Keeping my Delica as I move to the United States

[Mr. Flibble]

Obviously, the topic of "how do I import a Delica to the US" has been covered many times here. Also, I have not posted in a while as I have not driven my Delica much due to work, and I was going about the process of getting it ready to sell.

Why so? Well, I now have a TN-Status (sort of like a Visa) in the US, allowing me to live and work here. Based on all the info in the forums, I assumed I could not bring my Delica with me to the United States legally, apart from coming down as a tourist.

It appears that this is not so! Well, it does so far anyways.

I may be able to bring my Delica down here and get it legally registered in the State of Washington.

However, there are a few things I need to do, and one of them is the one I am least certain of, but I expect that those of you who have done your own imports into Canada may be able to help me keep Starbug!

First, because I have TN Status, I am allowed to import *ONE* Vehicle that I already own into the US duty free, with no import charges. This would be my Delica. (This is under NAFTA).

According to this:

http://www.canuckabroad.com/forums/brin ... t6695.html

-You MUST qualify on both form HS-7 and 3520-1 to import your car.

-Code M on form 3520-1 can be a pain to claim, as some CBP officers will dispute that your car need not appear on the EPA's list of approved vehicles to qualify. You will find a lot of misunderstanding in the laws at CBP in regards to vehicle imports, except at busy ports like Blaine, WA. Port of Raymond, Port of Sweetgrass, Port of Portal, are just some places where the laws are heavily misunderstood.

-You DO NOT have to pay duty, under NAFTA, for your first import.

- Ask yourself, does my car have a catalytic converter, seatbelts, dual-airbags, three stop lights, and are my instruments the same as the American model before even beginning to consider importing your car. The costs of modifying your vehicle to comply can be outrageous. Canada does not require airbags, so your car may not have airbags. On the other hand, the US doesn't require daytime running lights, funny, huh?

- Once imported DO NOT LOSE THE FORM CBP GIVES YOU, as this form is the key to registering your vehicle in said state, and you cannot get a copy of it. Use the form, your registration, and whatever else to register it.

- As noted, you may still have to do some emissions testing and safety inspections depending on what county or state you will be residing in. (I got lucky in Yakima County, no tests.) In Washington State they also have an odometer check that must be done by the State Patrol. Check ahead with your future DMV or DOL to see what you need!

There are 2 forms HS-7 and 3520-1. HS-7 is the tricky one as it is the NHTSA form.

It seems I need a letter from Mitsubishi proclaiming that the Delica meets all the safety standards, or, where missing safety standards it can be made compliant. Has anyone seen one of these?

And, this brings us to the topic we always discuss - a Registered Importer.

I have been completely unable to find a Registered Importer in Washington state. No wonder people here on the forum don't write back whey we tell them to contact a Registered Importer. I can't find one that does not have a discontinued number!!!

However, I may not have to go that route as I have TN Status.

Any help to let me keep Starbug would be appreciated! (I know I can probably IMPORT my Van for free, but I also need to ensure I can legally DRIVE it as well.)

[nxski]

Sounds to me like the hardest part would be getting that letter from Mitsubishi. I've seen some discussion about that before and apparently you would have to sacrifice a bunch of Delicas to get a crash test rating for it.

[Mr. Flibble]

Sounds to me like the hardest part would be getting that letter from Mitsubishi. I've seen some discussion about that before and apparently you would have to sacrifice a bunch of Delicas to get a crash test rating for it.

That is what I thought too, however, that I believe is for the vehicle to be allowed to be imported - Under NAFTA I have that covered! (There are also exemptions, so a US Soldier serving in Japan who bought a Delica (any year) could bring it home without the NAFTA tests).

If the Vehicle conforms to the Canadian standards as shown in part 2B from form H-7 NHTSA:

http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/hs799short.pdf

Then I ONLY need a letter from the manufacturer. Any thing that is not compliant (such as the speedo not showing in MPH) must be modified to be compliant.

Since my Delica has passed BC Compliance, I may be able to have it pass US Compliance under NAFTA and be legally allowed to import it! Seems I am only missing the letter from Mitsubishi...

[Bullwinkle]

Really interested in hearing how this turns out. Spent a bunch of years in the US on a TN and did have other friends from Canada bring vehicles with them with no issues but as you say, the Mitsu letter is key.

If the Washington registration doesn't work out though...since the TN is a "non-resident alien" visa (pretty welcoming eh?), could you make a case to keep your van registered/licensed in BC for the length of the visa? Unless they've changed, they needed to be renewed at a border crossing each year and the nature of the visa supports the argument that you're not actually a resident of the US, have no plans to stay there indefinitely (condition of the temporary-work nature of the visa) and have a primary address in Canada.

Maybe not your first choice but might be an option so that you don't end up driving a Camry...

Just a thought.

[solanoid]

Good luck with that,

Another viable option... sell the 400 and buy an 86' 300 which is now 25 years old, thus making it available for import in the states.

[Mr. Flibble]

Thanks!

Trying to avoid getting a Camry, but it would be what I end up with if I can't keep my Deli ironically enough!

I have phoned and phoned registered importers, and almost NONE of them even EXIST anymore. Most of the listed numbers are out of service!

Seems, that there are none in the Seattle area if you can believe that! The only one I have found so far that is even open and has people who answer the phone is:

https://www.vipautoimporters.com/

Unfortunately, they only have experience with importing Canadian manufactured cars into the US, not JDM cars certified in Canada into the US. However, they are in fact a Registered Importer, and I CAN get my Delica legally imported for just under 1 year through them with a Bond. However, I am going to try to work with them on making my Delica "Compliant" for US roads. Fortunately, my Delica is already Compliant for Canadian roads, so apart from changing the Speedometer with something like this:

http://www.lockwoodinternational.co.uk/ ... i2471.html

Fortunately, my Space Gear complies with most of the safety requirements, at least, those I have seen so far.


solanoid:

As to the L300, I really prefer my L400, I can't give up on that kind of engine power!

[solanoid]

I do understand, but if you hit some serious road blocks, and had to choose...

Camry or 86 deli....I choose deli (even though they are a bit unsightly)

[FalcoColumbarius]

I do understand, but if you hit some serious road blocks, and had to choose...

Camry or 86 deli....I choose deli (even though they are a bit unsightly)

Phhhhhhhh

[thedjjack]

I would look for a 1986 chassis and just go 25 years or older....My 1989 is slowly getting to that magic number

[Mr. Flibble]

I would look for a 1986 chassis and just go 25 years or older....My 1989 is slowly getting to that magic number

Except I have an L400, not a L300! I don't really want an L300! (No offense to all you L300 owners!)

Heck, I already have a Snorkel for my L400!

The thing is, I *CAN* get my Delica imported into the US, the question is: Can I get "Tags" (License) and can I get it INSURED.

[Mr. Flibble]

I have just done a bunch of research on my Delica, and it does not look good.

I spent ages trying to contact a Registered Importer, and there are very few in the U.S. This is the first hurdle when trying to import a vehicle. So, when we say on this forum "Contact a Registered Importer" and never hear back from posters, this is why, they probably can't find anyone to talk to. I just ran the phone gambit, before speaking to a Registered Importer out of Detroit.

Yes, Detroit. I had to call a few in New York and Alabama to actually find the right person to talk to.

Why is this so?

Well, first you must understand what a Registered Importer does. They don't import your vehicle. They can, but this is not what they do. Rather, they are more like lawyers who get all the paperwork to DOT (NHTSA) and the EPA, then certify that the vehicle is compliant to all the standards.

Now, here is where the problem comes in.

Since the Delica is imported under the 15 year exemption in Canada, it does *NOT* qualify for the 25 year exemption in the United States. This means, then, that if you want to import a Delica (or any other vehicle) That the following things must be done:

1) An EPA Test on the 4M40 engine must be performed. This costs around $7000 or so. It is not a normal test. Rather, it is a test to certify according to the EPA that the 4M40 Diesel engine is compliant under US law - meaning, for ALL Delica vehicles. This is different from a Vancouver smog test. Once SOMEONE pays this amount, this can be accomplished for anyone with the 4M40 Delica engine. And if you were to try the 6 Cyl? Guess what? New test all over again.

2) NHTSA crash testing. We all know this one, done to death. Part of this is DOT certification. Fortunately, most of the stuff to make the Delica road legal in Canada complies with the DOT stuff in the US, so that part would be covered if you own a Canadian Vehicle that was specifically tested and approved (got the sticker, new lights etc.)

However, what would not be approved are the specific crash tests. The following tests must be performed:

a) Front Crash
b) Side Crash (Possibly both sides)
c) Rear Crash
d) Rollover Test

If the vehicle passes, then this would apply to all Delicas - WITH RIGHT HAND DRIVE ONLY. If these tests were passed, then RHD Delica's could be exempted in the US, LHD Delicas would not be allowed, they would have to be retested. They may need to be retested with a different engine if you .

If any of the above tests FAIL the NHTSA standards, then the vehicle must be MODIFIED to comply with the crash tests, for example, side impact bars may need to be installed to pass compliance.

So, we can see here that the barrier to entry is a $7000 EPA testing fee for starters. (Never mind the duty, and I am exempt!)

Then you would need a MINIMUM of FOUR Delicas to CRASH for NHTSA. So, there would be the cost of the Delica's (Probably an import cost for them as well...) And then the cost of crashing them. This is a minimum cost from NHTSA of about $60,000 - $100,000 on top of the cost of the four Delicas you had to bring in to be destroyed.

There is one other potential option which I will expound on in the next post, however, this potential exemption EXISTS FOR HOLDERS OF TN-STATUS ONLY. This means that normal US Citizens would not be allowed to have this exemption. (US Military excluded, people with Veteran plates apparently can import JDMs if they served in Japan.)

[Mr. Flibble]

The possible exemption...

I will admit this is unlikely, but there is a possibility that I may be able to get an exemption claimed under a form "3299"

Shown here: http://forms.cbp.gov/pdf/cbp_form_3299.pdf

What I need for this exemption is a letter from Mitsubishi, stating that the 1995 model delica complies with all road requirements, or, where it does not comply, where it is deficient. (Example, the headlights originally were not "E" coded). Then, with this letter, the van could be exempted for my own personal use.

This is not, however, the final hurdle. The letter from Mitsubishi is *KEY* it is one of those mythical letters we all hear about on all the forums talking about Nissan Skylines. It might be possible to get this letter as a group from Delica.ca, but probably not as an individual, hopefully someone here on the forums knows more about this than I do.

The next hurdle then, after the import process is REGISTRATION. This varies from State to State, and County to County!

The Van must be taken to a State Trooper Inspection Facility. This is a government facility. However, you can't just drive your van in. Well, you could if you were to show up as a legal Canadian visitor, but if you already had the Van in the country and drove it to the State Trooper registration, you would PROBABLY GET A TICKET, and a FELONY CHARGE that would be taken before a Judge, and you would have to explain to the judge why you should not have a felony conviction for driving an unauthorized vehicle in the state!!

Note, the above paragraph is not a joke. This is honestly true. You can't drive the Van after importing it into the US, as you have to change the registration on the Van, and as a Canadian, if you wish to have it pre-inspected, you must cross the border temporarily, drive the van down to have it inspected (and any variances listed) BEFORE the actual inspection, and then RETURN IT TO CANADA, while you are still a Canadian Resident.

That is the legal way of doing this. To do anything else is a Felony. ( Please don't ask me how I know this, but you can take my word on this part! )

If you pass the State Trooper test and EPA, then you can legally register and drive the Van in the US. There is still an issue with a VIN - as the Delica does not have a VIN, so a "new" VIN may be required from Mitsubishi, or claimed from NHTSA.

This is why people keep stealing skylines to get the VIN plates, because everything is run with the VIN in the US.


So there you have it, this is the convoluted import process. It is possible if you have a VERY LARGE amount of money, to import multiple vehicles, crash test them, get them EPA approved, DOT approved (and or modified). Alternatively, you can get an exemption as a US Military Person, or (possibly?) as a US resident who was living overseas (possible rumor? Uncertain of this). You MAY be able to import the vehicle with NAFTA (TN) status as I have, but I am not certain.

It may be possible for me to legally import Starbug for my own personal use. However, I have to be careful when I bring her down here to not violate any laws and risk a felony charge for just showing up in your van at the State Trooper Inspection Facility!!!

[Yokohama]

And now you know why only a few high value vehicles get imported via the compliance process.

Put the van into storage, and get a montero for use in the USA.

[nxski]

Or lotus' are cheap in the states, and fuel efficient.

[thedjjack]

store your van until 2020?

My van was an early one so it has a BC VIN assigned to it I wounder if that would help.

Is the 4m40 used in any trucks sold in the us? Any fuso with this engine or the 4m41?