Towing a car to Canada from the US..info needed

[d1giPhux]

So looks like I might be getting my car towed up to Canada this weekend.. and I need some info. The guy at the shop I'm bringing it to said I shouldnt have any problems with customs, and that I should tell them I'm bringing the car to a friend of mine so he can do some work on it for free as a favor to me.

Does anyone know the rules regarding bringing trailers into Canada and leaving my car there? I know they have some type of taxes, but he said I should be able to avoid these, since he is doing this as a favor to me.

Anyone have anymore info on this.. the only thing i could find was:

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'Vehicles, including trailers not exceeding 2.6 meters (8 ft., 6 in.) in width, entering Canada for touring generally are subject to quick and routine entry procedures. You may not leave or store a car, trailer or other goods in Canada while you leave the country without either paying import duty and taxes or presenting the necessary permit to leave the items in Canada. This and any other required permits are issued by Canadian Customs officials at the point of entry.'
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However.. he said I should have no problems bringing the car up, and that he has had plenty of people from the states do it before.

[d1giPhux]

Also.. forgot to mention, this car is going to Quebec

[Huffer]

You may not need a passport, but you should bring one because they will be starting to ask...

Bring as much documentation as you can - because when you bring the car back, they will want to know about how it ended up there.

Clean the car out of any kind of junk, clean it up. Don't give the sniffers any reason to hold you up at the gates.

[d1giPhux]

Well.. i dont have a passport.. but until Jan 31st, 08, you dont need one to leave or enter the US.. just need to forms of ID. What I'm mostly wondering about is questions about insurance, and the trailer crossing the border:

1. Is it true the CAR needs to have insurance on it, even if its being towed by a truck that has insurance into canada?

2. If I'm leaving the car in Canada to be worked on for a week.. what complications might there be.. if any?

Things like this.. or.. if anyone knows who I would call. I keep trying to find a damn contact number.. but as usual... us govt sites are a clusterfuck of info that you can never sort through.
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Edit: so looks like.. so far, on the US side i need to fill out some paper called a 'CDP-4455' and on the canadian side, since I would be leaving the car there for a week i have to pay 6% of the cars value in duty fee's or something.. which would be refundable once i bring the car back through the border...damn.

Also looks like I need to have insurance on the car being towed AND the car I'm towing.. which sucks.. because I dont have insurance on my car.. fun fun.

Any other stuff I need to look out for?

[warrior]

Service in English:
1 800 461-9999

Canadian Border Services Information line

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/contact/menu-eng.html

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyag ... s-eng.html (http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/visitors-eng.html)

in Quebec, they HATE speaking English because French is their primary language. I'd learn this phrase "Parle vous Anglais?" pronounced "parlay voo ung-lay" (ung rhymes with flung) This means "Do you speak English?"

Sometimes they'll go find someone that speaks English, just in case you need to ask for directions or something.

Good luck!

[d1giPhux]

^ Yup.. thats one thing i hate about quebec.. they hate to speak english, and generally dont seem to like Americans at all. Whatever.

This is what I've found out so far:

1. Insurance is not checked by the border people, and is only enforced by the province police or whoever.. so.. if you get stopped.. they will check, but at the border they do NOT check.

2. Paying the 6% GST fee is up to the officer you talk to at the border. If they believe your story and dont think you will dump the car off in Canada.. they wont make you pay the 6% GST fee, but if you do have to pay, when you come back through with the car to the US.. you get refunded the money.

Anyone have anymore info?

[warrior]

Call them.

[d1giPhux]

I have called them.. 3 times. I'm just looking for more experience info if anyone has any.

[2.5GT]

omullete du fromage? ...

[Reason]

Maybe you should call them another 3 times. If they have the answers for you why not extract the answers from the people who do it everyday versus picking semi info here? What else do you need to find out? Make yourself a list of questions you need answers to and call them and take notes. It will be a lot more informative, just a thought.