Import UK '90 Elan to USA?

[madbilly]

Hi all,

Well, the subject kind of gives the game away! I'm in the final stages of recruitment for a job in Cambridge, Massachusetts (adjacent to Boston) and therefore I'm starting to get my head around the practicalities of moving to yet another country. Some of you may know that my Elan is a '90 UK (RHD) model. I'd dearly like to take it with us to the USA, but is it even possible? I did a little investigation and I get the feeling that the EU bumpers and lack of airbag are probably the main sticking points, anything else? Can any of these things be easily changed? (taking it to France only required changing the dipped beams, thankfully!).

I haven't got a job offer yet, so maybe I'm jumping the gun, but I think if I will have to say au revoir (not goodbye!) to the Elan then I'd like to know before considering any job offer.

Cheers

[Rambo]

Personally, I would buy a Fed Elan if/when you get there and save yourself a lot of hassle. Dry store your existing one here if you can. Better than money in the bank

[madbilly]

Hi Rambo,
Thanks for the tip. Yes, I know it could be a lot of hassle (maybe even totally impractical or forbidden) but I'd like to know what's possible first. Dry storing was the other thing I was thinking of, and if I bought a sports car in the USA it might not be an Elan! But that's for another discussion!
Cheers

[MarkP]

I believe that if a car is over 25 years old it does not need to comply with the Regulations when imported. I only know this from chatting with a UK lotus dealer who said the Series 1 Elise would soon be eligible to be imported to the US. May help with your thinking.

[esprit888]

As Mark mentions above the 25 year exemption would apply and 'technically' you could import the car in to the U.S. However, each state has different requirements and more importantly the EPA has the final say and you will be required to prove that the car meets EPA standards. As its over 25 years old the DOT requirements are waived. The M100 is not a highly revered car in the U.S. (or Canada) and they are available a lot cheaper than in the U.K. with typically lower miles, I would wait and buy one in the U.S. (and you will likely want to ship it back to the U.K one day ) If you are really certain its what you want to do then the car must be 100% as it left the factory engine and exhaust wise and you may even be required to fit a cat! this is where to start: https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi?Dockey=P10081IS.pdf

[nube5]

Massachusetts only requires a SAFETY inspection for all cars manufactured before 1996 BUT to pass that you will need to add side marker lights and probably some type of "high mounted rear stop/brake light" if you don't already have them. There are many aftermarket lights available that will comply. There are no emission tests before 1996.

[GeoffSmith]

What about the front crash structure on Feds?

[esprit888]

What about the front crash structure on Feds?

That's under the DOT and waived after 25 years

[esprit888]

Massachusetts only requires a SAFETY inspection for all cars manufactured before 1996 BUT to pass that you will need to add side marker lights and probably some type of "high mounted rear stop/brake light" if you don't already have them. There are many aftermarket lights available that will comply. There are no emission tests before 1996.

I think you are referring to the Mass. requirements?, not the federal one. The safety requirements are true enough, and each state, including Mass.) has their own. The problem is you will not get the car past U.S. customs to get it to Mass. if it doesn't comply with the EPA requirements, which, even on a car 30 years old, still apply past the 21 year exemption for Canadians and this little sneaky wording ' if the car was also built to comply with the U.S market). The link for registering in Mass. ( https://www.mass.gov/info-details/impor ... an-canada- ) states: 'U.S. Department of Transportation or Environmental Protection Agency standards, the vehicle cannot be registered or titled, and the customer must contact the US Customs office.' then when you contact the U.S customs office you are directed to the 'imported motor vehicle facts manual' (i have a hard copy but its updated almost yearly!) Then the other link sends you to the dreaded EPA requirements, where they state: 'The EPA strongly recommends that prospective importers buy only U.S. version (labeled) vehicles, because of the expense and potential difficulties involved with importing a non-U.S. version vehicle'. Now, having 'been there and done that' there are of course certain work arounds, not all of them legal, but one of them is to apply for and pay for an independent EPA test (=$$$'s) or if an EPA decal should accidentally fall of a federal Elan and land on your car, but it had better be fitted with a Cat, even if its hollow!. If you haven't been put off yet then start here and pay attention to the wording in
2.3.1 Exclusions Based on Age
As discussed in Section 2.1.3.2(a), vehicles are exempted if they are 21 OP years old or
older and in original unmodified condition. Find it all here:
https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi?Dockey=P10081IS.pdf

[Giniw]

The M100 is not a highly revered car in the U.S. (or Canada) and they are available a lot cheaper than in the U.K. with typically lower miles, I would wait and buy one in the U.S.

Slightly (sorry) but I would have said the FED cars seemed more expensive than in the UK? Obviously I haven't looked much at the FED cars sales prices but the ones I have seen are often in the $15 000-$20 000 range, which seems much higher than the UK prices? (which again I haven't looked that much either!)

[esprit888]

The M100 is not a highly revered car in the U.S. (or Canada) and they are available a lot cheaper than in the U.K. with typically lower miles, I would wait and buy one in the U.S.

Slightly (sorry) but I would have said the FED cars seemed more expensive than in the UK? Obviously I haven't looked much at the FED cars sales prices but the ones I have seen are often in the $15 000-$20 000 range, which seems much higher than the UK prices? (which again I haven't looked that much either!)

Based on what I’ve seen here (U.S & Canada) I would normally agree with you, but looking outside of the typical craigslist and eBay I have seen numerous examples at very attractive pricing, which I’m not going to publish here for fear of reprisals and accusations of lowering the value but seriously those in the know, mainly current or previous owners, will tell you asking and selling prices are unfortunately typically very far apart. It is somewhat based on the state/province but take a tour through some of the U.S Craigslist prices for some very nice used cars, you can get one hell of a lot of car for what some are asking for an M100. The only exception is the Lotus enthusiast who knows the difference, or hasn’t learned his/her lesson getting really off topic now so I’ll stop before a flame retardant suit is required but it isn’t M100 specific, the Esprit, Europa, Elite all suffer the same, the later Elise, Exige and Evora do much better- apologies for getting off topic

[madbilly]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the advice, tips and suggestions, I'll bear it all in mind if I actually get a job offer! Let's wait and see. It would be a nice silver lining to be able to keep on driving the current Elan I know inside and out.

Cheers

[madbilly]

Hi all,

I got confirmation from a registered importer in MA that the Elan doesn't need any mods to be imported, which is great news! Shipping quote is ~£2k including all charges via roll-on-roll-off ship to New York. Much cheaper than a container, which is at least double. The only downside with RORO is that the car will be outside at the port for a few days before and after shipping, so I'll need to improve the leak-tightness of the roof!

Cheers

[madbilly]

Hi everyone,

Well, in the end we moved and now we're back, long story best saved for with a drink

However, the Elan thankfully did not make the journey, so I can't report back on the experience of actually getting an Elan shipped over. What I can tell you is that roll-on-roll-off would have been cheapest, however it was likely that the car would have had to wait at the port in the elements for a few weeks either end of the voyage, which with the classic leaky roof I didn't feel like going with. So, I was going to wait until a space came up in a shared container, because a dedicated container would have been incredibly expensive.

Anyway, now back in Blighty again, I hope I can join some of the Sh-Elan-igans this year

Cheers