Author Topic: Buying car from US question (Read 3753 times)

speed12sil · « **on:** June 27, 2005, 07:05:06 pm »

Hi,

I'm contemplating buying a new car from the states(cheaper there). Can I buy it in

Washington as a Canadian, insure the car there and keep it here long-term? I am NOT

importing it, merely wishing to use the Washington plates up here in Vancouver. In order to

buy an US Elise, do I have to be an US citizen or green-card holder? Do I have to have a

valid US address? Can a Canadian insure an US purchased car with an US insurance firm?

I have searched on google but have come up empty. Importing from the states is not an option

since that car CANNOT be imported, per www.riv.ca's info.

Anyone who has done this with an US vehicle or knows someone who does please post regarding

this. Thank you all for reading this.

Drivesideways · « **Reply #1 on:** June 27, 2005, 07:13:05 pm »

Welcome to the forum....

I don't know, but I doubt that you've stumbled onto the secret of how Cadbury gets the caramel inside the Caramilk bar. Otherwise half the people on the board would be driving Elises right now. I expect there are residency requirements for both registration and insurance. Let me know if I'm wrong though. I'll be next in line.

davidm · « **Reply #2 on:** June 27, 2005, 07:14:07 pm »

I think after 3 months you have to convert to local insurance/registration (which requires import). Also, to register/insure a car in a US state will probably require an address there.

I know it's not the best answer, but from all indicates the Elise will be brought here fairly soon. Dealers are taking deposits and Lotus has a posting on their site (or was it another site, I linked to it in the past) asking to Canadians to wait for the proper Canadian car and to not import US ones.

tpl · « **Reply #3 on:** June 27, 2005, 08:41:01 pm »

It is a federal offence to, as a Canadian resident, drive a US registered car in Canada...as soon as you attempt to do that you are deemed to have imported a vehicle into Canada without the necessary paperwork...which absolutely includes Canadian taxes on the vehicle.
If you got stopped in Vancouver you would have the vehicle confiscated I think AND you'd have to pay the GST and BC sales tax as well as the 6% duty. You can't say that you are in the process of importing because if you were then a) you would have a piece of paper issued at the border and b) you cant get that 'cos the Elise is not permitted as an import.

I have no idea about Insurance but I suspect that you'd need a US address and a social ins number and possibly you'd fail a credit check if you have no record in the US.

There are exceptions to this rule for Canadians who have a residence in the USA ( snowbirds for example)...but I suspect you dont fit.

One of our Regulars here, Barrie1,told us that he nearly got zapped with this but the car he was driving was an 2nd hand American car and it was a legal car to import.

Now if you keep the car in the USA and drive your Canadian car down there and only drive the Elise in the USA , except for the Insurance you'll be OK...with one tiny catch.

I'll bet that when the Elise becomes legal here it will still be impossible to import one made before a certain date and that Lotus US or Lotus Canada will not find it worth their while to make a conversion kit as it will be structural parts in the nose and tail of the car and their liability insurance people wont let them and anyway...whats in it for them? ( no-one but the mfr is allowed to bring a car into compliance under Canadian law)

(Message edited by tpl on June 27, 2005)

safristi · « **Reply #4 on:** June 28, 2005, 07:26:12 am »

Is that a "MAYBE!!???"......

barrie1 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 28, 2005, 12:34:55 pm »

TP it actually was a new Caddie Sedan Deville that i was bringing back from the US at the time and they gave me the hard time with. It was a Company car with Chicago plates on it that I was to deliver to London. They stated it was a Criminal Offence for me to cross the Border in a car plated from the US. The car and I were released but I was given a stiff warning. I do know of people who have bought Motorhomes in the US and they leave them at the dealer for parking and never bring them across. They use them when they cross over and go on holiday. There must be a small loophole for this type of transaction but I don't know about the cars.

tpl · « **Reply #6 on:** June 28, 2005, 05:58:37 pm »

Barrie, I think the rule probably dates from the days before the Autopact. and I was wrong...as soon as you write I remember the original post.

Saf no, thats not a maybe its a no way jose.

the question keeps being asked tho' I wonder why the people who REALLY WANT a non-importable car dont just get a "free trade visa" and go and live there.... or move to the UK and have their choice of many Lotii ( and Y\TVRS as well)

barrie1 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 28, 2005, 09:32:57 pm »

Thats a possibility as it was a few years before the pact. I would think you could find out from Canada Customs as they will have all of the proper answers on the laws now.

sittinaround · « **Reply #8 on:** June 30, 2005, 02:45:32 am »

One of my neighbours bought an Elise a couple of months ago. (In Malibu, CA.) It's a brilliant car. He's incredibly proud of it. Small details such as the door hinge, or the window winder are exquisitely made. And the car is lovely to look at. I wasn't able to coax him into giving me a ride. He said it's a no compromise type of ride.
BTW, his daily driver is a Mitsu Evo, black w/badge & spoiler delete.
Lucky guy!

tenpenny · « **Reply #9 on:** June 30, 2005, 09:06:40 am »

"He said it's a no compromise type of ride"

You mean only willing members of the opposite sex get a ride? Is that the meaning of no compromise?

speed12sil · « **Reply #10 on:** June 30, 2005, 02:20:42 pm »

Why does our government make such an annoying rule against importing cars from the states? If the car passes CAFE rules(one of the most stringent emission test in the world) and NHTSA safety tests what's to worry about?? Yes I know something along the line of "to protect our dealers/jobs" But....*argh*

davidm · « **Reply #11 on:** June 30, 2005, 03:53:33 pm »

Safety standards are different - in particular DRLs and bumper standards. Right or wrong, basically every government in the world puts its "mark" on cars for the domestic market. You think the US is any better or more open?

AVToller · « **Reply #12 on:** June 30, 2005, 04:28:31 pm »

"CAFE rules(one of the most stringent emission test in the world)"

??

As far as I'm aware, CAFE has nothing to do emissions, it is the C(orporate) A(verage) F(uel) E(conomy) standard which, if exceeded, triggers guzzler taxes.

mikegas · « **Reply #13 on:** July 05, 2005, 05:39:47 pm »

This is GM version of the Elise much nicer goes like a rocket and handles like a go-kart dam having to sell mine to come to Canada

tpl · « **Reply #14 on:** July 05, 2005, 06:43:27 pm »

Vx220 right? We will never see that here.

tenpenny · « **Reply #15 on:** July 05, 2005, 08:10:18 pm »

If you read the information, drl is one of the simpler problems. What is often the impossible hurdle is the seatbelt design. Transport Canada has strict rules about seatbelt design and attachment, that is sometimes a problem.

mikegas · « **Reply #16 on:** July 06, 2005, 05:48:33 pm »

Yea VX220 or Opel speedster better engine than elise

speed12sil · « **Reply #17 on:** July 06, 2005, 10:56:06 pm »

My bad. I should've said California's Emission standard. Got the name mixed up.

maritime_storm · « **Reply #18 on:** July 08, 2005, 10:10:04 am »

There are some vehicles you can import into Canada.Check with Canada Customs. I work in the Service Department at Canadian Tire, our particular shop is doing about 15 - 20 RIV inspections a week right now. Having said that their is a lengthy process to bring a vehicle to Canada and as mentioned some models{Ford Taurus for example} will require major modifications in order make it legal.