Importing Land Rovers to USA
Discussion
98elise said:
55palfers said:
Let me get this right.
In the US of A (Land of the Free) it's fine to own an arsenal of automatic weaponry, but an old European car.....?
I was going to post similar.In the US of A (Land of the Free) it's fine to own an arsenal of automatic weaponry, but an old European car.....?
Guns don't kill people....old Land Rovers do
What percentage of gun crimes are committed by US criminals who acquired their guns legally? There is some debate on definitions. But the generally accepted range is 3 to 11 percent.
Some US states ban automatic weapons; others don't. Some US states have very strict laws on the sale and possession of handguns; some don't.
The vast majority of US states perform their pre-purchase background checks using a crime and mental health database maintained by the FBI.
Ozzie Osmond said:
unsprung said:
Indeed, the US was probably the world's largest "consumer" of grey-market cars. And this was happening in recent memory.
How recent is "recent"?!?OK, I'm not sure 30 years is recent but that link certainly shows a sharp cut-off after manufacturers taking the p155.
IIRC companies like Rossion (Noble M400) have to get their cars imported to USA without engines and for track use only. It's then up to owners to see what they can get away with in individual States.
IIRC companies like Rossion (Noble M400) have to get their cars imported to USA without engines and for track use only. It's then up to owners to see what they can get away with in individual States.
You're right about the interplay between federal government and state governments.
While the federal government says what's legal, the federal government does not and cannot perform inspections (MOTs) and registrations. Those things are left to the states. And the states have no uniform standard.
Some states have no inspections (no MOT) of any kind. Think of that next time you're on holiday in Florida (Florida has no inspection: not for safety and not for emissions).
In some states, a motor vehicle office may be staffed by clerks who are less than fit for purpose. If you can submit your vehicle's paperwork to a clerk in the backwoods swamps of, say, Florida or Mississippi, he / she might accept your documents with few questions.
This is why the federal government is quick to assert that registration by the state is not an indication of compliance with federal laws on safety and emissions.
Also, to be clear, you must register your vehicle in your state of residence. In the past, some people would register a non-compliant car in lax states such as Florida... then, after some months, simply exchange number plates for those in their home state. Enforcement is more rigorous nowadays, and this is more difficult to get away with.
unsprung said:
98elise said:
55palfers said:
Let me get this right.
In the US of A (Land of the Free) it's fine to own an arsenal of automatic weaponry, but an old European car.....?
I was going to post similar.In the US of A (Land of the Free) it's fine to own an arsenal of automatic weaponry, but an old European car.....?
Guns don't kill people....old Land Rovers do
What percentage of gun crimes are committed by US criminals who acquired their guns legally? There is some debate on definitions. But the generally accepted range is 3 to 11 percent.
Some US states ban automatic weapons; others don't. Some US states have very strict laws on the sale and possession of handguns; some don't.
The vast majority of US states perform their pre-purchase background checks using a crime and mental health database maintained by the FBI.
matt21 said:
What states must you avoid for 25 year old plus vehicles? Just California?
I'm aware that you're not writing a business plan or crafting a business model canvas based upon the comments of a couple of anonymous blokes on a car forum. You have transatlantic aspirations and your planning will reflect that.Nevertheless... In response to your question... "Just California?" Most people would answer: Yes.
I will tell you why my answer is: Probably.
There are two sets of emissions standards in the US: the federal standard and the stricter California standard. More than a dozen states choose to follow the latter.
My question is: For those states that follow the California standard, is this only for new cars? Or, as in California, is it retroactive to 1976? To be clear: California requires an emissions MOT (that's not what they call it) on every car all the way back to 1976.
Most of those "California states" do not test all the way back to 1976. But one might. I can't answer that question for you.
I can tell you that a dozen other states require no inspections of any kind. You can immediately add them to your list of import-happy locations. Unfortunately for you, most of those states are sparsely populated and are unlikely to be clamouring for costly old Land Rovers. However, as I've said earlier in this thread, Florida is one such state. And Floridians are mad about motors.
Lastly, even if a state requires no inspections for a US-market vehicle, they may require an inspection for a gray market import. For example: most states will deny registration for a vehicle which has improper seat belts. Or improper head restraints.
Are you prepared to contact the Department of Motor Vehicles at 49 states? Have you ever tried to get anything done at a post office in, say, Ukraine or Honduras?
You'll want to begin talking with proper US based importers and specialists. And you'll want to do more research online.
US citizen living in the UK here...I am going to try and ship back either a R32 Skyline GTS-T or a '93 Supra NA in 2018, the market for those cars are HUGE and command a hefty premium if you sell them. If not you will just be the star of the local cars and coffee lol. California is a huge no-go unfortunately along with some states like Virginia that really look hard on the paperwork, Florida will register almost anything.
Most US states do not have any kind of vehicle inspection. Texas has one of some sort, but they must not check much because I have seen Texas tagged vehicles that are not fit to be on the road. Hawaii is the most strict I believe, and actually check the car over. California is ONLY emissions (although very strict), along with most of the other states that do "inspections".
Most US states do not have any kind of vehicle inspection. Texas has one of some sort, but they must not check much because I have seen Texas tagged vehicles that are not fit to be on the road. Hawaii is the most strict I believe, and actually check the car over. California is ONLY emissions (although very strict), along with most of the other states that do "inspections".
No money in it?
Have you seen the prices a genuine NAS spec Defender makes? Some are over $100k.
There is a market for them, they have to be good condition.
For importing, you really need to know the rules inside out.
The ones crushed were younger cars trying to pretend they were older than 25 years. Fitted with tdi engines, dodgy vin numbers etc.
You would need to get a very good solid base car, which will be interesting as defenders don't age well and tend to get hacked about and "improved" by owners over the years.
Have you seen the prices a genuine NAS spec Defender makes? Some are over $100k.
There is a market for them, they have to be good condition.
For importing, you really need to know the rules inside out.
The ones crushed were younger cars trying to pretend they were older than 25 years. Fitted with tdi engines, dodgy vin numbers etc.
You would need to get a very good solid base car, which will be interesting as defenders don't age well and tend to get hacked about and "improved" by owners over the years.
Where the hell does Jay Leno get all his cars if they are so strict. Most of his cars are so rare and old there are little if no records of them left.
The Defender for example is one car they many Yanks like to sneak and sell on the sly. Look on eBay.com and you will see Defenders listed as 1983 or older when they are clearly models from the 90's or 00's.
I suspect if you really wanted to get a car imported into America you could always import it into Canada and then drive it in a trailer in the US at great expense.
The Defender for example is one car they many Yanks like to sneak and sell on the sly. Look on eBay.com and you will see Defenders listed as 1983 or older when they are clearly models from the 90's or 00's.
I suspect if you really wanted to get a car imported into America you could always import it into Canada and then drive it in a trailer in the US at great expense.
Edited by BlueHave on Sunday 8th May 23:04
BlueHave said:
Where the hell does Jay Leno get all his cars if they are so strict.
Defenders have not been banned all years. For example, in the 1990s a small number of US spec units were offered. Details are searchable online. They are seldom for sale. But somebody like Leno can offer silly money -- and acquire one on the spot.Furthermore, as posted earlier in this thread, there was a massive and fully legitimate grey market import business in the US until the late 1980s. Up to 60,000 cars per year. Again: all legal and made to comply with US regulations (which, at the time, were less onerous than today).
Anything manufactured prior to 1968 was essentially free of import restrictions and remains so today.
Lastly, there is an allowance called Show and Display for rare vehicles never offered for sale in the US and totaling no more than 500 production units. Track use is unlimited, but road use is significantly restricted. Again, details on Show and Display can be found via one of the links posted above.
For all of these reasons, a collector with deep pockets can legally possess cars that are uncommon.
fivepointnine said:
Most of the states listed only have emissions inspections in one or two counties out of a huge state.
I have lived in about 15 different states and have only ever had an emissions inspection in California
No need for you to restate what is declared in the chart. We saw that earlier today.I have lived in about 15 different states and have only ever had an emissions inspection in California
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