First, I'd like to say that if this is in the wrong section, please feel free to move it. Similarly, if there is already a thread about this topic, please direct me to it, as I did a search, and found nothing.

Now, a friend and I were thinking about importing cars from Japan to the US, my car of choice being an FD. I know that there are obvious risks and a high possibility for unexpected "surprise expenses", but I figured it could potentially be cheaper than buying the equivalent model here. What I would like to know is if anyone here has tryed this before, and what they would recommend as to approaching this whole thing. I would also appreciate price estimates for legal conversions (such as cats, safety equipment, etc.), if those are indeed nessicary. Thanks in advance for your help!

Here's a link for the car: Mazda RX7 used car for sale in Tokyo -- import Japanese used car, dealer, exporter

P.S. If there is any info you can give me on the exporter, Batfa Japan, I would greatly appreciate it. There were some harsh words about this exporter before, but that was back in 2004 and before. Not sure if that's changed.

 

Not a Tech based question,but it would be good Info,so Thread approved and good luck.

 

Basically it's not legal in the U.S. You can take your chances. Many have and are getting away with it. But no matter how pretty the State title is, it's Federal contraband and seizable.


https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati...fd-3-a-764999/
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati...s-old-1022553/
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati...japan-1020076/
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati...ot-one-870611/
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati...ed-rx7-982249/
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati...states-970812/

Where you search is important. These links are from the 3rd Gen. Section searching only in thread titles using only the term "Import" I'm sure there are many more.

Also IMO, that company link is sketchy at best.

 

I think its legal. The NHTSA (a GOVERNMENT agency) lists lots on the subject, so its just a matter of following the proper procedures. I could be wrong, of course, but that's why I came here: for more info on the topic.

On the topic of searching, when I was looking through the forums, because I had 0 posts at the time, most of the threads and sub-forums were locked, hence why I just posted one here. Won't happen again.

I do understand that Batfa looks "un-legit", but they are certified by the JCTO, like they state on their website. There certification stands until 2014, when they would have to get it renewed. There are also a couple FDs on Monky's, and a lot of people seem to like that site; lots of good feedback about them on forums.

 

OK. You're on your own then. Good luck. Unsubcribed.

 

i thought it was illegal to import unless the vehicle was at least 25 years old or if you got someone to modify it but i dont think the fd had one?

 

It depends on the age of the car any car 25 years or older can be legally imported as a classic. I have a link for that because I have been wanting a few classic jdm cars my self. Let me dig that up

 

Read carefully find you a good source or japanese auction house and have about $8k-$12k ready and find you something you like
https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/det...r-into-the-u.s

 

EDIT: I don't really care about this. If I wanted the hassle, I would move to japan.

 

I am curious as to how your importing goes. I am currently in the process of trying to title my imported FD (Jap title). hoping all goes smooth! Good luck!

 

This sounds just like the "hey I figured out a way to import GT-Rs" thread on my Nissan board.

Will it pass a smog check? Probably not.
Can you prove that it takes a hit EXACTLY like the LHD US spec model? If not, bring in a couple so you can pay a lot of money to let some testers slam them into barriers.
Does it have a 16 digit VIN?
Etc etc, it gets dicey quick.

I know you won't care or be interested in listening, though, so good luck. I hope you don't wind up like this guy. R32GTR seized, forced to export. Need some advice/contacts overseas! : GTR Forum / Skyline Forum

Odds are if you can sneak it in, don't lie to yourself, you will be smuggling this car in just like drugs, guns, or Chinese slave labor, you can probably BS some mouthbreathing DMV guy to title it. You will probably be able to drive it relatively unmolested, but every time a cop starts to follow you, every time you get pulled over for a cali stop, a taillight out or, heaven forbid, speeding, you will have that sick feeling that this is the moment it bites you in the ***.

I can ALMOST understand people taking the risk for a car that is next to impossible to get in the states legally, but for a car you can pick up after perusing the classifieds, no; that's dumb.

 

Please before you get discouraged by all the people on the "they are gonna take your import and crush it" band wagon. go ahead and spend the maybe 5 minutes on the NHTSA's website. As soon as my title paperwork is clear and my inspection criteria met When I get pulled over in my Ẽfini I will have no shortness of breath or more anxiety then recieving a speeding ticket in my Trans-Am!
The NHTSA (the people who will supposedly take your car to the crusher) specifically allows "Mazda RX7 manufactured between 1988 - 1995" to be imported into the U.S. under import eligibility number 279 docket numbers NHTSA-1998-4578 and NHTSA-1999-5863. As long as the car was Imported by a licensed importer it is 100% legal.

The reason that poor guys Datsun was taken and smashed is because it is not on the allowed import list. However if he had imported an R33 (1996-1998) it would have been fine. As Motorex spent the time to get that model on the docket. (eligibility number 32 Docket # NHTSA-2005-22654)

Gray market laws are to protect the manufacturer from people importing unsafe cars or cars that are nearly new that will impact the manufacturers current network. Importing an RX7 will not prevent someone from buying a new one at a dealership!

Sorry if that ran long just wanted to make a complete point.

Tunerguy21: Once you have one imported I would gladly assist you with getting it titled legally so you don't have to worry about Big Brother smashing your car! Just expect to let it sit in your garage for 2-4 months while you get it sorted!

 

sorry I meant to add this excerpt regarding allowed non-conforming imports:
Accordingly, on the basis of the
foregoing, NHTSA hereby decides that
each motor vehicle listed in Annex A to
this notice, which was not originally
manufactured to comply with all
applicable Federal motor vehicle safety
standards, is substantially similar to a
motor vehicle manufactured for
importation into and/or sale in the
United States, and certified under 49
U.S.C. § 30115, as specified in Annex A,
and is capable of being readily altered
to conform to all applicable Federal
motor vehicle safety standards

From the NHTSA Docket No: NHTSA-99-58631

 

As I live in idaho and my parents are close to the Canadian border I found a rhd roller for cheap in BC and tried to bring it down
After jumping through a lot of paper work and getting my pass port it was all up to mazda to send me a letter of compliance
Mazda wasnt able to give me the letter because for one it has a 10 dig vin not 17 because it was manufactured in Japan and two because it didn't comply with USA standards
So if I wanted to get it in the USA I had to have a registered importer bring it up to standard everyone I called wouldn't touch it
So hopefully that helps
I ended up giving up cuz the guy sold the car to someone up there

 

Dwduc, could you give me some idea of what it would cost once it gets off the boat? I'm currently still looking for something priced reasonably, but the one fear I have is that the moment the car would get here, no matter the cost for actually buying it, the total cost would go into space. Any help is welcomed. Thanks!

EDIT: Also, do you have any sites you would recommend? I know that Monky's has a few FDs, and people on other forums seem to like it, but I'm still a bit wary. Don't wanna send my money away, only to get screwed.

 

Yeah JoeyGeorge I believe bringing in an incomplete car could be a paperwork nightmare. You would have to bring it in as a race car (not street legal) then build it up stock then import it under the docket, then mod it how you want! Probably cheaper to just import a complete car!

 

I did not import my car. the guy who did had it for two years and never got around to titling it as he had an FC project, and a VR4 project. He had big plans for this FD then he got his girl pregnant and is forced to sell his whole collection. So I came along and picked it up for 9k.
Personally I would be very uncomfortable importing one myself because it is very easy for an importer to misrepresent a car. They might take your money and send you a wrecked cobbled together pile of crap and you would have virtually no recourse to have them resolve it.
However once its here and in your possession the cost will vary a bit. Here in Colorado I have two options, 1 get the Japanese title translated and hope everything is perfect with the title otherwise I would need the last owner (in japan to fix any errors) or 2 bond for title. I am bonding for the title as recommended by my local DMV. I recommend talking with them first and getting a bonding packet. Talk to more then just one person so you don't get surprised by additional requirements later. I asked the agent I was talking to if he could check with his supervisor about it to be sure and then all the people around got curious and helped look up all that I needed.
Next was sending the VIN for title search. It is a form filled out that you mail to the state DMV not your local office. This is no real issue since I physically have the last title issued for the car. This costs $2.20
Once that comes back I will be able to apply for a 10 day pass from the local DMV to drive the vehicle to inspection and appraisal.
Then the car has to be inspected at the local state patrol office and get a "certified VIN inspection". They also look it over and make sure it has all the lights, mirrors and accesories to be street legal. This is not the same inspection that you can have done at the dealership. cost is $20.00 and by appointment only.
Then the car has to have an appraisal from a local Dealership. Any licensed dealer can do this. the minimum appraisal for a Bonded title here is $200 anything less has to apply for a salvage title, so if you have a friend with a dealers license get a low appraisal but greater than $200. This cost will vary by dealer but usually around $20
Now you have to secure a surety bond for twice the appraised value of the vehicle. Most surety bonds will cost between 1-3% of the bond value. So if the appraisal is for 10k the bond will cost between $100 and $300.
Then apply for Title!! at this point you will have to pay your state taxes on whatever the bill of sale amount is, sticking with the 10k it should be about another $700 - $800

In summary I would expect to pay about $1200 getting the titling done and expect it to take up to 3-4 months depending on how backed up your DMV and State Patrol offices are.

I also recommend going to a local dealership (the one you would want to get the appraisal from) and see if you can talk to their Title clerk if they have time on a slow day. Any dealership that deals with used vehicles will be familiar with your states bonding process.

Good Luck!!!

 

Hey there, although I can't help with the process of getting one into the states because I live in Australia and have no idea how the importing system works there, I do have something you should take very seriously before you decide on a particular rx7 to go with.
Look up JOC, they run through forums and on eBay as well, they offer a Japanese odometer check service. Basically every car in Japan get their kilometres traveled recorded as part of their registration every 2 years. What these guys do is track down the original documentation, and email + post you the original Japanese copy and an English translated copy. This is to show you whether or not the kilometres are genuine or have been wound back before you agree to pay for the car.
I found out after I already purchased my car but was lucky as mine had not been tampered with, others haven't been so lucky however.
Hopefully this helps you so you don't import an rx7 that's on borderline rebuild territory without knowing

 

interesting read i too was wondering about importing to the us and it seems like it takes quite a bit more than i thought. it doesn't seem worth it for my needs. hope the op got what he was looking for.

 

Well, at least I'm not the only crazy person on these forums! Unfortunately, I won't be able to look into FDs just yet, so I'm going for an FC instead. I actually heard (or saw, rather) from another post on these forums that the only things which need changing to be US compliant were window glass and the exhaust. This seems simple enough, but can anyone confirm this? I figured that these would need changing, but I thought there would be more to it.

 

From what I read after visiting (Vehicle Importation and Certification Requirements) the NHTSA had an update in November of 2013 and now RX-7s manufactured between 1988-1995 are now eligible for legal importation.

The people saying it will be crushed or illegal are going off the old info. Go to (http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/elig11152013.pdf) and scroll down to "other vehicles" and you will see the RX-7 is on there.

 

lol, I didn't recognize this as one I'd un-sub'd.
FWIW, this is a post from Dwduc, in Dec. 2013....a few months after posting his reassurances above.
And you'll still being paying thousands to buy a car you can't touch or test-drive. That requires you to pay for shipping from half a world away and which comes with no reliable history of ownership, no maintenance records and no valid title. I'm also curious to see how much those "licensed importers" charge. And the steering wheel is still going to be on the goofy side for North America.

Agreed.