Rich, this is an exercise in futility.  If the Vehicle was not manufactured
specifically for use in the U.S., and bears the appropriate stickers, you
will run into a government nightmare.  You will have to post a cash bond for
the value of the vehicle. Then you have about 90 days to get it tested by a
bonded enviromental laboratory.  This test is not cheap. It seems that it
was over $500 a few years ago.  I spent 8 years in Germany, and really
looked into it.  You have much better luck with vehicles made before 1965.
Sorry, but "Been there, Done that".

Bill

At 09:13 AM 6/26/96 -0500, you wrote:
>anyone know what it's like to get one from Germany/Austria in terms of :

>- problems with incompatability of parts, etc. once in USA
>- more availability of 4X4 models in Germany/Austria?
>- other?
>because I have friends in Germany and on the Swiss Austrian border and it
>would be an easy hop up there to get the van.
>
>Any comments or info greatly appreciated.
>
>Rich