+1 on above post.It's a very simple process if you do your homework, cars over 15 years old are straightforward and you pay the same taxes as you would if you bought the car in your province ( for you that's just GST at 5%) plus duty of 6.1% if the car was not manufactured in North America (I.E a lotus) they will also ding you $100 if the car has A/C. A simple provincial safety inspection and you are done. Now if the car is newer than 15 years you will also need to go through the RIV process, which is a recall clearance letter and a federal inspection which is a two minute visual by Canadian tire and is a joke. You must make sure the vehicle is on the admissibility list, which is on the link below as well as the RIV Site. There are about $350 in fees for the process.
Colin
http://www.tc.gc.ca/media/documents/roadsafety/vafus.pdf
Registrar of Imported Vehicles - Vehicle Admissibility
I'm sorry but that's incorrect, ALL esprits can be imported into Canada, number of cylinders has nothing to do with it (look at the admissibility list) I fully agree with having your documentation in place which includes having the title stamped as 'exported' at the U.S border, but I have imported over a dozen esprits and never had any issues other than the usual ' where was it manufactured? Type of question ( if they don't ask you save 6.1% duty (again this is in the RIV literature) perhaps you meant the Elise? as they cannot be imported until they are fifteen years old. If you are unsure then hire a broker but the process is simple. Also Canada customs do not enforce the admissibility of a vehicle, that's done by the RIV and a form 2 ( required to register newer than 15 years) is only sent to the importer once the vehicle has been confirmed as admissible. What border crossing did you get held up at ? If its one that does not see a lot of imports I can see how they would not be fully conversant with the regulations. In B.C the Blaine crossing sees between 40 to 50 per day and they don't even bother going outside to look at the car, check the VIN, or even see what it is because they only collect the GST and duty, the rest of the process is provincial and the RIV.What part of Alberta are you from? I'm in Edmonton and have imported a 2003 Esprit with relatively little trouble other than Canada Customs was convinced the car was a kit car.
Keep in mind, any discussions you have with Customs get in writing cause you will need at the border. You cannot bring a 4 cylinder Esprit into Canada, what reason they don't even know. Now this may fall into the 15 year old thing, but get it in writing first, you may regret it at the border otherwise. I was quarantined at the border with the car for 3.5 hours while they tried to figure out what this Esprit was. Have your documentation in order and know your facts talking to the Border Guards, they know nothing about these cars.
Let me know if you need anymore info.
HI Stu,Colin, not doubting that all Esprits are/were admissible. That was my understanding as well, and have seen several four cylinders that were sourced from the 'States. Also understand the Elise & Exige have never been importable, and need to wait for the 15 year rule to kick in.
However, when I look under Lotus in the provided links it only seems to list the Esprit V8, and says 'All other Lotus models are inadmissible'. :shrug: Maybe this is the source of confusion?
LOTUS
Has perhaps the documentation changed? It shows as the Oct 9 2013 on-line version. Is there perhaps a different / better source of info confirming admissibility of 4 cylinder Esprits? Assume it would be great for Mike to have a hard copy either at the border or the registry showing the Esprit as admissible to avoid any issues?
For 88LotusEsprit, the OP (Mike) is located in Edmonton as well. Take him for a ride in your car to keep his spirits up.Maybe we can organize a Banff Jasper Esprit run next spring?
Cheers!
Stu
Just interested in the processopcorn:
What is different about the Canadian bumper foam? I remember it allowed the cars to pass a 5 MPH inpact VS the USA regulation of 2.5 MPH. Is it a different density, and how could an inspector tell?They changed the regulations a couple of years ago standardizing the bumper regs, which is why I have three sets of bumper foam in the garage :facepalm. Colin
Atwell,What is different about the Canadian bumper foam? I remember it allowed the cars to pass a 5 MPH inpact VS the USA regulation of 2.5 MPH. Is it a different density, and how could an inspector tell?
Just curious...
Perhaps it is the regular foam, soaked in Molsons?![]()
I'm not from Canada, but having dealt with US laws, I'll take a swag at it.I'm not from Canada, nor own an Esprit, but had a question for you guys. So above it states that there is a car age where the process changes. Does this mean that when the Exige turns 15, it may be admissible?
I read that as well.And in keeping with the Esprit topic - another URL (unverified) I read mentioned one of the reasons the Esprit was discontinued in 2004 was it had some safety exemptions that were running out.
Correct, any vehicle, once it reaches its 15 year anniversary is admissible. This has been the source of debate for quite some time as a vehicle that is not deemed 'safe' at 14 years, 11 months and 30 days suddenly becomes acceptably safe a day later. The RIV has sweeping powers to force you to export a vehicle that is inadmissible and many have learnt the hard way (yup, I have!) There are a lot of tricks to getting an inadmissible vehicle in to Canada though, and there are also some huge money saving loopholes when importing higher end BMW, Mercedes and Audi's. I was once called at 5:30 on a Sunday morning by the RIV telling me that the Suburban I had just imported was inadmissible and had to be exported out of Canada within 30 days. WTF was my first reaction, second was to find out why, turns out I had purchased what's known as an 'incomplete vehicle', very common in the U.S in particular travel vans, cab and chassis etc. The Suburban was customized by a third party contractor and turns out that the rear captains chairs had not been crash tested to Canadian standards. After some negotiations I was allowed to remove the captains chairs and have them destroyed (yup, cut up into little pieces) along with photographic evidence this appeased the RIV gods, the Suburban was then admissible. Once I had my paperwork in order I installed another set of captains chairs rotflI'm not from Canada, nor own an Esprit, but had a question for you guys. So above it states that there is a car age where the process changes. Does this mean that when the Exige turns 15, it may be admissible?
Well yes...and noI'll let Colin clear up the details, but my reading is that after fifteen years old we are good to go. Keep in mind Colin mentioned he has been bringing the Esprits in for 12 years; my guess is the Esprits were not 15 years old yet at the time of importation when he had to do the bumpers, etc. Do I have it vaguely right Colin?