20 - Friday, August 10, 1990 - North Shore News AUTOMOTIVES Free Trade benefiting used car shoppers CANADA'S FREE Trade Agreement with the U.S. may be controversial, bui there’s one aspect that clearly benefits Canadian automotive consumers. Regulations governing impor- ting vehicles from the United States have been loosened, and it is now cheaper to import certain vehicies. The Free Trade Agreement calls for customs duties on U.S. or Canadian-made vehicles imported from the U.S. to be phased out by 1998, and age restrictions on all vehicles imported from the U.S. to be climinated by 1993. Until 1989, importing a motor vehicte from the United States was generally restricted to new (current year) vehicles or ones 15 years and older. Importers had to pay Ca- nadian customs duty of 9.2 per cent on the market value of the vehicle, and Federal Sales Tax of 13.$ per cent on the combined market value and customs duty. This year, the Canada/U.S. Free Trade Agreement allows Ca- nadian residents to import motor vehicles that are six years or older at a duty rate of 7.3 per cent. rate will be reduced to 6.4 per cent, and vehictes four years or older may be imported from the United States. The reduced rate of duty applies only to vehicles built in the United States or Canada. Vehicles not originally manufactured in the United States, such as Mercedes or Subaru, are subject to a higher rate of duty, 9.2 per cent, al- though the age restrictions are the same. Vehicle importers will also pay less Federal tax if the Goods and Services Tax is implemented next year. The 13.5 per cent Federal Sales Tax on imported vehicles will be replaced by a GST rate of just 7 per cert, effective January Ist, 1991. This would mean that the combined reduction in Fede: al taxes and customs duty from 1989 would amount to almost 10 per cent. If you're scriously thinking about importing a vehicle from the United States, be prepared to Greg Wilson AUTOMOTION fill out a lot of forms, wait in lineups, and spend time gathering documents. It is not a simple pro- cess, and should not be done in a hurry. Most of the forms and in- formation you will need are avail- able from Canada Customs. Here are some of the most im- portant things you should do «when importing a car from the United States. Before you buy, check the owner's tide document with the owner's name and i.D. to make sure they match (the vehicle might be stolen). Then verify the ttle with the State Motor Vehicle of- fice to ensure there are no liens on the vehicle. Remember that Canadian customs duty is based on the market value of the vehicle in the area in which it was purchased, expressed in Canadian dollars. You will be required to provide proof of its value, such as a bill of sale, commercial invoice, cur- rent price list, or even a classified ad. Your vehicle's age is determined by the month and year of its manufacture, not by its model year. Proof of a vehicle’s age, or- igin, and ability to meet Canadian safety standards, is provided on the manufacturer's statement of compliance label, usually attached to the inside door pillar next to the driver's seat. U.S. Customs requires that all vehicles imported into Canada be held for three days at the border, so they can verify ownership. You will be required to show owner- shi papers which identify the vehicie's Vehicle Identification Number or Product Identification Number, Heavy cars or trucks are subject to a special excess weight tax. This applies to cars weighing over 2,007 kg and vans or station wagons weighing over 2,268 kg. An excise tax of $100 is payable if the vehicle has air conditioning. Many speedometers in U.S. vehicles are not marked in km/h. You will be required to attach special metric stickers to the speedometer, and a_ bilingual ‘unleaded fuel only’ sticker to the fucl filler. Temporary insurance, in order to get the car back home after purchase, can be obtained from IcBC. The B.C. Motor Vehicle Branch may require the car to be safety inspected and tested to meet safety standards. And starting next year, vehicles will have to meet provin- cial tailpipe emissions standards. Remember that provincial sales tax and registration fees will have to be paid once you get the vehicle home. See Importing Page 23 Next year, the customs duty specializing in... 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