American taking gift car to U.S. faces hurdles

Eric Lai

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Q: My husband has a 1995 Buick Regal that he’d like to give to our daughter, who is an American citizen living in Illinois. She’ll be visiting here shortly and wants to drive the car back.

No one else in the family seems concerned, but I don’t think it’s that easy to cross the border with a Canadian car driven by an American citizen.

The car would also have to be driven with my husband’s Ontario licence plates and with his car insurance. When she arrives in the U.S., she will obtain insurance and Illinois licence plates.

A: Detailed information for United States residents who wish to bring a motor vehicle into the U.S. from Canada can be found on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service website. Visit www.cbp.gov and enter “importing a car” into the search box in the upper right corner.

The site advises that U.S. residents importing a new or used car should consult the Department of Motor Vehicles in their state of residence about temporary licence plates and what documentation their DMV would require from Customs.

The site adds that most Canadian-made vehicles are duty-free, whereas other foreign-made autos are subject to duty.

Modifications to imported vehicles may be required to meet U.S. safety, bumper, theft and emissions standards. As well, cleaning of the undercarriage (to protect U.S. crops from unwanted pests/disease) and an array of documentation will be mandatory.

Vehicles previously exported from the U.S. “for non-commercial or private use outside the country may return duty-free to the United States, if U.S. Customs and Border Protection is provided specific proof of U.S. origination. This proof may be a state-issued vehicle registration card or a CBP certificate of registration (CBP 4455) completed and verified by a CBP officer before departure from the United States.”

Please note that all information provided above is of a general nature only and may be subject to change. For specific info: consult the CBP website, the DMV in your state of residence, and your auto insurance carrier.

Q: The lease on my 2005 KIA Spectra 5 expires in June. I’ve been reading up on lease buyouts and would like to “make an offer” rather than just accept the $5,500 buyout price listed in the lease.

The dealership said they cannot get involved with any part of the lease buyout, so I then called the leasing company directly. They flatly refused stating that the listed buyout price is final, plus taxes.

However, I’ve read numerous articles where the same leasing company has taken offers. Can you tell me what I may be doing wrong?

This is my first — and probably my last — car lease. It doesn’t seem to be the least expensive way to go at all.

A: Mohamed Bouchama, executive director of Car Help Canada (www.carhelpcanada.com), a non-profit consumer group that assists members in resolving automotive-related disputes, replies:

Usually the buyout price stated in the lease is final. There may be an odd case where the issuer of the lease will negotiate the buyback, but it is extremely rare.

At the end of the day, it is up to them if they want to negotiate with you. If they refuse, that’s their right as stipulated in the lease.

You can send your non-mechanical questions to Eric Lai at wheels@thestar.ca. Include year, make, model and kilometres of autos cited, plus your name, address and telephone number.. Personal replies cannot be handled due to volume.

More videos from Wheels.ca and our partners