Buy a Van in Canada

This is one of the first things we had to worry about before trip ! And yes, no Road Trip without a vehicle ... For a moment we asked ourselves the question of importing our Volkswagen combi alias Toaster from France the time of the trip or from buy one on the spot, but it seemed to us more profitable in our case to take it directly there, among other things becausewe would surely keep it in the Americas thereafter. And more than three years later, we do not regret our choice at all.

So where are we started our research ?!

Well, you can imagine, we did not wait to be there to start looking at what you can find there and especially at what price.

Whatever type of vehicle or van, and your budget, here is where to look:

So much for the websites that we advise you to use.

Let's move on to serious things now! VWe think we have found THE VAN, THE PERFECT VEHICLE. 

Yes but it's on paper ... 

One of the first things to know is that unlike France, there is no mandatory technical inspection to make a sale in Quebec. In other provinces it's different, in Ontario for example you have to make one.

Unless you have to do business with a mechanic, difficult to know the exact state of the racing car before having seen it. 

In other words, it is good to inquire before leaving but do not buy anything from a distance.

One of the points very (very) important to check here is rust! Winter is tough in Canada and the roads are hugely salty. If the vehicle drove in the winter, chances are it is more or less rusty. Well, when we talk about rust, there is rust ... and rust. We let you see that in image ...

So now you understand the problem better? And no, we didn't go far to take these photos, it's quite common, even for fairly recent vehicles. Fortunately, if you are looking for a fitted van, there is still a good chance that it was stored in winter and that'he did not put the wheels in the snow. 

This is not an absolute rule but usually they are not used in winter and so there is less likely they will be attacked. Of course, the older the van, the greater the risk.

Convinced? The black dots are the wheel arches, the crates, the door sills and the steps. If the vehicle has been repainted, we advise you to watch more in depth and especially below, the chassis. It's quick to make misery cache and if you do not want to end up with a van that holds by the paint is better.

Search so rather priority ads that specify "Never rolled the winter"If nothing is noted, ask the seller about rust.

Well ! Let's move on to the next points. The fact that he is not there no mandatory technical inspection in Quebec means that there is rarely preventative maintenance That has been done. We don't want to generalize, but still a little... It's less obvious when it comes to a camper van since they are used to go on weekends or on vacation and therefore more pampered.

For example, it is common to see that only one damper has been changed! Basically, it was completely HS and the seller did not bother to change the latter ... Try to avoid this kind of ads. Generally it means that the periodic maintenance (emptying, filter change, etc ...), has not been done correctly.

Also watch out for ads with photos from “ten years ago”, or with pictures of another vehicle, etc… A good clue sometimes is when you see an ad with accessories that are present on one photo but not on the other, photos taken in winter while we are in summer, in short be attentive… Always ask for recent photos.

Some sellers are quite elusive about what has been done, what is to be done and they tend to “play down the issues” (here again do not generalize and we remind you that winters are not the same in Canada, nor are the road conditions, so the level of requirement is necessarily different). Again, of course, we are talking about our personal experience…

From there you will say: "Oops but there is not much choice then ?! ". Yes. Kind of, between rust and bad maintenance, hard to find the rare pearl. It sometimes takes fetch far. If you find a van whose owner has kept all the invoices, that's a good sign!

The much desired vehicle is not necessarily next door and when we buy we do not want to move for nothing especially when it is 300kms, believe us, we gave ... and not only once ... So follow these tips and you will already have less chance to move for nothing! In any case, NEVER buy a vehicle without seeing it! Do not even make a down payment to block the sale.

We give you these advice especially for Quebec and Canada. Of course as when you buy a car, anywhere in the world, do not neglect the road test and the classic inspection tour!

We saw previously on which websites to get your van and especially the important points not to be overlooked.

In this part, we will now explain how to transfer ownership of a vehicle in Caribou country, and more precisely among our cousins in Quebec. And yes, we tell you again, each province has its own rules, so we'll talk to you about our experience in Quebec! But know that the approach is a few details, identical in other Canadian provinces.

We told you again and again, there is no mandatory technical control to make a sale or papers to fill (in Quebec). Once you have concluded the deal with an individual, you just have to go with the seller in an office of the "Société de l'Assurance Automobile du Québec" (be careful with the mandatory vehicle insurance) more commonly called the SAAQ in order to make the transfer of ownership. If the owner can not move, it exists a form of proxy available on the SAAQ website.

Once there, this is where it can get a little tougher if, like us, you are foreign residents with a tourist visa. 

It is necessary specify to the person at the counter of to make a file of "non-resident" otherwise he / she can spend a moment looking for the right boxes, or tell you that it is impossible ... For that, it will be necessary to bring you your French and International driving license as well as your passport. Indeed, it is the address that appears on the latter which will be taken into account in the file. So be careful before leaving that your address is up to date otherwise it will cause you some problems later ...

If you want register a second owner (spouse, friend) this does not pose no problemit is also sufficient to point out that the address entered in the file will be that of the "main" owner.

Then you will be asked how much you bought the vehicle. This information is crucial for the SAAQ to calculate the tax you will pay (only once) the QST (around 10% of the total amount of the sale).

Unlike France where the price to make the registration is based on the number of tax horses and the department in which you live, here is the selling price that counts ... 

So there, offers itself to you two possibilities if the vehicle is more than 10 years old: give the real selling price and pay the high price or grant you in advance with the seller for indicate a lower price and pay less tax, (but it's not good ;)). Still remain a bit consistent… If the vehicle is less than 10 years old, the tax will be calculated from the “red book”, a sort of Argus.

But, there is a but… if the vehicle is older than 25 (hello I just bought an old combi ...), an expert appraiser will be required otherwise it is impossible to transfer ownership ... (for having lived it believe us it's not funny, we lost 3 days because of that because the seller was not aware ...). Make sure the seller has this paper in his possession!

Once the file is completed, the person the SAAQ will also ask you to pay the annual fee: the payment of the plaque. 

And yes, every vehicle traveling in Canada must pay for it (the equivalent of our old sticker for those who remember it). It is payable on January 1st for the coming year and each year.

Of course, at the time of purchase you will pay pro rata of the remaining months for the current year. 

This may seem exaggerated at first, but it includes some sort of liability insurance. 

Attention, plan some liquid (cash as they say here) because French bank cards are not accepted!

You will find all the information and prices on this link.

In short, after having spent a little more time than generally because you have an address abroad (bah yes, it's not every day that it happens in the offices of the SAAQ), that you are relieved of several hundred dollars (fortunately Canadians, it hurts less), we will give you your papers directly for the current year and especially the famous license plate (only one to put at the back). With a little luck you will even have the right to choose between the few signs available at the counter where you are 🙂

If you have a work visa, a work permit, etc. the procedures will be almost the same except that you will then be able to make a standard file like any Quebecer since you are supposed to have an address on the spot and to have exchanged your permit for a provincial license.

Know that you will receive each year the request for payment of the tax in France. So if you are out of Quebec at the beginning of the year, make sure to open your mail to have the necessary information to pay online. If you are in Quebec, you can go to the SAAQ office of your choice for pay the tax directly and have your new certificate.

Here, you are the proud owner of a vehicle in Quebec! Good road ! Do not forget the insurance, but that's another story:

Read the article: “Insuring your vehicle in North America”

We will tell you a little later how did the search for "Popo" go for us. You will laugh well!