Information Re: Importing to the USA and Complete DIY How-To (8 Viewers)

[sentient schmoo]

@mudgudgeon have you seen this thread yet?

 

[takern]

Are there any issues with getting a JDM 70 series in with significant suspension modification and a body lift? I want to redo the suspension when I get back and get rid of the body lift but I really don’t want to have to buy all the parts to bring it back to stock only to have to pull them off and buy what I actually want in a year.

 

[REDrum]

my question is this: What documents do i need to register in my name in the states? is it just the military system “title” or do i need to translate the Belgium documents (even though they aren’t in my name)?

Simplistically, there are 4 separate elements to importing a vehicle into US and getting it nationalized for street use. No idea if being active military status provide any special benefit to importing a vehicle that you used for personal use while out of the country for # 1 and 2 below.

1) Working with a shipper: Could be military transport or 99% of the time a private shipper. (I did have some buddies years ago who brought back some trucks from Okinawa to San Diago on the ship, no idea how) Since I know nothing about shipping via military, I will advise that you work with a customs broker at both ends if you have never done before.
2) Complying with NHTSA and EPA laws: How will you be declaring the vehicle will be compliant to enter the US, which eligibility box will you be checking off on the HS7 form? Are you certain the engine is compliant with EPA?
3) Clearing CBP: This is to insure the vehicle is compliant with the box you checked off on the HS7 and may or may not including intrusive inspection of the vehicle and/or VIN verification.
4) Registering "fresh off the boat" vehicle in US for road use: This varies slightly state to state, but generally you'll need most of these documents: bill of sale (or title if your name already), cleared Bill of Lading sheet, Cleared ("authorized") Entry Delivery form CBP 3461, registration and title from previous country and fully certified translation of both them. (this can be major PITA to find a place that doesnt charge up to $1,000 for this service)

Bring all the to RMV and be patient, very patient.... If all goes well you'll get a registration and plates.

 

[gilmorneau]

Are there any issues with getting a JDM 70 series in with significant suspension modification and a body lift?

Depends on what you mean by "significant", I guess. If you're talking monster truck kind of stuff, then maybe, but if you just mean a lift kit typical for a 4WD enthusiast, no, I wouldn't expect that to be a problem. I've imported several cars with up to maybe 4" lifts and oversize tires and no one cared. Like, at all.

The big thing about not importing modified vehicles pertains mostly to the motor and emissions equipment, and is an EPA rule.

registration and title from previous country and fully certified translation of both them. (this can be major PITA to find a place that doesn't charge up to $1,000 for this service)

In some states it isn't necessary to get a certified translation of the foreign documents. Here in Colorado they specify that "anyone with knowledge of the language" can translate the documents, if you're willing to sign a statement verifying the accuracy of the translation. I've always just used Google Translate and some common sense.

saw that some guys on this thread were shipping through the military, but never saw anyone close the loop on the process.

Maybe try PM'ing those guys to see how it went?

What documents do i need to register in my name in the states?

Depends on your state. Some states publish the requirements--you might try a Google search for "registering a gray market imported car in (insert your state here)". In Colorado where I live, they tell you exactly what to bring to the DMV. If you just take everything, and a lot of patience, you'll get it done.

 

[takern]

Depends on what you mean by "significant", I guess. If you're talking monster truck kind of stuff, then maybe, but if you just mean a lift kit typical for a 4WD enthusiast, no, I wouldn't expect that to be a problem. I've imported several cars with up to maybe 4" lifts and oversize tires and no one cared. Like, at all.

Thanks! Got basically the same directly from the import POC in Japan.

 

[REDrum]

Are there any issues with getting a JDM 70 series in with significant suspension modification and a body lift? I want to redo the suspension when I get back and get rid of the body lift but I really don’t want to have to buy all the parts to bring it back to stock only to have to pull them off and buy what I actually want in a year.

Could depend a lot on which compliance box you are checking on the CBP HS7 Declaration form. If Box #1, body modifications could be a yellow flag. Non OEM engine swaps are pretty much a red flag. CBP inspectors are not stupid and it's their job to only allow eligible vehicles into the country. Not all containers are inspected but if yours is tapped for intrusive inspection they will focus on ineligibility, so be prudent with what you ship.

 

[takern]

Could depend a lot on which compliance box you are checking on the CBP HS7 Declaration form. If Box #1, body modifications could be a yellow flag. Non OEM engine swaps are pretty much a red flag. CBP inspectors are not stupid and it's their job to only allow eligible vehicles into the country. Not all containers are inspected but if yours is tapped for intrusive inspection they will focus on ineligibility, so be prudent with what you ship.

It’s really just extended shackles and a~2.5” body lift. Maybe lift springs? Still trying to figure it out since there aren’t any real markings. It just looks massive compared to the other local cruisers being on 35s. Maybe I’m just being self conscious about it.

 

[Yotaburbuja]

WHERE TO FIND CARS (and what you might find)

Below are the places most people are going to source a Landcruiser to import, with my observations about what you might find in each place. Take my comments as one man’s opinion—others may disagree.

BTW, you should probably be prepared to compromise. That is, you’re not likely to find exactly the car you’re looking for—model, year, equipment, motor, color, etc. Remember you’re looking at 25+ year-old used cars that weren’t sold in large numbers to begin with in many markets, and not all options were available everywhere. In the case of Landcruisers, they were usually sold and used as work trucks, and many have suffered the ravages of time. Be prepared to sift through a lot of cars to find the nice ones.

Europe: This is where I’ve sourced all my imports. I like the fact that they’re all left hand drive (like here in the US), and most European countries have some sort of annual inspection as a requirement for registration to ensure that cars are roadworthy and at least minimally maintained. OTOH, there are many areas of Europe where rust can be a problem on old cars (worse as you go north), so know your tolerance for it and inspect any potential purchases closely. Some cars in Europe are sold “for export”, which usually means they won’t pass inspection and the seller anticipates they’ll end up in Africa where rules are more lax. Some of these export cars can be pretty bad, so caveat emptor. Also noteworthy is that air conditioning was a rare option on some models in Europe 25+ years ago.

Here are some European websites with “for sale” listings:

AutoScout24 Europe's car market for new and used cars - https://www.autoscout24.com/ Europe-wide

https://www.mobile.de/?lang=en Germany

https://www.leboncoin.fr/ France

Subito.it - https://www.subito.it/annunci-italia/vendita/auto/ Italy

MILANUNCIOS | Coches de segunda mano y ocasión - https://www.milanuncios.com/coches-de-segunda-mano/ Spain

② Tweedehands & nieuwe auto's kopen en verkopen | 2dehands - https://www.2dehands.be/c/auto-s/c91.html Belgium

Japan: I briefly flirted with buying and importing from Japan, but ultimately decided I wanted LHD. Virtually all cars sourced in Japan are RHD, which might not bother you, and if not, read on. As far as I know, all used cars in Japan are sold via auction, that is, you would never buy a used car directly from a private party seller there. To find cars, you can go to an auction site like this one:

Japanese car auction. Used Cars from Japan. Car auctions online. Vehicles, Bikes, Parts - https://auc.japancardirect.com/

Some sites require a subscription to gain full access to all the details or to bid on cars.

You’ll find a ton of useful and detailed information on the process of importing from Japan here:

DIY GUIDE TO IMPORTING A 25 YEAR+ OLD FOREIGN VEHICLE INTO THE U.S. - https://wittymelon.wordpress.com/portfolio/importing-vehicles-into-the-u-s/

Japan is a small country, so you can frequently find vehicles with relatively low mileage and in remarkably good condition for their age. First class parts and service availability means many cars have been very well maintained. But Japan is also an island, so some cars have lived near the sea and been exposed to salt air and lots of moisture. Rust can be an issue depending on where a car is located and how it was cared for. Not all models are available in Japan, but then some other models are Japan market only.

Australia: Again, pretty much exclusively RHD, but there are heaps of Landcruisers in Australia. You almost can’t step out of your house there without bumping into one.

You’ll find “for sale” listings here:

Gumtree Australia - https://www.gumtree.com.au/cars

https://www.carsales.com.au/

Most of the population centers in Australia are on a coast, and Australians love to drive their trucks on the beach where saltwater can cause problems with corrosion. Australia is also vast, so oftentimes trucks will have very high km’s and commensurate wear. On the other hand, some Australians love their trucks and maintain them religiously. There’s a well established supply chain for parts and service there, so it’s less likely you’ll find the bodged, improvised repairs that are common in developing countries. There’s so many Landcruisers there, you can find one in just about any condition and configuration.

South/Central America: I don’t have any direct experience importing from South or Central America because I’ve always been wary of the quality of the inventory, but there are people on IH8MUD who’ve imported or owned such vehicles, so perhaps they’ll comment. I will say that I’ve seen a lot of fresh paint and new interiors over who-knows-what on cars that might look good from a distance, but warrant closer inspection, to put it politely. A lot of these cars seem to end up in Florida, then on eBay, Bring a Trailer, and elsewhere. Not to say it’s impossible to find a car in good shape there, only that it’s wise to look closely before you buy (which, come to think of it, I suppose is true anywhere).

Africa & The Middle East: I know there are guys on here who’ve brought trucks in from the Middle East. Mostly guys who served in the military or who work and live there. Maybe they’ll see this and add some information. Older trucks from the Middle East tend to be used as work vehicles in a harsh environment and with sometimes limited resources available, so expect to find wear and tear and maybe some imaginative repairs. Not too much trouble with rust (though it is possible). Sometimes they’ll come with air conditioning but no heat, so there’s that.

Here is my 80 series Originally from Venezuela now in Colombia, maybe coming to the states eventually. I can attest to the fact that the exterior paint and interior looked MINT. I bought it then ripped the interior out afterwards. Learned a bit of a lesson, make sure you see under the carpet unless you want to fill every crevice of your body with rust dust like me here removing it all. I believe the grade of metal used is perhaps different on these 80 series but overall I love this truck, definitely a learning experience. I hope I can help a few of you negotiate a better price if you take a similar route. Happy to Answer any questions or inspect in person for you as I spend a lot of time here in Colombia.

 

[mudgudgeon]

is a Bill of Sale essential?

I am planning to import my Landcruiser from Australia to USA. I have owned it 6 or 7 years and have no bill of sale from the purchase.

Registration papers identify me as the owner (same as title). On purchasing a vehicle in Australia rego papers are typically used to record the detaisl of the sale. Price, purchaser & seller details. Once registration is transferred, there is no need for annotated rego papers

I have no contact details for the previous owner, only contact I option I have is to go back to the POs business location an d hop e they are still there.

 

[bpeeps00]

is a Bill of Sale essential?

I am planning to import my Landcruiser from Australia to USA. I have owned it 6 or 7 years and have no bill of sale from the purchase.

Registration papers identify me as the owner (same as title). On purchasing a vehicle in Australia rego papers are typically used to record the detaisl of the sale. Price, purchaser & seller details. Once registration is transferred, there is no need for annotated rego papers

I have no contact details for the previous owner, only contact I option I have is to go back to the POs business location an d hop e they are still there.

It was for me. It was one of the required documents I needed to register the vehicle. At least in my state..

 

[suzuguru]

is a Bill of Sale essential?

I am planning to import my Landcruiser from Australia to USA. I have owned it 6 or 7 years and have no bill of sale from the purchase.

Registration papers identify me as the owner (same as title). On purchasing a vehicle in Australia rego papers are typically used to record the detaisl of the sale. Price, purchaser & seller details. Once registration is transferred, there is no need for annotated rego papers

I have no contact details for the previous owner, only contact I option I have is to go back to the POs business location an d hop e they are still there.

In my state, they don't require a bill of sale. However, if there's a possibility that they question your purchase price, a bill of sale settles that on the spot. One can find a generically formatted bill of sale on-line and print it off. They don't pay much attention to it, if you know what I mean.

 

[shanko]

is a Bill of Sale essential?

I am planning to import my Landcruiser from Australia to USA. I have owned it 6 or 7 years and have no bill of sale from the purchase.

Registration papers identify me as the owner (same as title). On purchasing a vehicle in Australia rego papers are typically used to record the detaisl of the sale. Price, purchaser & seller details. Once registration is transferred, there is no need for annotated rego papers

I have no contact details for the previous owner, only contact I option I have is to go back to the POs business location an d hop e they are still there.

In my experience (Texas and NM registrations), the bill of sales is needed by the state office to register the title; they use the sales dollar amount to set the sales tax you pay to register the vehicle. This likely is very state and venue (county) specific, and so may vary depending on where you are registering the vehicle.

Also, the bill of sales I have used in the past range from somewhat official-looking to downright handmade. You do not need anything high-end. In fact, you can just open up MS Word or some other software and create your own bill of sale. Just include the buyer's and seller's name, all the specifics of the vehicle (year, model, color, type, mileage, etc.), date of sale, and then list the sales price. That is all you need. There is no set standard (at least in Texas) for how the bill of sale should look. I have done this many times without any issues, with Japanese, Aussie, and Euro imported vehicles. All successfully registered.

Just do a Google search on "vehicle bill of sale template"

 

[JapanO80s]

is a Bill of Sale essential?

I am planning to import my Landcruiser from Australia to USA. I have owned it 6 or 7 years and have no bill of sale from the purchase.

Registration papers identify me as the owner (same as title). On purchasing a vehicle in Australia rego papers are typically used to record the detaisl of the sale. Price, purchaser & seller details. Once registration is transferred, there is no need for annotated rego papers

I have no contact details for the previous owner, only contact I option I have is to go back to the POs business location an d hop e they are still there.

I brought my 80 from Japan after having it there for almost 5 years. The bill of sale wasn't required for Oklahoma, but I included it. However the Bill of Sale said a price of zero since it was mine to begin with. I got the exporter from Japan to issue a bill of sale for me. Might be worth a try for you?

I am guessing it is highly dependent on state, and that buried somewhere in your state DMV regulations pdf you can find exactly what is needed. Good luck!!!

 

[gilmorneau]

is a Bill of Sale essential?

A Bill of Sale serves two functions: First, it establishes ownership. When you first purchase a car, it's the only thing showing that the car actually belongs to you. And, Second, a Bill of Sale establishes the value of the car for tax purposes. The US Federal government will collect duty (import tax) and the State government where the car is registered will collect their taxes based off the value listed on the Bill of Sale.

That said, a Bill of Sale is not the only option. Since the car is already yours (i.e. registered in your name), a Bill of Sale is not necessary for US Customs. You may be asked to declare a value for the car, or Customs might assign a value (based on published data). If you're asked to declare the value, it's of course in your interest to declare a lower value (to save on taxes), but it should be a number you can justify with comparable sales or other documentation if asked to do so.

A Bill of Sale should not be necessary in the US state where you choose to register it, again assuming that the car is already yours, just as no Bill of Sale would be required if I move from Colorado to Wyoming and take my car with me. My Colorado registration proves the car is mine, and Wyoming no doubt has access to publications with car valuations that it can use for determining taxes.

So, short answer, no, in your case a Bill of Sale is not necessary.

Are you planning to import the car permanently to the US? Or are you bringing it here for personal use for a limited time? The rules are different for those two cases. Just curious.

 

[mudgudgeon]

A Bill of Sale serves two functions: First, it establishes ownership. When you first purchase a car, it's the only thing showing that the car actually belongs to you. And, Second, a Bill of Sale establishes the value of the car for tax purposes. The US Federal government will collect duty (import tax) and the State government where the car is registered will collect their taxes based off the value listed on the Bill of Sale.

That said, a Bill of Sale is not the only option. Since the car is already yours (i.e. registered in your name), a Bill of Sale is not necessary for US Customs. You may be asked to declare a value for the car, or Customs might assign a value (based on published data). If you're asked to declare the value, it's of course in your interest to declare a lower value (to save on taxes), but it should be a number you can justify with comparable sales or other documentation if asked to do so.

A Bill of Sale should not be necessary in the US state where you choose to register it, again assuming that the car is already yours, just as no Bill of Sale would be required if I move from Colorado to Wyoming and take my car with me. My Colorado registration proves the car is mine, and Wyoming no doubt has access to publications with car valuations that it can use for determining taxes.

So, short answer, no, in your case a Bill of Sale is not necessary.

Are you planning to import the car permanently to the US? Or are you bringing it here for personal use for a limited time? The rules are different for those two cases. Just curious.

Thanks, that was pretty much my thoughts. Just unsure how rigid the requiremts are.

Car will be imported permanently.

 

[mudgudgeon]

In my experience (Texas and NM registrations), the bill of sales is needed by the state office to register the title; they use the sales dollar amount to set the sales tax you pay to register the vehicle. This likely is very state and venue (county) specific, and so may vary depending on where you are registering the vehicle.

Also, the bill of sales I have used in the past range from somewhat official-looking to downright handmade. You do not need anything high-end. In fact, you can just open up MS Word or some other software and create your own bill of sale. Just include the buyer's and seller's name, all the specifics of the vehicle (year, model, color, type, mileage, etc.), date of sale, and then list the sales price. That is all you need. There is no set standard (at least in Texas) for how the bill of sale should look. I have done this many times without any issues, with Japanese, Aussie, and Euro imported vehicles. All successfully registered.

Just do a Google search on "vehicle bill of sale template"

Thanks. I did this last night. Might just go with this.

 

[mudgudgeon]

Thanks for all the responses guys

 

[shanko]

Thanks for all the responses guys

Let us know how it turns out once all is settled.
Cheers,
Sean

 

[mudgudgeon]

The broker I'm going with has come back and said feed back from US Customs brokers is that I cannot import a spare engine for a 93 cruiser.
25/15 year EPA exemption is no longer valid for an engine, valid only for a vehicle.
Unless the engine was built as emissions compliant for the US market ( which it isn't).

Anyone know if this is correct? Is it worth pursuing a way to bring in the engine?

I'm leaning towards "it's not worth the trouble" at this point.

The engine I have is the original engine from my vehicle. It needs a rebuild, and some major parts anyway.

How do people go about bringing in diesel engines for conversing etc?

 

[Shyrock]

The broker I'm going with has come back and said feed back from US Customs brokers is that I cannot import a spare engine for a 93 cruiser.
25/15 year EPA exemption is no longer valid for an engine, valid only for a vehicle.
Unless the engine was built as emissions compliant for the US market ( which it isn't).

Anyone know if this is correct? Is it worth pursuing a way to bring in the engine?

I'm leaning towards "it's not worth the trouble" at this point.

The engine I have is the original engine from my vehicle. It needs a rebuild, and some major parts anyway.

How do people go about bringing in diesel engines for conversing etc?

there is a guy here on MUD that sells engines and ships from England I believe. So there is a method to ship engines to the US. I'll try to locate a post and reply with a link.
From some reason in the back of my mind you may be coming to North Carolina? We have had 3 imports and were never asked for a bill of sale when registering.