http://www.carclassic.com/stock.asp?StockID=102224 I tried looking on the US DOT web site, but it only references car older than 1980 (25-years). I can't find any info. on cars older than that in regards to importing a car. Yes, I realize you'd have a big shipping fee to get it over, but I'm just curious as to how hard it would be? As I said, I can't find anything that says you'd have to put all the Year of Manu. emmissions stuff on it, and DOT safety items. Point here is that Sheehan has had several boxers for sale with Euro side markers. How is this possible if the car has DOT papers? Anyway, can anyone point to some regulations in this regard? I'm just curious more than anything. (I've also courious about getting a Euro spec 308 shipped over just to get the Dry Sump, elec. ignition and 15-extra HP so that would a '79 and older would fall under the same guildlines as this). Car description also says " This vehicle is available immediately. The price includes all European Union taxes and commissions. " If exporting, does that have to be paid (like the VAT in England does not get paid if you export stuff or buy from over seas).
The ad says the car is US legal. Whats the problem with importing it? BTW, thats going to be a hell of a car, with flames shooting out the ass end of it when you step on the pedal. Forget the 308, this is the car to have. I love "'the annual air-conditioning recharge", LOL. Now I know whats wrong with my car, I need to spend 80 bucks a pound at the dealer x 3 lbs. or $240 a year just on the "annual recharge". No wonder its 84 degrees in michigan today. Can't you buy that car here for 85 grand?
That price comes to $70,247.01 USD (1 EUR = 1.19063 USD, priced @ 59k Euros ). So, you'd need to throw transport fees on top of that as well. Not to mention the fees involved with getting the Federal paperwork done (I'd imagine somewhat nominal) as well as your State fees. Seems to me you could find one here state side for about the same price and without any of the headache. Just my .02
Sean Economically it will not make any sense. The big problem is the relationship with the Dollar and the Euro. For starters, you can add about 25% to the price, when you convert from $$ to Euros. Like the other poster mentioned, you will also have freight, customs, brokerage fees, insurance, registration fees, and other associated overhead etc.... When the Euro was worth around .80 cents, it was economically viable for autos that were at least 25 years old. It is very hard today to justify importing a typical grey-market sports car from Europe. On the flip side, they find the opposite is true when looking at our market. I believe the car has to be 25 years old, to not have big issues with EPA and DOT. Their are exemptions around the regs, however they are not easy to obtain. Their is also the show and display exemption, that applies to autos, that were not offered forsale (959, XJ 220, and EB 110, etc....) in the USA. ____ You asked how come some cars are more original than others ? Some grey-market conversions during the 80's were totally bogus. The conversions were taken care of to different degrees. I spoke with an original owner of a BB, who claimed nothing was done during the conversion process. Some small time operators simply submitted bogus pics, to pass the car thru the EPA and DOT conversion process. Today they will require a customs bond, and all types of proof that the work has been done to the EPA and DOT requirements. The small time operators are gone.
Well that's kind of what I thought, thanks all. Ralph, are you going to the F1 party and will you have your boxer back? I've been dying to see it since I first met you last March. Sean
I recently spoke with Dick Merritt at the Feds. Cars that are over 25 have to have nothing done to them. You just pay 1.5% tax when you import it. Dino
Looking at the pictures the car doesn't appear to be in great condition. If i were investing the money that it will cost you for that car and to get it here i would expect a showroom condition car. If it were me i would look for a car in the states. Good Luck
Well I wasn't specifically looking to buy that car, just wondering what it would take to get it into the US. I see European cars all the time for sale and prices on certain models are pretty good, but again, you have to add the import tax, etc. to get it in. I was trying to find out what those costs would be to import a car from Euro. to the US more than anything.
Sean I am not going to the F-1 party. The car is almost finished. Please kindly take the car for a drive. - Hopefully you will be bit, by the BB Bug. You may want to contact a customs broker about a car, if you are interested. Remember to figure the cost of converting from Dollars to Euros.
For less money, when all is said and done, you could probably buy the one Sheehan is selling (which, I believe, belongs to an F-Chatter). 512BBs are not that hard to find.
