Help!!! Sleds Stuck on Wrong Side of Border!

[TimG]

I've heard good/bad stories about a lot of different crossings. I am leery of taking it to a different crossing because the title was stamped by the US port of sweetgrass for export. If I take it to a different port, they'll probably question why I went to Sweetgrass to export it and then turned around and drove somewhere else to import it. I think it would raise red flags with them for sure.

I spoke to the RIV again today, and if the VIN is gone due to parts replacement, they can use other serial #s on the unit to verify the identity of the machine, but- wouldn't you know it, the engine has been changed too. Is there any other serial # stamped on Polarises besides the VIN and engine? I've got documents to prove the tunnel and engine replacement are legit, so there must be a way to do this. Evidently I need a letter from Transport Canada; I left them a message and am waiting for them to get back to me. One way or another, I intend to get this job done.

 

[MTdream]

I've heard good/bad stories about a lot of different crossings. I am leery of taking it to a different crossing because the title was stamped by the US port of sweetgrass for export. If I take it to a different port, they'll probably question why I went to Sweetgrass to export it and then turned around and drove somewhere else to import it. I think it would raise red flags with them for sure.

I spoke to the RIV again today, and if the VIN is gone due to parts replacement, they can use other serial #s on the unit to verify the identity of the machine, but- wouldn't you know it, the engine has been changed too. Is there any other serial # stamped on Polarises besides the VIN and engine? I've got documents to prove the tunnel and engine replacement are legit, so there must be a way to do this. Evidently I need a letter from Transport Canada; I left them a message and am waiting for them to get back to me. One way or another, I intend to get this job done.

If I can help or lend a garage and tools, let me know...I am relatively close to the border...and Kurts Polaris is here in Kalispell...

 

[TimG]

If I can help or lend a garage and tools, let me know...I am relatively close to the border...and Kurts Polaris is here in Kalispell...

Thanks for the offer! I really hope it doesn't come down to that, though. There must be a way to do it legitimately. After all, they look at a sled as a motor vehicle, and if you think about it in the context of a pickup truck, if you had a truck that was in an accident and had the cab replaced (removing VIN), then had the engine replaced under warranty, would that make it ineligible for import? Maybe a truck isn't a good comparison, because there is also a frame VIN, but in the case of this sled, it's all well documented and done by a dealer, so I'd be surprised if it was totally impossible. Transport Canada has to have a ounce of reasonableness somehwere (I'm forever the optimist).

 

[dwwinters]

RIV & Canada Customs

Have no sense of reasonableness at all. They are a bunch of power happy pricks. I have had the same thing buying a sled with a really nice VE boondocker tunnel. Great deal and totally unavailable up here... No sticker. No entry. I eventually resold it in the US without ever riding it. I had an even bigger comical hassle trying to get a RM 65cc race bike in for my son. I actually had to leave the bike store din the US wile I got signed letter(s) from both Suzuki USA and the AMA stating it was an off road motor bike for closed course competition. Why? Because the border moron thought after reading his import rules book that it should have signal lights, a horn and a fender sticker in both official languages no less that exists only in Canada and does not actually come on US motorcycles.

If people ask why we (try) to buy in the US ...
1) We live right near the border in a small town. There are very few bikes or sleds within a reasonable distance. Spokane is 1/4 the distance of Vancouver or Calgary.

2) The price of a comparable used sled or bike is usually almost 1/2 in the US after exchange and the selection is massive. And I am not a single guy with the latest toy. If I want a sled - I need 4 for the family. Same with motorcycles / bikes / skis and on and on. I also used to get laid more when I was single..... but that's another sob story.

3) We get hugely screwed by our own "Canadian" companies and dealers (not their fault) on price. A XP summit X sells new for roughly $5,000.00 less 20 minutes away across the border in idaho than it does locally in Canada. BUT see number 4.

4) Skidoo has supposedly told all US border state dealers if they sell to Canadians they will take their dealers license away. It must be true because say your a canadian at a Washington / Idaho dealership and they will not give you the time of day "we can't sell new to you"

5) Call Skidoo corporate HQ and ask why the huge price difference and the totally illegal (according to our own finance minister) but unregulated policy of restricting sales based on where a person lives.... the answer(s)... Price - because the Canadian market can bare it. US Dealers not allowed to sell to us - because they need to protect their Canadian dealers. OK if Bombardier let their Canadian dealers purchase and sell at the same deals as the US ones... they would be protected.

You can't fight "the man".

 

[knee deep in it]

I would call Sweetgrass and inform them that I now want to bring it across as salvage. I would explain that it has been too difficult becuase of the rubbed off serial number and your only choices are to sell in the US or bring it as salvage. Inform them a couple of days before you go down, they like that.

This is very believable because all mod sled are worth more in parts than they are as a unit.

Bring it across and then you can do what the guy did who was building a mod sled, get a new sn.

You are making this all too difficult for everyone. When dealing with a beaurocracy, reason is not involved. The path of least resistance will always be the correct choice.

 

[TimG]

To bring a sled across as "salvage", you need a salvage title from the states, period. I don't have one. I already called to try to feel them out about bringing it across as "parts." They said I would just be trying to contravene the law in order to get it across. I said that I wouldn’t be able to register it if brought across as parts, and would be better off parting it out than having it rot in Sweetgrass. The guy replied "how many people register sleds? You'll just ride it without registration!" They are instantly suspicious of anyone trying to import a complete machine as parts. I may end up trying to bring it across this way, but it's not my first choice.

The RIV already told me that if the VIN is gone, the identity of the machine can be verified by looking at other serial #s on the sled. To my knowledge the only serial #s on sleds are the VIN and engine serial #, and my engine has been replaced, so that doesn't work in my case. If the engine # matched, I would have gone down for the sled today. I'm going to see if there's some provision for the tunnel replacement to be verified by dealer documentation and cleared by Transport Canada. If that's impossible, I'll probably try for either parts or competition vehicle.

If the compliance decal is missing, as mine is, you can get a letter of compliance that says the same thing as the decal. From other threads and pm's I've been sent, Cat and Ski-Doo give the letter on demand, and Polaris includes it in the wording on their recall clearance letter (source of huge frustration for me until Transport Canada clued me in to this). I don't know about Yamaha.

At the end of the day, Transport Canada calls the shots. If you can get a letter from them, the Customs guys have to go along with it (stated by the superintendant of the Coutts crossing). Since (I believe) Tri-City is authorized by Polaris to re-stamp the VIN, it should all be legit, it's just a matter of getting Trans. Can. to verify- in writing if possible.

Thanks again for all the replies and suggestions. I'm sure this is a frustrating thread to read. My goal is to get things sewed up so tight that I can get the biggest jerk in the world at customs and still have no trouble because I've got everything in the world they could possibly demand.

 

[knee deep in it]

To bring a sled across as "salvage", you need a salvage title from the states, period. I don't have one. I already called to try to feel them out about bringing it across as "parts." They said I would just be trying to contravene the law in order to get it across. I said that I wouldn’t be able to register it if brought across as parts, and would be better off parting it out than having it rot in Sweetgrass. The guy replied "how many people register sleds? You'll just ride it without registration!" They are instantly suspicious of anyone trying to import a complete machine as parts. I may end up trying to bring it across this way, but it's not my first choice.

so they are saying they might deny you of your legal right because you might do something legal in the future? That is BS.

Phone Sweetgrass and ask for a supervisor. Get him to tell you what the best option is - leaving it in storage indefinately at the border or recouping your money by parting the machine.

List the parts and their value to show that it is a good deal to part it.

You don't need a salvage title, just fill out a Form 2 instead of the normal RIV form when you are at the border. Get the supervisor to tell you what the form is to fill it out and go there on a day he is working. I have done it and it is not very hard.

Once you get home, it is your legal right to part it or to try to get a new sn .

 

[noob]

Like stated, good luck dealing with the border. It depends on what color of fruit loops they ate and how warm the hot choclate was that day for their mood and opinion. I once came up to a window and the border dude said he didn't like the way the guys hair in front of me looked, so he pulled him over. So I make sure I wear a hat or touque now.

I brought a can am renegade up a year and a half ago, had all paper work lined up and sent to the border. got to the border and they denied it. I got the supervisor involved and he denied it. had to sleep the night in kalispell, made some calls and went back to the border. same supervisor dude says, oops I guess you can come through now. And there aint' a bloody thing you can do about it. It's disgusting. I'll call up carway and ask a couple guys I know(I would say friends, but they can even turn on you given the day) and see if they would raise a flag if you were to bring it up through there.

 

[knee deep in it]

. I'll call up carway and ask a couple guys I know(I would say friends, but they can even turn on you given the day) and see if they would raise a flag if you were to bring it up through there.

I would be very careful about trying to get it across another border crossing. You will probably be flagged and then you are going to look like a criminal trying to do something illegal.

The trick is to work with them. Ask them how you can extricate yourself from this unfortunate situation which causes the least amount of paperwork for everyone involved.

Parting it out is the simplest way. it may be the best route for you now as you can sell the motor and chassis for more than you paid and then move onto another sled. There are lots of them out there.

 

[noob]

I would be very careful about trying to get it across another border crossing. You will probably be flagged and then you are going to look like a criminal trying to do something illegal.

The trick is to work with them. Ask them how you can extricate yourself from this unfortunate situation which causes the least amount of paperwork for everyone involved.

Parting it out is the simplest way. it may be the best route for you now as you can sell the motor and chassis for more than you paid and then move onto another sled. There are lots of them out there.

sounds like he has already TRIED to work with them. If you don't get exactly what info they need, it ain't happening. I don't care how much you beg or ask them to change their ruling at the time. buddy and i imported over 70 sleds a couple years ago, we're very versed on the process.

I didnt' know he had his title stamped already, if he hadn't had this part of the process done already he could take that sled to any border crossing and not have to worry about them thinking of him as a criminal. with the title already stamped, he will have to deal with coutts on this. Can you order a decal from the manufacturer to slap on the sled and make the border dude happy?? that and get a vin number engraved on a metal plate and rivot it to the tunnel in place of where the original was has worked on a couple sleds that we brought up. At this point you've got your hands tied a little bit. hope you have alot of patience and a good long distance plan to get through this. I had a couple 1976 yammi sleds that i found with no title. owner said he would have them to me with in a couple of days. 2 months later and many frustrating hours on the phone, I resold them south of the border and dumped them. not fun.

you want to drive down to the border, part the sled and then what. they gonna let you import every piece of a sled across the border days after you tried importing a whole sled and then have to deal with shipping everything out. right now they think that sled is hot without the vin number and decal, I think it would be worse if you showed up with all them parts. worse case scenario, take the sled back to the owner and wash your hands of it if he's understanding enough to take it back. very tough situation indeed.

 

[snocatn]

Tim

If you need any assistance with free storage, tools etc. PM me, I live a few miles from SweetGrass and may be able to help. PM or email at snocatn@yahoo.com

Jason

 

[Jaynelson]

you want to drive down to the border, part the sled and then what. they gonna let you import every piece of a sled across the border days after you tried importing a whole sled and then have to deal with shipping everything out. right now they think that sled is hot without the vin number and decal, I think it would be worse if you showed up with all them parts. worse case scenario, take the sled back to the owner and wash your hands of it if he's understanding enough to take it back. very tough situation indeed.

If you have exhausted your options I think this ^^ is some good advice. IF the seller in the US will just take the thing back....that might be the easiest option. Even if you kick him a few bucks for depreciation and PITA factor, that might turn out to be the easiest. He doesn't have to take it back, so be ready for that too. There's always lots of sleds to buy....if it's going to be stuck at the border until the 2nd coming of Christ it doesn't do you much good anyways....

All the guys saying to take it across the border in parts, or take it across just saying you're going riding for the weekend....ya sure, it might work. So might loading it up and hammering through the bush in the middle of the night up to Canada. But you're asking for problems.

 

[X2Freeride]

^^^^

Not that its the best idea ever but I know of 5 places in North Dakota you can get across without dealing with anyone.

 

[noob]

^^^^

Not that its the best idea ever but I know of 5 places in North Dakota you can get across without dealing with anyone.

Had a guy from my town try that a couple years ago. 4 hour foot race after he went through with his truck, and finally they caught up to him. truck was full of funny green bagged goods?? He spent 2 years in prison, and house arrest for a couple years now.

One thing you don't want to do is screw around with the border. It aint worth it, they can screw you up big time.

 

[TimG]

Sleds are home!!!

The sleds are home! We went and got them yesterday! After I wrote my last post, I called Tri-City and talked to them about whether they were authorized by Polaris to re-engrave the VIN on the tunnel. Mike said Polaris doesn't care what they do. From what I gather, they are allowed to under Utah state laws. However, Transport Canada wasn't getting back to me, and I was getting pretty antsy. Finally they called me back, and the guy said it was way over his jurisdiction to pass judgment on the situation. He gave me the e-mail for the top dog and told me to explain it to him.

I had a great e-mail all typed up, but just before I sent it, I had second thoughts. After all, if they said no, they would have a record of the VIN, since I was instructed to put it in the e-mail. I decided to call the Coutts crossing and explain it to the superintendant there. I didn't get him, but I explained to the Customs officer I did get that I had the letter of compliance from Polaris, and read it to him. I also explained that I could get a letter from the dealer stating when, where, why, how the tunnel was replaced. He said the letter from Tri-City wasn't necessary, and the compliance letter was good for him. I said great, and asked him for his name. He gave me his badge # instead. He did say the compliance letter should have the build date- sounded to me like it wouldn't make or break it for him, but I was not about to take any chances. I called Polaris for a revised letter with the date (pm me for details on this) and got Tri-City to write their letter.

We got on the road at 5:00 am yesterday, and got to Canada Customs crossing at about 1:30. When we went inside, they got us to fill out all the paperwork, and the guy checked off "decal" and I actually had to tell him I had a letter of compliance instead. We finished the paperwork, and then he looked long and hard at the letter. I told him that I had spoken to someone at the Coutts crossing about it, and he asked for the badge # and wrote it down. He let us go, but we still had to go through the inspection garage, and when we rolled in, it was the same two guys that turned us back last time. Nail biting time. They took all our paperwork, and put us in a little room to wait while they went through everything. They never even looked at the sleds! They went through everything in the truck, then said they sure were pleased to see people with all their paperwork in order.

So that's it! I still have to get the RIV inspection done, though. Hopefully it goes off without incident. Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions and support.

 

[CatWoman]

Congrats!! I've been following this.......you have to feel pretty darn good right now.

 

[TimG]

Oh, lord, do I ever. It's really was an un-fun situation. I was paying for storage, too, so I couldn't just leave it for a couple months and think things over, I had to try and make things happen fast.

 

[CatWoman]

At least it all worked out.........finally!! A lot of time spent there, but it paid off.

 

[Blk88GT]

Good news! Make sure your reflectors are in place and all the bulbs work. Take your letter with you for the RIV inspection as well.

I took the sleds I imported to an RIV approved Ford dealer instead of Canadian Tire and they had no problem passing them. I didn't want to deal with $8/hr parts monkeys.

 

[Jaynelson]

Sweet deal man, glad it worked out!