Importing Car into Canada from US

4763 messages,  Last post on Sep 06, 2012 at 5:25 AM

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What is this discussion about? Car Buying, Legislation, SUV

#4744 of 4763 Re: Honda Pilot [darfer] by diveloop

Apr 07, 2012 (11:13 pm)

Replying to: darfer (Jan 06, 2008 5:57 pm)
Made the same mistake; bought a car with no compliance label. I know it's been years, but how exactly did you end up making it work? We're only 4 days into it, but it looks like a long road ahead...

#4745 of 4763 Want to Buy 2012 Honda CRV by oshukla

Jun 13, 2012 (9:10 am)

Hi All,
 
Just to provide some background, I have US driver licence & insurance and planning to buy a new Honda CRV.
I would appreciate if you could help me with few questions that I have before importing a New 2012 Honda CRV from the US?
Honda told me that the warranty on the US Car will be valid in Canada, if I have US licence, US insurance and Registration- as they will issue me a recall clearance letter and the warranty will be transferable to Honda Canada.
 
1) Do any of experience with what they (Honda)mean by registration if that means permanent registration or temporary is good enough to get the warranty transferred as the representatives of Honda are themselves not clear about this issue?
 
1) I will get temporary licence from the dealer that is valid for 30 days, do I need to get a permanent licence plat and register the vehicle in US before importing it?
 
2)After you get the vehicle into Canada, do any of you have experience with the odometer as it might only show miles ( The speedometer shows both Miles and KM), do we need to get it fixed?
 
I would appreciate if you could provide me your experience or insight about this issue
 
Thanks

#4746 of 4763 Problem importing Acura 2013 into Canada by awilliam

Jun 16, 2012 (10:46 pm)

My story is full of surprises although it started very smoothly. I am Canadian with family members who are US citizens and resident in US, also I have a US address and professional ties there. I purchased a new Acura MDX 2013 at a dealer in Virginia and imported it to Quebec, Canada. I drove it to the border. After 72 hours, the US export officer released it, then I drove to the Canadian customs and within 10 minutes, all paperwork was completed including getting Form 1 and paying the GST. They told me the next step is to wait for RIV inspection form and have the car inspected at Canadian Tire, then go and register it at the provincial office. The US and Canadian officers were very courteous, helpful and efficient.
However, after 3 days the problems arose! RIV sent me an email and letter, to inform me that the car is “inadmissible” because the RDX 2013 model is not yet listed on the RIV website. Possibly because it is too new or because the car does not conform, although all Honda/Acura SUV ‘s of 2007-2012 is indeed admissible. RIV said that Acura must provide them with the specifications soon a voluntary basis. In the meantime the car is “illegal”. RIV and transport Canada advised me to return the car to USA. How can I do it without a big loss, it is already used!!
 
Acura Canada and Acura USA not only did not want to help refusing to furnish the required information to RIV, or even give me a recall clearance or compliance letters ; they did not provide reasonable motif for their refusal. I spent several days trying to solve the problem without success. In the meantime, I am stuck with a car I cannot use and all my money is tied up. I decided to fight back since the process that I followed is legitimate. I contacted several consumer advocacy groups, newspapers, TV stations and activated legal channels. I contacted Acura one last time and asked to look at the file again but I am not hopeful they will help me. This is untypical of the gentelmanly japanese way of treating customers which I know well after having spent 2 years in Japan as foreign scientist.
 
Can anyone help or give advice, I would be very grateful. Also, if anyone needs info on the importation process let me know.

#4747 of 4763 Re: Want to Buy 2012 Honda CRV [oshukla] by shawnd3

Jun 17, 2012 (5:00 am)

Replying to: oshukla (Jun 13, 2012 9:10 am)
Although I have not imported a Honda vehicle before it is my understanding that the vehicle must be fully registered in the US in order to be able to transfer the warranty to Canada and get a recal clearance letter direct from Honda.
You maybe able to get a letter from your dealer, which may allow you to import it, but you would still need to register it in the US for warranty.
 
With regards to the odometer, there is no issue with it being in miles as long as the speedo has both.
 
Shawn

#4748 of 4763 Re: Problem importing Acura 2013 into Canada [awilliam] by shawnd3

Jun 17, 2012 (5:15 am)

Replying to: awilliam (Jun 16, 2012 10:46 pm)
With regards to the 2013 MDX, while I sympathize withe you, you did not follow the most important and basic step of the importation process, which ad you know now is to ensure the vehicle is on the admissibility list.
 
I'm sure Acura will eventually supply that information, but it is my understanding that they are under no time obligation to do it, and there is no guarentee that the vehicle will actually be admissible to Canada. The warranty will also be invalid.
 
I would have waited until December for Nissan to update the RIV so I could import a current model Altima, I ended up purchasing the exact same car that was the previous model year in order to not have to wait. I'm glad I did, as to my surprise the current model was deemed in admissible due to a slight seat belt change.
 
Hopefully in your case Acura will update the RIV soon, and the 2013 MDX will be allowed into Canada.
 
Good Luck!
 
Shawn

#4749 of 4763 Re: Problem importing Acura 2013 into Canada [shawnd3] by awilliam

Jun 17, 2012 (8:14 pm)

Replying to: shawnd3 (Jun 17, 2012 5:15 am)
Thanks Shawn for your comments.
You mentioned that the warranty for a US Acura will be invalid in Canada, is this true and is there a way around it ....like registering the car in US first ?
William

#4750 of 4763 Prius Plug-In - any luck importing? by timriley

Jun 18, 2012 (5:56 am)

Wondering if anyone has had any luck / issues importing a Prius Plug-In into Canada from the US? I would buy from/in Canada but they aren't scheduled to be on sale here until early 2013.

#4751 of 4763 Re: Prius Plug-In - any luck importing? [timriley] by blangelaan

Jun 18, 2012 (11:23 am)

Replying to: timriley (Jun 18, 2012 5:56 am)
Just make sure that the make, model and year of vehicle you are importing is on RIV.ca approved list:
 
http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/safevehicles-importation-usa-vafus-menu-475.h- - tm
 
I interpret on the web page provided by the link above that all 2012 Toyota/Lexus/Scion vehicles are approved. So as long as it is not a 2013 Toyota, you should be ok.
 
Cheers,
Bob

#4752 of 4763 Re: Prius Plug-In - any luck importing? [blangelaan] by timriley

Jun 18, 2012 (10:07 pm)

Replying to: blangelaan (Jun 18, 2012 11:23 am)
Thanks Bob!
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