92TypeR

Some proof that state DOT's are cracking down on Gray Market Imports:

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/29/w...issan-skyline/

cliffs: Owner got caught titling Gary Market cars without Federal Approval. Guy was presented with two options: 1) Federal Prison or 2) Crush cars and pay all fines.

low&slow

Damn that's crazy

Black R

I have heard that the 25 year rule has been recently changed, so we won't ever be able to import jdm itr's legally now.

Is there any truth to this?

92TypeR

According to the current NHTSA.gov site, the rules/regs guidelines are still dated 2010, so nothing new.

I did hear that Canadian Grey Market Import laws were targeted by safety advocacy groups in B.C., due to the large number of Silvia/Skylines being crashed by drifter-wannabe kids.

low&slow

dam drifters these days

paulkromz

good info!

eh9_b18cr

great info, guess ill be converting my car to rhd...

Kitsune

Pretty much the opening poster just provided a cliff notes to all documents and dockets provided by the federal government. However he failed to mention that EPA is exempted for any vehicle 18-20 years old (forgot exact age).

The easiest way to get a car legalized to drive in the US is...Buy it from Canada, insure it in Canada and have a place of residence in Canada. The car has to be principally stored at the residence in Canada, however there is no clause to identify the word principally in terms of amount that can be quantified in a legal sense.

For instance, I have a lot of friends from Hong Kong living here and going to college. Of course they can get a WA drivers license and insurance, sure it's going to be high since the insurance company cannot estimate the risk. They're able to own, drive, and insure their cars. One of my friends graduated college and got a job at Microsoft and still living here on a VISA. He owns and drives a GTR fully insured.

So with that given, why not a US citizen do the same in Canada. Canada importation laws are any car that can be aircared 15 years from todays date. American's can buy cars, own cars, and get a Canadian drivers license as well as insurance since the BC providence insurance is govern, sold, and practiced through the government.

All you need is a place of residence, drivers license, a Canadian checking account (HSBC is a good bank to bank with since they're litterally internationally) and pretty much that is it.

Yes it's a hassle but for those who goes to Canada quite often like myself, it's well worth the trouble.

Mike

Kidnkorner

The process can be duplicated for Mexico too, I know of a few people rolling around in Seat Leon Cupra R's

mkhalid

I jsut keep my 95 JDM ITR registered in my Brother in Laws name in Canada and drive around the US with it. Sorry doc, I hope in 8 years years you can drive a RHD one. I loved these cars since I was a kid and so I just decided to go this route and avoid all the US hassle.

RHDlife

I for one own a RHD Integra in Florida with no problems. Clean title registered and insured...

low&slow

I have a friend that was in the navy and brought down a car from Japan
They put a new vin on his dash at Chp and he had to change out the windows to register it

It's currently registered and insured in SoCal

occupant

I have questions for Dr. DC2, Customs Guru here. This has nothing to do with Hondas or Skylines or CTR/ITRs. There are a few JDM cars I'd love to have but it's second priority to me. I hope these questions can provide insight to those wanting to import a car. I'm not trying to find a loophole, just trying to close the ones I see, and maybe solve some problems and prevent some headaches along the way.

Scenario 1: 14 year old car, is it possible for me to import it and the engine/transmission separate and keep the CAR here without the engine/transmission installed until it is 25 years old (spend the next ten years wiping it down with a diaper) and then install the motor and transmission and THEN go to title and register it? Or will I have to export the car and powertrain, have it assembled out of the country, and import it again whole?

Scenario 2: same 14 year old car, can I import the car without its engine and transmission entirely, and use a USDM engine and transmission from another make and model of car (say a VQ35 from a Maxima), and title as a kit car?

Scenario 3: I bite my tongue and wait eleven more years, I get lucky and find a 25 year old version of the same car that still runs and drives and isn't a garage queen or a wreck or a rustbucket, I go to import it, now it's a 1999 model car with the original 1999 engine and transmission, it's exempt from DOT and EPA regs, correct? I can import it, pay duties, trailer it home, title it, register it, drive it? No hassle?

Scenario 4: same as above, same car, same wait time, I get lucky and find my 1999 car in one piece and it's supposed to run, I import it, it gets here, but it WON'T RUN, now what do I do, will they require it to run and drive to be imported? Do I have to fix it to get my paperwork or can I bring it home not running? Then what? Can I install a USDM engine from something else like a Maxima or Legend or Camry, can I import another 1999 PSA engine, can I import a newer 2003 PSA engine, an older 1996 PSA engine, will I have to repair the engine that's in it and pray the block or head isn't damaged? I guess in general, what are my options when that import's motor decides to take a permanent nap?

For those of you keeping a box score here, what I want is a '99 Peugeot 607 with a diesel engine and a stick. That's not the only non-US car I want, but the list is too long of cars I want, and too short of the ones that are old enough to import, What's worse, of those that ARE old enough by now (K10 Micras, N13 Pulsars, various British cars, EP70 Starlets, Mk3 Fiestas, Mitsubishi Nimbus) there aren't many of them around anymore in running shape and even fewer put up for sale and probably a small fraction of those who would be willing to be troubled to help put it on a boat to come here.

Kitsune

Scenario 1:
If you import the car as a shell, than you won't have any issues with importation since you can import it as a kit car. Then you can piece it back together and take it to your state to get inspected.

Scenario 2:
Same as above.

Scenario 3:
Same as above

Scenario 4:
Same as above

doctorake

^ All illegal, car must be declared and paperwork done when it is brought into the country

1. no because it was not declared to be a stret car wwhen it was brought in nor would it be allowed

2. No, because you can not legally title the car in the US because it is nto 25 years old.

3. Yes, except I think it may be subject to EPA rules, but that is passable.

4. I do not think it has to run to get the VIN and be able to be titled for street use. You can then import a motor from a newer year car and install it or use a USDM one from the same or newer year.

occupant

Darn. I was hoping I could at least get the car here and do a long reconditioning process while I wait for it to be old enough to legally title and put on the road. I guess I'll have to wait eleven more years and hope I can find one that is still complete enough to try.

mkhalid

You can, just buy one for track purpose or just find a grey market one here and store it for the amount while you recondition it.

Kitsune

You can bring a shell in as long as there is no vin tag on the car. It is imported as parts and does not have to be declared as an automobile.

Mike

MyHondaFit79

MyHondaFit79

I have an RHD 1995 DC2 rolling chassis that I bought in 2000... Basically when I bought it , the car was shell and I put all the pieces back together minus the engine and fuel tank... So my question is ... If I hold on to it a few more years will I be able to register under the 25 year rule?? Or should I just part ways with my unfinished project??

doctorake

You can do it as a track car but once it is through customs as such it will never be allowed to be registered as a road legal car.

You can import a shell with a VIN as long as it is for parts only.

Once it is here and declared as parts only or off road use only that is what it is here for, after 25 years to get a VIN my understanding is it is issued when it comes to port.

jakethasnakeeee

I have heard in certain circumstances that the government is taking away gray market vehicles from their owners. That would suck! especially because its my dream to import a skyline haha

occupant

Ooooh since I'm about to move from Texas to Ohio, I'll be closer to Canada. Since Canada has a 15 year exemption instead of 25 years, could I import a 2001 model car in 2016, and have it stored in say, Windsor, Ontario, Canada until I'm ready to import to the USA? I would have to find a storage garage with a lot of open space in their lot for maintenance driving until it reaches that magic age, and Windsor is right across from Detroit, so I'd be only a few hours from it at all times.

Hmm...

...one problem, I'm not a Canadian citizen and I probably can't import something to a country I'm not a resident of.

thundernoodle

You could or you could just wait 25 and not waste all the cash on a storage place. After 10 years you may not even want the car.

On another note ef civics are eligible. I wonder how many come across the auctions though...

ChadB

Well in ohio a lot of the JDM imported car are register as a kit car. Or someone will buy a beater and swap the vins. I even seen where they bought a salvage car and had inspected and then swap out vins. The old car is sold for parts and scraped.