Feds Seize Illegal Nissan Skyline GT-Rs In Cali

[Elliott18t]

Motor vehicles not more than 25 years old must conform to the Department of Transportation (DOT) motor vehicle safety standards that were in effect when these vehicles were manufactured. Passenger cars manufactured after September 1, 1973 must also meet bumper standards.

http://foreignborn.com/visas_imm/ent...ingyourcar.htm

[Scapegoat]

Originally Posted by jpalamar

It can be imported for track use, car shows pending it is trailered of course. The owner has the OPTION to take whatever steps are required to modify to meet US spec and have it inspected and titled accordingly.

Every country has its own requirements for safety. If you wanna drive it in the US, then do what you gotta do to make that happen, but don't complain if you dont. These people did not.

Plus they are commiting insurance fraud when they knowingly insure a car was a kit when it is just another car taken apart and put back together.

i'm agreeing with you... did you read the rest of my posts? :p

Originally Posted by evomike

There is no real legitamite reason that you shouldn't be able to drie a skyline on us roads, I don't care what you say about us crash tests the only reason we need tests that's strict is because Americans can't drive. I think it's stupid that you can't import and drive whatever you want, I can drive a 32 ford around that is super dangerous because it was made here, and really let's think about this safety rule is it really a big deal it's a bit more unsafe people ride motorcycles around and they are super unsafe let's get serious it's all nonsence and you all know it.

there is a legitimate reason... because there are laws in place regarding safety testing on US spec vehicles. if there is no US version of a JDM, EDM, etc vehicle it is not legally allowed to be driven on US roads.

Do I wholly agree w/ the laws... no, i don't. but i don't fully disagree with them, nor am i going to complain about them when someone tries to skirt around them illegally and gets caught doing so.

you know the payment for the crime... you play and get caught... you pay. you want the laws changed... lobby against them instead of sitting on a forum saying they are nonsense.

personally, i don't care enough to do anything about it because i don't plan on owning a skyline

[evomike]

Yeah I get that but you can't logically look at it and say it's because it isn't safe, How is a skyline unsafe it isn't it's bs and that's the only reason they can't be imported is because they will take away from usdm car sales it's as simple as that.

[jpalamar]

Originally Posted by Scapegoat

i'm agreeing with you... did you read the rest of my posts? :p

Some time you just gotta argue just to argue. It's the TST way.




Plus.. no I didn't read it fully

[jpalamar]

Originally Posted by evomike

Yeah I get that but you can't logically look at it and say it's because it isn't safe, How is a skyline unsafe it isn't it's bs and that's the only reason they can't be imported is because they will take away from usdm car sales it's as simple as that.

It really won't hurt usdm car sales. It is a minmal market at best. It will probally only change the STi/Evo owners purchases.

[evomike]

It certainly would hurt sales your assuming people would only import skylines, there is tons of cars and models the us doesn't get and if people could import those car alot would plain and simple.

[Elliott18t]

if they where legal they would be imported and taxed accordingly.. no different than getting a car from another company.

[Scapegoat]

Originally Posted by evomike

Yeah I get that but you can't logically look at it and say it's because it isn't safe, How is a skyline unsafe it isn't it's bs and that's the only reason they can't be imported is because they will take away from usdm car sales it's as simple as that.

its unsafe, according to the government, because the car hasn't been tested according to our standards. its as simple as that. whether or not the car is safe, which we know it is, isn't the point. it doesn't have the appropriate testing that USDM cars have had.

And it would be unfair to the company's that have gone through that testing, and spent the money, to be compliant to allow a non-compliant car to be imported willy nilly.

Like i said though... i don't fully agree with the government's stance on this. I think these vehicles should only require a certain premium for insurance, a tax levied against the cost of the vehicle for importation and a specific title that denotes them as legally imported but untested

[Evolved]

Originally Posted by Scapegoat

how am i wrong? the article states these cars were imported as Kit cars... they are therefore governed by the laws set for kit cars.

just because the importing company did something illegal doesn't absolve the end user of the crime. thats like saying if i sell an illegal handgun to someone and they get caught with it then they are not at fault for having purchased an illegal handgun.

i've no doubt that the people who purchased these cars knew of the difficult situation we have in america with these cars... a difficult and ridiculous situation. I'm not arguing the fact that this is a retarded seizure of these vehicles and that the difficulty of coming into possession of one is equally retarded.

I'm arguing that, these vehicles were legally seized by the government based on how they were a) illegally imported, b) registered incorrectly and c) driven unlawfully as stated by the laws in place for their registration type.

i think a vehicle should be able to be legally imported regardless of its country of origin and its crash testing based on the originating country's production numbers. if a vehicle exceeds a set number of produced units, that vehicle shall be legally imported into the states and an import tax be levied against it as well as a special title stating usage similar to a classic vehicle.

When you re-assemble the cars back to original manufacturing specs it is not a kit car. A r34 with a corvette engine could be classified as a kit car. A r34 with a rb26dett is not a kit car. That's the technicality that changes everything.

Think about it. If you take a Mustang, disassemble it, ship it to Japan and reassemble it, is it not still a Mustang? Or course it is.

I heard this straight from people who have worked for Motorex and have spoken extensively with the owner of Kazio and toured their facility. What Kazio was doing was indeed illegal.

[Scapegoat]

think about what you are arguing Evolved...

there is no technicality here... the importing company imported and registered these skylines as kit cars. regardless of how you view the laws and regulation set forth regarding the term "kit car" it is a fact that, as cited, these cars that were confiscated were registered as kit cars. and are therefore subject to all rules, regulations and laws as outlined for cars registered as such.

you can't compare shipping a disassembled vehicle from america to japan... for one, you don't know the rules, regulations and laws surrounding importing or registering a vehicle in that country.

we're getting somewhere with your last couple of sentences. Kazio was going something illegal. should you expect the end user, the people that purchased these illegally important/titled vehicles to get off scott free? thats not how it works. they were in possession of contraband AND they then broke a law regarding the registration of their vehicles that brought attention to them. of course they're going to get their vehicles confiscated.

there is nothing to debate here as the facts are there. these cars should have been confiscated by the authorities based on the facts presented. everything points to this being a legal seizure of the cars. there is no breach of our rights, no breach of the constitution or our amendments. there is nothing there saying that we are legally allowed to own and operate vehicles illegally, even if we were not aware of the laws. and not being aware of the laws of such a highly noticeable vehicle is the buyer's problem, not the governments and not the company that imported these vehicles illegally.

my family had in our possession a genuine MP-40 from WW2. Certain family members being aware of the laws surrounding this weapon made it known that we were, due to the death of a family member, in possession of an illegal fire arm. this weapon has since, years and years ago and shortly after we acquired it, was "taken care of". If we were found to be in possession of this weapon by the authorities... "We didn't know" wouldn't be an entirely valid excuse. illegal goods are illegal goods... weapons, drugs, cars, etc.

[240_fun]

Basically... if i owned a skyline and someone tried to take it, I dont care who the **** you are your dead. Id would blow the state befor eid let them take my car. Id do jail time before i let someone take my car. **** i would run that thing down the highway in a high speed chase and run that thing into the ground before i let them take it
**** them **** that illegal car bull**** and **** the government and there car standards. My **** and ill do what i gotta do to keep it.
and btw why cant they just unregister the car instead? why does it need to be seized? its not illegal to own its illegal to drive on the streets

[Scapegoat]

ok vin diesel...

[Slick 87]

Originally Posted by Scapegoat

ok vin diesel...

lol. perfect response.

[jpalamar]

Originally Posted by 240_fun

Basically... if i owned a skyline and someone tried to take it, I dont care who the **** you are your dead. Id would blow the state befor eid let them take my car. Id do jail time before i let someone take my car. **** i would run that thing down the highway in a high s
peed chase and run that thing into the ground before i let them take it

We got an internet tough guy. And no you wouldn't. You would bitch up just like everone else when the fed come toyour house and take it. And if you got in their face, they would f your day up even more.

Originally Posted by 240_fun

**** them **** that illegal car bull**** and **** the government and there car standards. My **** and ill do what i gotta do to keep it.
and btw why cant they just unregister the car instead? why does it need to be seized? its not illegal to own its illegal to drive on the streets

If you rob a bank, say sorry and give the money back, guess what. You still go to jail. People would just unregister the car and re-kit the thing. It wouldn't solve the problem.