My JDM >> USA?
 

Hiya

I'm currently applying for jobs in the new york area. If I'm successful I'd like to ship my Jap import rx as I've spend a lot of time / money on her... and I wanna bring her. Got PFC, after market clutch, kakimoto, HKS power flow race induction + all c-west kitted.

My questions are (if anyone knows):

would I have a big problem with emissions etc?
would it be a crapper insuring it with my mods?
are there companies that insure imports?
would it just be easier (though I don't want to) to get another one in the US and forget my baby?

thanks for any help in advance :)

Unfortunately the answer to your last question supercedes all the other questions, and that answer is: yes..it would be MUCH easier to get another one here.

yes it will be easier to get another one. Unless you are in the military then you can bring her over.

1) I don't know about NY, but if it's anything like California, the answer is yes.
2) Shouldn't be.
3) They all do.
4) That might be your only option. Out of the tens of thousands of members here, I don't know of anyone that's successfully imported an FD from another country. It requires going through a LOT of prohibitive 'red tape'. What year is your car, BTW?

Sadly importing just about anything into the US that has 4 wheels can become a ludicrous task.

I belive all (or maybe most) of the japanese FD's were missing the side impact door thing, and of course the pointless pre cat.

new york has no inspections and neither does penn. The problem is with the federal regulations like the doors and precat. If what Rhode Dog said is true than some US doors would do just fine. The problem is getting it through customs. Takes for ever and I'm in the military.

i imported a car to the us... from canada :)

but that's left hand drive... Not Illegal like the right hand drive.

rhd isnt illegal? the main problem is customs, if its the same as the skyline u ahve to pay alot for the permit to be able to bring one over,and then alot to legalize it, and customs can hold ur car up to 6 months

RHD cars are not illegal in the US, nor is their importation.

What is an issue is getting a car EPA/DOT certified.

Is is not impossible (Motorex.com imports RHD Skylines, for example) but is very expensive. You would have to amortize the certification cost over quite a few cars for it to make sense.

yes it takes for ever. I think customs can hold it longer than that too but not sure.

There are certain cercumstances where it is alowed. If you are working temporarily in the USA you can apply for a temporary pass( not the technical/legal wording) for the vehicle. This is just to give you an idea of what to look for in the DOT laws. You have( more the car)has to leave after the time alloted on the pass, usually around 1 year or so.

In the end it is easier to just get another one here.

I have the legal documentation in a file somewhere when i thought of doing importatiion.( 5 years ago or so) Then reality struck and showed her ugly ass!! :D

How does the military make it any different? Just curious.

Just say it's gonna work for the post office, than your legal.

It's not much easier. It's easy to import an american car overseas, but still very difficult to import an import to the us. I currently have a relative in Germany who was in the raq for a year and finally came back. He had his wife buy a bemmer while he was deployed, and there having a hell of a time and gave up all hope trying to get it imported to the U.S. It just isn't a-specs and that is the problem, rhd, lower standards of safety, emissions, ect.ect.

thanks for all the replies guys, much help!!

Dam that sucks a bit, though I didn't suspect that was the case. Arg..just really don't wanna sell her! Mind you.. I guess I could rebuild the look as kits etc are good prices int he US hehe.

The cars a 1993..It's running no cats at the moment either.

When you say it would be expensive to get her EPA/DOT certified, what you reckon the ball-park figure would be? We talking $1000s? as if it's $100's sod it, i'd do it :)

ooh and just another thought.. I could get a stick shift in the US couldn't I? (not a big fan on autos)

Are you living here permanently? or temporary? I will look up the info i have later tonight and PM you with the exemption laws

At the moment I'm thinking of two or so years. If I like it i'll stay longer (sure I will like it)

That info would be great if you have it to hand :)

I dont' care if it needs to get a EPA/DOT certified...
If we are talking about California, then FD RHD sure is illegal.

I really, really wouldn't get your hopes up. Unless that temporary status rule works for you (and that there are no strings attached,re: emissions), you have no chance in hell.

As for the side impact bars that someone mentioned: they were introduced to the JDM in the last production run (late 2000 - type VI) - no idea whether they would comply to US regs.

don't spend any more time thinking of this. i've been trying to export my folks car to Portugal and learned some of the regs for import/export.

either put it in your family's garage and have them start or drive it once a month or sell it.

you can buy a car here no problem

if you are moving into NYC, you will not need or want a car. you probably won't believe me, but its true - i live here

you could always buy a cheap fire damaged or severely wrecked fd and switch the VIN tags :)

The fire damaged or wrecked car would be left hand drive, while his car would be RHD. Someone would notice. Plus it's HIGHLY illegal to switch VIN's.

Its not even a felony. People do it all the time and never get caught. If someone catches you, say you bought the car out of the news paper from a guy who said he lost the title. Apply for the lost title exemption, switch the vins, and live a happy life behind the wheel of a RHD 7. You can even file for a lost title through the mail. Theres no way they would ever see the car.