive a hummer.
Aug 14th 2007 | 6:59 am
#24
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 15,883
Re: Importing a car from the US
The Buick works for me, I had a Buick once but not an Enclave.
Aug 16th 2007 | 2:36 am
#25
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 40,070
From: Ontario
Re: Importing a car from the US
So this morning I went to the Canadian Tire just above Yonge and Bloor. I was early and that's a dead part of town, there's nowhere to get a coffee or breakfast or anything, so I was reduced to reading the customs documentation for the car. The forms are stamped to say it's exempt from the RIV program because the owner isn't a permanent resident. Ah-ha! Now I understand snorkmaiden's posts.
I called the ministry and their recording said the car can be registered without being imported so I took it to the Honda dealer for a safety and an emissions test and, with any luck, we'll be able to get it plates without paying the various taxes and fees related to importation and without having to convert anything. That's handy.
I called the ministry and their recording said the car can be registered without being imported so I took it to the Honda dealer for a safety and an emissions test and, with any luck, we'll be able to get it plates without paying the various taxes and fees related to importation and without having to convert anything. That's handy.
Aug 16th 2007 | 6:03 am
#26
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 40,070
From: Ontario
Re: Importing a car from the US
Rats! Removing the light switch is a requirement for passing the safety test.
Aug 16th 2007 | 9:26 am
#27
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,043
From: Edmonton.
Re: Importing a car from the US
I wonder what else we'll have to do once we get PR.
Aug 16th 2007 | 11:55 pm
#28
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 40,070
From: Ontario
Re: Importing a car from the US
The daytime running lights, emissions and safety tests and a oil change came to $654.08. Since they had the car for a day I got them to replace the windshield too (the Honda body flexes and so the screen cracks every couple of thousand miles, it's replacable under warranty but we don't keep with it as it's a bother). Now, if I could just find the insurance documents ...
