Importing a car to the U.S. for 'off-road use'

[jg09]

So here's the idea: I'd like to import a car from Japan into the U.S. and build it as a track-only race car. Would it work to import it and tell customs that it's for the intent of parting out? The specific one I'm looking at has a blown motor, so that might be believable.

[SilentRacer]

There is a tremendous amount of work, fees, and laws associated with importing a car from japan in any state. There are also many ways in which you can lose your money and never get the car out of customs. Stay away unless you know someone who has imported a car before and can explain the process to you.

[MCarp22]

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/racing/

[jg09]

So if I fill in that application and sent it in, what would be the next step? Where would it go and who would I hear from? This whole importing thing is a bit of a grey area and I really haven't been able to find a whole lot of information on the web or at the library. I have read DHS's "Importing a Car" document, but it really doesn't cover vehicles for off-road use only.

[Huffer]

You'd best talk to the NHTSA and the EPA. There are some regulations involved but because you are not attempting to register this for on-road use, they probably won't care.

However, any insurance company will, and will probably never insure the vehicle for any type of usage... I can only imagine the kinds of things that pro- or even privateer race teams have to do to get insurance coverage.

I looked into this already to bring my rust-free 99 Impreza out to the states, but my conclusion to that one was that because the chassis was available for sale here in the USA, that the only way I could bring my car in was in (literally) two pieces.

[jg09]

Okay, so I just e-mailed the NHTSA as well as the company over in Japan that has the car right now. Hopefully, I can get a response soon.

[decke48]

when i imported my rs-b over here it wasnt really worth it. $2500 in fees(broker, custom, rmv, epa, nhtsa..) plus the paper work took over 3 month to complete. but that was for a on-road vehicle

[jg09]

Basically, I'll have $5k to work with (maybe A LITTLE more) and a real want for the car. The car will cost $1700 and then it'll be any other fees on top of that. I think I'll be able to do it.

[subba]

5K should be ok

just thinking out loud here, you could check with your customs agency about clearing your car, once it gets past them you should be ok right? you can sort out insurance and all that good stuff after.

dont think the car should have too much problems clearing customs because it wont be road driven, guys in Jamaica and From here usually ship their cars to miami to race and stuff, if i come across any of the guys i will surely ask how they did it.


But just in case you do get through, here is some usefull info (USD Prices)

FOB means the cost of the car to get it to the dock for shipping. (some companies allow bidding)

C&F Cost and Freight is the cost of the car + transportation to the docks + Shipping it off(insurance is a option for like 50-100 depending on company youre buying from and type you want, Reccomended to get full insurance if you car has gaguges, controllers, extra rims etc.). Your customs agency will use the invoce of the payment for charges.
This is calculated buy the Cubic feet of the car so it will be cheaper to ship a hatchback civic than it is to ship a wagon.

not sure about the US but in the caribbean the charges are 27.5% of the invoice price + File Processing Fee + 250 Waste fee( No Clue what that is) and i think you guys in the states might have to pay taxes. (My Island is Tax free)

Now Processing the order for the car.

Some companies will allow you to send the money 50/50 Pay half now, they ship it, then once you get the car, you send the rest and they will FedEX or DHL the export certificate and Japanese de registration papers to you along with a original copy of the sales invoice, The keys will be in the car when it gets here, be sure to carry some gas and a battery charger because the tank will be empty and battery WILL be dead.

Example: The car i have now.
Price of car: 1,780 on [ www.japan-partner.com (http://www.japan-partner.com) ]
I made a bid of 1,680 which was accepted. needed the 100 for cleaning expenses :twisted:
FOB = 500 so the car came up to FOB: 2180
C&F/ Shipping was 1299 which came up to 3479
[I got standard insurance because only thing stealable was my cupholder and front aluminium license plate frame... both did get stolen while in transit]
Insurance is 70 so it came up to USD $3549

invoice price was $3549, Sent the whole thing

quite a while passed and the car finally came.
My fees were
Customs = 976 + 18 filing fee + 250 waste fee = $1243.98

So thats 1243.98 + 3549 = USD $4792.98

So the car basically cost 1680 in the begining but with all the fees and stuff bumped it up to $4800


Shipping might be less if going directly to the states, for me to get my car, the ship will stop at miami then switch ships then come directly here or it will go to Ft. lauderdale switch ships then to Jamaica switch ships then come here.

fastest way to ship your car is in a container but they are expensive to rent, about 2400 - 3200 to use this method of shipping, the one mentioned above is automotive ferries or RO RO (Roll On, Roll Off) the downside is the wait time is usually 3 weeks to 3 months unlike a container which is 3-4 weeks guranteed


_____________________________________
Thats basically the ordeal with shipping a car out of japan. Just be sure that customer service will vary depending on the dealer in japan.

Which site are you ordering from?

[jg09]

Wow, you are an importing GOD in my eyes! The info you gave me is taking my mind a while to wrap around, but I think I understand it now. All things considered, this is turning out to actually be much cheaper than expected. I know that the people who have the car now have employees that specialize in importing cars to the states, so hopefully they can help me work things out, too.

[jg09]

Just got this in the e-mail inbox:

"It has to be in full racing configuration before it can enter the USA. I
will email the DOT and EPA requirements. You are the importer of record
and the broker is the company you hire to get the vehicle cleared thru
Customs for release. Merritt @202-366-5300."

[jg09]

Asked what "full race configuration" means. I told him that I'd be racing it in a "Full-Stock" class. :lol: I think he saw through my scheme. His response:

"The form I sent has the definition. We have no provision for importing a
"stock car" racer."

[subba]

lol check Miami, California or New York's regulations, ship it their then truck it to your state.

[jg09]

I e-mailed him back and said that eventually, the car would just get stripped down to the unibody and it's components put on my car. I asked him if I could get it shipped as a 'parts-car.' :lol: I WILL get this car as a complete unit into the states!

[jg09]

That won't work. I'll have to import the parts separately rather than the entire car. Looks like I'll have to import it as a street vehicle. I e-mailed him back again and asked some questions.

[Huffer]

You'd have to import it as a parts container. Have it stripped and placed in a container.

[jg09]

I thought about having it stripped and shipped like that, but that'd be quite a bit of time and money for not only the strip down, but the reassembly, too. It's still an option I'm keeping open, though. How much do you think it would cost to have it stripped down and shipped?

[Huffer]

I have no idea. It would take a person with a simple set of air tools about a day to strip a car down and throw it all in a container. It's taking me several weeks, about 1hr a day on average, to strip my old GT.

[jg09]

I'm beginning to really not like this government. They're now telling me that I cannot import it as a street vehicle whatsoever since it's RHD. I read on a NHTSA document that exceptions can be made! There are RHD vehicles all over the U.S. WTF?!

[Huffer]

It has to be in your wording - you started this thread out with the vehicle as a track only car. Next it becomes a donor vehicle. Now you want to run it on the street?

I've already told you - the car must be stripped down and the chassis cut to prevent you from driving it. What you choose to do with it after that is up to you.

It won't pass any regulations as it sits now. It must become a cut chassis.

I've been through this before.

[jg09]

Where does the chassis have to be cut?

[Huffer]

In half. That's why you always see "front clip" and "rear clips" for sale on ebay - or part outs.

Only time you can bring an undamaged chassis into the country is if it is completely bare.

If you cut a chassis, and bring it in in two pieces, you can have a fabricator reweld it back together - you would need to install a cage or additional bracing however simply because the roof, floor pan and B-pillars are extremely important to structural integrity.

A Toyota tacoma was on an older Top Gear show was destroyed several times by dropping it from height - eventually the only thing holding it together were the doors - they removed the doors and the whole shell fell apart.

[jg09]

So here's what I'm understanding:

remove engine/transmission
remove wheels/tires/brakes/suspension components
remove some interior(?)
cut front clip off

Is that basically what will need to be done?

[Huffer]

Or just cut the entire chassis in half. They do have to drain all fluids and remove the battery.

[jg09]

So as an update, I asked if I could import the vehicle as a "show or display" vehicle since it technically meets standards to be considered one. His response?

"NO"

:lol: I got it in all caps and everything. But Huffer, can I get away with just cutting off everything front the firewall forward?

[Huffer]

I think what you're running into now is a person-to-person conflict rather than a regulations violation. This guy is just sick and tired of your emails because you keep changing your story.

Now, if you had said in the beginning - "I want to build a track only race car using this vehicle which needs to be imported from Country X - how do I go about doing this?" - that might have gotten you better responses.

This guy knows what's going to happen. You're going to import this car, throw the bits onto your car and drive it. And if the VIN# ever gets tracked back to him, he's going to get in trouble. Not worth it to him.

[jg09]

Damn, he's the only guy in charge, too. I originally asked him about the track-only part and he tell me that it doesn't qualify as a track only car since that designation is based on road worthiness rather than intended use.

[subba]

did you check with miami's port authority?

[Huffer]

He is most definitely NOT the only guy in charge of importations. Think about it.

[jg09]

Well, the more I think about it, the more I think that I'll just let this one go. Maybe I'll just keep the Explorer after I mod it and make the most of it.

[peugoby]

For Oregon the car has to be 25 years or older to import. My Dad imported a '77 Citroen CX Pallas from Holland back in '02.

There are run-around ways of going about getting your car legalized. Its a royal pain in the ass and you basically need deep connections in the DMV to get it on the road. That said, my Dad is now driving a '91 Citroen XM V6. It started life in the European domestic market, was shipped to Japan (there is Japanese road stickers all over the windshield), then brought into Canada, got registered in Florida and is now sitting in our driveway here in Oregon:!:

I wouldn't bother if I were you. Again, my Dad has some deep connections and even then it was a bare. Now we are looking into getting a Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9l imported from the same Importer.

[jg09]

I've officially deemed this a "lost cause". If it will require complete disassembly and a lot of extra money than I'm willing to put out. I guess this is a sign; I was wondering whether or not I should keep the Explorer and go into trophy truck style racing. Guess I am.