[s-cars] importing problem

[Serge Filanovsky]

I've read this thread and it makes me wonder if any of he following has ever
happened:

A car is driven into the US from Canada.

Somehow a legal and registered (with plates) US CQ is "retired" and its
plates (or VIN) end up on said Canadian CQ.

Car is mostly used on track with occasional street use (driving to and from
track)

A  while later, after nobody cares about the emissions or safety equipment
on said vehicle which was purchased for cash without a title (in New York
cars over a certain vintage are sold with only a receipt, no title
necessary, a friend's '66 Barracuda comes to mind, things may have changed
recently though), it gets legally registered in the US.

Hmmm, I'm trying to think of the last time anyone has ever actually LOOKED
at the VIN plate on my car, even the emissions station has me bring in my
registration (w/VIN), so they can key it directly into the computer rather
than going out to the car, scribbling it down and then punching it in.


Serge Filanovsky

95.5 S6 Avant











> Bob Frizzell <bobfrizzell at shaw.ca> wrote:
>> Elijah,
>> What if a Canadian owns the car, moves to the US and sells you the car? Is
>> that possible?
>> We've got to figure something out for you.
>> There must be a way to get an airbag in there without spending the big
>> bucks.
> 
> I don't know much about any specific rule differences for Canada to US
> imports vs Rest-of-world to US imports.
> 
> However if you can't get a letter from Audi, you won't be able to
> import the car.  Going through an ICI (independent certified importer)
> or RI (registered Importer)  will not help as that will cost a lot of
> money and in the end you would have to have the airbag fully installed
> and the bumpers would be a problem and the engine would have to be
> fully emissions certified.   I don't think its easy to find an ICI or
> RI that will help bend rules enough in this case. YMMV.
> 
> The vehicle age at which this is all can be bypassed is 25 years for
> DOT  requirements and 21 years old for EPA requirements.
> 
> Digest these two pages :
> 
> http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/factmtop.htm
> specifically 
> http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/factmnb.htm
> 
> and 
> 
> http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/
> specifically 
> http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/VIG_Canada07032.html
> and
> 
> http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/Racing/Racing.html
> 
> 
> As you can see in the links above, you won't be able to bring it in as
> a track or off-road vehicle either, unless you make some pretty
> non-reversable mods which would truly make it non-streetable.  However
> there seems to be a lot of gray area - researching the regulations you
> might find a easily reversible loophole mod.
> 
> Another lister who extensively looked at bringing an RS2 in came to
> the following conclusion after extensive discussions with the feds:
> 
> Remove the drivetrain from the  vehicle.
> Ship each "half" separately as parts.
> Reassemble
> Buy a US Spec car and swap the VIN.
> 
> The last step for an RS2 is a stretch as there were never any 80/90
> Avants.  However for a CQ it should be no problem.
> 
> Cheers,
> Keith
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