As a tourist in Canada: buy, borrow or rent a car?
With the Covid situation this is probably going to have to wait until 2022, but I can lay some groundwork for the preparations...
I'm trying to sort out my options for travel in Canada when my wife and me are finally able to go there for a big holiday, combined with family visits.
We are looking at 5 to 6 weeks in August/September, flying from the Netherlands to either Calgary or Vancouver, travel around by car and then returning from either the same city or from the other city.
We will be visiting relatives living in the Calgary, Prince George and Vancouver areas, staying a few days with each and traveling from hotel to hotel for the rest of the time.
As I see it there are basically 3 options to get a car in Canada:
- Rent a car. The most obvious solution.
- Buy on arrival, sell it on departure. Is this possible for Dutch tourists and how about insurance?
- Have a Canadian relative buy the car (we would cover the cost obviously) and borrow the car from him during our stay. Again: How about insurance and is it legally permitted for a Canadian to lend a privately owned car to a tourist?
Scenario 2 and 3 would most likely give us more options in choice of cars and would (apart from the insurance of which I have no idea) probably be cheaper as the car will be sold afterwards, recovering a large part of the purchase price.
Can anybody clarify if options 2 and 3 are viable at all in Canada?
P.S. My Dutch travel-insurance will cover accidents and liability if I drive a rental or a borrowed car in Canada (scenario 1 and 3). But it is unclear to me if that is sufficient to satisfy Canadian law.
My travel-insurance will not cover scenario 2. Any car owned by me needs to be insured on my regular car-insurance and that only accepts cars registered in the Netherlands.
Best Answer
It's unlikely option 2 will work. You can certainly buy a car, if you bring enough cash, but you will not be able to insure and subsequently register it without taking residence in Canada.
Option 3 might be feasible: typical car insurance in Canada covers not only the car's owner but also "occasional drivers" using the car with the permission of the owner. There's a caveat though: it's unclear if the insurer will treat you as a valid occasional driver of a car owned by a Calgary, Alberta resident if you get into trouble in Vancouver, British Columbia. Insurance works across provincial borders for the owner for sure. Another caveat -- the owner cannot charge you for the use of their car, unless they are willing to obtain commercial insurance, which will cost a lot more. (You can of course compensate them "under the table".)
Another thing to keep in mind is that, if you have an accident as an occasional driver, the car owner will likely have their premium increased for several years, because they will be now deemed a higher risk. You probably don't want to put your relatives in such a spot.
All in all, I would recommend going with option 1 and renting a car (or multiple cars at different locations). It might be a minor inconvenience to you, but you will avoid inconveniencing your hosts to a larger extent. As you can imagine, buying a car for your temporary use and organizing insurance for it requires noticeable effort.
Pictures about "As a tourist in Canada: buy, borrow or rent a car?"
Can a visitor of Canada rent a car?
Foreign driver's licences and minimum age As a tourist, you can usually rent a vehicle and drive with a valid driver's licence from your home country.Can I buy a car in Canada as a visitor?
It is completely legal for a foreigner to purchase a vehicle in Canada, even if on a tourist visa. What is this? For the most part the only thing you will need is a valid international drivers license, some money and somewhere you can put down as a local address.Can a foreigner finance a car in Canada?
You may be eligible for a loan with no Canadian credit history. A car loan may be a good option if you plan to drive your car a lot or want to keep it for five years or longer. A lease may be a good option if you want to get a new car every two or three years.Can I buy a car on a tourist visa?
In our opinion buying a car in the USA on a tourist visa is not as tricky as it seems however it does not necessarily mean it is the best decision to go with when deciding to buy versus rent. Most people that are looking into buying a vehicle for their road trip are doing so for reasons related to saving money.Never Buy a Rental Car From This Place
More answers regarding as a tourist in Canada: buy, borrow or rent a car?
Answer 2
Passenger trains in Canada are not as efficient as in Europe.
Rent a car.
It will make your travel more free and fun.
You can then plan your itinerary and add stops in places you want to go and see that trains do not go; you can stop for pictures and lunch and see things.
Make certain you can drop off the car at any dealers, for example, you don't want to drive all the way back to your starting point (and take a train).
(some) Car Rental companies offer long (multi-weeks) term rentals deals.
You probably need to contact rental companies and see what they offer.
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