So they basically didn’t let you drive it pass the border without importing it? I thought lots of people drive over and import it at a later time
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You can as long as the vehicle in question is importable. Right now only roadsters from vin #501 are for some reason, probably because being cars designed for a global market are adaptable, you still have to make changes but its doable. Also a lot of ICE cars are not compliant, my TVR speed 6 was not able to come to Canada with me, but my V8 944 Porsche was. Certain cars already meet the Canadian regulations so they are deemed adaptable to be imported, no such thing on cars destined to live in one country, the US of A cars were designed for US of A safety regulations and the Canadian ones designed for Canadian safety regulations. There is no other reason. Personally I believe the insurance companies regulate the automotive industry here so try to justify a 2% drop in premium by adding thousands of dollars of theft prevention on the vehicles along with DRL's (which is not enforceable by law however you have to have them).
That being said would you have paid a premium on a new Tesla on the chance you or one of the other Tesla drivers 'may' decide one day to move to another country and take their car with them? I wouldn't
That being said would you have paid a premium on a new Tesla on the chance you or one of the other Tesla drivers 'may' decide one day to move to another country and take their car with them? I wouldn't
But that doesn’t prevent US Teslas being driven across the border. It’s not importable, that we know for sure now, but I don’t believe the border will stop the driver like the post above and make him walk across to import first.
Now I think about it my friends used their US car on US plates for the 3 years they were in Toronto. So as long as your insurance covers you you should be able to drive them as your private vehicle. Canadian customs are a law onto themselves so as a heads up I should also warn you, they may make you pay tax on them. My race car that will never see the road again had a 2,500 tax bill, the receipt I can use to claim back if I take the car out the country. The tax was in case I decided to sell the vehicle while I was here. It’s going to depend on the custom officer of the day. I would not try and import but use the car while you are in Canada. You never know what will happen in a few years time. As soon as you mention import the cars the paperwork says no, so it’s not going to happen, but if you leave them registered in America and you have insurance I don’t think it makes any difference. Granted they had an Audi Q7 so it’s not the same vehicle but they kept the plates (Texas I think, they are drs and we’re moving around a lot) and just used their vehicle.
I happened into one of my local Tesla boutiques and they had an S on the floor that was made for Canada. The OA said the car couldn't even be sold here and was a temporary fixture. Not sure if that implies that Canada Teslas cannot be brought stateside, though.
HankLloydRight
No Roads
I personally wouldn't believe information like that from a SA working at a boutique. For instance, just a few days ago we discovered that there were a dozen or two of Inventory cars originally listed for sale in Canada, on Tesla's CA Inventory website, that were relocated back to the US and they are now being sold as US cars. We don't know if the cars actually went to Canada and back, but on the surface, it sure looks like Tesla took those Canadian cars and converted them to US cars for sale.
I'm still pretty certain one can import a Tesla from Canada into the US.
People drive over and import at a later time, true. I did with 7 cars, 5 in, 2 out. But only one at a time. I already had driven one over and they kept record of that. When I showed up again with a second US car, they said that I had to wait until the first one was imported before I brought this one across and either just drove it or imported it.
3s-a-charm
Active Member
You are allowed to visit Canada in just about any vehicle - if someone was planning to try and skirt the system by living in Canada with a permanent address in the US so their vehicles are registered in the US and keep US plates on there are a number of issues to this:
1. You would need to lie to the border patrol that your driving across the border into Canada for a visit not to move there. They may catch you in that lie if there is anything on your file about being transferred to Canada - such as the fact that to work in Canada you would have a temporary work VISA on file... unless you were also planning to work illegally for cash LOL).
2. You would need to inform your insurance that you plan to operate the vehicle in Canada - I can’t imagine a US policy covering long-term use in Canada like that. If you don’t tell your insurance then obviously that could end poorly should there be a collision and (heaven forbid) an injury or fatality resulting from it.
There is no good way around the importation rules other than what the OP is attempting which is trying to have the manufacturer allow the modifications to be done. I also suspect the main mod would be new key fobs with new receiver and software change. This sounds like a very custom job that they are “not equipped to handle at the Service Centres”.
Have you considered selling (I assumed you owned both cars?) and leasing in Canada while you are there - then give them back at the end of the term? May not be the absolute best financial option but not bad either. And you don’t have to worry about the paint
. As Bonnie mentioned, for the few cases of Canadian imports like yours... Tesla has a lot of other priorities so I wouldn’t have your hopes too high that they will put manpower or resources to your (first world) problem - and I mean that with respect of course.
Pretty sure you are correct.
From the research I did when this thread started, Canada has more restrictive requirements regarding DRL and security systems. A Canadian Tesla would meet all US requirements.
What would be interesting is for someone in Massachusetts to buy a Canadian and US Tesla and get the parts lists for both...
So you have to have the car paid in full, title in hand, fill out import paperwork at the boarder, TD will insure a US car in Ontario. You need a Canadian safety on the car and the insurance want to see workers permit or visa. The only thing you get to keep is the plate. So the there are a lot of problems to overcome, the border will not allow you to import.
http://www.tc.ca/motorvehiclesafety/safevehicles/importation/usa/vafus/list2/TESLA_MOTORS.htm
You cannot get a safety (least of the problems as most places who safety look at tires brakes and exhaust and rust, I doubt they would fail a Tesla.
I feel the OP is quite right, its simply not realistic to import a car not designed to comply with Canadian restrictions until they are old enough to slip by the loopholes.
http://www.tc.ca/motorvehiclesafety/safevehicles/importation/usa/vafus/list2/TESLA_MOTORS.htm
You cannot get a safety (least of the problems as most places who safety look at tires brakes and exhaust and rust, I doubt they would fail a Tesla.
I feel the OP is quite right, its simply not realistic to import a car not designed to comply with Canadian restrictions until they are old enough to slip by the loopholes.
Yea, I think there shouldn't be an issue with the border officers for me to just drive my CA plated car over. I'm gonna try this and worst case scenario I drive the car back south and sell it. At least I would have my car to drive before someone tells me no.
I think point 2 is valid. Most US insurance policies only cover Canada for 6 month max. I don't know if re-entry would reset the clock...You are allowed to visit Canada in just about any vehicle - if someone was planning to try and skirt the system by living in Canada with a permanent address in the US so their vehicles are registered in the US and keep US plates on there are a number of issues to this:
1. You would need to lie to the border patrol that your driving across the border into Canada for a visit not to move there. They may catch you in that lie if there is anything on your file about being transferred to Canada - such as the fact that to work in Canada you would have a temporary work VISA on file... unless you were also planning to work illegally for cash LOL).
2. You would need to inform your insurance that you plan to operate the vehicle in Canada - I can’t imagine a US policy covering long-term use in Canada like that. If you don’t tell your insurance then obviously that could end poorly should there be a collision and (heaven forbid) an injury or fatality resulting from it.
There is no good way around the importation rules other than what the OP is attempting which is trying to have the manufacturer allow the modifications to be done. I also suspect the main mod would be new key fobs with new receiver and software change. This sounds like a very custom job that they are “not equipped to handle at the Service Centres”.
Have you considered selling (I assumed you owned both cars?) and leasing in Canada while you are there - then give them back at the end of the term? May not be the absolute best financial option but not bad either. And you don’t have to worry about the paint
As Bonnie mentioned, for the few cases of Canadian imports like yours... Tesla has a lot of other priorities so I wouldn’t have your hopes too high that they will put manpower or resources to your (first world) problem - and I mean that with respect of course.
Regarding point 1, work permit holders can temp import their cars to Canada and export back to the US after their work permit expires, so that actually would make things easier. It's people that are Canadians or Canadian PR who get affected the most by this. Canadians and PR are not allowed to operate a foreign-plated vehicle, so I think the border wouldn't have an issue with Canadians driving the car into Canada, but the cops will ask those questions if pulled over.
Selling isn't economically optimal since I would take a hit from the sale, return the CA rebate to the state, and buy a Canadian CPO or new Tesla at a higher price. Trust me, I did the math
SmartElectric
Active Member
Hypothetically.
Create US company.
Sell car to US company for $1.
US company rents car to you for $0.01 per day.
Profit.
Create US company.
Sell car to US company for $1.
US company rents car to you for $0.01 per day.
Profit.
love it!
so, er, for the slightly more legal and business acumen challenged amongst us, what would be the timeline for doing something like that (ie, starting from scratch, could someone pull something like that off in a couple of months)? If anyone in this forum knows of someone who has some experience with this sort of thing, I'm certainly willing to pay for their services.
one other quick hypothetical:
- Canadian snowbird parents have an address in the US (spend less than half the year there), title is turned over to them and vehicle is registered and insured in that state (in their name or mine?), then driven across to Canada for "short term" use. I anticipate the same insurance fears that people outlined, but maybe it's more solid ground from a back and forth across the border without import standpoint?
HankLloydRight
No Roads
jkirkwood001
Active Member
Many creative solutions here.
I just want to add my voice, @Simbalwa, to the set that feels you are feeling particularly entitled, moving of your own choice, and blaming the company that you bought two luxury cars from for not planning for your exceptional circumstance. I mean - that's like me moving to the US and blaming the US government for not providing universal health care! Factor the marginal loss you'll incur in swapping your two luxury vehicles, balance that with the benefits you obviously appreciate in taking this opportunity in Canada, and suck it up princess. Or stay where you are - nobody is forcing you to move, especially Elon. He doesn't owe you a car that satisfies two countries arcane regulations.
Put another way, say it cost a $50 premium per car to make them compliant in both countries ("but I wanna move to the UK!!" someone else says), are you asking each of us to add $50 to our Tesla purchases so you can do this exceptional thing? No thanks, not me, not gunna.
I just want to add my voice, @Simbalwa, to the set that feels you are feeling particularly entitled, moving of your own choice, and blaming the company that you bought two luxury cars from for not planning for your exceptional circumstance. I mean - that's like me moving to the US and blaming the US government for not providing universal health care! Factor the marginal loss you'll incur in swapping your two luxury vehicles, balance that with the benefits you obviously appreciate in taking this opportunity in Canada, and suck it up princess. Or stay where you are - nobody is forcing you to move, especially Elon. He doesn't owe you a car that satisfies two countries arcane regulations.
Put another way, say it cost a $50 premium per car to make them compliant in both countries ("but I wanna move to the UK!!" someone else says), are you asking each of us to add $50 to our Tesla purchases so you can do this exceptional thing? No thanks, not me, not gunna.
It is interesting that this happens with Tesla, and it doesn’t actually seem that odd. But of course it seems odd when consider writing the CEO of any other car mfr.
mknox
Well-Known Member
As long as you don't get caught. I have a friend who moved from the US and was tagged by the police for US plates and ordered to get Ontario plates before continuing to drive the car. Probably had the bad luck of parking regularly where some cop drove by every day.
Absolutely. I know of several Canadians who have sold their cars in the US. It's the other way around that's a problem.
Scott_K
Member
You’re being pretty unreasonable here @jkirkwood001. The root of the issue here isn’t that Tesla isn’t making all of their cars compliant in all countries out of the factory. Unless I missed something, I don’t think the OP ever suggested that we all pay a premium on our cars so that they can all be compliant in every country.
The major problem here is that there is no officially supported way for the OP to even pay extra money to Tesla (or a third party company) to have the car (that he paid a lot of money for) be made compliant with Canadian laws. It’s not even like he’s asking to move it overseas, he’s asking to be able to move it a few hundred miles north.
Life circumstances change, people move. I really do feel bad for the OP that he isn’t able to bring his Teslas with him to Canada.
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NCAviator
Member
There are many many Tesla Owners that can not take their cars to Europe. Many are Military or other Government Employees. Different charging Port. SC's won't service, etc. This is not just Canada thing. A US Spec car or tested here is not a Canadian or EU Car. Tesla is a young company and has not done all the paperwork and such.
