buying from canada question

[Mary Ann in MN]

How would one buy a camper fron Canada. Do you pay price plus duty? What else does one need to know?

[Carol H]

You do not pay any duty on a trailer that was built in Canada or the USA.

There have been a number f threads outlining the process. The search option should turn them up,.

[FTTRV]

If the trailer is 25 years or older very easy to import from Canada. If less than 25 years your trailer has to be certified by a boarder broker. Propane,brakes have to be certified before importing. Without import papers you can not license in the US.
Chuck

[Fran L]

Also check out this thread on the Escape Trailer forum:
Buying used in Canada and returning to US - Escape Trailer Owners Community

[Ice-breaker]

You do have to be a little bit careful when dealing with Canadians. Some of them are pretty unsavory characters. You should review this thread before deciding to deal with any of them: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f51/canadians-should-i-fear-them-56681.html

[Briantb]

Originally Posted by FTTRV

If the trailer is 25 years or older very easy to import from Canada. If less than 25 years your trailer has to be certified by a boarder broker. Propane,brakes have to be certified before importing. Without import papers you can not license in the US.
Chuck

Perhaps you could quote some regulations for your answer

[kootenaigirl]

We sold a 1999 Scamp trailer to folks in the States a while ago and just last week a 1975 Boler trailer - no issues with either and they did not need a broker. They did both come up and take the trailer back with them as I believe if you don't that is where a broker is needed and that gets expensive and more complicated. They did not pay any fees at the border.
The US border guards were very clear that we as Canadians cannot take a trailer and sell it in the States. I believe one of the forms that you get when you import it is needed to register it in the States and if you don't have it you can't register it.

Scamp had brakes, Boler no brakes. The Boler's propane was certified in 1975 LOL!

When the folks called the border they did say they would check the lights were working, don't know if they did.

I always encourage people to call the border they are crossing at and get their up to date requirements as things change day to day and different guards could interpret legislation differently. Also to speak with your insurance company ahead of time. In BC anyway we take the plates off the trailer when we sell it.

You will need the Canadian equivalent of the title, make sure the VIN on trailer matches the title, bill of sale and I think sticker on trailer saying it met safety standards at time of maufacture but I am not sure on this if they are really old - all our trailers had it.

Good luck.

[Carol H]

Also make sure you obtain the trailers actual Registration papers & that the seller gives you the part for ownership transfer & has signed it over to you. If they say they have no Registration papers for the trailer Don't Touch it! You will not be able to get it titled to you anywhere not even in Canada.

Note also if you read the Escape form you will see they now take the trailers across the border for their buyers. If a private sale of a used trailer this would not be necessary or possible. Escape is having to do this to make The Canadian & US tax collectors happy as they are a registered exporter (or importer to USA) & as such do all the paper work for the customer & authorities want to be sure the trailer really did leave the country etc. & taxes owing or not owing in regards to the sale if the trailer are collected & paid by them or at least that's my take on the explanation give by Escape as to why they are now having to actually clear the trailer at the border for their customers.

If the trailer has the appropriate DOT stickers still on it you should have no issues in regards to lights etc. If the manufacture of he trailer is still in biz you may be able to get a Compliance Letter from them which will also do the trick in that regard.

[Mary Ann in MN]

Thanks for all the info, I've just been thinking about "up sizing" to a 16-19'. Maybe I'll just keep what I have.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Mary Ann in MN

Thanks for all the info, I've just been thinking about "up sizing" to a 16-19'. Maybe I'll just keep what I have.

Humm the thing is that it tends to sound far more complicated than the reality. Your comments make me think you are in fact looking at an Escape in which case you will find the process to be very simple even if you buy private as they are a newer trailer & will have all the safety stickers on it you will need to get it through very easily. If you buy it directly from Escape it's even easier as they do the export for you.

[Fran L]

We are about to head up to BC (on July 11) to pick up a used Escape that we bought from a private owner in Canada and Kootenai girl's description of the process matches everything we were told. Also, Escape has been very helpful in putting the forms together for us - even though it is not a trailer being bought new form them. The trailer was at the Escape plant to be sold because the previous owners were getting a new Escape.
The most difficult part has yet to come - getting it registered in NM. We had AAA double check with their contacts at DMV and we will have to find a manager at one of the DMV offices because the front line clerks will NOT know how to process what Canada used for their registration/title.
I think it will all work out...just sounds more complicated that it will be in reality.