Filed under: Car Buying, Government/Legal
Grey Anatomy: How to import vehicles from overseas
Bill Gates's adventure in importing his Porsche 959 brought increased media attention to the world of grey market automotive imports. It even prompted the creation of the "show or display" exemption for vehicles of extremely low production combined with historical or technological significance. The 1999 amendment opened the door for many fine vehicular examples to make their way into the United States, but at the same time, it has caused even greater confusion about the laws of automotive importation. If you're thinking about filling empty space in your garage with a Peugeot 308 or an S15 Nissan Silvia, it's best to do a lot of research first. Luckily, the folks at Motive Magazine have put together an article outlining the possible legal means of obtaining a foreign vehicle. It explains the process in simple terms, not confusing government syntax. Follow the jump to read more and be sure to contribute comments on your own importing experiences.
First thing's first: when making the attempt to import an automobile into the US, do not assume that the salesman spewing unintelligible legal jargon has the means of getting the job done legally. Neither should you assume that he's in full disclosure of the terms behind the vehicle's importation. Motive's article covers all the standard legal means, so if someone is selling you a process you haven't heard about before, run. Unless over 25 years old, in order to be federally legalized for street use a vehicle must comply with DOT standards for its year of production. It must also meet EPA standards, which means if the vehicle was manufactured during or after 1996, a complex ODB II diagnostic and sensor system is required. Very few registered importers have built reputations for successfully modifying imports for compliance of DOT requirements and there is an extremely short list of independent commercial importers available to install EPA demanded components with resulting proof. Both entities come at an enormous expense, often multiple times the vehicle's worth. The show or display exemption is an exception to the DOT requirements, but the qualification requirements are stringent. Plus, almost all exemptions only allow for importation on a temporary basis; when the bond period expires the vehicle must be exported or crushed. On top of that, working around EPA and California regulations is a whole different can of worms.
Once the information outlined by the Motive piece is digested, a lot of firsthand knowledge can be acquired from the Skyline GT-R/GT-S forum at FreshAlloy.com. The owners of the few federally legalized Nissan Skyline GT-Rs have seen, heard and shot down every conceivable importing scam. Posters look out for shady internet sales operations and they are also quick to point out fraudulent sales advertisements. They are very particular about the distinction between grey market and black market vehicles as well. There are automobiles that make it through customs and even end up registered on roadways, but are illegal in the eyes of the federal government therefore subject to impound.
[Source: Motive Magazine]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Level 12:55PM (3/15/2008)
I know theres one way that you can import a car and not have to deal with DOT or the EPA...
My friend's father imported a Rolls-Royce in the simplest of ways. He first had the engine and drive train removed from the car and imported the shell and the engine and drive train separately...Once arrived in the states, he had a shop install all of the components and registered the car under some type of Kit Car laws, he got a new Vin and all...The importer said that it was one of the best kept loop holes...
This is the same way the Noble gets registered in the states as well... that doesn't pass U.S. emissions or crash regulations and gets registered for road use as a home-built kit
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Franz 1:06PM (3/15/2008)
That's how Jspec brought in their JDM GT-R as well, and I know of many other Japanese vehicles, such as S15 Silvias that were brought in this way.
Merritt Johnson 1:28PM (3/15/2008)
The R35s are a complicated scenario. The cars are DOT and EPA compliant as they are world cars designed to meet U.S. standards from the get-go.
It is legal to get a car through customs by importing the disassembled parts. That does not mean the assembled vehicle is compliant with federal regulations for road operation.
2004m3driver 4:02PM (3/15/2008)
I lived near some of the guys that operated MotoRex and that always had a handful of JDM cars around. Once one of them pulled up behind me at Jack in the box with an S15 Silvia. It was hot!
Sean Morris 1:10PM (3/15/2008)
There are lots of ways to do things in life. Just because you get away with something does not mean that it is legal in the eyes of the law. Also something legal this week, can be illegal next week, and then back to legal again later. Prohibition anyone ?
I have been in the importing business since 1999, and I have quiet a bit of insight into the whole program.
I wrote a post on how to import a Nissan Skyline GT-R to the US.
http://vehicleimport.blogspot.com/2007/12/how-to-legalize-nissan-skyline-gt-r-for.html
Ok its not actually how, but its information. I am one of a handfull of people in the US that has actually imported cars, worked for several RI's , done ICI work, and CARB work.
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AndyMF 1:17PM (3/15/2008)
Is it really that hard importing a car into the USA? I can imagine cars from developing countries would be tough to import but surely European cars can't be that hard. Euro standards are, I would presume, just as high as in America. In the latest episode of Fifth Gear they featured an imported 2006 Mustang in their "Second-hand Star" segment.
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tankd0g 2:56PM (3/15/2008)
You can import just about anything you want into Britian. The USA's protectionist automobile industry never wants to see this happen.
ckm 3:49PM (3/15/2008)
Yes, it's very hard. Crash and emissions requirements are much, much higher than in Europe and there are basically no exceptions.
And in certain parts of the country, like California, there are additional emissions requirements.
Most EU countries have exceptions carved out for small manufacturers, which makes it possible for all those small UK and Italian makers to exist. The US has no such exceptions.
Just to give you an example, I was at Tesla last week and they told us they crashed 15 cars to get FMVSS certification and this was a car based on the Elise, an existing approved design.
Mattias 7:32AM (3/16/2008)
Crash and pollution requirements might be different, but not higher. At least for gasoline cars. Any car thet gets Euro IV or V should be legal for the US. Unfortunately the NCAP regulations of both countries are not compatible, so it is not possible to say "bilaterally accept cars that pass the others NCAP with at least three points". For federalizing a Peugeot 308 for example a lot of detail work would have to be done although this car crashes perfect (five stars EuroNCAP) and has ebgines already federalized (Cooper and Cooper S).
Hower, bothe Europe and the US have loopholes to bring in small numbers of cars without having to do the full bureaucracy.
BTW: See US cars failing at EuroNCAP
http://www.euroncap.com/tests/chrysler_voyager_2007/277.aspx
Level 1:35PM (3/15/2008)
In the eyes of the Law it is Legal to import a car shell with out an engine/drive train and it is legal to import engines and drive trains separately on their own. It is also legal to marry said components together and registered them as a home built car. This will avoid any EPA and DOT requirements. This will also void any liabilities from the actual manufactures which is really the only thing manufactures care about. As long as it doesnt come back to bite them, they are ok with it....
Hence why its so hard to legalize a car to meet all EPA and DOT requirements...Someone is going to be held responsible/liable if you get killed in it or cause severe damages...but if you get killed in a kit car "hey its too bad for you"...
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Merritt Johnson 1:44PM (3/15/2008)
The kit car route can work if every step of the process is performed by different individuals. The car cannot be purchased as a whole by the end user for the exclusive intention of disassembling to evade the Clean Air Act (http://www.epa.gov/oms/imports/kitcar.htm). The kit car rules are sketchy and open to interpretation. That doesn't mean your interpretation is the same as the government's though.
Level 1:59PM (3/15/2008)
Who said anything about purchasing the car as a whole?...If you follow the steps on getting a Noble legalized, you would be able to get pretty much any car legalized under the kit car law...
My friends fathers Rolls-Royce did it just that way and everyone knew about it, but due to the law it was legal to do...They couldn't stop him...
Level 2:07PM (3/15/2008)
Are you an Importer? which is why I would understand you not recommending people to import their cars through the kit car loop hole. I understand it cuts into your business of charging a hefty fee to get the car legalized to meet EPA and Dot requirements. Which by all means is a great way to do it, if someone had the money and the means to get it done...
But if you don't have the fund$ but have time and patience to go through the kit car process dont knock it down for it being another way to legalize a car for street use....
Level 2:14PM (3/15/2008)
BTW i know your not an importer just generalizing the comment...Because thats the No.1 thing importers say "it cant be done it has to go through me" Etc..
tankd0g 3:03PM (3/15/2008)
This is the rub with kit car registrations. Insurance is incredibly expensive and their legality is always up for interpretation. If you crash into and kill someone, you're going to be on the wrong end of a presecutors research team.
jgp 1:36PM (3/15/2008)
Canada has much less stringent importation laws. IIRC, in Canada, a car has to be only 15 years old to be exempt from government regulations, compared to 25 years in the US.
If you buy the car from a Canadian importer, try and keep the car registered in Canada, with Canadian license plates. Since it has Canadian plates and not US plates, the US government won't touch it (after all, Canadians tourists in the US are allowed to drive their cars through the border).
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Calguy 1:48PM (3/15/2008)
I was all hot to get a Canadian-import Nissan Pao or S-Cargo. Realistically, unless you are completely obsessed and willing to loose a lot of $ or import a car that will increase in value regardless of the whole 'kit' car roundabout, it's just not worth it. Way too much hassle.. and when you really think about it, we've got enough cars on the road here without all the hassle.
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Mike Jenkins 1:56PM (3/15/2008)
If you live in a state where they don't do inspections on cars, how would they know that it doesn't meet EPA requirements?
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Sean Morris 11:30AM (3/16/2008)
Federal requirements are over state requirements. If the federal requirements miss it at the border, then its not likely to get found in a state with no real inspections.
However if you are stopped by the police, some will look into cars a little more than you like. If you get into an accident, the car will be investigated. Do you think the insurance company wants to pay out, on a non legal car, even if it was someone elses fault. They will look for any reason to deny a claim, and a non legal car is a perfect one.
There was a guy in Georgia that had his R32 GT-R stolen, non DOT- state legal car , and the insurance gave him a real hard time over it.
http://gtrusa.blogspot.com/2007/09/stolen-r32-gt-r-in-georgia.html
jay tee 1:57PM (3/15/2008)
Can this 'kit car' method be used to import, say a last-gen Mitsu Evo or a 04-06 GTO, into Canada?
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