Hello. My favorite car of all time is the 1995 Lancer Evolution III. I want one. i will have one. i dont care how hard it is. it will be stock, and it will be mine in a maximum of 2 years.

I simply need to figure out and compile all information possible on this importing process. Maybe people have asked some of the questions i have asked before. keep the salt away, because i have a ton of information that i need and the last thing i need is some scrub telling me to 'google it'. First of all, i need to know who i can talk too who knows a ton about this stuff. importers who specialize in evo importing, people who have already imported an evo I(as they are legal) could be the biggest help. questions i need answering:

Which country is best too import from? should i import to canada and store to save money thanks to inevitable price hikes due to interest? will importing to canada make the import process easier to get to the US?
is there ANY WAY IN HELL to avoid the 25 year law, like through an adaptation of substantially similar or any other loop hole? does anyone know anyone whos good with such loopholes? What about less-than-legal importing? is it plausible? is it worth it?
how long will it take too find an evo III, purchase, and get it too the US?(i wish to stagger this so that the day it arrives is the day it is legal, to minimize wait time. the car im currently driving needs to last, because im not wasting money on anything else until this car is mine)
how much will this cost all together? i found out that a good condition evo in japan costs ~$7,000-10,000 atm.
are there import taxes?
are there local laws that make any of this difficult?
how do i go about registering the thing so that i dont get it crushed along my thousand mile jouney back home?
does the car have enough safety features to waive crash testing and the like?(again i need to find someone specialized for this info, but i have no idea where to look)
My(current) plan for acquisition(will be updated as i get more information):
1. contact https://www.bluelineexports.com/ in exactly 1.5 years (as of january 2018 as this should stagger for a 6 month lead time for the evo to get to the states on time)
2. find, purchase, and ship evo III so that it arrives at 25 years old almost exactly in a Washington State port.
3. fill out all associated paperwork for registration and customs(of which im not entirely sure what i need exactly)
4. buy a plane ticket in Minnesota(where i will likely be living at the time) and fly to washington(where i have some old friends who will take me to customs to pick up my evo)
5. have with me police countermeasures, a disc with all the ripped gt1 and gt2 soundtrack on it, a couple go pros for documentation, and lots o' money for gas and food.
6. arrive in Washington, head straight to customs where i pick up and register the vehicle(the exact process of which i have no idea how will go down)
7. head out back to Minnesota music blasting at 142 MPH(hopefully dont get pulled over)


this thread will be updated along this journey, as i find information on what to do and how to do it so that others who wish to go down the same avenue will not have to search as hard as i have. also when i first get my evo III i will be creating a youtube channel to document everything i do with the car, and to explain this process right here, and how i did it.

 

7000 to 10000 in Japan is about right at the moment. Good idea to buy 6 months in advance of 25 years, but usually prices are already up by then. Also not a bad idea to store in Canada to drive while on vacation in Canada and import once it hits 25 years..

 

No way around the loop hole if you want a federally legal car. You can register in some states easier, but that wouldn't stop federal government from seizing the car at moments notice and crushing it.

Yes there are definitely import taxes. You're going to be paying the import broker for their services.

Just call up an import broker and ask them all the questions you have. They'll be able to answer your actual questions.

Asking the internet is like asking for insurance advice; we have no idea, call your insurance company and ask them

 

There are probably less than 10 Evo IIIs in Canada at the moment, and they're not all good cars either, so you'll be looking to Japan for this one. The price of good Evos is going up and up in Japan, and let me give you one piece of advice: do not buy the cheapest car you can find. Evo 123s can be absolute crap cars, and they will bankrupt you if you choose a bad one. Buy the cleanest, lowest mileage chassis you can afford. I would think that a very clean Evo III would cost upwards of $20,000 landed, but it's a worthwhile investment. If you factor a full chassis bushing replacement (which is possible given that the rubber was garbage), plus a replacement roof (they all rust), you're already out $5,000, and you're still stuck with a car that may not be tidy. For reference, I paid $2,200 for my wrecked, 30,000-mile Evo 1 around 10 years ago. I have over $25,000 CAD into it now, but it has some awesome racing parts. Spending $10k to clean one up isn't out of the question.

This is a dealer site in Japan, it will give you a good idea about what you'll be paying: http://www.goo-net-exchange.com Don't forget to factor shipping (by boat, and by truck/train to MINN), broker fees, de-registration fees in Japan, tax and duty in the US, and whatever other fees your border services impose.

There are tiny loopholes that may allow you to bring a car into certain states, but there's no way around the federal law. If you sneak one in before the 25 year mark, it may still present problems after the anniversary, and getting an Evo III crushed would absolutely suck. Wait it out.

What I would suggest, however, is to look at buying an Evo 2. The Evo 2 was pretty much identical to the 3 except for the front bumper, side skirts, rear bumper spats, and wing. Same suspension, same interior (except for seat fabric), and the same mechanically as an Evo III, except that the turbo is a bit smaller, and the engine on the Evo 2 is a lot stronger (the Evo 3 pistons have weak ringlands that don't like power/boost).

 

so what if i imported it to canada then trailered it over and stored it until the 25 year mark? your saying the idiots will still crush it?

 

You're gonna need to go through customs and I can't see how they will just let you trailer it in if it's "illegal". I say find one, store it in Canada if you really want one so bad, and bring it down when it's all ready and OK to be registered and driven on US soil. We have and can get any generation Evo from 1-10 without issues. I have friends with 1s, 2s, 4's, 7's, 8's, you get the point.

 

How are you going to import it to Canada? The car has no reason to be in Canada, and the American buyer can't claim ownership of it. The taxes and duties have to be paid, and there is a whole other process that needs to be respected (see: https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/motorvehicl...ation-1344.htm). They won't approve the import of a car to Canada for an American buyer. Canadian customs could also (rightfully) suspect the car to be stolen, they won't just let a car pass through because you say it's only there temporarily. What's to stop you from selling it to a Canadian, and skipping the import process? Your name would have to be on the registration documents and bill of sale, but that's moot since you can't register the car in any jurisdiction, anywhere. This is a disaster waiting to happen - I bet the car would be seized and auctioned off long before you could bail it out.
And no, US customs would turn you away if you tried to enter with an unregistered, inellegible car. The only way would be a loophole that allows for show cars, but they have to be deported after a year. Or, you could bring it in as a parts car, and it would never be allowed to be registered. Canada can't help you on this one, man.

 

As some one who has actually imported an R32 Nissan Skyline this whole thread reads like a joke or written by a 13 year old who's spent way too much time playing Midnight Street Club. By some remote chance that this is actually legitimate, I will offer this tidbit. I did all the research on importing my car without making a single post on any internet forum. Here's a start, take a look at the required HS-7 form required by the government.

 

This.

(Former R32 GTR and Importing my own CN9A)

 

couldn't of said it better....

points for you.....

 

A little OT but whats it like getting insurance for an imported car? You gotta find some niche carrier or will the big guys play ball?

 

You can get a custom written policy through Hagerty or American Heritage. My early EVO is insured for over $20,000.

 

What an arrogant D bag! 😂😂

 

I think the initial D soundtrack would be good to have for this also.

 

I've recently imported a car from Japan and I'll tell you exactly the whole process that I had to go through to get my JDM 2003 Evo 8 MR, I got a pics for yall at the end of my write up.

It all started with me having to choose which importer to use. I ended going with B-Pro Auto. I'm from Winnipeg and this guy has been in this importing JDM car business for a long time has a really good reputation from what I've heard. Anyways, all these times I really wanted an Evo, especially the 8s or a 9s but I just went with the 8 cuz I couldn't wait lol.

It started with the 1000$CAD deposit as B-pro calls it the " Import charge per car ". Then I told him what I am looking for and my budget is for this specific vehicle.
Keep in mind that every day in Japan, there are a bunch of cars that are up for auction. B-pro offers a site that you can go ahead and log in to see all the cars that up for auction.
After I paid the 1000$ deposit, every day he sends me a link on an Evo that is up for auction so I could look at it and see if I like it or not. If I liked what I see, I give him the permission to bid on the car, basing it on the budget that I've given him. Also, whenever he sends me a link of an Evo that's worth looking at, he's got a translated inspection sheet ready for me to look at as well.

For example:
2003 Evo 8 MR
KM: 150xxx
Grade: 3.5 Exterior
Grade: C Interior
Inspection: 17" AW, AFTERMARKET EXHAUST, SUSPENSION, SURFACE RUST UNDER THE CAR.

This is pretty much what my Evo was. Also, Evo 8 are importable in Canada in March 2018 *I'VE ORDERED MINE 6 MONTHS PRIOR TO ITS IMPORTABLE DATE BEFORE THE PRICE FOR THIS CAR SKYROCKETED*

So he bid on about 7-10 cars before we won. Then this happens... also, have your money ready, I mean the budget that you told him that you're willing to spend on this car, ok?

Step by step after winning a bidding war

-The car spends a couple of days at the auction place for all the paperwork/documents
-Car will be shipped to his japan shop for more thorough inspection ( he will send you more pics after the car makes it to his japan shop so don't worry... i was cuz there were only about 7 pics from the auction link that he sent me, so it was kinda hard to inspect the car with only 7 pics to look at)
-Car will get prepped and ready to be put on the ship and head to Vancouver BC (My Evo landed here, it took about 3-5 weeks)
-Car spent a week in Vancouver to clear customs.
-When car is ready B-pro will call you and ask how you would like to transport your car via train or truck. ( He recommended me to ship my evo by train so i did that)

From Vancouver to Winnipeg
Truck: Approx. 8Days till you get it
Train: Approx 3-3.5 Weeks

Then when you get your car, that's pre much it. Long easy process.

I might have missed some steps but thats pre much what I went through. Msg me if you have any question.

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