Pugs in America

[pitfield]

I'm moving to New York soon and would like to bring with me a Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9, just an unmodified car, probably a newer one so it would probably have a catalytic converter. Does anyone know if this is allowed as the car was never marketed here as far as I know.

[HeilSvenska]

Nope. Never marketed here, cannot be driven here. Unless you disassemble it, bring it here, reassemble it, then register it as a kit car. No Peugeot that came after the 405 is allowed here, except the 908 HDi.

[pitfield]

Shit, I was well keen. How heavily disassembled does it need to be to become a kit car?

[pitfield]

What about a MK1 golf GTi?

[HeilSvenska]

I dunno. But apparently it's good enough for Lotus to recommend registering the 2-Eleven here for road use, and Gumpert to do business over here with that model. Hmmmmm. I think I've seen Mexican registered 206s though... but that's useless.

Well... Here's a good read. And if you need to have a European runabout, you'll be glad to know that at least you can buy an Astra here.

http://www.epa.gov/oms/imports/kitcar.htm

Originally Posted by pitfield What about a MK1 golf GTi?

Yeah. They have GTIs here. Although they might be called Rabbit GTIs.
*They have different front ends than the European counterparts. And apparently 1.6L engines only.

[pitfield]

not keen on GM products at all, thanks for you help though.

[pitfield]

http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/quiktext.htm#21years apparently if the car is over 21 years old it can be imported without EPA restrictions. That would therefore include a UK market Golf GTi MK1 or a Pug

[black_diamond]

Its hard to import cars into the US, (thinking of the now famous Bill Gates Porsche 959). Near the airport in Frankfurt there is a junk yard full of old BMWs and Mercedes of ex-servicemen who tried to bring their German cars with them but the US Govt won't allow them to be imported. Its expensive and not worth it, most of the time you won't be able to do it. Just go buy an MINI

Actually the Saturn Astra is the Astra, (Vauxhall, Saturn, Holden and Opel all use the same underpinnings just slightly different cars).

[HeilSvenska]

Originally Posted by black_diamond Actually the Saturn Astra is the Astra, (Vauxhall, Saturn, Holden and Opel all use the same underpinnings just slightly different cars).

Naturally, everyone here knows that. But he won't even touch Vauxhalls. Oh well.

Originally Posted by pitfield http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/quiktext.htm#21years apparently if the car is over 21 years old it can be imported without EPA restrictions. That would therefore include a UK market Golf GTi MK1 or a Pug

I hadn't thougth of that. I didn't know you were looking into a 205 so old.

*Uppercase I for Golf GTI.

[FoxFour]

Originally Posted by HeilSvenska

What a fun car to drive. My friend had a 1986 GTI, great gearing, light and nimble and manual steering that lets you feel the road. If you can find a good condition older model GTI, that would be sweet.

[pitfield]

Originally Posted by HeilSvenska Naturally, everyone here knows that. But he won't even touch Vauxhalls. Oh well. I hadn't thougth of that. I didn't know you were looking into a 205 so old. *Uppercase I for Golf GTI.

How could I make such a heinous error, finger must have slipped off the shift key. I've had a couple of Astras, just didn't like them much, not an awful car but there's just something so bland about them, and the VXR has too much lag.

[pitfield]

Originally Posted by black_diamond Its hard to import cars into the US, (thinking of the now famous Bill Gates Porsche 959). Near the airport in Frankfurt there is a junk yard full of old BMWs and Mercedes of ex-servicemen who tried to bring their German cars with them but the US Govt won't allow them to be imported. Its expensive and not worth it, most of the time you won't be able to do it. Just go buy an MINI Actually the Saturn Astra is the Astra, (Vauxhall, Saturn, Holden and Opel all use the same underpinnings just slightly different cars).

I've also had a ton of MINIs, I absolutely adore them and hope to work for MINI when I get settled here. I've just been lusting after a 205 for ages and never sorted it out, I will look further into getting an '88 in the new year.

[HeilSvenska]

Originally Posted by pitfield I've also had a ton of MINIs, I absolutely adore them and hope to work for MINI when I get settled here. I've just been lusting after a 205 for ages and never sorted it out, I will look further into getting an '88 in the new year.

Oh, that's pushing the 21 year old car rule there, isn't it?

[pitfield]

as long as it's 7670.25 days old at the time it looks like it'll be fine, and quite possibly unique as the only RHD 205 in in the U.S.

[lemansman]

i see pugs and other foreign marks not sold in the states from time to time. mostly in diplomat cars.