Importing a Skyline into the USA FAQ thread...

[RB26Sileighty]

Ok so i figured to clear up some rumors or questions anyone has about importing cars into the USA i would write this thread...Note that this may or may not apply to the state or province that you live in...

http://photos-438.facebook.com/s5/438/s202802808_30014438_2297.jpg

I imported a 91 Gts-t about 2 years ago...The car was ordered from a web site called Batfa.com...Yes it is a legit web site that sells cars out of yokahama japan. The car took 6 months to arrive...Why so long because at the time i didn't know it was not going to be frighted in. Instead the car was driven on and off the boat...you mite say oh thats no so bad but the shipping company scratched the car and it was just a big mess...anyhow im fixing to give you the 411 on what you can and can't do importing a skyline or just about any car into the USA.

The first thing is finding a reliable place to buy a car. Since most of us can't go to japan we have to shop from our comps here in the states. Like i said before, i went out on a limb and risked loosing a large sum of money and bought a skyline from japan from Batfa.com. The car took six months to get here and trust me it was not easy i had to call the us imbassy many times. So to avoid this problem you will have to figure out what port you want the car shipped to. I had mine shipped to what once was Port of New Orleans. Now if your intrested listen up because this is what you will need to do.

First depending where you buy your car, make contact with the seller over the phone which is your basic long distance buying guildlines. Once your money transfer is made and you have picked your car and port the next step is finding what is called a import and export broker. You can call any Port in the usa or your local customs to find legit brokers. If anyone needs a list i still have mine. Anyhow your broker will be able to arrange for the car to be picked up and loaded onto the boat. I recommend renting a crate but if your straped for cash (free) load is exceptable. No it's not free shipping it just means that the cargo is not contained in anything. Not sure about shipping charges because they fluxuate with the economy. I remember i paid 900 for shipping to the US. When the car arrives you will be required to pay fees such as your broker fee+customs fees which are about the most exspensive...Broker fees run about 150-200 bucks and customs fees are around 350-400.

When the car comes in you will have to wait at 7a.m. in the morning like i did to pick it up. Make sure to number the truck and trailer when you go to pick it up...They will ask you your truck number. Just make a number up like (m7).
Not sure about other places but Batfa.com sent all documents of the car in the mail. When you get a broker they will probibly send it to them. Note you can not pick your vehicle up with out a broker.

Once you get your car for hevens sake i know it's hard but do not drive it on the street. They will impound and smash it. I was lucky that the red necks that live in texas don't know what a skyline is. There has been this long rumor about only being able to have the car one year before customs comes to pick it up. Not true at all, because leaglly you can own and posses the car as long as you want and still not be legal. What i am telling you is not speculation but fact.

To get a skyline or any other car legal is not so much exspensive as it is a pain in the ass. Your first move is to have your loacl officals check the car to make sure your paper work matchs and that it is not stolen. You can have this done at your local dmv. Just call and ask them what to do and they will direct you. Ask your broker to help you because they can often help speed the paper work up faster. As for the car itself (91 gts-t) the exhaust passes emesions but had to be replaced due to rust. That was just about the only thing that was replaced...After the car has been checked by your local dot to insure that it was not stolen then you will move to your next challenge. You will need a special form that your broker will have and i don't recall the number of the form but they will know. Once you have this form and the form givin by your local dmv officer, you will then need to contact your local EPA officals. Don't get nervous about these guys because the ones i delt with were very nice and helpful. When you call ask for the head guy so as to not get the run around. They will have you bring the car to the inspection area and in my case just give it a quick look over. Sometimes they will check emissions but not always. After that it's just a matter of handling basic paper work such as registration and inspection. The dot and epa officers will help direct you. I strongly recommend not trying this in calli but try at your own risk. This does work and the car will be legal in your state. Now federal wise i don't know because thats a diffrent story.

If anyone would like any more info on the feel free to reply...note paper work is way less hassle for cars that we have in the states...

[OptionZero]

Doing it 101% federally legally? Cost prohibitive, if you can even manage to wade through the bureaucracy. Go to Freshalloy's GT-R forum.

there are cheaper ways to go faster for less work (z06, evo, sti, used stuff)

Doing it not 100% federally legally? Easy. You just gotta know a guy.

Heck...import as parts and cross your fingers.

Theoretically, you want one that looks as stock as possible on the outside and in a non-attention grabbing color. Then drive discreetly. Problemsolved.

[kazuo]

Your car is illegal.

End of discussion.

This has been discussed numerous times.

IBTL :D

[RB26Sileighty]

accually it's not the car is legal in the state of texas and thats all that matters to me...sorry if you don't know what your talking about but hey not my problem.....oh and people don't always buy them to be fast some buy them because they are unique...

[projectRDM]

But they're not unique. There's like a million of them in Australia alone. That's like saying an Escort is unique. It may be unique to you in your area, but you need to emphasize that.

[Gnnr]

Unless he imports a Nismo one, then maybe he'd have an argument. Hey if Bill Gates can get his way, so can us poor folks. :D

http://www.canepa.com/SportsLuxury/Showroom/959ArticleAutoweek.asp

[daryl337]

I dont think you guys fully appreciate the information he happens to have given you. Although I knew about this for quite some time... most people believe that only special companies (i.e. motorex) could import a skyline into the united states.

If the car is checked by the state patrol, passes emissions, and the epa gives it a thumbs up... there is nothing but import paperwork.

[Neejay]

Although I probably wont be doing it, great job on sharing the info (taking the time and effort to help out).

[Neejay]

I dont think you guys fully appreciate the information he happens to have given you...Exactly.....

[gotta240]

Despite what all the haters are saying.....


Thanks a lot for the info you have shared. Although it may not work for everyone, it is obviously working for you..... You had the balls to try it, so more power to you....

i envy your car...

[Yuri]

Despite what all the haters are saying.....


Thanks a lot for the info you have shared. Although it may not work for everyone, it is obviously working for you..... You had the balls to try it, so more power to you....

i envy your car...
+1
By cars existing in the US, do you mean variations of the car, or the exact car? Like would an early evo be easier to import than an S15, because the evo body style was sold here as a wimpy little Mirage?

But in terms of the haters, Cali guys seem to be overly cynical about all this because of the whole gestapo approach to vehicle legislation that california has compared to the rest of the US.
When I was in wisconsin, I saw unfederalized Evo V's and R32 GTRs registered.

[phreze]

But they're not unique. There's like a million of them in Australia alone. That's like saying an Escort is unique. It may be unique to you in your area, but you need to emphasize that.

Who the fuck needs to explain that the car is unique in there area when they are talking about importing it to the states? How many skylines do you see around you? How about texas, ok then.

When I was in italy I saw more lambos then I do over here but each one gathered alot of attention everytime it drove by.

Quit trying to shit on someone else that was trying to help other people out.

[RPS13nutt]

:bump: for the report also
I remember once I tried going through the hoops to import a vehicle from japan to the states, Through the military.
Was my first time trying, and couldnt finish everything due to me starting the process late.
But all n all I'm happy for you.
Congratz

[OptionZero]

State legal does not equal federally legal.

I could drive to some backwater DMV in the boonies of california and register a formula 1 car, that doesn't mean it's legal.

In any case anyone that is actually capable of getting a skyline probably doesn't need to go to an online forum to see how to do it, and 99% of the people here will never have the resources or determination to do it anyways.

[RB26Sileighty]

the car plus shipping cost me in total 4500 bucks...you saying you can't swing that....thats sad...

Skylines are unique....every time i stop at the gas station i get mauled by a crowd...They are unique here in the states...Maybe not in japan but you know what...thats japan thousands of mles away...

The point of this was...if you wanna do it then it's possible...even if it's a back water dmv...it will still make the call legal in your state....not being federaly legal just means you can't register the car in another state...but the thing is you can you just have to go about it the same way you did in your first state...Did you know you can get a gtr r32 for 10k on batfa....oh but thats not worth having right....like i said before you can do this with any car...and if we have it here like a 180sx it just makes it all that more easy to do paper work....

[Neejay]

the car plus shipping cost me in total 4500 bucks...you saying you can't swing that....thats sad...

Skylines are unique....every time i stop at the gas station i get mauled by a crowd...They are unique here in the states...Maybe not in japan but you know what...thats japan thousands of mles away...

The point of this was...if you wanna do it then it's possible...even if it's a back water dmv...it will still make the call legal in your state....not being federaly legal just means you can't register the car in another state...but the thing is you can you just have to go about it the same way you did in your first state...Did you know you can get a gtr r32 for 10k on batfa....oh but thats not worth having right....like i said before you can do this with any car...and if we have it here like a 180sx it just makes it all that more easy to do paper work....
Yeah, batfa has some cheap silvias/180sx's...the only thing that keeps me from SERIOUSLY looking into it is it being RHD :(

Thanks again for the info man.

[unwed_transient]

almost there.

no mention of dot crash safety requirements and federal epa standards=not completely thought through=not federally legal=still partially illegal.

nice state-level write-up though.

[OptionZero]

no, being not federally legal means customs can take it from you and press charges ...if they want.

If the risk does not mean anything to you, then by all means, do wutever to get your crowd-drawing skyline.

For 5 grand, you got a 15 year old car that originally cost $40 grand, that could possibly get you into shit depending on how hard the government wants to fuck you. Hooray for you?

you aren't the first to bring a jdm car to america, you won't be the last, and only fanbois still wet their pants at seeing a skyline in person. Honda folks have been doing that same shit for years, new kids still go bonkers at seeing a jdm SiR.

again...spend even a bit of time on FreshAlloy's GT-R forum, which has been following the Motorex debacle since the beginning, and all of this is old news

[RPS13nutt]

Question?
When did the 1990~99 GTR become illegal?
As far as the DOT and NHTSA says direct from the web site is that they comform and meet requirements for here.

http://dmses.dot.gov/docimages/pdf42/70703_web.pdf

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/

They have yet to repost a PDF file or any information regarding it being illegal
so this rule still stands right?

[SilviaNinja240]

yay, sounds like there is some hope

[Yuri]

But according to that, it means it would be harder to import a rhd S13 or S14 since a left hand drive version is easily available in the US.

[unwed_transient]

Question?
When did the 1990~99 GTR become illegal?
As far as the DOT and NHTSA says direct from the web site is that they comform and meet requirements for here.

http://dmses.dot.gov/docimages/pdf42/70703_web.pdf

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/

They have yet to repost a PDF file or any information regarding it being illegal
so this rule still stands right?
i didn't read anything that stated any skyline is legal. I did read about modifications that needed to be performed to legalize them. but a fresh-off-the-boat skyline is not legal.

Motorex had a skyline importing and legalizing service before the y went out o' business.

[OptionZero]

On FA, the big issue was they could never get 96 and higher cars fully legalized due to crash and emissions shit with OBDII.

[projectRDM]

Who the fuck needs to explain that the car is unique in there area when they are talking about importing it to the states? How many skylines do you see around you? How about texas, ok then.

When I was in italy I saw more lambos then I do over here but each one gathered alot of attention everytime it drove by.

Quit trying to shit on someone else that was trying to help other people out.

There's a BNR33 sitting right behind my shop, so I really don't have to look very far at all to see one. And it looks like any other car after seeing it a few times.
Honestly, they're great cars and this one will be fun when we get it finished, but it's not like I have to jerk off to it daily like some of you guys seem to think is a requirement. It's a car, nothing more. Lambos are cool as hell too, but I don't get off seeing one if I do, and I'll survive if I don't see it.

[killjoy]

I would rather have a clean unmodded S15 but the rhd part would suck.

[Jonnie Fraz]

I like the write up, and I am glad to see that it work for you in Texas.
Real quick Fedeal law superseeds State law, that is the problem with motor swapps. That is a whole new argument though. Motorex laid the ground work for importing Skylines, They had the money so they could do the testing for DOT. For a car to be DOT compliant there is a ton of stuff to do ie. Crash testing, emissions testing, and such.
I have spent many hours researching doing this for Silvia's and 180SX, I came to the conclussion that it was not cost effective to do it by the book.

[EchoOfSilence]

Unless he imports a Nismo one, then maybe he'd have an argument. Hey if Bill Gates can get his way, so can us poor folks. :D

http://www.canepa.com/SportsLuxury/Showroom/959ArticleAutoweek.asp
:wtf: :wtf: :wtf:

Canepa's shop is in SANTA CRUZ?
well then. :drool:

EDIT: Scott's Valley now, but fucking eh, that's only a couple miles up the 17 :drool:

[HaLo]

it's so much easier in Canada to get a R32 GTR, Silvia or 180sx.. ;)

[WILDACEX187]

it's so much easier in Canada to get a R32 GTR, Silvia or 180sx.. ;)

yea i wanna move to canada and drive jdm cars. did they make lhd s15's?

[EchoOfSilence]

So if something's legalized in Canada, how hard would it be to cross it over state-side?

[infinitexsound]

sorry u have to excuse me, i dont appreciate 0 degree weather.... canada is not all that...

thanks for the info rb26, but me i dont plan on buying a skyline anytime soon....
lookin forward to upgrading my s14 into a 2002 330i..

[Revolver Ocelot]

So if something's legalized in Canada, how hard would it be to cross it over state-side?
Thats actually a really good question. Anybody have any ideas on this?

[phreze]

There's a BNR33 sitting right behind my shop, so I really don't have to look very far at all to see one. And it looks like any other car after seeing it a few times.
Honestly, they're great cars and this one will be fun when we get it finished, but it's not like I have to jerk off to it daily like some of you guys seem to think is a requirement. It's a car, nothing more. Lambos are cool as hell too, but I don't get off seeing one if I do, and I'll survive if I don't see it.

There is a store owner near me that has a r34 skyline and s15 silvia. First time I saw it I did a double take still something cool to see but not something to jerk off about, no.

[SilviaNinja240]

Thats actually a really good question. Anybody have any ideas on this?

I asked about this before, I think you need to be a Canadian citizen, register it in Canada, have an adress n' stuff in Canada, etc..
pretty much, give up your citizenship and become Canadian eh?

[WILDACEX187]

i think u can have dual citizenship of US and canada

[RB26Sileighty]

the write up was ment to help those intrested in getting a skyline...i don't own that car anymore because i realized that i was in love with the motor not the car. Thats why i have s13 with the twin turbo gtr motor... and do you honestly think customs is going to go out of there way to come get your car...no...not even close...sorry if this info doesn't help you in cali but thats why it doesn't help you...because you live in cali...Here we don't even run exhaust on most of our performance cars....no need to because no one checks or really gives a shit...The point is some people are intrested in jerking off to these cars as some put it...More less they have seen them in magazines and read about them and always wanted one...This write up is just to help on how to get one with out paying 20000 bucks for a 90 gts-t...If your not intrested in importing one then why are you taking the time to read this thread...oh because maybe you have nothing better to do then steal threads off other forums and post them here trying to make it sound like you know what your talking about...

[mrmephistopheles]

So if something's legalized in Canada, how hard would it be to cross it over state-side?

Think about marijuana, and there's your answer.

Car coming from Candandida is just like car coming from Japan. Still subject to the same legalization process.
CDM cars (generally) conform to US standards, so most are easy to import.

[drifter808]

i think u can have dual citizenship of US and canada

im pretty sure with dual citizenship you can purchase a car up there. I just recieved my canadian citizenship about a month ago in the mail. Cant wait to get up there and get me some old cefiros or old silvias:drool:

[Yuri]

I had a friend who tried bringing in an R32 GTS from Canada. Customs confiscated and crushed the car, so I guess there's the answer on Canada.:duh:

[RB26Sileighty]

I had a friend who tried bringing in an R32 GTS from Canada. Customs confiscated and crushed the car, so I guess there's the answer on Canada.:duh:
yeah from what i have heard it's easier to do but like i said you can't get caught driving the car if it hasn't been approved here in the states

[180sExy]

First off thank's for all the info on this topic. Really cool that you took your time an gave everybody the 411 on this issue. I'm a newbie too this site an just happend too come a cross this. Also I was wondering, I know you dont work for custom's but i just thought i'd ask can't hurt. Right? you were saying that if the car is already here(like the 180sx) that it would make it a littel more easier on the paper work????? Also somebody told me that you have too switch out alot of things on imported car's do to safty issues. I was just on the site where you bought your skyline an saw a 180sx i would like too buy. Always wanted a right hand drive. But how hard do you think it would be to get it her leagally here. I live in cali an I noticed that you were saying "good luck if you live in CA." My mom worked for the DMV for 15 years an all her friends work there so favor's are there for me. Is the "DMV" the only obstical I have too jump if I try too get a 180sx here????????

[SimpleSexy180]

this whole illegal to drive imported cars sucks :mad:

[OptionZero]

Dude, there's customs to go through, which is a federal thing.

You can get any car here you want depending on your fear of the government and the sacrifices you are willing to make.

If you can't do it, don't bitch about it, it's the system and you gotta live with it. People have been bitching about it for years, thats what makes fanbois drool over stock jdm s13's and civics.

[Yuri]

I've done a little research, and well, it's easier to do if everything is direct bolt-on. My parents bought a brand new euro-spec Saab 9000 turbo in Sweden. They were allowed to bring it in and register it after doing a US-spec conversion, which in this case consisted of a cat, pcv valve, and mph speedometer. (the us and euro bumpers/side beams were the same)
With an S13 as an example, this would be more difficult because of two major setbacks:
The engine and right hand drive.
The engine because of RWD SR's not being federalized, and the right hand drive because of the notice on the dmv site posted earlier in this thread, basically consisting of "if a rhd chassis is available as lhd in the us, we believe that it isn't worth you bringing in a rhd due to safety issues."
However, a 200sx/180sx/silvia with a usdm front/engine with all smog equip. may stand a chance of being legally imported and registered according to current laws. Esp. the euro market 200sx, due to the availability of lhd models. At that point though, it would be kinda pointless. you could always make it illegal by swapping back in an SR20 later, but with all this hassle, I think I'd rather just build my own silvia or 180 out a us market car and dealing with ppl always telling me it's not a real silvia/180/whatever. duh

[undercoverdjay]

Very few things differentiate a USDM S13/S14 from a "real" one anyday. All the cosmetic differences can be taken off; rear marker lights, windows, brakes, lights, etc" And the car converted to RHD and no one will know the wiser. VIN# on the fire wall? I did a fire wall swap. Anyone really care legally? No, I've asked numerous police and get the same "why would you want a RHD car" So I think its more of a he said she said pissing match than a real issue. Im not above using the one clean title I have left to my parts car and slapping the VIN on an S15. Only an issue if you wreck the thing and claim it.

I'm to the point now where I don't believe in DOT law or anything of that nature as much as I believe everything isn't in the intrest of safety, just money. After getting a ticket for 120/40 on my bike years ago, and it only costing me 130 bucks and no license for 4 weeks, I realized it really isn't about safety, they just want money. It's really not that "unsafe" to drive a RHD car.

[umsports]

I'm too tired to even touch the surface of this one....

But today I spent 30 minutes on the phone with one of the heads of the DOT in Washington, D.C. in talks about the entire Skyline importation issue...

I have a friend locally who has a R33 GTR (non-legal) and I have been doing some research on the proper process to take..

Basically, all I can say, is you have two options:

1.) Buy a Motorex legalized car...The DOT realizes they got screwed, but will allow the cars that have been approved to remain in the USA...

2.) Import the car under a Race Car Title..The car would have to have prior approval before it was allowed to be brought into the country...The car itself would have to have documentation, videos, photos, etc showing its race history in the previous country of origin..

Every other way that has been mentioned is not federally legal...and therefore is not truly legal..

I dont know what else to say...This topic has been beat like a dead horse, and people will believe what they want to believe...

For those that bring these illegal gray market cars in...How do you get the car insured? What would happen if you hit someone in your Skyline and the insurance adjuster realized the car they had approved due to lack of knowledge was an illegally imported car?

People never discuss these sorts of things...

To the guy mentioning the Canada importation...The process is no different than bringing the car in from Japan directly...

The gentleman I spoke with in Washington just happened to mention the Canada method to me, and they are very much aware of what's going on...

I wouldn't chance that for anything..as it appears they are taking measures to crack down on this..

Some will say, "We'll have the car driven across the border by the Canadian owner and then take possession at a Wal-mart, McDonalds, etc in the USA."

You are just as guilty as the person who tries to sneak the car from Japan directly via containers...

I could go on and on....but I'm done with my rant..

[RB26Sileighty]

sneak...hum...well customs thats US customs checked my car out before they gave it to me....so hows that sneaking it in...all i'm sayin is do what you want but i found a way to make it legal in my state and i'm taking advantage...

[umsports]

sneak...hum...well customs thats US customs checked my car out before they gave it to me....so hows that sneaking it in...all i'm sayin is do what you want but i found a way to make it legal in my state and i'm taking advantage...

Customs should have never allowed you to have that car, and I have an extremely hard time believing you just picked up a Skyline (or any imported car for that matter) at the port and had no issues..

You still didnt answer my questions about insurance coverage...That is the thing I would be most concerned about...

[drift freaq]

Customs should have never allowed you to have that car, and I have an extremely hard time believing you just picked up a Skyline (or any imported car for that matter) at the port and had no issues..

You still didnt answer my questions about insurance coverage...That is the thing I would be most concerned about...
I could not agree more. Fact is the person in customs either messed up or willing commited a crime. Plus RB you brought it in through New Orleans. Everyone knows New Orleans has a tendacy to be on the corrupt side. When half the place department deserts with Katrina, you got to wonder about any of the officials down there, customs and port authority! Plus, how do we now you that you did not grease someones palms to look the other way.
Your car was illegal, it is illegal and will always be illegal, under current Federal law. Regardless of you or whoever you sold it to holding a Texas title. If they find out, they will crush it, period end of story!

[umsports]

If you notice, nothing has been mentioned about the insurance coverage and this is where I catch people like Mr. RB here 100% of the time...

I always get the "I have mine insured as a ________ "....Down here in TN, we like to call that "insurance fraud" and that allows you to take a free trip to prison...

[ThatGuy]

It is ILLEGAL. This horse has been beaten enough.

One last time...

I L L E G A L !