The truth about importation - EI and Evo VII's
Evolving Member
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 129
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From: Danville Ca
the only way to get a "legal" "new" elise/exige is through Lotus USA and that is for track(off road) use only
the guys in FL were actually selling cars on e-bay as well.
pretty stupid thing to do when you're doing something so illegal.
also just because the car is titled it doesn't not mean it's legal.
I know of at least one person who bought an elise from those guys and now his only hope of keeing the car in the US (and away from the crusher) is that his show and display petition goes though.
BTW Sun international elises can be expected to be crushed as well.
the guys in FL were actually selling cars on e-bay as well.
pretty stupid thing to do when you're doing something so illegal.
also just because the car is titled it doesn't not mean it's legal.
I know of at least one person who bought an elise from those guys and now his only hope of keeing the car in the US (and away from the crusher) is that his show and display petition goes though.
BTW Sun international elises can be expected to be crushed as well.
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
From: Philadelphia
This is blowing my mind. I hadn't heard of any of this before today. I think evolutionm.net should consider pulling EI's advertisement here. I am assuming that EI isn't telling there customers that the cars they buy really aren't street legal, and that they could be confiscated and destroyed at anytime. If anyone reads this who bought a car from E.I., I would recommend confronting them about it. I thought E.I. was trying to help people get EVO's, not trying to turn them into criminals.
Evolving Member
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 203
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From: Silver Spring, MD
DOT is being gay, I suggest they should work with other agencies across the world and make sure the car being imported into the USA is bone stock and has not been altered in anyway. I mean if you crash a JDM Evo, it still safer than crashing a USDM Geo Metro.
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Evolution Imports is working on the Lancer Evo VII and VIII project.
Everything government related just takes time.
I am actually the one working on the project. Who am I ? Sean Morris
I used to work at MotoRex. I assisted with the legalization of the Skyline GT-R for the US. I legalized about the first 60 GT-R's in the US.
The officer in charge of Importation at the DOT is no longer in the same department , and I dropped off the petition last month.
I flew to the DOT Feb 4, 2003 to drop of the petition for the European Spec Lancer Evolution VII and VIII.
The new officer called me last Friday , for some clarification on some items.
So I am working on some items , and they will have the information by the end of the week.
From then - hopefully the petition will be published 10-14 days later.
From then it goes in the Federal Register for 30 days. From then it , and any comments get reviewed.
It is being worked on. Its been a while now , just hold on for a little while longer.
Everything government related just takes time.
I am actually the one working on the project. Who am I ? Sean Morris
I used to work at MotoRex. I assisted with the legalization of the Skyline GT-R for the US. I legalized about the first 60 GT-R's in the US.
The officer in charge of Importation at the DOT is no longer in the same department , and I dropped off the petition last month.
I flew to the DOT Feb 4, 2003 to drop of the petition for the European Spec Lancer Evolution VII and VIII.
The new officer called me last Friday , for some clarification on some items.
So I am working on some items , and they will have the information by the end of the week.
From then - hopefully the petition will be published 10-14 days later.
From then it goes in the Federal Register for 30 days. From then it , and any comments get reviewed.
It is being worked on. Its been a while now , just hold on for a little while longer.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Dallas
In response to DakarM ... Customs never crushes cars. They will seize them, but not crush them. THere are two options that I previously explained ... worse that can happen is they are auctioned off for export only .. and you get a portion of the proceeds.
If your friend is in threat of full seizure .. he needs to find a better customs lawyer pronto.
To Sean Morris: How were the cars that are currently imported declared? and how were they titled?
Oh ... and the Elise will most likely not get a Show and Display permit ... because A) it is still in production (even though the body style was updated) B) it was not limited production. ... now the 340R and Exige might qualify ... but you still have to pay a pretty penny for EPA certification .. not cheap on an engine that has never been sold in the U.S.
If your friend is in threat of full seizure .. he needs to find a better customs lawyer pronto.
To Sean Morris: How were the cars that are currently imported declared? and how were they titled?
Oh ... and the Elise will most likely not get a Show and Display permit ... because A) it is still in production (even though the body style was updated) B) it was not limited production. ... now the 340R and Exige might qualify ... but you still have to pay a pretty penny for EPA certification .. not cheap on an engine that has never been sold in the U.S.
Last edited by Beldrueger; Mar 11, 2003 at 02:30 PM.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 34
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From: Dallas
Sean Morris: one more thing ...
I really really hope that you can get certification and that this is succesful ... but what I really want to know is ... what about the Integra Type R/Civic Type R? .... I would love to pick up one of these.
Are you going through the legwork with these as well? I would line up for a Civic Type R. I loved my last Integra Type R.
I really really hope that you can get certification and that this is succesful ... but what I really want to know is ... what about the Integra Type R/Civic Type R? .... I would love to pick up one of these.
Are you going through the legwork with these as well? I would line up for a Civic Type R. I loved my last Integra Type R.
