RIV "Inspection" (Canadian Tire / Ontario)

[JayPinNC]

Here's part of the continuation of my export/import story.

The RIV inspection took about 4...maybe 5 minutes.

I walked into Canadian Tire, found the guy, he asked me to show him the car.

He was looking at/for the following (as per my RIV inspection form...Form 2):

- Did you convert your car into a motorhome or travel van? Nope.
- Does it have a lift kit? (lift kit = no-go when it comes to importing into Canada)
- Metric speedometer? Check!
- Attach a miles odometer label if required (They should have done this to mine, but they didn't)
- Is there a french SRS maintenance label? Check! Thanks Volvo. If yours doesn't, you can get one from the appropriate dealership ($20ish but...I've heard of people printing their own on label paper and putting it on their car somewhere. Google it - there is an image out there somewhere.
- Functioning airbags? How would they know this without connecting to an OBD system? I didn't see the guy check on that and he certainly didn't connect my car to an OBD reader. (My airbags function as far as I know)
- Something about clutch interlocks for manual transmissions. Did not apply to me.
- Statement of Compliance Label? Check!
- Daytime running lights? Check!
- Electronic immobilizer system? WTF is that? Only applies to cars built after 2007 and with GWVR of under 10,000 lbs.

That was pretty much it.

He stamped the Form 2 and my Form 1 (white and gold copies are all that's left on your Form 1 at this point. White is for the MTO/province when you register and gold is for you because at this point you should be golden). He kept Form 2 and faxed it to RIV after I took a picture of it with my cell phone. A few hours later, I checked my case status on the RIV website using my Form 1 number and last 6 of my VIN, and it said that I was being sent a compliance sticker in the mail.

Reflective moment/inner monologue: Looking back and digging around online makes me think that I was supposed to get Form 2 returned to me even though the car passed and RIV's site says I've "successfully complete the inspection." Wondering if the MTO needs that form or if they can look it up to see my car passed. Hmmmmm. (Will let you know about that one. Or someone chime in and let us know.)

Pro tip: You don't have to wait for this compliance sticker to arrive in order to register your car in Ontario. Just bring your Form 1 with you when you register. (And maybe Form 2? Now I'm getting worried that I might need it - too late to call anybody about it right now.)

Now, as for the "order of operations" go when it comes to the whole export/import/inspect/register/insure thing, this is how I'm approaching/have approached it:

Export ($65USD for AES Direct)
Import ($199CAD + tax for RIV process - I didn't have to pay duty/taxes...you might have to.)
RIV Inspection (Included in RIV fee)
Safety + Emissions Inspection ($34CAD for emissions test and $94CAD for safety test)
Drivers License ($80CAD to exchange drivers license (good for 5 years) - does NOT include what it may cost you to prove two+ years of driving experience from your previous state, country, etc - my story on that will follow)
Insurance (I'm looking at $71/month)
Title/Plates/Registration ($98CAD for registration and $29CAD for plates. I'm adding my wife's name to the title, but I think that's free.)

As always, let me know if you have questions.

 

[JayPinNC]

I think I answered my own question:

http://www.cdn.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/driver/handbook/section5.2.3.shtml

" New residents

New Ontario residents have 30 days to register their vehicles. To get a permit and Ontario licence plates, go to a ServiceOntario centre. You must bring along:

A safety standards certificate
Proof of insurance
A Vehicle Import Form 1 if you have brought the vehicle in from another country
The vehicle permit, or ownership, from where you used to live
Proof of passing a Drive Clean vehicle emissions test, if a test is required. To find out if your vehicle needs one, visit www.driveclean.com or call the Drive Clean Contact Centre at 1-888-758-2999. Out-of-province callers may call 1-905-440-7482 (charges apply)."

 

[JayPinNC]

Got my RIV sticker in the mail today.

The instructions on where to place it are interesting:

"Passenger Car: The hinge pillar, door latch post or the door edge that meets the door latch post next to the driver's seating position."

If ever there was a written direction screaming for a diagram.

In other news, got my car emissions and safety inspected for Ontario. Passed emissions. Failed safety. Front lower control arm bushing has wear that the inspecting mechanic felt was unsafe.

So now I have to get THAT done. $500CAD. Poof.

 

[FSW_Applicant]

How old is your car? I have a 2010 Honda and am wondering if it's worth driving across. Only positive is that it is paid off and drives pretty well. I might reach out to you if I do decide to go forward with the export. Will need some pointers on the export, import and insurance process.

Got my RIV sticker in the mail today.

The instructions on where to place it are interesting:

"Passenger Car: The hinge pillar, door latch post or the door edge that meets the door latch post next to the driver's seating position."

If ever there was a written direction screaming for a diagram.

In other news, got my car emissions and safety inspected for Ontario. Passed emissions. Failed safety. Front lower control arm bushing has wear that the inspecting mechanic felt was unsafe.

So now I have to get THAT done. $500CAD. Poof.

 

[CanV]

Here's part of the continuation of my export/import story.

The RIV inspection took about 4...maybe 5 minutes.

I walked into Canadian Tire, found the guy, he asked me to show him the car.

He was looking at/for the following (as per my RIV inspection form...Form 2):

- Did you convert your car into a motorhome or travel van? Nope.
- Does it have a lift kit? (lift kit = no-go when it comes to importing into Canada)
- Metric speedometer? Check!
- Attach a miles odometer label if required (They should have done this to mine, but they didn't)
- Is there a french SRS maintenance label? Check! Thanks Volvo. If yours doesn't, you can get one from the appropriate dealership ($20ish but...I've heard of people printing their own on label paper and putting it on their car somewhere. Google it - there is an image out there somewhere.
- Functioning airbags? How would they know this without connecting to an OBD system? I didn't see the guy check on that and he certainly didn't connect my car to an OBD reader. (My airbags function as far as I know)
- Something about clutch interlocks for manual transmissions. Did not apply to me.
- Statement of Compliance Label? Check!
- Daytime running lights? Check!
- Electronic immobilizer system? WTF is that? Only applies to cars built after 2007 and with GWVR of under 10,000 lbs.

That was pretty much it.

He stamped the Form 2 and my Form 1 (white and gold copies are all that's left on your Form 1 at this point. White is for the MTO/province when you register and gold is for you because at this point you should be golden). He kept Form 2 and faxed it to RIV after I took a picture of it with my cell phone. A few hours later, I checked my case status on the RIV website using my Form 1 number and last 6 of my VIN, and it said that I was being sent a compliance sticker in the mail.

Reflective moment/inner monologue: Looking back and digging around online makes me think that I was supposed to get Form 2 returned to me even though the car passed and RIV's site says I've "successfully complete the inspection." Wondering if the MTO needs that form or if they can look it up to see my car passed. Hmmmmm. (Will let you know about that one. Or someone chime in and let us know.)

Pro tip: You don't have to wait for this compliance sticker to arrive in order to register your car in Ontario. Just bring your Form 1 with you when you register. (And maybe Form 2? Now I'm getting worried that I might need it - too late to call anybody about it right now.)

Now, as for the "order of operations" go when it comes to the whole export/import/inspect/register/insure thing, this is how I'm approaching/have approached it:

Export ($65USD for AES Direct)
Import ($199CAD + tax for RIV process - I didn't have to pay duty/taxes...you might have to.)
RIV Inspection (Included in RIV fee)
Safety + Emissions Inspection ($34CAD for emissions test and $94CAD for safety test)
Drivers License ($80CAD to exchange drivers license (good for 5 years) - does NOT include what it may cost you to prove two+ years of driving experience from your previous state, country, etc - my story on that will follow)
Insurance (I'm looking at $71/month)
Title/Plates/Registration ($98CAD for registration and $29CAD for plates. I'm adding my wife's name to the title, but I think that's free.)

As always, let me know if you have questions.

$71/month insurance in Ontario?

 

[JayPinNC]

$71/month insurance in Ontario?

I had the same reaction. Chieftan is the name, I think. That's alllllllllmost as good as my rate in the USA.

I was also told to check with my local chamber of commerce as they often get excellent group rates for members/business-owners. I work for myself, but the cost to join the chamber just for the discount didn't make sense to me.

Plus, what am I going to do, actually meet people? Blech.

 

[JayPinNC]

How old is your car? I have a 2010 Honda and am wondering if it's worth driving across. Only positive is that it is paid off and drives pretty well. I might reach out to you if I do decide to go forward with the export. Will need some pointers on the export, import and insurance process.

2004 Volvo XC90. CBSA put a value of $10,089.00CAD on the car. I still didn't have to pay anything.

And yeah, just PM/DM me or whatever.

 

[JayPinNC]

I had the same reaction. Chieftan is the name, I think. That's alllllllllmost as good as my rate in the USA.

I was also told to check with my local chamber of commerce as they often get excellent group rates for members/business-owners. I work for myself, but the cost to join the chamber just for the discount didn't make sense to me.

Plus, what am I going to do, actually meet people? Blech.

Now I remember part of the reason why it's cheaper-ish. They auto-charge your credit card on a monthly basis. I recall somebody telling me that on the phone at some point.

Of course, I can't get it insured until it's registered and I can registered until it passes the safety inspection.

 

[kwyatt75]

- Metric speedometer? Check!
- Attach a miles odometer label if required (They should have done this to mine, but they didn't)

As always, let me know if you have questions.

You were importing your vehicle from the US, correct? Did you have to change out your speedometer for a metric one or is it sufficient if you have MPH and in smaller numbers it also has KM/H?

Also...by daytime running lights I assume this means that your headlights are always on when the car is on? Your vehicle already had that?

 

[JayPinNC]

You were importing your vehicle from the US, correct? Did you have to change out your speedometer for a metric one or is it sufficient if you have MPH and in smaller numbers it also has KM/H?

Also...by daytime running lights I assume this means that your headlights are always on when the car is on? Your vehicle already had that?

Correct. It's a Volvo - so it was made in Sweden (metric) to conform with U.S. standards (not metric). It has a dual speedometer (MPH and km/h). That's sufficient in Ontario.

By daytime running lights - it means that even if your light switch is in the OFF position, the lights come on when the vehicle is on. I took a photo of my inspection form but can't find it. There was some semi-technical way they put it, but I think what I wrote covers the general idea. If your car is on your headlights are on, regardless of switch position.

The RIV inspection manual says this: Always illuminate regardless of the position of the light switch

From what I understand DRLs are one of the most common modification.

If you're interested, here's the RIV inspection manual: www.riv.ca/english/RIV_inspection_manual_Eng20081028.pdf

 

[kwyatt75]

Correct. It's a Volvo - so it was made in Sweden (metric) to conform with U.S. standards (not metric). It has a dual speedometer (MPH and km/h). That's sufficient in Ontario.

By daytime running lights - it means that even if your light switch is in the OFF position, the lights come on when the vehicle is on. I took a photo of my inspection form but can't find it. There was some semi-technical way they put it, but I think what I wrote covers the general idea. If your car is on your headlights are on, regardless of switch position.

The RIV inspection manual says this: Always illuminate regardless of the position of the light switch

From what I understand DRLs are one of the most common modification.

If you're interested, here's the RIV inspection manual: riv.ca/english/RIV_inspection_manual_Eng20081028.pdf

JayPinNC:

Awesome! My vehicle is a Honda made for US standards and so the Speedometer has both...so that works.

As for the DRLs...that's what I figured it meant but I just wanted to clarify. That would have to be fixed. The lights do come on automatically when it is dark, even when in the off position but not during the day...that will be a needed modification.

Thanks for sharing the RIV inspection manual!

kwyatt75

 

[JayPinNC]

JayPinNC:

Awesome! My vehicle is a Honda made for US standards and so the Speedometer has both...so that works.

As for the DRLs...that's what I figured it meant but I just wanted to clarify. That would have to be fixed. The lights do come on automatically when it is dark, even when in the off position but not during the day...that will be a needed modification.

Thanks for sharing the RIV inspection manual!

kwyatt75

I'm sure there's an easy fix for your DRL issue. Not sure if it will be cheap or not, but I'm sure there's a kit or something out there.

 

[FSW_Applicant]

This might assist - http://www.carcarekiosk.com/video/2009_Honda_CR-V_EX-L_2.4L_4_Cyl./lights/daylight_running

As for the DRLs...that's what I figured it meant but I just wanted to clarify. That would have to be fixed. The lights do come on automatically when it is dark, even when in the off position but not during the day...that will be a needed modification.

 

[kwyatt75]

This might assist - http://www.carcarekiosk.com/video/2009_Honda_CR-V_EX-L_2.4L_4_Cyl./lights/daylight_running

I'll check that out. Thanks!

 

[FSW_Applicant]

I'll be 'landing' end of summer 2015. Hopefully you get to export your car by then and share notes. Let's stay connected.

I'll check that out. Thanks!