Being a born Canadian and life long Northwestern natives, we sure miss fresh seafood down here! If the coach deal goes through, I have two friends/techs in the Port Angeles/Sequim area that can help if needed. I trust them both, one serviced the Airstream for twenty-five years, the other was Fleet manager for City of LA, he knows diesels and mo/ho-related stuff.
As an aside. Does anyone know how much of an issue it is to import a vehicle that's less than 25 years old. I.E. Not exempt from DOT/EPA regulations or is there an exemption with motorhomes?
Well I was thinking of trying to commandeer (or asking nicely) the gentleman that went to Mt. Vernon to look at the U280. He lives just out side Vancouver, And see if he would go along to the Island with me. Of course lunch, beer and a free scenic boat ride are included. As well as my eternal gratitude.
Someone had a comment (I think it was on one of your threads) about importing a coach. I can't find it, sorry.
You might check with your County, some require inspections, some don't. Go figure.
"" I live just south of parksville.there are 3 foretravels within a few blocks of me. I know of 13 foretravels owners on Vancouver island. I might have a lead for you on one that is coming up for sale. If you want to come over sometime and talk foretravels, shoot mean email. my email address is on my profile page.""
Quote wayne macauley
98 40' 295igdog
May want to contact member Wayne
MaCauley on Vancouver Island, he most likely knows about this coach.
Thanks Doug, Gee what a difference a few days makes. Last week it seemed that by living in the Great Pacific NW. I was in a desert devoid of Foretravels for sale (well at least in my commoners price range) Now there seems to be at least a couple to look. I'll give Wayne a shout.
Most of the talk I could see upon searching has been of importing a rig to Canada. Which makes sense as so many of the rigs are made down here.
I believe if a Canadian had bought a rig in the US and imported to it Canada, It shouldn't be an issue. As it would have the DOT, EPA data plate on it. I have been on the US customs site and there was nada about motorhomes. Which tells me they are in the view of customs, Just another vehicle. Which is a bad thing.
And don't forget to check on getting the coach from the island to the mainland. Big chunk of a coach buck.
Maybe some discounts available. We were quoted $760 round trip for coach and Jeep. Ouch!
I did that about a month ago. I had a car trailer made on the Island and at 31 Ft for suv & trailer. I paid about $120 US for the early Sunday morning discounted ride from Duke Point to Vancouver.
I live in Victoria during summer months and will be here until Oct 15th.
I spent last week camping with Wayne near Comox for a Vancouver Islanders rally.
Reg, the owner of this coach, dropped in for a visit one day.
I am willing to meet with any Foretravel owners or wannabes who visit Vancouver Island, just phone or email.
The ferry cost for a 36 foot motorhome with driver will be circa $175 on the COHO (Victoria - Pt Ang), or $150 on Washington (Sydney - Anacortes), or $220 USD on BC Ferries. Check BC Ferry web site for specials.
Foretravel motorhomes are manufactured in Texas, so any Foretravel registered in Canada has been imported. Only motorhome models on the "Canada Customs Importable Vehicle List" can be imported to Canada (all models/years of Foretravels are on this list). When I imported my 1996 Foretravel U320, I had to export it from USA, which requires approval of the USA Homeland Security, before importing into Canada, which requires approval of Canada Customs. Both of these approvals required specific paper work and inspections. It was not difficult to do but did require proactive research.
Wayne, I never had to get clearance from Homeland Security but of course did from C Customs after it (title) was cleared by US Customs next door. That is just to make sure no liens etc are on it and is free to go out?
Importing one is simple as long as you do it right. Even easier if it is 15+ yrs old
Johnh
Hi John
All self propelled vehicles now need two sets of paper work to exit the US.
One is a 72 hours notice with US Customs at the port of exit, this one is to give them time to do a vin # check, this has been a requirement for a few years now.
The other is with the US Census Bureau, who added a requirement for the US seller to obtain a ITN export # from them.
Only with the ITN # can you now file the 72 hours notice.
This goes for anything from ATV's to Motorhomes even Golf carts.
Steve
Steve
I bought my u270 in canada. Previous ownered bought it from MOT and imported it to Canada a few years prior. The got the letters from FT and cummins saying it met all the USA specs, but the letters really werent needed. At the border, all the customs agent looked for was the USA data plate. Took about 20 minutes total. For my state, I needed to make sure I had a title and the correct stamped US Customs forms from the crossing.
Oh, I personally had to bring it across the border. Otherwise, one must hire a broker or something.
What is strange is that I just emailed the Blaine entry station today and asked if the data plate showing the VIN & where it was made was acceptable. They said no. Of course I then wondered, Why is it there. I thought the point of the data plate was to prove that your vehicle (VIN) meets the regs. for the year built. But it is the government we are talking about.
I'll give you a hint on this that might make it easier. Call the border crossing at Sumas, WA as I found that they are a little easier to deal with. It was the same when I was getting another work permit to work in Washington State. Blaine said no and Sumas bent over backwards to help and 15 minutes later it was done. I brought my coach up through Sumas and when arriving there they did not even look at the data plate. They just stamped the paper and I was off again to get it registered. Go figure! It won't hurt to ask and it is only a few miles more out of your way but far less headache in my opinion. I had the same thing happen today when taking my second ebay item off for shipment in Bellingham. I'm not operating a business but at the Blaine truck crossing treated it that way and said I had to fill out the commercial forms. I did that and seeing a long line up at the border this morning I went to the Peace Arch crossing instead and handed the paperwork to the guard. His reply was, if I was not doing this as a business it was not necessary and stated that I was free to proceed without payment. As you will find out all agents have differing opinions of rules. Give Sumas Border Crossing a try.
I'll give them a call tomorrow or Monday. It just baffles me how a field agent can just make stuff up as they go along.
I imagine that I could get an MSO of sorts from Foretravel based on the VIN #. The owner of the rig I'm looking at, Does have a "photo copy" of the old US title document.
Uh, welcome to government. They don't have to be competent, as they can't get fired. It's the same way with large corporations too. Just head to the border with the plate and copy of title. Worse case, they say no and you write cummins and FT and get the letters while you camp out a day or to in Canada.
There you go. Lemons do make lemonade. Unless they are rotten! :))
I said previously: "When I imported my 1996 Foretravel U320, I had to export it from USA, which requires approval of the USA Homeland Security"
John said: "I never had to get clearance from Homeland Security"
My understanding of this procedure is that while it may appear that the approval to export a vehicle from the USA is coming from "US Customs", it is actually coming from "Homeland Security" and that the US Customs Agent is acting on behalf of Homeland Security because Homeland Security does not have agents at all border crossings. I fly between Canada and USA a couple times each year and have been surprised when the agent I was talking with to obtain approval for travelling to USA on a B2 Visa was wearing a "Homeland Security" Uniform not a "US Customs" Uniform.
I requested clarity from an Agent when I visited a Homeland Security Office in Oregon and when I was forced into secondary security at the Vancouver airport (missed my plane). The information I received in both these situations did not make sense to me. It appears that even the Agents for both Homeland Security and US Customs do not clearly understand their roles, their responsibilities, or their authorities.
When importing my 1996 U320, I was warned by another Canadian who imported a couple motorhomes to Canada, to avoid the Peace Arch Crossing. I contacted US Customs at both Anacortes and Port Angeles, received a somewhat confused response from Anacortes, but a clear response from Port Angeles, so did the import through Port Angeles without incident.
Just got off the phone with a Sumas C&BP officer. I explained what I might be doing & that according to a VIN search, The coach was registered in Mo, Ok and Texas at various points in it's life. He said that as it was obviously made for the US market, It will have TWO different data plates. The one in the drivers compartment that shows it meets Federal "safety" standards. The officer said that there is an additional data plate (as required by law) in the engine compartment that has the VIN and states that it meets the EPA regulations at the time of manufacture. He said those would be proof of meeting US specifications. I said that I could most likely obtain a verification letter from the manufacturer. He said that would certainly be a good thing to have and would erase all doubts or questions.
Having imported 4 FTs to Canada I have only needed the photo copy of Title to give US Customs for 72 hrs prior to coming over Border. They have never asked for anything else and it is stamped within 10 secs of seeing the original I had with coach. The canadians want the govt import document if it is less than 15 yrs old ( i coach was-ours) and to see the sales agrt, the other 3 was just fill in the form for GST and pay it and drive home. No inspection other than by ICBC for registration and insurance. Period. The last one I brought home was 2 yrs ago and we came thru the Oroville crossing close to home.
JohnH
John
The rules have changed a little bit on the US side. Canadian side is still the same.
One more step with the US census bureau which has been around less than a year now.
Steve
Summit Customs Brokers
B.C. Canada