wow looks nice.

all I can say is that I WANT

does it come with the M20?

 

Yeah it does. I've been dreaming about one of these for a while so I really hope it works out.

 

Thats sweet. I love the sound of a nicely warmed over M20. My roommate has one and I'm patiently waiting the day we put an exhaust on it. Its getting turboed soon

I'd love to learn more about these touring editions. Hope you post it up on here a little. I definitely want one someday.

 

*ahem*
buy a ratty 325e sedan
drive over border
flip VIN plates on dash
drive home...
?????
pray you don't total it.

 

Wow! That's awesome, and from the sounds of it, rare. How much are you paying?

 

It's costing me $3500 shipped and with all documentation and duties. I've been doing some research and it appears to be on the EPA and NHTSA lists as being importable with little hassle. I'll have to figure out what all is needed to meet U.S. safety regs. but it shouldn't be much.

 

Bringing these cars into Canada is a lot easier than the US but its still not that bad.

I believe you'll need to change the bumpers on that one but that should be all it will need besides emmisions.

Bringing it into Canada all you need is an OPI or out of Province inspection which costs about $100 and a $100 A/C tax plus GST.

I've brought several cars into Canada and its a piece of cake....my Porsche came from Japan and after all was said and done I was into it for just under $4000.
My 20020V needed a lot of brake work to pass the opi but still was a bargain.

Just a heads up....US border services requires 72hr notice of a vehicle import or export with copies of all the documentation or they will charge you an extra $500.
They aren't the most congenial folks and chances of them waiving the charge are slim.

 

It's costing me $3500 shipped and with all documentation and duties. I've been doing some research and it appears to be on the EPA and NHTSA lists as being importable with little hassle. I'll have to figure out what all is needed to meet U.S. safety regs. but it shouldn't be much.

If you have a letter of conformance from BMW stating the vehicle meets US standards then your gold just pay your taxes and your in like Flint.

However if there is no letter, and there is no evidence that the vehicle meets US specs the vehicle must be certified by a registered importer, you as an individual cannot do anything to certify the vehicle. Registered importers typically want several thousand dollars per vehicle to certify, making it prohibitively expensive for all but the most expensive super car.

That vehicle is non conforming but eligible for import. The registered importer will have to document that the car you are importing has the same safety features as the US vehicle by taking pictures of the door beams, bumper shock, provide EPA emission testing, purchase "Recall insurance" take pictures of the airbags etc.

If you do your research you will find that it will likely be 2-3 times the cost of the car to have it legally imported.

Refer to these websites for more specifics:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/clear ... obiles.xml
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/basic_ ... ng_car.xml
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CARS/RULES/IMPORT/
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CARS/RULES/IMP ... 060109.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/factmtop.htm

There is a big myth that all Canadian cars are eligible for import to the USA. So people seem to think if you go from Europe to Canada to the USA you can legally import a non conforming vehicle, which is a very costly assumption many people make. Any vehicle regardless of origin must meet USA specs, or it cannot be legally imported.

There are also border crossing restrictions, I don't know the specifics but an American cannot drive a Canadian registered vehicle into the USA, and vice versa. It's better to have the Canadian deliver the vehicle into the USA.

Bringing these cars into Canada is a lot easier than the US but its still not that bad.

There is a very big difference importing a car into Canada and importing one to the USA. IE you cannot do it yourself.

 

Can you import a car, even one on the "not allowed" list, if it is to be a track only car (ie, never registered or driven on the street)?

 

Can you import a car, even one on the "not allowed" list, if it is to be a track only car (ie, never registered or driven on the street)?

No, now if you can get it past customs somehow and it will never be registered you can do it, however getting it past customs is the nugget.

 

Scott,
In terms of importing, you're better off buying a foreign car, stripping the desired parts off it, and bringing them over and putting on a domestically registered car. Correct?

Not that I have any money, but I'm drooling over a 180 hp 2.5 TDi A6 w/ 6 speed. I would want to purchase the car, have it stripped, then shipped over here to put on an A6 I would already own.

How closely does customs look at stuff? If you imported engine/drivetrain, wheels, bumpers, and lights, would they look more closely than if you imported just an engine?

Eric

 

It's certainly less costly to convert, however technically the engine/trans combo needs to be certified per EPA.

Importing whole engines is also a no no unless the engine has a certificate of conformity with the EPA, which no European engine has, and VW won't even release the certificates for certified engines, without an act of congress.

Customs can look at anything and eveything. I've been questioned about bumpers, headlamps, engines, transmissions, cylinder heads, whole cars etc... Just have documentation ready and have a customs attorney on speed dial.

 

Not looking to any time in the near future. If anything, I'll let you take care of it!

Eric

 

Scott how do all the JDM engine importers do it from Japan? Is there something different in that case? I put an engine in my wife's CRX that wasn't ever on the US CRX. Did the importer have to jump through hoops or does that entire industry work in a gray area?