[FordGuru]

Does anybody know how bringing stuff across the border works? I have never bought anything over the border. But I was reading on a powerstroke forum what other people are paying in the states for fluids/filters for their trucks and it seems to be a lot cheaper in the states. For example the tranny in my 05 powerstroke uses Mercon SP fluid that you can only get from ford up here in canada. Ford wants $12 for a quart of this fluid. Oreilly auto parts is selling the same fluid for $3.39 a quart.

There is a oreillys across the border in lynden. I live not far from the border in langley and it is 30 km from my house to this oreillys. I figure I could save alot of money running across the border early one weekend and buying a bunch of stuff for my truck. Basically I would stock up on fluids and filter to maintain my truck.

My question is how does crossing the border with this stuff work? What would I get charged when I claim this stuff at the border?

 

[steve604]

i'm pretty sure it will just be pst and gst you pay. everything should be originating from north america so no actual duties.

they might hit you with some eco fees on the oil too but it would be the same thing you pay anywhere here. it will still be $12+eco fees+gst+pst or $3.39+8% wa sales tax+eco fees+pst+gst.

 

[VanBCguy]

i'm pretty sure it will just be pst and gst you pay. everything should be originating from north america so no actual duties.

they might hit you with some eco fees on the oil too but it would be the same thing you pay anywhere here. it will still be $12+eco fees+gst+pst or $3.39+8% wa sales tax+eco fees+pst+gst.

Using Steve's calculations, he's pretty much bang on. So why drive all that way, spend fuel $$$ and pay essentially the same amount up here without the hassle. I've never understood that.

 

[Road Dog]

Filling the tank with 80 cents/litre gas makes it worth it. For small stuff (less than $100) the crossing guards will often wave you through. It's not like they get a cut of the revenue. You should have a passport or enhanced driver's license. A driver's license and birth certificate might still be ok too.

 

[The11thNickel]

I think you need a Passport now. In fact I'm pretty sure about that. Nexus is a good idea too, but then you gotta be really careful about obeying duty laws and such.

Since the dollar is at par, it's better than ever to get down there. I know just about everything is cheaper from body parts to fuel pumps to anything, really.

and the beer is cheap, although I keep forgetting you gotta be 21, :'(

Edit: come to think of it, having a mail box down there is totally worth it, or make an American friend who lives down there. That's I plan to get my Cragars from Summit for cheap,

 

[steve604]

Using Steve's calculations, he's pretty much bang on. So why drive all that way, spend fuel $$$ and pay essentially the same amount up here without the hassle. I've never understood that.

using my calculations still saves you alot of money and it's not far to go from langley.

i would say it's safe to assume the ford tranny uses at least 15 liters of atf... probably closer to 18 if you can drain the torque converter. this means a savings of about $140 on the atf alone. then you fill up with diesel saving about $30 and other knick knacks and you've saved yourself a fair bit of cash. if i can save a couple hundred dollars on a 3 or 4 hour trip then that is good. a day of work after taxes only nets me just over $200 which is a complete waste of 8 hours:shakehead:

 

[FordGuru]

I agree I would still save tons of money by going across the border. Like I said I am probably 20 minutes from the border on a bad day. The Oreillys auto parts also isnt far from the border on the US side. According to google maps it is 30 km from my house to the oreillys. While I am down there I will also fill up my truck. Not sure how much diesel costs down there but it is still probably cheaper.

I cant drain the torque converter on my truck. I am going to be just draining and filling what I can which others have said takes approx 10 quarts. I was going to purchase 20 quarts so I have enough to do it next time. I was also going to purchase 2 tranny filters and maybe even a few oil and fuel filters for my truck which also cost about half of what I would pay for them up here. So say it takes me half a saturday to do this if I leave fairly early in the morning. I think the money I saved makes it way worth it.

 

[d0ubledown]

12 dollars vs 3.89 is a significant savings. id go for it. i usually wont bother if the savings after tax & conversion nets less than 30%. but considering the stealership is the only place you can get this special fluid, i say stick it to ford and buy down south. you might get lucky and get an agent that waves you through...but expect to pay P/GST and enviro fees...

 

[steve604]

cruise into walmart while you are there too. they used to sell motocraft oil and aft. castrol also makes a mercon v atf that walmart down there sells too.

i used to go down there to stock up on fishing and camping equipment too. their selection is so much better than canadian walmart on all of the coleman stuff.

i've always figured that if i can save $200 by taking a trip down for a day then it's worth it.

 

[FordGuru]

You are correct. The walmart in the states still sells motorcraft filters. That is where the guys on the powerstroke forum in the states buy their filters from. I am not exactly sure on the price though. I am going to look into it and see what the price difference is.

 

[steveormston]

Anything less than $250 they will send you on your way. I order stuff to a shipping company in Blaine all the time and drive down and pick it up to save paying duty. The other thing i have done many times is put whatever you buy in a bin in the back of your truck and keep something small in the cab and when the dude asks what you bought show him the small item, and away you go. Or like alot of friends of mine tell him you went to get gas and did not buy anything, 9 times out of 10 they wont check you or pull you in unless you look nervous.
I brought a $40,000 race motor across and told the guy i took it down with me to have it dyno tested, he told me to have a nice day.

Its all about how brave you are and if you look shady or nervous then you are done for.

Good luck........if it was me i would do it for sure.

 

[canucksafari]

Anything less than $250 they will send you on your way.

It's all luck of draw. I bought a set of hubs and had to pay gst and pst on $105. Still it was a lot better than the more than $400 I would have had to spend elsewhere. Was just down to SEATAC yesterday and stopping in Bellingham to buy some washer fluid because I was out. Ended up buying quite a bit more. Delo 400 is only $10.50 for 3.78L while it is over $24 for the same amount at the Chevron Cardlock. Some stuff is more than 75% of what it costs here. Now, I try to buy local when possible just because I like supporting my neighbours. However, when the price is 50-75% cheaper, family budget comes first.

 

[zuki4x4chick]

Wrong. Of course it depends on the mood of the guard. (<-- I find that part ridiculous, its not fair really)

You are only allowed to bring a specific dollar amount after 48 hrs.

Anything under that time period, they can subject you to taxes on any amount.

I am 5 mins from the border, do alot of grocery/fuel trips. They are usually cool with that,

Just call the ATF groceries, walmart has some good prices on other stuff anyways. lol

Anything less than $250 they will send you on your way.
.

 

[steve604]

it depends on the crossing you go through too. sumas always makes you pay no matter how minor, 264th is a crap shoot and pacific crossing is a breeze.

i bought a set of 37" swampers down there one time and didn't declare them on the way back. it was clearly visible that i had quite a bit in the back through the canopy windows and they just waved me through because i was driving a gas pig and said i went down to fill it up.

 

[canucksafari]

I've only had to pay once at Sumas and cross there most of the time. IMO, it is just luck of the draw.

 

[The11thNickel]

Yeah, almost depends which guard you get. Some are friendly and may let you by without a hassle, and others will get you every time. At least taking stuff from the States into Canada is easier than vice-versa.

 

[crazyguy]

i've never had to pay at sumas, but my most expensive non grocery reciept was $50. im thinking one day they will want to inspect my groceries to see if its all groceries. ive been through with $140 in groceries and they they just told me to have a nice day.

 

[itsy bitsy xj]

just after new years I bought my super swampers in the states pulled up to the Pacific boarder gave the guy my paper work and he sent on my way, same deal with my locker, and my kargo master roof rack. All three times I had spent way over my limit but I've been sent in to pay on $50 worth of stuff it seems lately they're not worried about collecting the $$ as they used to be

 

[d0ubledown]

just got back yesterday from picking stuffs up in WA. not car parts though. i got some bmx racing armour for the kids...didnt have to pay tax. of course PST is exempt from all bicycle/parts and i guess the lady didnt see the need for me to pay $5.50 for GST. i also brought back a used bmx racing bike for my boy. brought the CL add, told her what i paid vs sellers asking price. she wanted more confirmation than the sellers writing on the add saying 'i sold this bike to ___ for $___.' regardless, i was waved through.

it DOES all depend on the agent at the time. you can get waved through on hundreds of dollars of items, and pulled in on $50 items. its a crap shoot.

 

[steve604]

the customs agent probably liked your sexy accentoke:

what did you get for the fj?