Purchasing Tires in the US and bringing them back ?

[canadien99]

I'm looking to buy snow tires in the USA, and then driving back to Canada with my 4 season tires in the trunk. Any experience and how does it work ??

Are the following points true ?

1. No duties - if the tire is made in North America
2. No taxes as well ?

If there is taxes, is it just a matter of GST/PST, or there is some misc border tire tax ?

Please let me know your experience.

[camber]

1. No duties , it tire is made in North America
2. For Ontario, they will charge you PST/GST. Unless, you stay more then 24 hours and qualify for an exemption.

[ichpen]

I'm looking to buy snow tires in the USA, and then driving back to Canada with my 4 season tires in the trunk. Any experience and how does it work ??

Are the following points true ?

1. No duties - if the tire is made in North America
2. No taxes as well ?

If there is taxes, is it just a matter of GST/PST, or there is some misc border tire tax ?

Please let me know your experience.

No duties = correct if they're made in the US
No taxes = incorrect. You need to pay GST/PST.

Getting through the border with tires in the backseat should be fun to watch if you don't declare them.

[canadien99]

Thanks for the replies everyone. What if i said that i bought them in Canada and had them installed in the USA ? Is that a story that people would swallow ?

Would there be a tax for "service rendered in the USA" ?

Thanks !

[pepper3245]

Thanks for the replies everyone. What if i said that i bought them in Canada and had them installed in the USA ? Is that a story that people would swallow ?

Would there be a tax for "service rendered in the USA" ?

Thanks !

I don't think they go for the "installed in US" part.

You will pay gst/pst on the "bottom line" (part, install AND US tax).

[Pete_Coach]

Thanks for the replies everyone. What if i said that i bought them in Canada and had them installed in the USA ? Is that a story that people would swallow ?

Would there be a tax for "service rendered in the USA" ?

Thanks !

Are you trying to save a few bucks by lying to the Customs Agents and hope you don't get caught? Hoping you get the County's dumbest Agent when you drive through? Is it worth it?

[AzNCrAzYcOoLeR]

Thanks for the replies everyone. What if i said that i bought them in Canada and had them installed in the USA ? Is that a story that people would swallow ?

Would there be a tax for "service rendered in the USA" ?

Thanks !


I had an experience I can share I guess. I bought a set of tires from discount tire last year and got them shipped to the post office across the border. I was a crazy deal and i paid about 220USD shipped for 4 tires. Paid 20 to the post office. i went to wal mart to get them installed and it was around this time last year as well. The wait was 4 hour cause the amount of people that needed to get winters on. Good thing i went with my friend and we left my car there and went shopping. I dumped the old tires and didn't declare the news ones. I didn't declare the service charges as well as your suppose to declare any work done on your car outside canada.

Also, i did the same thing during the spring and got a set of wheels and rims in the states. The total was about 700 bux but i made my own reciept and declared about 400 bux. I was only charged 14 percent ontario tax as they didn't look at where it was made.

[GoiNGPoSTaL]

Thanks for the replies everyone. What if i said that i bought them in Canada and had them installed in the USA ? Is that a story that people would swallow ?

Would there be a tax for "service rendered in the USA" ?

Thanks !

They'll probably think "what kind of idiot are you?" Then the agent will seize your tires, start to take them to the backroom but along the way the agent will share the story with their co-workers, then they will then point and laugh at you while you cry at the counter as your tires are being seized.

No tax depends on how much the tires cost and how long you stayed in the US.

[gheart008]

They'll probably think "what kind of idiot are you?" Then the agent will seize your tires, start to take them to the backroom but along the way the agent will share the story with their co-workers, then they will then point and laugh at you while you cry at the counter as your tires are being seized.

No tax depends on how much the tires cost and how long you stayed in the US.

Actually, I believe they have the right to seize the entire car and not just the tires as it's considered modifications to the car.

[litebrite]

i would just declare the tires and not risk them being seized.

i bought a set of snow tires in the states a month ago and they were $280. i declared them and we were waved through. we had only gone down on a day trip too. so sometimes you get lucky!

[woobie]

I get a set of motorcycle tires out of the US every year, all I've ever been charged is the taxes on them.

In fact when I went over to US address 2 weeks ago to get them they had a ton of stow tires stacked all over the place. It seems a lot of Canucks we're getting snow tires off US web sites this year.

[mr_raider]

If you declare your purchase straight up, often they forget the duty and just charge tax. I bought rims made in China, tires made in Germany and TPMS made in Japan and they only assessed GST/PST.

[macnut]

1. No duties , it tire is made in North America
2. For Ontario, they will charge you PST/GST. Unless, you stay more then 24 hours and qualify for an exemption.

1. ...... incl. Mexico (surprising how many major brands have tire factories there)

2. ... better make it 48 hrs. or more for the $400 deduction (24 - 48 hrs. only gets you $50 exemption and it cannot be applied against a larger purchase)

Be honest, expect to pay GST & PST, but look somewhat happy if you don't have to - after all, you've already paid a State tax.

[LoveRFD]

I wonder if custom knows what kind of tires are made in NA or outside. I bought my winter tires from Tirerack and brought back in my trunk. Custom didn't charge me any duty. But if I chose to ship to Canada, Tirerack would charge me duty because they said tires were made out side NA.

[canadien99]

I wonder if custom knows what kind of tires are made in NA or outside. I bought my winter tires from Tirerack and brought back in my trunk. Custom didn't charge me any duty. But if I chose to ship to Canada, Tirerack would charge me duty because they said tires were made out side NA.

Well, if the customs investigates closely enough, they may find the "Made in" printed right on the tire.

For example, the tire i got from "Active Green Ross", says "Made in Germany", and if it's a brand new winter tire, they'll find it pretty easily.

Folks, with the high US dollar, and after calling around the shops in NY state, i found out that they're not very competitive at all. It turns out they have "inventory" issues too ... they said "for some reason so many of the tires are going to Canada".

[olddog]

just tell them you brought the old tires from canada in hopes of giving it to your sibling/nephew or friend living in U.S but he decided he didnt want them.
don't think they will give u any hassle over that.
i have done it for many much more expensive car parts.

Or tell them you had your tires changed same day you were travelling to U.S and didn't have time to remove them from the car.

ideally, i dont think the customs will be giving much hassle at all especially since they might not even know that u have new tires on.




olddog

[Jay-c]

When I bough my new car in the states last year, I had tirerack ship some tires and rims to the dealer... came through the border and the agent was writing up the car, looked at all the tires in the back and snickered... "I don't suppose the purchase price of the car included those extra tires eh?"

He asked for the price of the tires, I told him what I paid and he said and he just started laughing... he couldn't believe the car price, and the price of the tires to boot!

OP: Just declare them and pay the taxes