Purchasing vehicle

[lvthesunSask]

Is it possible for Canadian resident to purchase a vehicle while visiting the US and have it licensed and drive it while snowbirding ? We're wanting to purchase a smart car but selection is very limited where we live . Hoping we can find and drive one while we are visiting in Arizona .

[lvthesunSask]

We'd be bringing the vehicle ( Smart car ) home with us when we come home . We are hoping to have the deck built on our Volvo HDT and would carry vehicle on that while travelling . Only reason we are thinking of purchasing a vehicle while down in the US is because there is very little selection to chose from in the our area . Looking for one close to home but haven't found one yet .

[joegray]

Yes you can buy a new vehicle in the US. The moment you drive it off the dealer lot and register it in your name it is no longer a new vehicle. It is current model year. Use the, care of, RV park for your address and that way you will be able to get any mail regarding the vehicle. Check with RIV to make sure the vehicle is allowed it Canada, if you want to bring it home. You don't say what you are doing with the vehicle, Toad or a vehicle to just leave in the U.S.

[samandtheduck]

I imported a truck from the US. I had to file the paperwork 48 hours in advance with the US customs to export the vehicle and meet the other RIV requirements. Most used vehicles are OK to import but you should check first. A Canadian resident can license a vehicle in Arizona with Arizona plates so you can drive it down there and use those plates to get it to the border when you are ready. After exporting on the US side and importing on the Canadian side by paying the RIV fee you would need a permit to get the car home and then it would have to be inspected before you could get a Sask. license. I didn't license mine in the US but got a permit from the DMV and a 7 day travel insurance card from SGI to get me home.
SGI now allows Sask residents to leave a Canadian licensed vehicle in the US all year if it is OK with the juristiction you are living in. Just changed two years ago.
Brian

[dpam]

Go to the Canadian website called RIV.ca and there you should find all the information you require to import a vehicle into Canada from the USA.

[Gruffy]

lvthesunSask wrote:
Is it possible for Canadian resident to purchase a vehicle while visiting the US and have it licensed and drive it while snowbirding ? We're wanting to purchase a smart car but selection is very limited where we live . Hoping we can find and drive one while we are visiting in Arizona .

Don't know where your going but.... In Arizona you can buy, license and drive a vehicle with a Canadian drivers license. You can't bring it back to Canada unless you ensure it meets Canadian codes (many do not) and are prepared to declare it at the border and do the necessary paperwork.

Many Canadians own and drive vehicle with US plates. The Canadians who leave vehicles in the USA with Canadian plates and insurance are ignoring the rule that says the vehicle must spend at least 6 months in Canada. If they are caught, they have NO INSURANCE!!!

[netjam]

Moisheh is correct. CBC (Marketplace) did a show this year on price differences between the US and Canada. In the show they explained that many US auto makers (GM, Chrysler, Toyota and Nissan) have told their US dealers that selling to Canadians could cost them their dealership. Ford is OK with US dealers selling to Canadians. Google "registrar of imported vehicles" for info on how to import NEW vehicles into Canada.

[moisheh]

Of course you can buy a new vehicle and import it into Canada. Some mfrs. discourage their dealers from selling to Canadians. They disallow warranties and do not give rebates to Canadians. I think Ford will sell to Canadians.

Moisheh

[loulou57]

lvthesunSask wrote:
Thanks loulou. Looked on Canadian site but couldn't really find anything . We would be looking for used vehicle. Was hoping to hear from someone who has done this or tried to do this .

You can buy a used vehicle and bring it back. We wanted to buy a new truck a few weeks ago. The dealer informed us that Canadians can't take a new vehicle home.
I hope you can find an answer. The best would be to go directly to a registration office and get the correct information. Good luck.

[JAXFL]

Back 100 years ago when I sold RVs, I had a gentleman from overseas come in and buy a motorhome to drive for 6 months while they were in the USA. He got a license plate from the state that we were in and also insurance and paid state sales tax. At the end of the 6 months I have no idea what he did with it as I retired, but it worked for him while in the US. Check with a couple of dealers in the state that is going to be the cheapest for you and see what they say.

[lvthesunSask]

Thanks loulou. Looked on Canadian site but couldn't really find anything . We would be looking for used vehicle. Was hoping to hear from someone who has done this or tried to do this .

[loulou57]

You are not allowed to bring a new vehicle into Canada

If you choose used you are okay. Now I don't know about registering it in the US first. I would think you would need a permanent address to do that.
For the correct information you should get in contact with the American licensing department as well as the Canadian Ministry of Transportation.

[lvthesunSask]

Know that we will have to pay for tax etc . I don't think we can license it with our prov plates until we have it go thru border crossing etc. I know when we bought a truck in alberta instead of home prov of sask we were given a 24 hour permit to get the truck home and then had to to make an appt within a certain timeframe to have truck inspected. Just wondering if we would be able to put Arizona plates /permit on it and use it until we get back home . One of reasons of wanting to do this is our selection of smart cars are very very limited here at home .

[Bumpyroad]

Grandpere wrote:
You may have to pay an import tax also.

yep if you are doing this to avoid some taxes, I don't think it will work. except you would be importing a used vehicle if that matters, and might not meet canadian requirements?
bumpy

[Grandpere]

You may have to pay an import tax also.