Date: Mon, 1 Nov 2004 21:11:10 -0500
Reply-To: Pierce <Pierce@PSHIFT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Pierce <Pierce@PSHIFT.COM>
Subject: Re: German Ebay
In-Reply-To: <JHEHKLEAKBLMKEJMBNOOOEGJDJAA.jeff@vanagonparts.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I can vouch for this, as I have a friend that is a dealer and he is an RI
(registered Importer). In fact I helped him do the epa and DOT on a 1980
Vanagon camper, it was easy enough and now it is considered passable and
certified (able).
One thing you didnt mention, there is a list of vehicles that are certified
by the US gov. to be DOT and EPA "passable" if the vehicle is not on this
list the RI will have to submit a request in writing, this can take months
(this 1980 vanagon took 9 months). So if you are willing to gamble it can be
worth it for a unique vanagon or etc... So buy it now and you might have a
vanagon for the summer.
there is a list of RIs on the usdot web site. only about 120 of them in the
US.
Original mesage:
<I've done this, and still do...
Here's the shorthand version:
STEP #1: Purchase the vehicle. Not as easy as it sounds due to the
different methods used in Germany for vehicle transfer.
STEP #2: Sign a contract with an RI (Registered Importer) to bring the
vehicle in.
STEP #3: Have the vehicle delivered to Wallenius Wilhelmsen in Bremerhaven
for shipping to the USA. Costs vary by vehicle, figure on ~$1,200.
STEP #4: Wait... The RI is the only party that can legally pick up the
vehicle from the port. The RI will then need to certify the vehicle for the
EPA and the DOT. This process will cost between $5,500 & $7,000 and take
about 2-3 months.
STEP #5: Register the vehicle in your state (the RI may be able to do this
for you).
If the vehicle is 25 years old or more, you can leave out steps #2, #4.
Step #5 can still be painful depending on what state you live in.
This is the only "LEGAL" method of importing a vehicle into the USA that was
not built for sale in the USA. There are other methods, but you assume the
risk of having a discussion with the FBI about 3 years later for illegal
importation, fraud, and tax evasion.
Cheers,
Jeff
www.vanagonparts.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
Of Darren Lastfogel
Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 7:03 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: German Ebay
This was new to me but on the bottem of Ebay's main page there is a link to
Germanys Ebay. There are some very cool T3 and T4's for sale there, Does
anyone know how and if it is possible to ship one to the US and the cost
associated with doing somthing like this.