A Canadian buyer quandary
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,296
Likes: 260
From: Vermont
Consider ap1 to save a few bucks and get a car in great shape. Have cash. Be ready to pounce on a good car. Know what you want, assess quickly, and act quickly. Avoid dealers. Don't look for bargains. You rarely get a bargain.
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 5,424
Likes: 162
From: Great White North
Don't bother, it's not worth it with our current exchange rate and ridiculous COVID regulations at the Canadian border right now. I highly doubt you'll be cleared to fly out on a "non-essential" trip, and don't forget now you'll need a COVID test BEFORE coming back into Canada (you can't do it once you're here) and quarantine for 14 days once you're here. Ya, not worth the hassle.
The ONLY way it's worth it is to buy it sight unseen and use BorderBuddy.com to handle the process for you, even still it's a waste IMO.
Wait until the spring and stay local, if there's only a handful of cars on Kijiji/Trader now, that will double or triple by the spring.
The ONLY way it's worth it is to buy it sight unseen and use BorderBuddy.com to handle the process for you, even still it's a waste IMO.
Wait until the spring and stay local, if there's only a handful of cars on Kijiji/Trader now, that will double or triple by the spring.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 11
Likes: 5
Thanks for the replies everyone!
Lots of great advice and input. And Fernando, yup for sure. I remember this spring looking (just to look) and there were 25-30ish cars for sale within on Kijiji within a 1000km of Toronto and today in Januarys theres 4 haha
Thanks again everyone!
Lots of great advice and input. And Fernando, yup for sure. I remember this spring looking (just to look) and there were 25-30ish cars for sale within on Kijiji within a 1000km of Toronto and today in Januarys theres 4 haha
Thanks again everyone!
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 4,375
Likes: 443
From: um, a house
I bought my first s2000 (2003) off eBay when the US and Canadian dollar were equal and the car was at the low side of the depreciation curve in 2011. I had to pay RIV $300, 6% tax and "non US car" tax of 3.2% (iirc), then provincial tax (7%) when I registered the car with the MTO. It was a 32K mile, Silverstone example that I kept for 8 years.
Look at BaT as well - there you will find some very nice cars and get a sense of the current market value with their historic auction chart.
Look at craigslist Michigan as some cars come up for a decent value.
But the exchange rate now is about 30%- factor in the above taxes (16.2%- HST plus "non US car" tax) and your safety and you're looking at paying 50% more for the US dollar car. You may even have to pay local taxes if you drive the car out of the State under its own power.
I sold my 2003 with 123k kms for just under $20K Canadian 2 1/2 yrs ago. Looking back, that was a steal, but was market correct at the time.
good luck with the search.
darcy
Look at BaT as well - there you will find some very nice cars and get a sense of the current market value with their historic auction chart.
Look at craigslist Michigan as some cars come up for a decent value.
But the exchange rate now is about 30%- factor in the above taxes (16.2%- HST plus "non US car" tax) and your safety and you're looking at paying 50% more for the US dollar car. You may even have to pay local taxes if you drive the car out of the State under its own power.
I sold my 2003 with 123k kms for just under $20K Canadian 2 1/2 yrs ago. Looking back, that was a steal, but was market correct at the time.
good luck with the search.
darcy
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 226
Likes: 25
From: Canada
Wow no kidding 14 total s2k's for sale in trader in all of Canada right now. Mid-summer last year it was over 40.
I wouldn't bother with US imo. Keep looking online daily and jump on one for sale as soon as you see it listed.
With our lovely exchange rate, covid, and hassles bringing it across the border you might as well buy here.
I wouldn't bother with US imo. Keep looking online daily and jump on one for sale as soon as you see it listed.
With our lovely exchange rate, covid, and hassles bringing it across the border you might as well buy here.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 12
Likes: 6
Like one other here, i did this 10 years ago. Flew into LAX, bought the car, and drove it home. I've brought 3 cars home this way. It's devilishly easy to do, either yourself or with a broker... but I wouldn't do it now, because of the relative values, unless you want (as I did) a nice long roadtrip up the pacific coast highway with a buddy.
Remember me mid-August if you haven't found a car. I want a project, and the S2K isn't it. I would be gutted to let it go, but it doesn't scratch that 'wrenching' itch, so I might be switching up for something a bit rougher.
Remember me mid-August if you haven't found a car. I want a project, and the S2K isn't it. I would be gutted to let it go, but it doesn't scratch that 'wrenching' itch, so I might be switching up for something a bit rougher.
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 64,602
Likes: 1,224
Hey guys; happy new year!
I'm Canadian and have been scouring the online marketplaces for S2000's to get my bearings and learn the market a bit; I'm not ready to pull the trigger just yet (because of two things, COVID border closure and I'm moving soon for work) but plan to seriously search this upcoming summer/fall.
In addition to Canadian sites (minuscule inventory), I search US sites like Collector Car Feed to check out FB Marketplace ads, I also check out Ebay Motors, Autotrader.com, Craigslist, and the For Sale section here on S2KI. My max budget in USD would be $15'000 which, after currency exchange, duties and taxes would put me around $23'000 Canadian-ish.
My only prerequisites for the car are that it's not rebuilt (due to importing into Canada) the engine is in good condition (or not abused/neglected irreperably), and it's not rusting. I'm okay with the car needing TLC, paint being bad, hail damaged, interior rough etc.
Since I'm searching in a relatively competitive S2000 market but out-of-country, I feel like i'd be at a disadvantage due to distance, increased time requirements, probable inability to see car in person, and people possibly just not wanting the hassle of dealing with me (why deal with this Canadian dude when a local will buy it).
Do you guys have any advice for me from an American seller point of view? For example, you yourself, would you give me the time-of-day to work a deal with a person from Canada? What could I do to give sellers confidence that I'm serious and the deal will be done properly while also not exposing myself to overpaying?
Tough question I know.. the answer may be "not much lol" but if anyone has some pointers I'll take them!
Thank you everyone!
I'm Canadian and have been scouring the online marketplaces for S2000's to get my bearings and learn the market a bit; I'm not ready to pull the trigger just yet (because of two things, COVID border closure and I'm moving soon for work) but plan to seriously search this upcoming summer/fall.
In addition to Canadian sites (minuscule inventory), I search US sites like Collector Car Feed to check out FB Marketplace ads, I also check out Ebay Motors, Autotrader.com, Craigslist, and the For Sale section here on S2KI. My max budget in USD would be $15'000 which, after currency exchange, duties and taxes would put me around $23'000 Canadian-ish.
My only prerequisites for the car are that it's not rebuilt (due to importing into Canada) the engine is in good condition (or not abused/neglected irreperably), and it's not rusting. I'm okay with the car needing TLC, paint being bad, hail damaged, interior rough etc.
Since I'm searching in a relatively competitive S2000 market but out-of-country, I feel like i'd be at a disadvantage due to distance, increased time requirements, probable inability to see car in person, and people possibly just not wanting the hassle of dealing with me (why deal with this Canadian dude when a local will buy it).
Do you guys have any advice for me from an American seller point of view? For example, you yourself, would you give me the time-of-day to work a deal with a person from Canada? What could I do to give sellers confidence that I'm serious and the deal will be done properly while also not exposing myself to overpaying?
Tough question I know.. the answer may be "not much lol" but if anyone has some pointers I'll take them!
Thank you everyone!
I think sellers will have confidence just like in any other scenario. Don’t d!ck them around, be honest and communicative.
If you do end up going stateside and are driving the car back yourself, I recommend you print out any ads for the car and/or have communication with the seller readily available. I had significant hassle at the border (grilled about details, car torn apart) because they didn’t believe the car was that inexpensive. They said the sales receipt wasn’t enough since the seller could’ve written it for any amount I asked him to.
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 29,758
Likes: 5,389
From: Ontario Canada
There is low mile ap2 on autotrader.ca for 22k range, yellow, in the GTA area. It has a rebuilt title , if I was buying an S2000 to keep for the long term I wouldn't mind a rebuilt title as long as it didnt have major body/frame damage. Worth looking at, and you can get them down lower if you complain about the rebuilt title I'm sure.