What are the rules on bringing in a diesel import into the USA? (3 Viewers)

[CruiserFan88]

Because the Fords meet the regs and the illegal foreign diesels don't. I'm not saying that makes sense; but it is what it is.

That's a misrepresentation. They get crushed because they're illegally imported. The rules may be stupid, but it's what we're stuck with until someone works to get the rules changed.

So would it be correct to say that US diesel emissions standards are higher than any other foreign manufacturers? And lets talk newer cars, as in no more than 5 years old. I can understand the older model years and bringing them in illegally, but the Ford Ranger in Europe has a diesel but they wont offer it here, for example.

 

[hickuptruck]

interestingly there is a rare and important vehicle exemption that allows you to import a vehicle less than 25yo into the US. There are limits on how much you can drive it but with how few LC there are in the US, you might be able to sneak one in?

Show and display? Those are for hypercars that are one off etc.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

So would it be correct to say that US diesel emissions standards are higher than any other foreign manufacturers? And lets talk newer cars, as in no more than 5 years old. I can understand the older model years and bringing them in illegally, but the Ford Ranger in Europe has a diesel but they wont offer it here, for example.

Higher capacity trucks have an exemption from auto emissions (I think it's 10k GVW). Foreign diesel trucks don't import because of the 25% chicken tax.

Edit: This is a purely academic discussion as the rules are clear. It's not about what's fair or should be, unfortunately.

 

[spazzyfry123]

Show and display? Those are for hypercars that are one off etc.

Limited to 2500 miles a year as well. You’d have to bring a good case to even get it accepted. “Because it burns oil” isn’t going to get it on that list.

 

[Wafflroo]

Show and display? Those are for hypercars that are one off etc.

I believe the way it’s worded is historical or technological significance. Not necessarily super/hyper cars.

 

[greynolds]

So would it be correct to say that US diesel emissions standards are higher than any other foreign manufacturers? And lets talk newer cars, as in no more than 5 years old. I can understand the older model years and bringing them in illegally, but the Ford Ranger in Europe has a diesel but they wont offer it here, for example.

The rules really have nothing to do with US emissions standards vs other countries. It's really just an arbitrary 25 years. Period.

Diesel emission rules in some other countries are probably just as strict as the US. But if you had to prove a car met the US specs for safety and emissions, you would have to spend a boat load of money getting the car tested for emissions, submitting crash test samples, and so on. But none of this matters as long as that 25 year rule exists.

 

[Wafflroo]

Probably be cheaper to import the 4.5l diesel found in other markets 200’s and swap it into a U.S. 200. Might be just as illegal as having the whole vehicle I don’t actually know.

 

[spazzyfry123]

For what it’s worth, there’s an entire section dedicated to importation. Lots of good reads there on ins and outs.

Importing

Information related to the importation of JDM and other rare vehicles.

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[CruiserFan88]

Higher capacity trucks have an exemption from auto emissions (I think it's 10k GVW). Foreign diesel trucks don't import because of the 25% chicken tax.

Edit: This is a purely academic discussion as the rules are clear. It's not about what's fair or should be, unfortunately.

I gotcha...its unfortunate...I beat the brakes of a diesel Dacia Duster 4x4 for a month this past June and for how cheap they are I would consider buying one if they offered here, just for a toy. AND it burnt no petrol for 1500 ccs.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Probably be cheaper to import the 4.5l diesel found in other markets 200’s and swap it into a U.S. 200. Might be just as illegal as having the whole vehicle I don’t actually know.

Yes, actually it is just as illegal. But people do it.

 

[greynolds]

Probably be cheaper to import the 4.5l diesel found in other markets 200’s and swap it into a U.S. 200. Might be just as illegal as having the whole vehicle I don’t actually know.

Diesel swaps have been common for years, especially in Land Rovers (quite a few people put diesels into first gen Discoverys). AFAIK, there's nothing preventing you from buying a brand new 2021 Land Cruiser (other than dealers not having any in stock...), buying a Toyota diesel engine, and doing the swap. Other than the funds needed to buy everything and do all the work, of course.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Diesel swaps have been common for years, especially in Land Rovers (quite a few people put diesels into first gen Discoverys). AFAIK, there's nothing preventing you from buying a brand new 2021 Land Cruiser (other than dealers not having any in stock...), buying a Toyota diesel engine, and doing the swap. Other than the funds needed to buy everything and do all the work, of course.

Nothing except it is illegal. But I doubt you would ever get caught unless you moved to an area that did emissions testing.

 

[greynolds]

Yes, actually it is just as illegal. But people do it.

This is the first time I recall hearing that engine swaps would be illegal. Or is it just swapping to an engine that isn't otherwise available in the US? But even then, that's something that has happened a LOT over the years.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

This is the first time I recall hearing that engine swaps would be illegal. Or is it just swapping to an engine that isn't otherwise available in the US? But even then, that's something that has happened a LOT over the years.

This is a great thread to read: Information Re: Importing to the USA - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/information-re-importing-to-the-usa.1242055/

Let me help with an excerpt from post #3:

The EPA wants to be sure that either: the car meets all relevant US Federal emissions requirements in effect as of its manufacture date, or, as above, is exempt from them. Again, lucky for us, the EPA grants an exemption for cars over 21 years old. It’s not a blanket exemption, however. The EPA requires vehicles to be in “original unmodified configuration” to receive the exemption.

Edit: The thread is about importing but it's equally about modifying an existing car.

 

[greynolds]

This is a great thread to read: Information Re: Importing to the USA - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/information-re-importing-to-the-usa.1242055/

Let me help with an excerpt from post #3:

The EPA wants to be sure that either: the car meets all relevant US Federal emissions requirements in effect as of its manufacture date, or, as above, is exempt from them. Again, lucky for us, the EPA grants an exemption for cars over 21 years old. It’s not a blanket exemption, however. The EPA requires vehicles to be in “original unmodified configuration” to receive the exemption.

Edit: The thread is about importing but it's equally about modifying an existing car.

Yeah, I just spent a few minutes on Google on the subject. It sounds like there are a LOT of cars out there with illegal engine swaps. LS1 engine swaps seem to be extremely popular into all sorts of vehicles and those couldn't possibly meet the rules in most cases.

 

[Fisher23]

Those LS1 engine swaps need to include ALL the LS1 engine emission controls. There are lots of LS1 engine swaps in Cali, and they get emission tested.

I saw 1 company had purchased a "new" defender pickup diesel out of Colorado for some business reason and was selling it "and the purchaser" had to remove it from the country within so many days.

 

[greynolds]

Those LS1 engine swaps need to include ALL the LS1 engine emission controls. There are lots of LS1 engine swaps in Cali, and they get emission tested.

I saw 1 company had purchased a "new" defender pickup diesel out of Colorado for some business reason and was selling it "and the purchaser" had to remove it from the country within so many days.

Most of the LS1 engine swaps can't possibly meet the “original unmodified configuration” requirement. There's no way a Mustang would have had an LS1 in an original factory configuration, for example. And yes, many of the LS1 swaps that are out there get emission tested, not only in California.

 

[Lester did that]

Hire a broker. It cost's a ton of money. They will do all the research and tell you anything wild you need to do to get it here. And they will take financial responsibility if your vehicle is confiscated. Again it costs a ton of money just to get them started before they even ship anything. So much money that it's going to push the price up way past what ever any similar make and model is selling for in the States. That's the loop hole. That's the "exotic" part of the import law. Pay to play.

You can buy a greencard as well. Just open a company and hire x amount of employees, put a lot of money down as a guarantee and you get a greencard. That is very simplified but it works as well.

 

[Fisher23]

Most of the LS1 engine swaps can't possibly meet the “original unmodified configuration” requirement. There's no way a Mustang would have had an LS1 in an original factory configuration, for example. And yes, many of the LS1 swaps that are out there get emission tested, not only in California.

Well.. my original post was about bringing in an overseas diesel. I figured someone had already looked into it. I do see some shops bringing in the old defenders and I was wondering the rules.

As for putting an LS1 in a Mustang you can legally do it in California and meet emissions. The rules are the engine needed to be newer than the current vehicle, and you had to have ALL the emissions parts; and they needed to be working on the new engine, and you had to pass the emissions test with the DMV matching the newer engine rules. but NO you cannot put a diesel in it, unless it had a diesel in it originally.

You can legally do the LS1 swap, at least in California which seems to be one of the most strict states on emissions..

Anyways ... I've seen some people bringing in Land Cruiser 70 pickup trucks in and they looked like diesels.

PLUS a few places got a whole bunch of nice new white ones...

 

[Fisher23]

This one sells for $61,000, but I'm not sure if you can get it in Left hand drive.