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abaucom21 · 10-06-2013, 01:09 PM

Trackman correct, import paperwork easy and just need to plan in advance to get paperwork to US Customs 3 days in advance.

I believe the warrenty issue is 6 months And (not Or) 12,000 km. I Checked this out by calling GM Canada and reading small print back in 2010 when I was going to order my 2011 2LT. That was the deal breaker for me. My 2011 is now 3 years old, only at 8,760 km, and it did need strut warrenty work. If I had bought in the states, my 36 month bumper to bumper would have expired before I hit 12,000 km.

Hate GM Canada's inflated price markups. At the time was also pricing a Mustang and both GM and Ford Canada had inflated markups of about $3,500 (before transportation $ and taxes factored in). Difference was Ford had no cross border sales or warrenty restrictions. Just seemed crazy I was paying the extra markup for a Camaro built in Canada.

Unlike most others I am a Canadian Permanent Resident and still have my US passport but no US address. At the time I was price checking in states where I had family or friends (NC, SC, VA, FL). Told the US dealers I was a US citizen but buying to export to Canada. In those states dealers did not have a problem selling to me but that was back in 2010. Nevertheless, GM Canada would still restrict my warrenty on a cross border sale. Not sure if it made a difference to the US dealers but I was paying cash for my Camaro.

If buying in Washington state, find out if your friend can purchase, register in his name (pay state sales tax so find out how much $), friend will have to add the car to his insurance to register (how much?). Once the car is registered and insured in Washington state in your friends name would not think there is a time restriction on how fast he can 'flip' the auto over to you. You will have to pay new Washington state registration fee to get the auto in your your name and pay for 30 day temporary tags. Be sure you can do this in Washington state to avoid state taxes when the auto is 'flipped' to your name and being exported to Canada.

When I inherited my aunts 1998 Riviera from SC, my cousin (then legal owner) signed over the car to me on the registration document, I went to SC and I paid SC for title change and 30 day temporary tags because auto was going to be exported to Canada (proof was my Canadian address). I called my Canadian insurance from SC, added the car to my insurance, they faxed me a copy of document to prove I had insurance. Two weeks in advance of title transfer I had GM send me the letter stating no pending recalls (think I paid about $25 for the document from GM). Arrived in SC and 20 mins at DMV, transfered title to my name & recieved 30 day temporary SC tags (after showing proof of insurance even though it was State Farm Canada).

With title now in my name, proof of insurance in my name (required to change SC title and required to import to Canada), and letter from GM no recall issues, hung out in SC for 3 days after I FedEX the egistration documents to US customs 3 days in advance of crossing the border. Paper work not all that complicated, just takes 2-3 weeks advance planning (like waiting two weeks for letter from GM to clarify no outstanding recall notice's).

Importing an auto from the US to Canada not very complicated as long as you start process about 3-4 weeks in advance. Reading Canadian gov. website makes it look so very complicated. Remember when I moved to Canada ten years ago and became so confused how to import my Texas auto reading government website. My employer started making phone calls, six hours later we found paperwork not that complicated and car ended up at Candian Tire! Remember back at the time, the Texas auto I was exporting to Canada had to have rear seat child restraints. While at Canadian Tire, they pulled a $9.95 part off the shelf and dropped it in the trunk. They told me the rear seat child restraint had to "be in the car", did not have to be "installed" in the car (LOF).

Sorry for the long post. GM Canada is responsible for inflated product prices, not your Canadian dealerships. GM Canada does not respect cross boarder product sales outlined by NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement). My understanding there are class action suites regarding this issue. For now, we just have to live with GM inflated prices and warrenty restrictions.

10-06-2013, 01:09 PM	#58
abaucom21 Drives: 2011 2LT White, 1966 TBird conv. Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ottawa Ontario Posts: 682	Trackman correct, import paperwork easy and just need to plan in advance to get paperwork to US Customs 3 days in advance. I believe the warrenty issue is 6 months And (not Or) 12,000 km. I Checked this out by calling GM Canada and reading small print back in 2010 when I was going to order my 2011 2LT. That was the deal breaker for me. My 2011 is now 3 years old, only at 8,760 km, and it did need strut warrenty work. If I had bought in the states, my 36 month bumper to bumper would have expired before I hit 12,000 km. Hate GM Canada's inflated price markups. At the time was also pricing a Mustang and both GM and Ford Canada had inflated markups of about $3,500 (before transportation $ and taxes factored in). Difference was Ford had no cross border sales or warrenty restrictions. Just seemed crazy I was paying the extra markup for a Camaro built in Canada. Unlike most others I am a Canadian Permanent Resident and still have my US passport but no US address. At the time I was price checking in states where I had family or friends (NC, SC, VA, FL). Told the US dealers I was a US citizen but buying to export to Canada. In those states dealers did not have a problem selling to me but that was back in 2010. Nevertheless, GM Canada would still restrict my warrenty on a cross border sale. Not sure if it made a difference to the US dealers but I was paying cash for my Camaro. If buying in Washington state, find out if your friend can purchase, register in his name (pay state sales tax so find out how much $), friend will have to add the car to his insurance to register (how much?). Once the car is registered and insured in Washington state in your friends name would not think there is a time restriction on how fast he can 'flip' the auto over to you. You will have to pay new Washington state registration fee to get the auto in your your name and pay for 30 day temporary tags. Be sure you can do this in Washington state to avoid state taxes when the auto is 'flipped' to your name and being exported to Canada. When I inherited my aunts 1998 Riviera from SC, my cousin (then legal owner) signed over the car to me on the registration document, I went to SC and I paid SC for title change and 30 day temporary tags because auto was going to be exported to Canada (proof was my Canadian address). I called my Canadian insurance from SC, added the car to my insurance, they faxed me a copy of document to prove I had insurance. Two weeks in advance of title transfer I had GM send me the letter stating no pending recalls (think I paid about $25 for the document from GM). Arrived in SC and 20 mins at DMV, transfered title to my name & recieved 30 day temporary SC tags (after showing proof of insurance even though it was State Farm Canada). With title now in my name, proof of insurance in my name (required to change SC title and required to import to Canada), and letter from GM no recall issues, hung out in SC for 3 days after I FedEX the egistration documents to US customs 3 days in advance of crossing the border. Paper work not all that complicated, just takes 2-3 weeks advance planning (like waiting two weeks for letter from GM to clarify no outstanding recall notice's). Importing an auto from the US to Canada not very complicated as long as you start process about 3-4 weeks in advance. Reading Canadian gov. website makes it look so very complicated. Remember when I moved to Canada ten years ago and became so confused how to import my Texas auto reading government website. My employer started making phone calls, six hours later we found paperwork not that complicated and car ended up at Candian Tire! Remember back at the time, the Texas auto I was exporting to Canada had to have rear seat child restraints. While at Canadian Tire, they pulled a $9.95 part off the shelf and dropped it in the trunk. They told me the rear seat child restraint had to "be in the car", did not have to be "installed" in the car (LOF). Sorry for the long post. GM Canada is responsible for inflated product prices, not your Canadian dealerships. GM Canada does not respect cross boarder product sales outlined by NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement). My understanding there are class action suites regarding this issue. For now, we just have to live with GM inflated prices and warrenty restrictions.