Importing a Japanese car to America

[uni57]

Across from the office where I used to work, they built an Arby's (fast food joint) in a little parking lot. The drive-through starts near the entrance, leaving VERY little room for the cars to line up. I wondered why they didn't make it go the other way around the building, which would allow many cars to be in line without congesting the parking lot entrance. But a friend pointed out that the drive-through window would then be on the wrong side (duh). I assume this Arby's cannot afford to cater only to mail delivery people and habbywall.

[evil-nick]

Originally Posted by johnfoss

I don't know about problems (other than driving it) but there are plenty of right-hand drive cars in the US, not including the tens of thousands of mail delivery vehicles we must have. Those are right-hand drive so you can stick the mail in the box without being on the wrong side of the road. Plenty of retired ones of those driving around as well.

I was just thinking of waivers or what have you. Many of the postal vehicles I've seen in NH/VT (the privately owned ones the carriers own, not government owned mail trucks) seem to be modified with controls on both sides, or are simply left-hand drive. Many of the rural routes are low-traffic enough that the carrier just drives on to the wrong side to deliver the mail

I have seen some imported right-hand drive cars though. I used to be the only one in our garage who could drive them over the pit without being too mis-aligned or driving into something

Again, biggest possible problem will be that the car doesn't meet US EPA regulations. If it's an antique or something you can probably get a waiver (my brother did for his Pantera when he was living in California) but some vehicles just cannot be imported.

Case in point: The original VW bug was manufactured in Mexico until 2003, but a 2003 model could not (and still cannot) be imported because it doesn't pass safety or emmisions regulations. They can be driven in the US, so long as they remain registered in Mexico.

[tomblackwood]

Originally Posted by Biggestbtc

If you have them cut it in half, you might not have to spend the money on the extra fees for importing an automobile. It would qualify as a vehicle. Then just weld it together when you get it.

Wow, that's almost as great an idea as importing one in the first place...

[BillyTheMountain]

I hope you imported it already, because it will sooon be against the law to import cars when America needs your business.

in Billy's defecation thread.