Buying a used RV in USA as a Canadian

[Tcalp]

Hey All,

I'm looking to get myself an RV pretty soon, though, there seems to be much better offerings/pricing in the USA over Canada. I assume this is due to demand, and potentially the economy on some level. If figure it is likely best to buy a unit from the southern areas of the USA to prevent the units from sitting in the hard winters (freezing/thawing/etc) that regularly cause leeks/seal ruptures.

I am not really sure the best way to go about bringing it back to Canada and what the related costs would be. Is there a way to buy a unit in the USA and have certifications done in the USA // get license plates online/fax submission etc... ?

I am looking to pick something up in the 10-20K area, from those that have older units. Is it a reasonable investment still, or is everything practically falling apart at this point ? I don't mind putting a bit of labor in on cosmetics, but I am not a mechanic by any means.

If anyone has any dealers that you think I should look at / get in touch with , please feel free to suggest.

[gonesouth]

Before you go ahead and spend the time and money on importing it to Canada, the first question should be "Do I want to have it in Canada or just in the US?"

I registered one of mine in North Carolina and I saved:
-15% HST
-$240 RIV fee
-$90 annual inspection fee
-$600 annual registration vs $60 in NC
-$1000 annual cost of fuel to drive it back to Canada for its annual safety inspection
-etc., etc., etc.,

NC is one of the several states that register by where the coach lives, not where you live, so if the coach lives in NC more than it lives in some other state, you can register it there. So if you store it in NC for the off-season, that works.

[JaxDad]

moisheh wrote:
"Complying with Provincial law is up to the owner, not the Federal government.

That's why for example the nice folks at the border only collect the GST portion of the HST and you pay the PST at the time of licensing the vehicle. "


That is what you posted and your reasoning is wrong. It has nothing to do with complying with Provincial laws. I used cars as an example as they do not have to comply with any Provincial laws. Yet the Feds still do not collect the PST on a car.

Moisheh

I'm really sorry this is so difficult for you to understand.

Cars or 5 ton trucks do not have propane, electrical or sleeping quarters, therefore there aren't the 'life safety' issues or requirements, or applicable laws. Therefore it's not anywhere the same thing as with an RV.

However, in Manitoba for example, the Office of the Fire Marshall posted this on their website, as I've posted for you several times before.

"If you plan to import a vehicle from the United States, you need to know if it qualifies for importation under Transport Canada’s Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) program. The program ensures that qualified vehicles imported from the United States are brought into compliance with basic Canadian Safety Standards and properly inspected. These units still require compliance to the CSA Z240 construction codes, which is a Standards inspection conducted by Inspectors at the Office of the Fire Commissioner."


In Ontario the following appears the website of the Fire Marshall. ".....CAN/CSA-Z240 RV Series-08, which is the CSA standard applicable to RV’s, requires the installation of a CO alarm that is approved for use in RV’s and complies with CAN/CSA 6.19.".


I doubt anyone would expect you to have a CO detector in your car, but in an RV it's the law, a PROVINCIAL law..

[moisheh]

"Complying with Provincial law is up to the owner, not the Federal government.

That's why for example the nice folks at the border only collect the GST portion of the HST and you pay the PST at the time of licensing the vehicle. "


That is what you posted and your reasoning is wrong. It has nothing to do with complying with Provincial laws. I used cars as an example as they do not have to comply with any Provincial laws. Yet the Feds still do not collect the PST on a car.

Moisheh

[JaxDad]

"Wrong again jaxdad. The feds do not collect PST on cars and they do not have plumbing or electrical. It is because the provinces consider motor vehicles their jurisdiction!"

JaxDad wrote:
That's why for example the nice folks at the border only collect the GST portion of the HST and you pay the PST at the time of licensing the vehicle.

Yes, that's what I said, the Feds do NOT collect PST, you pay it locally when you register the vehicle.

Maybe you should read my posts before you automatically troll the thread with incorrect slander.

[moisheh]

Wrong again jaxdad. The feds do not collect PST on cars and they do not have plumbing or electrical. It is because the provinces consider motor vehicles their jurisdiction! Would also create more forms to show you paid the PST. The feds do collect PST on casual imports in some provinces. If they did not allow the feds to collect 90% of Canadians would never volunteer to pay the provinces once they were in Canada. Lots of bureaucracies involved.

Moisheh

[dieharder]

YZ wrote:

Sooboy wrote:

YZ wrote:

Sooboy wrote:
BTW, Canadian Tire couldn't care less about what sticker is on the RV. All they checked on mine was that the DRL functioned. It was too big for their shop, so the safety (a huge waste of $ to safety a brand new vehicle) was done at the local Freightliner dealer...then off to the license office to pay the PST and get plates.

You actually took your rig to CanTire ?? .... TOO FUNNY !!!!!

They have trouble safety inspecting new cars 🙂

EVERY motor vehicle that's imported into Canada using the RIV process has to visit Canadian Tire. There's no choice as they are the official inspectors for RIV.

Sorry I laughed.

So I make the move to Ottawa more than a couple years back... and I bring along my '71 Mg-bgt...and it has to be safetied so, I ask where is the best place to go and am told cantire.

They failed it. Why ? It didn't have a catalytic converter ! I told them that the car was manufactured before the event of unleaded gas and still ran leaded gas (actually, unleaded with a supplement). They wouldn't budge.

Found a garage run by a couple of Jamaicans..wasn't sure about the place..pretty ratty outside...went inside and I stopped counting the value of the cars at 500K... man, were they good. And they passed it. Haven't been back since.

On another note, we will be long timing in a couple of years..and I am on a couple of boards..what I notice is a patchwork of confusing laws spread over our provinces and the 'states..just this thread shows the differences from coast to coast.

As I said, we were heading south and we found a gem locally so they are available.

cheers..

RIV inspection and safety inspection are 2 different monsters. Crappy Tire is the most recommended for RIV inspections, but not the sole entity, there are others who can perform the inspection. They will remain unnamed, but a friend of mine imported a Hennessey Camaro last year, brought it to someone else other than Crappy Tire for the RIV paperwork because, well... it's not eligible with all the mods, but as just a Chevrolet Camaro it is.

RIV inspection is just about the only thing I would ever get done at Crappy Tire. Hell, despite the name, I wouldn't even do tires with them.

[bigdisplay]

On another note, we will be long timing in a couple of years..and I am on a couple of boards..what I notice is a patchwork of confusing laws spread over our provinces and the 'states..just this thread shows the differences from coast to coast.



You think 10 provinces and different laws are confusing try 50+ US states!! now there is bu-reauc-ra-cy it its finest

[YZ]

Sooboy wrote:

YZ wrote:

Sooboy wrote:
BTW, Canadian Tire couldn't care less about what sticker is on the RV. All they checked on mine was that the DRL functioned. It was too big for their shop, so the safety (a huge waste of $ to safety a brand new vehicle) was done at the local Freightliner dealer...then off to the license office to pay the PST and get plates.

You actually took your rig to CanTire ?? .... TOO FUNNY !!!!!

They have trouble safety inspecting new cars 🙂

EVERY motor vehicle that's imported into Canada using the RIV process has to visit Canadian Tire. There's no choice as they are the official inspectors for RIV.

Sorry I laughed.

So I make the move to Ottawa more than a couple years back... and I bring along my '71 Mg-bgt...and it has to be safetied so, I ask where is the best place to go and am told cantire.

They failed it. Why ? It didn't have a catalytic converter ! I told them that the car was manufactured before the event of unleaded gas and still ran leaded gas (actually, unleaded with a supplement). They wouldn't budge.

Found a garage run by a couple of Jamaicans..wasn't sure about the place..pretty ratty outside...went inside and I stopped counting the value of the cars at 500K... man, were they good. And they passed it. Haven't been back since.

On another note, we will be long timing in a couple of years..and I am on a couple of boards..what I notice is a patchwork of confusing laws spread over our provinces and the 'states..just this thread shows the differences from coast to coast.

As I said, we were heading south and we found a gem locally so they are available.

cheers..

[JaxDad]

Sooboy wrote:

YZ wrote:

Sooboy wrote:
BTW, Canadian Tire couldn't care less about what sticker is on the RV. All they checked on mine was that the DRL functioned. It was too big for their shop, so the safety (a huge waste of $ to safety a brand new vehicle) was done at the local Freightliner dealer...then off to the license office to pay the PST and get plates.

You actually took your rig to CanTire ?? .... TOO FUNNY !!!!!

They have trouble safety inspecting new cars 🙂

EVERY motor vehicle that's imported into Canada using the RIV process has to visit Canadian Tire. There's no choice as they are the official inspectors for RIV.

No, Chinese Tire will not look for, or even care if there's ANY sticker there, why would they?

They are contracted by RIV (run by a PRIVATE FOR PROFIT company on behalf of the Canadian government) to check on FEDERAL vehicle safety items.

Life safety items like gas and electric codes are PROVINCIAL turf.

Complying with Provincial law is up to the owner, not the Federal government.

That's why for example the nice folks at the border only collect the GST portion of the HST and you pay the PST at the time of licensing the vehicle.

[dezolen]

Canadian Tire inspection is a joke. Turn on clearance lights, check tire pressures and look at rating plate.
Apparently anyone can get Health Canada approvals for over the counter medicines as well and they will approve sugar water as a medicinal cure for colds, fevers etc. according to W5 program.
That's why we pay 2x as much for gas as the USA, beer, freight on new vehicles
Why did I get started totally off topic???

[YZ]

vic46 wrote:

YZ wrote:

vic46 wrote:
Great Thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Managed to add two more to my blocked member list!

Vic

I am new to this list so some hobbies are new to me...do you actually collect these ? ..like friending in facebook but reverse...

BLOCKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why do I feel that I should thank you.... ??? And why would I *ever* want to send you a private message...

Too funny, one more story for around the campfire 🙂

[vic46]

YZ wrote:

vic46 wrote:
Great Thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Managed to add two more to my blocked member list!

Vic

I am new to this list so some hobbies are new to me...do you actually collect these ? ..like friending in facebook but reverse...

BLOCKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bigdisplay]

Tcalp wrote:
WOW ... I never would have thought this thread would have grown so quickly. Thanks to everyone that has responded. I'll be going to look at the 2006 319TS tomorrow (it's a few hours away).

I'll be looking to go full time RV'ing, as a first time RV'er.

Nothing wrong with that unit and if u can get for 30K or under its a decent deal
Enjoy

[Tcalp]

WOW ... I never would have thought this thread would have grown so quickly. Thanks to everyone that has responded. I'll be going to look at the 2006 319TS tomorrow (it's a few hours away).

I'll be looking to go full time RV'ing, as a first time RV'er.