Can US car be import in Canada now??

[Purist]

Once I lose my NH address, I won't be able to keep it registered in NH. So basically my only option would be to sell and buy an equivalent used one for many thousands more, eh?

[dobekiss]

It's all such a load of poop! I talked to people at the Lotus company in the UK and people in Transport Canada and each blames the other for this import problem to Canada. I just want one dammit!!! Before I get too old to go topless. TeeHee...

[catapult]

Originally Posted by dobekiss

It's all such a load of poop! I talked to people at the Lotus company in the UK and people in Transport Canada and each blames the other for this import problem to Canada. I just want one dammit!!! Before I get too old to go topless. TeeHee...

I can't see how Transport Canada is to blame. The manufacturer has to submit the car's US specs so the regulator knows what modifications need to be done to comply with Cdn requirements. The regulator just follows a bunch of guidelines.

[MyFutureSelfnMe]

It's true, Lotus hasn't submitted the US specs. But there doesn't seem to be a route for individual owners to get the car cleared without mfr cooperation, and I think Transport Canada owes it to Canadian citizens (not so much the industry) to provide such a route. Being told that the system actually protects citizens by keeping their resale values high is so vile and disgusting that I can't even think of the words to formulate an adequate retort.

Failing that, temporary visa holders should be able to bring whatever they've got during the duration of their visa.

Failing that, you should be able to insure a car in Ontario without having it registered there.

[pccw]

damn...cdn dealers...
can't the US dealer povide info to transport canada?
i really want to get one, but i think people in the states will laugh at us paying $25000 for a same used car...
its almost double the price...last i check cdn trader 06 elise is $45000 and from the states the cheapest one is $25000........its even worse in used car market!

but how come the older lotus can be imported??

[tranquility]

I just love the wordings on the US and Canada Lotus sites' (for the S240, for example):

USA MSRP $65,690 USD
CANADA - Contact Dealer for pricing (READ: you're gonna get RAPED!!!!!!)

[MyFutureSelfnMe]

Originally Posted by pccw

damn...cdn dealers...
can't the US dealer povide info to transport canada?
i really want to get one, but i think people in the states will laugh at us paying $25000 for a same used car...
its almost double the price...last i check cdn trader 06 elise is $45000 and from the states the cheapest one is $25000........its even worse in used car market!

but how come the older lotus can be imported??

Oh, yeah, make no mistake, I *will* laugh at you if you pay CDN prices.

I'm sure if a dozen or so owners got together and hired a lawyer and made an investment out of it they might be able to come up with something. One random person making phone calls is just going to run into a dead end. I believe only the US govt and the mfr have the data. This was an issue for people in the US trying to import Skylines several years ago. For some reason it got cleared for Canada easily (hence the glut of RHD Skylines cruising around Canada), but getting it cleared for the US was a several hundred thousand $ investment because the data had to be created fresh. So a US cleared (early 90s) Skyline cost something like $85k. I laughed at the people who paid that too.

I believe in the US, if the car is substantially identical to a car that's already been cleared, you only need a list of the differences to get it cleared. I believe that's also true in Canada. However the list has to come from the mfr. Unfortunately this allows mfr's to abuse the market they have cornered. They are helped in this by having a target audience that is more willing to take it up the ass than Americans.

If multiple people want to get together and make a project out of this, I am willing to put up my share of the money. In case you haven't noticed, I'm angry and motivated.

[MyFutureSelfnMe]

Originally Posted by pccw

but how come the older lotus can be imported??

Anything over 15 yrs can be imported. Why? I guess collectors wanted it that way. It kind of invalidates any reason for Transport Canada to regulate what can be imported at all though. And I honestly don't believe they should regulate what can be imported and sold on the Canadian market. For that matter, I don't believe the border should be manned and guarded.

If more people are interested in putting their money where their mouth is, perhaps we can compare notes on this thread.

[Racerunner]

Base MSRP US for a base Elise: US 47,250
Base MSRP CAN for a base Elise: CDN 59,900

Let’s say we would be able to import a vehicle it would land at 55K after paying import tax and exchange. Plus shipping and any other expenses that would come up to actually comply the car. You all have to agree that the price now is getting pretty close. This example works for any other Lotus model.

As of used: 45K for a 06 is simply unrealistic in Canada. The real number is more like higher 30s.

The problem is availability for used inventory in Canada and the fact that the US already had a 05 MY. I have seen the US$25,000 cars offered and I sure won’t want to own one of these.

Not to mention, the relationship to the dealer or would the new owner drive to the original dealer in the US to get it serviced? And BTW: market size does matter! All of the European imports are actually way more expensive in the country of production. The US market is the most important one and prices therefore are subsidized.

The Canadian prices and regulations are so much more complicated than just the exchange.

A lot of information here is simply wrong and misleading.

[MyFutureSelfnMe]

The 'import tax' would cease to be an issue if an influx of US vehicles forced the Canadian market to comply with US pricing. You would be left with the exchange rate conversion. The import tax is also not an issue for those of us who have owned US vehicles for years. I believe with only the exchange rate conversion considered, the difference is nearly 10k.

I don't know about you but I'm not interested in maintaining a relationship with a dealer. I'm not buying Ferraris and I'm not trying to get on waiting lists. I just need a place to get the car serviced, which is going to be the nearest dealer to wherever I'm located that week, save for a few that have bad reputations (Gentry Lane in Toronto has a great reputation, I just would never buy a vehicle from them because they're located in Canada).

Market size only matters because manufacturers have been successful (with the assistance of governments) in isolating markets. The world should be the market. Period.

I'm tired of hearing how things are "so much more complicated". If they're so much more complicated then you can live with being deprived of my cash.

[Racerunner]

Every Canadian citizen has to pay import tax when importing a vehicle. As far as I know only domestic cars fall under the category you are addressing. For every Porsche, BMW, Lotus, and so on import tax of 6.2% has to be paid.

And this is what we are discussing here. The concerns of Canadian citizens trying to import US cars.

Lets say there is a major issue with the car and warranty would be questionable. I am sure you would be happy to have a relationship with the dealer then....

You are not buying a Ferrari, right. However you are buying a car that basically has the same market size...or even a smaller one.

[MyFutureSelfnMe]

Actually, what I'm discussing here is blowing open the Canadian market to US vehicles. I'm not the only one on this thread who is not a Canadian citizen. There are a whole bunch of us now, on and off the thread. And at this point I'm tempted to break out the heavy machinery to find a way to make this happen.

You forgot to factor in GST/PST on new purchases. Some US states charge no sales tax on vehicle purchases.

I'll take my chances with the questionable warranty issues.

[Racerunner]

You have to do more homework. Local taxes still have to be paid when the car is registered in the province. There are no taxes to be paid to the dealer when the car is being exported. Same the other way around.

Import tax is paid at the border.
Local taxes are paid when registering the vehicle.

Can't compare US with Canadian tax implecations.

So its about YOU being able to sell into Canada? Not the concern of Canadians bringing the car in. Interesting.

[MyFutureSelfnMe]

You're absolutely right, I'll do more homework when I have time, maybe tomorrow night, and then check back with this thread.

I'm not trying to sell a car. There are more people in Canada than just Canadians Some of us have modified our cars and just want to get the f*cking things registered, no matter what it takes, up to and including getting them legalized at great expense. I'm sure there are US dealers, owners who are moving to Canada, and Canadians who share enough interest to get the ball rolling financially if someone does their homework as you said.

[Racerunner]

Have a great day and good luck.

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by Racerunner

As of used: 45K for a 06 is simply unrealistic in Canada. The real number is more like higher 30s.

The 45K cars are sold by the dealers with markups. It is more like 40K with the private sale. Most of the Canadian cars are also fully loaded and therefore cost little more too. So, I wouldn't say the price is too unrealistic. It is just the recent exchange rate makes the price looks expensive. But it is like almost all canadian cars are more expensive than their counterparts in the US, not just Lotus.

[Racerunner]

Originally Posted by Turtle

The 45K cars are sold by the dealers with markups. It is more like 40K with the private sale. Most of the Canadian cars are also fully loaded and therefore cost little more too. So, I wouldn't say the price is too unrealistic. It is just the recent exchange rate makes the price looks expensive. But it is like almost all canadian cars are more expensive than their counterparts in the US, not just Lotus.

Not true. Weissach had an 06, nicely optioned car, with 19,000 km for 39,900 and an 07 for 46,000 this summer. I was close to do a deal on the 06 but could not make it there in time before it was sold.

[MyFutureSelfnMe]

The Canadian dollar is over 95 cents US this morning, and will probably reach and breach parity again soon. I don't see it returning below parity when the US dollar starts taking a hit from their govt bailouts.

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by Racerunner

Not true. Weissach had an 06, nicely optioned car, with 19,000 km for 39,900 and an 07 for 46,000 this summer. I was close to do a deal on the 06 but could not make it there in time before it was sold.

Then the price for the used market in Canada is quite reasonable. Hope you will get the car soon.