CAN vs. US buying tips

[LeKiD]

Ok... I'm planning on buying my new MacPro when it will come out but I feel that my best chance would be to:

#1: Rent a car Canada (Quebec)

#2: Drive to the States buy my Mac Pro

#3: Drive back through the Customs and declare my monster abduction.

Is there anything I should know that people know about, tricks, tips... advices on taxes. Should I even declare it!?

Thanks guys!

 

[CanadaRAM]

OK, first thing you HAVE to declare it, it is the law of the country.

You will pay both GST and TVQ at the border, there is no duty on computers. There is duty on monitors. Besides the car rental, gas and travel time, you will also have to line up for sometimes hours at the border (see the article yesterday about the busload of shoppers who were delayed 5 hours at customs).

You will pay the state and local tax wherever you buy it, and in MOST states it is difficult or impossible to get that refunded. Figure on 6 - 8% loss there

If you use a charge card, your bank will charge you approximately 4.5% worse than the official exchange rate, so that $1.05 dollar suddenly becomes close to 1.00

I think if you add up the costs, it will turn out that it will cost you far more than you save.

 

[gojaromeiginla]

Essentially, just buy it online. With the Canadian Dollar rising so high, just buy from the apple store, and pay a little on shipping. That's what I'm most likely gonna do.

 

[whistler222]

I'm not gonna discuss the legality of declaring customs etc. yes it's the law.. and you should/must do it.
I just want to say i'm sure there are MANY purchases like that, which is not declared.
Maybe you have a friend who wants to buy one and bring it up for you to show you how it works?

Anyhow:
Don't use a credit card. Exchange your money at a local money exchange place, and pay cash.

State tax sucks. Too bad you can't drive to Oregon where it's tax free. (only for vancouver people). However, remember you also pay sales tax buying in Canada, plus u pay the wonderful GST.. (i'm from there, and now i live in Seattle).

Wait, wasn't Stephen Harper gonna eliminate the GST???

 

[gojaromeiginla]

No sales tax in Alberta!!!!!!! (That's where I live). Just GST. And Stephen Harper was gonna reduce it to 5%, not eliminate it altogether. In fact, it goes down to 5% in January.