Anybody ever imported a car or know someone who has??
 

I have friends in Jamaica and I'm thinking about importing a Civic Type-R. The only thing I know is that it has to be imported as a "race" car and wont be road legal.

Has anyone had any experience with this. Is there a way I can get it legalized without a standard US VIN #?

:?:

:mrgreen:

I live in Canada so I don't know if this will help.

Overhere, as long as it's 15 years old you can import anything you want and get it registered.Otherwise, you can easily import it as a race car but you won't be able to register it for the road.However, if you can get a paper from the dealer or manufacturer(much less likely) that testifies that the car meets Canada's regulations you can register it for the road as long as it passes the provincial inspection.A couple of friends and clients have done it but it's a lot of paperwork and it can mean costly modifications.

Some advice, try to go through a reputable importing company.Overhere, there are a lot of them don't know about Jamaica.It's easy to get scammed or have a badly maintained or high mileage car that you pay too much for.Service histories are scarce and if you don't have importing businesses that specialise in cars you will have a very hard time finding spare parts.Hence, the importane of importing a neat example.In your case, unless you speak japanese it should be a good idea to go through a company like that or at least find a helpful japanese speaking guy to speak to whoever you buy the car from.

Finally, in Canada we are lucky as we can import cars easily from Japan since we have a huge freight port in Vancouver.So many ships go there.Shipping costs can be as low as 600$CDN not insured or 1 500$CDN insured which I strongly recommend.Do not expect your car to arrive in the condition you have bought it.I don't know what the cargo handlers do but the cars I've seen all had pockmarks and dents in them caused by the shipping.Nothing major for the most but I saw a split front bumper on a R32 GTS Type-M that one of my friends bought.So insurance will cover that and in the unlikely event that the ship bringing your car capsize you will be fully repaid.Normally, it's the shipping company that arranges it for you.Just read the contract carefully to make sure you are properly covered.

As for car insurance, I don't know any company in Quebec that insures imported cars but there are a couple companies in the US that specialise in collection and rare cars.All the people i know with imported cars go through them.I could find the names and contacts if you want to.

So that's all I can think of for now.Don't know if this helps but thats how its done in the fridge of North America.It's currently -25 deg. C ... bring on the global warming pls. ;)

Cheers
Phil

A Honda?????:laugh::laugh::laugh:

Forget it. Not even Bill Gates could get his Porsche 959 legalized for street use.

A Honda??????

If you import it, you'll have to post a bond equal to the value of the car. You'll have to modify the car to meet all safety and emissions standards BEFORE driving it. (How much money do you have?) If you don't, you'll forfeit the bond and be forced to export the car or watch the Feds crush it.

Yep a Honda :) - I really wanted to import an R32 GTR, but the Skyline deal so jacked up I didnt want to go for it.

I have always wanted a Honda Civic Type-R......its better than 90% of the cars in the US.

Dont worry about the money, I know what I can and cant do. I just want to know if it can be done. It wouldnt be a daily driver. I just want the car. You can import it as a "race" car and not worry about safety emissions and stuff.........I think. :thumbup:

Thanks for your input Phil :thumbup:. I think I may look into importing the Type-R as a race car...may take some time, but its worth a try. I really want an NSX-R but i'm not even sure if that made it to JA....it probably did though, as they get their cars from the UK.....plus it would take me a while to get that kind of cash.

Thanks bro!

Prolly end up being cheaper then your civic plan. Theres a company that already imports skylines and does the conversions. Your asking for a headache to do it yourself. And for a civic you must really be nuts. Its an ok car but your going to pay through the nose and by that time you could have stepped up to something like an nsx.

Info on importing skyline:
http://www.newcarsnews.com/1970/01/0...-r-in-america/
Note they had to crash test cars and fill out alot of paperwork.

EPA Rules you have to meet:
http://epa.gov/otaq/imports/

Youd also have to meet crash worthy rules of your state.

An NSX-R is basically only a factory modified NSX so if the NSX was available in your area.I guess you could buy one and then add the parts which makes it an NSX-R.Might be costly but at least you'll be able to roll on the streets with it.

Same goes for the CTR, since it's a normal Civic with ligher or more race oriented parts added, you could buy a Civic and buy the Type-R parts and swap them in.

Also a basic Civic with some choice modifications will be as quick if not quicker than a CTR.Do not know what the tuning scene is in Jamaica but over here, it would be fairly easy to do that.One year ago I built a 300whp Civic for one of my clients, it was fast as hell and totally street legal.

Just my 2 cents.
Phil

1. Information on importing a vehicle into Canada is completely irrelevant for United States importers.

2. Motorex, the company that USED to gray-market import/certify Skylines is closed. They lied to the Feds about R32s, R33s. and R34s being structurally identical. They crash-tested only one variant and claimed results applied to all models. You really don't want to lie to the Federal government.

3. The OP seems intent on importing a non-compliant vehicle as a "race-car". I hope he tries. He'll get caught with his "race-car" on the street and the fun will begin. I'm looking forward to the "Feds Seized My Car and Crushed It While Keeping My Import Bond" thread. I could use the laughs!:laugh::laugh::laugh:

Import a car from Jamaica..... into the USA via Texas to Louisianna?

That spounds so much like a front for illegal drug importation, I am guessing you might have better luck importing Cuban cigars in marked containers... ;)

Take note, that isn't that disimilar to why the feds busted Unique Performance ... the whole title washing thing isn't something you want to start doing... and especially talking about it on a forum.

Just noticed, that you wanted to import it to the states.I was under the impression that you wanted it in Jamaica. doh!

Still my last comment on importing just the parts that makes it a Civic Type-R holds true.In fact there are many guys who have done it in the US.

:laugh: Its like no one actually understands what I want.

I know about the whole GTR incident. The only GTR still legal to buy (i think) is the 1995 R33 that Motorex modifed.....no R32, no R34.

Phil. I know I can tune a car to be as fast as a NSX-R and Civic Type-R. I dont want to mod a car, I want it because of what the car is. More of a collectable.

SO......ALL...

I DO NOT WANT it as a daily driver! I DONT. I wouldnt even drive the thing around the city. Maybe around my neighborhood at the MOST. I want to import the car because I WANT the car..I have always wanted to have one........and I always will.

I'm not worried about the Feds...because I would no nothing illegal. I wouldnt ask you'all to give me some illegal advice...I know it has been dont legaly and I want to know how. When I want to track it....I will HAUL it where it needs to be, and go forward from there. I only asked about the VIN# because I wasnt sure what would be needed to import it as a race car.....I guess i should have made that clear ;-)

Thanks for the legal stuff...but I'm not trying to out do the gov't on this one. Most who try, fail miserably. :thumbup: I simply want to get the car to the states..........just as a I also want to get a Euro spec E36 M3 Evo. :-P

dood, This isn't a BMW Z1 we're talking about, or Toyota 2000 GT.... or anywhere near the collectability between the two ....:?:

I had a thought. Can you import cars if you can somehow prove that it's a car that's a version of a car that's been sold in the country? Like saying that Civic Type-R's a version of the Civic Si that was already sold here legally. I mean it's pretty much the same car underneath, isn't it? As long as it doesn't fail emissions or is unsafe for some reason, you should be able to import it.

But then again, the US beaurocracy doesn't run on rational or logical thinking.

That process can take upto a year to pass EPA