MysteryNick wrote:
Hi,
I'm new to the forum. Was after a bit of advice please?
My girlfriend and I are flying from the UK to Canada in a couple of weeks to do a ski season in Whistler. We've got a 6 month working holiday visa.
Does anyone know what class of campervan I can legally drive with my regular UK car license?
In England, I drive my Mercedes sprinter which I've converted into a camper, and can drive anything up to 3.5 tonnes...
We're planning on buying a second hand camper (in either Vancouver or Whistler) and driving it down the West Coast of USA (between April 2015-June 2015). the plan is to then sell it on in San Diego (before then travelling through Mexico and Central America by bus and plane). I have considered driving the full way, but my girlfriend's worried it might not be safe, and I worry we'd lose loads of money on the van if we sold it on in central america...
Is it likely to hold its value just between Vancouver and San Diego?
Am I legally allowed to import it like that?
Any legal or other issues I might encounter?
Can I get North American insurance which covers me to drive freely between Canada and USA?
Is insurance expensive in Canada? And do you have to pay road tax? If the answer to both these questions is 'No', I might buy the camper as soon as we arrive in Canada at the end of this month (rather than at the end of the season in April 2015). That way I'll have it as a run around during the ski season and can use it for work if needs be...
Sorry for all the questions! Answers to any of them would be helpful! :)
Thanks
Nick
You state you will be at Whistler and Vancouver then off to the US. I would fly to Seattle from Vancouver and pick up a used RV at a dealership there. Web should provide dealer details. Thus it would be a US model, licensed there and insured there and as long as you don't need an International Drivers licence and can use your UK licence then you are good to go and enjoy a lovely trip down 101 Coastal route and onwards later to San Diego. Disposal at the other end of your trip might require a dealer to take it on consignment in which case the dealer will get a good 20 percent of eventual sale price. Still that is preferable to being stuck with it as you prepare to go further on your travels. That's how I would do it within context of your stated needs.
2. Alternatively, you might consider renting an RV in the US, say Seattle with a drop off provision, if available but that option is pricey too.
3. I would not, as noted earlier, buy one in Canada and then try to negotiate the web of US requirements.
AL
