Importing from US
 

Anyone in Canada have experience with importing a new or used Z into Canada? I was wondering how much of a hassle it would be.

Depends on your definition of hassle... IMO, it's all relative to vehicle cost and what your time is worth.
Check out RIV.ca. Everything you need to know is there for the reading.

You really have to watch bringing in the Z because it was made in Japan.

Not too sure but would there be taxes and duties etc. because it was not made in North America

Import from the states has heavy face and duties. However depending on the vehicle you can still come out ahead by importing. You just have to do your research to make sure you aren't going to pay more.

From what I've been told it is only beneficial once you are buying vehicles around $40-50k+ so basically more luxurious vehicles. Two people I know have done and saved just for an example of what they got

1-Porsche Cayman S
2-Toyota Tacoma

Both would've been fairly expensive north of the boarder.

if you're in Vancouver..
13% HST + 6.9% Duty = 19.9% tax :)
Simply add that on top of whatever you pay OTD from the US.

For example, you bought a used Z from Michigan for 25,000 before tax.
Michigan state tax is 6%, and I don't know if there is any other taxes involved, but anyways
$25,000 + 6% tax = $26,500
Then when it crosses the Canadian border..
$26,500 + 19.9% = $31773.50

Please do correct me if I'm wrong :(

I was under the impression that if you are buying a car and not registering it in that state, then you are exempt from there sales taxes. This is where the duties and taxes for importing come in. So where you land (register) the vehicle in Canada makes a difference because you will then be paying there sales taxes in that province. So when you bring it into Canada you will be hit with the same duty in all provinces it's just the sales taxes that are different. So in the end it's duty+sales tax of province.

I have here Alberta has the cheapest taxes so I would do it there if it were me.

I bought my Z brand new in the US.

1. You do not pay state tax in the US. You are exempt as long as you are exporting.

2. Only work I had to do was get the daytime lights installed, which cost around $200 at a local Nissan dealership.

I bought my car in the US, paid no taxes. When I brought it back, I had to pay:

1. GST 5%(which you would have to pay anyways)
2. PST 7 %(which you would have to pay anways in BC) You pay this when you insure your car. In BC, it would be 7%.
3. Import tax of 6.5%.

So, total cost:

US purchase price
+
taxes(18.5%
+$200 for driving lights
+ Import and RIV fees - $300 roughly

= total cost.

It was very easy to do. I bought my car when the CDN dollar was higher, so I actually saved $300 off the US price when exchange was factored in.

I saved over $8,000 by buying the car in the US, easily after it was all said and done. And I bought it in Washington State, which made it very easy.

^^nice! Good job and congrats! Thanks for more info to!

The car must be registered in the US first or the warranty will not be honored in Canada.

^^ Hmm that is interesting.. thx

Yeah that's what I've heard too. Car must be registered in the U.S. for minimum of 6 months in order for Nissan Canada to honor the warranty.

That's some corporate BS! If you fight them on it I'm sure you could win your side. I mean it's the same f*cking product!

I can only imagine what Nissan Canada will tell us when more Canadians get the "dreeded steering lock failure!". They will probably say something like only Z's in the states are affected or covered for free replacement! Or some BS along those lines!

Yeah, that should be interesting. Especially for me, I bought a U.S. model from my local dealer. :eekdance:

yep! worst part is I have been dying to go to my storage and check to see if I have the B or C version because my 40th was made 02/10 right in between the currently know dates of 01/10's having version B and 03/10's having version C!! I really hope that version C is in mine and that it continues to not fail for the majority of us with version C!

If not Phil!(AWX Z34) I am getting you to help me open mine up! he successfully opened his and got it all working again.....(well starting it just doesn't lock!)

I looked at buying my Z so much from the States. I was even thinking of leaving a Florida plate on it because my parents own a home in Florida.

Long story short, I bought in in Burlington (Ontario) haha