a different kind of import thread
 

So i know im going be opening a shit storm here, however im just tired of searching and coming with nothing solid on the matter. So im trying to figure out how much of a pain in the ass it is going to be to bring my car home with me. Im trying to get a hold or talk to someone that has hopefully done it because i doubt im the first guy to try. So im in the Marines, stationed over in Oki, Japan and own a sexy little neglected FD. What i know:

-TMO should be able to ship the car for free to my next duty station.
-A shit load a paper is going to be required.
-i ve heared from someone people that it wont go through the same US cusom checks that civ's go through, dont know if this is true or not.

What i really want to know, if possible, is if itll be possible to bring her over as just a track an show car kinda thing so i dont have to worry about making here 100% street legal right away. Then once i get her in my garage start that slow tedious process. Since itll be free to ship, and i only paid 5 grand for her, if i could get here home anyway itll be better to me than trying to sell her before i leave and getting lowballed and selling for like 3 grand. As thats the trend that happens here. Also any info from somebody that has done this or something like it would be wicked awesome. an everybody, please be kind, im very senstive. Thanks.

Sell the car and take the $2k loss. Nobody has demonstrated a successful federal legalization of a JDM FD. If you have a spare $100k and place no value on your time, perhaps you might want to attempt it. Otherwise, forget about it.

i dont care about federal legalization, about it being 100% total fucking legal. And im never gonna live if California, no offense, i just wanna get it home in my garage someway, which is in ohio

they are legal in canada to register and all, but it sucks to be in the states. there is a 15 year law in canada that makes it so that you cannot import a car that is less then 15 years old so i couldnt import a 99 FD even if i wanted unless it was in parts and i assembled it here in my garage. as for the states i dont se why you wouldnt be able to get it home lets say in a contaner.

The car is not legal to import into the states. Being in the military only helps you transport it, but the bottom line is you risk losing it at customs. If they find it they will take and crush it. Falsifying the paperwork sometimes works, but then you have an illegal car and depending on the state laws and your insurance provider can cause further headaches. It won't have a US recognized VIN. Personally I'd never want one for street use because if I got into an accident the other party could sue me into the afterlife.

Dave

I agree with the above statement.

For the OP, I'm going to assume you are still "new" to the military (as in, you're still in your first term)... in which case, it's ok for you to make mistakes. It is understood and almost expected.

Purchasing the FD with the hopes and expectations of bringing it home would be one of those mistakes. Don't worry, you are not an isolated event, I've seen several young Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen make that same mistake with Skylines here in the UK.

Your best bet is to sell the vehicle before you leave, and put the money you retain towards a down payment on an FD in the states (unlike some of the other Japanese automotive manufacturers there is no real advantage to having a "j-spec" vehicle). If you are unable to sell the vehicle than I would suggest you break it down and ship the parts through TMO as part of your Household Goods. As a member of the Marine Corps you fall under Navy regulations. The US Navy allows you to ship car parts as a part of your house hold goods when you PCS (you need to justify the shipment in the Army, and I believe the Air Force will not allow it at all).

By parting the vehicle out completely you will save yourself a LOT of money in the long run (it's cheaper to buy a parts car to strip for spare parts than it is to buy all the parts when, not if, the ones on your working FD fail.


You can bring the car in pieces, and get it all in (sans the frame), or you can attempt to bring the car in it's entirety in... One is guarenteed to succeed, the other is definitely NOT.

The choice is yours, just understand that you will not legally register the vehicle for road use in the states!

[edit: nevermind, question answered by prev post]

Good luck,

-bill

call Tsunami of Colors

they imported a couple of my friends cars.

its about 11 grand since i was last there.

there is someone in cleveland with a JDM 99+ CYM...maybe he would have some advice? it might not be legally registered but its in ohio and he drives it on the street. i think he got it from canada though.

http://www.ohiorotaries.com/smf/index.php?topic=2949.0

When a friend of mine was in the Navy, he told me stories about guys breaking JDM cars into pieces, i.e. motor, body parts, shell, etc. Then they would crate it up and ship it home or bring it back on the military vessel. The idea was that it was no longer technically a "car" that is being imported, just parts. Not sure how accurate that all is, but would something like this work for you?

Track cars have to be basically for racing:

https://www.rx7club.com/showpost.php...2&postcount=80

As far as show cars, I believe they are only granted temporary 'legal' terms in the US. For the most part, it's not worth the effort in trying. It's not like the car was never sold in the USA; there are plenty for sale in all kinds of different condition (i.e. track cars, rollers, etc).

If you want to import something illegally, go big. Bring over a TVR Sagaris. ;)

DOT has no rules on rolling assemblages of cars parts.

1) Take engine, gearbox, headlights and front suspension out.

2) Ship chassis

3) Ship motor (not on the same container).

4) Get a state title and be done with it.

:lol:

I'd prefer a Noble.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_M15


Or even an Exige. I ran into a TVR (Tuscan S) this past summer when I was still using my Greddy SMIC and pushing 16psi on the BNR's.. It was a close run, but I ended up beating the TVR... AND I still had a radio/CD/ipod player...

DOT regulations are only part of the equation.

The thing that I feel is worth mentioning again, is you put your entire personal estate current and future at risk by driving an illegal car. All you need is to be involved in an accident where you get sued. If your insurance adjuster is doing their job they'll recognize you have a fraudulently registered car, drop you from their policy, and you'll be left on your own to defend it.

While the chance of this happening is small, the cost is so immense and the gain of importing is nothing. The richer you are the more stupid it would be.

Would be nice to be able to bring one over to be a track car as long as it don't add to be the same price as buying one in the states.

Nobles are already sold legally in the USA by 1G-Racing as Rolling kit car bodies with no engine assembly.

Same process Kaizo uses to bring GT-Rs and other grey market japanese cars here.

Hey thanks for all the info, well this sucks, definitaly not what i wanted to hear. but i kinda figure it wasn't gonna happened. maybe i could sell it to someone in canada eh

You are at the UBF point. Buy a FD here in the states and ship back as many parts as possible from Japan. Everything but the VIN is legal that way.

Get a totaled FD and put the vin from that car on it? :lol:

(Yes I know how illegal this, just trying to help)

I have another idea. Try to register it as a kit/custom built car. Take off the fenders and hood so that is mostly unrecognizable as a Mazda and do your states steps necessary to get it registered as a kit car. (In Texas that only includes having it inspected, then giving a financial statement to the tax office) After that, they will GIVE you a vin and you should be fine. That would be the easiest and quickest way to get it road legal.

First you would have to get it here however.

As others have said, remove the engine and transmission and ship them separately.