Importing a Protege/Lantis to the USA

[Pinkers]

Hello all,

I wonder if anyone can help me. I'm considering a move to the USA for work and would like to bring my car with me. It's a 1995 five door hatch version of the Protege. I am from the UK, but the car was previously imported from Japan. I understand that to import to the US the car's emissions, and even its bumpers must meet certain standards.

Does anyone have experience of importing a Lantis from Japan, and was any modification required? I would be gratful for any info, I really want to keep this car.

Thanks :)

[mannydingo]

What city in the U.S. would you be moving to and is the steering wheel on the driver's side like that of the U.S. or the U.K.?

[Pinkers]

We're job hunting at the moment so don't know where we will be going yet. The steering wheel is on the right like a UK car.

[i12drivemyMP5]

I understand the attachment & the novelty of owning a rt hand drive car over here but I think this is going to be an uphill monetary challenge on several fronts. Good luck tho, I know I'd wanna take mine if the situation was reversed. Even told my wife before if we move to another country it must be left hand drive country for this very reason.lol

[mannydingo]

The steering wheel is on the right like a UK car.

That issue you will have to deal with first. I live in the city of Miami which is in the state of Florida. In our state(province, if you will), we don't have any emissions laws so you don't have to worry about passing that test every year. That is not true for many other states in the union. You would have to check the state where you eventually plan to live. It's handled at the state level and not the city level.

[TheMAN]

it is possible to import the UK/euro spec 323Fs into the US because they were built to comply with US emissions... as for the lighting and crash worthiness, I do not know... all I know is someone told me that a few of these have been imported in the past.... the JDM version has different emissions and do not comply with US emissions... modifications will be necessary to comply

[Pinkers]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I didn't realise right-hand drive would be a problem - I haven't read that anywhere in the customs info. I guess I'll have to contact them direct and see what's needed.

[TheMAN]

RHD is NEVER a problem
there is NO law against RHD cars in the US or Canada, the only concern would be are structrual differences between LHD and RHD cars which would make crash results different

[i12drivemyMP5]

Interesting, wouldna thought there'd be a structural difference.

[cheapmiata1600]

http://www.foreignborn.com/visas_imm/entering_us/7importingyourcar.htm

first link in a google search for "how to import a car into the united states"