Does the 6.1% duty apply to Porsches over 15 years old that are brought in from the U.S.?

Also has anyone had a good experience buying a Porsche in the U.S. on eBay? I've come close a few times lately but have been hesitant to buy without seeing and driving the car, even with a PPI. I also find a PPI very difficult to arrange from 2000 miles away, and many sellers are reluctant or there isn't enough time to get it done given the short listing times on the auction. It looks like quite a few of you on the site have brought in U.S. cars, so what have you been doing - arranging a PPI from home or going down to look at the car before puchasing, or something else?

 

Please take a deep breath and relax my friend.....it's E-Bay.......if you don't get this car, there are others......a rushed purchase is sure to go wrong.

Yes.....6.1 % duty is applicable at the date of importation.....as is $100 AC excise tax......

Our shop sees about 2-3 cars a month that people bought on E-Bay and other websites.

They are what we call 20/20 cars.......75% of them anyways........they look good at 20 feet and 20 kmh.......IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT....AND/OR YOU DO NOT GO DOWN THERE YOURSELF FOR THE PPI......IN ALL PROBABILITY YOU WILL GET SCREWED !!!!! If you can afford the car, you can afford the airline ticket and a hotel. It is easy for a vendor to slip $500 cash to the mechanic or service writer to get a satisfactory PPI report.......I am not trying to scare you out of buying a US car......as I do it all the time for my clients......what I am doing is telling you how to do it correctly.

I have seen over 30 people this year that this has happened to.........every deferred maintenance bill was $5-10K + at a minimum, a couple were $20K........hit cars, color changes, flood cars....LOL !!...using pieces of angle iron for bumper supports......

I flew down to the US last week to do a PPI at a Porsche dealer on a 2006 997 that I am importing.......it had 1,500 miles and was 5 months old.....why ?.....maybe the guy tracked it, hit the wall, fixed it out of his own pocket, then put it up for sale. You never know....but this particular car was OK.

Tell the vendor you will be flying down personally for the PPI at a Porsche or some other dealer.......then ask the hard questions about the car......you'd be amazed how the truth comes out if they know you are coming to see it.

Best of luck !!

 

I was lucky I guess. I bought a Boxster 3 years ago, sight unseen, off Ebay. After several phone conversations with the US seller (a private party) during the auction period I convinced myself he was a trustworthy person and that it was worth the risk. The price was "too good to be true" and the mileage was very low. I arranged for a PPI at the local dealer who already knew the car and had done all the service on it in the past. The car checked out fine and I made the decision to have the car shipped instead of flying out and making a final inspection in person. I knew at the time that I was throwing my better judgment out the window, but when the car finally arrived its condition far exceeded my expectations. The seller also included in the trunk all the magazine articles on the Boxster he had collected over the years, as well as printouts from Rennlist and PPBB. He also transferred his extended warrantee into my name. This was a surprise, as the warrantee had never been mentioned during the sale. Other than routine maintenance the car has been problem free.

Its definitely a buyers market in the US when compared to Canada right now.

Although I was lucky, if I had to do it over again I would probably be more cautious. I’d fly out and inspect the car in person, and enjoy the drive home.

Aron in Toronto

 

Excellent advice YYC930. I recently purchased a low value truck on ebay and wouldn`t even have bought that without doing a ppi myself in person.

 

Great advice from keith! follow it. I bought a car and am awaiting delivery to TO on Friday, I still am a little nervous even though I flew down to see the car and had ppi done at very well known pcar shop...I couldn't imagine buying with no ppi. anyone who won't allow a ppi probably has hidden problems with the car. go to the forum for the car you are looking at and get recommendation for a local shop for ppi. even try to find a knowledgable local rennlister to join you for the ppi (buy him lunch or something) this idea was posted after my ppi but it makes sense.
what are you looking at?
Turbodan
definitely worth getting car in US

 

I flew to New york yesterday and drove one home today!

 

I'm looking at doing the same thing. Haven't found the ideal P-car online just yet (2006 Seal Grey C4 with low mileage), but I'm sure it'll turn up somewhere in the US soon.
I was planning on having it shipped up, but after significant debate, I think I'll probably do the same - fly down and drive it back.

(Another) Aaron from Toronto

 

what about the whole letter from the dealership thing, did that get resolved ?

 

Iceman....you have a PM.....

 

You don't need no stinking letter from no stinking stealer.

Call Porsche NA.
Previous owner can obtain it for you from his dealer.
Call some of the dealers who sponsor the various web forums.

Many ways to reach your objective.

 

I'll keep my experiences short and to the point.

I imported a 87' 951 from Michigan a couple weeks ago, and after getting screwed around by customs (said they lost the title fax) the car was imported, I was charged duty, Excise Tax, A/C tax and I think possibly even a German Import tax?

The car was in much better shape than I expected, but I bought it off a fellow 'lister so I didn't have any worries and the PPI sorted out all the major issues.

My advice however would be to bring a trailer or have the car shipped as I went through a lot of post-importation inspection/insurances headaches.

 

I would follow "YYC930" advice to a "T" My 993 with 106k miles I went down test drove it and look it over carefully and knew exactly what I was getting . A friend bought 993 CS4 with 44k miles unseen with a PPI ,got it shipped here and first thing noticed was the car had basically been repainted with a roller brush and that was just for starters .His was not bought on ebay either it was a good "rennlister" guy .
I happy , he`s bicthin PO

 

By the way, 6.1% duty does not apply to cars 20 years or older....

 

Yes it does AFAIK......if they are not of US/CAN manufacture.

Did you just import your 911 SC recently and were not charged duty ? I am asking because I have never heard this before.

 

so a '95 993 would be looking at 6.1% duty, and then gst and provincial sales tax, im in quebec. Thanks