An elderly relative up in Canada is offering us their car for next to nothing. It's an eight year old Chrysler, well maintained with low mileage. This offer is appealing because we have a 16 year old about to take their driver's license test. We were figuring we'd have to try to acquire a cheap second-hand vehicle within the next year or so, for the teen to drive. (There's no public transportation in our area whatsoever, so teens customarily drive).
So, accepting the family vehicle seems attractive, even though someone would have to fly up there and drive it down to Georgia. However, we haven't a clue about importing a vehicle from Canada, as US residents. (We moved down here with cars, but that's different, I believe). Does anyone know if this scenario is practical?
US resident acquiring a car in Canada
Moderator: Mark T Serbinski CA CPA
It's no different than when you came down; you need to buy the car in canada and then move it, complying with the same regs that you did when you brought your car down.
After 20 years, I am severely cutting back on responses. Do not ask specifically for my help. There are a few others on this board that can answer most questions. All the best
Thanks, Nelson, I was unnerved by this: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 950AAtHyh9 so I phoned Chrysler USA and they said we should "submit a case" - that a family transfer *might* be OK but they couldn't guarantee this, and there's no way of getting a determination without a formal request.
So much for the concept of checking out the feasibility *before* formally transferring the ownership of the car in Canada, since we don't particularly want to acquire a car in Canada that we can't bring to the US.
I can't believe how idiotic this seems.
So much for the concept of checking out the feasibility *before* formally transferring the ownership of the car in Canada, since we don't particularly want to acquire a car in Canada that we can't bring to the US.
I can't believe how idiotic this seems.
Again, it's no different than when you brought your car down.
Have the current owner ask for the letter of compliance from Chrysler, exactly like you did for your car.
I'm not sure what you contacted Chrysler about with regards to the transfer -- thay have nothing to say about that. All they do is send the owner of the car a letter stating whether or not the car (make and year) complies with NHTSA regs and -- if not -- what needs to be retrofit on it.
Once you have the letter, Chrysler has no more say as to what or who brings the car to US.
If you want to be absolutely safe, once you buy the car, ask for the letter in your name, but that is overkill to me. US customs will accept the letter in the former owner's name with proof of sale.
The other issue, about car makers trying to make cross-border buying of cars difficult has more to do with protecting border dealerships, and nothing to do with importing or NHTSA compliance.
Have the current owner ask for the letter of compliance from Chrysler, exactly like you did for your car.
I'm not sure what you contacted Chrysler about with regards to the transfer -- thay have nothing to say about that. All they do is send the owner of the car a letter stating whether or not the car (make and year) complies with NHTSA regs and -- if not -- what needs to be retrofit on it.
Once you have the letter, Chrysler has no more say as to what or who brings the car to US.
If you want to be absolutely safe, once you buy the car, ask for the letter in your name, but that is overkill to me. US customs will accept the letter in the former owner's name with proof of sale.
The other issue, about car makers trying to make cross-border buying of cars difficult has more to do with protecting border dealerships, and nothing to do with importing or NHTSA compliance.
After 20 years, I am severely cutting back on responses. Do not ask specifically for my help. There are a few others on this board that can answer most questions. All the best
Update: The owner's attempt to get the letter from the vehicle manufacturer is ongoing. They demand successively increasing amounts of personal documentation (about the relationship with the US person, etc.) - and suggest, by letter, that alternatively, a registered importer be used instead.
Logic would suggest that the manufacturer should be willing to issue the letter to the current registered owner of the vehicle - possibly for a fee - but they shouldn't care what will be done with the vehicle after that. Would that this were so. But they imply that they have no problem complying with a request from a commercial importer. It's just bizarre.
Logic would suggest that the manufacturer should be willing to issue the letter to the current registered owner of the vehicle - possibly for a fee - but they shouldn't care what will be done with the vehicle after that. Would that this were so. But they imply that they have no problem complying with a request from a commercial importer. It's just bizarre.
I "got involved" by phoning Chrysler USA to enquire. I didn't supply any identifying information at all. I don't think Chrysler Canada has been connecting my relative's request with my anonymous call to Chrysler USA. However, they outright will not supply the letter except under very narrow conditions, it seems.
OK, let me put it another way: Your rlaetive got you involved by over=expalining what he was going to do and with whom.
Who would have told him to do that ?
"Chrysler, I'm going to US and I need a compliance letter: hers my VIN. I expect this in 5 working days."
Who would have told him to do that ?
"Chrysler, I'm going to US and I need a compliance letter: hers my VIN. I expect this in 5 working days."
After 20 years, I am severely cutting back on responses. Do not ask specifically for my help. There are a few others on this board that can answer most questions. All the best
So you think any owner who calls and says "I'm going to the US" will just get a letter, no questions asked, but if the owner is foolish enough to say "I'm giving the car to my daughter who resides in the US", then you get the letter saying "Use a registered importer"? Why would the manufacturer make any distinction between these scenarios? Why would they conceivably care? What difference could it make to them?
I think it's interesting that NHTSA comments "Please note that the manufacturer can, at its discretion, refuse to issue a letter stating that the vehicle complies with all applicable FMVSS, and that NHTSA is not in a position to influence the manufacturer in this regard or to issue such a letter on the manufacturer's behalf."
That's from a page specifically about importing from Canada: http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/ ... 192007.htm
I can't imagine why NHTSA would write that if there wasn't some pattern of manufacturers refusing to issue letters. For whatever reason, apparently car manufacturers have a stronger desire to thwart any movement of Canadian cars to the US than they do to serve their customers.
I think it's interesting that NHTSA comments "Please note that the manufacturer can, at its discretion, refuse to issue a letter stating that the vehicle complies with all applicable FMVSS, and that NHTSA is not in a position to influence the manufacturer in this regard or to issue such a letter on the manufacturer's behalf."
That's from a page specifically about importing from Canada: http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/ ... 192007.htm
I can't imagine why NHTSA would write that if there wasn't some pattern of manufacturers refusing to issue letters. For whatever reason, apparently car manufacturers have a stronger desire to thwart any movement of Canadian cars to the US than they do to serve their customers.
Yes indeed, and it was no trouble at all. In fact, we moved down with a Chrysler. However, I now wonder (I really can't remember) if we had to fax Chrysler an I-94. I suspect we did.
Because getting the letter was so straightforward when we moved down here, I expected it to be the same this time. But I now fear that the ONLY scenario in which manufacturers are willing to furnish the letter is that of a Canadian vehicle owner at the point of first relocation to the US.
Because getting the letter was so straightforward when we moved down here, I expected it to be the same this time. But I now fear that the ONLY scenario in which manufacturers are willing to furnish the letter is that of a Canadian vehicle owner at the point of first relocation to the US.