How To Buy A Pre- Owned Car In The U.S.

Ever thought about importing a pre-owned car from the U.S.? This could be a good time to do it.

MONEY SPENT WISELY | Buying a pre-owned car in the U.S. is not the sizzling topic it was in 2007 when the price of relatively new used cars was much higher this side of the border (I’m told Canadian dealers have made an effort in the past few years to mitigate the disparity). Still, the Canadian dollar is at par right now and could go higher, while the U.S. economy remains in a slump. One can only imagine that a larger than average number of U.S. car owners are defaulting on payments, and that lots of auto dealerships are staring at overstock—circumstances that could work to the advantage of Canadians car shopping down south.

Importing a car from the U.S. does take some work, but the course of action is straightforward and specific, and if you do everything to the letter, your new-to-you-used-car should enter this country without a hitch. “My experience was very smooth,” says Roger, a friend who imported a one-year-old Lexus with very low mileage in 2007, a move he figures saved him close to $12,000. To get started, Roger turned to the Internet where he found a number of excellent how-to websites that walked him through the importing process (we have the links below).

Rodger’s Auto Importing Advice

Determine the exact make and model of car you want and then check with the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) to make sure it’s eligible for import. Some manufacturers make it easy to bring in a car (Roger says Lexus is one of them), while others heavy up on modification requirements, which can be cost prohibitive, as a way to assist Canadian dealers. Also, look for an automaker that offers a North American-wide warranty.

Dealer or private sale? You can save big money buying privately, but Roger says it made sense for him to go the dealership route. He purchased his car (which he spotted on Auto Trader) from a Lexus dealer in Spokane, Washington, and gave a deposit (to hold the car) over the phone, something he would never have done with a private sale. He then drove to Spokane, took a test drive and bought the car on the spot. Because the dealer sold him the car for export, Roger was able to avoid paying Washington state sales tax.

The entire importation process took Roger one month, and once he actually paid for the car, it was just seven days before it was parked safely in his garage in Vancouver.—C. Rule

Websites With Clear Importation Information: 1. Importing a Car From The U.S. Into Canada: www.hubpages.com ; 2. How to import a Vehicle into Canada: http://www.importcartocanada.info ; 3. eBay Forums: Importing Cars from USA to Canada: www.forums.ebay.ca; 4. Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV): www.riv.ca/