When does the border agency consider a car and actual vehicle? I have a buddy who has crossed the border with enough parts to build a complete car. He now has a lead on a chassis (motor and running gear) and thinks they might give him grief. There is no title, but he will have a bill of sale for the items. He will also be bringing back another body. It is all going to be used for parts, and the bill of sale will state that. I told him just to be honest and he should be fine. Anyone have any experience with this?
Being honest is a good policy in general. Relieves you of having to remember what you said before. I have no experience at this, but my first thought would be to pick up a phone and call Canada Customs, explain the situation and ask them.
He was on the phone today and seemed to get a different answer from everyone he talked to. My take on it is this:
If it has been put together using doner parts from various other vehicles, and it is not a complete, ready for the road vehicle (Ie: has not passed a safety inspection, etc), then there is no way of getting it titled anyways - so therefore it is still a pile of "parts", and should be able to be imported as such.
Oh Dick, there you go, being sensible again.
I have never dealt with Canada Customs. It is true, though, that my only dealing with a car and crossing the border did involve different information from different people.
When Anja and I moved from Holland to the US in 1977, we brought our 1936 Austin Ten with us. Since it was part of a household move, there was no import duty or any other charge, so we had no paperwork. We collected the car in Hoboken and here it was. We set out on a long camping trip which ended up involving taking the Bluenose Ferry from Bar Harbor ME to Halifax NS. Before we left Bar Harbor, I asked a US Customs official if I needed any paperwork showing that the car was in the US and I was taking it to Canada, and would be bringing it back to the US. He assured me I didn't need anything (probably because he didn't want to be bothered filling out the form). After crossing Canada to Sarnia ON, we entered the US at Port Huron MI. I explained the situation to the customs guy at the border and was invited to park the car and go into the office. While I was waiting, I saw an American with his wife's fur coat show a document to the customs official that indicated that he had taken the coat temporarily out of the US. When it was my turn, I explained exactly what had happened, pointed to the man who had been before me and commented that I should have been given such a document in Bar Harbor. The customs official agreed, but decided that I was being truthful and let us bring the car into the US. As I recall, he said that the story was so complicated that I couldn't have made it up.
Greg, If it was a pile of parts, it is just that. A motor and chassis, on the other hand, may give him (your friend) reason to pause. If it isn't claimed as a vehicle, and taxes paid at the border, it may become a "salvage only" title, and the VIN flagged, and never be allowed to be registered in Canada. Remember of course, the VIN is the engine number. If it were me, I would suggest finding a way to obtain a title (Maine allows this). However, if it is simply going to be used as parts, then the sky is the limit, just make sure to be honest. I do a lot of cross border transactions with antique car, tractor and truck parts. Never had an issue. I truly believe that you could bring in a tonne of black tar heroin as long as you paid the taxes on it. Disclaimer - do not bring in black tar heroin, claim it, and say I told you it would be ok
Take the motor off the frame and haul them as two separate pieces across the border. They could even be on the same trailer just not assembled.
I have brought several cars back to Canada and never had a problem. One of the times I had a complete car and another in pieces still no problem although the car in pieces did have a title and as mentioned above the engine serial number is on the title. We have no problem in Alberta getting a new registration with a bill of sale.
CCRA is usually just after the taxes. One time I brought the paperwork into the office for a Model A I was bringing back and had to ask the guy if wanted to see the truck and he wouldn't have if I had not asked him!
No problem I had my car packed with frames on top of car . No problem had a bill of sale from auction house.