hi im looking at buying a 190e evo and i want to know how easy is it to find one in the U.S. and about how much would it cost? also if i cant find one how easy is it to modify a normal 190e and about how fast could i get it. thanks.

 

Mission Impossible.

First, the 502 built Evolution I and Evolution II were never sold in the US. Never certified to comply with DOT and EPA. Importing one from Europe or Japan is a major PIA since the car would have to be modified to comply with all the government regs and be done by a bonded auto importer.

Second, there really isn't a way to "build" an Evolution out of a 2.3-16 or a 2.5-16 since there are too many different, exclusive parts. Under the valve cover, the motor is totally different all the way down to the crankshaft. The suspensions are also unique to the Evolutions.

For all the money that you'd spend, you could probably buy a 500E and then have two Mercedes.

 

If you are a tech/shop owner...you could try to convince them (the DOT)that this car will be used for show or testing purposes and forgo the necessary mods to federalise it. I believe that is how the few Porsche 959s got into the US w/o being mauled up with silly US regulations/parts.

I think you can get a Euro-spec car in the USA that way, without mods for at least a year or two. Change your address after the year or two and they will probably/maybe forget you and the car!! There is also someone who brought in an Audi RS4 Avant recently for 'show and test' purposes.

On another note...I saw the on the Internet about a guy who got info from a Connecticut car federaliser a few years back to possibly bring in an E60 Limited....they were quoting him $5000-7000 to do the deal...and he could keep the euro-bits too when it was all said and done!!

My dads Evo 1 just as the normal 16V knob and no fender badges either I think the limited production number was a later sales gimmick to help sell the Evo 2 models. The Evo 1 featured in Mercedes Enthusiast magazine had a numbered knob but weather that was an original fitment I dont know. He personally uses the car every day , the bodykit parts that need special care are the lower front spoiler particularly when in the lowest ride height setting.The Evo body kit is quite tough and being Carbon fibre easy to repair should anything happen, I dont see the point in owning a amazing car like this and not using it as much as possible. There have been some unused Evo2s forsale in Europe recently but one must wonder what problems the long period of stagnation will cause.

Good luck !! Fabulous cars them EvoIIs and my dads lucky enough to own a EVO I and E500

Pictures of my Dads EVO

 

Hanson, have you ever tried to export a car to North America? I suspect not since your advice has no relationship to reality. US Customs is rather strict on importing non-certified cars. The VIN on the Evolutions would send up a red flag immediately. Then registering the car in the states and getting insurance would be another red flag situation.

As for the Porsche 959 . . . you do know the story about Bill Gates' car, right?

 

I thought it was Jerry Springer actually not Bill Gates who had the car imported and it just sits in a glass box as part of his collection. As far as reality goes I know we have an EVO I and you don't so don't start getting your knickers in a twist its just childish. Oh by the way we have just bought one of the three C55 202's imported into the UK

 

Hanson you have the Evo 1 because it was sold over in Europe. We never got anything in the US except the 2.3 8V, 2.3 16V(for two years plus a few that came over before), and the 2.6! After 1987 the 2.3 16V was gone and never to return and we had the 2.3 and 2.6 and that was it. To get an Evo I or II here would cost well over $50,000 USD so it would be far cheaper to just get a brand new C55 AMG model than it would be to try and get an Evo in the country. There are a few here but they are by no means street legal and for track use only. So you can not register or insure the car. About the only way to get one in would be if you were a car dealer and brought it in for race only then just put a dealer plate on it. Since the dealer plate is registered and insured to any car with no VIN attached this would be the way to cheat the system. With the Evo I or II no cop would ever notice and you could most likely drive it for as long as you keep the dealer plate on it and of course keep owning the dealership you have. Then again if you get a ticket and they cross check that VIN by chance, which I have never seen, the you could be screwed. It is possible to drive one on the roads here if you can get it into the country...... But a waste of money to federalize it. Then again if you have the money than anything is possible....

 

I believe it is the epitomy of childishness not to recognise when the advise you gave was just rubbish. Give advise with your head, not your ****.

"We" seems to imply your parents funded the order unless you consider your participation as contributing your inheritance. So if you're trying to impress anyone here, perhaps you should write your own bank cheque for the initial downpayment for a McLaren straight away. Otherwise, what was the point of that bit of name dropping?

 

When I lived in Japan, I raced a Honda NSR250R. It's a bad *** two stroke Gran Prix race bike. Honda was allowed to send fifty to the US; one for each state. To buy this $25,000 bike in 1987 you had to have racing credentials and submit a resume to Honda USA.

Needless to say I was proud to have owned and raced one dirt cheap in Japan, and I wanted to take it home. NO CHANCE, I tried every excuse, to include the racebike scam, but they said the US already had their 50 and that was it (US Rules, not Japan). I even pleaded with them to let me take the engine out and ship it as a trophy/living room furniture.

When I left Germany, I was more than welcome to take my 280CE with me, as long as I replace every single part that had a DOT stamp, including all windows, tires, lights and signals, and emissions crap. Cheaper to buy a new one.

 

MTI you told me!!!!