Vehicle Importers UPDATE

"ranwhenparked" (ranwhenparked) 02/22/2019 at 20:26 • Filed to: None

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Just a quick question, more for future reference than immediate action, but, are there any businesses in the United States that handle the entire importation process for bringing in a 25+ year old classic car from overseas, say, the UK to be specific?

I know you need to work with a shipping company, a customs broker, a registered importer, and get the documentation for insurance. I’m wondering if there’s anyone that manages all of that, so that all you need to do is tell the seller where to deliver the car and write a check.

I thought about maybe a specialist dealer, like Duncan Imports, but most of them only focus on Japanese cars these days, and I figure a dealer would be more interested in selling their existing inventory, unless maybe they’d do it for a finder’s fee or something?

MG Metro for your time.

uPDATE 3/13: so it turns out that there is a company in New Jersey, ca. an hour from my house, that does pretty much exactly this. They've already brought over a few Reliants for other customers, and are going to start looking for some good prospects for me. This might actually be happening soon!

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > ranwhenparked 02/22/2019 at 20:44

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Also interested as I just discovered that early Twingos are now eligible ...

MM54 > ranwhenparked 02/22/2019 at 20:53

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I have often wondered this, I know there are several Japanese importers but I’ve not seen any european ones.

Cash Rewards > ranwhenparked 02/22/2019 at 21:20

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Japanese classics in Richmond VA also does a small amount of European cars. Most of their inventory seems to be Defenders and BMW wagons, but worth a call I'd imagine.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ranwhenparked 02/22/2019 at 21:55

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I know Flavian knows exporters in the UK that would handle export (at least I seem to think he said he does... maybe just brokers? Not sure) ...couldn’t hurt to ask! Not sure if they would handle finding a car for you, etc though...just the export and shipping process.

ranwhenparked > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 02/22/2019 at 21:58

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Finding I could probably do. I mean, there’s a certain degree of trust involved, but I can arrange payment and either get a transport company to pick it up or maybe pay the seller extra to deliver it, if I’m lucky enough to buy from someone close to a port facility. Its more the hassle of getting it onto the ship and into the US I’d like to avoid, there’s people that do that stuff all the time for their business, would rather use them. 

ranwhenparked > Cash Rewards 02/22/2019 at 22:00

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I think Duncan does have some European stuff in their inventory, too, its just a very small side business for them (probably like Japanese Classics) . Unless another solid lead comes through, that’s probably the best course of action. Call a dealer, and maybe ask if they could find a specific vehicle and bring it in for me. If they don’t want to do it, worst they can say is no and offer to show me a very nice Nissan Pao instead. 

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ranwhenparked 02/22/2019 at 22:02

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Pretty sure that is the type of thing Flavian’s people could do in the UK for you. You could then hire an import broker here that you would work with (if you’re the one finding the car over there) who would deal with the import process once it arrives and get it shipped to your place.

ranwhenparked > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 02/22/2019 at 22:06

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OK, but I have a feeling he won’t want the job when he hears what sort of car I’m interested in. There’s a stigma involved over there. 

ranwhenparked > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo 02/22/2019 at 22:28

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That’s a good choice, timeless design. 

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ranwhenparked 02/22/2019 at 22:37

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Eh, money is money! I am sure you could find somebody! What are you looking for? :)

ranwhenparked > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 02/22/2019 at 22:46

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Nothing too specific, maybe  something small, plasticy, and with an uneven number of wheels.

interstate366, now In The Industry > Cash Rewards 02/22/2019 at 22:56

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They don’t do special orders, unfortunately.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ranwhenparked 02/22/2019 at 22:58

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Reliant? Invacar? Either would be a very fun choic e I would think! :P

I want to import a FIAT 126p, so I am with you on quirky small cars!

ranwhenparked > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 02/22/2019 at 23:06

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I’ve been thinking of getting a Reliant for about the past 20 years or so, but I’m now in a position where its now realistic to do it, and I’ve recently gotten more motivated to pull the trigger. Basically, I want to know the details involved in doing it, and figure out if it can be done relatively simply and painlessly for a realistic price. 

Thinking either a Regal 3/25 or 3/30 saloon, though a later model would be acceptable, too (and probably cheaper). The Regals are more stylish though. Unfortunately, it seems like most of the survivors are Supervans painted like Del Boy Trotter’s.

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo 02/23/2019 at 03:30

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And available for very little money too!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ranwhenparked 02/23/2019 at 07:14

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Definitely do it! I personally don’t know a lot about the Reliants, but weird and q uirky are my kind of car! :)

Have you heard of Hubnut’s channel on Youtube? You might be interested! He owns and has a video series on a 3-wheeled British Invacar, but also is currently getting a Reliant Fox (the cargo version of a 4-wheeled Reliant Kitten, which was related to the 3-wheeler Reliants) back on the road!

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

ranwhenparked > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 02/23/2019 at 12:39

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Had not seen that, Foxes are cool little cars. A shame we don’t ha ve anything like the Tandy camper here.

DSM_OR_DIE::Drives_A_Miata > ranwhenparked 02/23/2019 at 15:54

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Is there a reason that you don’t want to do it yourself? I certainly get that it’s daunting, but I have taken three cars through the import process now and the only one that sucked was the one where I paid someone else to handle it. The two that I did myself were each an hour’s commitment for both filling out the paperwork and submitting it at the CBP office and under $200 in fees/duty.

Of course, doing it yourself pretty much requires you to go to port in person, but I have always enjoyed road trips. Baltimore and Jacksonville were both easy.

I had a freight forwarder for an imported engine once. For that transaction the vendor in Japan just threw the engine and transmission on a boat and I would be responsible for everything on the US side, but they reported the incorrect arrival date and I drove to Philadelphia a week early. Since I couldn’t go back, I had Paramount Transportation Systems throw it on a truck and deliver it to my house. They were great, but they did fine the daylights out of me because the seller had never produced any of the documents that must be filed before the shipment leaves the port of origin. And they were upfront about how much things would have cost if the paperwork hadn’t been an issue. If you were to involve them from the beginning things would be much better.

ranwhenparked > DSM_OR_DIE::Drives_A_Miata 02/23/2019 at 16:17

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Honestly, I kind of assumed it would be a bigger hassle. Really, I’m not up on the procedures and documentation needed, and the different vendors that need to be used for different parts of it. I’ve heard the horror stories about people getting their cars stuck in C ustoms for months because they didn’t do it right. Seemed like the easiest thing was for some company that does it all the time professionally to handle it all, and just go get the car from them. 

DSM_OR_DIE::Drives_A_Miata > ranwhenparked 02/23/2019 at 17:36

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Three forms. HS7, 3520-1 , and 7501. The first two are completely self-explanatory and the third isn’t bad i f someone can help you out the first time through. Both CBP officers that I worked with either filled out parts of the forms themselves or of fered to do the form for me to be sure that it was correct.  Really the big block for doing it yourself is taking the time to get to port.

ranwhenparked > DSM_OR_DIE::Drives_A_Miata 02/23/2019 at 17:40

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So, you can basically do everything upon arrival in port, nothing gets filed in advance?

If all I have to do is buy a car, arrange shipping to the port in the UK (or see if maybe the seller is willing to drop it off, depending on distance), then go pick it up in Philly or Wilmington and do the paperwork, that’s not so bad.

I suppose it wouldn’t be legal to drive it home, but maybe rent a truck and trailer or something. Or get a towing company with a flat bed , since it wouldn’t be that far to get home. 

DSM_OR_DIE::Drives_A_Miata > ranwhenparked 02/23/2019 at 17:48

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The ISF form is supposed to be filed beforehand and you have to be licensed to file it anyway, but online companies do that for ~$50. Everything else gets presented when you pick up the car.

I’ve driven all three of my cars from port. I bring a valid license plate with proof of registration, then just keep proof of purchase on-hand in case I get pulled over. It’s no different from buying any used car and driving it home. It’s obviously much more responsible to tow it home, but I have gotten lucky that all three of my cars were very reliable and  made it the ~1100 miles home without issue.

ranwhenparked > DSM_OR_DIE::Drives_A_Miata 02/23/2019 at 17:59

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Yeah, I have done that with used cars, but always ones that sort of blended in with traffic. That would be my preference, just the fact that it's something weird that might stick out a little more could attract police attention.