Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2011 17:47:04 -0800
Reply-To: Jeff Schwaia <vw.doka@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jeff Schwaia <vw.doka@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Back to. Re: Just like a Vanagon, but modern..
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTikb92iP29t0Whqd537fGJd-CfFen6mtWhof2e9D@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Other countries have the same sort of rules. Do you really think you can
buy a 2011 Dodge Challenger in the USA, take over to Europe and register it
at your local DMV equivalent?
And yes, it is correct what I said about being manufacturers being self
certified. I work with the NHTSA on a regular basis and am currently in the
middle of getting a company in Europe set up as a manufacturer. It's part
of what I do.
As for the EPA mileage rating, etc. There is a formula that is provided by
the EPA that the manufacturer must use when testing for mileage ratings.
Generally, they will use an "EPA Certified" laboratory for this testing.
However, some of the larger manufacturers have their own labs.
Crash test ratings, etc., are usually provided by the insurance institute.
Pretty sure that's done so they can charge appropriately.
Jeff
From: Don Hanson [mailto:dhanson928@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, January 21, 2011 4:47 PM
To: Jeff Schwaia
Cc: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
Subject: Re: Back to. Re: Just like a Vanagon, but modern..
You mean all this stuff about 'crash testing' 'side impact' 'certified
EPA mileage ratings' etc etc etc...that is all left up to the manufacturers?
I don't think that is right, but I could be wrong there...maybe they just
say 'stuff" and if the Government finds them lying, they get fined?
But the question I have is if you want to buy an 'un-approved' vehicle
and drive it and own it in the US, Yes, when the rest of the world finds
these vehicles quite acceptable........ in fact they often perform in a more
effective and environmentally friendly fashion that the vehicles we are
legally allowed to own and drive....why should we be Verboten from many many
good vehicles?
If a Canadian or a Swiss or French couple can come to the US, bringing
their Toyota HiAce or their Subaru boxer diesel and drive around here,
polluting less and using less fuel, why should we be Verboten from doing the
same? Why are we forbidden from paying our license and registration fees and
keeping that vehicle here as ours? Makes no sense.
So what if the speedo reads in kilometers and the gas tank in liters...If
we speed, give us a ticket. If we run out of fuel, it is because we are
dumb... So what if you can't get a part at NAPA, Shucks or a dealer...There
are plenty of vehicles and other pieces of machinery that demand we go to
the country of origin to get replacement parts...
If it's not been certified in a 'side-impact test'....would you die any
more quickly than if you got T-boned on a Harley?
I find it ludicrous that because the vehicle is not "approved for
sale"...however it happens to be mandated in our law....then we aren't
allowed to use them here in the US while the Rest Of the World is allowed to
use them..no problemo..
Global Economy....does that concept only work one way? We can "shop"
your job around all over the world, hire anywhere we can find someone to
work for less, but you can't shop around world wide and find the best
available vehicle to drive?
Don Hanson
On Fri, Jan 21, 2011 at 2:14 PM, Jeff Schwaia <vw.doka@gmail.com> wrote:
Ok... one more time:
---THE MANUFACTURERS DO NOT HAVE TO GET ANY OF THEIR VEHICLES CERTIFIED---
All manufacturers are considered "self certifying" by the NHTSA & EPA.
Sure, if they get caught in an error, they will be fined... heavily.
As for why they don't allow non-US models to be imported... the
manufacturers themselves had that provision put in the rules. Why? So that
3rd parties could not go around the manufacturers and start selling vehicles
without them getting their cut.
You have to realize all the hidden costs associated with introducing a new
model into the US market. Per US law, the manufacturer must offer
replacement parts for a minimum of 10 years for any model they sell. Think
about the costs associated with adding a completely new parts line to dealer
inventories as well as their distribution network. Additionally, don't
forget about all the training required for service work.
So... simply put, complain to the manufacturers, not the guvmint.
Cheers,
Jeff
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Dave Mcneely
Sent: Friday, January 21, 2011 12:46 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Back to. Re: Just like a Vanagon, but modern..
---- Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
> Now my gummint rap: Why shouldn't a vehicle that is safe and clean and
> green enough for our Canadian neighbors be OK for us to own and use in the
> US? It seems like the Federal standards are a bunch of hooie!
and a lot of other stuff ........ .
Don, neither you nor most of the rest of us knows the particulars about why
a given vehicle is not marketed in the U.S. Since the manufacturers found
it reasonable to get some vehicles certified, it seems likely that they
would do so with others, if they thought it was in their interests to do so.
In a perfect world, things would be perfect. I get frustrated with lots of
things too, and sound off about them sometimes. But ........... .
mcneely
