Kosta

Hello everybody,

I am planning to marry my girlfriend (US citizen) in the near future (in one year). I
currently leave in Canada and I am planning to buy a car, Ford Focus Wagon. Is there
anything I should do before I buy it to make sure that I can import the car to US?
Maybe ask for the letter of compliance from Ford right away. Or is it to early to
think about that?

I am interested to hear from people who might have done this or wished that did it
before buying the car.

Thanks, K

xrodgerx

Purchase the vehical in the USA..

You will most likely sell it here in the USA and if you purchase it in Canada, the
gauges will read in metric units. This in turn will lower the value of the vehical
here in the US.

Just my opionion....

rodger

Rete

You are correct. Before you purchase the car get the letter of compliance from the manufacturer re US safety/emissions compliance.

Do not buy the car until you have that letter in your hands. My husband purchased a car in Canada with the verbal affirmation from Chrysler that the met the US specs and the letter was in the mail. The problem was that the letter came that it did not meet the safety specs and he had purchased the car on their verbal asssurances.

The metric units won't hinder the resale value of the car. Cars display both US and metric speeds. It is just a matter of adjustment to read the correct one.

Rita

xrodgerx

I dont know anything about what Rita is talking about.. So I can say she is correct
or not, but I live in Detroit Michigan and its commonly known that the resale value
of a canadian car will be slightly less ...... How much less varies from model to
model and its not really a huge difference.. All things being equal, the american car
will sell faster..

To verify this, you can check the "trading times" papers..Get the "AutoTrader" ......

I can not tell you that if you purchase a car in Canada and sell it in Texas what
will happen.. But here in Detroit there will be a difference..

Hope I helped you instead of confused you..

Rodger

Rete

FYI, from the FAQ pages, here is the link to import vehicles from Canada to the US:

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/can0010.html

All vehicles "must" have a certificate of compliance from the US (not the Canadian) manufacturer attesting to adherence of the vehicle to DOT safety requirements and emissions control.

Depending on the year of manufacturer that means either dual airbags or passive restraints. This is where we ran into problems. The first vehicle a 1992 Eagle Summitt had standard 5 (?) point seatbelts, no airbag. Unacceptable.

The second vehicle an Eagle Summit 1995 had airbag but not dual.

Third vehicle had dual airbags and passed.

We since found out that Jim could have driven across the border with the first and second vehicles, registered the cars in NYS, but not have received a title. Therefore, he could not have resold it in the States but would have had to return it to Canada for resale. All told, it costs thousands of dollars to get a US certified vehicle.

Rita

PS sold the third vehicle recently here in NY without any problem re the metric system but ran into the problem that New Yorkers can't drive standards.

Shelley

Also, Customs requires that you own items you are bringing with you for at least one
year, or you will have to duty tax on them. This does include cars - my husband had
leased his car in Canada, and was going to buy it to move to the US, but when we
found out about the additional taxes, he returned the car at the end of its lease, a
few weeks before he moved to the US. Take Care. Shelley

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dgdss

Don't buy a Pontiac Sunfire, can't import them learned the hard way

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[usenetquote2]> > FYI, from the FAQ pages, here is the link to import vehicles from Canada to[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > the US:[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/can0010.html[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > All vehicles "must" have a certificate of compliance from the US (not the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Canadian) manufacturer attesting to adherence of the vehicle to DOT safety[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > requirements and emissions control.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Depending on the year of manufacturer that means either dual airbags or passive[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > restraints. This is where we ran into problems. The first vehicle a 1992 Eagle[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Summitt had standard 5 (?) point seatbelts, no airbag. Unacceptable.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > The second vehicle an Eagle Summit 1995 had airbag but not dual.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Third vehicle had dual airbags and passed.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > We since found out that Jim could have driven across the border with the first[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > and second vehicles, registered the cars in NYS, but not have received a title.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Therefore, he could not have resold it in the States but would have had to return[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > it to Canada for resale. All told, it costs thousands of dollars to get a US[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > certified vehicle.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Rita[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > PS sold the third vehicle recently here in NY without any problem re the metric[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > system but ran into the problem that New Yorkers can't drive standards.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > --[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > --[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Rete and Jim (Can/Am Alumni '98)[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > The K1 FAQ http://www.k1faq.com The Mysterious Sealed Brown Envelope[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.k1faq.com/faq_index.htm Update AOS Experiences at:[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.kamya.com/interview/intro.html Update POE Experiences at:[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.k1poelist.com/ Update AOS filing: http://www.kamya.com/aos/[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > I-130/I-485 Helpsite at:[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.mindspring.com/~docsteen/...o/visainfo.htm[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Congress/2806/ AOS filing; Interview and K-1[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Interview Experiences: http://www.kamya.com/interview/intro.html[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]

[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]

Rete

Shelly

We didn't find that to be true regarding cars.

Jim crossed into the US with a car without Chrysler approval when he first moved here. Was allowed to have it in the US for one year and then had to return it to Canada at Custom's direction. (This was the car they said would pass. Then after buying it the letter arrived that it didn't.)

When he returned it to Canada, he traded it in on the newer car that Chrysler said would comply. He received the letter, came back across the border, stopped at Custom's, gave them the bill of sale and compliance letter and DID NOT have to pay duty on the vehicle.

Was it a fluke that it was allowed? I don't think so because we asked at the same time about buying a camper in Canada and taking it to the US and was advised that it would not be a problem, no duty would be charged, as long it was "used" and for our personal use.

Rita