After R34, Defenders?

"BATC42" (BATC42)
07/16/2014 at 09:55 • Filed to: None

Just saw that on Expedition Portal. Apparently US Homeland Security is seizing Defenders from their owners.

http://www.defendersource.com/forum/showthre…

Update: it would seem to be related to an investigation in a specific importer.

DISCUSSION (15)

Jolteon > BATC42
07/16/2014 at 10:05

Why does USA NEED to have these rules regarding cars? I can't understand the arrogantness(is that a word) of needing US-Spec cars, and then seizing random cars that are "unsafe".

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > BATC42
07/16/2014 at 10:08

Federal investigators in that thread: lied to owners at least twice just to shake the trucks loose - looks like importer brought in a couple iffy ones so they seized all trucks that came through that importer. Synchronized early morning raid of *all of them*. Contraband until proven otherwise - dozens taken, likely many to most legitimate. Utter fuckbags.

chuck07 > BATC42
07/16/2014 at 10:11

It seems like one importer either did paperwork wrong or faked VIN plates. What sucks is that the DHS steals these trucks without any judicial review. Sure, the people can appeal, but what do they do for the months that they don't have a car?

duurtlang > Jolteon
07/16/2014 at 10:12

Economic protectionism and the ' not invented here ' philosophy.

vdub_nut: scooter snob > Jolteon
07/16/2014 at 10:12

Taxes, protectionism, and Mercedes Benz lobbying.

Wishin & workin for an E39 M5 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
07/16/2014 at 10:16

This country has truly gone to shit. Guilty until proven innocent and if not found guilty under the myriad of secondary charges that the courts at to a case, then you will undoubtedly be found guilty in the court of public opinion.

PS: This is the other rover guy, who had your rig as his avatar for awhile, had to create a burner, wife hates that I use social media.

Party-vi > Jolteon
07/16/2014 at 10:21

Blame Mercedes-Benz. In the 1980s they started losing a significant portion of US sales to "grey-market" importers bringing over and selling the European market MB cars which were usually more powerful (non catalytic converters & fewer smog requirements). Before grey-market importers would change lights and add converters to European models and sell them. Mercedes only offered the 380SEL in the US while Europe got the more powerful 500SEL, and grey market importers were bringing them in and selling them. MB lobbied Congress, calling grey-market vehicles significantly different in safety and performance than US market cars, and they got the Motor Vehicle Safety Compliance Act passed. They also enacted the 25 year age rule too, because if a car isn't safe for the US when it's new, it's totally safe when it's 25 years old (rolls eyes). Fuck Mercedes-Benz.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Wishin & workin for an E39 M5
07/16/2014 at 10:24

Two cited cases: both with complete paperwork, matching chassis numbers, and VINs from the early 80s - one was told his was a 95, the other was told 2000 *regardless of direct knowledge otherwise*. They assumed the owners are stupid and lied to their faces - with what was clearly a prepared lie to show up in more than one place. Total horsefuckery. If the owners had believed the lie, they wouldn't have ever tried to get their trucks back - that is an attempt to deprive someone of property without due process (fouling that process by their lie) and if not illegal specifically, broadly unconstitutional as *shit*.

Wishin & workin for an E39 M5 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
07/16/2014 at 10:28

Come the revolution. I am not good for a whole lot for a whole lot of stuff, but one thing I am good at is "taking care of" bad guys.

These are the days when we should be looking in the mirror and realize we are the bad guys, and we are being controlled by our government. I wonder if the previous fascist nations citizenry ever realized what was truly going on.

PS: can you talk to a mod and get me posting rights, I haven't been able to find a way to unify my Google+ associated account and my new burner.

extraspecialbitter > BATC42
07/16/2014 at 10:29

Found an article on it from the forum.

http://blog.caranddriver.com/exclusive-feds…

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Wishin & workin for an E39 M5
07/16/2014 at 10:32

What was your old username? I didn't even recall somebody had my rig as an avatar - what fun!

Wishin & workin for an E39 M5 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
07/16/2014 at 10:33

R. Saldana

We talked about it once I believe, but it could have been another Rover person. We are odd folks.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Wishin & workin for an E39 M5
07/16/2014 at 10:41

There's also Cochise and theBloody and Grawesome who are current Landie owners on here, and a bunch who've owned Defenders or Series in the past. Surprising density, really.

Wishin & workin for an E39 M5 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
07/16/2014 at 10:50

I'm a Disco man.

Wishin & workin for an E39 M5 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
07/16/2014 at 10:51

And I feel like Rovers are the Us version of requirements of a petrolhead (own at least one Alfa or Lancia)