Topic: Anyone from Ottawa purchase tires in the US?

[mar1990]

Looks like I need to replace the tires on my car.  US prices seem to be about 40% cheaper than in Canada, so I'd like to investigate going that route.

Does anyone have experience with buying tires in the US?

Did you have them shipped to a Mailbox/location in the US, near the border, and then go and pick them up.  (Thats why I asked about Ottawa.  It won't do me any good if the dropoff is in Detroit or Buffalo).  what kind of setup and costs are involved?

When you brought them through customs, what should I expect for duties.

Who did you get locally to mount the tires?  I can see some of the local dealers not being thrilled about installing tires you bought in the US.

Thanks.

[wing]

Tirerack has an installer in Ogdensburg you get them shipped and installed there and you drive back.

Or get them shipped to the UPS store like you mentioned and then bring them back and get them installed, most places don't care where you got them.

[mar1990]

Thanks,

I googled "ups store ogdensburg ny tires".

It listed out quite a few results of what I was looking for.
Someone also suggested filling out the tire vendor's online form to see what shipping to Canada would be.

[mmret]

Tirerack has an installer in Ogdensburg you get them shipped and installed there and you drive back.

Or get them shipped to the UPS store like you mentioned and then bring them back and get them installed, most places don't care where you got them.

The guy's name is Wayne.

[quadzilla]

When you brought them through customs, what should I expect for duties.

Who did you get locally to mount the tires? 

Are you saving any money if you drive to the USA, pay duties when bringing them back and then paying somebody to install the tires ($15/corner?). Don't forget to factor in your time into this also.

On the Tirerack site you can enter your postal code for a delivery quote, it does everything including duties so what you see is what you pay. Don't forget the convert the US$ to CDN$ as the exchange isn't the best right now.

[tortoise]

I had mine shipped to Burlington Vt. and installed while I was there. 

This was back when the exchange was better than par and I think all told it came out to around $500.  With the current exchange rates I'd be surprised if the savings would be worth the hassle.

[Ex-airbalancer]

If you lived close to border it would not be bad, or you doing a run to States for other things
For me it is at least a 2 hour drive to get to the border, not really worth it

[sailor723]

Given the exchange rate and the huge extra cost of shipping (around 3x US shipping last time I bought from Tirerack) to Canada I think it only makes sense if you are close enough to easily run down to the border and pick them up. I bought 4 tires last month and saved about $200 but I'm only an hour from the border and my wife wanted some odds and ends from the grocery store anyway so the trip had more than one purpose.

 In that case freight to the Maine border was $63 and the charges to Saint John NB would have been around $175.

In terms of duties....  The 3 times I've brought tires back I've never been charged anything other than 13% HST regardless of where the tires were made.

[blur911]

If you don't want to go through the UPS store a more friendly place in Ogdensburg is the http://www.corp-center.com/  They hold it longer and don't charge very much.  Phone in your info as it's just a little cheaper than  going through the website.
They have tons of tires going through their shop.  I think they charge $6 per tire, maybe less if they are together.

You should have to pay PST and GST, possibly duties if built outside North America.  If they say Goodyear instead of Hankook you can probably get away without paying duties.

[bffd]

Send them to ogdesnburg and then check out bffd.ca.  You can pick them up in Ottawa. Save on Gas/Time/Border Hassels/

[mmret]

Tirerack has an installer in Ogdensburg you get them shipped and installed there and you drive back.

I've been there! Those two guys are a bit redneck but friendly enough. They asked about the Krown I had applied to my car. Apparently they had never seen that before.

Of course, you will not escape Canada Customs on the way back over.

[No H2O]

Does anyone have experience with buying tires in the US?

Did you have them shipped to a Mailbox/location in the US, near the border, and then go and pick them up.

What kind of setup and costs are involved?

Yes, I got my last set from Tire Rack.

I had them shipped to a UPS Store stateside. I paid $5 per set of two tires; its now $5 per tire per day.

When you brought them through customs, what should I expect for duties.

13% HST only. If they are not US made, add 6%. My Yokohamas were US made so all I paid was HST.

These were $59 tires. After all was said and done; tires, shipping, UPS Store charges, HST and installation, I saved $175.