Skylines legal or illegal in the US?
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2003
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From: Houston, Texas
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Skylines legal or illegal in the US? Okay me and a friend are arguing about if you import a skyline from japan or whatever is it legal or illegal in the US because there on the right handed side? i can't really find any information on how to back up it's illegality but can someone point me in the right direction....i say it's illegal!
Registered!!
iTrader: (3)
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 284
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From: Waukesha Wisconsin
Rep Power: 0 It's legal but there are a lot of hoops to jump through. Best to let a RI like MOTOREX to deal with it. RHD or LHD has nothing to do with it.
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/
" The following provides information concerning the importation of a passenger car, truck, trailer, motorcycle, moped, bus, or MPV built to comply with the standards of a country other than the U.S. or Canada. Importers of motor vehicles must file form HS-7 (available at ports of entry) at the time a vehicle is imported to declare whether the vehicle complies with DOT requirements. As a general rule, a motor vehicle less than 25 years old must comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS) to be imported permanently. Vehicles manufactured to meet the FMVSS will have a certification label affixed by the original manufacturer in the area of the driver-side door. To make importation easier, when purchasing a vehicle certified to the U.S. standards abroad, a buyer should have the sales contract verify that the label is attached and present this document at time of importation.
A vehicle without this certification label must be imported as a nonconforming vehicle. In this case, the importer must contract with a DOT-Registered Importer (RI) and post a DOT bond for one and a half times the vehicle’s dutiable value. This bond is in addition to the normal Customs entry bond. Copies of the DOT bond and the contract with an RI must be attached to the HS-7 form.
Under the contract, the RI will modify and certify that the vehicle conforms with all applicable FMVSS. Before an RI can modify a vehicle NHTSA must have determined that the vehicle is capable of being modified to comply with the FMVSS. If no determination has been made, the RI must petition NHTSA to determine whether the vehicle is capable of being modified to comply with the FMVSS. If the petitioned vehicle is not similar to one sold in the U.S., this process becomes very complex and costly. A list of vehicles previously determined eligible for importation may be obtained from an RI or from the NHTSA web site.
Since the cost of modifying a nonconforming vehicle, or the time required to bring it into conformance, may affect the decision to purchase a vehicle abroad, we strongly recommend discussing these aspects with an RI before buying and shipping a vehicle to the U.S. "
Then you have EPA -
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/imptop.htm
If you are in California - then Air Resources Board.
Customs , etc.
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/
" The following provides information concerning the importation of a passenger car, truck, trailer, motorcycle, moped, bus, or MPV built to comply with the standards of a country other than the U.S. or Canada. Importers of motor vehicles must file form HS-7 (available at ports of entry) at the time a vehicle is imported to declare whether the vehicle complies with DOT requirements. As a general rule, a motor vehicle less than 25 years old must comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS) to be imported permanently. Vehicles manufactured to meet the FMVSS will have a certification label affixed by the original manufacturer in the area of the driver-side door. To make importation easier, when purchasing a vehicle certified to the U.S. standards abroad, a buyer should have the sales contract verify that the label is attached and present this document at time of importation.
A vehicle without this certification label must be imported as a nonconforming vehicle. In this case, the importer must contract with a DOT-Registered Importer (RI) and post a DOT bond for one and a half times the vehicle’s dutiable value. This bond is in addition to the normal Customs entry bond. Copies of the DOT bond and the contract with an RI must be attached to the HS-7 form.
Under the contract, the RI will modify and certify that the vehicle conforms with all applicable FMVSS. Before an RI can modify a vehicle NHTSA must have determined that the vehicle is capable of being modified to comply with the FMVSS. If no determination has been made, the RI must petition NHTSA to determine whether the vehicle is capable of being modified to comply with the FMVSS. If the petitioned vehicle is not similar to one sold in the U.S., this process becomes very complex and costly. A list of vehicles previously determined eligible for importation may be obtained from an RI or from the NHTSA web site.
Since the cost of modifying a nonconforming vehicle, or the time required to bring it into conformance, may affect the decision to purchase a vehicle abroad, we strongly recommend discussing these aspects with an RI before buying and shipping a vehicle to the U.S. "
Then you have EPA -
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/imptop.htm
If you are in California - then Air Resources Board.
Customs , etc.
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 30,677
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From: Dallas, PA
Rep Power: 608 y does it have to be 15 yrs or older ?
right had drive shouldn't matter cuz mail cars are right hand drive. The only thing that would prolly be illegal is cuz of the different smog regulations.
right had drive shouldn't matter cuz mail cars are right hand drive. The only thing that would prolly be illegal is cuz of the different smog regulations.
use the quote thing in the "post a reply"?
go to www.motorex.net , Im too lazy to go now, but they have some there and I remember a GTR R32 for $30 or $35.
go to www.motorex.net , Im too lazy to go now, but they have some there and I remember a GTR R32 for $30 or $35.
I need TP for my bunghole
iTrader: (3)
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,103
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From: OXNARD, CA. SoCal. "805", North of L.A.
Rep Power: 360 there is a legal 1990 r32 here in cali for 32,000 on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...&category=6392
1992
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...&category=6392
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...&category=6392
1992
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...&category=6392
Registered!!
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,155
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From: Victoria. BC
Rep Power: 0 the 15 years old thing only applies to canada. you can legally get any car in that's 15 years old. i'm getting my R32 GTR this summer. and for only 10k because of that 15 year old loophole, no legalization required.
You can bring a Skyline to the US AND drive it without legalization.
My Japanese friend had (I say had because it was recently stolen) a R32 complete with Japanese plates that he was driving around with no trouble at all. It was not legalized at all.
He car was shipped over from Japan with a 1 year permit that allows you to drive it on public streets. As far as I can remember, there was no DMV involvement. You sign some papers at the port then drive off. After the 1 year, I'm a little fuzzy on the details, but I think either you keep it as a race car, legalize it, or ship it back.
He told me decent used R32's start at around a few thousand dollars.
Along with legalization fees + profit, I think Motorex's price is fair enough.
My Japanese friend had (I say had because it was recently stolen) a R32 complete with Japanese plates that he was driving around with no trouble at all. It was not legalized at all.
He car was shipped over from Japan with a 1 year permit that allows you to drive it on public streets. As far as I can remember, there was no DMV involvement. You sign some papers at the port then drive off. After the 1 year, I'm a little fuzzy on the details, but I think either you keep it as a race car, legalize it, or ship it back.
He told me decent used R32's start at around a few thousand dollars.
Along with legalization fees + profit, I think Motorex's price is fair enough.
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