Tariffs on Old Cars Now a Reality
 

98K U.S=140,000Canadian then 25% Tariffs and taxes for vehicles 25 years and older brought into Canada-ouch!!!
Keep On Cruising!!!
Dave
https://www.ctvnews.ca/winnipeg/arti...r-into-canada/

This sucks!!! 👎👎👎

Doesn't make sense. I know I am preaching to the choir here, but the whole point of the tariffs is to encourage domestic manufacturing. Should not apply to antique cars.

Wondering if the "officials" got it wrong. That often happens on this side of the border. Some numbscull employee takes in on himself or herself to "interpret" the law and you get a result like this.

I just had a relatively expensive engine (yes manufactured over 25 years ago) brought over FROM Canada in the last couple weeks. No tariff.

Hope the poor guy gets this sorted out.

Sucks for everyone.

I also know that even 20 years ago, there were some pretty big charges for antique auto parts going from US to Canada, but not vice versa. I would talk with Canadian buyers who would want me to write "Antique Auto Parts, Value less than $20" on packaging, even if the part was worth $1,000 or more. I just couldn't do it. While I vehemently disagree with the law, I personally can't sacrifice my integrity to get around it.
Sorry for rambling. No easy answer.

So Canada valued the car at nearly 187k?

That thing gotta Hemi?

Back in the 80's. You could NOT bring a car into Canada unless it 25 years or older. I had a chance to buy a 1970 Corvette ZR1, couldn't get it back in the country.
Take a guess on how much that car is worth today?!?!

Unless prices have changed since 12/30/2024, I would guess this:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...onvertible-30/

I don't think it was mentioned in the article from Winnipeg...
To get the car into Canada....
1..Fill out import paperwork ( get it notarized best idea)
2..Inform US customs you are exporting vehicle (minimum 2 days to 7 days)
3..Stop at US customs to pick up your form (stamped hopefully or you are not taking vehicle.
4.. Cross to Canada, declare vehicle. ( go into customs and they will give you the 3rd degree, that's when you NEED the notarized receipt) They will check to see IF, IF the car is eligible. Yup... hopefully you checked first, if not car is going back.
5..In Ontario pay the 10% HST tax, then the new 25% tariff.
6.. Of course there was the "incidental" exchange rate from CAN $$ to US $$ of 40%

So how are you doing NOW?? That should stop the old car hobby in it's track.

Think I'll up the selling price on my car....LOL

In 1982 I sold a roadworthy project El Camino and a bed full of parts to two gentlemen from Hamilton ONT. They were very happy that it had a mis-matched color fender from another car that they said would be leverage to limit the duty (Tariff) value at the border which seemed substantial back then.

So maybe the only thing new here is the increased percentage of value to import into CAN??

A couple years ago I was pursuing a Beaumont SD. TFX was going to handle the paperwork at the border but the numbers quoted for coming this way weren't anything substantial.

I recently sold my Camino and was bidding on a couple of cars on B.A.T. that were in the States.I was the top bidder on one of them that didn't meet reserve.The seller reached out to me to make a deal but I declined just in case tariffs would impact the deal! I was fortunate to sell "high" cause my Camino sold on a U.S.site for $40K. which was $57K.Canadian.I'm gonna be 75 in July and this crap might just be the end of my long journey in the classic car hobby.I think we've all been concerned about the future of our beloved hobby and things like tariffs are just gonna hasten it's demise.

X2!!!!

Your El Camino situation was common place in those days. Vehicles that were less than 25 yrs old were subject to duty, so a vehicle that appeared in poor condition was often declared at a lesser value, thus less duty and tax.

Once a vehicle was over 25 yrs old the duty wasn't applicable so it didn't matter.

In the case of the 68 Charger, yes it will only increase the value to import

98,000 USD purchase price......1.44 exchange rate to Canadian

141,000 Canadian value for purchase price
35,250 25% tariff (duty)
176,250 Canadian import value
8,812.50 GST (federal goods and services tax)
185,062.50 Total cost of vehicle in Canada

If the vehicle originally came with A/C there is a tax on that
In Alberta there is no provincial (state) tax (just like Oregon and Montana)
Other provinces have provincial sales taxes (PST) or harmonized sales tax (HST) which combines the provincial and GST.

This is our little world. If tariffs continue it will certainly put the brakes on our old cars.

I was planning on bringing a vintage vehicle from the US into Canada, and was caught off guard by these tariffs as well. Looking into it, I discovered that the big three auto makers entered into the Auto Pact back in 1964 which was signed early in 1965 where they worked together on both sides of the border supplying parts for the manufacturing of these cars to avoid the tariffs at the time. I was going to use this as my argument at the border. Here’s an article on the Auto Pact…

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/mad...-pact-of-1965/

Curious what your thoughts are on this?

I'd say save your breath, the officers you will encounter are just doing what they are told. I brought parts across last week, a mix of used and new reproductions. I paid my HST and was told " no tariffs on auto parts." That is likely because of the Auto Pact I'm guessing. But an assembled car from the USA is now going to be subject to tariffs. No ifs, ands or buts. I would hold off until calmer heads prevail on this.

I hope calmer heads do prevail.

Lot of nice cars and good Car Guys in Canada. Make it hard for us to trade with one another, but what are ya going to do! 🤷*♂️

Didnt read this whole thread but part of the reason “part” is that in 2016 to 2020 when Trump put tariffs on China goods they found their way around it by using Mexico and CANADA as a way in without them

But that’s just a piece of it , we have a deficit and many countries charge us a tariff we don’t need their crap and they need our crap so why should we pay them a tariff or in a
Some cases they call it a tax. We shouldn’t. Sometimes you got deal w a little headache to fix a problem .
But most of it is propaganda. Like when they squawk about shutting down the government for the budget. That’s all fake. . It only really stood 20 percent of the government which saves us money BUT even the prime who work that get the shut down get paid in arrears when it reopens.
None of it is a really big deal.

When I bought my boat in Canada years ago mate 2006 or so. The guy was selling it because he bought a boat and brought it into Canada and lied about what he paid. This boat was about $350k at the time. They confiscated it and somehow found out what was paid. He was selling my boat to get the money to pay the fines to get it out of impound.
Around the same time my buddy sold a turbocharged capri (mustang) to a guy in Canada who also lied and somehow they found the info on what was paid. Also confiscated. Heard it Took 2 years to release that car. And big fines. That’s unrelated to tariffs but what I’m showing is Canada is very serious about collecting thier taxes to balance their budget.

Helmut.....Tracker is on track, sage advice.....the officers at the border will do what they are instructed to do.

Getting an advance ruling would be the only way you'd have a chance but it appears it's gone for now. There is an election being called for Apr 28, however with the carbon tax off now they are likely looking to put cash in the till any way possible. Nobody will loose many votes using vintage cars as platform to reduce $$ in the till.

With now into the hundreds of my imports over the years the only other advice I'd give would be to call the crossing in advance and ask for the port director. I've been given the cold shoulder and also had the red carpet treatment however they won't bend the rules.

What I don't understand about the gent in Winnipeg with the 1968 Charger is when doing an export, you stop at US Customs to have the vehicle exported, then get to Canada Customs to pay your taxes. If you don't import the car and then return, you have to import the car back into the US, which I don't believe you can do as a Canadian citizen, not sure. That would leave you having to put the car in a bonded warehouse just like a seized vehicle.....and I'm sure those rates are wonderful.

First... Each port of entry seems to have different rules, also rules differ per officer per day.

Second.. The advance ruling doesn't mean anything, You deal with the officer/port of entry on the day of entry.

Third.. the car could/would be placed in a "bonded area" on the Canadian side. Otherwise you would be crossing the border twice to import the car...Twice the import fee. ( I don't see the customs letting you bring it back second time without paying...)

Turbo69Birds point.... How did they find out? How would you find the car? Google that's how!!!
I brought a 99 FRC Vette into Canada around 2010. Did all the proper paperwork, everything by the book. Luckily the owners wife was lawyers personal assistant. (I had no idea she was, but she did ALL the paperwork for her husband. Changed the ownership at the state office, had her lawyer boss notarize the bill of sale.)
Saved my azzz.
When I got to the Canadian border, they took my paperwork and went inside. In less then 15 minutes he came out with the print out of the ad I had bought the car from in the Autotrader.
A college kid, working as a customs agent for the summer. He said to me, word for word. "You don't know how many of you guys we catch lying about the value!!"
I had the original dealer window sticker in a file and they found that thinking I was lying

Exactly right. I’ve imported and exported a number of “classic” cars over the years and I learned a long time ago that it’s critical to get a customs broker involved from the very beginning. Fees are minimal when compared to the anxiety. It used to be a lot easier with far fewer hoops to jump through but that all changed when we as Canadians had to get export approval from US Customs before the car entered Canada. I really feel sorry for the guy in Winnipeg. A broker could have saved him a ton of anxiety, but that is hindsight. With my most recent import (my Corvette), TFX Transport worked with me to get the car cleared through Customs and across the border before the tariff war began ( everyone involved knew it was imminent).

It is so sad what is happening. It is now crazy for a Canadian to buy a car from the U.S. (for now).

If the car cost $75,000 U.S..... the final price sitting in my driveway here in Ontario will be $132,000 Cdn ($75,000 US PLUS 40% exchange PLUS 25% tariff on top of that new number PLUS 13% of the $75,000 US for HST in Ontario = $132,000 CDN) and that does not include any shipping fees if you needed that as well.

$75,000 US = $132,000 CDN

Here's the million dollar question for us guys in Canada.....are our cars now worth an additional 25% (if sold in Canada) because of the tariffs???? It is a terrible question to ask but.......

Just NUTS!

Paul

Here's the million dollar question for us guys in Canada.....are our cars now worth an additional 25% (if sold in Canada) because of the tariffs???? It is a terrible question to ask but.......

Just NUTS!

Paul[/QUOTE]

I'm going to say ..YES.
Why should us as the owner lose out? But lets give it a few months, the values surely have to be adjusted.

Here's a question. What if you have a Canadian car in the US & now it's going back to Canada to stay? It's titled & has all of the original body tags. Anybody know what he might run into. The new owner is a Canadian citizen from Sask. ....Thank you, Joe

If you mean the car was originally made/assembled in Canada and there is proof of that (documentation) then I believe it will be exempt from the tariff. However if the car was originally made in the USA and was an export from way back and now is going back to Canada then the tariff will apply.

I would think if the vehicle was manufactured here in Canada, he should not have to pay the 25% tariff. But you need to have a bullet proof documentation from our authorities.

My understanding is if it was manufactured in the US, you will pay. If it was manufactured anywhere else, you are good to go.

And supposedly that goes for all our parts for restoration purposes. If ordered from the US but made in China, no tariff BUT if manufactured in US, you enjoy the 25%. It just sucks for everybody.

Correct if I am wrong.

Paul

It was built in Canada. Regina I believe. I have docs from Vintage Vehicle Services. Thank you, Joe

Built in Regina? I didn't know GM had a plant there. Must be a very old car?

The main point is where is the car registered NOW? If it's registered in Canada, put it on the trailer and there should be no problem
Registered in the USA, then the car has to be imported...Nothing to do with where it was built.

I don't believe that is the case. The 25% tariff are for some products coming into Canada that were actually made/assembled in the USA with American materials. For example I am in the USA right now as a snowbird and I bought a new golf bag. That bag was made in Mexico and I have the tags to prove it. Going back to Canada I do not have to pay the tariff on it but if I exceed my $800 limit on duty free then I would have to pay on the excess in taxes. If X66 714's car was registered in the USA but was actually an import into the USA and made in Canada many years ago I don't believe the tariff would apply.

It all has to do with Country of origin and production outside of Canada.

https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/...ons/SOR-94-23/

We can beat this to death here and get no where.

WHEN YOU GET BACK TO CANADA, let us know how you made out.
As for X66's car...I'll bet they charge him to bring it in, THEN he has to go to Customs office in his town with proof.
But I believe he will have a US customs document for the importation.
He'll find out when he gets there.......hoping it works in favour of him.

Yup
In both cases they had the original ad. But how do they know you didn’t just get lucky haggling the price down.

I’m in real estate and I’ve had clients make $300k offers on a $1 mill property that wasn’t selling and get it so it’s possible the lie( in customs eyes) about the price vs the listing was reality. But they didn’t care they impounded that stuff lickity quick.

I guess maybe it’s guilty until proven innocent w that stuff in O’ Canada IDK.

I mean DMV here goes by book value for taxes not what the purchase price was unless notarized w buyer and seller so … idk

Thank you. He does too....Joe

I don't see this thread headed in a positive direction. Maybe a good time for all to put this to bed.

I mean DMV here goes by book value for taxes not what the purchase price was unless notarized w buyer and seller so … idk[/QUOTE]

That is 100% no true in Ontario.

I removed turbo69bird inappropriate post. Unfortunately those quoting and responding to turbo69bird still show his offensive comment. I would like to remove them but wanted to let you know.

Lets move back to the original topic.

Thanks Steve.

According to a news article today the car is now in Winnipeg with the owner. He engaged a brokerage firm and they got it sorted out.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/46k-tariff...23330632.html?

Thanks Steve.
His comments struck a raw nerve with me and most people here on the site..

Glad to hear this was resolved. Most of my cars were imported by me from the US, always submitted the initial paperwork myself. But wouldn't even think about crossing without a Customs Broker, fee is small and vehicle value has no bearing on broker fees. Flat rate per transaction IIRC. Bet more than a few of us up here lost some sleep over this!

That is the best thing that could of happened. Glad to see the owner looked after.

Paul