Importing OR driving a foreign Seven in the USA

[Ted_7]

Hello

I have maybe an opportunity to come to California for business.
For now, I live in Belgium and I drive a Caterham Super Seven with a Rover 1.6K Supersport converted. I know the Rover engine is not distributed in the USA.

Questions are:

1. Can I import it to the USA, and what do I need to know/do
2. If I can not import it, can I drive it in the USA with my Belgian registration plates (we often see american registered cars in Belgium, so I wondered if it's possible in the USA though).

Thanks in advance for your answers

Ted_7

http://www.se7enly.be

[slomove]

Ted, there is a time limit for temporarily imported cars (e.g. like the UK folks do for the USA2005 tour) When that is up it becomes a regular import with duties (or exemption for moving?) but also the hassle of registration and complying with local regulations. I would be very careful trying to sneak by.

Given the rarity of the K you will be better off selling (or storing) your car and buy a new one here.

Gert

P.S.: If you make it here, welcome to California. Very good place for Sevens and pretty active community.

[Roll a 7]

There is a UK L7C sourced gent, "Nick", in Phoenix, who brought his 7 along. IIRC the rule said that he could drive his car for one year on US roads. Then it had to comply with US law, exit the USA, or be crushed. He chose exit and likely drives something less involving, if he is still in the US.

If you reckon that your stay in the USA would be around one year you may be OK.

Good luck; and join us soon for some fun!!

[imported_venom7]

You need to get an HS-7 form.

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/graymarket_RI_list06202005.html

I drove my car for 4 years here. I haven't gotten it registered yet but I have taken it off the road now. It had Canadian plates and I was basically never pulled over, but if I was I was just on "vacation".

[magnusfeuer]

The DOT says that a foreign car with a foreign owner can drive a car for one year in the States without registering it here. After that it must leave the country, be registered or destroyed.

I brought my Porsche 356 SC convertible over from Sweden and ran it for about a year on Swedish plates until my wife got a citation and I had to say hello to the DMV.

If you move here, you have something like ten days of starting the registration process on your imported car.

I've been thinking about setting up a leasing service in the U.S. where we bring over a bunch of foreign cars not sold in the U.S. and lease them to locals for one year and then ship them back. Technically we would be safe since the title will be held by a fincance company somewhere in the EU.
Smarts, Mid engined renaults, etc, would cetrainly have a market here. Also cars that for some reason cannot be smogged in CA would be a candidate...

/Magnus F.

[Anonymous]

The DOT says that a foreign car with a foreign owner can drive a car for one year in the States without registering it here. After that it must leave the country, be registered or destroyed.

Thanks for all the answers so far.

Now a stupid question:

Leave the country means "go back to Belgium", or (that is silly but anyway, I'd like to know), going to Mexico or Canada and bring the car back is something I could think about ? Can't I register the 7 in Mexico (would it be easier than in California ?)...

I'm so in love with my car, I can't think to get rid of it !
And the Rover K is a so good engine :wink:

[Rich H]

Thanks for all the answers so far.

Now a stupid question:

Leave the country means "go back to Belgium", or (that is silly but anyway, I'd like to know), going to Mexico or Canada and bring the car back is something I could think about ? Can't I register the 7 in Mexico (would it be easier than in California ?)...

I'm so in love with my car, I can't think to get rid of it !
And the Rover K is a so good engine :wink:

If you are planning to live in California for longer than one year, your best option for keeping the K motor is probably registration under SB100. Here's a link to a description from the state dmv.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/spcns.htm

There is also a lot of discussion of SB100 in postings on this forum. The main problem will be snagging one of the 500 certificates that will be available for 2006.

[Ted_7]

If you are planning to live in California for longer than one year, your best option for keeping the K motor is probably registration under SB100. Here's a link to a description from the state dmv.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/spcns.htm

There is also a lot of discussion of SB100 in postings on this forum. The main problem will be snagging one of the 500 certificates that will be available for 2006.

Sounds good ! :P

[Cat7even]

It does sound good Ted but be aware that these days they are gone in a few days time ... :(

[Roll a 7]

Registering under SB 100 as a kit car is an interesting situation for you. I'm not sure if they actually will care that your 7 was not built in CA, or even in the USA. But, they MIGHT?? You should have every necessary shred of paper in hand on the first business day of 2006 if you want to register the car in CA. Be ready to go well in advance with the answers known before bringing the car.

Do you know how long that you might be in the USA? And where in CA? If a year or less just bring the car and have fun. If the move would be more of a long term assignment then check the rules very carefully. Some of us over here may be able to help investigate the situation.

You might also consider getting a 7 in the USA which is already registered legally. It's more of a buyers market here, in my opinion. And there are some good cars around to be had.

Please tell us about the specs of your car: horsepower, trans, LSD?, options, year and how it's used by you. It looks beautiful in the pics!! 8)

And bring some sunblock!!

[Rich H]

Registering under SB 100 as a kit car is an interesting situation for you. I'm not sure if they actually will care that your 7 was not built in CA, or even in the USA. But, they MIGHT?? You should have every necessary shred of paper in hand on the first business day of 2006 if you want to register the car in CA. Be ready to go well in advance with the answers known before bringing the car.

Good point Brad. One way to reduce the potential for problems might be to first get an SPCN Title-Only (i.e., title without registration) during 2005. Doing that will involve answering all of DMV's questions about the origin of the car. But it can be done with no time pressure in the event that more than one DMV trip is needed to supply all of the required info. Then, with the SPCN title complete, getting the SB100 certificate on the first day of 2006 should be a simple matter of a reg application and fee payment, assuming that one is among the first 500 in line.

[imported_venom7]

I just emailed Caterham for the certificate of origin. Is it called something else? Because this is the response I received;
Good morning Rob,

We don't have a certificate of origin for the car - it's not something we need to produce.

With regards to the fact that it is a kit, this is something we can put in a letter for you; please advise the address to which you would like it sent.

Regards
SIMON LAMBERT
Aftersales Manager

[JohnCh]

My understanding is that to achieve SPCN classification, the car must be imported as a kit (i.e. not already assembled). I've heard of a few folks who imported the S1 Elise under this guise by removing the engine and then shipping it separately from the rest of the car. Not sure if this is really necessary (or even work) but it is worth investigating.

-John

[Ted_7]

Registering under SB 100 as a kit car is an interesting situation for you. I'm not sure if they actually will care that your 7 was not built in CA, or even in the USA. But, they MIGHT?? You should have every necessary shred of paper in hand on the first business day of 2006 if you want to register the car in CA. Be ready to go well in advance with the answers known before bringing the car.

Do you know how long that you might be in the USA? And where in CA? If a year or less just bring the car and have fun. If the move would be more of a long term assignment then check the rules very carefully. Some of us over here may be able to help investigate the situation.

You might also consider getting a 7 in the USA which is already registered legally. It's more of a buyers market here, in my opinion. And there are some good cars around to be had.

Please tell us about the specs of your car: horsepower, trans, LSD?, options, year and how it's used by you. It looks beautiful in the pics!! 8)

And bring some sunblock!!

In fact I'm coming in September but I'll go back to Belgium once a month for 7 or 8 months, so if I send the car in the US it won't be before April or May 2006. The place I go is near Laguna Beach.
Anyway, how much costs a second-hand Caterham there ?
Mine is a 1.6 Rover K injection with the Supersport kit. 135bhp, no catalytic exhaust, no LSD and infortunately a 5 speed gb. Got front wings in carbon as well as the aeroscreen. Chromed roll-bar, looks like a superlight, weight 1028 lbs.

Here are some pics of my car and one of my Belgian friend (click -> big).

[magnusfeuer]

Aha!

We we will be neighbours then. I live in Newport Beach approx 15 minutes north of Laguna.

/Magnus F.