2nd Annual Buyers & Builders Oshawa Meet & Greet - August 20-22

[viper1cobra]

This will be our First Time attending, and it sounds like alot of FUN already.

[SS-Eric]

What part of TX you from?

[viper1cobra]

Originally Posted by SS-Eric

What part of TX you from?

El Paso, as far West as you can go in Texas.

[SS-Eric]

Originally Posted by viper1cobra

El Paso, as far West as you can go in Texas.

By the pic I should have guessed. What part of EP and how long have you been there? I grew up on the east side.

[viper1cobra]

Originally Posted by SS-Eric

By the pic I should have guessed. What part of EP and how long have you been there? I grew up on the east side.

Eastside, for 13 years now. Where on the Eastside did you grow up? I went to Hanks.

[SS-Eric]

Originally Posted by viper1cobra

Eastside, for 13 years now. Where on the Eastside did you grow up? I went to Hanks.

No way!!! I graduated Hanks in '96 PM me your info, so we're not jacking this great thread. Can't wait to meet up w/ a fellow Knight in Oshawa.

[Wild Horses]

Originally Posted by guiLT

This looks like its gonna be a BIG meet!

~ This is what I call the feild of dreams...lucky for me I have one..

[Wild Horses]

Originally Posted by guiLT

This looks like its gonna be a BIG meet!

QUOTE=Wild Horses....That pic is the field of dreams...my husband took me their...he role tests the camaro everyday...I'm lucky enough to own one..

[Boxer4PSI]

Since when did they move this thread to the Canadian section?!

Did the Foreign Currency Exchange with the bank yesterday (it takes a little bit to get the Canadian money)...looking forward to this event!

Hopefully the drive up to Canada will be better then the last time I went to Toronto with my old modded WRX (yes, I used to have an import) for a car show. Otherwise, its going to take more then just some auto detailer to prep the car for a show n shine.

[bamaproshop]

Will the duty free stop exchange currency or do we need to get this before coming up there?

[trm0002]

Originally Posted by bamaproshop

Will the duty free stop exchange currency or do we need to get this before coming up there?

Last I checked Canadian currency was basically at par. I remember the good old days when it was 1.34C for each US dollar. The girls at the strip clubs really loved us Americans in those days.

[Boxer4PSI]

Originally Posted by bamaproshop

Will the duty free stop exchange currency or do we need to get this before coming up there?

The Duty Free Shops can take care of the currency exchange, and like the other poster mentioned its basically $1 USD for $1 CAD right now. The only reason I'm doing the currency swap right now is because I don't feel like taking care of it on the way up. US Dollars are also widely accepted in Canada, but you gotta watch the shop's exchange rate to make sure you don't get taken advantage of in the process.

Also, regarding Duty Free, don't forget that Canada double taxes you on everything you buy (Sales Tax and the second tax that pays for their free healthcare and such I believe). As a result, when you come back Stateside, stop at the border before you cross into the US and get a tax refund for significant purchases that you made (such as lodging). It's usually at a little counter in the corner of the Duty Free Shop.

With all that said, I have a question for the Canadians. I'm driving up Thursday and will be coming into Toronto in the 3:00pm - 5:00pm timeframe. I imagine that Toronto rush hour is really nasty from some prior experiences on the QEW, and what would usually take an hour to drive on the 401 will take twice as long. Per Google maps, I see that its only an hour or so longer for me to cross at the Thousand Island Bridge instead of at Niagara Falls.

My question for the Toronto area owners is, should I cross at the Thousand Island Bridge and drive back down (bypassing Toronto rush hour), or just cross at Niagara Falls and deal with the QEW and 401 rush hour traffic?

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by Boxer4PSI

My question for the Toronto area owners is, should I cross at the Thousand Island Bridge and drive back down (bypassing Toronto rush hour), or just cross at Niagara Falls and deal with the QEW and 401 rush hour traffic?

Absolutely do not take the QEW during rush hour. Its fine from the border to the 403 (half hour or so) but from the 403 to the 401 (which should take around another half hour) can easily be 2 hours. Coming down from the Kingston area has very little traffic.

[RickRay]

Originally Posted by Boxer4PSI

The Duty Free Shops can take care of the currency exchange, and like the other poster mentioned its basically $1 USD for $1 CAD right now. The only reason I'm doing the currency swap right now is because I don't feel like taking care of it on the way up. US Dollars are also widely accepted in Canada, but you gotta watch the shop's exchange rate to make sure you don't get taken advantage of in the process.

Also, regarding Duty Free, don't forget that Canada double taxes you on everything you buy (Sales Tax and the second tax that pays for their free healthcare and such I believe). As a result, when you come back Stateside, stop at the border before you cross into the US and get a tax refund for significant purchases that you made (such as lodging). It's usually at a little counter in the corner of the Duty Free Shop.

With all that said, I have a question for the Canadians. I'm driving up Thursday and will be coming into Toronto in the 3:00pm - 5:00pm timeframe. I imagine that Toronto rush hour is really nasty from some prior experiences on the QEW, and what would usually take an hour to drive on the 401 will take twice as long. Per Google maps, I see that its only an hour or so longer for me to cross at the Thousand Island Bridge instead of at Niagara Falls.

My question for the Toronto area owners is, should I cross at the Thousand Island Bridge and drive back down (bypassing Toronto rush hour), or just cross at Niagara Falls and deal with the QEW and 401 rush hour traffic?

Route 1 Toronto = 10 HRS;
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&sourc...876709&t=h&z=7

Route 2 Kingston = 11 HRS:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&sourc...876709&t=h&z=7

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Absolutely do not take the QEW during rush hour. Its fine from the border to the 403 (half hour or so) but from the 403 to the 401 (which should take around another half hour) can easily be 2 hours. Coming down from the Kingston area has very little traffic.