This is my story.
Well I finally did it. I had purchased my first antique truck from the US. It took me two years of seriously looking ( car auctions, newspapers, the web) and putting want ads in. Mind you I wasn't just looking for any truck either. It got confusing with all the emails, so I decided to make a portfolio of all the trucks I looked at. It gave me a good comparison what to expect from the amount of money they were asking.
I needed to decide how I was going to bring my baby home.
.myself....truck and trailer
.a reliable trucking company
.local boys etc
After giving it considerable thought and waving the pros and cons of doing the road trip myself, I went with a trucking company. After talking with them on the phone several times, I was convinced I had made the right choice. Make sure you get it in writing. I told them the truck doesn't run, they said no problem we can load it. I clarified over the phone that I didn't want any surprises in extra costs etc.
No problem Did I say make sure you get it in writing.
I told the seller what was going on and that was fine with them. Really nice folks.
Now the fun part.
I contacted the US customs. All they wanted was a copy of the title faxed to them prior to 72 hrs from when the truck crosses the border. I phoned them back after the 72hrs had passed, gave them the serial number, customs runs it through their system and tells me it has cleared. Piece of cake!!!!
I had to fax the bill of sale and the copy of the title to the trucking company. Now their broker looked after Canadian customs. Note: You don't need a broker if you bring the truck over yourself or if you meet your vehicle at the border and you do all the paper work.
At Canadian Customs you will pay the GST at the border on the bill of sale converted to Canadian funds. As in my case the brokerage did all that.
I get a call saying my truck is on their flatbed sitting in their yard. There is another load on with it and it won't be unloaded till the following day. Fine next day same thing. Nobody is around to take off the load, so you will have to wait till Monday. Fine, I waited this long whats two more days.
Remember I said get it in writing, I got an email from the seller stating that they have a invoice for a tilt n load. What!!!!!!!! There weren't to be any surprises. I had a few words with the trucking company.
A couple of weeks went buy and finally get an invoice from the trucking company. Make sure you double check, everyone makes mistakes. Again back on the phone with the trucking company, no problem we will get it fixed. So I decide maybe its about time to transfer it into my name(its been since July)so off to the MTO office. He says I need to have the truck appraised and I need the original forms from the customs (Form 1 and a Form B3) which I should of received with the arrival of the truck. At the MTO you pay the PST on the bill of sale converted to Canadian funds or the appraisal, higher of the two. Finally after several calls I received the forms today. So off to the MTO tomorrow.
Do I have any regrets....Hell NO!!!!!!
Rob
