Community Forums

IslandGuy23 · 06-03-2023, 05:34 PM

Hello fellow RV enthusiasts!

I'm reaching out to this knowledgeable community seeking advice and information regarding purchasing a new motorhome in the USA instead of Canada. Specifically, I'm interested in the Jayco Melbourne Prestige, Winnebago View, and Navion models. I have several questions and would greatly appreciate your insights and experiences on the following points:

Cost Savings: Have any of you successfully saved between 60,000 to 75,000 CAD by purchasing a motorhome in the USA compared to Canada? I'm particularly interested in savings on the Jayco Melbourne Prestige, Winnebago View, and Navion Diesel models. (Family of four)

Cross-Border Travel: My family frequently travels between Canada and the USA every 1-4 months, spending a few days to a few weeks on road trips. To ensure seamless travel, we would like to have insurance coverage that extends to both countries. Has anyone found suitable insurance options that cover cross-border travel for motorhomes? Any recommendations or insights would be greatly appreciated.

Future Plans: Over the next 3-5 years, we are considering purchasing a second place either in Florida or Texas, with the intention of traveling between these states and BC, Canada. Do any of you have experience with a similar lifestyle? How have you managed the logistics of owning property in multiple locations and traveling between them?

Tax Considerations: In terms of the best approach to buying a motorhome and potentially saving on taxes, are there any strategies or tips you could share? We are particularly interested in any insights related to tax savings when purchasing in the USA.

Thank you in advance for your valuable input and advice. Your knowledge and experiences will greatly assist us in making informed decisions for our motorhome purchase and future travel plans.

Happy travels,

Brad

Skip426 · 06-03-2023, 05:40 PM

Beware of any US dealer that suggests a LLC , if you're traveling using a Canadian passport you cannot come back into Canada driving a USA registered vehicle.

Skip426 · 06-03-2023, 05:46 PM

Join the Canadian Snowbird Association .

www.snowbirds.org

And download and read carefully a IRS form 8840 , with regards to length of stay in the USA , and how it's calculated , to avoid tax implications .

www.irs.gov/form8840

BobGed · 06-03-2023, 09:02 PM

You're potentially going to be dealing with some pretty sophisticated tax and customs situations and really should be speaking with a qualified tax professional with knowledge of the implications and requirements of both countries.

ICBC should be able to give you guidance on your insurance questions.

IslandGuy23 · 06-04-2023, 01:44 PM

Thanks for your reply’s! Is it possible to keep it insured in the states if your frequently going between the states and Canada? Any snowbirds could chime in? I have contacted dealers across Canada to see what there best prices are and the USA equivalent is $40-$70,000 cheaper with the currency conversion. There are quite a bit of sales going on in the states right now.

THenne1713 · 06-04-2023, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IslandGuy23

Thanks for your reply’s! Is it possible to keep it insured in the states if your frequently going between the states and Canada? Any snowbirds could chime in? I have contacted dealers across Canada to see what there best prices are and the USA equivalent is $40-$70,000 cheaper with the currency conversion. There are quite a bit of sales going on in the states right now.

My experience says you will need to license/ insure at home of record, so taxable there too, so talking to them might clarify if your savings will suddenly disappear in taxes? Sounds like you can provide $ numbers and have realistic conversation. Your local insurance agent can probably answer questions on international incidents?

Triangle Drifter · 06-04-2023, 09:12 PM

I can't give experience buying a RV & exporting to another country but I have bought three boats in the US & exported them.

In the case of each boat proof needed to be provided that the vessels were being exported. That proof was a shipping bill of lading showing sailing date & voyage number.

What this meant was that the vessel was not liable for any state, or any federal tax. Upon arrival at destination the vessels were liable for destination import duties.

You would need to confirm with your Canadian authorities but I am guessing that, since you will be shipping, delivering, the RV yourself, you will need to pay Canada import duties & registration upfront & have proof of such for both the US & Canadian authorities.

The US will want proof that you are not smuggling something stolen across the border. The Canadian customs will want to be sure that you are not smuggling something into the country without paying import taxes.

Confirm directly with the authorities concerned. You don't want any surprises not having papers in order when arriving at the border.

We crossed into Canada a few days ago with our 5er. A quiet ND border station. Poor Canadian border guy was faced with a very unusual situation. He was faced with two non US citizens, driving an RV owned by a LLC, which was owned by us.

No problem with us & our passports but the LLC registration had him confused. Inside he trotted, papers in hand, presumably to check with his supervisor, on these people who did not meet the usual criteria coming through his gate.

After a few minutes he came back out, all happy, welcome to Canada.

Buying outside of your home country should not be complicated, however do have everything in order. Once done future crossings back & forth should be uneventful.