importing a celsior?
04-10-07, 04:27 AM
#16
so whats the process of importing a car to hawaii?
i think i kinda sorta understand it. from what i think i read all you have to do is bring the car your importing into epa and dot requirements. i would think this would be easily done by switching out parts with an ls. therefore making the ls an easy car to import, not an impossible one as puredrifter had said earlier
please correct me if im wrong.
i feel dumb for contradicting puredrifter's answer
i think i kinda sorta understand it. from what i think i read all you have to do is bring the car your importing into epa and dot requirements. i would think this would be easily done by switching out parts with an ls. therefore making the ls an easy car to import, not an impossible one as puredrifter had said earlier
please correct me if im wrong.
i feel dumb for contradicting puredrifter's answer
titling/registering/insuring said vehicle is where everything gets caught up, and customs will literally rip your car to shreds if u lie when u import it (ie saying its for off-road only then get it registered somehow).
as far as i know the USA has NO 15 year law, this law is only active in the UK, Australia, and NZ. there is a provision which allows import of vehicles over 25years but it is on a case-by-case basis only.
on top of this if u do manage to get customs to let you try to import/certify the car, the DMV wont certify it, the EPA and DOT and NHTSA people will, and its not jst as easy as swapping parts, since these agencies wont know what is different/needed to swap until/unless you either have 3 vehicles crash tested OR the manufacturer writes you a letter.(which they wont for the obvious liability issues)
note, IF you own a dealership and are gifted with dealer plates, the world is your oyster
thats pretty much the only way you see Porsche 959's running around, they were never officially imported.
04-10-07, 09:50 AM
#17
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Australia has one of the toughest (Some call it silly.) importation rules (Restrictions & compliancing.). We can't import anything that's not on the SEVS (Special Enthusiasts Vehicle Scheme) list, which was introduced back in 2000, after car manufacturers (Mainly Holden, Ford, Toyota Australia & Mitsubishi Motors Australia.) were complaining (In other words, they wanted the auto industry to be protected.).
04-10-07, 12:56 PM
#18
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by the way, therte is a reason we have left-hand drive. originally, many americaln cars had right-hand drive, because there was more damger off the right edge of the road than therre was from oncoming traffic. when traffic increased, left-hand drive was mandated as the safety concerns centered around oncoming traffic. why would anyone want to drive right-handed in the USA?
04-10-07, 01:02 PM
#19
Super Moderator
by the way, therte is a reason we have left-hand drive. originally, many americaln cars had right-hand drive, because there was more damger off the right edge of the road than therre was from oncoming traffic. when traffic increased, left-hand drive was mandated as the safety concerns centered around oncoming traffic. why would anyone want to drive right-handed in the USA?
When I was in Jamaica last the other week, I noticed 95% JDM vehicle, but very few American LHD vehicles, even though Jamaica is a RHD country.
04-11-07, 08:31 PM
#21
Hello,
If you are interested in the process I can shed some light. Almost any car is able to be imported to the US with enough money and time. Cars on this list http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/...lig010807b.htm have already been tested, petitioned, and approved by the NHTSA. If the car you are interested in is on this list your Registered Importer (RI) can make the appropriate changes (such as emissions, headlights, bumpers, safety glass, tires) to make the car US road ready. Plan on starting at about $7,000 + vehicle cost and going north from that number.
Depending on how many of the specific type of vehicle you are brining to the country and other factors Independent Commercial Importers (ICI) also enter the picture. http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/icicert.htm
Basically pick a car on the list and pay to get it converted by an RI. Otherwise if your car isn't on the list be ready for a few years of wait time and substantial cost to successfully petition the NHTSA and crash test.
Some good reading from the NHTSA:
Under 49 U.S.C. § 30112(a), a person may not permanently import into the United States a motor vehicle manufactured after the date that an applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standard (FMVSS) takes effect unless the vehicle complies with the standard and is so certified by its original manufacturer. This prohibition applies to both new and used motor vehicles, but does not apply to motor vehicles that are at least 25 years old.
Under one of the exceptions to this prohibition, found in 49 U.S.C. § 30141, a motor vehicle that was not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable FMVSS can be lawfully imported into the United States, provided it is determined eligible for importation by NHTSA, and is imported by a registered importer, or by a person who has a contract with a registered importer to bring the vehicle into compliance with all applicable FMVSS following importation. Import eligibility decisions can be made either on the initiative of the Administrator or on the petition of a manufacturer or registered importer. One basis for determining a motor vehicle eligible for importation is that it 1) is substantially similar to a motor vehicle of the same model year that was manufactured for sale in the United States and certified by its manufacturer as complying with all applicable FMVSS and 2) is capable of being readily altered to comply with all applicable FMVSS. See 49 U.S.C. § 30141(a)(1)(A). Where there is no substantially similar U.S.-certified motor vehicle of the same model year, a vehicle can only be determined eligible for importation if its safety features comply with, or are capable of being altered to comply, with all applicable FMVSS based on destructive test information or other evidence NHTSA decides is adequate. See 49 U.S.C. § 30141(a)(1)(B).
Vehicles that have been determined eligible for importation are assigned a vehicle eligibility number. All eligibility numbers are for left-hand drive motor vehicles except where the initials “RHD,” signifying right-hand drive, appear in the model type column. While there is no specific restriction on importing a right-hand drive vehicle, these may not be imported under eligibility decisions based on the existence of substantially similar U.S.-certified left-hand drive vehicles. Our experience has shown that the safety performance of right-hand drive vehicles is not necessarily the same as that of apparently similar left-hand drive vehicles offered for sale in this country. However, we will consider the vehicles "substantially similar" if the manufacturer advises us that the right-hand drive vehicle would perform the same as the U.S.-certified left-hand drive vehicle in dynamic crash tests. Absent such a showing, the RI would have to demonstrate (through a petition) that the vehicle, when modified, would comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards, including those for which dynamic crash testing is prescribed.
If you are interested in the process I can shed some light. Almost any car is able to be imported to the US with enough money and time. Cars on this list http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/...lig010807b.htm have already been tested, petitioned, and approved by the NHTSA. If the car you are interested in is on this list your Registered Importer (RI) can make the appropriate changes (such as emissions, headlights, bumpers, safety glass, tires) to make the car US road ready. Plan on starting at about $7,000 + vehicle cost and going north from that number.
Depending on how many of the specific type of vehicle you are brining to the country and other factors Independent Commercial Importers (ICI) also enter the picture. http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/icicert.htm
Basically pick a car on the list and pay to get it converted by an RI. Otherwise if your car isn't on the list be ready for a few years of wait time and substantial cost to successfully petition the NHTSA and crash test.
Some good reading from the NHTSA:
Under 49 U.S.C. § 30112(a), a person may not permanently import into the United States a motor vehicle manufactured after the date that an applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standard (FMVSS) takes effect unless the vehicle complies with the standard and is so certified by its original manufacturer. This prohibition applies to both new and used motor vehicles, but does not apply to motor vehicles that are at least 25 years old.
Under one of the exceptions to this prohibition, found in 49 U.S.C. § 30141, a motor vehicle that was not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable FMVSS can be lawfully imported into the United States, provided it is determined eligible for importation by NHTSA, and is imported by a registered importer, or by a person who has a contract with a registered importer to bring the vehicle into compliance with all applicable FMVSS following importation. Import eligibility decisions can be made either on the initiative of the Administrator or on the petition of a manufacturer or registered importer. One basis for determining a motor vehicle eligible for importation is that it 1) is substantially similar to a motor vehicle of the same model year that was manufactured for sale in the United States and certified by its manufacturer as complying with all applicable FMVSS and 2) is capable of being readily altered to comply with all applicable FMVSS. See 49 U.S.C. § 30141(a)(1)(A). Where there is no substantially similar U.S.-certified motor vehicle of the same model year, a vehicle can only be determined eligible for importation if its safety features comply with, or are capable of being altered to comply, with all applicable FMVSS based on destructive test information or other evidence NHTSA decides is adequate. See 49 U.S.C. § 30141(a)(1)(B).
Vehicles that have been determined eligible for importation are assigned a vehicle eligibility number. All eligibility numbers are for left-hand drive motor vehicles except where the initials “RHD,” signifying right-hand drive, appear in the model type column. While there is no specific restriction on importing a right-hand drive vehicle, these may not be imported under eligibility decisions based on the existence of substantially similar U.S.-certified left-hand drive vehicles. Our experience has shown that the safety performance of right-hand drive vehicles is not necessarily the same as that of apparently similar left-hand drive vehicles offered for sale in this country. However, we will consider the vehicles "substantially similar" if the manufacturer advises us that the right-hand drive vehicle would perform the same as the U.S.-certified left-hand drive vehicle in dynamic crash tests. Absent such a showing, the RI would have to demonstrate (through a petition) that the vehicle, when modified, would comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards, including those for which dynamic crash testing is prescribed.
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