6 replies to this topic

[GSX-R35]

Hi guys! Like probably many of you I've dreamed of owning an R34 GT-R since I was just a kid playing Gran Turismo. I thought it was going to continue to be a far-off dream with the 25-year import cutoff here in the US - at least until last year when I luckily had the opportunity to buy one and import it myself through the obscure Show or Display exemption. It's a big deal for me personally of course but some of you may be interested in how I managed to do it so I made a video and have started a series of blog posts to go over the process in more detail. Here's a link to the video:

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=J1vpzblBHWA

 

And here's a link to my blog:

 

http://www.23gt.net/...rt-law-for.html

 

I hope you find it interesting and informative! Stay safe out there!

[destroid]

Cool stuff. So much paperwork but worth it. 
 

How was TFX to work with for transport and customs? They say there is a couple week lag from delivery to receiving federal paperwork for registering the car - is that accurate?  Thanks. 

[GSX-R35]

Cool stuff. So much paperwork but worth it. 
 

How was TFX to work with for transport and customs? They say there is a couple week lag from delivery to receiving federal paperwork for registering the car - is that accurate?  Thanks. 

 

TFX were easy to work with and surprisingly were also the cheapest of all the companies I checked with but I didn't use them for the customs work. Since Show or Display is such a rare thing most places don't know what to make of it. I called a couple of different brokers and even the one I settled on took some convincing until they finally understood how things worked but once they did it all went pretty smoothly. Once the broker was squared away things progressed pretty quickly with TFX and the car was at my door in about two weeks after I sent in the papers and wired the payment. The only issue I had with them was that I wish they had given me a bit more notice as to when they were going to drop off the car but it arrived perfectly fine so I can't complain. Oh, and when the car arrived all the customs paperwork was with it. I'm not sure how it goes if TFX is the one handling the customs work but in my case all the papers were handed to me at delivery.

[destroid]

Thanks. 
 

So many cool JDM and Euro spec cars from the mid 90s are trapped up in Canada. Bring A Trailer is dangerous browsing. 

[Johnnypbmx]

What are restrictions on driving it if its for show or display?

[GSX-R35]

Thanks. 
 

So many cool JDM and Euro spec cars from the mid 90s are trapped up in Canada. Bring A Trailer is dangerous browsing. 

 

Yeah, I wish the US had the same 15 year cutoff as Canada does but we gotta work with what we have. I'm just glad I found this car up there instead of having to get one all the way from Japan!

 

What are restrictions on driving it if its for show or display?

 

The main one is that you're limited to 2500 miles a year. DOT requires you to maintain insurance with a maximum mileage limit and you have to show proof you have such a policy as part of the application process. Since it's meant to be a show car only you're also technically supposed to only drive it for events and for required maintenance but that pretty much comes with the territory anyway when you have the kind of collector car policy that's required.

[Johnnypbmx]

Ok thank you- If have mutiple
Cars anyways 2500
Miles isnt too bad i guess- unfortunately im averaging barely more than that per year in my gtr ugh

Yeah, I wish the US had the same 15 year cutoff as Canada does but we gotta work with what we have. I'm just glad I found this car up there instead of having to get one all the way from Japan!


The main one is that you're limited to 2500 miles a year. DOT requires you to maintain insurance with a maximum mileage limit and you have to show proof you have such a policy as part of the application process. Since it's meant to be a show car only you're also technically supposed to only drive it for events and for required maintenance but that pretty much comes with the territory anyway when you have the kind of collector car policy that's required.