Importing a Canadian R3 to the US - My Experience
 

Background

I am a longtime FD3S RX-7 owner but recently I decided I wanted to add an RX-8 R3 to my rotary collection. I'm always very specific about the trim and color when I get another car, and right away I decided I wanted an R3 in Crystal White Pearl...which I quickly found out was never sold in the US -- in North America, it was only sold in Canada.

Thus after a couple months of searching, I found one in Vancouver, and after doing a bunch of research on the import process, decided to go for it.

First Steps

Of course, the first thing to consider is eligibility. I knew it was possible since the EPA and DOT consider the Canadian and US models to be "identical," but I couldn't find any clear and specific instructions for importing this specific car. I read everything on the various government websites. This was the first place I started since I knew getting it over the border would be the biggest hurdle: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-impo.../importing-car

I called Mazda and they confirmed my belief that they were "identical" and said they could provide me with a Manufacturer's letter to provide US Border Security / Customs, but I had to fill out a form and email it to them (I'm attaching the file to this post).

The letter request process is pretty straightforward. You just fill out the form and email it back to Mazda Canada (instructions in the PDF). It normally takes about a week to get the letter back.

Purchase

Last week, I flew from Tampa, FL to Vancouver, BC. The seller picked me up and we went straight to a bank so I could withdraw the cash in Canadian Dollars. After that we went to see the car. I gave the car a look-over and test drive and we closed the deal.

Side note: I did bring a rotary compression tester with me, but after seeing the car and cold / hot starting it, I could tell the compression was just fine, and for the price, low compression wouldn’t be a deal breaker anyway.

Canadian Registration

As part of buying the car, we had to go to an insurance / registration office (?) to handle the registration change. It cost me $25 and included a “1 day” registration to legally drive the car to and over the border. They gave me temporary tags and registration showing the car in my name. The whole process took about 15 minutes.

After that I hit the road...

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...7&d=1499300269

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...8&d=1499300269

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...9&d=1499300269

Border Crossing / Import

From Vancouver to the border crossing was a short drive. When I arrived, I was greeted by an agent who asked for my passport and if I had anything to declare. I told her I had just purchased the vehicle for personal use and I was heading home with it. She directed me to an inspection area.

Before I had a chance to even park, another agent (who appeared to be the "Terminator Cop Persona" variety...) in the inspection area yelled to me that the car wouldn't be allowed in because it had "non-compliant exhaust." I got out of the car and he continued to tell me how I wouldn't be able to bring the car into the US, and he then directed me inside the building to review and discuss with another agent.

The agent inside was awesome. It was a younger guy who seemed like a "car guy" and he asked me a bunch of questions:
#1 Why did you fly all the way from Florida to buy this car?
#2 Why was the purchase price so cheap?
#3 Do you have a letter from the manufacturer stating it meets US regulations?

I explained everything...
#1 I am a longtime rotary engine enthusiast and I wanted a very specific color that was not available in the US.
#2 The car was cheap because the owner thought the motor was bad and he needed to get the car out of his driveway.
#3 No, I have an email from Mazda US, but I was still waiting on the “official” letter to come from Mazda Canada.

The agent asked me to wait while he went over all the details. After about 15 minutes, he called me up and told me that “according to the book” he wasn’t supposed to let me bring the car into the US because I didn’t have the official letter from Mazda...BUT...he would allow me to drive it in because he had personally seen a few RX-8s come though and he knew they were OK for import.

While the agent was explaining this to me, the “terminator cop” (from outside, earlier) came up and tried to interrupt. The younger agent that was talking to me literally put his hand up in a “shush” motion and shut down him down saying, “This is my case and I will handle it as I see fit. You can discuss this with me after I am done speaking with this individual.” -- I was pretty shocked. For a second it looked like they were about to have a fist fight!

So the agent finished up with me, explaining that he was going to allow the car into the US, but I wouldn’t be able to register it until I obtain the official letter from Mazda. He gave me a pass to get out of the inspection lot and sent me on my way.

I drove the car about 2 hours down to Seattle and left the car at a relative’s house, then headed to the airport to fly home.

Oh, and shortly after I crossed the border, I got an email from Mazda Canada with the official letter...I’m attaching it to this post with private information redacted.

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1499300388

Shipping

Getting the car into the US was the hard part, shipping it from Seattle to Florida was easy.

I used the website uShip.com and picked a broker based on price / ratings. It took a few days for the broker to secure a truck, but the car was picked up today (July 5th) and it’s scheduled for delivery on Monday.

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...0&d=1499300269

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1499300269

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...2&d=1499300269

Thus...expect another update once the car is delivered and I wrap up the registration process here in Florida.

Update June 12th, 2017:

Yesterday I went to the local (Florida) DMV / Tax Collector's office to see what exactly they would want to get the car registered. They gave me a checklist of a couple items:
1. Bill of Sale
2. Proof of Insurance
3. Title (in this case, the "Temporary Registration" from Canada, showing me as the registered owner)
4. State of Florida Inspection document
5. US Border & Customs Inspection document (and receipt of paid import tax)

So today I went about getting these things...

#1, #2, and #3 -- Already had these documents.
#4 -- I wouldn't be able to get this without having #5 first.
#5 -- I needed to go to a US Port of Entry. I would have gotten this at the border if I had that letter from Mazda when I crossed (but I didn't...I got it after).

My first stop was Tampa International Airport, an US Port of Entry with a full-time US Customs / Border Security office. There was only one agent there, an older woman, and she said all she needed was to see #1 and #3, as well as the letter from Mazda Canada. I gave her the documents and she verified some information, then asked to see the car. I pulled it up front and she walked out to look at it. She didn't really do any sort of inspection...she pretty much just looked at the VIN number on the dash to make sure it matched my provided papers. She said that I had to pay the import tax on the car, based on Blue Book, which came out to $174 in tariff. I gave her a check, signed the documents, and she gave me Dept of Homeland Security "Entry Summary."

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1499898757

I then took the Entry Summary document to a Florida Dept. of Transportation office (right now the road) and told them I needed the state inspection for the vehicle. They asked to see documents #1, #3, and the Entry Summary document. He reviewed them, filled out a document of his own, and told me to pull the car up front. He came out a minute later, glanced at the VIN number, signed the document, and gave it to me. Thus I had all 5 pieces of paper needed to register the car.

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1499898757

My third stop was at the local DMV / Tax Collector's office. I gave them all the paperwork and they processed a new Certificate of Title for the car, did the registration, transferred my tag (I still had a valid tag from a Miata I recently sold...) and gave me a new decal for the license plate.

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1499898757

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1499898757

So that's it. The car is now officially imported, titled, registered, and tagged.

I'm sure every state is different, but maybe this will help some other people looking to import cars from Canada. Cheers! :Peace:

That is great news! I'm glad you were patient, I looked for a year before I pulled the trigger. Get it on a lift and go over the under carriage with a fine tooth comb. I expect to see you at DGRR in the spring.

I got under the car as best as I could before I handed over the cash. It looked rust-free and clean. The owner also had another car that was his daily and he claimed this 8 never saw snow.

Not sure about Deals Gap next year. I haven't been in several years...it's difficult because it always falls the same time as my wedding anniversary and we have a baby due in December. That's the main reason I bought this 8...I needed a car with a back seat haha

Besides, if I go to DGRR again I'm bringing one of my 7s. :FIREdevil

I guess the wife could follow me up in the 8 w/ baby in the back. :rollingla

Great (and the best) color

Congrats!

This time of the year, BC's weather is fantastic. Hopefully, you enjoyed your short stay here.

Press and hold the little button on the upper-right section of the instrument panel, and nobody will know it's Canadian.:D:

Also, looks like I am not the only one who got S1 wheels on a S2...

Yeah...the previous owner sold the R3 wheels off the car for some reason.

I have a set of R3 wheels but one has a dent and three of the four have curb rash. I'm dropping them off tomorrow at a wheel repair place to have them refurbished back to factory condition.

R3 wheels are nice. Why would anyone sell them?

Anyways, I got stock S2 GT 18" wheels. I will use S1 wheels for my winter tires.

Took delivery of the car today. It's pretty dirty from the long truck ride but I'll get it cleaned up this week.

Going to the DMV tomorrow to see about registering it...hopefully no issues.

Welcome home

Updated the thread (Post #2) with the final steps and conclusion.

The car is officially imported, titled, registered, tagged, and ready for daily driving! :)

Stop pillaging our fair country! :crying:






Congrats. White R3s are my favourite S2.

Congrats! White and RX-8 - what can go wrong?!?

How does this compare to importing from overseas? Is the process much different? Are they less lenient than if it comes from Canada? Planning my own import soon, and according to this article https://www.wcshipping.com/us-car-import it doesn't really differentiate if it comes from certain countries.

I’d like to add to this thread a bit of updated info. Process above is exactly the same. Except as of 2017/18 you are required to have factory TPMS working on the vehicle. The only way I found to do this so far is to swap the pcm and all of the matching security components with a US version. For the cluster I would suggest grabbing a GT cluster to not alert you when the automatic lights are on while you’re exciting the car. Also the second infraction with parts marking needs to be addressed. You can order the stickers and apply them yourself. That part is really the easiest part of this process.

keep in mind no matter which customs officer you deal with. They all have a different interpretation of the rules. I was almost told that I had to go through a broker in order to bring in the vehicle. Just make sure you read all of the rules and have them with you. Having specific rules to cite and point to will help you with this process.

The tpms can be turned on in Canadian ECU with the iDS

yep... getting a shop to do it though is impossible. Finding a shop with The IDS tool / software was a pain in the butt.. I just gave up. Ideally this is what I wanted.

Not to question you, but I just called my local dealer and they informed me that while they have an IDS, this is not possible according to them. I went and told them that it's supposedly an option and the Service Advisor, who I requested to speak with an actual technician, said there is no option like this.

At the same time, I am questioning why they would bother making a different PCM for two similar markets just for this one difference.

Has anyone actually done it with a dealer before? Replacing the entire PCM and associated components is a bit too far for me IMO unless someone from the US wants to buy it from me in the future.

I've tried to familiarize myself with the programming of the Mazda electronics and it seems the Canadian ECU should be reprogrammable to American spec to activate TPMS without any further hardware changes besides the 4 TPMS wheel sensors.

I looked up the "as built" programming for an American and a Canadian RX-8 R3s using this website:
https://www.mazdaserviceinfo.com/ids-software (click on "As Built for All Other Mazda Vehicles")
I arbitrarily chose two available VINs from online.

American R3 as-built sheet:
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...2a5351e29b.png
American RX-8 R3 as-built

Compare that to a Canadian R3 as-built sheet:
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...b8f7411c06.png

The Canadian version is missing all the 751-xx-xx modules that are present in the American version. The 751 set of modules control the TPMS, according to this...
file:///Users/admin/Downloads/Mazda%...ialization.pdf
If the Canadian electronics are reprogrammed using the American as-built sheet, the TPMS software should come alive.

Now for the hardware. For "card type" keyless entry, which is what the R3 has, there is only one "Unit, Keyless Entry" part listed. I think this is the unit that picks up the signals from both the electronic "key" and the TPMS. If that's correct, then no other hardware changes are necessary for the ECU to register the TPMS signals. (This is not the case for RX-8s with standard keys!).

The Canadian version has the addition of the three 70-xx modules (absent in the American programming), and these control the automatic DRLs and wipers. Presumably they can be shut off.

In short if the above is correct, reprogramming the Canadian R3 ECU to American spec should 1) activate the TPMS module without any further hardware changes and 2) shut down the automatic wipers and DRLs.

Interestingly, the Canadian and American R3's seem to have different part numbers, probably due to the slight differences in programming alone.

Found this very interesting. Hope it helps someone.

I compared GTs because I own one, and the equipment for GT seems to be fairly consistent between the US and Canadian ones. R3 comparison is a bit fussy since the US cars have halogen headlights w/o automatic headlights and manual wipers while Canadian cars have HID headlights and rain-sensing wipers. More variables here to screw things up.

Yeah, there is a single bit of difference in the RKE module as-built data of the US and Canadian cars. Keep in mind this is for trims with AKE. I am not very familiar with the fob keys.

Obviously there is also the hardware you need, which is a instrument cluster from a US car since the Canadian unit lacks the TPMS module altogether.

And no, you can't program something that doesn't exist. Part catalogues indicate that there are 4 versions of the instrument cluster for the North American market: MT w/ TPMS, AT w/ TPMS, MT w/o TPMS, AT w/o TPMS. This indicates that there are hardware differences between the instrument clusters.

Depending on the situation, I might pursue this if this is worth it, or I might just leave it.

The safest strategy seems to be to install American GT-spec electronics with the TPMS sensors.

Interestingly, there are some reports of people importing Candian Subarus Imprezas, which did not have TPMS, with aftermarket systems. The USDM Impreza did come with TPMS.
https://www.visajourney.com/forums/t...-tpms-success/

TPMS Question
 

Sorry to resurrect an old thread -- I am looking at importing an RX-8 from Canada to the US. 2010 GT, less than 30,000 mi. I read thru all the comments here and appreciate the very good info.

I am wondering @speed7 if you could elaborate more on the TPMS issue. I don't know if TPMS was standard for either US or CA models in 2010 MY. I am assuming you mean if it was standard in the US but not in CA, it has to be enabled? What if it was not standard in 2010 in the US? I'm not finding much info on this.

Also, what "stickers" are you referring to applying?

Thanks!

Every car sold in the US after 07 has to have some form of factory TPMS. It's a legal requirement.

Personally, I have looked into it briefly... And I have communicated with speed7 into the possibility of adding the functionality into a Canadian vehicle. It looks possible without having to change out the entire ECU. Some of the ideas are already posted here.

I can post some of our findings here, and you can be the Guinea Pig. :D:

TPMS isn't standard on a Canadian car. Every car manufactured from about 2008 on wards had it as a requirement in the US. The stickers are placed on each body panel or body part of the car that can be removed. It's still a requirement even on newer cars. We have a 2017 Volvo V60 that has them on it as well. Easiest place to find them is to open any car door and look around on the door itself. Mazda likes to put them near the bottom inside portion of the door. They have the cars VIN on them to signify the car that particular part came from.

YOu’re in anderson? That’s cool I’m in Greenville