How much would it cost to import a supra mk3 or mk4 from japan to Cali USA?
and does anyone know any reliable sites that i can buy and import a supra?
and does anyone know any reliable sites that i can buy and import a supra?
Importing a Supra?
- Thread starter supra2jz
- Start date
Didn't see the top post in this section? http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115405
Same issue, short answer, not happening.
Same issue, short answer, not happening.
I just wanted to come on here and set everything straight as far as the whole importing a Japan car goes. I am in the process of the paperwork as we speak. I have a 1988 Toyota Supra GT Limited from Japan. I am stationed in Germany right now and will return to the US hopefully in a few months. My car unfortunately HAS TO STAY HERE until it is 25 years old. If you import a car sooner then 25 years old, you might get lucky if it is on the governments list of compatible autos to import, and then you might get 180 days at the most to have it conformed to US specs. You are unable to do any of the work yourself. You MUST hire and R.I. ( registered importer ) to legally import it. Then there are certain shops that are able to do the work to conform the car. It is not as simple as emissions, a 3rd brake light or anything that was posted in the thread link above. There are parts in the doors, bumpers, all glass, headlights, taillights, emissions.....If you take a Toyota Supra for example ( MK3 of course ) and tried to have it conformed to US specs, you are looking around $30,000 at least. That is including the cost of shipping, paperwork, customs, and the people doing the work. If your car is not brought to specs within the time frame you are given, count on your eventually either being taken by customs agents and crushed. THEY WILL NOT MAKE ANY EXCEPTIONS FOR THIS STUFF!
The same thing goes for importing a Jap Spec car to Canada and then trying to bring it across the border. CAN'T DO IT!
There is no other country in the world that meets our DOT, and EPA regulations. If there is anyone on this forum that wants to dispute me on this feel free and I will gladly give you the numbers that I called at 4 different customs offices around the country, the one I called in DC, and my Importers that will be importing mine in November of 2013. There is very few autos in the world that can legally be imported into the US with no issues that are under 25 years old. I have done months of research on this subject and feel I know exactly what I am talking about. If the VIN number is not a US VIN.....don't hold your breath on getting it into the country.
There is one good exception to the policy though. If you have enough cash and want to petition customs, you might be able to get it to work for you. Of course you will have to pay for customs to purchase several of the cars you wish to import, and then they will crash test them. If by the hand of the car gods it passes, then you can legally bring your car in with no problems. US Customs told me for something like that, I would expect to pay roughly $100,000..... give or take a few grand. Then you would open the door for anyone else in the US that wants to import that car.
For those that think they can just buy one from a company like Motorex (who by the way went out of business in 2002 for fraudulant importation of autos) will be able to drive the car with no problems. UNTIL you either get into an accident, or get a ticket and the piggy runs the VIN and says " Oh shit......an illegal alien....." lol. then kiss the car goodbye. As far as the whole accident thing goes now, it won't matter if someone was drunk as shit and rear ended you and totaled your car. IT WILL BE YOUR FAULT, because you have an illegal auto in the US.
TO PUT ALL OF THIS SIMPLY GUYS AND GALS, DON'T BOTHER EVEN TRYING TO IMPORT ANY CAR UNTIL IT IS 25 YEARS OLD. WAITING LIKE I AM WILL SAVE TONS OF HEADACHES AND MONEY. I will be paying roughly $3500 all in to have my car delivered to my garage in December of 2013. It has to be the month of birth not first registration. Mine was December of 1988. So, I have to wait until December of 2013 for it to hit US soil. I am shipping it in November because it takes about 2 weeks to get it there.
If anyone else has any questions about this whole importing thing, feel free to PM me and ask. I won't steer you wrong and will either give or find out any info I can for you. If someone wants to import one after the 25 year mark, I can give you the number of a very reputable company that has been doing this for years. They know their shit and know tons of companies overseas that work directly with them for importing autos.
The same thing goes for importing a Jap Spec car to Canada and then trying to bring it across the border. CAN'T DO IT!
There is no other country in the world that meets our DOT, and EPA regulations. If there is anyone on this forum that wants to dispute me on this feel free and I will gladly give you the numbers that I called at 4 different customs offices around the country, the one I called in DC, and my Importers that will be importing mine in November of 2013. There is very few autos in the world that can legally be imported into the US with no issues that are under 25 years old. I have done months of research on this subject and feel I know exactly what I am talking about. If the VIN number is not a US VIN.....don't hold your breath on getting it into the country.
There is one good exception to the policy though. If you have enough cash and want to petition customs, you might be able to get it to work for you. Of course you will have to pay for customs to purchase several of the cars you wish to import, and then they will crash test them. If by the hand of the car gods it passes, then you can legally bring your car in with no problems. US Customs told me for something like that, I would expect to pay roughly $100,000..... give or take a few grand. Then you would open the door for anyone else in the US that wants to import that car.
For those that think they can just buy one from a company like Motorex (who by the way went out of business in 2002 for fraudulant importation of autos) will be able to drive the car with no problems. UNTIL you either get into an accident, or get a ticket and the piggy runs the VIN and says " Oh shit......an illegal alien....." lol. then kiss the car goodbye. As far as the whole accident thing goes now, it won't matter if someone was drunk as shit and rear ended you and totaled your car. IT WILL BE YOUR FAULT, because you have an illegal auto in the US.
TO PUT ALL OF THIS SIMPLY GUYS AND GALS, DON'T BOTHER EVEN TRYING TO IMPORT ANY CAR UNTIL IT IS 25 YEARS OLD. WAITING LIKE I AM WILL SAVE TONS OF HEADACHES AND MONEY. I will be paying roughly $3500 all in to have my car delivered to my garage in December of 2013. It has to be the month of birth not first registration. Mine was December of 1988. So, I have to wait until December of 2013 for it to hit US soil. I am shipping it in November because it takes about 2 weeks to get it there.
If anyone else has any questions about this whole importing thing, feel free to PM me and ask. I won't steer you wrong and will either give or find out any info I can for you. If someone wants to import one after the 25 year mark, I can give you the number of a very reputable company that has been doing this for years. They know their shit and know tons of companies overseas that work directly with them for importing autos.
Poodles, you should sticky this one that way people can read this very clear thread and know that it just can't be done unless you are rich as all hell or have a 25 year old car. Then there will be no more questions about it.
Highly Illegal (I'm sure), and I don't recomend doing it...
but is it common to import the car, swap all the vin tags from a shell you own, add the third brake light and such and register as an American car? Seems like it would be hard to catch, RHD would be suspicious, but you can say you converted it.
I say this because I know of several people in Cape Cod that have done this with Land Rover Defenders, They have never had an issue.
but is it common to import the car, swap all the vin tags from a shell you own, add the third brake light and such and register as an American car? Seems like it would be hard to catch, RHD would be suspicious, but you can say you converted it.
I say this because I know of several people in Cape Cod that have done this with Land Rover Defenders, They have never had an issue.
TomFraser;1528612 said:
The car would never make it through customs. Plus if they found out that the car was done like that, it would be crushed.
---------- Post added at 11:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:14 PM ----------
Supracentral;1528631 said:
Thank ya much kind sir.
---------- Post added at 11:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:14 PM ----------
Where is the article area anyway?
91Supra313;1528657 said:
Click the "Home" button in the top left - it's all off of the front page.
People definitely swap VIN tags. More commonly with a car they dont have a title for, but it has also been done to illegally import cars. It will never get past customs so you have to get it to canada, reg it there, drive it over the border then change the vin. I've heard people have gone as far as tagging older skylines as 240sx but if the car is right hand drive its gonna draw attention and if you get caught the car you spent all your money on will be crushed, as well as potentially facing legal consequences. Basically, its a bad idea.
EDIT: Last year, some kid wanted to buy the VIN/title off my parts car. He ended up backing out because I told him he had to take the whole shell, then could do whatever he wanted and junk it for metal. He really wanted just the tags but I didnt want to be involved at that level.
EDIT: Last year, some kid wanted to buy the VIN/title off my parts car. He ended up backing out because I told him he had to take the whole shell, then could do whatever he wanted and junk it for metal. He really wanted just the tags but I didnt want to be involved at that level.
lewis15498;1528682 said:
I know several people with land rover defenders in the cape with tags from a different land rover (I forget the type) that was allowed in the USA, and they kind of look the same. I'm not sure how they got them into the country, but I know they have deep pockets so I wouldn't be surprised by some different methods they used, I'll have to ask when I see them this summer.
Look, what it all boils down too, If you have the money the car can and will be registered here in the states. Its as simple as getting a RI (registered Importer) and ICC (Independent Commercial Converter). Never mind what peolpe say...I personally have 2 Skyline imported from Okinawa Japan. I too know 4-5 Customs agents from around the country. Customs only play a small part in the whole thing. They will not release the vehicle to you until its bonded or to a RI. Think about it, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, etc DO NOT conform to EPA standards yet they are here. Uncle Sam wants his piece of the pie, that's all. The other part of the spectrum, you can import the car for show and display. Not a trailer queen, but you MUST not have more than 2,500 clocked miles on the speedometer anually. It can be driven on the road, only to and from place of display to garage and to perform preventative maintance. The NHTSA governs any vehicle on our road and make the law, then DOT implements the laws and apply amendments...The EPA cares only about the air and enviroment.
So to answer you question, it can be done..you just need the know how LEGALLY and the FUNDS. I too was stated overseas (Okinawa) and i have both my cars here with me. So like i said its posssible, LEGALLY. PM me if you are serious and need help.
So to answer you question, it can be done..you just need the know how LEGALLY and the FUNDS. I too was stated overseas (Okinawa) and i have both my cars here with me. So like i said its posssible, LEGALLY. PM me if you are serious and need help.
I am going to take a shot in the dark and guess that you my good man have the Skyline R33. Which by the way have been cleared by customs for years now, to import into the US. If you can afford it. I was crash tested years ago by the very well known ( and now shutdown ) Motorex. They had them crash tested, which to no surprise passed, and now certain years and models can legally be imported. BUT since we were talking about Supras here and not Nissan.....I would have put that out there if this were Skylinemania.com
91Supra313;1528952 said:
Well Like I stated, If one has the money to bring the vehicle up to conforment or spec, Then it can be done. And no, I have a R32 & R34 both were crash tested by a private lab in Washington state. I had 6 of each vehciles purchased and sent here. Now as to the Supra, he could purchase one and petition the NHTSA to have them here. The Supra my friend will past because a similar vehicle was made for the American market. Toyota can and will supply a letter of Compliance & Conforment grant that he ask for it. The engine would have to me taken out and replaced with a USDM 7MGE or 7MGTE. I'm an importer and this is what I do for a living...most of my clients want cars that are non-compliant. But it can be done.
Most of what you stated is true to the fact, but you were missing a few more details. Hey if you or anyone ever need help or sense of direction I here for the forum. I'm not here to slander or start a typing war, I'm just trying to help the young man that post his question. Anyway like I said you were correct to a certain extent, but I had to add a little more facts. And crazy MotorEx was closed and reopened now known as RB motoring. The resason they were closed, was not bringing the vehicles up to code and a Skyline got into an accident in VA and was take by the Feds (DOT) to their lab in DC for inspection. Then after seeing nothing was done to the car, and after looking at other vehicles there was a trend. That's why they were shutdown.
This is my line of work, and one importer knows another in this business. Here in Miami, Exotics are big business and a Toyota Supra falls alongs these lines if it is a RHD. There is always a grey area my friend, its all about how it is interpreted. So...the car can be imported.
I'm not here to argue about anything either but like I said in mine, you have to have a bunch of cash. For you to purchase six of each of those vehicles, that is something that the everyday car owner cannot do. This means that you put a ton of money into it. Thank you for the offer about direction, but I think I will stick with what customs and dot says and just stick by the rules. I don't want to try and bring something in any other way but waht the laws state is legal ( and cheaper ). To me, buying a new motor to drop in there just to have pulled back out again and put the original one in there seems a waste of money to me. I am going to contact Toyota today sometime, and find out about this whole letter of compliance thing because if I can get them to send me one I can ship my Supra home when I leave here. I just don't want to take a chance of trying to import something like this as a grey market car either.