Canadians buying from the USA

[911golf]

Hello All,

Any Canadians out there with experience buying from Rocky Mountain RV in Logan, Utah or RVWholesalers in Ohio or even Lakeshore RV in Michigan? Good, bad, issues with servicing here in Alberta, issues with the delivery or shipping to the border, not the right trailer, etc.?
Thanks, I appreciate any info.

[mobilife]

Do we pay the GST/HST at the border, or when we apply for license plate after RIV inspection?

[hone_eagle]

Dealer in michigan recently told us that they can provide a recall letter for any trailer they sell,we were looking at used 5th wheels.
S o yes they are required for any imported rv.

[michelb]

FWIW, I'm too lazy to call RIV but all the references I see say that you do need the recall letter for trailers as well (the one step you seem to save with trailers is that they don't have to be exported from the US. You do still need the title in Canada though (if you don't have the title (e.g. some people sell with 'bill of sale only'), I don't think it's possible to import the vehicle into Canada.

[vic46]

I just had a look at the RIV site, specifically the "Recall clearance" information. The page provides two drop downs, one for the "manufacturer" and the second for the "type" of RV. I looked in the type list and low and behold, trailer is included. That would mean to me that by implication, trailers are included in the recall cert requirement. I don't think I would want to be trying to import a "trailer" without the recall cert! If called out for no cert, you would then own a trailer that you could not bring into Canada and therefore you would be in the Seller's market in the US. There is an alternative I would guess. Employee an import broker that is experienced in the vehicle importation process however; that would have a serious impact on the "savings" gained by importing. I would further suggest that one acquire the recall cert BEFORE taking ownership/title to the vehicle. I would not assume that a rv broker/dealership knows the ins and outs of import to Canada. Due diligence here would include overseeing the whole process to avoid owning an RV that is not importable to Canada.

Exemption from the RIV requirements, including the recall certificate, are listed at the following web site. Please note that there is AN exemption for any RV that is older than 15 years. The remaining exemptions include a work vehicle, a temporary import and pre-clearance These exemptions are not likely to fly for an RV, I would suggest.

http://www.riv.ca/RIVExemptions.aspx

Vic

[chipster]

Looks like your best advice here so far would be to just give them a call. Whether or not someone has done it before, might not be the case now.

[dieharder]

Since trailers are listed in the drop down here on the RIV site, I'd have to assume that it MAY be asked of you, regardless of whether anyone else was asked for it or not.

[MB_Flatlander]

Just call RIV and explain the situation, it only took me a couple minutes. Let us how you make out.

[gitane59]

MB Flatlander wrote:
I have purchased 2 vehicles and 3 travel trailers over the last couple years and can tell you that the process is easy, you just have to do it once to know. I do not consider buying south of the boarder if I'm not going to save myself more than $2000. Just make sure you take into consideration your time, gas, accomodations, temporary insurance and permits, it all adds up.

I'd also like to say that the last trailer we bought in 2010 was manufactured by Sun Valley which was not in business at our time of purchase. I called RIV, the girl I spoke with made note of it and said that I wouldn't need to supply a Recall Clearance Letter and I was never asked for one. Everything went smooth and we are now waiting to head down to pick our 3rd one in 2 more months.

I too have purchased and imported a trailer from the US and do know the process veRy well.
It is indeed very simply and I too saved thousands and got a unit that was very rare in Canada.
I simply am trying to find out if importing a unit from s company that is out of business and can't provide a recall letter is possible.

[MB_Flatlander]

I have purchased 2 vehicles and 3 travel trailers over the last couple years and can tell you that the process is easy, you just have to do it once to know. I do not consider buying south of the boarder if I'm not going to save myself more than $2000. Just make sure you take into consideration your time, gas, accomodations, temporary insurance and permits, it all adds up.

I'd also like to say that the last trailer we bought in 2010 was manufactured by Sun Valley which was not in business at our time of purchase. I called RIV, the girl I spoke with made note of it and said that I wouldn't need to supply a Recall Clearance Letter and I was never asked for one. Everything went smooth and we are now waiting to head down to pick our 3rd one in 2 more months.

[chipster]

Be interesting to know. I read there rules and then confirm it with them on the phone. But having said that, I have had to educate the customs people before. Try telling the customs officer in the most polite way that they are doing it wrong or this is how you do it...... interesting turn of events. Hard not to grin when they get on the phone and call RIV themselves and you here them repeating the answers that you just tried to inform them about. Remember your Canadian and if you have nothing to hide they do not have the right to treat you like a second class criminal.

[gitane59]

chipster wrote:
You need a recall letter for trailers as well, even utility trailers.

Call them they don't bite.

RIV

I didn't say they did bite. But government agencies don't always know the correct answer's to less than obvious questions and at some times will give incorrect answers.
I am just trying to find out why certain individuals have the opinions they do.
Over the years there have been individuals who have claimed quite strongly that they have imported towable RV's from defunct companies without recall letters and I simply want to hear directly from them.

[chipster]

You need a recall letter for trailers as well, even utility trailers.

Call them they don't bite.

RIV

[gitane59]

I keep hearing people express the belief that a recall letter is only required for motorized RV's (ie: motorhomes).
Can anyone who believes this please confirm this position with evidence as I have always ruled out considering importing any Teton, Carriage or Travel Supreme fifthwheels since the manufacturers are out of business.

[vic46]

Transport Canada Vehicle Admissibility List:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/safevehicles/importation/usa/vafus/list2/menu.htm


Dig around on this site, all the information on importation is there.

[michelb]

Mexnut wrote:

michelb wrote:

chipster wrote:
Yes it will be deducted. You will pay taxes on the value minus the $800.

+1

It's like any other US purchase. You get a certain amount for the length of time you are in the US (i.e. if you're only there one day, you don't get anything, if you are there one week you get $800. If you are multiple people, you get the discount for each person (i.e. after 1 week in the US, a family of 4 is allowed to bring in 4x$800=$3200 tax free.

BUT, you are not allowed to combine the 4 duty free allowances on a single purchase. At least that's the way it was for us last summer.

dieharder wrote:
Among other terms and conditions, you are not allowed to combine your personal exemptions with another person’s or transfer them to someone else.

In addition, children can only get the $800 exemption if the goods being declared are for the child's use.

Therefore, it would be extremely difficult to apply the entire families personal exemptions onto one RV, but it could work depending on who you get at the border.

Good point - never even thought of that. Actually now that I think of it, I thought I had read somewhere that you don't get the exemption anyway if your total purchases are over the limit (i.e. if you buy $1000, you are taxed on the full $1000 not on $1000 - $800) but I could be wrong. I suspect that enforcement varies so the border / agent probably makes a difference.

I think with every vehicle I've purchased except for one, it's been a day trip to pick it up and I was alone anyway so it didn't apply. I'll have to see if I still have the receipt from the one we pick up as a family and brought it in at the end of the 'pickup trip'