bringing a US car to CANADA

[Troy]

The car is already in Canada. I'll see if fireguyfire can update this thread with his experiences.

Troy

[fireguyfire]

Got the car up here last week without any problems; key thing, as pointed out is to get the paperwork (title) to the US side of the border a minimum of 72 hours before crossing. Also a good idea to get confirmation of your fax and a name of the officer you spoke to before you faxed it down; they couldn't find my paperwork initially, but when I told them I had spoken to officer so and so at such a time and such a date, and he had confirmed the car could cross anytime after --- time, they found it no problem.
As for the Canadian side, all they want is the 5% GST; and as I was told, DO NOT misrepresent what you paid for the car to avoid taxes. I had emails where the price was settled on, copy of the money order I used to pay for the car, as well as the title in my name and the bill of sale and they still went on the computer and looked up a bunch of stuff. Also, you will pay an additional $100 at the Canadian side if your car is an air conditioned car (must be an environmental thing). The lady pulled up the Ohio records of the car and quizzed me specifically if it was air conditioned ( I of course said yes; I wasn't going to volunteer it was, but if they asked me I was going to say it did have A/C when it left the factory in '68); she was obviously testing me to see how honest I was being.
All together, from crossing the border at Montana, to being clear of paying the tax on the Canadian side, I was exactly 1 hr for a turnaround time, so if you do everything in advance, it will go smoothly.
An interesting note is that no one on the US or the Canadian side ever came out and looked at the car, or my truck for that matter; I simply went into both offices and handled the paper work. No one even came to confirm the VIN to prove the car I had the paperwork for was the one I had on the car trailer! I could have had a Ferrari with 5 kilos of cocaine in the trunk on there, and nobody would have known any different.

[nakita7]

I bought 2 Chargers in Calif 2 years ago. The first one was brought up to Wash by a member here (thanks Rob!) and I met him there, transferred the car to my trailer and came up. I had title and bill of sale. I also gave the 72 hours notice. It was an absolute nightmare. I tried to be as nice as I could to them, but they would not believe the price. They phoned the seller in Calif to confirm. They accessed my Ebay account. I did buy the car on there, but the auction was no longer on there. I had about 3 or 4 different guards come up to and do the 'good cop, bad cop' routine, literally calling me a liar, saying "We're going to get you" and  "Once we find out, we're going to send a bill to you" and on and on! The car was a rusty, non-running project, but they wanted me 'admit' that I paid $10000 for it because, so they could charge more tax, because he said "That's what these cars go for, we know!". Overall, it was a friggin joke. All this was on the Canadian side (my own side). I was embarrassed to be Canadian. It was about 4 or 5 hours of a-holes playing tough guy. At the same time, they were hassling another guy about a boat he was trying to bring up. I said "Never again"

The second car I paid a transporter to bring it from Calif to my door. I paid a small fee to have a Broker do all my border crossing papers, never had to deal with the border whatsoever and came home from work to my car in my driveway.

My advice, it ain't worth the time and hassle. Get a broker and/or transporter. Life's to short to deal with crap (ie Border Crossing Guards). I will NEVER do that again. 

[charger_fan_4ever]

I bought 2 Chargers in Calif 2 years ago. The first one was brought up to Wash by a member here (thanks Rob!) and I met him there, transferred the car to my trailer and came up. I had title and bill of sale. I also gave the 72 hours notice. It was an absolute nightmare. I tried to be as nice as I could to them, but they would not believe the price. They phoned the seller in Calif to confirm. They accessed my Ebay account. I did buy the car on there, but the auction was no longer on there. I had about 3 or 4 different guards come up to and do the 'good cop, bad cop' routine, literally calling me a liar, saying "We're going to get you" and  "Once we find out, we're going to send a bill to you" and on and on! The car was a rusty, non-running project, but they wanted me 'admit' that I paid $10000 for it because, so they could charge more tax, because he said "That's what these cars go for, we know!". Overall, it was a friggin joke. All this was on the Canadian side (my own side). I was embarrassed to be Canadian. It was about 4 or 5 hours of a-holes playing tough guy. At the same time, they were hassling another guy about a boat he was trying to bring up. I said "Never again"

The second car I paid a transporter to bring it from Calif to my door. I paid a small fee to have a Broker do all my border crossing papers, never had to deal with the border whatsoever and came home from work to my car in my driveway.

My advice, it ain't worth the time and hassle. Get a broker and/or transporter. Life's to short to deal with crap (ie Border Crossing Guards). I will NEVER do that again. 

Curious how much were the broker fees ?

[Magnumcharger]

Fireguyfire, what crossing did you go through?
When I brought my truck up, it was at Sweetgrass, Montana.
My experience was exactly the same as yours.

[nakita7]

e, it ain't worth the time and hassle. Get a broker and/or transporter. Life's to short to deal with crap (ie Border Crossing Guards). I will NEVER do that again. 

Curious how much were the broker fees ?

Seriously not much, sure it was between $100 and $150?

[Dan T]

I had about 3 or 4 different guards come up to and do the 'good cop, bad cop' routine, literally calling me a liar, saying "We're going to get you" and  "Once we find out, we're going to send a bill to you" and on and on! The car was a rusty, non-running project, but they wanted me 'admit' that I paid $10000 for it because, so they could charge more tax, because he said "That's what these cars go for, we know!". Overall, it was a friggin joke. All this was on the Canadian side (my own side). I was embarrassed to be Canadian. It was about 4 or 5 hours of a-holes playing tough guy. At the same time, they were hassling another guy about a boat he was trying to bring up. I said "Never again"

That is exactly the same SH*T I went through..never again..
Charles Manson would have had less hassles crossing the border than me with a 40 yr old Charger that they wanted their bloody tax money from..

[Khyron]

but you guys have great medical

[fireguyfire]

Magnum charger, same for me;I came through Sweetgrass/ Coutts. Overall a real easy process, and not worth risking all the problems you go be in for lying about what you paid for the car; my advise guys is to pay the 5% and keep on hauling North!!!