Harbor Freight Folding $300 trailer

[tiborgh]

Looks very simmilar to this one:




I've finished the project in June, and the overall cost was around CAD800, way more than I was planning, but it was fun to build it. As mentioned before and in other threads, at the border I declared it as parts, paying only GST+PST, and at the MTO registered it as a home made trailer. It was good to find out that there won't be any recurrent charges to keep the trailer plated (no extra insurance, no yearly sticker), just the one time registration fee.

As for the trailer, the paint job is a joke, I've got two left side brackets for the tail lamps (had to drill new holes in one), the spare wheel holder did not have all the hardware to hold the wheel (another trip to Home Depot), the wires clips will not hold the electrical cables, to fold the trailer four bolts thave to be removed (not easily accessible), and so on.

Last month I drove to the Black Hills in SD and back (~5,000km) with the trailering the bike, and everything went well.

[Freestyle72]

Ok I need some big time help here guys. The ministry is insisting I pay the RIV fees. 195+ tax. To me that is complete ********. What's worse is that they threatened penalties and these will go against my GFs license not mine, so I need to deal with this swiftly.

How can I prove to them this trailer is parts only? She is telling me it has a valid VIN number and the RIV wants their piece of the pie. I told her what if I was using it for offroad use only? And she said I still have to pay the fee. This is freaken rediculous. What can I do? There is absolutely no way I can afford this right now.

[caboose483]

Remove the VIN plate and discard any paperwork with the VIN, go to a different MTO office and register it as a home built trailer.

[reciprocity]

how is the trailer being used for off road use only??

If you've plated it and are towing it, its a road going vehicle.

You tried to make an end run around the regulations and were caught.

Pay the fee and be done with it.

Just remember, your girlfriend is now flagged at the border crossings as owing RIV fees, she'll be searched and hassled on a regular basis when crossing now.

[Freestyle72]

Remove the VIN plate and discard any paperwork with the VIN, go to a different MTO office and register it as a home built trailer.

Has already been done, but the RIV wants a $200 import fee. Which is rediculous because she requested to import for parts. And th eborder officer insisted that she fill out a form 1.

how is the trailer being used for off road use only??

If you've plated it and are towing it, its a road going vehicle.

You tried to make an end run around the regulations and were caught.

Pay the fee and be done with it.

Just remember, your girlfriend is now flagged at the border crossings as owing RIV fees, she'll be searched and hassled on a regular basis when crossing now.

It's not being used for off-road use only. I was giving a hypothetical situation to define the parameters of the coverage of the RIV. In my opinion I (she) did not import a vehicle. She imported a bunch of parts. Which then more parts were purchased to complete said "vehicle". IMHO I don't think I should be paying the fee.

BTW we have been accross the border recently (ie after the date on the letter sent) and no such hassle occurred.

[caboose483]

Something here doesn't make any sense.

How does the MTO know that the trailer you're trying to register is in some way associated with a trailer that your girlfriend imported?

Your opinion may be that she did not import a vehicle, but she filled out a Form 1 so regardless of your opinion, she did import a vehicle.

[Freestyle72]

Something here doesn't make any sense.

How does the MTO know that the trailer you're trying to register is in some way associated with a trailer that your girlfriend imported?

Your opinion may be that she did not import a vehicle, but she filled out a Form 1 so regardless of your opinion, she did import a vehicle.

Where did I mention anything about the MTO? The trailer has been registered as a home built for about a month now.

Also my GF requested to import as parts. And the Border officer made her fill out a form 1. She is new to that kind of thing. I don't think it was really fair of him.

[fsilva_mcl]

how is the trailer being used for off road use only??

If you've plated it and are towing it, its a road going vehicle.

You tried to make an end run around the regulations and were caught.

Pay the fee and be done with it.

Just remember, your girlfriend is now flagged at the border crossings as owing RIV fees, she'll be searched and hassled on a regular basis when crossing now.

Where did I mention anything about the MTO? The trailer has been registered as a home built for about a month now.

Also my GF requested to import as parts. And the Border officer made her fill out a form 1. She is new to that kind of thing. I don't think it was really fair of him.

Pay the fine. You don't want the hassle. At year end when you balance the books put this cost under the Lessons Learned Account. i.e. If your gf doesn't really know what to do, you probably should have done it yourself.

[fsilva_mcl]

Looks very simmilar to this one:

I've finished the project in June, and the overall cost was around CAD800, way more than I was planning, but it was fun to build it. As mentioned before and in other threads, at the border I declared it as parts, paying only GST+PST, and at the MTO registered it as a home made trailer. It was good to find out that there won't be any recurrent charges to keep the trailer plated (no extra insurance, no yearly sticker), just the one time registration fee.

As for the trailer, the paint job is a joke, I've got two left side brackets for the tail lamps (had to drill new holes in one), the spare wheel holder did not have all the hardware to hold the wheel (another trip to Home Depot), the wires clips will not hold the electrical cables, to fold the trailer four bolts thave to be removed (not easily accessible), and so on.

Last month I drove to the Black Hills in SD and back (~5,000km) with the trailering the bike, and everything went well.

Lol how did it cost you $800?

[klr_guy]

But it was my GF and the border officer said he'd seen a lot of these trailers and "knew" what she was trying to do. Whatever.

"whatever" indeed ...

[caboose483]

Where did I mention anything about the MTO? The trailer has been registered as a home built for about a month now.

Also my GF requested to import as parts. And the Border officer made her fill out a form 1. She is new to that kind of thing. I don't think it was really fair of him.

Ok I need some big time help here guys. The ministry is insisting I pay the RIV fees. 195+ tax.

I give up. You're on your own.

[frekeyguy]

Something here doesn't make any sense.

How does the MTO know that the trailer you're trying to register is in some way associated with a trailer that your girlfriend imported?

Your opinion may be that she did not import a vehicle, but she filled out a Form 1 so regardless of your opinion, she did import a vehicle.

Where did I mention anything about the MTO? The trailer has been registered as a home built for about a month now.

Also my GF requested to import as parts. And the Border officer made her fill out a form 1. She is new to that kind of thing. I don't think it was really fair of him.

yeah, something does not add up here....

How does the MTO know the trialer , that's already plated had fees that need to be paid on it?

How are they able to plate it, and now are hassling YOU and not the GF about it?

Whenever I've imported parts into canada, i've always just paid taxes on the receipt that the border agent provides, never had to fill out any forms.....

Just pay the fee and be done with it....

[Freestyle72]

yeah, something does not add up here....

How does the MTO know the trialer , that's already plated had fees that need to be paid on it?

How are they able to plate it, and now are hassling YOU and not the GF about it?

They are't harrassing me. My GF got the letter. And since it was bought for me. I am taking care of the problem. What is confusing about that? When you go declare a trailer as a homebuilt that is a totally independent operation from registering it through the RIV process.

[Freestyle72]

I give up. You're on your own.

I am sorry. I meant the RIV (I don't know what they are part of). Replace ministry with registrar in that sentence.

[caboose483]

I am sorry. I meant the RIV (I don't know what they are part of). Replace ministry with registrar in that sentence.

ohhhhhhhhhh ok, i was very confused.

in the past i've been very very very late paying that RIV fee, i've even been almost a year late getting the bike inspected. they never seemed to care all that much.

[fsilva_mcl]

They are't harrassing me. My GF got the letter. And since it was bought for me. I am taking care of the problem. What is confusing about that? When you go declare a trailer as a homebuilt that is a totally independent operation from registering it through the RIV process.

Basically the RIV is harassing your gf for a trailer that she imported. Which is the trailer you registered as a home built with the MTO.

So to the government these are two separate trailers.

I think the only way out of this is paying the fine lol

[Freestyle72]

After talking to the correct person at the RIV all I have to do is fill out a form 3. They put a note on my account. Pay the $80 for a parts vehicle. And it's done.

Thanks for all the advice but I am actually quite glad I didn't just "pay it". Thanks to DVS for advice on working with CBSA and the RIV.