The cheapest I could find an M3 for was around 20k, which when converting to american currency is still more expensive than average. compared to the e46 m3 they are also much harder to find...does anyone know why this is?

The ones who have them love them and keep them?

there's a '95 for sale in the paper here... asking around 17k I think.'
(Kamloops area) let me know if you want the number, i'll see if i can find it.

The cheapest I could find an M3 for was around 20k, which when converting to american currency is still more expensive than average. compared to the e46 m3 they are also much harder to find...does anyone know why this is?

Check out www.vancouvereuros.com (http://www.vancouvereuros.com) they have a us spec hellrot red one for sale @ $18k with decent mods to it.

The reason they are rare is that not many were sold here to begin with...and I intend to keep mine for quite a while yet...:stickoutt Canadian spec rules! And when they do come up for sale...people buy em up. Canadian Spec are usually higher priced then US spec. The Canadian ones usually came with higher content.

They're easier to find in BC than anywhere else in the west. I searched for a long time for mine and found it in Victoria. Just be patient.

Any idea how much it would cost, all said and done, to import one up from the states? I mean, just searching within 100 miles or so of Bellingham brings up loads of M3s in the 10-15k USD range. Most of the M3s I see in the buysell are in the 25-27k CDN range. I'm guessing it would cost around $5000 after import taxes and exchange...anyone got some more accurate (real) numbers?

Very few were sold in Canada. For Calgary anyways, to get one you had to go on the waiting list, and it was a long wait....up to a year with only 2 people in front of us. This was back in 97. We ended up giving up waiting, and someone ahead of us on the list didn't wanna pick his car up so we ended up buying his, which is the one in my sig:)

We only had M3s starting in 1997 and ending in mid 1999. That's only 2.5 years. The States had them since 1995. Ours are better equipped, newer, and for some reason the Canadian M3s I see are always cleaner and more 'mint' than a lot of US cars. That would explain a lot about the premium you pay for a local M3. I honestly can't believe US-spec M3s sell for under 10K on ebay :nono.

Any idea how much it would cost, all said and done, to import one up from the states? I mean, just searching within 100 miles or so of Bellingham brings up loads of M3s in the 10-15k USD range. Most of the M3s I see in the buysell are in the 25-27k CDN range. I'm guessing it would cost around $5000 after import taxes and exchange...anyone got some more accurate (real) numbers?

The previous owner of my car imported the car. It cost him $3,726.96 for duty and gst. That was based on a purchase price of $26,761.0 CDN (22.5k US) in 2004. I've been told that if you drive it back and the vehicle is for personal use you will save on the duty.

A friend of mine got a 1997 M3 coupe imported up here and total it was 21G's CDN. I think purchasing price was 15G's USD. Car's in great condition, no signs of rust. It was from Texas.

unless its euro spec i dont think there are any differences maybe other than the available packages...

more m3's in the us cause 1. there are a lot more people, 2. americans have more money

I was wondering the same thing. Eventually I want to get an e36 m3 and they're so bloody expensive up here.
Here's the link to the one stated above
http://vancouver.craigslist.org/car/288437514.html

It will be about 19% (6% gst, 7% pst, and 6% duty for car made overseas) in tax to cross the border with the car. No you can't claim the car as less, and yes you have to pay the duty, even if its for personal use.

Add to that your 3 flights to view/purchase the car and then to pick it up (or a tow charge). You need to modify the car to pass canadian regulations (Daytime running lights, Rear child seat hook, km/h on the speedo, airbag warning stickers) and it must pass a safety inspection. You need to file all necesary paperwork with customs 10 days before you cross the boarder. To file the paperwork, the title needs to be in your name. Pickup a brochure at an autoplan dealer for specifics.