Re: Additional importing info

[George Graves <gmgraves@domain.elided>]

On Wednesday, July 24, 2002, at 10:07 AM, alfa-digest wrote:

> Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 12:31:10 -0400
> From: "Storhok, Eric (E.M.)" <estorhok@domain.elided>
> Subject: Additional importing info
>
> I just got off the phone with my EPA contact, and there are some phone 
> numbers that might help:
> The "Imports Team" number is 202-564-9240- it sounds like they might 
> answer some questions...
> And the "Fax Back" number is 202-564-9660- and I think you fax them a 
> question, and they will fax back a reply.
>
> One interesting note- if the car is 21 years or older, then there isn't 
> an EPA requirement.  Should we bring in a bunch of Suds?
>
> Eric Storhok
> Core Emissions and Fuel Economy Team
> Advanced Powertrain Engineering
> (313)33x75011
> MD 35, FPC-B
> Ford Motor Company
I was under the impression that emissions issues are only half the 
battle. From what I've read, bringing a car into the US newer than a '76 
requires that one post a bond at the time of import equal to the car's 
value (as determined by the DOT or some-such agency, not by what the 
purchaser paid for it) and sign an agreement that one will bring the car 
up to US standards (at the time of the car's original manufacture) in 
180 days, or forfeit the bond and have the car seized and crushed, When 
I spoke to a person at the CA DMV about registering a NEW Alfa 156 in 
CA, she said that if the CA EPA approved the European emissions specs 
(EU cars built since '95, apparently do meet even CA's draconian Smog-2 
requirements) under which the car was manufactured, and if it passed the 
CA smog check, they had no other issues with getting it registered as 
long as it was legally imported into the USA by the owner. Of course, it 
can't be "legally imported into the United States" because it lacks such 
things as approved lighting, side impact door re-enforcement, US 
type-approved safety glass, US approved impact absorbing bumpers, etc. , 
etc., etc. The Catch22 in all of this is that once one has paid the 
bond, and signed the agreement, one cannot usually make these cars 
comply. US approved safety glass that will fit current Alfa Romeos is 
obviously NOT available in the USA or elsewhere, for that matter (since, 
we can safely assume, none was ever made), nor are US-spec bumpers, 
tail-light assemblies and so-forth.

George Graves
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