Crossing the borders with mods, what to expect?

[HyperMileQC]

Echo-Francis & I will need to go buy some stuff in the USA because of the difference of price in Canada & USA.

But the question is, what should I expect from the inspectors with all the mods?
Especially the belly pan, they might think that it is hidding some drugs or anything illegal.

What can they do if they think that it hide something? Can they rip it off to go see what they want? Or they can just search in your car with the dog. Or just make you turn back or whatever else.

Someone with border-crossing-with-overly-modded-car experiences?

[JethroBodine]

I came up this summer ,for the rally that we met at, and had no serious issues. The Americans did walk their dog around the car and did ask questions about what the tail was for. Just answer their questions honestly and end your sentences with "Sir/Mam". Have the address of where you are going easily available, and if you are staying the night, have that address ,also.

The Canadian guard was easier. No dog.

[redyaris]

I have crossed the us/canada boarder 4 times on two streamlined motorcycles. They ask me to take off my helmit look at my passport then ask me where I am going and how long I will be in the U.S. They then ask about the reason for my travel to the states and If I have fire arms, drugs or fruit. They then ask about the bike, at which point I tell them what my fuel consumption is and answer any other questions they have. On occasion at/when boarder crossings that are not buisy I give them a mini tour of the bike and the reasons for the variouse parts.
Coming back into Canada they ask how long I have been in the states and how much I have bought and if I have had work done on the bike. They also ask that I remove my helmit and check my passport.
They do have the right to search your vehicle and they do that if you give them cause and/or randomly. You are not allowed to bring fruit into the US and the agriculter guy will confiscate your oranges.
I have also crossed the us/canada bourder in my Yaris that has a belly pan and the experiance was the same they did not care about the upper grill blocker or the belly pan.
They will also ask you if you have a criminal record or if you have been finger printed.

[MetroMPG]

See also: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post311747

Seems most people with modded cars do not have any trouble. But it's a good bet to expect you might face some questions, and don't be surprised if they want to remove the belly pan! (Bring tools so you can put it back on!)

[echo-francis]

the problem is that I can not remove my belly pan if the car is not lifted by any way possible. will they do that for me if they realy want to see inside?

[War_Wagon]

If they really want to, they can pull it apart and leave it apart. They don't have to put it back together after all. I've had to jack up non running cars on the car trailer just so they could look under them. I've also had them under my car on a creeper, and had my steering wheel swabbed for "residue". And all this was coming back into Canada. But generally if you are polite and answer their questions as simply as possible you won't have any problems. But like Metro said, bring some tools just in case they decide to take anything off for a look. But not too many tools, or they may think you are working in the US, and then you have different problems.

[TheEnemy]

In any of the border states we have checkpoints about 100 miles inside the border, it depends on who is at the checkpoint, but sometimes they can be rather insistant, and they really don't like guns even though they are perfectly legal in my state. And if you are driving an old beater they will ask more questions, want to search your car. Some of them even think the constitution doesn't apply (yes seriously I had one say so).

Edit to add: Yes they can dismantle your car at the checkpoint I have seen them do it to others, but they did have to put it back together and have on occasion been sued for damages they caused.

[metromizer]

I speak from first-hand experience. As part of the BeetleBall 24 'rally', I've crossed into Canada, back into the US, and into Mexico in 2009 and again in 2010, with a modded 1965 VW Bus. It was outfitted with a front airdam and side shirts, then water injection pumps, hoses, water cooler. And it had sponsor stickers up one side and down the other.

Canada: on one of the trips, we crossed at 2am. Not a good plan when you stand out like a sore thumb, like we did. The border guards are on their toes most of the time, at 2am they have plenty of time on their hands. They asked us to pull over and go inside to talk with the agents, splitting up my buddy and I. They asked all sorts of questions pertaining to our stay, personal stuff that they could verify through (likely) the interpol and other databases they seemed to be searching. Then the questions about the VW. The guy seemed to know cars, he understood when I volunteered the details of my water-spray-cooling and water injection systems, the water cooler with wires and hoses hanging about in an improvised manner. On another trip, my buddy Greg, who is Hispanic, was ordered to "turn off your vehicle and hand me the keys". The questions came, he asked me a series of questions, then let us go. We got the same treatment coming back into the US from Mexico. After those 2 experiences, we made sure my Caucasian-ass was behind the wheel for all future border crossings. Neither my Hispanic buddy Greg, nor I, are the least bit bothered by the profiling, 'it just is what it is' we both agreed. I minor inconvenience.

Mexico: Again, about 3am, crossing at El Centro/Tijuana. The Mexican border guards eyed not only the plumbing and wires, but all the tools we had strewn about after making a roadside repair around 10pm. My gal, wearing a dress while strapped into her seat with a red 5 point racing harness, also looked out of place. After pulling into one of the stalls, they converged and talked in Spanish, which I couldn't understand. One guy asked me, in broken English, to open up the back. Looking at the mess of parts, wires, cooler, and assorted gear "what's all this... STUFF about". The old air-cooled VW's are still very popular in Mexico, "It's spare parts and tools to keep this thing running" I said, showing my greasey hands "we just fixed it... AGAIN". He gave me the universal nod, shrug, and smile that mechanical guys give each other, when we feel the other guys pain. He paused, rattled off something to the other guys, nodding, then said "ok, you can go".

One other thing. We were using off-road racing noise canceling intercom headsets to communicate. At 90-100mph, that stripped down VW '65 Bus (hot-rod 2liter engine with free-flowing header and muffler) was LOUD! We were also using a flip camera to record some of the trip. Before coming to the crossings, we put all that stuff away. No sense raising more questions.

Looking back I'd say be prepared, they WILL ask, they are trained to look for anything out of the ordinary. A blue-haired grandma driving a 911 turbo, a 7foot basketball player driving a Fiat 500, a young kid driving a Buick Delta 88, any modified car driven by anyone.

[WD40]

I was expecting big issues with my last border cross into the USA, all I got was a few odd stares and a move along.
The only question asked was about the solar panel, and that was more of a whats that do then anything.

[metromizer]

imagine you are a border guard and see this heap headed your way...