Importing my Defender 90
Thread Starter
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Overlanding
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Importing my Defender 90
Hey everyone, hailing from Quebec Canada, where some of you may know a ban was just passed on RHD vehicles. Well I want a Defender, in a bad way. I don't have the funds to purchase a roughed up one here for $20,000 so I'm going to import one and either have it converted or plated in Toronto. I'm hoping a conversion won't be too expensive, a trip to the next province every year doesn't sound appealing...
I'll be documenting every step of the way here so the next guy who wants to get his own defender can follow in my footsteps and hopefully it won't be too painful
.
1. Going to the SAAQ (Our DMV) to find out more about the subject.
Wish me luck!
I'll be documenting every step of the way here so the next guy who wants to get his own defender can follow in my footsteps and hopefully it won't be too painful
.1. Going to the SAAQ (Our DMV) to find out more about the subject.
Wish me luck!
Thread Starter
|
Overlanding
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
1. Going to the SAAQ (Our DMV) to find out more about the subject.
I came back from the SAAQ with nothing but a brochure. The lady at the desk assured me it was all she could do for vehicles imported from England, and not the states.
The brochure gave me lot of information regarding what paperwork I would need before hand and during the customs check, people I would need to call and any important modifications that need to be on the vehicle before I can claim it at the border if it's less than 15 years old.
The website for this brochure is http://www.riv.ca/ (Registrar of Imported Vehicles)
On the brochure the phone number for the ministry of transport for canada was given for further questions. I called them, since the vehicle in question is over 15 years old, all these stringent rules about adding baby seat brackets, airbags, all that stuff doesn't apply, all I had to do was bring it through customs.
If I had been in any other province, that would have been the end of that. Because I live in Quebec, and the laws are different here for RHD vehicles, I was given the number for the Ministere du Transport du Quebec. Called them next, and though the man didn't tell me anything I didn't already know about importing the landy, he did give me a phone number for a man who specializes in importing vehicles from anywhere BUT the states (japan, england, australia etc).
His name is Mark Baril, his phone number is (418) 528-3503, and from what I can tell he works for the SAAQ. I found out from him that aside from the paperwork I would need for importing the vehicle, all I needed to bring it into quebec is the LHD conversion. I got a list of numbers from him as well for engineers who can verify that my conversion has been properly done. Here is that e-mail:
___________________________________________
Bonjour,
Tel que demandé, voici la liste des principaux ingénieurs avec lesquels nous avons fait affaires dans des dossiers de véhicules. Ces ingénieurs mentionnés ici ne le sont qu'à titre informatif. D’autres ingénieurs pourraient être habilités à certifier des modifications à un véhicule routier.
Voici également l’extrait pertinent du Code de la sécurité routière :
214. À moins d'une approbation préalable de la Société, il est interdit:
1° d'apporter à un véhicule routier destiné à circuler sur un chemin public des modifications au châssis, des modifications à la carrosserie ou à un mécanisme si elles sont susceptibles de diminuer la stabilité ou le freinage du véhicule ou toute autre modification pouvant convertir un tel véhicule en un autre type de véhicule;
2° d'apporter des modifications à un véhicule automobile ou un ensemble de véhicules routiers qui est destiné à circuler sur un chemin public à des fins expérimentales et qui n'est pas conforme aux dispositions de la Loi sur la sécurité automobile (Lois du Canada, 1993, chapitre 16).
Nous considérons que la conversion de l’emplacement du volant exigera de modifier le système de direction et affectera la stabilité du véhicule. C’est pourquoi en vertu de l’article 214, un rapport d’ingénieur est exigé.
Espérant que cela répond `a votre questionnement.
Mark Baril, ingénieur
Service de l'ingénierie des véhicules
Société de l'Assurance Automobile du Québec
333 boul. Jean-Lesage, C-4-21
Québec (QC) G1K 8J6
Tél: 418-528-3503
mark.baril@saaq.gouv.qc.ca
___________________________________________
In short: Quebec law understands that converting a vehicle from rhd to lhd may cause problems which may negatively affect stability or control of the vehicle, therefore the vehicle must be inspect by an engineer who is certified in that domain to ensure that the vehicle still maintains factory standards after the conversion. A signed document from such an engineer is required before the vehicle can be plated in Quebec.
Step 2 is to call these engineers.
I came back from the SAAQ with nothing but a brochure. The lady at the desk assured me it was all she could do for vehicles imported from England, and not the states.
The brochure gave me lot of information regarding what paperwork I would need before hand and during the customs check, people I would need to call and any important modifications that need to be on the vehicle before I can claim it at the border if it's less than 15 years old.
The website for this brochure is http://www.riv.ca/ (Registrar of Imported Vehicles)
On the brochure the phone number for the ministry of transport for canada was given for further questions. I called them, since the vehicle in question is over 15 years old, all these stringent rules about adding baby seat brackets, airbags, all that stuff doesn't apply, all I had to do was bring it through customs.
If I had been in any other province, that would have been the end of that. Because I live in Quebec, and the laws are different here for RHD vehicles, I was given the number for the Ministere du Transport du Quebec. Called them next, and though the man didn't tell me anything I didn't already know about importing the landy, he did give me a phone number for a man who specializes in importing vehicles from anywhere BUT the states (japan, england, australia etc).
His name is Mark Baril, his phone number is (418) 528-3503, and from what I can tell he works for the SAAQ. I found out from him that aside from the paperwork I would need for importing the vehicle, all I needed to bring it into quebec is the LHD conversion. I got a list of numbers from him as well for engineers who can verify that my conversion has been properly done. Here is that e-mail:
___________________________________________
Bonjour,
Tel que demandé, voici la liste des principaux ingénieurs avec lesquels nous avons fait affaires dans des dossiers de véhicules. Ces ingénieurs mentionnés ici ne le sont qu'à titre informatif. D’autres ingénieurs pourraient être habilités à certifier des modifications à un véhicule routier.
Voici également l’extrait pertinent du Code de la sécurité routière :
214. À moins d'une approbation préalable de la Société, il est interdit:
1° d'apporter à un véhicule routier destiné à circuler sur un chemin public des modifications au châssis, des modifications à la carrosserie ou à un mécanisme si elles sont susceptibles de diminuer la stabilité ou le freinage du véhicule ou toute autre modification pouvant convertir un tel véhicule en un autre type de véhicule;
2° d'apporter des modifications à un véhicule automobile ou un ensemble de véhicules routiers qui est destiné à circuler sur un chemin public à des fins expérimentales et qui n'est pas conforme aux dispositions de la Loi sur la sécurité automobile (Lois du Canada, 1993, chapitre 16).
Nous considérons que la conversion de l’emplacement du volant exigera de modifier le système de direction et affectera la stabilité du véhicule. C’est pourquoi en vertu de l’article 214, un rapport d’ingénieur est exigé.
Espérant que cela répond `a votre questionnement.
Mark Baril, ingénieur
Service de l'ingénierie des véhicules
Société de l'Assurance Automobile du Québec
333 boul. Jean-Lesage, C-4-21
Québec (QC) G1K 8J6
Tél: 418-528-3503
mark.baril@saaq.gouv.qc.ca
___________________________________________
In short: Quebec law understands that converting a vehicle from rhd to lhd may cause problems which may negatively affect stability or control of the vehicle, therefore the vehicle must be inspect by an engineer who is certified in that domain to ensure that the vehicle still maintains factory standards after the conversion. A signed document from such an engineer is required before the vehicle can be plated in Quebec.
Step 2 is to call these engineers.
Mudding
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 125
Likes: 8
From: Montreal
Best you can do is to learn from other peoples experiences.Wish you well.
http://www.d-90.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25592
http://www.d-90.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25592
Thread Starter
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Overlanding
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Spike555 - I've looked in many Classifieds ads from magazines, newspapers and the internet, the reason I'm looking to the UK is that I can get Defenders such as these ones:
http://www.gumtree.com/london/79/58580079.html
http://sheffield.gumtree.com/sheffield/96/59947596.html
http://belfast.gumtree.com/belfast/60/59871260.html
http://glasgow.gumtree.com/glasgow/59/60854159.html
http://belfast.gumtree.com/belfast/04/60867904.html
For less than what I paid for my Jeep. To top it off, if i can sell my Jeep for what I'm expecting to get from it, I can import any one of those defenders to Ontario, get it Ontario plated and drive it in Quebec for a year or two until I can afford all the modifications needed to plate it in Quebec.
HOWEVER, I will begin looking in France and Greece today, as per your suggestions. If I can find them in as good condition as the england ones for a similar price... well screw the RHD models
I still have yet to call the engineers, and I won't be able to get a hold of them today as everything is closed for the fete international.
http://www.gumtree.com/london/79/58580079.html
http://sheffield.gumtree.com/sheffield/96/59947596.html
http://belfast.gumtree.com/belfast/60/59871260.html
http://glasgow.gumtree.com/glasgow/59/60854159.html
http://belfast.gumtree.com/belfast/04/60867904.html
For less than what I paid for my Jeep. To top it off, if i can sell my Jeep for what I'm expecting to get from it, I can import any one of those defenders to Ontario, get it Ontario plated and drive it in Quebec for a year or two until I can afford all the modifications needed to plate it in Quebec.
HOWEVER, I will begin looking in France and Greece today, as per your suggestions. If I can find them in as good condition as the england ones for a similar price... well screw the RHD models
I still have yet to call the engineers, and I won't be able to get a hold of them today as everything is closed for the fete international.