What is the first thing to do when thinking of importing a vehicle?

Check with the Registrar of Imported Vehicles to see if there are rules affecting the vehicle that you want. Note - the RIV can change rules and acceptability on a whim. You can check today and all is fine, then you go south, buy the vehicle and drive it home. By the time you get it home, they may have changed the rule and it may not qualify to enter Canada. Now you have to go through an appeal process that may take weeks and months of arguing with the government on why you should be allowed to import the vehicle.

You must also check all of the modification rules on the vehicle. Some vehicles require special child harness safety equipment installed and others require a completely new set of bumpers to meet Canadian standards.

You will also have to convert the speedometer to Km's and have day-time running lights installed.