Shipping my RX8 to the USA
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 238
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Shipping my RX8 to the USA
Hey guys!
I am relocating from Singapore to Pittsburgh, pa. Need some advice please..
1) My 8's a Japan Domestic Model, that means it right-hand drive (RHD). Are RHD's allowed on the roads in the US?
2) Is it possible to convert a RHD RX8 to a left-hand drive? If yes.. how much will the estimated cost be and will there be any expected problems after the conversion?
Hope someone can help. Thank you very much!
I am relocating from Singapore to Pittsburgh, pa. Need some advice please..
1) My 8's a Japan Domestic Model, that means it right-hand drive (RHD). Are RHD's allowed on the roads in the US?
2) Is it possible to convert a RHD RX8 to a left-hand drive? If yes.. how much will the estimated cost be and will there be any expected problems after the conversion?
Hope someone can help. Thank you very much!
#6
It's Not Easy Being Green
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Akron, OH
Posts: 1,846
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
^+1
If you're bringing it as a show/track car then that's fine but as a daily driver a RHD is gonna attract a lot of attention when you're driving around Pittsburgh and you might end up getting pulled over by curious cops. I also don't know how Mazda dealerships in the US will react to warranty claims, etc. since yours is an import. You're probably much better off selling your 8 in Singapore and then buying a used 8 in or around Pittsburgh.
But I would love to see a JDM 8 cruising the streets.
If you're bringing it as a show/track car then that's fine but as a daily driver a RHD is gonna attract a lot of attention when you're driving around Pittsburgh and you might end up getting pulled over by curious cops. I also don't know how Mazda dealerships in the US will react to warranty claims, etc. since yours is an import. You're probably much better off selling your 8 in Singapore and then buying a used 8 in or around Pittsburgh.
But I would love to see a JDM 8 cruising the streets.
#8
there's a lot to keep in mind when importing a vehicle into the US.. DOT/NHTSA, EPA, customs, and modifying to meet safety/emissions for US.. it is very time consuming and may be better off contacting a company that specializes in vehicle importation.
#10
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 238
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
#11
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 238
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
^+1
If you're bringing it as a show/track car then that's fine but as a daily driver a RHD is gonna attract a lot of attention when you're driving around Pittsburgh and you might end up getting pulled over by curious cops. I also don't know how Mazda dealerships in the US will react to warranty claims, etc. since yours is an import. You're probably much better off selling your 8 in Singapore and then buying a used 8 in or around Pittsburgh.
But I would love to see a JDM 8 cruising the streets.
If you're bringing it as a show/track car then that's fine but as a daily driver a RHD is gonna attract a lot of attention when you're driving around Pittsburgh and you might end up getting pulled over by curious cops. I also don't know how Mazda dealerships in the US will react to warranty claims, etc. since yours is an import. You're probably much better off selling your 8 in Singapore and then buying a used 8 in or around Pittsburgh.
But I would love to see a JDM 8 cruising the streets.
#12
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 238
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks everyone for the great advise and support! It'll really be sweet if I can ship my car over.. I'm now checking for import regulations and the other stuff krush7 had mentioned. Will let everyone know if it works out..
#13
are you w/ the military or some kind of foreign service, ie consulate, etc.? if not, i have a feeling it'd be VERY hard to get the car registered, but i may be wrong. in general, gray imports are extremely difficult and costly to do in the US, unless it's a classic car. there's also exception for cars intended for show and cars used solely for racing. there's a list of importable cars on some website, maybe DOT's. make sure you're fully aware of what you're getting yourself into before you ship your car. don't want your *first love* to be impounded and crushed, do you?
#14
Registered
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Owings Mills, near Baltimore MD
Posts: 614
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I can't believe that people are telling this guy it's a good idea. There is no way it's even remotely cost effective to ship it. I was going to tell you it was a bad idea if it were even LHD...
You could probably buy a decnet car in Pittsburgh for what it';; cost you to get that car over here and registered.
You could probably buy a decnet car in Pittsburgh for what it';; cost you to get that car over here and registered.
#15
Registered
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Philadelphia, PA USA
Posts: 1,116
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This is correct if you intend to spend more than a year in the US. If you are thinking of spending under a year, cars can be imported and driven on their foriegn registrations.
The only way to import a late model vehicle into the US is to use a shipping company who specializes in this work. They will get the import license for you, find out the DOT modifications that are necessary (transfer to Left Hand Drive conversion would take the virtual disassembly of the entire car and rebuilding it to accomplish the task if that is a necessary conversion). Cars are not accepted at all from some countries. The conversions have to be made by a company who specializes in it and that the DOT trusts to do the conversion. It can be easy. It can be hard. It really depends on how many conversions need to be made.
Here, Check out this web-site. It will tell you more than I can.
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/
#16
Registered
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Philadelphia, PA USA
Posts: 1,116
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I can't believe that people are telling this guy it's a good idea. There is no way it's even remotely cost effective to ship it. I was going to tell you it was a bad idea if it were even LHD...
You could probably buy a decnet car in Pittsburgh for what it';; cost you to get that car over here and registered.
You could probably buy a decnet car in Pittsburgh for what it';; cost you to get that car over here and registered.
#18
n00b post whore
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 535
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't think you can import the S15 for use on public roads. I don't think anyone has done a crash test on them (feel free to prove me wrong on that one). Then there's the trouble of getting it smogged. And god only knows what kind of fees there are even if it was legal.
#20
I don't think you can import the S15 for use on public roads. I don't think anyone has done a crash test on them (feel free to prove me wrong on that one). Then there's the trouble of getting it smogged. And god only knows what kind of fees there are even if it was legal.