Anyone want a Euro Spec Diesel Cruiser?

[Atwalz]

[The Bottom Line
If you are a California resident and acquire a new car, truck, or motorcycle from another state, it must be certified to meet California smog laws to be registered in California. This includes certain diesel-powered vehicles. DMV cannot accept an application to register a vehicle in California that does not qualify for registration (California Health and Safety Code §§43150 - 43156). ]

Above is language from CA DMV website. http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1...ntent_en/dmv/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffvr29

This is not going to work in California, unless certified in CA.

 

[bamachem]

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/07/17/land-rover-classics-seized-homeland-security/

Exactly. There's no way to import one unless it is imported as parts, and usually those are cut in half before arrival. A complete LC like that is certain to draw attention, and could/will likely be confiscated.

 

[stonepa]

Oh the power of the domestic auto industry.

 

[JamesC]

I have an import Land Cruiser diesel. Considering the process for +25yo imports that we've experienced and what the Rover guys have gone through I too would avoid this risk.

 

[OGBeno]

This is not going to work anywhere. This vehicle is illegal in the US.

 

[Hillhippy]

Dept. of Homeland Security? For real? Well thank God, I can tuck my children into bed peacefully tonight knowing those Rovers are off the highways. I can see refusing registration or having someone contact the owners for a chat, but cheese and crackers man! Meanwhile...who knows what grubby little eyes and hands are fondling our financial and personal records.

 

[Tripledave]

It's too bad the govt doesn't have better things to do.


Sent from my extremely unreliable mobile device using IH8MUD Forum

 

[Jurwin]

The euro-spec land cruiser can be had with either KDSS or AHC+AVS.
The earlier model year diesel models did not have crawl. It took toyota a few years to configure crawl control to work with the diesel engine. I think crawl became available for the diesel for model year 2010. Don't quote me on that though.

In europe you can also configure land cruiser without 3rd row seats from factory.

 

[stonepa]

Nice article on this very thing and Florida:

http://jalopnik.com/here-s-how-people-illegally-import-cars-to-the-united-s-1685247358

 

[bamachem]

20 years in prison and $250k fine...

http://jalopnik.com/how-an-imported-nissan-silvia-nearly-got-a-man-20-years-1684706334

 

[Hothonda]

Are there advantages/disadvantages to Land Cruiser's KDSS suspension vs Lexus X-AHC?

Still learning.........

THX

 

[mtnracer]

Great articles. Thanks for posting those. I had no idea I lived in the illegal car importers dream state. Ha!

Looks like we are again years away from owning a legal Diesel Cruiser.

 

[BulletHead]

A diplomat may import ANY vehicle and then sell after title received, right?

 

[kreiten]

that's a great article, I like his writing style!

 

[stonepa]

A diplomat may import ANY vehicle and then sell after title received, right?

Based on what I've been told by an acquaintance in the State Department, they can bring them in but they have to ship them out later. No different than someone who brings in a vehicle for a vacation. Not sure if it is the same for every country.

 

[lizardking100]

My proposal:

Safety Stds - Imported vehicles that do not comply with the NSTA/DOT standards for the year of mfg must be conspicuously placarded in the interior as are aircraft that are not certified e.g. "Experimental." For cars it would have to be something that adequately apprised the occupants of non-compliance/risk.

Emissions - Imported vehicles must comply with the emissions standards in the state/locality where they are registered. If there was an established legal market for importing I think you'd see a number of shops/importers get into the business of modifying non-compliant models.

Import Levy - I hate this, but for .gov's trouble they could also impose some levy/tax/tariff.
​

It won't happen despite it creating jobs, adding tax revenue, increasing liberty and perhaps only affecting 0.25% of vehicles on the road.

​

 

[stonepa]

Good luck getting the domestic automakers and their lobbyists to agree to that!

 

[hachirokufan]

Emissions - Imported vehicles must comply with the emissions standards in the state/locality where they are registered. If there was an established legal market for importing I think you'd see a number of shops/importers get into the business of modifying non-compliant models.

This is one thing I never understood. My 1986 corolla is a pretty bad polluter with a 1.6 carbd engine. I could easily swap a JDM 20 valve motor that is waaaaay more efficient and less of a polluter, but that won't fly because the motor wasn't sold in the US. Only modern option I have is a F20/F22 S2000 motor with the emissions in order to be able to smog and register. Goes to show that CARB doesn't really give 2 s#&%s about the environment

 

[MScruiser]

An F20 powered Corolla would be the bee's knees. It would drive like a bat out of hell.

 

[bjowett]

The 2TR Tacoma engine might be a good swap for an AE86, if you can get past the electronics.