

| Subject: | Re: Fwd: NHTSA making it easier to import to USA! |
| From: | Kevin Mikkelson |
| Date: | Fri, 24 Sep 1999 11:46:21 -0700 |
Does this now mean we can get a VW Transporter TDI Synco California Coach http://www.vwn.de/uk/leisure/index.html or a Mercedes-Benz Vito Marco Polo http://www.mercedes-benz.com/e/cars/rv/marcopolo/photo5.htm Kevin M '89 Westy Bothell, WA >From: JordanVw@AOL.COM >Subject: Fwd: NHTSA making it easier to import to USA! >Interesting short in this weeks Autoweek. The US government put in to effect >(Aug. 13) and new rule on import vehicle to the US that does not meet US >safety standards. If the car is less than 25 years old an individual (not >and importer or dealer) can import for "Show or Display" without bring it up >to US safety standards. If it is sold before it is 25 years old it has to >be sold to an individual and it can not be driven more than 2500 miles per >year. The car still has to meet emission standards. It requires prior >approval and the government can inspect the vehicle anytime they want. >The trick is that to get prior approval you must "persuade" the NHTSA that >the vehicle is of significant "Technical or Historical" value and it must >not be something the manufacture previously imported. The example they use >is you could not import an F50 but you could import a McLaren F1 or a >Porsche 959. None of this will help anyone import say a 1987 urq or a 97 S6 >but it does open up possibilities. I guess the key will be how much >technology differences there needs to be from a similar model that was >imported or if you can make a case for historical significance, i.e. owned >by ???? It is obvious that the rule is very subjective and up to the >discretion of those that must be "persuaded".
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