Re: New member intoduction
Reply #27 –
Hi Brian,
Welcome (belatedly) to the Forum and the FT Wannabee Itch.
We relieved our problem in May, with a '97 U320 36' Foretravel, which we purchased in Saskatchewan, the province next door. Usually, I would never disagree with John H, as he is very knowledgeable, but I think it IS worthwhile for a Canadian to shop in Canada for a Foretravel. John said, in part:
"One thing I would not do and that is bother looking at coach's in Canada if you want a FT or any high end one. Check out the members here who have one for sale (safe bet) and also check the websites in US. Motorhomes of Texas has many at a time and of course RVT.com putting in this make. Prices in US are way cheaper than here even with the $ exchange right now. Importing is simple to do and all FTs meet Canada admissability by CBSA.
If you need any info just e mail me.
JohnH"
Finding our Foretravel took over a year, and I shopped always using the current rate of exchange, so I knew what I would pay in Canadian dollars for US coach, or what the price was in Canada for a coach compared to a similar model in the US. I would NOT pay much of a premium to buy it in Canada, but would pay some extra for several reasons.
I understand that it is a relatively simple matter to import a Foretravel into Canada, but there are other considerations.
Many provinces will recognize the safety certificates of other provinces (check for your local list) instead of requiring a safety certificate from your province of residence. I got a Saskatchewan safety certificate from my seller, which I used to register in Manitoba, so that I knew that I would not be facing any surprise repair requirements.
I was initially able to see the coach after a drive of only a few hours. I have an FT owner friend who made several trips over long distances in the USA to see a coach, and then walked away after a short inspection. Looking close to home MAY avoid some of those trips.
I actually flew to Arizona where the coach was for the winter of 2014- 2015 to have a complete inspection done on it after the seller and I had reached a conditional deal, but then he was the one that had to bear the expense of bringing it North. The cost of getting your new to you coach home really has to be added to the price.
When buying any coach, whether situated in Canada or the United States, I would always consider the current market value using the recent sales of similar coaches, and if necessary converting that to Canadian dollars. There is some value for a Canadian buyer if they can avoid the import process and cost, convenience and elimination of risk on what a provincial safety certificate might require in repairs if a "clear" certificate was not obtained in advance, and there is value in you bringing the coach home from the sellers location if it is close by in Canada (instead of say Texas. In most jurisdictions, your have to bring your coach "home" pretty quickly on a temp. permit & insurance once you buy it, so no holiday involved).
Basically, I would suggest looking at ANY coach of interest, and then comparing "apples to apples" when looking at the price and other similar sales. Beware of BC climate potential issues (like bulkhead bolt issues), but for about the same price and the same condition, why not buy near to home in Canada?
Enjoy the search, I hope to run across you down the road in your Foretravel, and perhaps before then here on Foreforums.
-Jack
Topic: New member intoduction