Information Re: Importing to the USA and Complete DIY How-To (2 Viewers)

[suzuguru]

My insurance agent is a retired state trooper, and he actually suggested I do that.

 

[suzuguru]

I looked it up, and it varies from state to state, but it says it is not recommended to use a plate from another vehicle. Massachusetts won't even allow you to drive it home without first getting temporary registration. Other states will not allow you to drive it across state lines. So on and so on...

 

[svsisu]

@mudgudgeon, PM sent

 

[mudgudgeon]

Nothing wrong with disagreeing. I'm not saying I'm right. I'm just saying that's the way I've done it. Mine had (and still has) the foreign plates on it.

The insurance aspect would bother me.

I had a total loss claim on a new to me vehicle after a wreck caused by another driver a few weeks after arriving in US recently.
Had prearranged to purchase a vehicle from an acquaintance, picked up two days after arriving.
Insurance claim went smoothly. We had sorted out all my US license, vehicle registration and title, insurance etc without delay, so no red flags.
I'm grateful I had all those ducks in a row.


At home, running with plates from another vehicle would be seen as intentionally deceptive/ nefarious and would raise a massive red flag with highway patrol/ police etc.
Aussie police cars have AI license plate recognition systems, so a plate that didn't match the vehicle description would trigger an alert to the console. Highly likely to be stopped.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

At home, running with plates from another vehicle would be seen as intentionally deceptive/ nefarious and would raise a massive red flag with highway patrol/ police etc.
Aussie police cars have AI license plate recognition systems, so a plate that didn't match the vehicle description would trigger an alert to the console. Highly likely to be stopped.

Trust me, it's just as illegal here too. The only variation from state to state is the penalty for doing so. I will say however, you aren't likely to get stopped here with the wrong plate unless you are doing something that prompts the police to run your plate. However, that could be as simple as driving a funny looking Land Cruiser. You just never know.

 

[gilmorneau]

I’ve driven cars home from the port on foreign plates. Never a problem and only one funny incident. Left the port on Friday afternoon and Friday night was passing through a small town where the local police had set up a checkpoint to catch drunk drivers. I pull up to the officer, he immediately determines I’ve not been drinking so he’s asking questions about my Landcruiser. Cool guy. He was into it. Then another officer comes to the passenger window. My conversation with him went like this:
Officer: where’s your license plate?
Me: it’s on there. It’s from France.
Him: you can’t drive this car here.
Me: (innocently as a child) oh. Why not? I have all the import paperwork right here.
Him: you have to have plates.
Me: I just picked up the car at the port. DMV won’t be open until Monday morning. It will be my first stop when I get home to Colorado.
Him: you need to take care of that.
Me: yes sir. (Secret internal eye roll).
And I was on my way.

A foreign citizen keeping his personal car in the USA for a year is a different import procedure. Different box to check on the HS7 form. If you’re permanently importing it, those rules don’t apply to you.

Get temp tags and insurance and have all your import paperwork. You won’t have any problems. Using plates from a different car is a no-no. I can’t recommend you do that and really there’s no reason to anyway.

 

[mudgudgeon]

A foreign citizen keeping his personal car in the USA for a year is a different import procedure. Different box to check on the HS7 form. If you’re permanently importing it, those rules don’t apply to you.

This is what I was unsure about.

You guys have put me at ease in relation to driving it home, so that's what I'll do.

If needed, I play the dumb, naive Aussie card, that's easy enough to do

 

[knuckle47]

NJ has a set of rules developed by each employee there… like dog shows..it’s the opinion of that judge on that day. With the two imported LC’s I have registered nothing was the same procedure based on the clerk at the window. Including one with a winch on the bumper…trying to register it “historic’ and it is 25 yrs old or more with required photos …the guy said “Thats not historic, look at that winch”

Historic here means only one initial registration fee and only an annual renewal with is $0.00.
Wishing you Luck…hope it works out well..surely sounds like it will.

 

[gilmorneau]

NJ has a set of rules developed by each employee there… like dog shows..it’s the opinion of that judge on that day.

Vehicle registration is the business of each individual State--50 States, 50 different sets of rules. Most difficult seems to be California, easiest seems to be Florida. Everyone else is in between. In Colorado (where I live) the State publishes a list online of what you'll need to register your foreign import. It's all stuff you'll have anyway if you've followed the Federal guidelines for importing your car. My suggestion would be to look online for the actual rules if your State publishes them, and take a copy of the rules with you when you go to register your car. Chances are you're going to know more about it than the clerk (since they hardly, if ever, see stuff like this). Be patient with them. Be nice. Obsequious, even.

BTW, a little tip for anyone importing a car: The DMV may want to use the date on your Bill of Sale and start calculating fees based on that date. In some instances, due to the time it takes to actually buy a car overseas and have it shipped, you may be responsible for "late fees" before you even have the car. I've always argued (successfully) that the date I took possession of the car (i.e. the date I picked it up at the port) is when the clock should start ticking. No one at my DMV has had any problem with that, and I've never had to pay any "late fees". This won't apply for @mudgudgeon since it's already his car (i.e. he didn't just buy it), but most of us will be buying prior to import.

 

[StackOverflow]

Then go online and start ordering new parts: update the fenders and hood to the new style. New style headlights. New seats and seatbelts. Maybe buy a cool new diesel motor from Australia or Europe to put in there. Tear out the old leaf springs and put in coils from a newer model. Whatever you like. Sadly, that’s not legal strictly speaking, either. Many of those parts you’ve swapped onto the car won’t meet US FMVSS, and you lose the EPA exemption if you swap motors

I find it curious that no one has commented about this, at least I didn't found any, although I admit I haven't read everything, so if this has already been answered I'm sorry.

But basically, if any modification that is made to the car invalidates the 25 year exception, and all parts must be FMVSS certified, it is simply impossible to have a 100% legal imported car, because unless you only use NOS parts that are over 25 years old, or you have a car that was sold in the US like a supra or a nissan S-chassis, you are breaking the law, I doubt that the replacement parts will be FMVSS compliant and that without going into the merits of the modification, I think that most people who import a car have already modified or want to modify the car, especially when talking about a Land Cruiser.

How stupid is that? It's illegal to make my car safer and more efficient.

 

[gilmorneau]

But basically, if any modification that is made to the car invalidates the 25 year exception, and all parts must be FMVSS certified, it is simply impossible to have a 100% legal imported car, because unless you only use NOS parts that are over 25 years old...you are breaking the law, I doubt that the replacement parts will be FMVSS compliant and that without going into the merits of the modification, I think that most people who import a car have already modified or want to modify the car, especially when talking about a Land Cruiser.

This perhaps overstates the problem. It is not necessary to use NOS parts that are over 25 years old for the maintenance of your imported truck. Any direct replacement part, even of new manufacture, will do and not invalidate the 25 year exemption.

It's true that most people who own a Landcruiser are going to want to modify it at some point and to some degree. It's the "degree" where people can get into trouble. Wanna paint it a different color? New wheels and tires? The Feds aren't going to care. Bolt on an ARB bumper? I suspect ARB bumpers are DOT compliant (don't know that, but ARB aren't idiots and they probably have lawyers). But the 25 year exemption specifically says that your import has to have it's original (type) motor in unmodified condition, so if you see a car that was brought in on a 25 year exemption that has a replacement (imported) motor, it's not legal. Whether there are any consequences to that will depend on the flagrancy of the violation and a determination on the part of Federal authorities of any deterrent effect prosecution might have more broadly.

How stupid is that? It's illegal to make my car safer and more efficient.

Yup, pretty dumb.

 

[StackOverflow]

But the 25 year exemption specifically says that your import has to have it's original (type) motor in unmodified condition, so if you see a car that was brought in on a 25 year exemption that has a replacement (imported) motor, it's not legal.

How is the inspection when entering the country?
I ask this because I would like to import a HZJ75, that is slightly modified, the 1HZ engine was replaced by a 1HDT, the only visual difference between the two engines is the turbo, so if they don't check the engine number, I can put the intake and exhaust of a 1HZ and no one will know the difference, the problem is that the engine will not be functional.
In addition, the front leaf spring was replaced by coils, it is a little higher than factory and it also has an aluminium flatbed.
Would it be possible to enter the country?

 

[suzuguru]

How is the inspection when entering the country?
I ask this because I would like to import a HZJ75, that is slightly modified, the 1HZ engine was replaced by a 1HDT, the only visual difference between the two engines is the turbo, so if they don't check the engine number, I can put the intake and exhaust of a 1HZ and no one will know the difference, the problem is that the engine will not be functional.
In addition, the front leaf spring was replaced by coils, it is a little higher than factory and it also has an aluminium flatbed.
Would it be possible to enter the country?

My opinion is that it is not worth the risk. These inspectors know what to look for. The only variables are if you get an inspector that doesn't scrutinize everything, could be in a rush on the day yours goes through, etc... It's basically a gamble. The thing is, what happens if it gets pegged by the inspector? Then you'd be up the creek.

 

[gilmorneau]

How is the inspection when entering the country?

It varies. I've imported a dozen or so cars, all RoRo, and to various ports in the US, and never had any trouble with a Customs inspection. Some of the trucks I've imported had suspension or body modifications, but all had their original motors. OTOH, I have heard first hand reports of people bringing vehicles in containers who have had rigorous inspections, delays, and extra costs, so it can happen.

the 1HZ engine was replaced by a 1HDT

This would render the vehicle ineligible for the EPA import exemption which requires that the car have it's original unmodified motor. Whether the Customs inspector has the bandwidth to catch it is another question. Maybe, maybe not.

the front leaf spring was replaced by coils, it is a little higher than factory and it also has an aluminium flatbed.

Technically, the coil spring conversion should be USDOT approved. Unlikely that it is, but also unlikely that Customs would flag the import for that. They're not going to care about a flatbed.

Would it be possible to enter the country?

Maybe, but not legally. Customs might let it go, and they might flag it. You feel lucky?

 

[tlaporte]

Maybe, but not legally. Customs might let it go, and they might flag it. You feel lucky?

And even if you did get it in through Customs, that wouldn’t make it a legally imported vehicle, AFAIU.