Importing a vehicle from Seattle
 

Hey guys, i was just curious if any of you fellas have sold a vehicle/boat/motorbike, to anyone from bc at all. I have been looking at a few different things from Seattle, and I have some info on what it would take to get to through the border and whatnot, but I would love to hear from anyone that has personal experience with it!

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preppypyro, I haven't shipped a car from Seattle to B.C., but did have a new car shipped from another country to the U.S.. The dealer handled all the paperwork and shipping, it was routine for them.

I understand that Customs is a real pain now. Folks up here say its better to have you and yer stuff go around than to go throu. Preppy would know more about that than me as my last trip through was in 2000. No prob seped we had ta try and eat all are Walla Walla Sweets. The Customs boys where glad to share our Apples. No wonder them boy's are so fat. HAAAA

Not a very common thing to do, with the whole US vs. CA dollar thing, and all the duties, taxes, and fees. I know bringing cars into the US gets a lot easier if they are over 25 years old, the same may hold true for CA.

I think that if its over 15 years old now, its supposed to be pretty easy. You guys would really be surprised at the difference in price, from vehicles in seattle to vancouver. Like for instance a 2001 boat I am looking at, its 7000 in seattle, and in vancouver its 15 grand. So with the exchange, and taxes and everything, Im still saving around 5-6 grand.

I guess I should have mentioned to Rex, most of the deals I was looking at making were private ones! Out of curiousity, what did you get shipped, from where?

That is an excellent savings, I'm surprised. What makes such a big difference?

Mine was a new Subaru 4x4 shipped from Yokohama Japan to Honolulu HI via a Boeing 747 cargo plane. The dealer dealt with it all, and in double-checking his shipping charge he got it for hundreds less than I could have (because I couldn't ship a second car under the old Navy shipping rules then.)

How about would this work for shipping your boat? I have a 24foot SeaRay and see boats from Seattle up here in the San Juans vacationing all the time. So maybe buy the boat here, put it in the water and cruise up Puget Sound to near Port Roberts or Vancouver. There was often just a cursory customs check at the Marinas, though it is probably getting tighter all the time for boats too. But with your Canadian ID...just pull it up on land and drive it away. No harm, no foul.

BTW, there are large marinas and other boat dealers at Everett & Marysville WA that are much closer to you to put into the water here in the Sound.

Im not sure why there is such a huge difference in prices either. It goes the same way with cars and trucks and motorbikes too. I mean I have found some really nice older fords i would love to get, and they were under 2 grand down there. Up here they would be selling for at least 6. Even with the exchange rate thats a hell of a difference! Ive though about putting a boat in the water and just driving it up here. I guess the boat is the easy thing to bring across though, its the trailer that is kind of a pain in the butt. That is just from what I hear though.

My guess would have to do with taxation.

Just strap the trailer under it, it'll be good to go.

Lol dont give me ideas like that ford_six, I may just try driving a boat in the oceon with the trailer still strapped on!