Canadian Sportsmobile Owners

[cdnriverrat]

Are there any Sportsmobile owners out there who have the 4X4 version? I'm curious if they are passing the federal inspection process upon their arrival into Canada.

Cheers, Eric

[Silver350]

http://www.riv.ca

There you will find a list of vehicles approved for import into Canada plus more helpful information.

If it has to be an SMB 4X4 I think you're SOL.

[billwilson]

Whats the deal taking a SMB 4x4 or 2wd to Canada?

why the big deal?

[jage]

Originally Posted by billwilson

why the big deal?

Canukida has standards?

[Silver350]

Originally Posted by billwilson

Whats the deal taking a SMB 4x4 or 2wd to Canada?

why the big deal?

You have DOT we have Transport Canada.
A sovreign nation with its own red tape, go figure!

SMB probably figured that the Canadian market is too small to worry about getting Transport Canada approval for their product so importing one becomes difficult if not impossible. Besides there are people building the same product in Canada. Same is probably true for 4WD conversions. BUT you can probably import a kit as a private citizen very easily. Like a U Joint kit or something.

[vwteleman]

If you buy a new van through SMB, they start with an unfinished van with an incomplete VIN. When SMB completes the conversion, they also complete and register the VIN. Transport Canada doesn't recognize the VIN as an authorized vehicle for import. As mentioned, SMB could apply to TC to get approval, but they haven't done so yet.

I don't think there's a problem with 4x4 conversions themselves (but I may be wrong).

Brent

[jage]

Originally Posted by vwteleman

If you buy a new van through SMB, they start with an unfinished van with an incomplete VIN.

You can also buy a complete van and provide it, or a new van with a complete vin, neither of which helps you with Transport Canada is my understanding, because it's still constructed here by a non-approved company.

[johnkitchen]

Here's what we did. I bought a Canadian Ford van from a local dealer in Kamloops BC so that we had a Canadian VIN number. I had it licencsed in BC. I had Sportsmans Light Truck Ltd www.sportsman4x4.ca in Kamloops do the 4x4 conversion and install the bumpers, bush gaurds, baja box and ladder. They drove it down to Sportsmobile for me. We had Spotsmobile do the interior and penthouse roof. We drove it back across the border, paid the GST on the roof. Got it insured.
No problem. The guys at Sportsmens 4x4 did a great job on the 4x4 Clydesdale conversion.

[jage]

Originally Posted by johnkitchen

The guys at Sportsmens 4x4 did a great job on the 4x4 Clydesdale conversion.

They don't have digital cameras up North, or what!?

[johnkitchen]

some pics attached