Importing cars...

[.blank cd]

Bored on the intraweb tonight and i was interested in importing a car from japan and i was curious as to what is actually being done to make the car legal to drive in the U.S. After searching i came across this page. It should explain pretty much what goes on...

http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/factmtop.htm

what i would like to know, for anyone out there that is inclined to explain this to me, is this...

Say i want to import a JDM 97 honda accord, and i have a USDM 97 honda accord, instead of paying someone $15k to get the thing converted to meet US EPA standards, could i just take all the emissions and safety stuff off of mine and put it on the JDM ones to pass inspection and then maybe after it passes replace all the body panels back to stock or what? The car is only worth $6500 USD and it only has 24,000 miles (47,000 kilometers) on it. If i could get this it the way i want it would be a friggin steal...

discuss...

[myyellowspec]

I was thinking the same thing except just put the licence plate on the JDM car and just pretend you put a lot of work into it. It would be a registered car and if anybody questions the different vin just say you did a right-hand conversion. I don't know if that will work but I think I might try it.

[speedminded]

It's good to see you actually put a little effort into this before posting :goodjob: but with importing not only do have to deal with the EPA but the DOT as well. Cars from other countries do not have the crash testing & safety standards to meet our requirements and without that it IS NOT legal....but feel free to spend the $1,000,000 needed to test that and only that one specific car. ;)

More info: http://www.foreignborn.com/visas_imm/entering_us/7importingyourcar.htm#dutiable

You bring that car over and customs sees you don't have the proper paperwork for registration they have the right to A) Put it back on the ship at your expense B) Crush it


There are loopholes, they come and go with constantly changing laws though.

[wantboost]

^^ is it possible to import a car as a track/show/parts car then register it later? Is it possible to buy a car in Canada and just drive it over the border?

Could you suggest any websites that i could research this subject further?

[Sol-Badguy]

The hell are you wanting to import?

[Elbow]

Take it apart and register it as a kit car. Or track only. From what I know you cant drive across Canadian border with it.

[speedminded]

^^ is it possible to import a car as a track/show/parts car then register it later? Is it possible to buy a car in Canada and just drive it over the border?

Could you suggest any websites that i could research this subject further?They used to allow a temp "visa" for show/track cars good for one year but the car is not registerable in any way and could not be sold during that time. Now they only offer a 90 day pass for competition cars and the same rules apply.


As for Canada, i'm still working on that route. In the United States you can get around alot of things as long as the vehicles age is 25 years or older but Canada is only 15...then transfering a vehicle registed in Canada to the US is relatively easy. So pre-1992 vehicles technically should be relatively simple to get in as long as you know someone that owns property in Canada. I work with two of them and have family there too ;)

[s13slider®]

PM me i tag imported cars all the time ............ ask keebs

[.blank cd]

The hell are you wanting to import?

I was entertaining the idea of importing a 97 Honda Accord SIR VTEC. only had 24000 miles on the body and engine. but now i got bigger and better plans. But what i had in mind was buying that car, getting a temporary "visa" for it, and using my current 97 Honda Accord and swapping all the safety and emissions parts to it

[zoborax]

http://nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/ShowDisplay/howtosd072003.html

http://nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/racing/box7form.pdf

http://nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/TempInfo.html

http://nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/Racing/Index.html

http://nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/graymarket_RI_list010807.htm

http://nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/VIG_Canada07032.html

Happy Reading!!!

[koukis14]

Take it apart and register it as a kit car. Or track only. From what I know you cant drive across Canadian border with it.


If you just take it apart and put it back together you can't register it as a kit car. You have to do a shitload of modifications to register it as a kit car.

There is/was (not sure if they are still in business) a company that was pulling the engines out of skylines in England and shipping them separate to the states and putting them back together. They would then register them as a kit car and sell them. This is illegal. There is a section in EPA and NHTSA laws that says doing so to avoid emissions and registration restrictions is illegal, or something along those lines.

[zoborax]

http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/kitcar.htm

Again. Happy reading!

[zoborax]

Basically, this is not a feat you want to try, yourself. It is possible to do it, but you should try getting one through someone who does it not so legitimately. Also, the car would never be Federally legal, because of the info in the links posted above, but if a state titles and registers the vehicle, you shouldn't have any worries. My suggestion is to, carefully, research people and companies who can get JDM cars in under the radar, and ask them. Be very careful in who you trust, because there are a lot of sheisters out there who are trying to make a quick buck at your expense.

[speedminded]

I was entertaining the idea of importing a 97 Honda Accord SIR VTEC. only had 24000 miles on the body and engine. but now i got bigger and better plans. But what i had in mind was buying that car, getting a temporary "visa" for it, and using my current 97 Honda Accord and swapping all the safety and emissions parts to itAre you a citizen of the United States?

[.blank cd]

Yes Sir

[speedminded]

Yes Sirlol, then how do you suppose you'll bring a car in like that?! The temporary visa's for the cars are for foreigners to have a vehicle when they come over...

[.blank cd]

lol, then how do you suppose you'll bring a car in like that?! The temporary visa's for the cars are for foreigners to have a vehicle when they come over...

well whatever, you know what im tryin to get across. Importing a car, fixing it and having it inspected later