Importing Canadian Car

**Halon** · 12-19-2006

Anyone here done it on there own? I'm trying to import one from Canada, but ran into a small road block. The manufacturer will not give us the paper stating the car is EPA approved for the US. They will only give it to an authorized importing company. Has anyone else done this, that can give some advice, other then paying some 3rd party company $600 to import it for me?

SLOW_V · 12-19-2006

What are you importing? Colt GT? Silvia?

**Halon** · 12-19-2006

That's not the question. The question is if anyone else has done this, and if anyone has any pointers to help me get this done on my own. It is a car that fully meets US standards, and is manufactured here. The reason I'm looking at one from Canada is because of the price of the car, not because it's some badass car that wasn't made here.

**JET** · 12-20-2006

I looked into it, I had found a sweet 97 talon up there I wanted, but ran into the same roadblock. They wouldn't give that info up at all. I would think that is their duty as the manufacturer. There is a nice page out there about importing a car in, I think it is about a Toyota.

AJ · 12-20-2006

I'm almost positive I saw somethinon this a year or two back on the Rally Mn yahoo list when someone was looking at his options for a Colt/Swift or some shit like that. Maybe it was the SCCA forums though... I'll see if I can find anything, but those might be a few resources to try. Those rally guys do all sorts of weird shit.

**Halon** · 12-20-2006

http://www.canadatotwincities.com/buy_car.html

That is the page I found my info off. The manufacturer did give us a form saying it was built to US standards, so it should pass safety. But they will not give us the EPA letter. Bastards!

AJ · 12-20-2006

And I take it the EPA letter is what is needed to register it?

AJ · 12-20-2006

Here is another fite for ya B. Don't know if it will help any.

http://www.foreignborn.com/visas_imm...rcar.htm#prior

**Halon** · 12-20-2006

I need the EPA letter to actually get it past customs. I could get it past customs without the letter, but it would be imported under a different set of rules, and wouldn't be legal for street use.

SLOW_V · 12-20-2006

It might easier to pay 600 bucks to a 3rd party to get it done for you. All this running around doesn't seem worth it.

**Halon** · 12-20-2006

The car is not worth spending $600 to import.

It would appear a guy named ShiftyZ on MNSC is a customs agent. He informed me all I need is this letter that I have already, and the title to the car. Then I'll get to the border, and will have to fill out a form at customs, and then I should be good to go. All that other crap is for commercial companies importing a car for commercial purposes. So he said it's actually really simple. I'm calling the Detroit Border Point and confirming everything with them, because that is the border I will be crossing.

AJ · 12-20-2006

Now that's a road trip! That's cool that it could turn out that simple. B, you shoudl do a write up on the process for the site.

**Halon** · 12-20-2006

Write-up:

If you buy a car from Canada, talk to ShiftyZ on MNSC.

The End!!

Ya Mapquest is saying it's a 14hr drive one-way. Yeeeehaaaaww. Junkyard Wars has begun!

SLOW_V · 12-20-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by ju-on

The car is not worth spending $600 to import.

It would appear a guy named ShiftyZ on MNSC is a customs agent. He informed me all I need is this letter that I have already, and the title to the car. Then I'll get to the border, and will have to fill out a form at customs, and then I should be good to go. All that other crap is for commercial companies importing a car for commercial purposes. So he said it's actually really simple. I'm calling the Detroit Border Point and confirming everything with them, because that is the border I will be crossing.

I wouldn't know how much the car cost, since you didn't tell us. If you want the sucker bad enough. Money is no object.

**Halon** · 12-20-2006

I want the car, but not bad enough to spend half the amount I'm paying for the car itself, just to import it. Which is why I was trying to figure out if I can get it here myself. Because if I have to pay to import it, then it isn't going to happen.

niterydr · 12-20-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by ju-on

Write-up:

If you buy a car from Canada, talk to ShiftyZ on MNSC.

The End!!

Ya Mapquest is saying it's a 14hr drive one-way. Yeeeehaaaaww. Junkyard Wars has begun!

Good deal!

turbotalon1g · 12-20-2006

GLad to hear that you got it figured.

CVD · 12-20-2006

Dont forget to bring ALL of your documentation to the border. Especially your reply from the Detroit Border Point.

95tsi · 12-21-2006

It really is pretty simple. I had bought a car from Canada and went through a little bit of a run around with it simply because I didn't check everything out prior to buying it. As far as I know if the customs/border agents know your taking the car into the US after purchase you need them to check everything out. If the seller is driving the car across the border with intentions on selling it, he needs to let them know so they can check it out.
The car I bought, the seller told me everything was in order and ready to go. Turns out he didn't say a word to the border agents and I ended up driving the car back missing alot of info on the car. After getting home I couldn't title the car without the EPA stuff. Called up the MSP airport and spoke with their customs agents. Drove down and spoke with a guy there and he put some stamp on the title after asking if the car was 'modified, all the stock exhaust still there, or any egr/emissions stuff in tact?' I simply said yes. Got the stamp without anyone checking out the car, just my word on it. I was pretty amazed. Easy enough.

TheBlizzard · 12-21-2006

I tried to buy a sweet 92 Talon with a built 2.4 ect. But could not import it because it didn't meet certain standards. Jet and Nash can vouge I jump through hoops and called all over the U.S for two weeks trying to get it done and eventually said fuck it.

They kept telling me it had to have a drives side air bag, anti lock breaks and all kinds of other shit. And I tried to get a letter from the manufacture but they were dicks and wouldn't help me.

If I were to do it I would just go get the car, pay for it, then drive it back and switch the VIN to an american registered car and just register it in my name. Fuck Canada.