I'm in California. What are peoples recent experiences with title and registration of an HJ61? Any vehicle I'd be buying would come with out of state registration (and then I'd register it in CA) or some companies even can get a CA title and registration. If one does the import yourself, its easiest to get a vehicle registered in CA if it comes with out of state registration.
Here's the crux though. I spoke with a local JDM importer who is a registered dealer with the state and he doesn't do CA sales of diesels. He told me the DMV can and does give title and registration to an HJ61 using the 30 year rule but this is mostly due to laxness or ignorance of the DMV employees. He, as a registered dealer, wont try to get CA title and registration because its not legal for him. He does get other states registration however. He claims that technically, no non-US imported diesels are legal under any circumstances in this state unless they are 1978 (or 1979?) or older. They are only legal if they go through the retrofit process (~$12k). The owner of a CA title and registered vehicle can still have it seized an any given moment during a traffic stop for example or as part of an organized criminal investigation. WTF? How can a vehicle if CA gave title and registration to a vehicle seize it later if its not legal?
Christ, I think I need to speak to a lawyer (my least favorite pastime).....
Here's the crux though. I spoke with a local JDM importer who is a registered dealer with the state and he doesn't do CA sales of diesels. He told me the DMV can and does give title and registration to an HJ61 using the 30 year rule but this is mostly due to laxness or ignorance of the DMV employees. He, as a registered dealer, wont try to get CA title and registration because its not legal for him. He does get other states registration however. He claims that technically, no non-US imported diesels are legal under any circumstances in this state unless they are 1978 (or 1979?) or older. They are only legal if they go through the retrofit process (~$12k). The owner of a CA title and registered vehicle can still have it seized an any given moment during a traffic stop for example or as part of an organized criminal investigation. WTF? How can a vehicle if CA gave title and registration to a vehicle seize it later if its not legal?
Christ, I think I need to speak to a lawyer (my least favorite pastime).....