Seriously, what's with crossing borders and giving your Canadian earned money to the US?

 

I saved over $1200 buying my wheels and tires in the USA. I drove down ...had them thrown on.....left my old tires and wheels there ....drove down the next day and picked them up in my wife's vehicle and claimed my old ones as used.


Some of the Canadian retailers need to adjust their pricing to be more inline with that of the USA. There are a couple shops out in Vancouver that have very competitive pricing. I was down there an bought some stuff and was talking to them. They said that they are so close to the border that they have to competitive. If they can do it....why can't other Canadian retailers do the same thing? The prices are anywhere from 25-30% higher up here.

Now with these new changes to the amount you are able to bring back....it should be even more important for them to adjust pricing.

 

Well said Canuckjkjeeper. I think you've hit the mark.

 

Uh? Its Canada Customs that stops you and collects duty, not the US. You don't normally even talk to US officials when returning to Canada.

Possibly you're thinking of that old '70s show episode? It was funny, but factually FUBAR.

 

Matador your spot on...

I went across after work this afternoon and picked up my Bushwacker Flats I decided to do the right thing and declared them...Cost me all of $57.00. With BW's $50.00 mail-in rebate it cost $457.00 in total. To purchase them in Canada from a Canadian vendor it would have cost me $150-200 more

Also fueled up for $1.10/L Much better then the $1.36/L in NFO. Canadian vendors need to strike a balance with their pricing to be more competitive with US vendors.

 

I have been doing this for awhile and I bring small stuff back all the time without declaring them. With that being said I went to the states to buy my tires b/c even after declaring them and paying the duty I saved over $800 on a set of 5. I have to run over and pick up my M.O.R.E. skid and will be declaring it as well.

One of the times I was over the border guard even told me they keep track of when you are over and if you declare or not. I crossed once and bought $9 worth of stuff (nothing) and told them that. The guard didn't believe me and pulled me in for an inspection. That's all I had so they obviously didn't find anything.

The last time I was over (mid April) I got a female guard who was having a bad day and pulled me in b/c I didn't declare right up front I had a case of beer. I guess what I am saying is it is going to be better if you declare larger items and keep a good record than to get caught and have a bad one.

 

Keep in mind this is a different deal if you're caught. Any parts installed on the vehicle, other than repairs necessary to get the vehicle back to Canada, alters the value of the vehicle and Canada Customs, instead of assessing the fine and HST on the value of the goods bought and not declared can impose those values on the entire value of the vehicle. I used to work at Customs and have seen it done more than once when some dumbass went and got 4 new tires and never bothered to wash the blue dye off the walls, dead giveaway they are new.

 

You're much better off declaring them. We cross-border shop regularly and the number of times that I have pay taxes or duty is far less than the number of times that I don't.

Last year, the car in front of us didn't declare a bunch of stuff! What a pain in the butt. I was more than happy to fork out 15$ for a BBQ that I had bought for 40% less than back home.

If you were to purchase it in Canada, you'd have to pay sales tax anyway. Odds are that if you are buying and having it delivered in the US it's because it's much cheaper than in Canada.

And, if the sales tax is the only reason why you bought in the US vs. Canada, then you might as well buy in Canada and support your local economy.

 

My experience has been to declare stuff and have your receipts ready. The one trick I learned from a lady that went over a lot was to not buy booze or tobacco products. I haven't had a problem since. Unless I am going to declare those things, of course. Then I expect to go in for duties. Cheers

 

I pick up things all the time in Detroit. I have it shipped to a UPS store, they text me and email when the package comes in and I have 30 days to pick it up. When coming back into Windsor,ON, I declare it or else you will get trouble in the future if caught. They won't care if you have a mailbox there as long as you be honest about what your bringing back. Sometimes the officer lets me through and sometimes I pay the taxes.