New Ring Record...on FWD Platform

"Vintage1982Benz" (vintage1982benz) 03/07/2014 at 09:54 • Filed to: None

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RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Vintage1982Benz 03/07/2014 at 09:57

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Badge-swap to VW, import, destroy the VIN donor. ILLEGAL SHENANIGANS

Lekker > Vintage1982Benz 03/07/2014 at 10:01

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You could easily go down to Mexico and pick one up, they can be imported legally. :)

Vintage1982Benz > Lekker 03/07/2014 at 10:05

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INTERESTING

Lekker > Vintage1982Benz 03/07/2014 at 10:14

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I actually drove a Seat Cupra back in the day before they were popular, this was in Mexico of course. They are really just Gold's with different body and interior. Of course that is a large blanket statement, as they are fun cars.

PelicanHazard > Lekker 03/07/2014 at 10:33

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Are you sure about that? For Americans, I mean.

Sure, with proper papers you can drive it on the US side of the border for a while, but it cannot be permanently imported here and cannot be registered with a state DMV.

Lekker > PelicanHazard 03/07/2014 at 10:37

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Yeah you can. And I also did drive a Murano with mexican plates for 4 years here in the states. No one hassles you really.

And in terms of paperwork, yes. The only requirements that I was aware of (since I almost imported the 2009 Murano I had with mexican plates) was that you have to make sure you meet CO2 regulations and change the speedo to Imperial instead of metric. This was however a few years ago, so I suppose things could have changed. But the idea is that one does not have to get it over seas.

MazdaMonkey > Lekker 03/07/2014 at 10:52

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So you are using the word "legal" quite loosely.

Sounds like an awful lot of effort to (illegally) import a FWD Spanish hot hatch. WIf you want a fast car around the Ring, why not just buy a 'Vette and be done with it?

PelicanHazard > Lekker 03/07/2014 at 10:58

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See, by "import", I thought you meant get the car registered in the US with US plates. That is impossible. Simply driving across the border on Mexican plates is more akin to vehicular tourism.

I'm curious, though. How exactly did it go with you and the Murano? Did you have to get paperwork stamped? Were you allowed to keep the Murano in the US for 4 years straight or did you have to drive it across the border every now and then for customs requirements? Was the insurance under a Mexican company? Are you yourself a Mexican citizen and visiting the US or an American citizen who bought a Mexican car?

Basically, all the research I did to try and grab some sweet delicious Mexican Peugeot 208 told me that, as an American, I would go through a labyrinth to have the privilege of driving a Mexican-plated car in the US for only a year and then be forced to send it back to Mexico.

Maybe this also has to do with the Murano being sold on both sides of the border and the Peugeot on only the Mexican side?

Lekker > PelicanHazard 03/07/2014 at 11:06

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Its not impossible. The process I mentioned of swapping gauges was basically it. That is how I would have been able to get it registered here in the US in any state (of course depending where you want it, is where you'll have to get smoke tested and whatnot).

For the Murano I needed nothing other than my ownership paperwork. Any time I got stopped I got asked for papers of the vehicle, which I had, and insurance, which I had two of. I had one in Mexico and one here through State Farm. I didn't have to do anything other than that. And you do ask a good question, it was easier for me because I am a permanent resident here. I was attending college as well as working so it's not like I was up to no good. And even my wife, who is an american-born citizen (as in not born outside the us) used to drive my Murano and never got in trouble when she got pulled over.

I think the deciding factor was that I didn't look/act like I was up to no good. That is really when people give you crap. And as you mention I am sure it had to with the fact that Muranos are sold on both sides of the border. What most officers told me (I have a few LEO buddies) is that if a car looks newish, they won't care. I even drove up to canada on that murano, made customs through just fine. No one ever asked why it had mexican plates.

Lekker > MazdaMonkey 03/07/2014 at 11:07

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Negative. LEO's and mutliple customs agents verified there was no issue.

And I do however agree with the Vette statement

PelicanHazard > Lekker 03/07/2014 at 11:24

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Yeah, I thought it would have to do with the Murano being sold everywhere. I can imagine the grief in trying to register a Peugeot at my local DMV. Or federalizing it. Presumably the Murano sold in Mexico was US-spec and that's why you only had to change the units and check emissions if you wanted it imported permanently. No such luck for me :[

Lekker > PelicanHazard 03/07/2014 at 11:30

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that definitely makes a lot of sense. :/ Sorry to get you excited. It still is worth some more research in my opinion. Since importing them from Spain is possible, I assume it would be easier to get it imported from down the border.

Vintage1982Benz > Lekker 03/07/2014 at 11:42

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As someone who has owned a VW Golf and a GTI in my life time, I am very intrigued by this idea. I wonder what the import fees, etc would be. I'll have to do a little research.

Lekker > Vintage1982Benz 03/07/2014 at 11:43

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They're fun. Just gotta watch out for reliability in some years, as there have been known issues with one or two models.

Vintage1982Benz > PelicanHazard 03/07/2014 at 11:49

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Because $$$.

I love the Vette but it is in a different price range.

***wrong response - this was to MazdaMonkey

Vintage1982Benz > PelicanHazard 03/07/2014 at 11:50

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This is good to know and more in line with what I would expect. Thanks for sharing your experience.