Everything I Ever Learned About Importing

[Rondans]

I've been researching importing a RAV4 diesel from Europe into the US. Anyone on this thread with any experience that might help move me forward? Thanx

[POS VETT]

Hi all,

I posted in another thread about this here. I read up on the NHTSA documentation but I'm not too clear and I have no idea if this is something that can be done by myself. I'll try to contact one of the contact persons stated in post #94.

Can anyone help ?

[coldtaco]

To the last two posts, if you read up at the front of this thread you will find the answers you are looking for. In a nutshell, no you can't import a vehicle by yourself unless it is 25yrs old or older(I think). To import a diesel RAV4 would most likely be very cost prohibitive, probably around $5000 to $12000. The engine needs to be tested to meet EPA and as far as I know there is only one testing center to do this in Michigan. If you can find out 100% sure that the engine meets the EPA requiremnts, then this part should be at the bottom end of the cost for the test. Of course there are still other fee's.

[Previa Diesel]

After talking to some very helpful people at Transport Canada and Environment Canada I learned that older emissions information has been shredded, or is believed to have been. Responsibility for emissions testing recently moved from TC to EC and as always happens a lot is lost in the process from personnel changes, retirements, office clear-outs etc. etc. Most of the people from the 80s have retired or moved on to other departments anyway.

[Diescipel]

Originally Posted by POS VETT

Hi all,

I posted in another thread about this here. I read up on the NHTSA documentation but I'm not too clear and I have no idea if this is something that can be done by myself. I'll try to contact one of the contact persons stated in post #94.

Can anyone help ?

Yes, I would contact one of the importers, but you should know that the easy imports are from Canada because Canuck LCs meet federal DOT standards (seatbelts etc.--they have the info plate in the door jamb, for example (mine does)) in the US (I believe)--so an Indonesian 42 might be a problem. However, if you wait 2 years and come in under the 25 year rule, you will have nothing to worry about and can save some $$$ on the importer.

HTH

B

[diesel4x4]

I've spent a ton of hours reading up on importing, spoke with a customs house broker and have found most if the info. here to be correct, however, I have not found, in writing by a US federal government adminstration (NHSTA/DOT or EPA) where it specificaly states the "25 years rule". I have read most of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulation's dealing with foreign made vehicles, importing, certification and etc. and I either missed it or it's not there. I have yet to find it from the NHSTA/DOT or the EPA's website either. My local DOT and DMV were useless!! I know it to be true, that I do not doubt, I just want to see it in an "official" document.

Can someone please provide the specific name and section of the official 25 year rule document and where to get it. I'm bringing in a BJ45 "coffee bean truck" next year.

Thanks,

Bri

[paulj]

Go to the NHTSA website and type in "import" if this link doesn't take you there.
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/...LIG081905.html

[j7addict]

Originally Posted by diesel4x4

I've spent a ton of hours reading up on importing, spoke with a customs house broker and have found most if the info. here to be correct, however, I have not found, in writing by a US federal government adminstration (NHSTA/DOT or EPA) where it specificaly states the "25 years rule". I have read most of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulation's dealing with foreign made vehicles, importing, certification and etc. and I either missed it or it's not there. I have yet to find it from the NHSTA/DOT or the EPA's website either. My local DOT and DMV were useless!! I know it to be true, that I do not doubt, I just want to see it in an "official" document.

Can someone please provide the specific name and section of the official 25 year rule document and where to get it. I'm bringing in a BJ45 "coffee bean truck" next year.

Thanks,

Bri

Read here:


LIST OF NONCONFORMING VEHICLES CAPABLE OF BEING MODIFIED BY A REGISTERED IMPORTER as of August 19, 2005

Requirements for importing a car or car parts


Importing Vehicles and Engines


VEHICLE IMPORTATION GUIDELINES - FROM CANADA

VEHICLE IMPORTATION GUIDELINES

[Diescipel]

Originally Posted by NorCalCruzr

Yes, I would contact one of the importers, but you should know that the easy imports are from Canada because Canuck LCs meet federal DOT standards (seatbelts etc.--they have the info plate in the door jamb, for example (mine does)) in the US (I believe)--so an Indonesian 42 might be a problem. However, if you wait 2 years and come in under the 25 year rule, you will have nothing to worry about and can save some $$$ on the importer.

HTH

B

I misread your post and assumed it was a BJ42 diesel. Why import an FJ40 from Indonesia when you can get a N. American model (though pricey)? It has to be perfect and cheap to do this. Also, I don't know about Ind. but in Latin America the 40 series didn't have the updates like they did in N. America--e.g., I saw a 1984 BJ40 with the B engine, drum brakes, no roll bar, old interior etc.

[diesel4x4]

Thank you for the links.

Bri

[diesel4x4]

Originally Posted by NorCalCruzr

I misread your post and assumed it was a BJ42 diesel. Why import an FJ40 from Indonesia when you can get a N. American model (though pricey)? It has to be perfect and cheap to do this. Also, I don't know about Ind. but in Latin America the 40 series didn't have the updates like they did in N. America--e.g., I saw a 1984 BJ40 with the B engine, drum brakes, no roll bar, old interior etc.

Other than the mentioned BJ40. Do you know specifics about the differences in options/updates or lack there of with Latin American modes? I assume that most of them were made in Brazil?

[lomusass]

I've read it...3 times to see if i was stupid!! proberbly missed it but.....
I'm putting together two new 45s, new everything apart from the frame.1-1974 the other 76...the motors are HZs with all the running gear, the body's are 45's.(i make these body's).Is there a stipulation that says the vehicle that is 25 years or older has to have the same motor/trans year as manufcture or it's ok to drop in an 98 motor..or-would it come in as a kit/custom..
Anyone have any light on this ???¿¿¿
Thanks..
Paul.

[mallred]

Originally Posted by lomusass

I've read it...3 times to see if i was stupid!! proberbly missed it but.....
I'm putting together two new 45s, new everything apart from the frame.1-1974 the other 76...the motors are HZs with all the running gear, the body's are 45's.(i make these body's).Is there a stipulation that says the vehicle that is 25 years or older has to have the same motor/trans year as manufcture or it's ok to drop in an 98 motor..or-would it come in as a kit/custom..
Anyone have any light on this ???¿¿¿
Thanks..
Paul.

IMO I think you could get into some problems with EPA as the engine must be 21 years old or EPA ceritfied, I understand it is very expensive. If I have read the rules correctly. Would customs check the engine ? If not it still could cause some problems.

[Diescipel]

for anyone looking for an importer--BC area
Bruce Bosch
360 988 5426

http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.p...93#post1133593

[cruiser_guy]

Originally Posted by diesel4x4

Other than the mentioned BJ40. Do you know specifics about the differences in options/updates or lack there of with Latin American modes? I assume that most of them were made in Brazil?

Many of the Central American models are pretty much stripped. For instance many will not have a heater and will be as basic as you can imagine (drum brakes into the early '90's is not uncommon!), vinyl upholstry/floor, naturally aspirated diesel, no power window/door locks etc. There are upscale 'Cruisers here as well that the well-to-do folks have bought to travel to their fincas (farms) in the country but not many.

[70 bj40]

I have seen a lot of posts about importing from different countries all over. My specific question. i have a immaculate 79 bj40 with 106000 kms. I live in Costa rica and want to import to my new location in California. It has the B diesel engine in it. These specific cruisers from CR were shipped in as parts and assembeled here. Can somebody point me in the right direction. I am leaving here in 6 weeks. is it doable. Thanks

[Diescipel]

Originally Posted by 70 bj40

I have seen a lot of posts about importing from different countries all over. My specific question. i have a immaculate 79 bj40 with 106000 kms. I live in Costa rica and want to import to my new location in California. It has the B diesel engine in it. These specific cruisers from CR were shipped in as parts and assembeled here. Can somebody point me in the right direction. I am leaving here in 6 weeks. is it doable. Thanks

I think you should be okay and don't need an importer since it is more than 25 years old. I believe you still need to fill out the EPA form 3520-1 (downloadable in PDF from their site), but otherwise can do the paperwork that customs needs at the border.

Watch out for the California DMV however (see Keith's/Diesel42's post here in the forum). I would watch everything your local DMV person does when inspecting and make sure they check all the right boxes. Make sure they understand that it is a factory diesel.

hth
B

[Diesel42]

Diesipals right. Customs will require DOT form HS-7 and U.S.EPA form 3520-1. Your vehicle qualifies for both due to it's age. Then they will issue a custom clearance form. With most states, this would be enough. Kalifornia however, WILL want to see a emissions sticker stating that the vehicle conforms to EPA standards for the specific model year. EPA form 3520-1 clearly states that but DMV and CARB(ca.air resources board) are idiots and they want to see the factory sticker. WHich yours doesn't have and TOyota won't provide because they never marketed it here to begin with. So what does this mean? Do some research, locate a registered importer and see if they will provide you with a letter and sticker which shows it's compliant(which it is according to U.S.EPA regulations). Then go to DMV or CHP and obtain a VIN verification. Then you can enjoy your diesel with CA. plates.

[rick_d]

70 bj40

I would strongly advise a registration in another state FIRST before entry into California system.

There have been offers of Arizona (myself), Nevada, and other western states to clear up issues.

CARB can be a severe pain. If you do go the California route, make sure it is a non urban county (ala East side of Sierras, Lassen, or something out of the way.

DO NOT try near any major city center or central valley (Fresno) etc.

[bunja]

I just imported a BJ60 from Canada through an importer. It was not a real big deal just hoops. I just got my tin plates today.
As for Kalifornia, can you try running biofuel through it to pass the EPA standards there. I think somebody did it in Seatle. Dig through the biodiesel thread.

Another quick note. Stickboy cut the frame of a diesel RHD (which makes it a parts vehicle as far as customes is concerend) , did an engine swap here in the states, then sold the rest of the RHD for parts. He has a good thread about this.

[Jan-78FJ40]

Originally Posted by Diesel42

Kalifornia however, WILL want to see a emissions sticker stating that the vehicle conforms to EPA standards for the specific model year.

I believe this is incorrect. Diesels are emission exempt in California. Both trucks I registered have no EPA sticker, and no one looked for one. No emissions test for diesel vehicles.
jan

[Diesel42]

Jan-78FJ40 That's what i said until DMV did hold my registration process due to no emissions label. I got no where quick with CARB. After a ton of research it boils down to which enept DMV employee you end up with to do your VIN verification. This form specifically requires the inspector to verify where the emissions label is located,how it's affixed, whether it's Federal 49 state and/or California compliant. If there is no label, there's a box for NONE. When this box is checked by the inspector(DMV employee or any Peace Officer) the registration gets a hold placed on it and then forwarded to the technical compliance division in Sacramento. Then the fun starts. The "But diesels are exempt in California" line gets you nowhere. You either need the notorious, elusive letter from Toyota stating it was compliant, a registered importer, or a DMV employee that checks the wrong boxes because they really don't know the difference s between the data stickers and emission stickers.Bottom line, you were lucky.

[kiwiwonder]

For those of you that got diesels registered in CA you are lucky and they are cracking down by enforcing the existing laws. Bottom line most dmv personal do not know the rules. A diesel cannot be legeally registered in CA without the emmissions sticker showing it passes emisions for the year it was manafactured or a letter from toyota or a certificate of conformity that gets issued after the diesel engine is tested which is very expensive. All those that got their diesel registered in CA are lucky because the DMV does not always know the law. The following is what I found by reading the state laws.

So far this is what I found out about California vehicle registration. The air resource board told me that any vehicle 1975 or newer had to conform to California emissions standards. Even though diesel vehicles are smog except they still have emissions standards. This means that to register a vehicle in California you need to prove the vehicle meets these standards. In order to show conformity they need to have a certificate issued by the state board. This will happen when one of 3 testing stations gives you a certificate. There are currently testing stations in California that do this I know one charges $3000 approximate to test I’m not sure if the others test diesels. They do not care that the vehicle is federally EPA exempt. The California air resource board directed me to look up the California Health and Safety Code to see the emissions laws. After reading them the only legal exemption I could see was to have the vehicle get an EPA emissions certification sticker which still requires expensive testing but this testing is suposed to be cheaper and less stringent and then once the owner owns the vehicle for one year and has it registered in another state they can register it in California. This would mean you still had to pay to test the vehicle in another state which is cheaper but still is a big hassel.

I know plenty of people have diesel land cruisers in California so I know its possible to register them here but maybe they just slipped though the cracks. From what I was told by someone at the the DMV that seemed very knowledgable if you are lucky enough toget a diesel registered in CA cause the dmv messed up they can not come back and take away that registration unless they can prove you lied on some of your forms you completed to register the cruiser. If however you let the renewal lapse they can then refuse to re register your vehicle unless you show them that it complies with the laws and rules i listed above. This is however not likely to happen but if you do have a diesel cruiser registered in CA don't let the registration lapse.

Here are the links to the horrible reading I did to find this information. California law sucks!!!

Hope this was not too boring I do realize that many many diesels are registered in CA I just hope they do not start enforcing the laws or that the DMV representatives don't actually learn what is necessary acording to CA law to register a diesel cruiser.

This link is from the California air resource board and has the part of the health and safety code that deals with Vehicles in California.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/bluebook/bb06/..._pt_5_ch_6.htm



This link is from a law website that lists the full California health and safety code.

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/ca...ebody=&hits=20



This link lists the applicable part that I found pertaining to vehicles being registered in California (HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE
SECTION 44200-44210)

[zander]

Originally Posted by kiwiwonder

For those of you that got diesels registered in CA you are lucky and they are cracking down by enforcing the existing laws. Bottom line most dmv personal do not know the rules. A diesel cannot be legeally registered in CA without the emmissions sticker showing it passes emisions for the year it was manafactured or a letter from toyota or a certificate of conformity that gets issued after the diesel engine is tested which is very expensive.

Nice post and I think you are MOSTLY right. A registered importer will supply you with a sticker and paperwork showing EPA, NHTSA, and DOT compliance. That is the point of the RI. The paperwork still goes to Sacramento, but if you have all that stuff plus the customs entry forms, and the RI bond document you should be fine. I Have registered three so far and you can read my experiences in an earlier post in this thread.

You are very right that your experience can be easier or harder depending the employee. Each of my import experiences were different, but all came down to having those same things.

[kiwiwonder]

In your experience was the RI able to give your vehicle a sticker showing emissions conformity? Because if not I would think that acording to the laws I read you would still have to go through the testing process to get emissions conformity if the DMV stuck to their laws

[zander]

Originally Posted by kiwiwonder

In your experience was the RI able to give your vehicle a sticker showing emissions conformity? Because if not I would think that acording to the laws I read you would still have to go through the testing process to get emissions conformity if the DMV stuck to their laws

No the sticker is just the DOT one with gross vehicle weight etc. The EPA compliance is in the form of paper docs that the Sacramento Technical Compliance division has accepted every time without a problem.

[Diesel42]

Excellent responses, you guys are correct. For all whom reads this thread with anticipation on bringing one from Canada straight to California, use an RI. Wake sure he has the LEGAL ability(BOnded,etc.) to prepare and affix the Federal Emissions label(note: it doesn't have to be Calif.compliant,only Federal emissions compliant) They don't care if the form(EPA3520-1) states that it is. They(the VIN verifier) will look for the affixed sticker (usually uder the hood) in place which states that it is emissions legal!!!!!!!!!!! You wouldn't believe the arguous hassles that they will put you through. Do it right and legal the first time by using a licensed, bonded RI(usually $250.00-500.00).

[rutbeer]

I can't recall whether I have posted this or not, but there is an easy, cheap way to import to usa. My friend in Atlanta has imported 3 BJ70 trucks, the last being a 1985 model with success. He works for a company making fighter jets for the military, so EVERYTHING must be by the book to avoid losing his security clearances. He used an RI in Canada, not the US to import his stuff. It was something like $300, which is chump change, to import LEGALLY. The RI has papers for US and Canada, so it's not an issue for us and he was much less $$ than all US RI's quoted. I'm not at liberty to say who imported it, because I don't want him hassled by emails, etc. .....I'm just saying do your research and do it right. You won't regret the cheap insurance. Same goes for bringing in engines and such. I paid the brokers a few bucks to get it done right and I had zero issues because they knew the process and the gov't had relationships with them. Don't cheap out.