Anybody know anything about auto importing?

[Dark_Knight7096]

I'm trying to read the stuff I find on the web and I'm telling you, it's giving me a BAD headache. How difficult and costly is it to import a vehicle into the US? What type of modifications must be done to make them street legal here? Any answers that aren't written in government mumbojumbo would be appreciated.

[MM03MOK]

Check out European/Overseas Delivery:

http://www.saabusa.com/saabjsp/europeandelivery/

http://www.volvocars.us/salesandservices/overseasdelivery/

[shakes_26]

Depends.

If its a model sold here in the US (and you want say a Euro Spec car)), not too painful, say hit 5 finger or toes with a hammer at full force. A non US imported model, you aint got enough toes or fingers to go around....

For a model sold in the US, but being imported gray market, say a BMW M3. You'll need to get with a Registered Importer (RI), arrnage to have the vehicle shipped to them. WHen you deal with the RI, you'll need to pony up some green up front, usually about $5k. This will cover the paperwork, the 150% (value of vehicle) bond that Customs/DOT requires, and act as a retainer.

Your vehicle then gets delivered to the RI directly, oh no you dont get to drive it over, needs to be flatbed (cannot be operated on US roads). So plan on delivering to the port of entry closest to your RI.

Once at the RI, they place it in their impound lot, this is where it starts to hurt. Because the time it spends there they charge you daily fee, yes even though they are working on it. So at a minimum you might need new headlights (different reflector, lower wattage bulbs), turn signals (amber), speedo convert to mPH, emissions equipment installed, and any other safety related do dads such as CHMSL, seat belts.

A model like the M3 might cost you about $5-8K legally imported, something not sold here? Well its really difficult and most RI wont even want to touch it, it means real work and the EPA gets involved....need I say more? Usually has to go to an approved emissions testing facility (no the local garage does not cut it), I think there are two or three in the US. Oh and then they'll probably want to crash one or three models to make sure its safe.

Importing from Canada is the cheapest route but it will still run you about $5k by the tiem you done with fees and hassles.

Like I said I'd rather mash 5 of my fingers with a hammer than go through this process. It was all doen thanks to the European auto manufacturers in the late 80's due to pressure from gray market improts of their own models, being sold way cheaper than the US versions. At the time you could pick up a gray market Audi or BMW, or MB for thousands less than a US import version, and that was AFTER they were made legal.

Welcome to the USDOT, keeping your roads safer..... clear enough?

[Dark_Knight7096]

Well, what I want is kinda touchy, it's sorta made here in the US and sorta not at the same time. It uses a US engine (LS1), and shares a lot in common with a few different US cars (a pontiac and a chevy), but it doesn't exist in it's current configuration here. It would be being imported from Australia, and from what I can see they are only about 17K-22K, so i'm actually considering doing this if it's not that big of a PITA. I'm gonna have to call a RI or somewhere I could find out if anyone knows EXACTLY what would need to be done to get one of these in the country.

[CanadaMarauder]

For what it's worth it's not that big of a deal to get a vehicle into Canada from the US..but in your case it is a none produced USA vehicle.I know that anything not made in USA/Canada is in a grey area...as far as importing goes into Canada (Nissan Skylines, Toyoto Pao's and such) depends on the insurance agent you deal with..they MAY overlook things...If it helps any I can give you the registar of imported vehicles phone # but it's in Toronto...may or maynot help...

RIV
1-888-288-9238...........doesn't hurt to try
Hope this rambling helps

(P.S. I'm employed for an RIV inspection centre *canadian side*
we inspect everything from 06 DB9's to Pontiac Vibes)

[1 Bad Merc]

Find a good frt. forwarder/custom house agent in the New Jersey area. They will usually be able to handle your export decks/BL's and customs regulations. Look for somebody like a CH Robinson, Expediters Intl or Shenkers. They should be listed on the web under custom house brokers. Stay with these bigger companies as they usually will have an office in Australia. They will probably put your car in a Shipping container and you should be able to pick up at the port of Newark. All the fluids and gas will need to be drained out and if I remember correctly the battery will need to be taken out also. I dont know what the regs are for a model that is not produced here and I am not sure if the government will let it in. I did have a good friend here in Chicago that was exporting Corvettes to Italy and he indicated the import duties were large but he still made money as he sold them directly to a dealership in Italy. If you cant find any custom house brokers then just shoot me a pm and I will try to get you a phone number or two. Good Luck.

[Dark_Knight7096]

Thanks for all the help guys. I have a lot of research to do and a lot of homework as well. If all goes well in the next year and a half or so, I will be the only person in the US to have the type of car I'm trying to import, if not, I'll have a S/C Marauder that tricked out the wazoo, either way I'll be happy!

[SergntMac]

Thanks for all the help guys. I have a lot of research to do and a lot of homework as well. If all goes well in the next year and a half or so, I will be the only person in the US to have the type of car I'm trying to import, if not, I'll have a S/C Marauder that tricked out the wazoo, either way I'll be happy!Best shoot for the tricked out Marauder now dude, a "gray market" car will be more painful than a new "wazoo".

Here in Illinois, there is a large state-run task force on "gray market" cars. Illinois is a major international port, and a self-imposed retaining wall against importing. You can mail out anything you want to the rest of the world, but don't ask for a return shipment. The State and Feds are hunting you, and it's an active sport to them. Gray market cars are a big catch here, and just as big a target as cocaine in pounds.

"Jeeps" mean any SUV or 4X4 in their terms. They ship out to Western Europe daily, and the government waves "bye-bye", they don't even run the VINs for a steal. But, if you try to import one and it touches American public soil not strapped to a pallet, you are fresh bread on a burner to them. You will be hit with a flurry of "comply with US standards" demands and within a very small window for correction and updating. While the repair man orders parts and wrenches your brand new ride, your bread is on the burner and you are soon to be burnt toast before the conversion is complete. One out of 100 imports earn citizenship, the rest get seized. Now you wave "buh-bye".

I have worked on some auto squads over my years, and to those guys, catching a gray market car on public soil is like catching Bass...A sport. GM cars are cool on private tracks, but don't jump behind the wheel for your Snicker's binge fix. You will not have license plates, insurance, a title, ect. Do yourself a favor, skip it.

A few years ago around here, the local "money" crowd turned this into a sport of it's own. Private road racing courses in a golf-country club motif. You buy into the club, then buy your exotic car from anywhere in the world and bring it home on a trailer. As long as it's just a piece of privately owned property and not driven on public streets, you're cool with the Feds. That means it gets trailered everywhere, driven on closed/private property only. If you have the money, go have some fun.

When you see these cars on a closed course track, they are fun to drive with, but that's the only place they can be driven. It's just like owning exotic horses, eh?

Remember the TV show "Magnum P.I."? Two of the Magnum cars used for TV were gray market imports and I know where both are today, so does Zack. They will never see American daylight, or, pavement, legally that is. You can buy both of them, with a custom built enclosed trailer and '02 F-350 crew cab tow vehicle, for 1 mil.

Even if you live in a neighboring state, but someday drive on Illinois blacktop, you can be caught up in this. IMHO, all things said, it's just not worth it. Build your new Marauder, blow it out, and call it your new "kazoo".