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Posted

I have a Lexus RX400h I am purchasing in the US and planning to use in Canada. The speedometer has both KMS and MILES however the odometer reading is imperial (miles only). Can anyone help with how you go about changing the odometer from MILES to KMS?

Thanks.


Posted
I have a Lexus RX400h I am purchasing in the US and planning to use in Canada. The speedometer has both KMS and MILES however the odometer reading is imperial (miles only). Can anyone help with how you go about changing the odometer from MILES to KMS?

Thanks.

I purchased my RX 400H as well in the US. I informed myself in advance, and there is no special button sequence you can enter to convert miles to km in the odometer. Nor can you change Farenheit to Celcuis. The only solution available, will also void your warranty and that involves swapping out the odometer / speedometer cluster. Well, that is what I had investigated back in January 2007.

Cheers,

MadloR

Posted
I have a Lexus RX400h I am purchasing in the US and planning to use in Canada. The speedometer has both KMS and MILES however the odometer reading is imperial (miles only). Can anyone help with how you go about changing the odometer from MILES to KMS?

Thanks.

I purchased my RX 400H as well in the US. I informed myself in advance, and there is no special button sequence you can enter to convert miles to km in the odometer. Nor can you change Farenheit to Celcuis. The only solution available, will also void your warranty and that involves swapping out the odometer / speedometer cluster. Well, that is what I had investigated back in January 2007.

Cheers,

MadloR

Thanks for the info...I assume you are from Canada? From the research I've done it seems that you do not have to convert the odometer from miles to KMS as part of the RIV requirements...is that you what you found as well? Also, any chance you have information on a good shipping terminal in the Niagara Falls NY area...planning to ship it to the border in NY but would like to get a referral for a depot to hold it at until January 1st so I can save on the GST reduction :)

Posted

The requirement according to transport Canada concerning the instrument cluster is the requirement to show KM/H as part of the display. Then of course there is all the other little things that are pretty much standard requirements like the fact the RX 400H can in fact support a child seat (remember, Canadian standards are different than American standards in this area). Anyhoot, I wouldn't fret over it, because the place you will take your vehicle to certify it according to Transport Canada is an Authorized Canadian Tire store. They pretty much check to see if the vehicle is pretty much the vehicle you are trying to certify, and perhaps, just perhaps will even do a walk around the vehicle. Yes, it sounds and is a joke.

I would do a search in the area you would like to store a vehicle for a "car pound". These places reposses vehicles and or purchase vehicles from the US gov't and are authorized to auction to the public. In other words, you are pretty much getting a local that is pretty secure. I didn't find mine by looking in the yellow pages or google, but rather called a bunch of new car dealers in the area asking them if they could secure and guarantee the storage / safety of my vehicle. All pretty much couldn't guarantee me that, but one did refer me to the car pound / repo man. So, that is what I did, he had a gated lot, and an indoor garage complete with security system. Cost me about a 100$ US for the 10 or so days I stored it before getting the paper work in order for US Customs.

What I did ask the dealer I purchased the vehicle for is a "Transit" pass (that is what we called it in Canada), I don't remember the name for it in the US. This allowed me to drive the vehicle to the repo pound as well as to drive it to clear US and Canadian Customs. Basically it's a card board cutout of a license plate and you fill in the date till expiry required, you better google the term and/or the method of how to fill it in because they (Highway Patrol) are pretty specific on how to blott out the necessary blocks to create the temporary plate.

Good Luck...

MadloR

Posted
The requirement according to transport Canada concerning the instrument cluster is the requirement to show KM/H as part of the display. Then of course there is all the other little things that are pretty much standard requirements like the fact the RX 400H can in fact support a child seat (remember, Canadian standards are different than American standards in this area). Anyhoot, I wouldn't fret over it, because the place you will take your vehicle to certify it according to Transport Canada is an Authorized Canadian Tire store. They pretty much check to see if the vehicle is pretty much the vehicle you are trying to certify, and perhaps, just perhaps will even do a walk around the vehicle. Yes, it sounds and is a joke.

I would do a search in the area you would like to store a vehicle for a "car pound". These places reposses vehicles and or purchase vehicles from the US gov't and are authorized to auction to the public. In other words, you are pretty much getting a local that is pretty secure. I didn't find mine by looking in the yellow pages or google, but rather called a bunch of new car dealers in the area asking them if they could secure and guarantee the storage / safety of my vehicle. All pretty much couldn't guarantee me that, but one did refer me to the car pound / repo man. So, that is what I did, he had a gated lot, and an indoor garage complete with security system. Cost me about a 100$ US for the 10 or so days I stored it before getting the paper work in order for US Customs.

What I did ask the dealer I purchased the vehicle for is a "Transit" pass (that is what we called it in Canada), I don't remember the name for it in the US. This allowed me to drive the vehicle to the repo pound as well as to drive it to clear US and Canadian Customs. Basically it's a card board cutout of a license plate and you fill in the date till expiry required, you better google the term and/or the method of how to fill it in because they (Highway Patrol) are pretty specific on how to blott out the necessary blocks to create the temporary plate.

Good Luck...

MadloR

This is really helpful. Thank you so much. I have another question. Not sure if you purchased new or used. I purchased an '07 so it is 1 year old...I was given a title certificate. It is signed over to me on the front but I noticed the back portion (for registering a US plate) is blank. Any idea if the US border requires this to be completed and signed by the seller?

Posted
The requirement according to transport Canada concerning the instrument cluster is the requirement to show KM/H as part of the display. Then of course there is all the other little things that are pretty much standard requirements like the fact the RX 400H can in fact support a child seat (remember, Canadian standards are different than American standards in this area). Anyhoot, I wouldn't fret over it, because the place you will take your vehicle to certify it according to Transport Canada is an Authorized Canadian Tire store. They pretty much check to see if the vehicle is pretty much the vehicle you are trying to certify, and perhaps, just perhaps will even do a walk around the vehicle. Yes, it sounds and is a joke.

I would do a search in the area you would like to store a vehicle for a "car pound". These places reposses vehicles and or purchase vehicles from the US gov't and are authorized to auction to the public. In other words, you are pretty much getting a local that is pretty secure. I didn't find mine by looking in the yellow pages or google, but rather called a bunch of new car dealers in the area asking them if they could secure and guarantee the storage / safety of my vehicle. All pretty much couldn't guarantee me that, but one did refer me to the car pound / repo man. So, that is what I did, he had a gated lot, and an indoor garage complete with security system. Cost me about a 100$ US for the 10 or so days I stored it before getting the paper work in order for US Customs.

What I did ask the dealer I purchased the vehicle for is a "Transit" pass (that is what we called it in Canada), I don't remember the name for it in the US. This allowed me to drive the vehicle to the repo pound as well as to drive it to clear US and Canadian Customs. Basically it's a card board cutout of a license plate and you fill in the date till expiry required, you better google the term and/or the method of how to fill it in because they (Highway Patrol) are pretty specific on how to blott out the necessary blocks to create the temporary plate.

Good Luck...

MadloR

This is really helpful. Thank you so much. I have another question. Not sure if you purchased new or used. I purchased an '07 so it is 1 year old...I was given a title certificate. It is signed over to me on the front but I noticed the back portion (for registering a US plate) is blank. Any idea if the US border requires this to be completed and signed by the seller?

From what I remember, the title of certificate was duely completed by the "Seller" (aka, purchased from Dealer/Leasing Company) and forwarded to me (delivered within the vehicle when transported to me) and I cannot remember if I signed anything myself. I photocopied it in triplicate and had to forward that minimum 3-5 days in advance to the Border Customs Agency. I know that was in fact one of the papers required, so that they can do a verifcation to see if there is any Lean on the vehicle prior to exporting.

cheers,

MadloR

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

We just finished the import process with a new '08 RX400h. Bought it in Syracuse, titled it in Arizona in my uncles's name, drove it across at Queenston, took for the RIV check (@ Canadian Tire), and then certified at the dealer. Total savings around 20K. Pretty painless, but lots of faxes prior to the border crossing. I guess we're stuck with the miles on the ODO, but the NAV system easily changed to metric for distances (still degrees F instead of C on the temp display).

The requirement according to transport Canada concerning the instrument cluster is the requirement to show KM/H as part of the display. Then of course there is all the other little things that are pretty much standard requirements like the fact the RX 400H can in fact support a child seat (remember, Canadian standards are different than American standards in this area). Anyhoot, I wouldn't fret over it, because the place you will take your vehicle to certify it according to Transport Canada is an Authorized Canadian Tire store. They pretty much check to see if the vehicle is pretty much the vehicle you are trying to certify, and perhaps, just perhaps will even do a walk around the vehicle. Yes, it sounds and is a joke.

I would do a search in the area you would like to store a vehicle for a "car pound". These places reposses vehicles and or purchase vehicles from the US gov't and are authorized to auction to the public. In other words, you are pretty much getting a local that is pretty secure. I didn't find mine by looking in the yellow pages or google, but rather called a bunch of new car dealers in the area asking them if they could secure and guarantee the storage / safety of my vehicle. All pretty much couldn't guarantee me that, but one did refer me to the car pound / repo man. So, that is what I did, he had a gated lot, and an indoor garage complete with security system. Cost me about a 100$ US for the 10 or so days I stored it before getting the paper work in order for US Customs.

What I did ask the dealer I purchased the vehicle for is a "Transit" pass (that is what we called it in Canada), I don't remember the name for it in the US. This allowed me to drive the vehicle to the repo pound as well as to drive it to clear US and Canadian Customs. Basically it's a card board cutout of a license plate and you fill in the date till expiry required, you better google the term and/or the method of how to fill it in because they (Highway Patrol) are pretty specific on how to blott out the necessary blocks to create the temporary plate.

Good Luck...

MadloR

This is really helpful. Thank you so much. I have another question. Not sure if you purchased new or used. I purchased an '07 so it is 1 year old...I was given a title certificate. It is signed over to me on the front but I noticed the back portion (for registering a US plate) is blank. Any idea if the US border requires this to be completed and signed by the seller?

From what I remember, the title of certificate was duely completed by the "Seller" (aka, purchased from Dealer/Leasing Company) and forwarded to me (delivered within the vehicle when transported to me) and I cannot remember if I signed anything myself. I photocopied it in triplicate and had to forward that minimum 3-5 days in advance to the Border Customs Agency. I know that was in fact one of the papers required, so that they can do a verifcation to see if there is any Lean on the vehicle prior to exporting.

cheers,

MadloR

Posted
davefordham' date='Jan 8 2008, 10:18 AM' post='281298']

We just finished the import process with a new '08 RX400h. Bought it in Syracuse, titled it in Arizona in my uncles's name, drove it across at Queenston, took for the RIV check (@ Canadian Tire), and then certified at the dealer. Total savings around 20K. Pretty painless, but lots of faxes prior to the border crossing. I guess we're stuck with the miles on the ODO, but the NAV system easily changed to metric for distances (still degrees F instead of C on the temp display).

The requirement according to transport Canada concerning the instrument cluster is the requirement to show KM/H as part of the display. Then of course there is all the other little things that are pretty much standard requirements like the fact the RX 400H can in fact support a child seat (remember, Canadian standards are different than American standards in this area). Anyhoot, I wouldn't fret over it, because the place you will take your vehicle to certify it according to Transport Canada is an Authorized Canadian Tire store. They pretty much check to see if the vehicle is pretty much the vehicle you are trying to certify, and perhaps, just perhaps will even do a walk around the vehicle. Yes, it sounds and is a joke.

I would do a search in the area you would like to store a vehicle for a "car pound". These places reposses vehicles and or purchase vehicles from the US gov't and are authorized to auction to the public. In other words, you are pretty much getting a local that is pretty secure. I didn't find mine by looking in the yellow pages or google, but rather called a bunch of new car dealers in the area asking them if they could secure and guarantee the storage / safety of my vehicle. All pretty much couldn't guarantee me that, but one did refer me to the car pound / repo man. So, that is what I did, he had a gated lot, and an indoor garage complete with security system. Cost me about a 100$ US for the 10 or so days I stored it before getting the paper work in order for US Customs.

What I did ask the dealer I purchased the vehicle for is a "Transit" pass (that is what we called it in Canada), I don't remember the name for it in the US. This allowed me to drive the vehicle to the repo pound as well as to drive it to clear US and Canadian Customs. Basically it's a card board cutout of a license plate and you fill in the date till expiry required, you better google the term and/or the method of how to fill it in because they (Highway Patrol) are pretty specific on how to blott out the necessary blocks to create the temporary plate.

Good Luck...

MadloR

This is really helpful. Thank you so much. I have another question. Not sure if you purchased new or used. I purchased an '07 so it is 1 year old...I was given a title certificate. It is signed over to me on the front but I noticed the back portion (for registering a US plate) is blank. Any idea if the US border requires this to be completed and signed by the seller?

From what I remember, the title of certificate was duely completed by the "Seller" (aka, purchased from Dealer/Leasing Company) and forwarded to me (delivered within the vehicle when transported to me) and I cannot remember if I signed anything myself. I photocopied it in triplicate and had to forward that minimum 3-5 days in advance to the Border Customs Agency. I know that was in fact one of the papers required, so that they can do a verifcation to see if there is any Lean on the vehicle prior to exporting.

cheers,

MadloR

Hi davefordham,

I am looking into buying RX400h from US and bring to Toronto.

Can you please provide me any help as to what to look for or/and any preparation I need to do before making attempt to buy one from US dealer.

If you have step by step instruction on importing that vehicles, that would be great!

Thank you in advance!

Posted

You might be more a candidate of using a vehicle broker. They offer turn key importation of vehicles and take out all the leg work.

Otherwise, if you want to save the G-note or so, you will have to do a little legwork, preparations, and googling.

Cheers,

MadloR

Posted
davefordham' date='Jan 8 2008, 10:18 AM' post='281298']

We just finished the import process with a new '08 RX400h. Bought it in Syracuse, titled it in Arizona in my uncles's name, drove it across at Queenston, took for the RIV check (@ Canadian Tire), and then certified at the dealer. Total savings around 20K. Pretty painless, but lots of faxes prior to the border crossing. I guess we're stuck with the miles on the ODO, but the NAV system easily changed to metric for distances (still degrees F instead of C on the temp display).

The requirement according to transport Canada concerning the instrument cluster is the requirement to show KM/H as part of the display. Then of course there is all the other little things that are pretty much standard requirements like the fact the RX 400H can in fact support a child seat (remember, Canadian standards are different than American standards in this area). Anyhoot, I wouldn't fret over it, because the place you will take your vehicle to certify it according to Transport Canada is an Authorized Canadian Tire store. They pretty much check to see if the vehicle is pretty much the vehicle you are trying to certify, and perhaps, just perhaps will even do a walk around the vehicle. Yes, it sounds and is a joke.

I would do a search in the area you would like to store a vehicle for a "car pound". These places reposses vehicles and or purchase vehicles from the US gov't and are authorized to auction to the public. In other words, you are pretty much getting a local that is pretty secure. I didn't find mine by looking in the yellow pages or google, but rather called a bunch of new car dealers in the area asking them if they could secure and guarantee the storage / safety of my vehicle. All pretty much couldn't guarantee me that, but one did refer me to the car pound / repo man. So, that is what I did, he had a gated lot, and an indoor garage complete with security system. Cost me about a 100$ US for the 10 or so days I stored it before getting the paper work in order for US Customs.

What I did ask the dealer I purchased the vehicle for is a "Transit" pass (that is what we called it in Canada), I don't remember the name for it in the US. This allowed me to drive the vehicle to the repo pound as well as to drive it to clear US and Canadian Customs. Basically it's a card board cutout of a license plate and you fill in the date till expiry required, you better google the term and/or the method of how to fill it in because they (Highway Patrol) are pretty specific on how to blott out the necessary blocks to create the temporary plate.

Good Luck...

MadloR

This is really helpful. Thank you so much. I have another question. Not sure if you purchased new or used. I purchased an '07 so it is 1 year old...I was given a title certificate. It is signed over to me on the front but I noticed the back portion (for registering a US plate) is blank. Any idea if the US border requires this to be completed and signed by the seller?

From what I remember, the title of certificate was duely completed by the "Seller" (aka, purchased from Dealer/Leasing Company) and forwarded to me (delivered within the vehicle when transported to me) and I cannot remember if I signed anything myself. I photocopied it in triplicate and had to forward that minimum 3-5 days in advance to the Border Customs Agency. I know that was in fact one of the papers required, so that they can do a verifcation to see if there is any Lean on the vehicle prior to exporting.

cheers,

MadloR

Hi davefordham,

I am looking into buying RX400h from US and bring to Toronto.

Can you please provide me any help as to what to look for or/and any preparation I need to do before making attempt to buy one from US dealer.

If you have step by step instruction on importing that vehicles, that would be great!

Thank you in advance!

Posted

Nothing to it. I brought an RX400H in on Tuesday. Just fax a copy of the title to the US Customs 3 days in advance, then call them to make sure they got it. The http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/export/export_d...tor_vehicle.xml site gives instructions and click on Ports at the bottom to find your port of entry, with tel #'s and fax #. Stop there on the way out, with the orginal title & passport, and they stamp an approval, if their are no liens. Then stop at Canada border. You will need the title, and invoice. They will fill out Import Form A, charge you GST, Duty and A/C excise tax (bring a credit card), and send you on your way. Then go to RIV.ca, pay the RIV fee, then fax in the recall letter and form A. I can't remember the fax numbers, but you can call RIV at 1-888-848-8240, to find out. 2 weeks later you will receive Form B in the mail, take it to Canadian Tire, then after inspected and passed, you can get your registration. You can get it insured, as soon as you have the title.

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