I am going to flint MI to pickup my tig welder on saturday… to go through Canada Saves about 3 hours of drive time…
What do i tell them at the border? Do i just tell them the truth? i know the Canadians tend to have issue if you arent spending any $$ in canada on your visit… we almost got turned away once when i was a kid trying to go to clifton hill when we told them we only had like 20 bux on us (we were just killing time with out of town people who had never been)
Just say you’re on your way to Michigan. Shouldn’t be a problem, I’ve made the trip myself.
Just tell them your going to MI. I’ve always done it and never thought it was an issue:gotme:
yea, i rememebr when we had a meet at the national auto show way back on UBRF and everybody went that way, but i didnt go…
just dont want them giving me too much shit or thiking im pulling an evolve and bringin something else back wtih me because of the short stay…
thats what i said when i went to woodward in michigan. just said i was passing through and i would be out in 3 hours. didnt give me any problems
thats what i did
Just tell them what you’re doing.
Canada could give 2 shits what you’re doing in the country
The american side is full of all of the fggts who give you shit
My experience:
Canada: Where are you heading to?
Me: Fort Erie Race track
Canada: Have a good day! (Waved and smiled)
on the way home…
US: Where are you from
Me: Buffalo
US: Let me see your i.d etc etc
US: Why were you in canada
Me: I was selling a motor
US: You’re in the wrong line, you’re supposed to be in the commercial line if you have anything in your possesion over 300$, do you have a receipt for your purchase?
Me: No… i don’t have a receipt, because the motor is mine, and i came across with it, i’m bring it back, there was no transaction
US: Well you should still have a receipt
Me: Why would i have a receipt on me?
US: Because. How did I Know you didnt go to a chop chop and steal the motor
Me: Because… i didn’t?
US: MHM, Yea. Where are you from, where did u graduate, what year
Me: Cheektowaga, West seneca east, 2008…
US: Hmm, you live in cheektowaga but went to west seneca? Thats wierd.
Me: Uh, yea… idk? Sorry
Blah blah blah fucking blah
Then he told me that they could impound my car, take my motor, and hold me in custody. So i would be out 1800$ for my motor, all of my car and waste my time.
All because i didnt have a receipt on me for my motor. There were VIN’s on it, the motor was Stamped HMO, so it couldnt have been stolen anyways. Biggest waste of fucking 25minutes in my life. Fucking retards trying to act like hardasses
Just prepare to get all the bullshit once you cross back into the U.S. Make sure you get a receipt valued under 300$
/rant
and for the love of God don’t have over 10 grand on you!
I did that drive about 8 times while living in Buffalo to visit my bro at Michigan State. Just say you are going to Michigan, that’s all they ask, and you are lucky if they even ask that much on both sides.
im just hoping they wont give me shit because im coming back with a welder… hopefully they will belive me that i bought it in flint MI…ill probably print out the ebay recepit just to be sure they know i didnt nab it in canadia
Type up a receipt before you leave, have the seller sign it just in case.
I seriously doubt they will care. I always came across the peace bridge if that helps your travels at all.
Driving for a few hours in Canada, you will most likely be spending a few bucks there. They know this.
Maybe they will even catch you speeding. WIN!!!
Just tell them you picked up the welder from a relative…no money exchanged and there shouldn’t be any issue from the US border.
Pretty sure you can get a form from Canadian customs on your way home stating the welder was brought into Canada for transport and that it will not be staying in the country. This will then prove to the US customs that you didn’t buy the welder in Canada. However, one of the stipulations of this form is that you stop at Canadian customs when you leave the country so they can record that the item left the country.
I’ve had to fill out the form when leaving my boat at my grandparents cottage in Quebec, even when it was just for a week.
I’d definitely ask because the first thing the guys at US customs are going to say when you show them your home made receipt is that you could have just made it up.
yes americans are retards… 
anyways… Viper, when you are going through the Canadian side just tell them you’re buddies with me (lies) that should take care of any issues you may have.
worked for me name-dropping our beloved miata burnout man… i name dropped and had 7 high school drop outs with their noses up my bum in less than 10 seconds…
then ask for a supervisor, they LOVE that…
I made the trip every week for six months through Canada. When I told them that I was passing through they normally didn’t care to ask any other questions. One suggestion I have is to take the bridge into Detroit instead of the tunnel. Sarnia is even better.
I’m sure you already know, but watch your speed.
The last 5 times I’ve been to Canada it was the Canadian side that gave me a hard time while the US side asked citizenship and where I was coming from then waved me through.
The last time the Canadian chick asked me the same 3 questions 3 times in the same order, each time in the same Ben Stein like monotone. I really wanted to ask the bitch if she had severe A.D.D. or something.
im going to flint, not detroit… its a little north of there…
Going into to canada for my girl friends birthday sunday night i almost fliped shit on the officer… i sat there for 10 minutes arguing with him.
Officer: Citizenship
Me: U.S.
Officer : where r you going
Me: Clifton hill
Officer : where r you going
Me: Clifton Hill
Officer : where r you going
Me: Clifton Hill
Officer : Do i have to ask you again… where are you going
Me: Clifton Hill
Officer: Ok smart ass, tell me where your going
Me: Canada?
Officer: Do u want to turn around right now, where are you going
Me: Clifton Hill ,its her birthday at midnight
Officer: You have about 10 seconds to tell me where your going
Me: Clifton Hill , what do u want me to say
Officer: Clifton Hill is .3 kms long
Me: I dont even know how long that is but were going on there to walk around
Officer: so your going up there to just walk around
Me: Yes its her birthday we are walking around maybe going to a bar or two
Officer: What bar?
Me: I dont know, boston pizza idk what evers up there
Officer: Hold a minute…
Officer: is this your car
Me:yup
Officer: wheres your frontlicense plate
Me: I didnt buy a bracket and i have never had trouble with out it
Officer: well i dont know if u can go thru with out it.
Me: (i reach in my back seat , grad the plate and screwdriver that i always carry) do u want me to put it on.
Officer: no its fine
Officer: (in a low tone ) firearms , mace…
Me: Can u please speak up, i cant hear you
Officer: Do u think this is fun, what do u not understand
Me: I cant hear you.
Officer: Just answer the quetsion
Me: No
Officer: ok get out of here
Me: ( I pretty much got on it but didnt squeak the tires and was pretty damn pissed off…next time im asking for his supervisor… I mean how many of you guys have gone up to clifton hill to just go hang out or walk around and see the falls?)
Watch your speed, they have upped the patrol over the past year or so. I make the trip about every 6 weeks. Also, they have radar detector detectors.
I like rainbow bridge and either the Tunnel or Sarina in MI.
With the Toledo bridge done in OH, the trip can be about the same amount of time if you get held up at each bridge, but it is an extra 90 miles or so to go through the states.