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FatElvis
Samba Member
Joined: April 23, 2004
Posts: 10
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 Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 8:44 pm Post subject: Importing Things from overseas |
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I am really new to the old VW game and had a few questions. There is currently a Thing for sale on ebay that is located in Germany. The seller claims that it is a 1977 model. I know in the states they were only produced in 73 and 74...I believe I have heard of/seen 75s too. But does a 1977 model truly exist?
The car looks to be in good shape and the price seems pretty fair. Just seems too good to be true. Seller claims that shipping will be less than 800 to an east cost port (I live in a town with such) and that they can arrange everything with one call. Again sounds too convenient/good to be true.
Anybody have any experience with bringing in vehicles from overseas?
Is it more hassle than it is worth? Are there going to be a lot of "hidden" charges, ie customs, duties or tariffs?
Is the vehicle even in good enough shape to bother with?
If anyone has any experience/advice it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance....
Elvis  |
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iltis74
Samba Member
Joined: November 20, 2003
Posts: 826
Location: Anchorage, AK
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| Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 10:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Things were made from 68-79, which I think means that you could find an 80 model but I'm not sure. As to the rest I don't know. I can ship about any vehicle from the west coast to Alaska for around a grand without any inside connections, so it sounds reasonable to me. I understand that most Things being exported out of Germany are ex-German Military, and it may be worth finding out what the specs on those were and if this is in fact one. I also seem to recall that there was a company that might still be around that imported German Military Things into the states for sale. They might be a very good source of information as to paperwork and such. So when it gets right down to it I really only know about the car in my garage (a 74) but this at least gives you a start until someone familiar with importing chimes in. |
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bljones
Resident Wit
Joined: February 08, 2002
Posts: 2377
Location: ontario canada
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| Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 11:19 pm Post subject: |
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Unless the thing on ebay is very good and/or very cheap, you're probably better off looking stateside, costwise.
The national highway traffic safety adminstration has all the info on importing on their website.
www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/
_________________
OG JHC
Author of Original Rant #1
"It stingd itself to dead... now that is control on you"
2% |
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[email protected]
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2003
Posts: 40
Location: Madisonville, ky
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| Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 4:48 pm Post subject: |
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you cannot import it without it bieng a 73 or 74 with the current importation laws..........simple as that, take it from one who imported one a while back....
_________________
proud owner of a karman ghia 71 Cabrio
want a thing.....take a vacation to puerto vallarta mexico
used to have 69 beetle, 73 super, 73 thing |
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mr_bubblehead
Samba Member
Joined: July 18, 2004
Posts: 5
Location: Toulouse (31) - France
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| Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 9:45 am Post subject: |
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| [email protected] wrote: |
| you cannot import it without it bieng a 73 or 74 with the current importation laws..........simple as that, take it from one who imported one a while back.... |
Are you sure ?
Under 49 U.S.C. § 30112(b)(9) (formerly section 108(i) of the Act), "any motor vehicle that is at least 25 years old" is not subject to importation restrictions. All vehicles less than 25 years old must be determined eligible for importation by one of the following methods before the vehicle may be imported under contract with a Registered Importer as described in the Vehicle Importation Guidelines.
Is that rule still current ? |
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[email protected]
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2003
Posts: 40
Location: Madisonville, ky
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| Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 10:43 am Post subject: |
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yes that is correct, however under currebt guidlines and a subsection of the above law according to changes made in 2003, the car that that applies to is only one originally of us msnufacture that is bieng imported. a car of foriegn manufacture at this time must be equal or equvilant to a model that was sold in the us at the year of the cars origin and meet all the safty regulations of that year. i wont give you the lae number but ask the customs officials or look it up. as i siad, i have already done this, and they changed the law right after i did mine. doesnt mean you cant get around it like i did, but its a major problem. if you want to get around it easiest way is to drive the car across the boarder yourself. anyways good luck folks
_________________
proud owner of a karman ghia 71 Cabrio
want a thing.....take a vacation to puerto vallarta mexico
used to have 69 beetle, 73 super, 73 thing |
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[email protected]
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2003
Posts: 40
Location: Madisonville, ky
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| Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 10:43 am Post subject: |
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yes that is correct, however under currebt guidlines and a subsection of the above law according to changes made in 2003, the car that that applies to is only one originally of us msnufacture that is bieng imported. a car of foriegn manufacture at this time must be equal or equvilant to a model that was sold in the us at the year of the cars origin and meet all the safty regulations of that year. i wont give you the lae number but ask the customs officials or look it up. as i siad, i have already done this, and they changed the law right after i did mine. doesnt mean you cant get around it like i did, but its a major problem. if you want to get around it easiest way is to drive the car across the boarder yourself. anyways good luck folks
_________________
proud owner of a karman ghia 71 Cabrio
want a thing.....take a vacation to puerto vallarta mexico
used to have 69 beetle, 73 super, 73 thing |
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