NHTSA Compliance with JDM 3rd Gen
#1
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NHTSA Compliance with JDM 3rd Gen
A little background.
My first car, when I was 15 (6 years ago) was a 1984 Rx7 that I absolutely loved. My family went through some financial issues, and we ended up losing the car. I have been looking for other Rx's through the years that I can afford, and though I love those Gen1's to death (the handling certainly topped our 1993 GMC pickup, lol) I have developed a taste for the 3rd gens...sure they are more sleek than quirky...
Anyways, sorry, I got a little nostalgic there.
I've found a 1992 JDM Rx7 (before you get upset over the year...I wasn't sure if it is 3rd or 2nd gen...it definately *looks* 3rd gen....) that is registered in Canada and is for sale, and I wasn't sure if it complies with NHTSA so I would be able to just get a letter, drive it over the border, and register it at home. I know with most non-built for USA vehicles, there is a long importation requirement, but as I browsed NHTSA's website, I found the bit about recieving a letter of compliance (as long as it meets the req's, it can be imported into the USA) from the manufacturer. However, when contacting Mazda, and the NHTSA, neither of them could give me the information about this vehicle I needed, without my ownership of the vehicle. And I am not going to buy something I can't even drive in the US before I know!
So...if you have made it this far (thanks!) Do you have any information I could find useful?
My first car, when I was 15 (6 years ago) was a 1984 Rx7 that I absolutely loved. My family went through some financial issues, and we ended up losing the car. I have been looking for other Rx's through the years that I can afford, and though I love those Gen1's to death (the handling certainly topped our 1993 GMC pickup, lol) I have developed a taste for the 3rd gens...sure they are more sleek than quirky...
Anyways, sorry, I got a little nostalgic there.
I've found a 1992 JDM Rx7 (before you get upset over the year...I wasn't sure if it is 3rd or 2nd gen...it definately *looks* 3rd gen....) that is registered in Canada and is for sale, and I wasn't sure if it complies with NHTSA so I would be able to just get a letter, drive it over the border, and register it at home. I know with most non-built for USA vehicles, there is a long importation requirement, but as I browsed NHTSA's website, I found the bit about recieving a letter of compliance (as long as it meets the req's, it can be imported into the USA) from the manufacturer. However, when contacting Mazda, and the NHTSA, neither of them could give me the information about this vehicle I needed, without my ownership of the vehicle. And I am not going to buy something I can't even drive in the US before I know!
So...if you have made it this far (thanks!) Do you have any information I could find useful?
#4
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Join Date: Apr 2006
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Thanks. I will keep that in mind. Haha, and I would buy one in the US already, but they are all too steep for my pocketbook right now, and I would like to get one *before* they are too hard to find at all.