I was able to import my vehicle as well. I went through Blaine, WA PoE. It took me a total of three attempts at three different PoEs to get it imported. The first two times at Peace Arch and Abbotsford PoE, I attempted with aftermarket TPMS (with Amazon receipt as a proof). Both times, I was denied the request to import because the retrofitted TPMS is not an OEM part. Even after explaining that the vehicle cannot receive OEM TPMS, they simply responded that the vehicle is not importable if it in fact cannot receive OEM parts, and advised me to sell the vehicle in Canada. For my last attempt, I did the following:
- I brought an aftermarket TPMS from Amazon to Canadian dealership to install it prior to entering US (US dealerships wouldn't do this for us). I presented the invoice and the receipt to the CBP officer.
- I brought a copy of email confirmation from my vehicle manufacturer that the OEM TPMS can only be installed at the time of manufacture.
- I spoke to US dealership about what it takes to install OEM TPMS prior to the trip. They quoted me $15K USD to retrofit OEM TPMS system which I brought a copy of. US dealerships also told me that they can't guarantee if they can make it work.
At first, the officer's reaction to aftermarket TPMS was the same as the other officers I had dealt with, but when I explained the reasons why I had to install aftermarket TPMS (costs a lot and no guarantee if it will work which becomes a safety issue), he understood our situation and agreed that aftermarket TPMS is really our only option. At the end, the officer confirmed a few more things like what our plan is with the vehicle (sell in the US or personal use), VIN#/title search, recalls, proof of insurance, checking EPA sticker on the hood and let us import our vehicle! He also did not charge any duty on the vehicle which was a bonus.
Before going, I would suggest doing your homework. Generally it depends on which officer you get at the PoE. Speak to your manufacturer as well as both Canada and US dealerships. Use the information they give you to your advantage. Bring printed copies of any correspondences you have with the manufacturer or dealerships. For me on the first two denials, both CBP officers warned us that I should not try other port sor other officers as it would look bad for me. They appeared to have left some internal notes on our information, but it didn't seem to affect us at all on our subsequent visits. Maybe CBP recognizes that the officers may take different approaches to this.
