Any updates on your purchase? I’m
really considering looking into looking for something like this.
really considering looking into looking for something like this.
2003 HZJ105 in Canada
- Thread starter eknomf
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- Thread starter
- #42
No major updates. I have been dailying it and have had no issues or regrets. Happy with the 1hz for where I live on Vancouver Island, both for the highways and in the bush. I think a hzj105 would be an ideal rig up in Terrace. Feel free to shoot me a message if you want any more specific info.
My 105 arrives in Vancouver on the 12th if the port strike permits. If you guys have any suggestions for long term, as in years, dry storage in the Vancouver area I would be most grateful. I plan to explore a bit of Canada each year in 'Mrs. White' until she can be imported to the US.
Very cool to see a 105 here in BC. Congratulations 
LOL, if you have any suggestions for long term storage I would be most grateful. I am just starting the search now. I think I may post a new thread on the topic of importing to Canada as a non-resident and storage.Very cool to see a 105 here in BC. Congratulations
gilmorneau
SILVER Star
I stored my HDJ80 for about 6 months here:
Comox Valley Mini Storage | Valley Self Storage | Courtenay BC
Valley Self Storage is a modern, secure facility in the Comox Valley minutes away from CFB Comox.
It's on Vancouver Island, which was fine for me as my truck came into Nanaimo. Large facility, brand new buildings (still under construction when I was last there), clean, temp controlled, secure indoor storage, and reasonable prices. Of course if your truck is coming into Vancouver, you'd need to take the ferry over.
gilmorneau
SILVER Star
If you haven't already seen it, there's some info on this topic here:
Swiss Poverty Pack Barn Door HDJ80
I've been lurking here in the 80-series forum occasionally, but up until recently I mostly spent my time in the 70-series forum. Anyway, I've got an 80-series now, and thought I'd introduce it and myself here. I’ve been working on getting a car like this for quite a while, and now that I...
forum.ih8mud.com
The import stuff starts at around post #8. If you have any questions about the process, feel free to ask. Happy to help.
@eknomf is a good resource, also.
- Thread starter
- #48
Hi John,
Vancouver and Vancouver Island are some of the most desirable parts of Canada, and the land base is limited by mountains/ocean. Therefore storage is somewhat hard to find and more expensive. Also on the coast there’s a high seismic hazard which would maybe factor in for me if I was storing something nice for ~10 years. It might be worthwhile to send it east and inland to somewhere with more land base/less people/lower storage costs. If you are going to try and register, you may want to start with what province lets you register as a non-resident and work back from there. Also, you will pay more to register in B.C. than some provinces without a provincial sales tax. I would probably be looking at Alberta or similar as a first location. You can ship vehicles across Canada for not a terrible price on the train.
@eknomf
You’re completely right, but @John Young can only register the car in BC (or NS) as a non-resident, + it’s the area he’d like to explore more in the future. So without bending the rules (eg registering in BC but storing in AB) or registering under a friends name, we are limited in choice.
You’re completely right, but @John Young can only register the car in BC (or NS) as a non-resident, + it’s the area he’d like to explore more in the future. So without bending the rules (eg registering in BC but storing in AB) or registering under a friends name, we are limited in choice.
- Thread starter
- #50
Ok, I didn’t realize he could register in BC as a non resident. Do you have a link? I couldn’t find anything with ICBC, but I now have a small child climbing me so my quiet time for the morning has expired.
It’s tough as Steve mentioned, you would have to call around. I’d be looking proximity to the airport for your planned use case, Vancouver and suburbs, Nanaimo (easy access via planes/boats), or Victoria area (international airport). You will also have to get through out of province inspection which can sometimes be a process. Happy to help you guys out if you find somewhere on Vancouver Island.
It’s tough as Steve mentioned, you would have to call around. I’d be looking proximity to the airport for your planned use case, Vancouver and suburbs, Nanaimo (easy access via planes/boats), or Victoria area (international airport). You will also have to get through out of province inspection which can sometimes be a process. Happy to help you guys out if you find somewhere on Vancouver Island.
gilmorneau
SILVER Star
I don't have a link, but I have my old emails from the Autoplan broker I worked with to do mine. It was a lengthy exchange, but on December 13, 2021 I wrote to her and asked:
Hi Courtney,
Is it possible for me to register my car in BC as a US citizen?
Thanks
And later that same day I received this reply:
Yes you can.
This was at the local Autoplan broker recommended to me by @eknomf in Nanaimo.
What it comes down to @eknomf is the insurance, and the fact that BC uses only ICBC simplifies things.
Only BC, QC, and NB allow for cars to be registered by a tourist:
www.endlessroadtrip.com
Only BC, QC, and NB allow for cars to be registered by a tourist:
Which Canadian Provinces Allow Vehicle Registration as a Tourist?
It's possible to register a vehicle (or campervan in our case) as a tourist in Canada. Here are the 3 provinces that allow it!
www.endlessroadtrip.com
Apologies for reviving an old post but I found my UN Poverty Pack HZJ105 LHD in Pakistan. It's a year wait to import to US but I got storage!
I recommend Shield Storage in Langley BC. It would be nice for Missus White to have a companion. Prices are reasonable and it is indoor storage. PM for contact details.
- Thread starter
- #55
A bit of an update on the 105. I have been daily driving it and using it for adventures around Vancouver Island and BC, and all it has needed is basic maintenance. I killed a tire earlier this year, so I swapped the 235/85R16s for some 255/85r16s. No lift yet, but eventually might go for a 2”.
Recently I began to have a little bit of a water leak in heavy rain through the front a-pillar at the top corner of the windshield.
Reading up in the 100 series section on the Australian facebook groups, there seemed to be two potential sources of leaks: 1) an incorrect windshield install and damage in the windshield frame, and 2) the roof rack bolts.
The 105 (and I assume the 100) has 18 factory roof rack bolts under the roof trim that can be a source of leaks. When I pulled my trim, the passenger side bolts were generally ok-ish, but the driver side bolt heads were pretty corroded. I ordered up new bolts from Partsouq with the fiber washers. I was able to get about 8 with just a socket, 9 with a bolt extractor and a cordless impact, and then 1 was more of a battle. I tried the extractor and impact until it was rounded, then a drill in style bolt extractor which broke off. Ended up having to use the weld on a nut approach, which got it out. The sheet metal under all the bolts was good, it was really just the bolt heads which had rusted. Water must just sit under the trim if any debris accumulates. I replaced the bolts with the factory roof bolts/fiber washers, torqued them to spec, and added some extra thread sealant for good measure.
I also seemed to have the 100 series windshield issue and a non FSM install. It seems pretty common that if your glass has ever been replaced, the windshield frame can be nicked by the removal process and you can get some rust starting in the windshield frame under the glass. With the glass in, the 105 had just slight signs that maybe something was up under the glass.
I’m sure most on here know, but the correct install method has the windshield bonded in and then the factory trim pieces installed with plastic coated rivets to help hold in the glass. With an incorrect install, people use screws instead of the rivets, which can cause rust issues and enlarge the holes beneath. Mine definitely had the “get it done” glass install. There are two at least part numbers for the rivet, the 100 series one, and one for a Toyota Yaris which is a bit larger diameter (in case your trim holes have been enlarged by a screw.
For the windshield frame cleanup, it was a bit beyond my paygrade (especially being winter and having no garage) and I wanted it done well. I searched around for willing body shops around here, which turned out a challenge. In the end I found that the local Toyota dealership has a non-insurance body shop (for tuning up trade ins etc.) and had pretty reasonable rates, so I had them arrange to pull the glass, then clean up the windshield frame, repaint the a-pillars and roof, and have the glass reinstalled correctly with new trim and the proper rivets.
Here are the photos of the two operations and the results:
The roof bolts.
The worst one:
Recently I began to have a little bit of a water leak in heavy rain through the front a-pillar at the top corner of the windshield.
Reading up in the 100 series section on the Australian facebook groups, there seemed to be two potential sources of leaks: 1) an incorrect windshield install and damage in the windshield frame, and 2) the roof rack bolts.
The 105 (and I assume the 100) has 18 factory roof rack bolts under the roof trim that can be a source of leaks. When I pulled my trim, the passenger side bolts were generally ok-ish, but the driver side bolt heads were pretty corroded. I ordered up new bolts from Partsouq with the fiber washers. I was able to get about 8 with just a socket, 9 with a bolt extractor and a cordless impact, and then 1 was more of a battle. I tried the extractor and impact until it was rounded, then a drill in style bolt extractor which broke off. Ended up having to use the weld on a nut approach, which got it out. The sheet metal under all the bolts was good, it was really just the bolt heads which had rusted. Water must just sit under the trim if any debris accumulates. I replaced the bolts with the factory roof bolts/fiber washers, torqued them to spec, and added some extra thread sealant for good measure.
I also seemed to have the 100 series windshield issue and a non FSM install. It seems pretty common that if your glass has ever been replaced, the windshield frame can be nicked by the removal process and you can get some rust starting in the windshield frame under the glass. With the glass in, the 105 had just slight signs that maybe something was up under the glass.
I’m sure most on here know, but the correct install method has the windshield bonded in and then the factory trim pieces installed with plastic coated rivets to help hold in the glass. With an incorrect install, people use screws instead of the rivets, which can cause rust issues and enlarge the holes beneath. Mine definitely had the “get it done” glass install. There are two at least part numbers for the rivet, the 100 series one, and one for a Toyota Yaris which is a bit larger diameter (in case your trim holes have been enlarged by a screw.
For the windshield frame cleanup, it was a bit beyond my paygrade (especially being winter and having no garage) and I wanted it done well. I searched around for willing body shops around here, which turned out a challenge. In the end I found that the local Toyota dealership has a non-insurance body shop (for tuning up trade ins etc.) and had pretty reasonable rates, so I had them arrange to pull the glass, then clean up the windshield frame, repaint the a-pillars and roof, and have the glass reinstalled correctly with new trim and the proper rivets.
Here are the photos of the two operations and the results:
The roof bolts.
The worst one:
- Thread starter
- #56
Removed with a nut welded on. I forgot to check if the 19mm socket would fit in the channel when welding this on, luckily it did. I had a friend help, holding the nut in place with a vicegrips with the welder's ground clamp attached.
The sheet metal under that nasty bolt.
3 photos of how the windshield looked before it went in to the body shop.
The sheet metal under that nasty bolt.
3 photos of how the windshield looked before it went in to the body shop.