Help- sales to the US

[phibbs]

I would like some guidance on selling my Argosy to the US. What do I need to know about this. I have had a big interest from a potential buyer in Georgia..who would like me to tow our trailer to the Detroit border and he will meet me on the US side. He does not have a passport...so I do and he would like me to drive it there. What do I need to know at the border etc..I assume I will need a bill of sale etc..How do I turn over the ownership? He also asked a reasonable price to do all this..any idea? We are about 2 1/2 hours from Detroit...so I was thinking putting an extra $100 to $200 on the price, if they wish to pay the full amount.
Thoughts..help, please
Wade (Stratford Ont. Canada)

[3 Dog Nite]

I used to drive new school buses over to New York from Brantford, Ontario. I needed to have export papers, import papers, & taxes in line before I reached the border. If not, there would be all kinds of delays and additional paperwork. Maybe the purchaser is trying to avoid this by having you bring it over as it's owner who's just going camping here in the good ol' US. Don't let him use your plates to take it home. I don't see how this will work as he'll have to do this anyway to tow it home. Unless he uses a flatbed trailer & never plans to put it in the road. This will hurt him or the new owner later if he decides to sell it. Most states down here accept the bill of sale & your current title or whatever Canada uses as proof of ownership. Put a reasonable "delivery fee" that makes it worth your while. Remeber he's not the only one who wants to buy a beautiful AS TT.

Ricky

[Wingeezer]

I don't have personal experience in doing things exactly as you do.

I did sell our last trailer from our home in Canada to a fellow from the US, but he came up to Canada and we went together to the license bureau here in Ontario where we registered the sale and he got temporary (Ontario) transit plates to drive the the trailer back to the US.

I remember also that he said he had to have a notarized bill of sale to satisfy the US authorities and so we went together to a notary public here in Burlington Ont. to obtain that.

Once our old trailer was sold, I travelled to Ohio where I bought our present Airstream and imported it to Canada. Seemed a bit of a rigmarole with all the paperwork that Ontario wanted, but it worked out fine in the end! You just have to do your homework, understand the importation regulations and get all they documentation they require and have the trailer inspected before they will issue an Ontario ownership/registration.

I guess you are not concerned with that part of the equation!

In the situation that you are describing, I think the onus will be mainly on the buyer to ensure that he gets everything he needs in order for him to register the trailer in his home state - could well be that requirements vary from state to state. If he doesn't do eveything in accordance with requirements, he could find himself in difficulty getting the Argosy registered in the US.

If he doesn't know exactly what is needed, perhaps you should suggest to him to check that out locally before coming to meet with you to take possession of the trailer.

To protect yourself, If I were in your shoes, I would contact both the Ontario Licence Office, as well as the Canadian border officials to outline to them your intention to drive the trailer across the border and leave it with the purchaser.

I think it best to go right to the horse's mouth, then you'll know exactly what is the correct way to handle this.

All the best ........... Brian.


PS - on a related matter, have you sorted out how you will be paid?

My bank cautioned me not to accept a cheque, even a certified cheque or bank draft which I had thought would be 100% safe!

I had initially met the prospective buyer via an internet for sale notice I posted on another RV forum (Award Owners group).

The bank told me that with all the internet fraud going that even though the cheque might appear to be certified, they would not deposit the $$ in my account until the cheque had cleared.

If it never cleared, then the trailer would be long gone and I would be out of pocket!

I found it embarrassing to discuss this with the potential buyer who I had by then exchanged several emails with and spoken to by phone a few times. He seemed seemed a very decent and honest individual (and turned out to be so!).

He did understand however, and in the end, he brought a combination of cash plus traveller's cheques which he signed over to me in my bank.

Even then, my bank wouldn't turn over the the funds to me until they called American Express and confirmed that the cheques were bona fide!

Sure seemed overly cautious on the part of the bank, but I guess they know best and I should be thankful for them looking our for my interests!

[blacksheep]

Hhhhmmmm. What would happen if you, say, went on a camping trip to the US with your Argosy and after you arrived here a US citizen inquired about buying your trailer and you sold it to him on the spot because you just happened to have the title with you?

Godspeed,
Trent

[Happycampers]

Hello... We sold our Argosy in Fla when we were there for our first winter. The person who bought it was from California. Our Argosy was tagged for Ontario. All we had to do was take it to the nearest US customs for inspection. All they are looking for are that the serial numbers are correct stamped in the A frame with the numbers on the id plate. No charge and it was very easy. This was done in 2006.

[whitelight]

At some point, US Customs will have to "inspect" the trailer & a form will have to be filled out before the new owner can register in their state. This is fairly straight forward and a formality, as your Argosy was originally made in the states.
Perhaps the owner can meet you on the US side of the border crossing at US Customs. That way they really wouldn't be coming back into the states & not require a passport.

Secure payment for the trailer would be my greatest concern - if your price is under $10k, then you can accept "cross border" cash without additional paperwork.

Good luck with your sale!

[phibbs]

Thanks for all your help. I checked today with both Canadian and US border and customs and they have no problems both sides. The potential owner will have to make sure they are prepared with the trailer in the US and their state of Georgia. The guy at the border crossing at Port Huron..said many rules apply to self propelled vehicles, but nothing to trailers.
Now to get a bill of sale signed.. I really can't believe someone from so far away is interested..but they seem to really like the trailer.
Again much thanks, Wade