Shipping 1M to USA from Switzerland

[Sheil]

Hi guys,

I'm probably going to be moving to the US from Switzerland in a few months and I'd like to ship my 1M.

Has anyone on the forum already shipped a 1M from Europe to the US? If yes could you please let me know how much it cost and how many mods you had to make to the car for homologation in the US?

I don't think there is much of a difference between the euro and Us spec 1M apart from the lights right?

Thank you so much in advance for your answers!

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by Sheil

Hi guys,

I'm probably going to be moving to the US from Switzerland in a few months and I'd like to ship my 1M.

Has anyone on the forum already shipped a 1M from Europe to the US? If yes could you please let me know how much it cost and how many mods you had to make to the car for homologation in the US?

I don't think there is much of a difference between the euro and Us spec 1M apart from the lights right?

Thank you so much in advance for your answers!

unfortunately it will be very tough for you to do this....most likely impossible. The 1M is not listed in the 'non conforming' vehicles list on the NHTSA import list.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/

are you a diplomat by any chance? in that case you will be able to bring it....otherwise you won't. You're better off just buying one here...

[Elsabor67]

How long would your stay be in the US? Are you moving permanently? I would first approach BMW with this question and see what information you can get. As the manufacturer, they would be able to tell you or assist you with the necessary information to provide NHTSA and DOT.

I would also contact NHTSA and DOT and see what you would need in order to do the transfer of your car. They should be able to point you in the proper direction. Also the website that IEDEI posted has alot of information that can help you in the process. Most military and government civilian members stationed in Europe purchase their cars already with US specifications so it is easy for them to get them shipped back to the US by BMW when their time assigned in Europe is done.

[Sheil]

Thanks for the lengthy replies guys!

I was thinking of approaching BMW or an approved importer in that way. The non conforming list says that an exception may be made if the car is imported directly by an importer or manufacturer and if a similar car that can be readily modified exists in the USA - and the 1M does.

I really don't want to part with my 1M!!!

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by Sheil

Thanks for the lengthy replies guys!

I was thinking of approaching BMW or an approved importer in that way. The non conforming list says that an exception may be made if the car is imported directly by an importer or manufacturer and if a similar car that can be readily modified exists in the USA - and the 1M does.

I really don't want to part with my 1M!!!

True...maybe there is some room here to discuss it! It definitely need some reasonable time and energy into it, though. As Elsabor said, contacting the DOT and the NHTSA is your best bet----along with discussing it with BMW USA and BMW Switzerland. Sometimes, manufacturers will help you with this process, as i have heard of BMW Canada, for example, writing letters to bring cars into the USA. The difference in that situation, however, is that the US DOT/NHTSA often acknowledges Canadian standards as they are very similar/the same for certain models.

Good luck and keep us posted how it is going!

[Hobbe]

Why so pessimistic?
It seems like the NHTSA only deals with cars if/when somebody requests it.
No approval on general basis.
Only "old" cars on their lists.

Find out what NHSA thinks is needed to change on your 1M, make the change, and then try to import it.
What is the difference between Canadian and European1M?
Hardly anything expensive I think.

...and the car industry in Canada wouldn't hire a lawyer to find possible trade barriers (such as NHTSA) to block one single used car from Switzerland.

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by Hobbe

Why so pessimistic?
It seems like the NHSA only deals with cars if/when somebody requests it.
No approval on general basis.

Find out what NHSA thinks is needed to change on your 1M, make the change, and then try to import it.
What is the difference between Canadian and European1M?
Hardly anything expensive I think.

haha. when you live in the US, you realise just HOW MUCH regulation we have for things like this? I appreciate your swedish optimism though

[Hobbe]

Well, you have to feed all the lawyers

It's not that difficult to import a car from the US over here.
Safety inspection, emission test, and some fee and tax (of course).

[Rainier]

First off, America is the nanny state with lawyers, and the Government, who forced us to implement standards that the rest of the world doesn't require. As an American who has lived in Switzerland, and the rest of Europe, I can tell you it would be easier to sell your 1M in Switzerland and take the money and buy a US spec model at the inflated cost Stateside.

You'll tie up you present car with USDOT regulations and the car, if cleared, will languish in one of the limited places where it can be converted while you wait for it. This will take months behind all the other cars trying to work the process.

Compare what you can get for your present model and what it would buy in the States. The process if difficult and murky to work through and at the end you'll have a car that wasn't modified by BMW but a secondary source that you hope did the job correctly.

Do your research online and see what it takes to modify an EU spec car, it's a long and difficult process.

[eeghie]

Mine went the other way round, thus I could provide you with most parts that are US specific.

There are some decent reports on N54T engine homologation (although for the European market release) they might help you argue that the EU and US enigines are equal. (the warm weather option that US cars have default will have some changed settings though: In my experience the US engine will hardly run hot in the northern EU climate)

BMW USA (or any country/region organisation for that mather) is less helpfull as screaming into a pillow ;-(

Good luck with move and process, PM or post in here for more specific help.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by Hobbe

...and the car industry in Canada wouldn't hire a lawyer to find possible trade barriers (such as NHTSA) to block one single used car from Switzerland.

Uh, you have never dealt with Canada on importing cars obviously. It is EXTREMELY restrictive here. If the car is not on the approved list, it CAN NOT be imported until it is 15 years old.

See cars for sale all the time on the Government auction sites that people thought they could import and were impounded. Must be removed from the country within days of purchase.

What does a 1M sell for used in Switzerland? Could probably sell it there and buy two when you arrive stateside.

[pj.rodriguez]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

Uh, you have never dealt with Canada on importing cars obviously. It is EXTREMELY restrictive here. If the car is not on the approved list, it CAN NOT be imported until it is 15 years old.

See cars for sale all the time on the Government auction sites that people thought they could import and were impounded. Must be removed from the country within days of purchase.

I never knew that! Hmm.. Where is the list for Canada, if you don't mind me asking?

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by pj.rodriguez

I never knew that! Hmm.. Where is the list for Canada, if you don't mind me asking?

Sorry, was thinking of kit cars. Basically, unless it is 15 years old, you absolutely can not import one:

https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/motorvehicl...-index-446.htm

Did you know that most vehicles offered for sale in foreign countries other than the United States cannot be imported into Canada?

This means that if you are considering importing a vehicle you bought in a country other than the United States, you need to inform yourself. Importing a vehicle into Canada that does not meet the requirements of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (MVSA) is a criminal offense. Inadmissible vehicles are denied entry into Canada and detained. All storage and disposal fees become the responsibility of the importer.

Special circumstances:
When Canada Border Services Agency requirements are met, the following circumstances allow people to import vehicles purchased in a country other than the United States:

the vehicle is a regulated class of vehicle fifteen (15) years old or older as determined by the month and year the vehicle was manufactured.
the vehicle is a bus manufactured before January 1, 1971.
the vehicle does not belong to a regulated class of vehicle under the MVSA.
the vehicle meets all MVSA requirements, and was acquired NEW abroad via a manufacturer’s foreign buyer program for Canadians abroad (proof of compliance is required).
the vehicle meets all United States requirements and acquired NEW abroad via a manufacturer’s foreign buyer program for North-American buyers abroad (additional restrictions apply).
the vehicle is a returning Canadian compliant vehicle originally owned in Canada (proof of compliance is required).
the vehicle is a returning United States compliant vehicle originally owned in the U.S. (additional restrictions apply).
Note: You cannot import a vehicle manufactured in North America that was certified for export to a foreign market because it fails to comply with the MVSA which requires a vehicle to comply with all applicable Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards at the time of main assembly.

Furthermore, there are no provisions in the MVSA that allow you to modify a vehicle sold in a country other than the United States to meet Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

[MightyMouseTech]

For the OP, this may help:

http://icsw.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/

http://icsw.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/imp...list120413.pdf

Basically, call one of the Registered Importers and find out for sure.

[providence]

[QUOTE=MightyMouseTech;15550154]Uh, you have never dealt with Canada on importing cars obviously. It is EXTREMELY restrictive here. If the car is not on the approved list, it CAN NOT be imported until it is 15 years old.


...? I'm watching this tread closely because I will be moving to Canada pretty soon and was advised rest-assured that my car will be easily imported into canada as long as there are no active recalls on it and a letter from my AD/ BMW with some other other information (dunno). I know there will be the required change in the instrument cluster but beyond that, i didnt think there were many hoops to jump thru.
I fully understand importing from Europe to the US is a whole different story...

[providence]

..sorry just saw the correction you made in the subsequent post.
had me freaking out there man!!

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by providence

..sorry just saw the correction you made in the subsequent post.
had me freaking out there man!!

HA HA, sorry. USA to Canada is not that big a deal, done it a couple of times, go to:

https://www.riv.ca/

[Sheil]

Thanks for all the responses guys! I'll explore my choices and keep you posted on the developments.

[NorthernDancer]

for providence

US to Canada is not as difficult as you say. There is a whole thread as a sticky in the Canada regional section. I've imported 4 BMWs from US to Canada. 1. no pending recalls 2. warranty vehicle inquiry from your dealer to RIV then normal here safety inspection, emissions test & that's about it. NO cluster change. Do not go to Canadian BMW dealer for safety check as they may demand cluster change.

Oops: DLR's must be turned on if yours are not already (simple coding)

[Sheil]

Alright guys - after a lot of researching and phone calls to useless Registered Importers that have websites that look like a template from 1996, I finally found a loophole to the dreadful thing that is the process of importing a euro-spec car into the US.

Unfortunately, I cannot share the solution just yet - once my car makes it into the US, then I'll go ahead a share every single step!

All I can tell you is that this solution doesn't require any modification of the car whatsoever! Praise the lord!

Thank you all for your valuable input. Will keep you posted..

[providence]

Glad you figured it out!!
It's never as simple as " finding another car in the US". I'm in a similar situation albeit less complicated (moving to Canada from US). At least we preserve the 740 number (lost mine and gained yours).
All the best mate!

[pj.rodriguez]

Originally Posted by providence

Glad you figured it out!!
It's never as simple as " finding another car in the US". I'm in a similar situation albeit less complicated (moving to Canada from US). At least we preserve the 740 number (lost mine and gained yours).
All the best mate!

LOL then there will be 221 in Canada