Car transportation (towing)

[garvard]

Hi all,
I bought a car in Brooklyn, NY, USA and now need to tow it to Toronto. Can anyone advise me the best transport company who will be able to tow my car for best time and best price.
Thanks for help.

[Chipbug]

Wrong forum!

[garvard]

Wrong forum!

Why it is wrong?

[napoleon1769]

Why it is wrong?

Because you no speakie good

[Whitedart]

Hi all,
I bought a car in Brooklyn, NY, USA and now need to tow it to Toronto. Can anyone advise me the best transport company who will be able to tow my car for best time and best price.
Thanks for help.

There are several threads already about importing cars from the US. Use the search function and they should pop up.

The info in those about RIV, and transporting the car will all apply. As I recall, there was several companies recommended for transport. But best price will not equal best time.

[ES_Revenge]

But best price will not equal best time.
Nor best service ;)

Hansen's is a good Canadian-based shipper that does cross-border shipping ;)

[garvard]

Nor best service ;)

Hansen's is a good Canadian-based shipper that does cross-border shipping ;)

Thank you ES_Revenge, for your advise -the only reasonable and intelligent advise among replies I received from posting this thread.

[Whitedart]

Thank you ES_Revenge, for your advise -the only reasonable and intelligent advise among replies I received from posting this thread.

So you are completely familiar with Registrar of Imported Vehicles and the importing process then?

[Whitedart]

Hansen's is a good Canadian-based shipper that does cross-border shipping ;)

Is this the Hansen's Towing from Brampton or another shipping company?

[ES_Revenge]

Is this the Hansen's Towing from Brampton or another shipping company?
Never heard of Hansen's "Towing"... And nope not located in Brampton either, head office is in Scarborough...

http://www.lhf.com/hansens/index2.php

[Whitedart]

Never heard of Hansen's "Towing"... And nope not located in Brampton either, head office is in Scarborough...

http://www.lhf.com/hansens/index2.php

Ok, this is clearly a differnt company.

I know in the other threads I suggested the OP look at, there was discussion and links to several companies. Some were rated good, some moderate, and some poor.

Cost from Brooklyn to Buffalo would probably be a couple of hundred $, but then to Toronto it would be about double.

But OP doesn't seem to be willing to share much information about the car or condition - being driveable, or needs to be transported all the way or ?

If cost was a concern, I would be transporting it to Buffalo, get a temp plate and drive it back after getting through Customs, if the car was driveable.

But further, the OP has not indicated whether or not he needs/wants brokerage services for the import.

And just to add, towing it from that location would be very expensive, giving tow rate per mile/km. Car carrier transport would be most cost efficient, with extra fees if car can not be driven onto a trailer.

[garvard]

Ok, this is clearly a differnt company.

I know in the other threads I suggested the OP look at, there was discussion and links to several companies. Some were rated good, some moderate, and some poor.

Cost from Brooklyn to Buffalo would probably be a couple of hundred $, but then to Toronto it would be about double.

But OP doesn't seem to be willing to share much information about the car or condition - being driveable, or needs to be transported all the way or ?

If cost was a concern, I would be transporting it to Buffalo, get a temp plate and drive it back after getting through Customs, if the car was driveable.

But further, the OP has not indicated whether or not he needs/wants brokerage services for the import.

And just to add, towing it from that location would be very expensive, giving tow rate per mile/km. Car carrier transport would be most cost efficient, with extra fees if car can not be driven onto a trailer.

Your advise is nice, and although the car is drivable I can not enter to the US as I have no entry visa (I am not Canadian citizen). That's why the best I can do is to meet the car on Canadian territory( at the Canadian custom). Who know any other transportation company ?

[Whitedart]

Your advise is nice, and although the car is drivable I can not enter to the US as I have no entry visa (I am not Canadian citizen). That's why the best I can do is to meet the car on Canadian territory( at the Canadian custom). Who know any other transportation company ?

Ok, so then you will need someone to broker the car then as well.

The site I suggested before www.riv.ca lists importable vehicles, whether any modifications will be required, and as I recall, the process with US customs as the car must be officially exported from the US, and then imported into Canada.

About 8 months ago, I was looking for a shipping company to bring a new car from Florida, but the transaction fell through, and I never kpet the information.

In that instance, it was a new car to be tranpsorted from Florida to Buffalo, where it was to be picked up and brought back.

Others on RFD have used brokers to bring a car into Ontario rather than trying to complete the process themselves. But I did not pay that much attention to the details to explain it further, but I think the cost ranged from about $1400 to $2000 with shipping and brokerage.

From eastern NY, you may want to look at bringing the car across in Quebec or eastern Ontario with a broker, get a temp license permit, and drive back.

You indicated you have purchased this car, but had you not looked into this whole export/import process before the purchase?

[garvard]

Ok, so then you will need someone to broker the car then as well.

You indicated you have purchased this car, but had you not looked into this whole export/import process before the purchase?

I bought 2004 Toyota 4Runner which is RIV acceptable.
I am thinking to hire tow my car to Canadian border and the driver will pay all fees on my behalf. And I can meet him just on the border in Canada.

[at1212b]

When I shipped a car from the U.S. Several years back, I used Hansen's. Great service, they picked up the car from the dealer, shipped pretty quickly, and they actually ship it to a Customs warehouse (not to the actual company's location) which actually has Canadian Customs Officials there.

So it is as if the border moved up to Scarborough. (That location has moved, so I am not sure where it is now).

For a shipping company to bring it across the border, it will cost alot more as the above poster said then to ship it somewhere in Buffalo.

Once it crosses the border, it has to go to a customs warehouse where you would have to clear it. So to drop it off near Niagara, or Toronto, the cost difference isn't really that much. IMPORTANT: They can't just drop it off in a parking lot and you go pick it up as it still has to clear Customs with the Buyers information. Just because it goes across the border, doesn't mean its cleared so the tow/truck driver doesn't actually pay any fees there. The Buyer needs to, which is YOU.

The driver is basically ordered to take it to the specificed warehouse/lot in the region that is requested by the buyer, meaning that it is illegal for him to just drop it off in a parking lot for you.

Now, even if you try going to a land border crossing point at let's say Niagara, you would probably have to cross over to the US side and get clearance to come back into Canada but I could be wrong. But in any case, you would have to pay the fees. Shipping companies will not just sit at the border, so its better off getting it to a warehouse as the procedure will be the same, and will not cost that much more.

To clear it, the buyer has to sign papers, declaration of importation, ownership, bill of sale, get modification forms, etc. pay the fees and also show proof of citizenship. In my case, I had to show my citizenship card. It is not up to the DRIVER to do this since they never really take ownership of your car! So from what I remember, you have to be a Canadian Citizen but may want to check the RIV website or by calling them.

[garvard]

When I shipped a car from the U.S. Several years back, I used Hansen's. Great service, they picked up the car from the dealer, shipped pretty quickly, and they actually ship it to a Customs warehouse (not to the actual company's location) which actually has Canadian Customs Officials there.

So it is as if the border moved up to Scarborough. (That location has moved, so I am not sure where it is now).

For a shipping company to bring it across the border, it will cost alot more as the above poster said then to ship it somewhere in Buffalo.

Once it crosses the border, it has to go to a customs warehouse where you would have to clear it. So to drop it off near Niagara, or Toronto, the cost difference isn't really that much. IMPORTANT: They can't just drop it off in a parking lot and you go pick it up as it still has to clear Customs with the Buyers information. Just because it goes across the border, doesn't mean its cleared so the tow/truck driver doesn't actually pay any fees there. The Buyer needs to, which is YOU.

The driver is basically ordered to take it to the specificed warehouse/lot in the region that is requested by the buyer, meaning that it is illegal for him to just drop it off in a parking lot for you.

Now, even if you try going to a land border crossing point at let's say Niagara, you would probably have to cross over to the US side and get clearance to come back into Canada but I could be wrong. But in any case, you would have to pay the fees. Shipping companies will not just sit at the border, so its better off getting it to a warehouse as the procedure will be the same, and will not cost that much more.

To clear it, the buyer has to sign papers, declaration of importation, ownership, bill of sale, get modification forms, etc. pay the fees and also show proof of citizenship. In my case, I had to show my citizenship card. It is not up to the DRIVER to do this since they never really take ownership of your car! So from what I remember, you have to be a Canadian Citizen but may want to check the RIV website or by calling them.

Thank you for nice explanation.