Vanagon EuroVan
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Date:         Mon, 24 Jul 2000 17:54:50 -0400
Reply-To:     Christopher Michael Gronski <chrisgronski@hotmail.com>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Christopher Michael Gronski <chrisgronski@hotmail.com>
Subject:      Vanagon Importing Costs? LONG
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Here is what http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov had to say about it:

VEHICLE IMPORTATION GUIDELINES (Imported From a Country Other Than Canada)

The following provides information concerning the importation of a passenger car, truck, trailer, motorcycle, moped, bus, or MPV built to comply with the standards of a country other than the U.S. or Canada. Importers of motor vehicles must file form HS-7 (available at ports of entry) at the time a vehicle is imported to declare whether the vehicle complies with DOT requirements. As a general rule, a motor vehicle less than 25 years old must comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS) to be imported permanently. Vehicles manufactured to meet the FMVSS will have a certification label affixed by the original manufacturer in the area of the driver-side door. To make importation easier, when purchasing a vehicle certified to the U.S. standards abroad, a buyer should have the sales contract verify that the label is attached and present this document at time of importation.

A vehicle without this certification label must be imported as a nonconforming vehicle. In this case, the importer must contract with a DOT-Registered Importer (RI) and post a DOT bond for one and a half times the vehicle's dutiable value. This bond is in addition to the normal Customs entry bond. Copies of the DOT bond and the contract with an RI must be attached to the HS-7 form.

Under the contract, the RI will modify and certify that the vehicle conforms with all applicable FMVSS. Before an RI can modify a vehicle NHTSA must have determined that the vehicle is capable of being modified to comply with the FMVSS. If no determination has been made, the RI must petition NHTSA to determine whether the vehicle is capable of being modified to comply with the FMVSS. If the petitioned vehicle is not similar to one sold in the U.S., this process becomes very complex and costly. A list of vehicles previously determined eligible for importation may be obtained from an RI or from the N HTSA web site.

Since the cost of modifying a nonconforming vehicle, or the time required to bring it into conformance, may affect the decision to purchase a vehicle abroad, we strongly recommend discussing these aspects with an RI before buying and shipping a vehicle to the U.S.

For federal regulations concerning vehicle emissions contact the Environmental Protection Agency, Manufacturers Operations Division, EN-340, 401 M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460, (202) 564-9660. Information concerning duty or other Customs matters can be obtained from the Classification and Value Division, U.S. Customs Service, Washington, DC 20229, (202) 927-0300, or http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/travel/auto.htm

For information regarding registration or operation of a properly imported vehicle in a specific state, we advise you to contact the Department of Motor Vehicles or other appropriate agency in that state since the requirements vary by state.

REGISTERED IMPORTERS WHO SPECIALIZE IN EUROPEAN OR "GRAY MARKET" VEHICLES

Black Shrine * (949) 515-8056 1760 Monrovia Avenue FAX: (949) 515-8035 Costa Mesa CA 92627

Northern California Diagnostic Lab. * (707) 258-1753 2748 Jefferson Street FAX: (707) 258-1611 Napa, CA 94558

G & K Automotive Conversion * (714) 545-9503 3231 South Standard Avenue FAX: (714) 545-7667 Santa Ana, CA 92705

Motorex (310) 224-5085 20695 Western Avenue #116 FAX: (310) 224-5089 Torrance CA 90501

Amerispec Corporation (203) 744-0844 190 George Washington Parkway FAX: (203) 743-9771 Ridgefield CT 06877

Atlantic ICI (407) 298-3500 2605 Clark Street, Unit C FAX: (407) 298-9911 Apopka FL 32703

DC Imports * (954) 755-8868 12079 NW 50th Drive (954) 755-7768 Coral Springs FL 33076

JK Technologies * (410) 366-6332 3500 Sweet Air Street FAX: (410) 366-7655 Baltimore, MD 21087

Bayway Auto (973) 824-8687 558-562 Frelinghuysen Avenue FAX: (973) 824-8782 Newark, NJ 07114

Europa International (505)984-8888 (Mercedes Benz Gelaendewagens only) 2586 Camino Entrada FAX: (505) 471-6191 Santa Fe NM 87505

Champagne Imports * (215) 799-1445 132 Penn Avenue FAX: (215) 799-1421 Telford, PA 18969

Wallace Environmental Testing Lab. * (713) 956-7705 http://www.wallacelab.com/ 2140 Wirtcrest FAX: (713) 956-0104 Houston, TX 77055

Western Cascade (206) 243-2667 6440 South 143rd Street FAX: (206) 439-7833 Tukwila WA 98168

Milwaukee Motorcycle Imports * (414) 321-9607 3144 South 47th Street FAX: (414) 321-9608 Milwaukee WI 53219

* Registered with DOT and EPA

An RI is an independent business and may be selective in the type of work it performs. The agency does not endorse or recommend any of the listed RIs nor does it imply or guarantee that any work or service performed will meet your satisfaction.

Thanks, Chris Gronski Toronto, Ontario '80 Westy "Pokey"

----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael J. Sullivan" <sullivan@openmarket.com> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Monday, July 24, 2000 5:30 PM Subject: Re: Question:Vanagon Importing Costs?

> Dear Frank, > > As I understand it, without the DOT sticker attached to the body of the > vehicle (as well as all the glass, and lighting) it will be nearly > impossible to import that German van since you cannot prove that it will > comply with the crash and safety standards for the US model!!! > > NOTE: one of the reason that NA Vanagons cost so much "way back when" was > all this DOT & EPA red tape. > > Even Bill Gates can't import any car he wants. Supposedly there is a > Porsche somewhere in Seattle that was confiscated by customs 'cause Mr. > Bill couldn't prove that his fancy wheels would pass the DOT crash test. > Solution? Crash the vehicle under DOT-approved controlled conditions > (around $1,000,000.00) then you can bring it in! > > Cheers, > MJS > > > At 03:27 AM 7/22/00 EDT, Frank Grunthaner wrote: > >I have been trying to get an estimate as to the costs of registering an 1988 > >Vanagon Turbo Diesel Westfalia built in Germany for the German market in the > >US (specifically California). I have traced the DOT, EPA and Customs web > >pages and talked to local customs brokers, but I sure need some advice. The > >key questions are: > > > >1. How different is the German Market Vanagon from the US version. > > > >2. What are the problems qualifing the turbo diesel with the EPA, given that > >it was never imported into the US in this configuration. > > > >Appreciate any advice, > > > >Frank Grunthaner > > > Michael J. Sullivan > Marshfield Hills, MA > Central America 2001 or bust! > > '87 VW Vanagon GL Syncro Westfalia "Sunny" (soon to be TDi-powered) > '86 VW Syncro Doublecab "Claude" > '96 VW Passat TDi "Teddi" (46mpg) > > ********************************************* > work: http://www.openmarket.com > my vanagon: http://www.hsdesign.com/vanagon > scan tips: http://www.hsdesign.com/scanning > ********************************************* >


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