importing cars

[Samurai_Blue]

I think they recently went on a spree of impounding Skylines... and if its illegally imported in a lot of places they just straight crush it... lotta money down the drain

Those were the KAIZO kit cars, i belive the government gave the owners 60 days to crush the car or surrender it. i think they did something illegal when importing them.

 

[Coney]

oh really?
Then maybe those cars are some of these
(This summer)

R32

R33

JDM Supra

They were in the section of the Auction lot we weren't allowed to drive or get in

 

[Samurai_Blue]

I belive kaizo had a red one and the blue R34 from Fast and Furious 4 impounded because the chassis wasnt re manufactured to meet US DOT regulations. those may be other cars from other customers.

 

[Coney]

either way i was stunned when i saw them there they stood out so bad haha. the rest of the lot was full of tauruses accords etc

 

[db1love]

ok well the part about it bien illeagle is bs cuz it is possible,
the car i want is a toyota chaser jzx100 1jz, i can get the car for about 180,000 yen an ship for about 150,000 yen which brakes down to roughly 4000 usd, so cost not worried, and the dood that first replied let me know what you boy says

 

[Merlins Beard]

it is legal to import cars, as long as you do paperwork and pay fees it is legal. people have imported escort cosworths (not sold in us) form the uk and germany, but those are european cars, i dont know about any cars from japan though

 

[JDMb20DC2]

took this from Honda Tech,
importing grey market vehicles

First, I would like to start off by saying I do not own an RHD Honda R or any grey market vehicle for that matter. But I’m pretty damn sure I know more about their legality than anyone on this site. I have spent the last 5 years researching importing grey market vehicles and how it has to be done to make a one legal.

The first thing people always want to know is how people register a GMV. Almost ALL grey market vehicle owners (or the company that imported the chassis) paid someone at the DMV (someone who knew somebody who know somebody) a couple thousand (under the table) so they would write them a US title using the original 10 digit Japanese serial number. This is ILLEGAL. GMVs (grey market vehicles) must go through a rigorous process. Just because your CTR or ITR is STATE titled and STATE registered doesn’t make it legal. Most state DMV workers do not know the ins and outs of GMV FEDERAL requirements. (Federal meaning ALL 50 US states HAVE TO COMPLY)

First, a GMV must be imported for the purpose of being driven on US public roads. If you import a Honda ITR for track use, it can NEVER be registered and driven on public roads legally because it will be considered contraband (bringing it into the country for one reason then using it for another; track car then US public road car is a no no) So you import an ITR from a RI (Registered Importer) You pay them for shipping and yada yada, it comes into a port, and US customs must inspect the car. You must show proof of why it is being imported. You must then start the process of making your GMV comply with US standards (NHTSA, DOT, and EPA standards).

You’ll have to provide crash test ratings for your exact year and model car to the NHTSSA. Honda of Japan will NOT provide you with these crash ratings. You’ll have to provide the NHTSA with these. Meaning you’ll have to import several (4 or more ITRs of the same year/model or however many it takes to gather the information needed to meet the US safety crash standards.) All vehicles crashed must be converted to meet US safety standards: which requires US Spec DOT approved seatbelts, airbags, door beams, glass, gauge cluster, head lights, tail lights, and front and rear bumper supports, just to name a FEW things) You’re looking at several thousand dollars PER car on top of you purchasing all these cars for the sole purpose of paying a crash test company to completely destroy them (this will also cost you THOUSANDS of dollars.) After all this, you will have your precious crash test ratings, the DOT will then REASSIGN your GMV a 17 digit US Vin and a US Title so you can register your GMV in any state legally. Nobody has ever done this with a CTR or Honda ITR. Without a 17 digit reassigned US Vin your GMV is ILLEGAL!

Then you’ll have to get your GMV EPA certified. This requires your GMV to be hooked up to one of the EPA's diagnostic smog whatchamacallits. Then they’ll have to install a catalytic converter(s) and whatever else they need to make it meet the EPA minimum requirements for smog. Then you’ll get a fat bill and your GMV will then be EPA certified. This is a very watered down description. This process also cost several thousand dollars and a lot of work.

After all this, you’ve spent an ungodly amount of money on a 15 year old Honda. There’s a reason why nobody has done this, it is simply too expensive. And even if you were to spend all this damn money on making your GMV 100% legal, the DOT could still deny you the required 17 digit reassigned VIN. Why, because they don’t have to let you bring in a GMV. They can simply deny your request because they don’t like the fact its RHD or because we already have an Acura Integra Type R, why do you really need an RHD one? They can simply deny your request and not give you a reason why. Then people always want to know how long this process takes. Well, nobody has ever done this but it would take several months and tens of thousands of dollars.

People also want to know what you have to do to get “them” to LET you register the car in the first place. As I previously mentioned, most GMV’s are titled and registered from money under the table at your local DMV. But don’t expect 10 digit serial numbered GMV's to get registered ever again. The DOT shut this shit down last year when they figured out that state DMV's were doing this. A lot of people tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about and they say they daily drive their 10 digit registered GMV every day and never have a problem. I’m not saying you can’t get away with a 10 digit STATE registered and STATE titled GMV; plenty of people are getting away with it. I’m simply stating the FACTS. I’m not doing writing this to be arrogant; I’m doing it because I want to let people know what I know. I’ve spent countless hours on the phone with the DOT, NHTSA, and EPA along with several Registered Importers, DMV’s, and US Customs.

Then people ask “was it hard to Insure?” If you get a reassigned 17 digit VIN then it would be like insuring any car US spec car. But with a 10 digit Japanese serial numbered car, it could be difficult. If you have a state titled 10 digit GMV that’s insured and you get in a wreck you could be in trouble. If the local authorities that visit the crash site notice your car is RHD and doesn’t have a 17 digit VIN, and they know the FEDERAL standards for GMV’s, your insurance could deny you every penny of what your cars worth because its not suppose to be on US roads. I know there’s a lot of “ifs” and I’m sure there have been several insurance claims on illegal GMV’s that went smoothly, but this technically could happen.

Then it’s always “what company did you buy the Car or Cars from?” There are plenty of Japanese style "autotraders" and a handful of Registered Importers that can help you get one over to our shores. Buying a GMV and bringing it to a US port is the easy part. Making it legal for US roads is something NOBODY has done.

A foreign vehicle that is imported without a motor is brought through customs as an “automobile part.” Bringing in a chassis (as an automobile part) and installing a motor is ILLEGAL; even if it was only driven OFF public roads.(Not that your track car is going to be impounded unless you’re driving it on public roads) This falls under the contraband rule. I’m not saying you and your STATE registered GMV will get caught, I’m saying if you do get caught, you’re looking at your precious car getting impounded and getting handed over to US customs. That will entitle your GMV getting crushed and you’ll be given several thousand dollars worth of fees. Thinking about doing a VIN swap? That’s a 3 to 5 year felony. Is a CTR or rhd ITR worth jail time? No, it’s not. Thinking about driving it around on a dealer plate? That’s illegal as well.

Why do I know these things? Because I’ve wanted a Honda Integra Type R since I was 10 years old; so I feel your pain. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel! When a vehicle (even foreign) becomes 25 years old, it will be considered a “classic car” and can LEGALLY be imported into the US without meeting all these crazy safety standards. So you can be like me and wait for the classic car rule, or get a little ballsy and drive your illegally titled and registered GMV. I’m not telling you what you should and shouldn’t do. I’m just trying to let you know the risk you’re taking.

To wrap this up, there is not a single Honda ITR or CTR in this country that is legally driving on public roads. There are going to be a lot of people who tell me I’m wrong and I don’t know what I’m talking about, and that’s fine. I know the laws and regulations regarding importing grey market vehicles. These are not opinions, they are the facts. If anyone has any questions regarding grey market vehicles please feel free to ask and I’ll do my best to answer. This is a very brief explanation of the lengthy process. If I were to type up every detail, it would be several pages of information.

-Andrew Golseth

 

[iRide Integras]

^ Thread Closer!

 

[JDMb20DC2]

I wouldn't take the hassle on trying to import a car, i would rather just order a clip and do the RHD conversion myself, i mean whats different than the RHD clip and a JDM motor....nothing else really, just to go through the hassle of saying "its imported". i'll pass.

 

[db1love]

I wouldn't take the hassle on trying to import a car, i would rather just order a clip and do the RHD conversion myself, i mean whats different than the RHD clip and a JDM motor....nothing else really, just to go through the hassle of saying "its imported". i'll pass.

well i would love to just do a clip and a jdm motor, but considering they dont make a toyota chaser in the u.s it would be kind of hard to "just do a rhd clip and JDM motor" buttt i cant

 

[Ominous G2]

I just talked to a guy that had a real CTR on the road legally.

 

[JDMb20DC2]

well i would love to just do a clip and a jdm motor, but considering they dont make a toyota chaser in the u.s it would be kind of hard to "just do a rhd clip and JDM motor" buttt i cant[/QUOTE
]
Its easy to import "parts" and swap a JDM motor in and get a hook up on inspection yada yda...

I just talked to a guy that had a real CTR on the road legally.

How is it legally on the road? From that post i read i'm kinda interested in seeing how its legal i mean i don't know much about it beside what i posted but props to him if it is, i know it probably aint cheap or easy.

Not saying its not legal, but just asking.

 

[phatintegra]

So much work and money trying to import a vehicle into the USA.

Back in the late 90's. I tried to import my S600 from my country. Bought it really cheap but trying to bring it to the USA was going to cost my $70,000 with everything, said and done (papers, taxes, shipping, etc). It was not worth it so I left it there and sold it the next 3 years. I only go back once a year to my country so it was not worth keeping.

I was kind of looking into importing a Skyline to the USA and have it register in my country, since I own a home there or in UAE since my sister own a place there and I do have my Integra register in the USA and in UAE (I do have UAE plates).

Now I heard you can only can keep a imported vehicle in the USA for like 10 month or so (Don't remember the exact time line) then you have to ship it back out. I know car dealership can register it. I would talk to the dealership about how they get a imported vehicle register in the USA.

Be aware US Custom is getting really strict with import vehicle and front clips. I lost one clip in custom along with 2 skylines in the same shipping container.

 

[suspendedHatch]

There is a short list of cars that millionaires have made legal, but there are no Integras or Civics on there.

The cars that people imported illegally and bribed or tricked their local DMVs are all being crushed because the feds have been cracking down. And they're sending people to jail.

You can import them w/out engines for off-road use only, but never legally register or insure them for the street. Doesn't matter if you're a dealer or not. That's the bottom line.

That covers everything that you guys brought up.

 

[Ominous G2]

[
How is it legally on the road? From that post i read i'm kinda interested in seeing how its legal i mean i don't know much about it beside what i posted but props to him if it is, i know it probably aint cheap or easy.

Not saying its not legal, but just asking.

Well it varies in every state, but once a car is registered in any state it can be legal.
I know he had to register it in New Jersey before he could register it in PA. But he had a legit

I've also seen a few Skylines at some meets out here.