smart in the USA
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2
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From: San Francisco CA USA / Luzern Switzerland
smart&passion 2001
smart in the USA
check out: www.smartontheroad.com
smart can only be brought into the USA by foreign Non-US residents based on a Temporary Importation Bond.
You can contact me for further information ...
Conrad Wagner w@gner.ch
smart can only be brought into the USA by foreign Non-US residents based on a Temporary Importation Bond.
You can contact me for further information ...
Conrad Wagner w@gner.ch
MBWorld Founder
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,539
Likes: 8
From: Los Angeles, CA
2020 GT R Pro, 2019 GT3 RS, 2018 GT3 Touring
Why can't a US resident bring it on as a show piece that is not registered for the street? That's been done in the past. And, if you had the time and money, couldn't you find a way to convert the car for US DOT approval (the same way they bring in the Nissan Skyline to the US).
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2
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From: San Francisco CA USA / Luzern Switzerland
smart&passion 2001
conversion of smart for USA import
Realistically, the conversion can only be done by the OEM ... smart is not just a usual car with some add-on parts which you can easily (time & money no matter) exchange ...
smart as a show-case without driving on US public roads:
I know of people in Atlanta and New York who tried to import smart as a show-case (e.g. private car museum) and Federal Customs would not clear these smart ... either you have to ship this smart back to Europe or it goes GO (= impounded by governement) ...
smart as a show-case without driving on US public roads:
I know of people in Atlanta and New York who tried to import smart as a show-case (e.g. private car museum) and Federal Customs would not clear these smart ... either you have to ship this smart back to Europe or it goes GO (= impounded by governement) ...
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1
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From: San Francisco, CA
I hope DC decides to import the Smart. I'm sure they are aware that Ford is planning to bring a simliarly sized vehicle, the Th!nk City, into the US in 2002 (Th!nk vehicles are electric-only.)
http://www.thinkmobility.com/product....asp?TID=10365
And, of course, the much-anticipated Mini will be hoarded upon here in San Francisco as soon as it hits the showrooms.
Fiding parking anywhere in the inner city can be a half-hour search, or a $15 commitment to a parking structure.
Mr. Panoz, bring those Smarts to SF, I'm sure they'll be a hit!
--Dean
http://www.thinkmobility.com/product....asp?TID=10365
And, of course, the much-anticipated Mini will be hoarded upon here in San Francisco as soon as it hits the showrooms.
Fiding parking anywhere in the inner city can be a half-hour search, or a $15 commitment to a parking structure.
Mr. Panoz, bring those Smarts to SF, I'm sure they'll be a hit!
--Dean
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: South Wales UK
Austin Mini
Let me introduce myself, My name is David Webber, I run a business in the UK and I export classic Minis to the USA, I have been looking into the export of Smarts over the last few months and I reckon give me a month and I will be able to do it! There are a few different ways of doing it though. Some are expensive and quick, others are cheap but time consuming! It all depends how urgent you want it and how much money you want to spend.
The expensive way is to use a broker that I know of and they can sort out all of the paperwork and guarantee the cars stay in, this can cost over $7k on top of the purchase price of the car! The cheap way is to take the cars to bits and send as Kits (there is no law that says you cannot send a bunch of car parts!) Of course, this way has its problems, you will almost certainly need a licensed manufacturer to import and reassemble the parts so that you can register it. There are a few ways around this too but I am not going to give too much away or everyone will be doing it!
I have exported a lot of Minis and I even Supplied Mini Mania in California thier new BMW Mini! Check out www.phoenix-cargo.com/news_new_mini.htm
I understand the Import regs and I have a lot of contacts in the field. We are working on it now and hope to have a solution in a Month. I have a source of Right and Left hand drive cars.
My Email is in my Profile if you want to email me any questions. Have a look at my website: www.barnhillminisusa.com
The expensive way is to use a broker that I know of and they can sort out all of the paperwork and guarantee the cars stay in, this can cost over $7k on top of the purchase price of the car! The cheap way is to take the cars to bits and send as Kits (there is no law that says you cannot send a bunch of car parts!) Of course, this way has its problems, you will almost certainly need a licensed manufacturer to import and reassemble the parts so that you can register it. There are a few ways around this too but I am not going to give too much away or everyone will be doing it!
I have exported a lot of Minis and I even Supplied Mini Mania in California thier new BMW Mini! Check out www.phoenix-cargo.com/news_new_mini.htm
I understand the Import regs and I have a lot of contacts in the field. We are working on it now and hope to have a solution in a Month. I have a source of Right and Left hand drive cars.
My Email is in my Profile if you want to email me any questions. Have a look at my website: www.barnhillminisusa.com
