OFFICIAL How To: Importing a EDM or JDM CRX
04-19-2006, 11:59 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
OFFICIAL How To: Importing a EDM or JDM CRX
<U>TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN IMPORTING A CRX FROM ANY COUNTRY INTO THE USA: </U>
It doesn't matter where you import from, the regulations are the same. You need one less form to import from Canada and can control the way it gets here easier if shipping from Canada. Either way, below tells you what needs to be done to Import any kind of foreign vehicle.
DISCLAIMER: Some of the following contains references to possible illegal acts. I as the author am in no way responsible for any kind of illegal act performed by anyone who has viewed this Write Up. I am in no way legally responsible for any penalties (Imprisonment, Fines, or Loss of Property) suffered as a result of viewing this Write Up.
To import it all you need are 3 things, thats it. They are:
1.Bill of Sale
2.EPA form 3520-1
3.DOT form HS-7/ Letter of Compliance from manufacturer
Links are available at the bottom of the page for all the agencies you'd need to speak with to get this info, so if you wanna double check anything, it's down there, but I assure you, I have this infor more then correct.
<u>IMPORTING FROM CANADA (THE EASIEST PLACE) </u>
It's easiest to import from Canada because Canada has the exact same Federal Emissions as the US, so you dont need EPA form 3520-1.
To fill out DOT form HS-7 you need info from stickers in the door jam stating the car conforms with US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). The ONLY cars with this are CANADIAN BUILT and MEXICAN BUILT cars. Meaning, if it wasn't manufactured in Canada or Mexico, it won't have them.
So, to conform with DOT FMVSS Regulations, you need a letter from the manufacturer (Honda) stating the car conforms with US FMVSS Regulations.
Well, here's the thing: Unless you live in Canada and are moving here, you cannot request this letter. To request it you must fax them a Candian Title/registration card, bill of sale, and proof of insurance.
But that doesn't matter, as one Honda rep I spoke with (I called several times to see if I got different answers) one I spoke with told me she'd do me a favor and see if the letter was available based of the VIN of the CRX VT I was lookin into getting. She said any European or Asian model wouldn't conform and the forms would be unavailable no matter what.
<u>GETTING THE CAR INTO THE COUNTRY:</u>
To get it into the Country you can do one of the following:
A. Take it through customs. This route, you'll have to have it seized and taken to a RI, unless you use fraudulent paper work or labels from another Canadian CRX.
B. Have it shipped. I do not know for sure if this will work, as most shipments into the US face US customs inspections.
C.Part Out the car, and bring it/ship it in piece by piece to be reassembled.
D.Have a Canadian drive it into the country, and mail you the paperwork. If you do this, they MUST mail the paper work and say their just visiting, or the car will be seized. If any paperwork other then the vehicle registration and insurance proof are in the car, it will be held up.
<u>GETTING IT REGISTERED:</U>
So, in the end there are 3 ways to get the job done. You can tell which registration method is proper for each method of getting it into the country. Here are the ways to register it:
1.Have a RI bring it into conformity
-To do this, the car must first be reviewed and approved as possible to bring to conformity. It says if there's a similar american model, it's pretty likely it will bne approved.
-You must have the car in possesion, and pay 150% (1 1/2) times the car's value, then all the costs of moding. At lowest, you could expect to get a shitty siR or VT or say $5000 shipped to Canada. Aside from all your costs of getting the CRX, and getting it into america, you'd have to put up $7500 if you paid $5000. Then, modification estimates run between $5K-$10K. Dont ask me how, but those were general costs for moding a vehicle I was given by several RI's.
-So Car cost, getting it into USA, plus deposit and mod costs, your looking at anywhere from $16K to $22K, and thats for a shitty $5000 siR in bad condition.
2.Import as a Kit/Race Car or Register as a Kit car.
-This can be done quite easily after the car's gotten into the US. But there are different restrictions on how many miles you drive it, when, and where it can be driven.
-If Importing as Kit/Race Car, you would do this at the border, but you'd have to prove you either exported it again or destroyed it within a certain amount of time. This could get complicated.
3.Break the law
-VIN swapping, Having an inside man at the BMV or Customs.
-If you get caught being fraudulent doing any of the above, it carries a Maximum penalty of $5000 and 10yrs in Prison. BE CAREFUL!
All this can be avoided however, if you can hold your horses til January 1st, 2012 when the first 2nd Gen CRX's produced will become exempt from the FMVSS.
However, if your wanting an EE8 or EF8, your gonna have to wait til 2015 as they weren't manufactured until 1990.
So, in closing, I say this:
If you have the money, go for it. If you got the ***** to break the law, go for it.
IF YOU GET IT DONE: sell me your CRX DAMN YOU!
Links:
US Customs - http://www.cbp.gov/
US Office of Importation - 202-366-5291
Dot - http://www.DOT.gov 1-800-424-9393
EPA -www.EPA.gov 734 -214-4100
US Custom's Car Importation's pamphlet - http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler...r.doc
04-19-2006, 01:21 PM
#2
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Re: OFFICIAL How To: Importing a EDM or JDM CRX (G0crxG0)
You should add these to your links:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/index.htm
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/tra...s.xml
Those are good references for anyone seriously interested in doing this.
Your write up is fairly accurate.
***
IMPORT ELIGIBILITY
Just to clarify a few things though, any car manufactured for sale in a market outside of North America is not legal for importation unless it has been approved for importation by NHTSA.
The list of approved vehicles can be found here: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/....html
PETITIONING A CAR ONTO THE ELIGIBILITY LIST
If a car you want to import is not on the list (only Skylines and RHD accords are eligible imports from Japan), then you have to go to a Registered Importer (RI) and have them petition NHTSA to allow the car to be added to the eligibility list. NHTSA has determined that in most cases, any RHD car will *NOT* be considered substantially similar to an existing LHD US model vehicle unless the manufacturer of the RHD vehicle states that it is substantially similar.
CRASH TESTING
This means that the RI petitioning NHTSA for you for the vehicle to be added to the eligibility list would have to pay an approved vehicle crash test lab to perform crash tests for the applicable model year(s) of the vehicle, and at least 2-3 vehicles to be used for this purpose would have to be provided by the RI to the lab.
USDM vs JDM/EDM CARS - DIFFERENCES
Typically the differences between a US model and EU or JP model vehicle are pretty minimal:
- parking brake signal says "!" instead of "BRAKE"
- VIN stamped on firewall needs to be stamped on a plate and put on the left side of the dash by the windshield
- gauge cluster must read in MPH
- sticker must be added to door jam stating the original manufacturer, the RI's name, the date of manufacturer, and the RI's certification that the car complies with all FMVSS for the model year it was manufacturered
- air bag warning labels must be affixed to visors
- tire size & pressure stickers must be added to the glovebox or other appropriate area
- passenger mirror does not say "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear"
- missing reinforcement bars in doors and sometimes dash area
- dash padding (knee bolsters) sometimes different
- bumper reinforcement bars in front and rear are different
- foreign headlights and tail lights are not DOT compliant sometimes (they will say DOT on them if they are)
- no rollover valve in fuel tank
- missing side reflectors (yellow up front and red in rear)
So for a JDM/EDM car the RI would have to change all of that on the 3 "test" cars, and then send them to a lab to be crash tested (big $$$), then provide the crash test data to NHTSA to be considered as part of their eligibility determination.
NHTSA Approval Process
NHTSA will then open up a docket for the car, and allow a certain amount of time for comments to be made on whether the car should be approved by NHTSA or not. In this time, individuals or companies (including the original vehicle manufacturer) will often comment in support or against the approval of the vehicle.
You can read here about how MMA (mitsubishi motors america) fought tooth and nail against the LHD European Evo 7's and Evo 8's being added to the eligiblity list: http://dms.dot.gov (do a simple search for docket #'s: 15470 and docket #: 16031)
You can also read here about how a RI was successful in getting the RHD Accord for certain years added to the eligibility list: http://dms.dot.gov (do a simple search for docket #: 18849 and docket #: 19738)
AFTER THE VEHICLE IS ON THE ELIGIBILITY LIST
Once a vehicle is successfully added to the eligibility list, then any RI can be used to import that vehicle. The VSA/VCP eligibility # (from the list) has to be listed on the HS7 customs entry form for the vehicle, and you also have to list the RI doing the work.
You don't actually have to pay 150% of the vehicle's value, but rather you have to obtain a bond for that much. A bond is typically sold for 5-10% of its face value. Typically the RI will handle this for you, and include it in their fees for doing the compliance work on your vehicle.
IMPORTATION PROCESS
So once the car is on the list, you find a car overseas or in Canada, you contract with an RI to comply the car, you hire a customs broker to fill out your customs paperwork and clear the car through customs on the bond of the RI, and then the car has to be transported by a bonded carrier to the RI's facility, then the RI does the compliance work necessary (list of stuff above & more possibly), then the RI takes pictures and documents everything and submits a compliance package to NHTSA, and then NHTSA will seek any clarifications it needs, or inspect the car, or if all goes well it will send a "bond release" letter which basically means that the car is good to go in their eyes.
That is all only the *SAFETY* side of the equation.
US EMISSIONS COMPLIANCE INFO
You then have to deal with the EPA stuff and the 3520-1 form that the OP mentioned. What that means is that if the car is 92-95 it has to have a compliant OBD1 system installed with OBD1 diagnostic port and all appropriate USDM OBD1 sensors installed under the hood. If it is 96+ it has to have a compliant OBD2 system installed with OBD2 diagnostic port, and all appropriate USDM OBD2 sensors installed under the hood.
This is easy to do for obd2 hondas, you change out the oil pump to a US version that you can screw the CKF sensor onto, and then wire that into the ECU, you add a USDM VTEC solenoid for the oil pressure sensor, and wire that into the ecu. you add a EVAP Purge solenoid and wire that to the ECU. You add a secondary O2 sensor and wire that to the ECU. You plug in a USDM OBD2 ECU that corresponds to your car/motor, and you wire up a USDM OBD2 diagnostic port.
The crappy part is that all this work actually has to be done by an Independent Commercial Importer (ICI) that has a certified EPA test lab in house. The 3520-1 form has to indicate the ICI that you will be using, and they have to get another bond for the car with EPA. Once they have completed all the compliance work, they have to have the car smog tested in their own lab (it is *WAY* *WAY* more stringent and strict than a state smog test facility), then they can send certification documentation to EPA who will release their bond on the car. The ICI then affixes a sticker under your hood stating that the car is compliant with all EPA standards and list of emissions equipment and vacuum diagrams, etc...
CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS & CARB
Oh and if you are in California you will have to use an ICI that can do CARB certification also. This is a separate sticker and set of tests that cars in California are subjected to, and if you don't have it done, when you try to smog the car in California they will most likely turn you away and send you to the ref, who will reject the car.
REGISTERING YOUR CAR
Once you have bond release from NHTSA and EPA, then Customs will release the bond that it has on the car also, and you can then take all your customs paperwork, bond release letter from NHTSA, bond release letter from EPA, your bill of sale, your state emissions test certificates, the title for the car from the original country you bought it from (with a certified and notarized english translation), all in to your DMV, and they will issue you a US title from your state along with plates and registration. They may also want to issue you a state assigned VIN plate that you will have to rivet to your left side door jam.
That is how you import a car legally.
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/index.htm
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/tra...s.xml
Those are good references for anyone seriously interested in doing this.
Your write up is fairly accurate.
***
IMPORT ELIGIBILITY
Just to clarify a few things though, any car manufactured for sale in a market outside of North America is not legal for importation unless it has been approved for importation by NHTSA.
The list of approved vehicles can be found here: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/....html
PETITIONING A CAR ONTO THE ELIGIBILITY LIST
If a car you want to import is not on the list (only Skylines and RHD accords are eligible imports from Japan), then you have to go to a Registered Importer (RI) and have them petition NHTSA to allow the car to be added to the eligibility list. NHTSA has determined that in most cases, any RHD car will *NOT* be considered substantially similar to an existing LHD US model vehicle unless the manufacturer of the RHD vehicle states that it is substantially similar.
CRASH TESTING
This means that the RI petitioning NHTSA for you for the vehicle to be added to the eligibility list would have to pay an approved vehicle crash test lab to perform crash tests for the applicable model year(s) of the vehicle, and at least 2-3 vehicles to be used for this purpose would have to be provided by the RI to the lab.
USDM vs JDM/EDM CARS - DIFFERENCES
Typically the differences between a US model and EU or JP model vehicle are pretty minimal:
- parking brake signal says "!" instead of "BRAKE"
- VIN stamped on firewall needs to be stamped on a plate and put on the left side of the dash by the windshield
- gauge cluster must read in MPH
- sticker must be added to door jam stating the original manufacturer, the RI's name, the date of manufacturer, and the RI's certification that the car complies with all FMVSS for the model year it was manufacturered
- air bag warning labels must be affixed to visors
- tire size & pressure stickers must be added to the glovebox or other appropriate area
- passenger mirror does not say "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear"
- missing reinforcement bars in doors and sometimes dash area
- dash padding (knee bolsters) sometimes different
- bumper reinforcement bars in front and rear are different
- foreign headlights and tail lights are not DOT compliant sometimes (they will say DOT on them if they are)
- no rollover valve in fuel tank
- missing side reflectors (yellow up front and red in rear)
So for a JDM/EDM car the RI would have to change all of that on the 3 "test" cars, and then send them to a lab to be crash tested (big $$$), then provide the crash test data to NHTSA to be considered as part of their eligibility determination.
NHTSA Approval Process
NHTSA will then open up a docket for the car, and allow a certain amount of time for comments to be made on whether the car should be approved by NHTSA or not. In this time, individuals or companies (including the original vehicle manufacturer) will often comment in support or against the approval of the vehicle.
You can read here about how MMA (mitsubishi motors america) fought tooth and nail against the LHD European Evo 7's and Evo 8's being added to the eligiblity list: http://dms.dot.gov (do a simple search for docket #'s: 15470 and docket #: 16031)
You can also read here about how a RI was successful in getting the RHD Accord for certain years added to the eligibility list: http://dms.dot.gov (do a simple search for docket #: 18849 and docket #: 19738)
AFTER THE VEHICLE IS ON THE ELIGIBILITY LIST
Once a vehicle is successfully added to the eligibility list, then any RI can be used to import that vehicle. The VSA/VCP eligibility # (from the list) has to be listed on the HS7 customs entry form for the vehicle, and you also have to list the RI doing the work.
You don't actually have to pay 150% of the vehicle's value, but rather you have to obtain a bond for that much. A bond is typically sold for 5-10% of its face value. Typically the RI will handle this for you, and include it in their fees for doing the compliance work on your vehicle.
IMPORTATION PROCESS
So once the car is on the list, you find a car overseas or in Canada, you contract with an RI to comply the car, you hire a customs broker to fill out your customs paperwork and clear the car through customs on the bond of the RI, and then the car has to be transported by a bonded carrier to the RI's facility, then the RI does the compliance work necessary (list of stuff above & more possibly), then the RI takes pictures and documents everything and submits a compliance package to NHTSA, and then NHTSA will seek any clarifications it needs, or inspect the car, or if all goes well it will send a "bond release" letter which basically means that the car is good to go in their eyes.
That is all only the *SAFETY* side of the equation.
US EMISSIONS COMPLIANCE INFO
You then have to deal with the EPA stuff and the 3520-1 form that the OP mentioned. What that means is that if the car is 92-95 it has to have a compliant OBD1 system installed with OBD1 diagnostic port and all appropriate USDM OBD1 sensors installed under the hood. If it is 96+ it has to have a compliant OBD2 system installed with OBD2 diagnostic port, and all appropriate USDM OBD2 sensors installed under the hood.
This is easy to do for obd2 hondas, you change out the oil pump to a US version that you can screw the CKF sensor onto, and then wire that into the ECU, you add a USDM VTEC solenoid for the oil pressure sensor, and wire that into the ecu. you add a EVAP Purge solenoid and wire that to the ECU. You add a secondary O2 sensor and wire that to the ECU. You plug in a USDM OBD2 ECU that corresponds to your car/motor, and you wire up a USDM OBD2 diagnostic port.
The crappy part is that all this work actually has to be done by an Independent Commercial Importer (ICI) that has a certified EPA test lab in house. The 3520-1 form has to indicate the ICI that you will be using, and they have to get another bond for the car with EPA. Once they have completed all the compliance work, they have to have the car smog tested in their own lab (it is *WAY* *WAY* more stringent and strict than a state smog test facility), then they can send certification documentation to EPA who will release their bond on the car. The ICI then affixes a sticker under your hood stating that the car is compliant with all EPA standards and list of emissions equipment and vacuum diagrams, etc...
CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS & CARB
Oh and if you are in California you will have to use an ICI that can do CARB certification also. This is a separate sticker and set of tests that cars in California are subjected to, and if you don't have it done, when you try to smog the car in California they will most likely turn you away and send you to the ref, who will reject the car.
REGISTERING YOUR CAR
Once you have bond release from NHTSA and EPA, then Customs will release the bond that it has on the car also, and you can then take all your customs paperwork, bond release letter from NHTSA, bond release letter from EPA, your bill of sale, your state emissions test certificates, the title for the car from the original country you bought it from (with a certified and notarized english translation), all in to your DMV, and they will issue you a US title from your state along with plates and registration. They may also want to issue you a state assigned VIN plate that you will have to rivet to your left side door jam.
That is how you import a car legally.
04-19-2006, 02:23 PM
#3
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Yeah, if you read what I worte and Yum Vtec wrote, you get the idea. It aint goin down anytime soon.
Maybe if the whole CRX community got together and threw down money it could, but it'd be alot of work and $$$ and I'm sure we'd never organize enough people.
Somebody write a letter to Bill Gates and ask him to fund this for some sort of research purposes.
Maybe if the whole CRX community got together and threw down money it could, but it'd be alot of work and $$$ and I'm sure we'd never organize enough people.
Somebody write a letter to Bill Gates and ask him to fund this for some sort of research purposes.
04-19-2006, 02:26 PM
#4
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Thread Starter
Oh, one thing we both forgot: If you DO buy a CRX or whatever that's been smuggled into the country somehow, you WONT get it registered. It's classified as a grey market vehicle.
So, in plain english, it cant be done without alot of money and time.
So, in plain english, it cant be done without alot of money and time.
04-19-2006, 10:40 PM
#5
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Re: (G0crxG0)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by G0crxG0 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Oh, one thing we both forgot: If you DO buy a CRX or whatever that's been smuggled into the country somehow, you WONT get it registered. It's classified as a grey market vehicle.
So, in plain english, it cant be done without alot of money and time.</TD></TR></TABLE>
that's not true. my Silvia, Prelude, and ITR were all somehow mysteriously in the country, and I got each of them titled and registered.
So, in plain english, it cant be done without alot of money and time.</TD></TR></TABLE>
that's not true. my Silvia, Prelude, and ITR were all somehow mysteriously in the country, and I got each of them titled and registered.
04-20-2006, 04:56 AM
#6
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Thread Starter
Re: (YumVTEC)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by YumVTEC »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">that's not true. my Silvia, Prelude, and ITR were all somehow mysteriously in the country, and I got each of them titled and registered.</TD></TR></TABLE>
How did you do that?
If I remembered correctley, Silvia's, Prelude's, and 1990-1998 are all on the OK list?
Anyway, what I meant was if you get it in, unless your lucky as HELL, you wont be registering it, the manufacturer will NEVER give you a letter, so it must be modified.
If your so knowledgable on the whole thing, why did you wait to explain this stuff til after I already did? People have asked these ?'s a million times, and you know all this stuff, and you never bothered to tell anyone? I wish you would've man, I wasted ALOT of time on the phone and internet researching, plus I got my opes up. I really do wish you'd have said something a week or 2 ago, not immediately after I did.
How did you do that?
If I remembered correctley, Silvia's, Prelude's, and 1990-1998 are all on the OK list?
Anyway, what I meant was if you get it in, unless your lucky as HELL, you wont be registering it, the manufacturer will NEVER give you a letter, so it must be modified.
If your so knowledgable on the whole thing, why did you wait to explain this stuff til after I already did? People have asked these ?'s a million times, and you know all this stuff, and you never bothered to tell anyone? I wish you would've man, I wasted ALOT of time on the phone and internet researching, plus I got my opes up. I really do wish you'd have said something a week or 2 ago, not immediately after I did.
04-20-2006, 07:32 AM
#7
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Re: (G0crxG0)
I have spilled my guts previously on this board and many other boards several times over. It might not have been here in the EF forum, but I can swear I have elaborated many times on this subject matter even here on h-t.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by G0crxG0 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
If I remembered correctley, Silvia's, Prelude's, and 1990-1998 are all on the OK list?
</TD></TR></TABLE>
There are no RHD cars on the eligibility list except for the Skyline and select few model year Accords. My cars were not eligible for importation, nor were they modified in any way before they were registered & titled.
And yes, basically I was just lucky as hell to find cars that were already here, and then some how magically my DMV was cool.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by G0crxG0 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
If I remembered correctley, Silvia's, Prelude's, and 1990-1998 are all on the OK list?
</TD></TR></TABLE>
There are no RHD cars on the eligibility list except for the Skyline and select few model year Accords. My cars were not eligible for importation, nor were they modified in any way before they were registered & titled.
And yes, basically I was just lucky as hell to find cars that were already here, and then some how magically my DMV was cool.
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04-20-2006, 07:42 AM
#8
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Thread Starter
Hey bro, I wanted to say my bad for gettin a lil nasty, like I said, it made me mad when I thought you hadnt said anything before, but I definitely searched ONLY the ef forum. So you very well could've elaborated on everything before.
Im sorry bro, just a misunderstanding. I'll watch my mouth next time
And thats what I meant when I said 90-98 I meant R32's, and I'm PRETTY sure I saw something about the prelude on there, I'll have to double check it.
If your DMV's cool, wanna register an siR for me if I get it here?
Im sorry bro, just a misunderstanding. I'll watch my mouth next time
And thats what I meant when I said 90-98 I meant R32's, and I'm PRETTY sure I saw something about the prelude on there, I'll have to double check it.
If your DMV's cool, wanna register an siR for me if I get it here?
04-20-2006, 07:43 AM
#9
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Oh, and on the note of the lost title thing, I just need a Bill of sale, but it has to be a car from my state that's vin is already in the system
04-20-2006, 08:52 AM
#11
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
This is straight from the vehicle eligibility list on NHTSA's "what vehicles can be imported:
Honda Prelude 1989 191 96-105
Honda Prelude 1994-1997 309 NHTSA-1999
NHTSA-1999 5736
6623
It doesnt say RHD though, so I guess they'd need Honda to say it performs identical to the LHD version, maybe it does?
Honda Prelude 1989 191 96-105
Honda Prelude 1994-1997 309 NHTSA-1999
NHTSA-1999 5736
6623
It doesnt say RHD though, so I guess they'd need Honda to say it performs identical to the LHD version, maybe it does?
04-20-2006, 10:41 AM
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Re: (G0crxG0)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by G0crxG0 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">This is straight from the vehicle eligibility list on NHTSA's "what vehicles can be imported:
Honda Prelude 1989 191 96-105
Honda Prelude 1994-1997 309 NHTSA-1999
NHTSA-1999 5736
6623
It doesnt say RHD though, so I guess they'd need Honda to say it performs identical to the LHD version, maybe it does?</TD></TR></TABLE>
yeah the very top of the eligibility list says that cars on the list have to specifically say "RHD" for the RHD version to be eligible.
Honda Prelude 1989 191 96-105
Honda Prelude 1994-1997 309 NHTSA-1999
NHTSA-1999 5736
6623
It doesnt say RHD though, so I guess they'd need Honda to say it performs identical to the LHD version, maybe it does?</TD></TR></TABLE>
yeah the very top of the eligibility list says that cars on the list have to specifically say "RHD" for the RHD version to be eligible.
04-20-2006, 11:41 AM
#13
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Thread Starter
Re: (YumVTEC)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by YumVTEC »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yeah the very top of the eligibility list says that cars on the list have to specifically say "RHD" for the RHD version to be eligible.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Yeah I know but it says that RHD is OK so long as it's verified by the manufacturer that the RHD model performs the same as the LHD model.
Yeah I know but it says that RHD is OK so long as it's verified by the manufacturer that the RHD model performs the same as the LHD model.
04-29-2006, 11:00 PM
#15
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Thread Starter
Re: (vtecn8ive)
Thanks alot man, I spent alot of time on hold and searching the net for this info as I can assure you Yumvtec did. We had a long conversation, he is VERY familiar with the importations laws as am I.
It's just a shame the info we have to report is that it's not very possible without being illegal :thumbdown
It's just a shame the info we have to report is that it's not very possible without being illegal :thumbdown
05-05-2006, 11:41 PM
#19
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Re: (YumVTEC)
good to see the info spreading...
here's some research of the same crap i did a while back...
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1405451
and the actual petition letter that got approved. word to the wise... change some words around. i.e. accord to civic
http://dmses.dot.gov/docimages...b.pdf
fun read if you're bored
here's some research of the same crap i did a while back...
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1405451
and the actual petition letter that got approved. word to the wise... change some words around. i.e. accord to civic
http://dmses.dot.gov/docimages...b.pdf
fun read if you're bored
06-10-2006, 12:26 PM
#21
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Re: (G0crxG0)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by G0crxG0 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Oh, one thing we both forgot: If you DO buy a CRX or whatever that's been smuggled into the country somehow, you WONT get it registered. It's classified as a grey market vehicle.
So, in plain english, it cant be done without alot of money and time.</TD></TR></TABLE>
So, in plain english, it cant be done without alot of money and time.</TD></TR></TABLE>
06-10-2006, 12:43 PM
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Re: (hazw8st)
I thought you could import cars from Canada. So if you get one that was imported from Japan and Reg in Canada. Then Get it Reg in your own state? Hell i dont know. Thought I would throw it in. But I have no clue. Just what I heard.
06-11-2006, 08:26 PM
#23
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Re: (payneth)
good info. I found all this out the hard way. Found a MINT EF8 glasstop for $2400 back in 2000. spent lots of time and in the end gave up when i realized id be speding +$13k to get it legal and in the states. :/
06-11-2006, 09:05 PM
#24
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Re: (payneth)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by payneth »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I thought you could import cars from Canada. So if you get one that was imported from Japan and Reg in Canada. Then Get it Reg in your own state? </TD></TR></TABLE>
Well see that's the thing, you can import cars FROM CANADA. Not from Japan, but in Canada.
If you wanted to import a Canadian car, they all have stickers saying they comply with US FMVSS regulations. When that's the case they can just be imported no problem.
But CRX's from EDM and JDM land don't have those.
That's how you get shut down, if you call the BMV and ask them about importing from canada they'll tell you it just needs the stickers, and if there are none, a letter from the manufacturer stating you comply.
But Honda won't give you one of those.
My Uncle's a lawyer, and he works for Honda here in Ohio, and I'm going to ask him if he can get me some kind of certified letter for me from a Honda big-wig saying it complies with FMVSS and take it up to my local Customs Port of Entry and ask them if thats sufficient.
If that works, then the flood gates will rise and CRX's will flow like wine, cause I'll scan the letter and make it available to everybody!
If not, fuckit, I still gotta try.......
Well see that's the thing, you can import cars FROM CANADA. Not from Japan, but in Canada.
If you wanted to import a Canadian car, they all have stickers saying they comply with US FMVSS regulations. When that's the case they can just be imported no problem.
But CRX's from EDM and JDM land don't have those.
That's how you get shut down, if you call the BMV and ask them about importing from canada they'll tell you it just needs the stickers, and if there are none, a letter from the manufacturer stating you comply.
But Honda won't give you one of those.
My Uncle's a lawyer, and he works for Honda here in Ohio, and I'm going to ask him if he can get me some kind of certified letter for me from a Honda big-wig saying it complies with FMVSS and take it up to my local Customs Port of Entry and ask them if thats sufficient.
If that works, then the flood gates will rise and CRX's will flow like wine, cause I'll scan the letter and make it available to everybody!
If not, fuckit, I still gotta try.......
06-11-2006, 09:56 PM
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Re: (G0crxG0)
So, let me see if I understand all of this. The easiest way to import a JDM CRX into America is from an importer in Canada.
And do import it into America you need either a letter from the manufacturer or information from the sticker. But since you can't get a letter from honda, and the JDM CRX's don't have said stickers, how is it that people are getting JDM CRX's to America?
What did I miss here?
And do import it into America you need either a letter from the manufacturer or information from the sticker. But since you can't get a letter from honda, and the JDM CRX's don't have said stickers, how is it that people are getting JDM CRX's to America?
What did I miss here?
