Lotus Elise Import into USA - there must be a way...
t.gerighty
recently found this list.
I am British, currently live in the UK and am about to be transferred to the
US (California specifically). I am desperate to take my elise with me (at
one point I seriously contemplated NOT going because I could not take the
car - seriously).
Now I know the Elise is not available in the US and never will be (a
question of not having bumpers they tell me) but was wondering if, as a
Brit, I could import my own used Elise in and use it legaly on the road.
Basically the reverse of whoever brings all those huge, left-hand-drive US
cars over to the UK.
Does anyone know if this can be done (and how?) or am I destined to lose the
car?
Thanks in advance.
Terry Gerighty
Nick 7 ôżô
Terry
Others will be able to answer this more fully but basically, I'm afraid, you'll be going
sans Elise. They can be run (I think) for a year, after which you have to export it
back here or have it crushed - seriously!
One or two organisations reckon they can get round it with different engines or
other loop holes - but with the crusher lurking at the end of 12 months, you'd have
to be pretty sure!
By the way, I don't think bumpers are the issue; I think it's the engine.
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Steven Edelman
more fully, but I can't remember the address. Not sure if you can keep
it a year, ship it back and sell it in europe and buy another, but my
guess is you can. That would be the cheapest way. Really.
You might want to consider bringing a LHD car rather than the one you
own currently.
Steve
Jonny5
your name rings a bell.. are you famous or do you come from the midlands?
J5
"t.gerighty" <t.ger...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:kt1g5.976$94.2...@news2-win.server.ntlworld.com...
> First off, appologies if this subject has been done to death but I have
only
> recently found this list.
>
> I am British, currently live in the UK and am about to be transferred to
the
> US (California specifically). I am desperate to take my elise with me (at
> one point I seriously contemplated NOT going because I could not take the
> car - seriously).
>
> Now I know the Elise is not available in the US and never will be (a
> question of not having bumpers they tell me) but was wondering if, as a
> Brit, I could import my own used Elise in and use it legaly on the road.
> Basically the reverse of whoever brings all those huge, left-hand-drive US
> cars over to the UK.
>
> Does anyone know if this can be done (and how?) or am I destined to lose
the
> car?
>
Ray
Are you saying famous people can't come from the Midlands? My old bedroom used to be Jasper
Carrot's kitchen you know...
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Paul Donovan
"Ray" <Barne...@deletethisbit.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:y0cg5.1184$671.1...@nnrp4.clara.net...
> Are you saying famous people can't come from the Midlands? My old bedroom
used to be Jasper
> Carrot's kitchen you know...
>
Didn't he mind?
Paul
Ray
Laurence Alderman
and one only. This basically does the same thing as the old gray car laws ,
but limit it to one vehicle only, instead of unlimited quantities.
doctorwu
"Ray" <Barne...@deletethisbit.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:tigg5.1254$671.1...@nnrp4.clara.net...
Steven Edelman
place to accomodate returning State Department employees who wanted to
bring back a car they had purchased while on duty overseas.
If you have a web address to the regs that shows it still in existance I
would love to know.
Thanks.
STeve
Terry Gerighty
Jonny5 <jo...@easytrackDOTco.uk> wrote in message
news:A8bg5.3459$ph.80519@stones...
> terry,
>
> your name rings a bell.. are you famous or do you come from the midlands?
>
>
Not famous (expect for in my own mind...) but I did live in Coventry for a
while back in the early 90s.
Terry.
Terry Gerighty
US. I have a good 'chat' with a man from Lotus who said it was going to be
sold in the US but this would probably take an extra 6-12 months from the
European launch - I have even contacted a dealer who is quite happy to take
my depost...
I might have to consider importing the car for a year (now that does make me
look desperate)... I presume since I want to take it to California it has to
pass some sort of Smog test - would a standard Elise with Lotus Sports
Exhaust (Cat still in place) have trouble with this?
Is driving a RHD car in a LHD country that hard/bad/difficult?
Thanks.
Terry.
Steven Edelman <Ede...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:3980C1D2...@aol.com...
> One year that is the limit. There is a web site that describes this
> more fully, but I can't remember the address. Not sure if you can keep
> it a year, ship it back and sell it in europe and buy another, but my
> guess is you can. That would be the cheapest way. Really.
>
> You might want to consider bringing a LHD car rather than the one you
> own currently.
>
> Steve
>
> "Nick 7 ôżô" wrote:
> >
> > > First off, appologies if this subject has been done to death but I
have only
> > > recently found this list.
> > >
> > > I am British, currently live in the UK and am about to be transferred
to the
> > > US (California specifically). I am desperate to take my elise with me
(at
> > > one point I seriously contemplated NOT going because I could not take
the
> > > car - seriously).
> > >
> > > Now I know the Elise is not available in the US and never will be (a
> > > question of not having bumpers they tell me) but was wondering if, as
a
> > > Brit, I could import my own used Elise in and use it legaly on the
road.
> > > Basically the reverse of whoever brings all those huge,
left-hand-drive US
> > > cars over to the UK.
> > >
> > > Does anyone know if this can be done (and how?) or am I destined to
lose the
> > > car?
> >
> > Terry
> >
> > Others will be able to answer this more fully but basically, I'm afraid,
you'll be going
> > sans Elise. They can be run (I think) for a year, after which you have
to export it
> > back here or have it crushed - seriously!
> >
> > One or two organisations reckon they can get round it with different
engines or
> > other loop holes - but with the crusher lurking at the end of 12 months,
you'd have
> > to be pretty sure!
> >
> > By the way, I don't think bumpers are the issue; I think it's the
engine.
> >
> > --
> > Still using a normal Newsreader? Get buzzez.com! (it's not normal)
> > http://www.buzzez.com
> > Automotive > Lotus Cars
Terry Gerighty
Nick 7 ôżô <nick.r...@bin-this-bit-altavista.net> wrote in message
news:8lq9fi$6ot$1...@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> Others will be able to answer this more fully but basically, I'm afraid,
you'll be going
> sans Elise. They can be run (I think) for a year, after which you have to
export it
> back here or have it crushed - seriously!
>
might just be an option... maybe.
> One or two organisations reckon they can get round it with different
engines or
> other loop holes - but with the crusher lurking at the end of 12 months,
you'd have
> to be pretty sure!
>
> By the way, I don't think bumpers are the issue; I think it's the engine.
>
I think you are right - I had a look at all the other K-series cars which
are sold here in the UK and none are available in the USA. No Elise,
Caterham, Rover (oh what a pity), Freelander (will be sold by ford but with
a Zetec). I presume this is because of emmisions rather than noise etc?
Simon Daykin
the elise) was because it didn't have airbags and so doesn't meet the crash
regulations.
I know that they will import a 340R for you but you are only allowed to use
it on the track.
Just my 2p's worth
Simon
Jules
like that)
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GrahamB
From a small amount of research and other BBS threads.
You can take the car for a year and run it as non US registered,
at the end of that time it has to be exported.
A company called Sun International (www.suninternational-
usa.com) are getting a version of the Elise approved in the USA,
they drop in a Honda VTEC B18C to give 200 bhp, that plus other
mods brings the new car price to $55,000 US.
The can convert existing cars but that for me would be about
$22,000 so there is really no point, just as cheap to buy a new
LHD one over there.
Graham Bland
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Terry Gerighty
I also had found Sun International - they even do a sports exhaust. At $55k
for an elise it is not cheap but better than $80 for an Esprit. Mind you,
how much will the engine change the car...
$22k is a lot of money for a modification and my own Elise is not that dear
to my heart. Just driving on its.
So have you ordered one through Sun International?
T.
GrahamB <blandgrah...@hotmail.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:1a802be4...@usw-ex0104-033.remarq.com...
Steven Edelman
for up to one year with no modifications. No other option is so clean
and inexpensive.
I know Sun very well and you should consider it if you are a US resident
looking to keep the car, otherwise do it the other way. I see no reason
you couldn't bring one in, ship it back and bring in another. Cheaper
by far than trying to get it to spec.
The problem with the K engine is not if it does or does not meet
pollution, it doesn't have OBDII and that means it can't run here.
There is no out for the engine if you want to keep it here
indefinitely. That is why Sun puts in the Honda.
The airbag etc problems can be handled.
There is a web page where someone describes how he as a foreign national
brought the car in. It is in SF so should deal with CA DEQ.
Steve
Terry Gerighty
Terry.
Steven Edelman <Ede...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:39863778...@aol.com...
graeme.wigglesworth
run in the US with no modification - I can do it. I am not saying how if you
are really serious call me.
As you will see from my site I have stopped doing this as the interest was
not enough to make a living out of, but I still can do it and will for you
Graeme Wigglesworth
www.eaurouge.com (my contact details are on there).
dp
currently in production and there were more than 500 made), it would still
have to comply with EPA - this means OBDII software, emissions compliance,
etc. (read the text of the link carefully). if the car is not brought into
compliance with EPA, it will still be crushed. if this were easy, everyone
would be doing it...
as for mr. wigglesworth, the prices on his website are crap - i paid same
money for a brand-new sport 190 direct from lotus that he wants to charge
for a RHD two-year-old standard car! if you are really serious about
throwing money away, send me $5K and i'll give you the phone number for
lotus usa :)
dp
Dan Drake <ddr...@NOTTHIS.home.com> wrote in message
news:o72kos0p07j6mulie...@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 3 Aug 2000 20:13:16 +0100, "graeme.wigglesworth"
> <graeme.wi...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>
> >Sun take a good Elise and put a pile of shite engine in it. The elise can
> >run in the US with no modification - I can do it. I am not saying how if
you
> >are really serious call me.
> >
>
> If you want to know how Graeme Wigglebum plans to take money off you
> for trying to import an Elise to the USA, you can read for yourself
> how to do it yourself at:
>
> http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/ShowDisplay/HowToSD9911.html
>
> Mr. Wigglebum hasn't got any Elises into the USA this way (have you,
> sweetie?)
>
> Hell, If you want to pay him a few grand to try, then go ahead. But
> you can have a go yourself without paying him or anyone else.
>
> HTH.
> --
> Dan Drake
Dan Drake
Steven Edelman
I will try and find it in the mass of web pages I have bookmarked but it
might take a bit.
BTW we can take this offline if you like. email me at Ede...@aol.com
Steve
Terry Gerighty wrote:
>
> Thanks for the information Steven - do you have the link to the web page?
>
> Terry.
>
Steven Edelman
You wrote...
The elise can run in the US with no modification - I can do it.
Not likely. Just for starters the Rover engine is not OBDII compliant.
How do you propose to get around that?
I am calling your bluff. My guess is you haven't got a clue.
Waiting for your comeback.
Steve
"graeme.wigglesworth" wrote:
>
> Sun take a good Elise and put a pile of shite engine in it. The elise can
> run in the US with no modification - I can do it. I am not saying how if you
> are really serious call me.
>
> As you will see from my site I have stopped doing this as the interest was
> not enough to make a living out of, but I still can do it and will for you
>
> Graeme Wigglesworth
>
> www.eaurouge.com (my contact details are on there).