Looking for advice on having a car shiped from San Antonio, TX to Calgary, AB

[Greg L.]

I've all but closed a deal on a 60 in San Antonio and thought I better pick some brains for advice on having it shipped to me in Calgary.

One option is to have it shipped door to door(easiest but more expensive).

The other option is to have it shipped to the boarder station at Sweet Grass, MT and I'll drive down(3 or so hrs each way) and import it myself(a little more work but cheaper).

I also heard a horror story a while back of a guy that bought an older car but during transit the truck was in an accident the car was "totaled". I say "totaled" because apparantly there was no insurance on it!!! I see that some carriers say they are insured but does that mean that it's full replacement value of the vehical or just some token amount?

For a carrier I just googled "US Canada vehical shipping" and sent out e-mails to five or six places. The prices really do vary so I don't know if I should go with the cheapest or what...

Has anyone ever heard of or used these guys? http://www.abrshipping.com/ They are the cheapest and qouted me $850 US($1000 CDN) to ship it to SweetGrass, MT or $1450 US($1700 CDN) door to door.

A carrier which my Dad once used is SeaRail. I think thier qoute was about $2040 US($2400CDN).

I've never done anything like this before so ANY advice experience is appreciated.

Thanks

[Richard M.]

Re: Looking for advice on having a car shiped from San Antonio, TX to Calgary, AB

I just had my 69' shipped from L.A. to Dallas TX. door to door by Road Dog Transport in Arlington Tx. 800-586-1553. Walt was the drivers name he was very careful, it was shipped on a open car hauler just like new corvettes are hauled out of Bowling Green. My experience was very good.

[Rick C.]

Re: Looking for advice on having a car shiped from San Antonio, TX to Calgary, AB

Door to door enclosed is the best way. You would not want to many people handling the car. I use TFX out of Toronto. They handle all types of cars.
Tel 4162438531

[Wayne M.]

Re: Looking for advice on having a car shiped from San Antonio, TX to Calgary, AB

...The other option is to have it shipped to the boarder station at Sweet Grass, MT and I'll drive down (3 or so hrs each way) and import it myself (a little more work but cheaper).
...I've never done anything like this before so ANY advice experience is appreciated....

Greg -- going through some papers and came across a sheet titled "Importing a Vehicle into Canada" that I picked up in Sweetgrass 2 years ago. There's Canada Border Services Agency phone # 1-800-320-0063 or Transport Canada # 1-800-333-0371 for further info.

I notice that documentation required for your 1960 would be:
-- foreign Certificate of Title, clear of any lien
-- genuine Bill of sale
-- proof of payment may be requested (bank draft, etc.)

of course you'll have to pay the 5% GST. I don't know how much of the paperwork can be off-loaded to a broker.

Also, something new since the last time I imported (1989) is the requirement to contact U.S. Customs Border Protection for information regarding exporting vehicles from the U.S. IIRC, a local friend had to make an appointment with the agents on the U.S. side to have them look over the car and paperwork, before proceeding another 100 feet to the Canadian side (didn't have to do that in the olden days ).

[Dennis A.]

Re: Looking for advice on having a car shiped from San Antonio, TX to Calgary, AB

I believe that FedEx (passport Auto Transport) Will get the car to your door step.

[Greg L.]

Re: Looking for advice on having a car shiped from San Antonio, TX to Calgary, AB

Thanks guys, I'll check into some of those carriers too.

Wayne, I had a pretty good idea how to import one paper wise a few years ago but I'll double check on that again just so I don't get burnt some how. I'm pretty sure that you have to notify the border crossing that the car will be entering Canada at least 72 hrs before the car shows up or they get nasty. I think they need this time for lien searches, stolen car search etc.

I guess one of my biggest questions is what to do about insurance during transit. Do I trust the carrier's insurance or somehow get my own? I think the trans border trip will complicate getting my own as the only way I know of to get a car like this insured by my insurance company for it's true value is to have it appraised, thus the car needs to be here.

Right now I have another problem with this car in that the top has been down for so long long that it's shrunk to the point it won't latch at the front and at the rear so unless I can get it latched at both ends the car can't be secured and I don't think anyone will deliver it unsecured like that.

[Don S.]

Re: Looking for advice on having a car shiped from San Antonio, TX to Calgary, AB

Better check with US customs. (worth a phone call) I may be wrong but they not only need the paper work 72 hrs beforehand. but the car as well..I had to deliver the car t the border with the paperwork and then come back 3 days later to clear the car accross.

also be prepared to pay the gst when you go through Canadian customs provincial sales sales tax will not be a problem if you are crossing at an Alberta location I believe ,otherwise it will be.That is a lot of $ difference for a 3 hrs drive. If you have a way to pick it up at the border it looks like it would save a lot of $ according to your figures.If you are worried about the shipping company insurance then insure it yourself as well,

[Bill I.]

Re: Looking for advice on having a car shiped from San Antonio, TX to Calgary, AB

RE:the top issue, have the current owner put the top up but not latched, sitting in the sun for a few hours. Next day do same with front latched, next day snap rear in and you should be good to go. Bill.

[Dennis A.]

Re: Looking for advice on having a car shiped from San Antonio, TX to Calgary, AB

Greg...
I shipped a 1962 with the top folded down with no problem using Fed-Ex

[Terry D.]

Re: Looking for advice on having a car shiped from San Antonio, TX to Calgary, AB

I think you should fly down and drive it home, think of the adventure and the stories you will have.
Terry

[Mark P.]

Re: Looking for advice on having a car shiped from San Antonio, TX to Calgary, AB

Greg - my top in my 60 is like new but was also stored a long time and won't close. John Kennedy suggested I try parking it in the sun for several hours and try stretching it. The concern is that it will pull too hard on the windshield posts and damage them.

I haven't tried yet. If you go with a closed trailer it is not much of an issue.

Mark