Hello EvoM forums!



I have some very important questions regarding importing a Evo 4-6 into the U.S.
I registered over a year ago, wanting to ask these questions...but I felt as if it was too soon because I was lacking funds.


I have nearly 15,000.00 Saved up and I was looking at this Evo 5 GSR on a worldwide japanese importing website.

Here is the information:

Order description
Stock No 19077: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR V 4WD, 1998
Terms of delivery: C&F
Shipping Destination Port: USA - Los Angeles/long Beach
Total invoice price calculation
Offered price: 7,533 USD
FOB charge 667 USD
Estimated shipping cost 2,770 USD in 20ft container
Estimated total invoice cost: 10,970 USD




What would I have to do before i order this to make sure the car is not destroyed or exported back?
I saved up for nearly 4 years for this car ( I am a poor 22 year old college student).


This is the warning I get before I order

"ATTENTION! If you never purchased a car from Japan, before you finish with your order we strongly recommend that you check with your local authorities (DOT office, customs office and etc) that you can import and register this car in the USA. Only vehicles that are 25 years or older may be legally imported to the USA. Please note, that most of the high performance cars (including some of the regular cars) do not comply with US DOT standards and it will be difficult to register these cars in USA. We do not recommend you to order the car unless you are sure that you will be able to register this car in USA. Please proceed only if you are sure. For the customers going after high performance cars or their parts - we offer dismantling service and can dismantle the car to the extend that is acceptable with custom regulations. We are not responsible for your not being able to import the car once you purchase is from us so please make sure you can import it before placing this order."




Can it be done? I came across a thread back from 2002 and a user named "Jigga" had successfully imported one! I read the thread many times and I wish to do the same.

Please, this car means the world to me. I am a Mitsubishi Enthusiast just like you

Thanks,


Roman

 

Best thing I would do is try to talk to the PORT AUTHORITY and the CUSTOMES OFFICE and see what they say. They will have all the rules and regulations for you. Also educate yourself on this as well. The can always be dishonest with information especially when it is dealing with importing expensive things.

 

The registration to make this legal maybe very expensive, You may have to upgrade the Glass, crash beams and other stupid miscellaneous stuff. I have heard 240s and skylines costing some people 20k after everything was completed including the FEDs doing the inspection.

 

Dont waste your money. Find a used evo 8, it will be better in the long run.

 

You cannot legally own one.


End of story.

You CAN do other things but..............

 

im honestly not sure as to how get everything through to the US but i have heard getting it shipped over here to florida is an easier way.

Only thing of advice i can tell you is make sure you KNOW for a fact the company or whomever your getting the car from outside of the US is a legit company. i've heard horror stories of people getting scammed for almost $20k for a jdm car and they ended up never receiving it and when they tried contacting the company again their website was down and there was no way of finding out where they are.

 

"I am a poor 22 year old college student" Don't risk it and potentially loose your money. Take the safe bet and get yourself an 8/9 and have fun with that instead of dealing with the unknown. According to their disclaimer no vehicle younger than 25yrs can be legally imported.

 

Some how I sense the" Dark Side of the Force" involved in this one. Seems way to cheap for all the shipping and taxes and price of the car.

 

As stated before,Our safty standards are Different here then other countries I.E it will not PASS DOT inspection and awarded a US VIN for registration, unless you do what ever they want you to do to it, [air bags,Beams,Frame issues??, emissisons maybe even] Its a gamble on what exactly the DOT inspector is gunna tell you what u have to do to make this "us road worthy" you could spend more on this car then you would for a 8/9 Evo in the end.
Save your self the hussle and buy a 8/9, your opening a can of worms with this car and could potenitally lose all of your money, YES they can confiscate this car if it does not pass DOT Inspection and you try and get by anyway. Its been seen before with Skylines, hense why i would never buy a imported car its a total Gamble, and a headache. Youll be happy with a Evo 8 or a Evo 9 IX or if you like headaches and wanna save money get a salavge Evo 8 and run that route.

 

/\ he is right, there was a major importer of skylines in the mid 2000's they were selling r33 for 70-80k and r34 100k+. The company went under and many people lost their money and their cars cause this place started forging documents to make these vehicles pass. That is why the federal government passed a few bills not to long ago about bringing in imported vehicles.

The government has even cracked down on importing of engines because people would pull the motor and ship the car and motor in different crates and put it back together here in the states. If I remember correctly I shop or some dude in GA went to jail for that.

 

why such ridiculous laws ?

 

Working for a Shipping company, I can tell you that only Florida has the ability to import right hand drive vehicles easily. The price they quoted you does not have in the addition fees of getting the vehicle to DOT crash and emissions standards conversions.

You can register a right hand drive vehicle for show car use, but can only drive it a few hundred miles a year.

There are ways to use a crashed mirage and do some illegal things to register it as an EVO, but they are very illegal. ( I know someone who did this with a 2.5rs and an Sti Ver6, his car was impounded and crushed, he lost out 30grand)

I suggest you look here
http://www.colorado.gov/revenue/dmv
and read the importation laws, they vary state to state

 

I am finally in FL for work. Can you explain how FL is easy to import RHD or UKDM/JDM vehicles? Thanks!

 

First and foremost.
That is a very steep price for a V.
VI's stock go for about 6 grand tops. You can buy a 6.5 TME for less than 7500USD.

Here is the link for what OP wants to buy, if anyone is interested.
http://www.japan-partner.com/Auto/19...-for-sale.html

 

unless you have a sentimental memory with them , dont waste your money and time on that.
the 4-5 is not as good as a VI. The V has the most agressive look ever in evo history but it is not a great edition of the Evo's.
The VI , unless its a TME or any other Spec trim, also wont worth it. The 8-9 in the states are MUCH better cars.Even though they do not have the AYC.
Look around in the states there is some EVO 4-5-6-7 for sale and in Canada.

of course its my opinion.

Rob