The rules for canada and the US are very similar in most areas. the biggies
are meeting all current EPA and NHTSA rules.

VW has several engines that do not meet current EPA rules and most are
diesel engines.

The new T5 has never been crash tested for compliance of internal safety
requirements.

These are just two areas that could spell doom for bringing it in legally.

Cheating is expensive if caught.
A local guy is being fined by the US customs and EPA, for starters.  Also
the vehicle was confiscated is being ordered destroyed.

Was told that there are probably a few hundred vehicles a year that are
illegally imported and put on the roads.  They catch a few dozen usually
from tips, and a few dozen more from insurance claims that get investigated.
(don�t file a claim on your miss-registered-identified vehicle)  don�t do it
in a heavy air controlled state either.

One common technique used locally is to have a mexican or canadian citizen
that owns one of the restricted vehicles but is working or stationed here in
colorado sell the vehicle here in the US to a colorado resident.  The
vehicle was legally driven into the US for use while the owner was temporary
located in the US and allowed to bring in a vehicle for private use.  After
an extended stay the owner registers the vehicle locally for several legal
reasons. The title rules are tight in colorado but there are still loop
holes for that one to slip through occasionally.  With the vehicle
registered locally it can slip through if it passes our minimal inspection
rules and air test.

jimt

On 9/13/05 7:52 PM, "Martine Boudreault" <martine.boud@VIDEOTRON.CA> wrote:

> What is involve for DOT compliance?  Should be very similar for Canada...
> Joel
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf Of
> The Bus Depot
> Sent: 13-Sep-05 21:39
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Take a look at the new T-5 Camper.
> 
>> Could we purchase a T5 or a Sprinter based (Like the James
>> Cooke) in Europe and import in North America our self?
> 
> 
> Couldn't speak for Canada, but not to the U.S. They do not comply with U.S.
> D.O.T. regulations and bringing one to compliance is not affordable.
> 
> - Ron Salmon
> The Bus Depot, Inc.
> www.busdepot.com
> (215)  234-VWVW
> 
> _____________________________________________
> Toll-Free for Orders by PART # :  1-866-BUS-DEPOT
> 
>