a unique situation: importing vehicle

[coldwatersurf 5]

I'm really confused about importing vehicle.

I had to get rid of my leased vehicle. My father wants to give me his 1995 Plymouth Voyager mini van. I looked on the NHTSA - List of non conforming vehicles eligible for importation and the mini van is not on the list.

Right now, the van is under my father's name. I wanted to get a letter from the manufacturer to find out if i can import it. but they said they need the registration for the van, the owner's name (which my father is going to transfer to me if I can import it), the person importing it and etc. They said they can't tell me if this model/year of vehicle is not allowed to be imported until they receive all the other info + the VIN #.

Now, do i need to do all the work to find out if I can import the van if the NHTSA vehicle list does not have the 95 Plymouth Voyager on the list?

[funkyab 0]

I'm really confused about importing vehicle.

I had to get rid of my leased vehicle. My father wants to give me his 1995 Plymouth Voyager mini van. I looked on the NHTSA - List of non conforming vehicles eligible for importation and the mini van is not on the list.

Right now, the van is under my father's name. I wanted to get a letter from the manufacturer to find out if i can import it. but they said they need the registration for the van, the owner's name (which my father is going to transfer to me if I can import it), the person importing it and etc. They said they can't tell me if this model/year of vehicle is not allowed to be imported until they receive all the other info + the VIN #.

Now, do i need to do all the work to find out if I can import the van if the NHTSA vehicle list does not have the 95 Plymouth Voyager on the list?

Why go through th hassle. Most likely it will be fine, but the car is worth less money than you would spend on the process.. A 95 minivan??? U could buy that van in the US for 400 dollars.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

I don't know if there is anything about the age of the vehicle that made our case special (and I think it may have), but when we imported my husband's 1971 MGB GT from England we just turned everything over to a shipping agent, paid about $1000, picked it up at the docks in New Jersey and drove it home to Connecticut. Nobody ever mentioned anything about it being on any list of importable or non-importable vehicles. Is there something different about Canadian vehicular import?

[coldwatersurf 5]

I'm really confused about importing vehicle.

I had to get rid of my leased vehicle. My father wants to give me his 1995 Plymouth Voyager mini van. I looked on the NHTSA - List of non conforming vehicles eligible for importation and the mini van is not on the list.

Right now, the van is under my father's name. I wanted to get a letter from the manufacturer to find out if i can import it. but they said they need the registration for the van, the owner's name (which my father is going to transfer to me if I can import it), the person importing it and etc. They said they can't tell me if this model/year of vehicle is not allowed to be imported until they receive all the other info + the VIN #.

Now, do i need to do all the work to find out if I can import the van if the NHTSA vehicle list does not have the 95 Plymouth Voyager on the list?

Why go through th hassle. Most likely it will be fine, but the car is worth less money than you would spend on the process.. A 95 minivan??? U could buy that van in the US for 400 dollars.

yeah, but I am using the van to import my personal household items plus my father wants to give this car to me so I dont have to purchase another one for a bit (which I would be glad to accept since I wont be working for about 2 months). It would really suck to have to return it to canada. it would be a bonus vehicle for me plus my husband and I surf and its a large enough vehicle for all our gear and my hubby is a messy guy when it comes to putting his stuff away.

I just dont know if its all worth the work. I need someone who has some knowledge in this situation

[MrsCat 6]

You need to have the vehicle registered in your name in order to import it, as well as register it in whatever state you're going to be living in. You should have your dad turn over title to you.

You won't know about any defects on the vehicle until you send in the VIN etc to the manufacturer. The NHTSA isn't the be-all end-all.

As for the paperwork required, you need to check to see if it has an EPA sticker on it (check the hood or door) and then get a import letter from the manufacturer to see if there are any adjustments that need to be made to the car before import. When I imported my car, the Customs Officers never asked for the import letter or to see the EPA sticker. They just asked to see the registration and declared value of the car.

Who cares whether or not its worth importing. If its a means to transport your goods and go without a car loan for a while, its worth the hassle.

Even if you don't import the vehicle right away, I believe you have one year to complete that. So, if there are problems with getting the import paperwork together, you could drive it in the mean time. I was able to put insurance on my Alberta plated car with Geico with no problems. I didn't register it in HI for a few months.

[coldwatersurf 5]

You need to have the vehicle registered in your name in order to import it, as well as register it in whatever state you're going to be living in. You should have your dad turn over title to you.

You won't know about any defects on the vehicle until you send in the VIN etc to the manufacturer. The NHTSA isn't the be-all end-all.

As for the paperwork required, you need to check to see if it has an EPA sticker on it (check the hood or door) and then get a import letter from the manufacturer to see if there are any adjustments that need to be made to the car before import. When I imported my car, the Customs Officers never asked for the import letter or to see the EPA sticker. They just asked to see the registration and declared value of the car.

Who cares whether or not its worth importing. If its a means to transport your goods and go without a car loan for a while, its worth the hassle.

Even if you don't import the vehicle right away, I believe you have one year to complete that. So, if there are problems with getting the import paperwork together, you could drive it in the mean time. I was able to put insurance on my Alberta plated car with Geico with no problems. I didn't register it in HI for a few months.

Well I googled if this car model had any recalls and it has 3 that I know of. the model is on the NHTSA list but it says 1996 (not 1995). But thanks for all the info Mrscat I think I will just register it under my name and drive it for a while. it sure beats paying any car payments.

[wowswift 3]

yeah just get it transferred into your name, odds are its importable.

and as mrs cat says, hubby is 3 months into the US, got the import papers at the border, car got totaled in california (but still drivable, w00t made double our money on her, hardly in visable damage) and are going to register it soon in texas obviously with salvage title. see how fun this will be either tomorrow or friday lolol

Edited April 16, 2009 by wowswift

[coldwatersurf 5]

another question. If i dont transfer the registration under my name by the time I use the Van to move my stuff, my father is worried that the van is not under my name & the border wont let me through as I am just borrowing it for the time being. will I have any problems at the border b/c of this?

[MrsCat 6]

Well I googled if this car model had any recalls and it has 3 that I know of. the model is on the NHTSA list but it says 1996 (not 1995). But thanks for all the info Mrscat I think I will just register it under my name and drive it for a while. it sure beats paying any car payments.

Amen to that!

My POE was Blaine, which it seems that your's will be too.

I bet they don't even ask to see the paper work again either.

[coldwatersurf 5]

Well I googled if this car model had any recalls and it has 3 that I know of. the model is on the NHTSA list but it says 1996 (not 1995). But thanks for all the info Mrscat I think I will just register it under my name and drive it for a while. it sure beats paying any car payments.

Amen to that!

My POE was Blaine, which it seems that your's will be too.

I bet they don't even ask to see the paper work again either.

Yes, actually it is Blaine. lol. i always cross the pacific truck crossing b/c they are nicer compared to the peace arch and some of the officers already know my face. lol

[MrsCat 6]

another question. If i dont transfer the registration under my name by the time I use the Van to move my stuff, my father is worried that the van is not under my name & the border wont let me through as I am just borrowing it for the time being. will I have any problems at the border b/c of this?

If you don't transfer the title right away, you shouldn't have problems entering the US.

The only problem may be with insurance. You'll have to ask your dad to contact his insurance company about the vehicle being in the US.

[coldwatersurf 5]

another question. If i dont transfer the registration under my name by the time I use the Van to move my stuff, my father is worried that the van is not under my name & the border wont let me through as I am just borrowing it for the time being. will I have any problems at the border b/c of this?

If you don't transfer the title right away, you shouldn't have problems entering the US.

The only problem may be with insurance. You'll have to ask your dad to contact his insurance company about the vehicle being in the US.

I am only borrowing it for 1 week or maybe a couple of days then visiting canada again. So the insurance shouldnt be a problem as his insurance says other drivers are covered under his insurance and he is the primary driver using it 51% of the time.

this is great info. I was about to give up with this vehicle and thinking it was going to be an additional moving headache. Who knew it would be a huge benefit to me. thanks wowswift and mrscat. im gonna get on this. lol

[Texanadian 10]

I don't know if there is anything about the age of the vehicle that made our case special (and I think it may have), but when we imported my husband's 1971 MGB GT from England we just turned everything over to a shipping agent, paid about $1000, picked it up at the docks in New Jersey and drove it home to Connecticut. Nobody ever mentioned anything about it being on any list of importable or non-importable vehicles. Is there something different about Canadian vehicular import?

Your MGB is over 25 years old, thus there are no requirements for importing to the USA. Anything newer than 25 years old has to have US emissions standards (EPA) and US Federal safety standards.

As for the minivan, that list you're looking at is the wrong list. I'll see if I can find the correct list.

As far as crossing at Blaine, YES, you DO want to have the minivan titled and registered in your name. They'll give you a form at the border with the vehicle, VIN, your name, your US address that you will have to give to your US state when you go to register it.

Edited April 17, 2009 by Texanadian

[Caladan 19]

I don't think you need to register the car to find out whether it's importable; your dad or whoever the owner is could get the letter of compliance now if you wanted. You just need the VIN (and that's on the title and on the car.)

But if you're just borrowing the car, you don't need to do all that, because you're not importing the car or planning to. It might not be a bad idea to have a letter from your dad handy that explain you're borrowing the car to move down and you'll definitely want to check the insurance information. (Just like you would if you were renting a car.)

[coldwatersurf 5]

Well I just talked to ICBC, my insurance company, Geico in US and DMV in US. Basically I'm F'ed up in some many ways and the easiest way for me is to buy a car in US.

1. My Father's name is on the title for the van. So i cant even get the compliance letter. And my father and I dont want to go through the whole hassle of transfering names on a van

2. Since ICBC is not a private insurance company & owned by gov't ( and BC has the worst and most expensive insurance system in Canada). For me to cancel my insurance, I have to surrender my license plates and register the vehicle in the US to get US insurance.

3. I need my husband in my insurance as it has something to do with property law or something or other to do with marriage and blah blah blah (as the insurance company in US said). If I dont have him under my insurance now, then he will be excluded in my insurance forever for any vehicle I get in the future unless I go with another insurance company that is willing to include him on my insurance. But if i exclude him (let's say with Geico) then I cannot get another Geico insurance with my husband. It would be up to an Auditor to determine if I can put him back or not. (#######?!)

4. My husband's license is suspended and has to pay his remaining balance from his tickets $600 (no its not dui or anything crazy-something super stupid & careless), to get a valid WA driver's license and have to do the whole testing again. He would need to get his license within 20 days of when I sign up for my insurance and 30 days for me to convert my BC license to WA license.

5. I talked to the DMV - they said i need a Social Security # for me to get a drivers license and If i dont have one - then I have to sign this declaration form and that can result in a felony (#######?! x 2). And since I am K3, it would be more than 30 days for me to get my EAD approved and get my SSN.... but hey DMV says i have 30 days to convert my license to Washington?

ok.... at this point, i am so speechless, full of ####### info. So frustrated... i should take this to the Vent Thread. I'm just going to take the bus that takes every freakin 45 mins to come around.

Edited April 17, 2009 by borderdriver