Importing from South America???

[piyeguyo]

Hi

I was talking about cars with my brother (he's in Colombia) over the weekend and he's telling me the used car prices down there are super cheap compared to Canada... He showed me a website with some pictures and I think I'd like to import a Toyota FJ or a Land Rover. They have beautiful cars, not too many kms and the "local" prices are great.
But I wonder if this is possible... If I manage to get a car in a container and send it to Vancouver (I still have to find if this is doable), will I be able to import it into Canada?

Does anybody know if you can import a car from a country different than US or Japan?

Fabio
Calgary

[Green1]

you can import from any country as long as the vehicle is more than 15 years old.

if the vehicle is less than 15 years old it can only come from the US, and only if it is on the RIV list.

15 year old vehicles may be dirt cheap in south affrica, but what condition are they in? the reason we tend to import form Japan instead of anywhere else is the combination of dirt cheap AND great condition, also keep in mind you can find those same vehicles in Japan as well.

[piyeguyo]

Roger,

It's South America, not South Africa.

Anyway, you're giving me good news. I understand what you're saying about condition, but believe me, some of these cars are in great shape. I just have to find the right one.

What I have to do now is find a way to bring the car to Vancouver in a container (make sure they don't smuggle anything strange that will get me in trouble... ) or wait until somebody builds a bridge to cross the Darien Gap and drive it myself.

Cheers,

Fabio

[Green1]

It's South America, not South Africa.

DOH! knew I should have read it better... (and I do remember after hitting submit seeing the word "columbia" and thinking "what's that got to do with south africa???")

*sigh* serves me right trying to do too many things at once...

Either way though, country of origin is irrelevant for vehicles over 15 years of age.