Trying to bring my car to the U.S.A.
 

Going to keep everyone up to date on my attempt to bring my car back to the states as "RACE ONLY". Hopefully this will help with anyone looking to do the same thing down the road.

First off... I've been e-mailing J-garage. This is what he had to say when I asked him about bringing my car back as race only...


"Hello, Bret. Thank you for your e-mail. I am sorry for the delay
in replying to your e-mail since I was on the official trip. How are you?

Thank you for asking. Yes, it is possible to import the RX-7 into the US if you do not want to drive on the US street. This is the general process for importing.

We will draft a petition to the US DOT and the US EPA to obtain the required permission to import the vehicle. And it will be imported under our importer agent companies name.

There are numerous importation taxes, the 2.5% is simply the US Customs Duty tax, then there are the following taxes also:
Customs Processing fees - 0.21%
Harbor Maintenance fee - 0.125%
Customs Entry Bond - $3.50 per $1000 of value of car, minimum $85

In order to pass customs a bond in the amount of 150% the cost of the vehicle must be posted to customs until such time as the vehicle is inspected and approved for importation. The entry bond is typically posted by a Customs Broker, at the cost stated above.

Race cars cannot be registered for street use

If I can do anything for you or you have any questions, please don't hesitate to let me know. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely yours,
J's Garage Export
Yoshitaka Ikeda yosi@j-garage.com"


My reply...


"Dear Yoshitaka,
Approximately how much will it cost me with
all the tax's and import fees? Can I ship it strait from Okinawa or will I have to ship it to Tokyo first? Will it be shipped to Arizona for me or will I have to go get it?

if for some reason it takes me a little while to get it will there be any problems with that?

I do have problems with the car's engine, it leaks oil. Is this a problem? If it is can I ship the car and pass the inspections with no engine?"


his reply....


"Hello, Bret. Thank you for your e-mail. How are you today?

>Approximately how much will it cost me with
all the tax's and import fees?

Thank you for asking. Although it is a rough estimate..
Transport to the Tokyo port - 600USD.
Export customs and documents - 800USD.
Shipping to the US - 1500~2500USD.
Importing tax - 2.5%
And importing procedure -

>Can I ship it strait from Okinawa or will I have to ship it to Tokyo first?

Since we do not have a port in Okinawa, it is needed to ship to Tokyo. (or
Osaka).

>Will it be shipped to Arizona for me or will I have to go get it?

Yes, we will be able to ship to Arizona. However, the LA area is lower than
to ship to Arizona.

>if for some reason it takes me a little while to get it will there be any
problems with that?

I think that it does not have a big problem.

>I do have problems with the car's engine, it leaks oil. Is this a problem?

Can you repair the oils?? Because, the shipper do not worry about the oil
leak. So, it may have a engine damaged.. Also, if it leaks much oil, it may
be unable to load the ship..

>If it is can I ship the car and pass the inspections with no engine?

It is possible to ship the whole car with out engine, but I think that the
shipping cost is higher than whole car with engine.

If I can do anything for you or you have any questions, please don't
hesitate to let me know.
I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely yours,
J's Garage Export
Yoshitaka Ikeda yosi@j-garage.com"


If anyone has any info or has done this before let me know.. I'm mostly wondering what inspections I will have to pass for race or even show only cars.

I'm also looking for a sponser (garage/anyone) willing to help me when/if I do get in the states. I would like to race/show it.

Bret

are you in the military? regarding importing
 

If you are in the military, you dont have to pay taxes on bringing your car. You need to contact a registered importer. (RI) Look on nhtsa. go to search on the web and type it in. It stands for national highway of traffic and saftey association. ONce you get in there look for the registered importers. Call around to the nearest registered importer. You should contact a guy in mesa arizona. HIs name is dayle. He owns a shop called motorsports warehouse. He has a website too. He has a rhd soarer. He will give you some imformation. He is a really cool guy. Hit him up.

Re: are you in the military? regarding importing
 

What's the web page?? or his phone number?

why bring it back as racing only?

So he can switch VINs w/ a wrecked FD he finds. ;)

FD oki.. Your not exempt from the taxes.

Its not your packout or is it? That would be the only
way you would have to pay taxes, but it that case
there is a special contact on your base at person property, they will have a shipper and all his info..

The best thing to do is, just send it to Guam from oki, then there get it emissions tested, which its fine to do there, and very east to pass, then ship it to the states, the fees arent much more, and then you will have your emissions part done (plus there is a lot of crooked people in Guam) so you should be good to go. Then if you want to keep the car in the states you can. Check but I dont think you will need the crash testing either..

I have more info, but my fingers are tired... check the customs web page, BEST place to go.... Also they would be the people to let it be tax FREE!!

Jason

Re: are you in the military? regarding importing
 

MESA AUTO WHOLESALERS
310 SOUTH ALMASCHOOL ROAD, MESA, AZ 85210 602-418-8801
480-834-3690
talking about this guy? he doesn't do cars form other countrys according ot the website

Sounds like a lot of hassle.

Too bad its not like the old days when you could ship any car over if you were in the military.

Just sell it and start fresh with another FD in the states.

Well, according to the US customs website, I believe you can import your car with out having to pay custom taxes, ect.

http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/imp-e...formal/car.htm

"MILITARY AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES of the U.S. government returning at the end of an assignment to extended duty outside the customs territory of the U.S. may include a conforming vehicle among their duty-free personal and household effects. The auto must have been purchased abroad and be in its owner's possession prior to departure. Generally, extended duty is 140 days or more. Navy personnel serving aboard a U.S. naval vessel or a supporting naval vessel from its departure from the U.S. to its return after an intended overseas deployment of 120 days or more are entitled to the extended duty exemption."

You notice that they wrote, "may include a conforming vehicle among their duty-free personal and household effects". Most of us are SO far from conforming that it's not funny:(

This is the last thing I got from him...

"Hello, Bret. Thank you for your e-mail. How are you?

Thank you for asking. As you may know, this is the general process for importing.

Japan side : We have to do in order to get the race permission before shipping although it depends on the vehicles;

1, install the roll cage, bucket seats, race harness, fire extinguisher, race stickers, race suspension, etc.
2, remove the interior, air conditioning, audio system, other.

US side ;
We will draft a petition to the US DOT and the US EPA to obtain the required permission to import the vehicle. And it will be imported under our importer agent companies name.

There are numerous importation taxes, the 2.5% is simply the US Customs Duty tax, then there are the following taxes also:
Customs Processing fees - 0.21%
Harbor Maintenance fee - 0.125%
Customs Entry Bond - $3.50 per $1000 of value of car, minimum $85

In order to pass customs a bond in the amount of 150% the cost of the vehicle must be posted to customs until such time as the vehicle is inspected and approved for importation. The entry bond is typically posted by a Customs Broker, at the cost stated above.

Race cars cannot be registered for street use

If I can do anything for you or you have any questions, please don't hesitate to let me know. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely yours,
J's Garage Export
Yoshitaka Ikeda yosi@j-garage.com"




I dont have a roll cage, bucket seats, fire extinguisher....and im not sure about the "race stickers" :D

I can get a bucket seat and fire extingusher with no problems.. but I can't afford all of them and still ship the car.

I'm going to ask him what Import Company he's under
in the states, and ask what I'd have to do to bring it back as a show car...

And I'm not worried about tax's... I just want to keep my car...

This is what I wrote back...


"Dear Yoshitaka,

Here are some more questions...

>Japan side : We have to do in order to get the race permission before
>shipping although it depends on the vehicles;
>
>1, install the roll cage, bucket seats, race harness, fire >extinguisher, race stickers, race suspension, etc.
>2, remove the interior, air conditioning, audio system, other.

So my car can't be shiped without these things?

>US side ;
>We will draft a petition to the US DOT and the US EPA to obtain the >required permission to import the vehicle. And it will be imported >under our importer agent companies name.

What registered import agency are you useing in the states?


>In order to pass customs a bond in the amount of 150% the cost of the
>vehicle must be posted to customs until such time as the vehicle is
>inspected and approved for importation. The entry bond is typically >posted by a Customs Broker, at the cost stated above.

How do they determine the cost of the vehicle?


Thanks,

Bret"

good info keep it coming i will also keep you guys posted on the drama i have to go through

Go to this link... http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/
mucho good info...

Well here is the latest on my attempt to bring my car back.. I called a Registered Importer last night, I called Registered Importer Corporation in California. I got thier number off the www.nhtsa.dot.gov web site. I talked to the guy that deals with importing cars from Japan. He advised me that if I was to bring my car back as race only I would only be able to keep it in the states for 6 months. But he said that if I wanted to register it as a regular vehicle it wouldnt be a problem.

So it looks like im going to have to strip my car down...any one need some parts?? doors, mirrors..:D

thats a load of bullshit! i just talked to a RI last nite also and he said no problem. as long as you ar on military orders your car can stay in the states, 6mos my ass the hks 180 has been here longer than that!

Who did you talk to?

how much money you got?

just kidding! lol! call motorex

Well due to the Army's failure to use KY jelly as they proceded to FU*K me up the A$$ !! I have to leave Okinawa on the 7th of Sep. So I dont have time to get my car shiped, and there is no one I trust enough to do it for me. That and I found this..

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/...hs799short.pdf

this is the form that has to accompany your car when it get to customs. And my car dosnt meet any of those requierments.

I dont know how soul assassin is getting his car back... but more power to him. Mine hopefully will be turned into a very fast dragg car thanks to IGY. So I'm going to strip it down... :(

FDokinawa

I sent you a PM.

that blows..... is there a way you can send the car to canada ???

That's what I was thinking...then do a vin swap and drive it across the border...:)

you give up entirely to easy i have been nagging motherfuckers for 2 months be persistant don't take no for an answer!

Really you should look and ask around (customs) what would happen if you bring a J-spec FD from Guam to the States, that is US emissions tested by Guam, and prevously registered in Guam, and see what they say..

Never hurts to ask bro...

Jason