Newbie - Shifting to Canada from New Zealand

[Ryan Gillespie]

ya i would be a little sketchy about staying in a hostel here in canada, hostels in north america are not like they are over in europe. the name might be the same but the types of people that hang out at each are very different.

Cheers Glen. When I say a hostel Im talking about a place like this - http://www.hihostels.ca/westerncanada/169/hi-vancouver_downtown.hostel

Are we talking about the same type of place? I guess its just a cheap version of a hotel with shared living. Its the best option for us when we arrive as we are on a limited budget and cant really afford to stay at a hotel for a week when we arrive.

[GlenMartin]

ya i would be a little sketchy about staying in a hostel here in canada, hostels in north america are not like they are over in europe. the name might be the same but the types of people that hang out at each are very different.

Cheers Glen. When I say a hostel Im talking about a place like this - http://www.hihostels.ca/westerncanada/169/hi-vancouver_downtown.hostel

Are we talking about the same type of place? I guess its just a cheap version of a hotel with shared living. Its the best option for us when we arrive as we are on a limited budget and cant really afford to stay at a hotel for a week when we arrive.

um wow i have never seen a hostel that nice. that is insane. ya i think your good. i retract my previous statement. i might move in.

[John Hartman]

hehe, you are on a car club website and you won't have a car? 

[Ryan Coft]

as some one that has lived in vancouver montreal and a couple places in between. the commercial drive area is wonderfuck google vancouver eat van commercial drive. cheapest food from shops we are talking half the price of safeway etc. tons of pubs and bars and still quite after 1130ish on weekdays. mtl awesome, alberta good pay but nothing to do, GVRD commercial drive is where its at. its the hub of vancvouer TD core is 15 min drive in rush hour going out to the burbs is against the flow of traffic in the morning on the highways. or public transit we are awesome too once again hub of the GVRD east west north and south. people are nice etc. just an idea for place of living after the hostel.

if you have any thoughts just pm me.

hope it helps you out.

Hey Zach, Thanks alot for that info. Just spent some time googling that info to see what the places are like. Commercial drive looks bloody good. Where would you say the "IT" area of Vancouver is? Or is it spread all over? Casey, my wife, is in IT and I'm hoping to get a job at the Airport in Air Freight. Are there any good areas to live in that are accessible to both. We wont likely be buying a car over there and will stick to public transport to get around.

Then you'll likely want to live in Richmond, nowhere near Commerical, but it's close to public transport as the skytrain has a new line out there (not so new now i suppose).

The airport is in Richmond for you  and there are a slew of IT companies out there for basic IT helpdesk stuff (ie: go to Top producer [www.topproducer.com] and apply, they hire all the time for entry level IT Helpdesk for their software). I worked there many moons ago.

[Ryan Gillespie]

hehe, you are on a car club website and you won't have a car? 

Yeah wont have a car. But will be buying heaps of your cheap parts. Its crazy - I priced up a set of Kelford TX 272 degrees cams. Off Ebay they are US$549 (or NZ$676) but to buy them in New Zealand they are NZ$1029. And they are made in the same city I live in.

[Ryan Gillespie]

Then you'll likely want to live in Richmond, nowhere near Commerical, but it's close to public transport as the skytrain has a new line out there (not so new now i suppose).

The airport is in Richmond for you  and there are a slew of IT companies out there for basic IT helpdesk stuff (ie: go to Top producer [www.topproducer.com] and apply, they hire all the time for entry level IT Helpdesk for their software). I worked there many moons ago.

Sweet, thats some more great advice, thanks alot Ryan! I've had a look at that website and it looks perfect for Casey.

[Ryan Gillespie]

Any of you guys need any JDM parts that cant be picked up in the US or Canada? If theyre small I may be able to grab them from here in NZ before heading up.

[Ryan Gillespie]

I did on a search on the forum and couldnt find an answer to this question. What happens with purchasing car parts in from the USA? Do brand new parts attract duty/tax? What about second hand parts?

Cheers!

[John Hartman]

yea they are supposed to make us pay both the tax and duty.  The duty is not really that bad and the tax alone is not that bad either, but the biggest issue is that companies like UPS charge a "brokerage" fee.  Its often really excessive, and a complete rip off.  Legalized piracy.

I payed $74 "brokerage" fee on top of shipping for a $125(ish) part once.

I also payed $43 "brokerage" fee on a $42 part!!!  Absolutely wrong.

[Ryan Gillespie]

Cheers John. So what about second hand parts? Also what about parts that comes via the post office rather than Fedex/UPS etc?

[John Hartman]

even second hand parts they are supposed to get you on.

normal post office you are supposed to pay tax and duty on as well, but its realistic.  Like $9 or something on a $200 item, IIRC.  For duty.  Tax is the same as on anything else.  Its stupid on second hand stuff, but its the same as anything else if you buy it from a business.

Most times the post office won't even charge you, I hear its because the border people are so busy, they just let alot of it go

[Ryan Gillespie]

Well we have finally made it to Canada-land. We went up to Whistler today for a look, what a spot!!

[John Hartman]

NICE!

[Paul Pigar]

Welcome to Canada.