Buying a new car in the U.S. vs. Canada

[j9lad]

Hi all,

I've gone through various threads related to importing a car from the U.S. and its associated processes. I'm trying to capture a set of trade-offs/costs if I were to buy a car in the U.S. for a few months and subsequently importing it vs. buying a new car altogether in Canada.

For context, I have a leased car that will be expiring at the end of this month. I plan to buy it out and sell it at some point later this year. I envision permanently relocating to Canada by early next year and plan to get a car just before/after my move, so I was wondering if I'm considering alternatives in the right manner.

1. From a financial perspective, does the cost of buying a new car in Canada outweigh the hassle/charges of importing a relatively newer car from the U.S.? Primarily, wondering if a new car costs more in Canada and if I should just buy one here in the U.S.
2. If I were to buy a car in the U.S. for a few months, is there a requirement for it to have been used for a few months (I believe 6 months?) before declaring it in the GTF?

 

[mbaleine]

Two extra points to consider:
- If you import, in addition to fees to RIV, there’ll be federal and provincial inspection fees. Extra cost if modification is needed (eg daylight running light, km odometer).
- Within one year of import, sale of the imported vehicle is prohibited.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Two extra points to consider:
- If you import, in addition to fees to RIV, there’ll be federal and provincial inspection fees. Extra cost if modification is needed (eg daylight running light, km odometer).
- Within one year of import, sale of the imported vehicle is prohibited.

1. If the OP goes ahead with the purchase, s/he should inquire if the warranty will be honoured in Canada. Some makes aren't .