Importing FJ45s from Mexico. What's it take? (1 Viewer)

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Rainman

Wondering what my next vehicle will be...
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Nashville, Tennessee
I've searched the past few years worth of importing threads here with nothing covering my question.

Anyone here know exactly what it takes to bring in an over 25yr old Cruiser into this country from Mexico? Then possibly get it up to Nashville, TN. Any assistance or experiences shared would be most helpful.
 
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I've never imported a vehicle from another country, and I don't even live in your country but:

My understanding is vehicles not sold in the US need to be 25 years or older to import.
Is the LC you would like to import one that was sold in the US, complete with the same, unmodified chassis and engine?
 
FJ45s were sold in California in '65 and '66. All the 45s are almost exactly the same all the way up to '84. Only real changes were a slightly larger engine, seats, and a larger gas tank. "Similar" is ALL OVER these trucks. And every last one of them are over 25 years old.
 
So can I assume that by "over 12 years old" you mean 53 or 54 YO?

If so, it probably won't be a problem.
I believe that TN has fairly lax vehicle requirements.
Again, I'm just making a statement based on what I have read here on Mud.
 
That was a typo. (I tend to do that a lot.)

It's not the TN tax I'm worried about. It's the stinking 25% tax the US charges at the border. Cars are 2.5%. Trucks are at 25%. THAT'S INSANE!!
 
I also remember that from sometime in the sixties Toyotas weren't even sold in Mexico until not too long ago. Hear a story of a bunch of 45LVs being ordered and while on the ship headed to Mexico the order was cancelled. I also know during the sixties Mexico started requiring vehicles be made local like other countries were doing. Had to have a certain amount of domestically made parts. Not sure if this played into it. Regardless finding a later 45 in Mexico your looking for one from a market other than Mexico even If it is there. For LHD the Middle East is where I would be looking.
 
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That was a typo. (I tend to do that a lot.)

It's not the TN tax I'm worried about. It's the stinking 25% tax the US charges at the border. Cars are 2.5%. Trucks are at 25%. THAT'S INSANE!!


FJ45 pickups if imported is 2.5% duty tax, its not 25%. I have imprted more then a couple of the pickups and i paid 2.5%.
Good Luck.
 
FJ45 pickups if imported is 2.5% duty tax, its not 25%. I have imprted more then a couple of the pickups and i paid 2.5%.
Good Luck.
Really? Well, that's good news but why did my guy get told about the 25%?
 
Usually the 25% is applied to bigger pickups / commercial pickups. Not sure why he said 25%. Is he a broker or an agent? Don't be nervous, import the baby into the States.. So far, I have imported the FJ45s into California and they charged me 2.5%
 
Importing a LC100 1HD FTE from Honduras to the US (driving it up) is out of the question until the 25 years is up right? I mean, technically I can get it in the states, but couldn’t register it, right?
 
My 64 LV is suppose to be one of the ones ordered by Mexico, supposedly by the federales. I have no proof of that, it may have been Marv that told me that, he knew my LV.


I also remember that from sometime in the sixties Toyotas weren't even sold in Mexico until not too long ago. Hear a story of a bunch of 45LVs being ordered and while on the ship headed to Mexico the order was cancelled. I also know during the sixties Mexico started requiring vehicles be made local like other countries were doing. Had to have a certain amount of domestically made parts. Not sure if this played into it. Regardless finding a later 45 in Mexico your looking for one from a market other than Mexico even If it is there. For LHD the Middle East is where I would be looking.
 
Old thread revival, but pickups are 25%. The only way you are getting them in at 2.5% is that your broker is misdeclaring the classification. Our LV was also supposedly a federale LV. For some reason, there are a lot of them in Colorado. I tend to believe the story, as the people that have it to me (neighbors) weren’t Cruiser people per se, but they told me the story & had lived here/owned it, for ages back then. But who knows, to be honest. There is another LV up the road (used to be two up there), about 2 miles away, so this area is full of them!

important note when talking of country of origin on imports. Regardless of where you are buying an old cruiser from, it’s COO is Japan (Banderiantes & a few otherpeculiar scenarios withstanding)
 

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