I've put a deposit on a car in Buffalo NY, I live in SE Michigan. Coming home through Canada saves about 100 miles on a rushed weekend. NY and MI and NY you can drive a car home without plates as long as it's insured. Some googling says you can drive through Canada on a temp plate as well. HAs anyone actually done this, or would I get caught at either border by someone who hasn't seen it before?
Wow, I can see the 100 mile savings, but by the same accord, it's only 100 miles.
Might save 1.5 hrs of driving.
Might cause more that 1.5 hrs of boarder hassle.
If you spend 15 minutes in traffic at each boarder crossing then that is 30 minutes lost making the "long drive" only save 1 hr. A longer wait could get the times pretty equal.
That makes sense, but wheres the fun in sense!! On line suggests we should be able to do it on a paper tag. But I just talked to the dealer and they said they had a customer in the same position last month who bought a Mustang from them (why a Michigander needed to go to NY to find a late model Mustang is beyond me, they're everywhere here) and got turned away. But I'm going to at least ask on the way into Canada.
I am in Canada close to the border. I see U.S. temp tags and dealer tags all the time. I have seen temp tags from as far away as Florida. That being said I am absolutely certain the driver of said vehicles get extra questioning at the border regarding the temp/dealer tags. As the border guard may think you are trying to import it to sell it in Canada. So i would expect it may take some extra time at the border.
I live in Vancouver and regularly see Washington and Oregon temps, and have seen a Texas temp so it shouldn't be a huge problem.
And if you go to the right border crossings there wont be any wait.
You'll likely get a lot of questions, but it's not a big issue.
The process for importing a car to Canada is relatively simple. I know that's not what you're doing, but they'll assume that's what you're doing and ask a buttload of questions. They'll eventually let you through because they have no real reason to prevent you from crossing. If you actually were trying to get around the law, they're protected. A person can't legally register, title, or insure a car in Canada unless they have the import paperwork from the border.
Long story short, they'll assume you're trying to skirt the laws and bring a car into Canada even though you're not. They may ask questions. In the long run, they have no basis for holding you because they're protected from your ability to register the car up there and there is little risk to them, especially because you live in the US. They just want to make sure they're not missing tax revenue. This is also at their discretion... if you're bringing a barely-running pile of junk and aren't importing it, they might assume you are going to part it out and make money. If you're bringing a 2-year old Cadillac, there is less scrutiny.
80% chance the guard in the booth will ask you questions and wave you on by. I would go prepared to be asked to pull into customs/immigration where they'll ask you questions. Have a couple pieces of documentation (already covered by the DMV paperwork) that you can use to verify where you are going and just be honest. People shortcut through Canada all the time. Where I spend the summers is just north of Kingston ON, and my friends live near Niagara. When I go visit them, I frequently cross back into NY and go across the Thruway to avoid Toronto traffic. I have also done the jaunt above the lakes you're talking about... cross at Niagara or Fort Erie and drive across to Ste. Marie.
Border agents have a frightening amount of information about you when they swipe your passport, but they have to actively choose to look at it. The number is about half... half of the people who cross are scrutinized more than just "do you have any firearms or potatoes?" They swipe and there is something that comes up on the screen that tells them the synopsis; either no flags, or axe murderer. If they get a green light, they can A) ask you the standard questions and wave you on, B) look a little deeper to compare your answers to the questions. If they get a red light and choose to dig (about half the time) and you have something in there they don't like, that's when you get questioned. It's one part what shows on their screen and five parts agent discretion.
Absolute worst case scenario is they say no, and you drive across Ohio. There is no harm in being denied. Whatever you do, if they deny you entry, don't wait a few hours or a day and try again. You will be in the system for a few weeks as denied and that's when they get ticked... when you try again.
Thanks all. I guess I'll just try. The car is at a dealer in Buffalo and I want to shoot straight across to Sarnia and back down to Detroit.
I found they carefully watch the higheay speeds across Canada. USA? We wail way over the speed limit. May help with a little time.
I would do the USA route. I'm working on making life really low key.
The average speed on the 401 and 402 have got noticeably higher over the last decade. It used to be if you were doing 80mph you’d stand out like a sore thumb and be nabbed instantly by OPP. These days 80 isn’t even the fastest in a pack.
I’m shocked! No one has asked Adrian what he’s bought yet! Come on, out with it! What did you buy?
wawazat said:I’m shocked! No one has asked Adrian what he’s bought yet! Come on, out with it! What did you buy?
I predict Land Rover 4
I saw the C30 rolling across Beverly Rd with you behind the wheel a short time ago Adrian. I was on the phone and didn't to honk the horn. I thought giving you the finger was a bit rude 
John Welsh said:wawazat said:I’m shocked! No one has asked Adrian what he’s bought yet! Come on, out with it! What did you buy?
I predict Land Rover 4
That’s the obvious choice, but in the end I just couldn’t find one in the condition and year without stories at the price point I wanted. I’ve looked at a lot driven 4 or 5 here in Detroit and Chicago. One I drove even had a ‘Transmission fault’ light on the dash, but drove OK. I did make an offer on one at a dealer, but they sold it for way more than that. So I changed direction. I’ll start a new thread to tease you all later. Right now I’m at the hospital visiting my Father in Law so you’ll all have to wait for now. Pre guessing welcome.
First guess is an LR3. Then an LR2. Last guess is a Jeep.
Adrian_Thompson said:John Welsh said:wawazat said:I’m shocked! No one has asked Adrian what he’s bought yet! Come on, out with it! What did you buy?
I predict Land Rover 4
That’s the obvious choice, but in the end I just couldn’t find one in the condition and year without stories at the price point I wanted. I’ve looked at a lot driven 4 or 5 here in Detroit and Chicago. One I drove even had a ‘Transmission fault’ light on the dash, but drove OK. I did make an offer on one at a dealer, but they sold it for way more than that. So I changed direction. I’ll start a new thread to tease you all later. Right now I’m at the hospital visiting my Father in Law so you’ll all have to wait for now. Pre guessing welcome.
Is FIL in the hospital in Chicagoland? (just guessing based on the Chicago comment above)
In reply to mtn :
No, he’s local to us in the Detroit Metro area my wife has a cousin in the Windy City so we were there a few weeks ago.
In reply to Curtis :
Nothing so obvious. This is left field to those.
Screw a separate thread. First clue:
6cyl
forced induction
drive to all four corners
two pedals
BMW 5 series? Or Audi?
Adrian_Thompson said:In reply to mtn :
No, he’s local to us in the Detroit Metro area my wife has a cousin in the Windy City so we were there a few weeks ago.
Well, I hope everything is ok. Family is in my thoughts and all that.
I only asked because as of this week, I now have family working at 6 or 7 different area hospitals. Well, that and I’d be up for meeting up for a beer if you were here.
In reply to mtn :
Thanks, would have been fun.
mtn said:BMW 5 series? Or Audi?
Good thinking, but no cigar.
Inline 6
Gtr????
80-series land cruiser
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