Hey guys a quick question. I am thinking about bringing a car back across the boarder - My question is in regards to the 'how' I am bringing it back. The car does not run, so it will be brought back on a trailer. I don't have a trailer of my own - if I go and rent one, from say U-haul, what legal-red-tape is there when crossing back and forth? I was told, but have not confirmed, that US and Canadian customs (especially the Canadian side) get very picky when the ownership of the trailer is not in your name, Can anyone sheld some insight/ TIA -Andrew

canadian dont care. you dont even talk with them when you are leaving canada with the trailer

the US will ask a million questions. be sure to have a copy of the bill of sale or a print out if its from ebay. most likely they will also ask to see the info you had to send them 3 days before you export it.

as long as you can prove to the US what you are doing then you will be fine

Same with the rented trailer - as long as you have your rental # and invoice?
Thanks
-Andrew

ya.

i had a budy go to the US for a car with a borrowed trailer. (not a Uhall but not his) and did not have any problems.

Yes, that's the important one. Make sure you fax in the American Vehicle Title no less than 3 days before you pick the car up and cross the border. Also, if you get the seller to write you a Bill of sale for less than what you are actually paying for the car(to save money on taxes when you come back in) make sure there is nothing in the car that can prove the actual sale price as you'll pay a penalty on top of your first payment(yeah they make you state the price first, make you pay, and then search the car).

Ask me how I found this out the hard way. My gf brought the stupid auto trader printout and never told me, until they searched the car.

Watch out for those customs officers, they're real *******s.

As for the trailer, I'm not too sure on that one.

Good luck.

What everyone here is saying is true, i picked up my fbody from the us and brought everything but the kitchen sink ..in the end, i had to leave my car overnight at the u.s customs because the VIN on my drivers door didnt match so they had to wait til the next day for the officer to come in and make sure that piece wasnt from a stolen car or anything, i showed my uhaul receipt, drivers licence, birth certificate, clear title and bill of sale. also only the LEWISTON BRIDGE does vehicles the niagara/buffalo,etc. will not let you go in/out. and call the lewiston at least 72 business days before you go to let them know you are coming...um, also if the car is 10 years or newer, you must have a copy of any recalls for that make/model and have them done be4 you can cross. you will pay an a/c tax(if it has) and federal tax. oh, and another payment if you have a trailer with its own brakes(considered another vehicle) everything else is easy!

This is what you need to know- Information right from Canadian Customs (CBSA) website on importing a vehicle.
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/...sf5048-07e.pdf

Thanks for all the info...
I'm most interested in the trailer portion. I don't have my own and need to rent/borrow one. I will call U-haul tomorrow to see what they say and then, I guess both customs offices (Last time I called customs Can I was transferred twice and put on hold for almost 10min )
I've hear horror stories, where the customs officer was suspicious of the rented trailer, even though there was paperwork etc... that went with it.
-Andrew

For those who are interested:
I got off the tele with customs - seems there is no problem with the trailer. If you borrow a friends you MUST have the trailer's ownership with you and a WRITTEN letter of permision from the owner. If you rent from U-haul, the U-haul rep told me that u-haul has an 'agreement' with canadian and us customs. As long as you have your rental agreement - you are good to go! I didn't know, however, that renting a car trailer is based on a per km basis
-Andrew

really, how much per km do they want

dont know on that one,i rented a dolly and towed on two wheels, that was unlimited for me. non the less, good luck and make a list so you can check it off be4 you go

Never heard of the per km charge on a trailer. How would they know? There's no hub odo on them?

I had no problem bringing a car back from the bottom of NY state last summer. Didn't even clear it with US customs, just showed up at Cdn Customs on the way back & paid the GST & AC tax.

BTW, last time I tried to rent a trailer from UHaul in Brampton they wanted the tow vehicle to have a yellow windshield sticker. They didn't in the past and no others have asked for it.

Nomad,
your scenario, just shows what a joke our boarder crossing really are.... No wonder things get across all the time; and the US/CAN government's wonder how how how do guns, tobbaco, booze and all the other ... get across; it's all this dicrepancy. I call customs Canada - get the info of what to do, and then I hear stories like yours
Sorry for my rant Nomad, I am not insinuating anything about your situation, but this type of info just ups my blood pressure.
To be honest though, I doubt getting across the boarder without submitting your bill of sale and ownership 72hours to US customs in advance would slide.... I've heard guys having to camp with their bloody cars, because customs wanted the FULL 72hours of time....
-Andrew

Don't forget that you need a TITLE stamped by US CBP ( Customs) as well as the TITLE to clear into Canada. - in addition to the bill of sale & whatever registration documents you use to get the car to the border. Just resesarch before you go & you will not have any problems. Thirdgen F-body's would be exempt enrollment in the RIV program provided they are at least 15 years old as determined by the month & year of manufacture. This is determined by the drivers door decal. If the car you are considering is a 1992, you better check the production date on the door & if needed, familiarize yourself with the RIV process. http://www.riv.ca/

Don't forget that you need a TITLE stamped by US CBP ( Customs) as well as the TITLE to clear into Canada. - in addition to the bill of sale & whatever registration documents you use to get the car to the border. Just resesarch before you go & you will not hsave any problems. Thirdgen F-body's would be exempt enrollment in the RIV program provided they are at least 15 years old as determined by the month & year of manufacture. This is determined by the drivers door decal. If the car you are considering is a 1992, you better check the MFR date & if needed, familiarize yourself with the RIV process. http://www.riv.ca/

kaptinkafeen,

The 72 hours submission to the US Customs has absolutely nothing to do with guns, tobacco or booze coming into Canada. All it means is that the US has cleared a vehicle for export. On the Cdn side when you are importing the are still checking the vehicle to see if it meets requirements for import.

If you buy a vehicle in the US and then travel down to get it sometime after purchasing you have plenty of time to get the 3 days done. If you happen to find a vehicle you like in the US and wish to bring it back the 3 days is a waste of time. If we truly had NAFTA and cross-border co-operation none of this would be an issue and the Cdn Customs could check out a vehicle in the US databases when you showed up at the border.

Any of the so called border control systems are a complete joke if you're a criminal and as such a waste of time and money when they really have no effect.

you would think thats the way to do it but i now know 3 people to totaly skip this hole prosses and just went right to the Canadain border. TOTALY skipping the US export part. wish i did it that way and if i was to do it again i would.

It would seem that the canadian customs dont care if the car has been exported. so long as you pay them the tax on it

add me to the 3 if you havent yet ..I drove my 88 convertible straight to the Canadian customs with Ohio temp tags

your one Daz

dude is there a way to be paid member of CCFBG without having to send an application?..Can I just send you the fee?..lol

Daz you can come out to the first cruise night at street classics or the show or talk with mark

sorry for the highjack kaptinkafeen

I did it that way. The guy at the Canadian side said it was a US law and they weren't in the business of enforcing US laws. He did say if I had any problems when I registered the vehicle in Ontario I would have to re-import the car to clear it up. I got an unfit on the car with no problem at all. They were more interested in the bill of sale and never looked for the stamp.

I'm not saying this is the right way to do it or anything. It would have cost me too much to be worth it to store the vehicle and then go back after 3 days to get it. If I bought a vehicle on eBay or somehow where I owned it for a few days first I would do the 3 day thing.