Oppo PSA of the day: Show and Display

"Dsscats" (dsscats) 12/07/2015 at 20:32 • Filed to: None

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No, you can not scream “SHOW AND DISPLAY” and throw money at customs and expect to get an R34 into the country. Show and Display doesn’t apply to any car you feel like making it apply to. In fact, show and display applies to an extraordinarily small list of cars. There are only two Skylines on that list, the 1990 Nismo R32 GTR, and the 1999 R34 GTR VSpec “Early Edition,” which doesn’t exist. As a result, there is not yet one single Show and Display legal R34 in the country.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Dsscats 12/07/2015 at 20:38

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And of course, the 1990 is now legal under the 25 year rule.

The only practical way to get cars newer than 25 years old into the country is like-model conformance, and it still requires a registered importer and often some expensive modifications. In essence, if you can prove that the car you want to import meets the same crash requirements as a car that was legal for sale in the US, and then go through some hoops with an importer to ensure the lighting and everything else meets spec, you’re good to go. I’ve seen a 1998 Celica GTFour imported this way, but of course the Skylines would not work because they were never sold in the US in any form.

Dsscats > Aaron M - MasoFiST 12/07/2015 at 20:41

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Whoever told you that about the Celica lied.

Amoore100 > Dsscats 12/07/2015 at 20:54

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I think it’s true in other countries but most definitely not in the United States of Freedom ...

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Dsscats 12/07/2015 at 21:11

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Because the same Celica chassis was sold here it’s legal, provided you spend the money federalizing it and have a licensed importer sign off on it. Few people will though because even minor federalization modifications will cost more than the car is worth.

And yeah, that makes it relatively easy to bring them in illegally as well, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do it legally.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Dsscats 12/07/2015 at 21:16

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Isn't there a mileage limit for show and display as well?

Dsscats > Aaron M - MasoFiST 12/07/2015 at 21:21

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That’s not true, again. It’s not on the list by the NHTSA

Dsscats > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 12/07/2015 at 21:21

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2500 a year

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Dsscats 12/07/2015 at 21:25

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That’s lame. And can you fully register a show and display car after it’s 25 years old?

Boxer_4 > Dsscats 12/07/2015 at 21:27

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There’s one Subaru on that incredibly short list; the MY1992 Alcyone SVX Version L (the one with 4WS). However, that won’t matter in a few years.

I need to stop looking at JDM SVXs. I keep finding ones that I want.

Even the “high mileage” JDM versions seem to be in much better shape than a lot of the USDM versions. Plus, the JDM versions got options the USDM version never got, such as the VTD transmission, and those awesome floor mats.

Dsscats > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 12/07/2015 at 21:30

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Yep!

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Dsscats 12/07/2015 at 21:37

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That’s a lot better. I’m still angry that our import laws suck though.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Dsscats 12/07/2015 at 22:16

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Since it has a “legal” VIN, the guy probably brought it in illegally, yeah. If it were federalized, it would show up on that list, provided they keep up to date with their paperwork. With a 17 digit VIN that corresponds to a model sold in the US there are plenty of avenues to avoid any sort of scrutiny. That all said, it had a Massachusetts plate and registration, and we’re not exactly a haven for poor record keeping.

Dsscats > Aaron M - MasoFiST 12/07/2015 at 22:59

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Plates don’t mean Jack shit when it comes to legality, and if it has a 17 digit VIN, it’s been VIN swapped and that’s FAR more illegal than a state legal car.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Dsscats 12/08/2015 at 06:37

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You’re right about the plates, wrong about the VIN. 17-digit VINs are an ISO standard and are used worldwide; essentially every manufacturer complies with SAE VIN standards, excepting some more arcane US standards like check digit validation. Now, if one was to read the VIN there is a check digit indicating whether or not it is a North American bound vehicle, but few if any DMVs or other titling agencies know about it or bother. It’s also late enough in the VIN that the vehicle identifiers come first, so it could come up in a DMV computer (if it were concordant with a US bound vehicle, like a Celica). It does mean if NHTSA were to seize the vehicle, they’d know it’s an import right away.

Dsscats > Aaron M - MasoFiST 12/08/2015 at 09:28

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R32/33/34 have 11/12 digit VINs, JDM Supras have 14. I think it’s old enough that it wouldn’t be part of the 17 digit standard

Dsscats > Aaron M - MasoFiST 12/08/2015 at 09:29

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17 digit VIN or not, it’s not a legal import

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Dsscats 12/08/2015 at 09:54

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All EDM Celicas had 17-digit VINs. While his was RHD that could make it a UK car.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Dsscats 12/08/2015 at 10:01

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No, it isn’t. But since it has the same body as a car sold here, it’s not going to be scrapped or even likely caught unless someone goes on a crusade. The issue with the importer getting nailed for too-new classic Minis and Land Rovers likely would never have happened if he didn’t get caught swapping VIN plates.

On the plus side, SW20 MR2s are on the NHTSA list. So there’s that.