[simo]

hi there this simone from italy.

I am moving to Vancouver BC and i would like to bring with me my car.

The only problem is that the car has to be over 15 years old in order to be imported.

My car was manufactured in 07/92.

Can anybody tell me where to take more info about importing to canada without wait 15 years?

Thanks
Simone

 

[1960 olympia]

Hey Simone
I believe that the 15 year thing is only if the car does NOT meet the applicable safety standards. That is a vehicle newer than 1990 has to be checked over to make sure it is safe. (there should be a way to find out if the safety standards there cover the standards here) If the car passes the safety check it will be allowed- either the Canadian standards or the US standards HTH

http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/importation/impxus_e.htm

 

[kwilford]

Simone,
I don't believe that you will be able to import your Opel Calibra into Canada. I just looked over the Transport Canada website, and it says

Vehicles manufactured for sale in countries other than Canada and the United States do not comply with the requirements of the Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Act, CANNOT be altered to comply and CANNOT be imported into Canada. The only exceptions to this rule are vehicles fifteen (15) years old or older as determined by the month and year in which the vehicle was manufactured...

If it were an Opel Vectra, then you might stand a chance, at least if it were a '97 or newer, as the Cadillac Catera is exactly the same car with minor trim and badging differences. But cars that were not imported into North America typically do not meet Canadian or American safety and emission requirements, and hence won't pass, even if you COULD upgrade them to otherwise comply.

You will simply have to buy an older Opel GT or Manta from a local Canadian when you get here. Or better still, bring a Manta B with you, say a 1980 i240 (if that is the correct year for that model) !

 

[CDN OpelNut]

Although there must be some ways around this - five or six years ago there was a Frontera in Vancouver that belonged to a German diplomat. Perhaps just a perk of Diplomatic status.

 

[baz]

Diplomatic cars are not in your country they are still in there country if origin

 

[Rionart]

Getting a Calibra into Canada...

it was the Opel Omega, the Vectra's big brother that matched the Catera...
If memory serves, the Calibra was launched in 1990...so, find an early one and use your imagination (not that I'd condone anything illegal )...and you will be set to bring it in next year....

 

[kwilford]

it was the Opel Omega, the Vectra's big brother that matched the Catera....

Oops, sorry all, memory fart. Rob is correct, the Catera is an Opel Omega with Caddy badges and softer handling, while the Saturn "L" series is based on the Vectra, with North American exterior and interior design and manufacturing flaws (at least according to my mom, who loves her Saturn LW300 for it's peppy 3.0 V6 Opel engine, but hates it's plastic body and weird back seat arrangement).