I am considering to upgrade my search for my dream Fiero to a Mera. They do not often come up for sale and when they do, they are U.S. cars. I know that there are a few in Canada but not many.

I also know that it is fairly easy to import a Fiero and virtually impossible to import a completed kit car. So I wonder where a Mera fits in? Is it recognized as a factory product or a kit car? If anyone out ther owns one, what does your ownership/title say? Fiero or Mera? Anyone actually ever bring one into Canada?

Thanks.

[This message has been edited by ekim (edited 12-01-2007).]

If the title says Fiero, no sweat, if it says Mera, no sweat because a registered name is not generally a kit car.

Arn

Straight from the horses mouth.... I brought my MERA in in 2000. Here is the scoop......DEPENDS WHO YOU GET! Apparently I got a custom officer who knew everything about cars. He was a "dick" ...and I'm being polite. He told me that since the vehicle has been modified it was a KIT and KITS are not crash tested. I mentioned that the Fiero was crashtested as a spaceframe and the panels were non sructural ...the MERA was just replacement panels. He told me if I put the Fiero panels back on everything would be ok. Any way, I won't go into the sneaky way I got the car in ....BUT here is the good news.....as long as the car is over 15 years old....it can come in to Canada. MERA's are 20 years old.

Check with customs first!

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Julian - MERA #8071

A friend recently tried to get a 308 kit across the border and was refused, he was told straight out by the jerk at the border that the only way the car was crossing the border was in pieces. I know of another person who did get a Diable kit across with no problems though because it was all mounted onto a home made chassis instead of a Fiero. Go figure I saw the home made chassis it was a piece of crap that would be almost impossible to make safe.
From what I have been able to find out is the biggest problem with kits as far as Canada is concerned is the glass panels especially the windshields are not approved for CDN cars. Dan

I think it all depends on who you get to do the paperwork. You may get a person who just want's to prove a point and not let it in or you may get lucky and find a person who will do the paperwork. The safest way is to pop the panels off since underneath it's just a spaceframe. But first try & see if you can just drive it over.

I'm not saying I did this BUT you can always have an American friend put his plates on it & drive it to your house. Park it in the garage & then just go to the custom office with your paperwork. Tell them the car is not fit for the road. (I'm not saying I didn't). There are many ways to skin a cat.

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Julian - MERA #8071

quote Originally posted by Julian: I'm not saying I did this BUT you can always have an American friend put his plates on it & drive it to your house. Park it in the garage & then just go to the custom office with your paperwork. Tell them the car is not fit for the road. (I'm not saying I didn't). There are many ways to skin a cat.

I was going to suggest something like this... I had no problem trailering my (American) Fiero into Canada. Once it's in the country then you can work on geting the paperwork straightend out.

Ok, let me get this straight. A U.S. citizen visits Canada driving a Mera (or any other car). He gets an offer that he can't refuse from say, me. I now go to the local DOT office with US title and simply transfer to my name with Ontario registration? I don't buy it. It is far too easy and lots of people would do this. I also saw a story about some guys who have new US cars sitting in their garages that they cannot register here b/c the manufacturers are not certifying the cars for Canadian laws. This is just a sh#tty ploy by automakers to artificially keep prices up in the great white north.

So, my thinking is if I do this, I will be stuck with a nice Mera in my garage that I cannot register here.

Let me know if I'm wrong. I really could use help in figuring this one out.

Like I said.... there are many ways to skin a cat. Go for it....Ontario needs more MERA's. Wgere in Ontario are you from? Windsor here. If you're in the area I have some connections at customs that can keep it simple. No guarantees but it worked for me. Like I said, the worst that can happen is you pull the BOLT ON PANELS off and get your paperwork. It's the fact that no one knows what a MERA realy is and they assume it falls into the "kir car" catagory.

If you get cold feet & don't want to go through the hastle....how much you want to sell her for? heheheh

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Julian - MERA #8071

quote Originally posted by ekim: Ok, let me get this straight. A U.S. citizen visits Canada driving a Mera (or any other car). He gets an offer that he can't refuse from say, me. I now go to the local DOT office with US title and simply transfer to my name with Ontario registration? I don't buy it.

I don't know about how easy it is to transfer title and register it in Ontario, but I know I entered at Windsor with a Fiero on my trailer and left at Niagara Fall with an empty trailer. So I know that it's possible for an American to drop off a Fiero without any problems at the border.

In your earlier post you said that it is possible to register the car unfit. Is it? If so, do I just later need a safety to change it to a fit ownership?

I live in Toronto and have a few leads. I expect to pay around 10k. I think that I can get a nice original one for this price. I would like to pay under 5k but I think you really have to be lucky to get one for that price.

quote Originally posted by Julian: Like I said.... there are many ways to skin a cat. Go for it....Ontario needs more MERA's. Wgere in Ontario are you from? Windsor here. If you're in the area I have some connections at customs that can keep it simple. No guarantees but it worked for me. Like I said, the worst that can happen is you pull the BOLT ON PANELS off and get your paperwork. It's the fact that no one knows what a MERA realy is and they assume it falls into the "kir car" catagory. If you get cold feet & don't want to go through the hastle....how much you want to sell her for? heheheh

Fiero yes....MERA maybe.
When they see a 308 looking car & you call it a Pontiac...well they think kit. The object is not to draw attention and do it all with paperwork. MERA's can't help by draw a crowd. I'm sure he'll get it in easy.

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Julian - MERA #8071