Importing to USA, best place to Exp. from?

[Greg_B]

That is in interesting read.

Thanks!

gb

[alkaline747trio]

RHD w/ Goodies...so would Australia be my friend? Is it easy or hard to import from Australia?

[Exiled]

Originally Posted by alkaline747trio

RHD w/ Goodies...so would Australia be my friend? Is it easy or hard to import from Australia?

Same. Country of origin is not important, it's the US DOT and EPA's regulations that you have to comply with.

Importing a LHD Autana 80 series from Venezuela or a RHD 80 series from Australia is pretty much the same thing, you'll still have to go through a registered importer to get it in. RI's sometimes question the RHD and want to get more money for the conversion to LHD, so keep that in mind. Like I said at the very beginning of this thread, your best bets are Central America and Europe (diesel, LHD and options).

Even if you were to go with a gray market option (not advocating for you g-men lurkers, just mentioning), a RHD would attract a lot more attention.

Good luck and keep us posted!

[honk]

Originally Posted by Landpimp

yeah but to me, a WA title and reg makes it all good

A valid state registration may not be sufficient to avoid big grief. Federal law overides state law generally, and if there were a report to either the DOT or the EPA of a vehicle being operated even with license that MAY not comply with federal law the agencies can and sometimes do investigate. If one of them finds that your car isn't OK by them they have the power to impound it until it is brought to compliance if possible or to destroy it if it is not made OK by them.

There are people in this country who have discovered the hard way that their pollyannaist ideas of the law and their rights were very much in error. Some of those occupy federal prisons for their perfidy.

So import a greyish vehicle and live a life of paranoic fear of your neighbors and every person who passes you by with a cellphone and a resentful or authoritarian attitude. Are the few more MPGs of a diesel worth all of that in addition to the exhorbitant cost of just obtaining the vehicle?

[honk]

Oh, and BTW, there are blocks on the required EPA form 3520-1 titled "Importation of Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Engines Subject to Federal air Pollution Regulations" and DOT form HS-7 title too long for me to type out which pertain to bringing in engines only.

When you go to the U.S. Customs gate with either a vehicle or an engine less than 25 years old they'll be waiting for you.

[mallred]

I was at customs today for clarifaction on this, The DOT is 25 years or older for exemption and 21 years for EPA for emissions ,For importing from Canada. Customs will except a letter stating what the manifacture says is needed to bring it up to standards that were ineffect on the day of production using the vin # for either deptment of anything newer than 25 years DOT and 21 years EPA FOR PERSONEL IMPORTATION TO THE U.S. by showing receipts of the being work completed. This means you get the work done in Canada. For example chips and windsheilds seat belts ect. No RI required. The RI is required if you are going to have the work done in the U.S. This does not preceed what each state requires. Their new pamplet is very clear on this. Commercial importation of vehicals does require a RI.

I have read in EPA rulings that 1988 and newer diesels imported to Canada are to be considered to be up to US standards, but Customs does not execpt this yet and requires the letter. I also read in my reasearch in the EPAs website that they do not reconize the letter as of 1997. Some what confusing.

Another interesting fact I got is that when you do import you must get a copy of the form 7501, if you do not you will not be able to register it in your state and Customs does not keep any paperwork on the import and has no record of you importing it. People have lost this and have to import it all over again.

This is what I got today when I crossed into the Montana from Alberta.

[canadian bum]

In Canada it is 15 years or older, so maybe you should try up here.