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      12-28-2008, 06:45 PM   #1
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Bringing a 130i hatch to the States

Ok, I cant take it anymore...I wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat thinking about it. I nearly gave myself whip lash and almost caused an 11 car pile up on I-5 the other day because I swore I saw one driving in the opposite direction. My wife is close to banning me from her M3 because I am racking up the miles trying to get my fix. I sold my own car and now I dont have anything, the goal: that my own little personal no car strike would somehow cause BMW to look my way and in an act of sympathy start exporting them here...I have issues...I WANT A 130i 3 OR 5 DOOR!

So I am convinced that BMW's determined refusal to send the E87 to America will never change...EVER. (Yes I remember that little ugly 318ti)

In short I am posting this thread for support and help. I am getting my butt on a plane this summer and I am going to talk to Hans myself to see what it would take to get one here. At this point, no is not an acceptable answer.

I have found that BMW in the past would ship grey market vehicles via their European delivery program, but not anymore. Anybody have any suggestions on where to start?
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      12-28-2008, 06:54 PM   #2
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Well, I don't know about the legality of such, but you can find something closer to home in our neighbors to the South of us.

BMW Mexico has both the 3 and 5 door 1er available there. I'm sure you'd have issues importing it and you might have to convert it to imperial units rather that metric (I assume Mexico is metric) but that would probably be easier than convincing a stubborn German that Americans will buy hatchbacks.

I should know. I've got plenty of Germans (stubborn and otherwise) in my family. Once convinced they don't always let the facts affect the outcome. :wink:
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      12-28-2008, 07:40 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by former View Post
Well, I don't know about the legality of such, but you can find something closer to home in our neighbors to the South of us.

BMW Mexico has both the 3 and 5 door 1er available there. I'm sure you'd have issues importing it and you might have to convert it to imperial units rather that metric (I assume Mexico is metric) but that would probably be easier than convincing a stubborn German that Americans will buy hatchbacks.

I should know. I've got plenty of Germans (stubborn and otherwise) in my family. Once convinced they don't always let the facts affect the outcome. :wink:

Hmmm, good idea. I did confirm Tijuana has a Bmw dealer. I wonder how you could get that across the border without having customs/border patrol crawling too far up ur tailpipe so as to make it feasible?
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      12-28-2008, 07:52 PM   #4
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I really have no idea. Since you'd be bringing it over without plates, I assume you would have a massive customs problem. It's possible the dealer in TJ has some experience with exporting cars - they are right on the border.

You might get stuck paying both local (MX) as well as U.S. and local/import taxes though because of that pesky cross-border situation...
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      12-28-2008, 08:21 PM   #5
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Might want to look at this site:

http://www.importexporthelp.com/importing-cars.htm

EDIT: also might want to consider Jeremy Clarkson's sage advice here....perhaps an R32 would be a much cheaper option?

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...=top+gear+130i
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      12-30-2008, 05:09 AM   #6
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I bet nobody would stop you from buying a 130i in Germany and bring it to the States. I guess the problem arises when you want to stick CA plates to it, just like mentioned above.

An R32 would indeed be much cheaper, and much, much, much more boring! Just take the looks: The intriguing design, lines, and reflections of 1-series hatch make the VW look like a glass of water. And it doesn't have a BMW 3-liter inline-6, which I think is as classic as it gets :biggrin:

In addition, if I permit myself to be sensible for a second :wink:, you get much better gas mileage with the 130i.

I appreciate your resolve and wish you the best of luck! Belive you me, it is worth trying!!!

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      12-30-2008, 07:36 AM   #7
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Before they will certify the car as legal in the US, you may have to change the speedometer cluster, the headlights (Amber reflectors are required in the US as per NHTSA), the seatbelts (if they differ from US versions ie UL and NHTSA certified), and perhaps the taillights, if they also don't meet NHTSA certification. This could cost you around $8,000. However, I don't think that BMW even make NHTSA headlights and taillights for the hatchback, in this case there is no way to import this vehicle into the US. In Canada, there is a special exemption for Euro headlights and taillights, so it might be possible to bring one into Canada.

If you want to have warranty on it, BMW USA may charge $2,000 or even more to inspect it, or they may simply decline warranty. BMW NA will not give you much support for this. You will also have to pay any duties and State and Federal taxes as well as customs (unless it is made in Mexico - then it qualifies under NAFTA). And if it isn't capable of meeting the 50 State emissions law, then they may not even allow it across the border.

All of this applies to bringing in a new car. If you are living in Europe for a year or so, and bring it back with you as a used car - then the regulations are somewhat different. You really need to do some reaearch before you contact a car dealer in Tiajuana.
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      12-30-2008, 02:01 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Helgeson View Post
I bet nobody would stop you from buying a 130i in Germany and bring it to the States. I guess the problem arises when you want to stick CA plates to it, just like mentioned above.

An R32 would indeed be much cheaper, and much, much, much more boring! Just take the looks: The intriguing design, lines, and reflections of 1-series hatch make the VW look like a glass of water. And it doesn't have a BMW 3-liter inline-6, which I think is as classic as it gets :biggrin:

In addition, if I permit myself to be sensible for a second :wink:, you get much better gas mileage with the 130i.

I appreciate your resolve and wish you the best of luck! Belive you me, it is worth trying!!!

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That sure is a good looking car...I will be in Riga in May, let me know if you want to sell that thing!!:biggrin:

I was being polite by not responding to the guy suggesting an R32, to be honest I would rather throw up on myself than drive a Volkswagon anything. Besides Clarkson has been rather unfair and biased as of late and I give little credit to much of his commentary. Anybody that can compare the two cars and say the R32 is better looking needs to get their head checked, I think you were overly polite saying it looks like a glass of water!

However this is just all my opinion...Thus I shall forge ahead. I am confident I will have my own 130i 3 door someday. One way or another, I will make it happen. All the suggestions have been constructive and I have been able to find a solution for everything except one, which I am working on now. Rumor has it the 1series released for Europe has a different bumper than what we have in the States. I need to find out how different and why to see if I can make it NHTSA compliant.

Anybody know of this?
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      12-30-2008, 02:52 PM   #9
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10000 times better 130i than R 32 , use you tube here in Mexico its very rare model, I almost buy it , but 135i arrives .

This 130i deserve importation from you my friend
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      12-30-2008, 04:57 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Marine4 View Post
That sure is a good looking car...I will be in Riga in May, let me know if you want to sell that thing!!:biggrin:

I was being polite by not responding to the guy suggesting an R32, to be honest I would rather throw up on myself than drive a Volkswagon anything. Besides Clarkson has been rather unfair and biased as of late and I give little credit to much of his commentary. Anybody that can compare the two cars and say the R32 is better looking needs to get their head checked, I think you were overly polite saying it looks like a glass of water!
That's okay. I was just being polite by not pointing out that it's still more likely we'll see you in an R32 than a 130i -- at least, as a street-legal car in the U.S.

Seriously though, good luck, but it's going to be a lot of trouble getting approval. I don't have a cite for this, but I recall reading that the EPA is cracking down on grey-market imports like this lately.
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      12-30-2008, 10:48 PM   #11
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Keep us appraised of your progress. It is not going to be an easy journey. Good luck!
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      12-30-2008, 10:59 PM   #12
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As a regular US consumer, you cannot permanently import a 130i legally without getting it on the list of approved non-conforming vehicles for import. It currently is not on this list of non-conforming cars that are approved for import:

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/...elig050108.pdf

The only way to get it approved would be to have either the manufacturer or a Registered Importer get the car approved. You cannot do the work yourself, even if you did swap out every single part required to make it meet all US regulations (unless you became a Registered Importer yourself).

You would have to find someone on this list of approved Registered Importers who would be willing to do it for you. (You are looking for those on the list with a "2", "3", AND a "10" in the business interest field.)

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/...list120508.pdf

Finding somebody on this list is your one and ONLY option for permanently legally importing a 130i 3 or 5 door for your personal use on US streets.

BMW Mexico is not a Registered US Importer, and cannot help you. They might as well be BMW Mars for all the good they would do in helping you import a 130i into the US.

Realisticly, it will never happen. You will not be able to import a 130i 3 or 5 door unless/until BMW approves them for US import. There is no substantially similar car that BMW currently imports, so they would fall under the "VCP" category, and would require crash testing for it to be approved for import:

"Where there is no substantially similar U.S.-certified motor vehicle of the same model year, a vehicle can only be determined eligible for importation if its safety features comply with, or are capable of being altered to comply, with all applicable FMVSS based on destructive test information or other evidence NHTSA decides is adequate. See 49 U.S.C. § 30141(a)(1)(B)."

The expense is too high for what the car is. Nobody on the list of Registered Importers will do it unless you provide massive amounts of cash up-front, way way above and beyond the price of the car. Only 8 different vehicles have ever gotten "VCP" approval for import. That includes a bunch of MB G-wagen variants, Nissan Skylines, and Porsche GT2, etc.

It is a nearly hopeless case. Sorry.
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      12-30-2008, 11:21 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Helgeson View Post
I bet nobody would stop you from buying a 130i in Germany and bring it to the States. I guess the problem arises when you want to stick CA plates to it, just like mentioned above.
US Customs will stop you. The car will be stopped at the dock and it will sit in customs until one of the three things happens:

1) A Registered Importer puts down a bond equal to 150% of the price of the car -- in order to take the car, modify it, and get it on the list of cars approved for import. (You have to be a Registered Importer to do this.)
2) The vehicle is put back on a shipping container for confirmed exportation from the US.
3) The vehicle is dismantled and destroyed by an approved dismantling company.

Until one of these things happens, it will just sit in customs.

IF somehow it gets into the US by lying to Customs (Tijuana?), the vehicle will always be subject to impound. Even if you manage to legally license it in some state, it will always be subject to impound. A state licensing agency can't superceed the federal regulations on imports.
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      12-31-2008, 12:30 AM   #14
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It might actually be easier to buy a wrecked 128i, and have it repaired using hatchback body panels and interior that could be imported from Europe. This would be a hell of a lot of work, but a custom shop could do it. You would have quite the car. It would be a 128i hatchback.
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      12-31-2008, 02:12 AM   #15
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Nixon, problems when trying to stick CA plates to it (ultimate goal) was just another way of saying customs problems. :wink:

However, is it really that hopeless? After all, the construction is in essence the same as the coupé and the engine exists on the US market already, such as in the Z4 3.0si (although with slightly less hp output).

And, last but not least: obstacles are there to be torn down!
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      12-31-2008, 08:12 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Helgeson View Post
Nixon, problems when trying to stick CA plates to it (ultimate goal) was just another way of saying customs problems. :wink:

However, is it really that hopeless? After all, the construction is in essence the same as the coupé and the engine exists on the US market already, such as in the Z4 3.0si (although with slightly less hp output).

And, last but not least: obstacles are there to be torn down!
I don't think you really understand the difficulty in bringing a non certified car into North America. Both the US Government and BMW US will be non supportive. Unless BMW already have this on their 'to do' list for 2009 - it simply is not going to happen. The only way you can make this work would be to rebuild a 128i with body panels, doors etc imported from Europe or Mexico.
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      12-31-2008, 08:42 AM   #17
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It's like trying to fight city hall...

You could definitely get it in the country though. A Mexican citizen with the correct papers can drive their car across the border - I see the plates every so often... It's certainly possible while they were here that they might "accidentally" sell it to someone. :wink:

The trick still would be to get it licensed in any state. My neighbor went through this once with a grey market cycle he wanted to buy. Somehow a fellow got it into the country and licensed because they screwed up on the description on the title or something. However, it was almost a certainly that upon transfer of that title to someone else that error would be noticed and the cycle would be non-licensible at the least or destroyed/deported at the worst.
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      12-31-2008, 09:13 AM   #18
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It sure sounds as the US bureaucracy sucks big time here... It is quite weird, given the mere fact that far crappier cars - in terms of emissions and safety - are sold in the US today.

Comparison: the new retro Mustang is not sold in Sweden, but I've seen several private imports on the roads. (Even a blue/white Shelby GT500 a few days ago! :w00t Heck, you could even spot an Infinity once in a while, although that brand has never ever been marketed here. As long as emissions are below thresholds, it usually works. There will be PLENTY of paper work and extra expenses, though. But it is doable in the majority of cases.

But what the heck, I like Marine4's passion (and good taste!) anyway!
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      12-31-2008, 09:30 AM   #19
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I personally will donate a pair of front floor mats to the first person (US Citizen, residing and working in the USA, not employed or associated with BMW USA, BMW NA or any BMW Dealer) who sucessfully imports a new Euro model BMW 130i Hatchback into the US, and is allowed to license and insure it for use in any one of the 50 States. This offer will remain in good standing until BMW USA or BMW NA indicates that they intend to produce the hatchback for North America. Proof must be provided, ie - bill of sale, bill of lading, US Customs paperwork, etc.

Note - the Miniature doesn't count.
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      12-31-2008, 01:03 PM   #20
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+1 for Canada. When the lease on the wife's 135 expires, they better have it in Canada! The vert stays
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      12-31-2008, 05:01 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Helgeson View Post
Nixon, problems when trying to stick CA plates to it (ultimate goal) was just another way of saying customs problems. :wink:

However, is it really that hopeless? After all, the construction is in essence the same as the coupé and the engine exists on the US market already, such as in the Z4 3.0si (although with slightly less hp output).

And, last but not least: obstacles are there to be torn down!
The construction may in essence be quite like engines and bodies already imported, but that is not enough to meet the legal standard for the VSP category. Basically the vehicle has to so close to being identical to a single entire vehicle that is already certified, that just swapping out some bolt-on parts will bring the car into compliance.

The 3 and 5 door frame/body has not been crash tested, and since it isn't the same frame/body as the coupe that has already been tested, it would have to be crash tested. Just the frame/body alone disqualifies it for getting it accepted under the VSP requirements (the category that doesn't require crash testing).

Sure, even this barrior could be torn down. If somebody wants to pay for the crash testing that would be required..... Registered Importers won't upfront that kind of money. Especially since BMW could wait until they crashed all the cars, and got approval, and then just announce that BMW were now importing it and completely wipe out ALL of the RI's investment. That happened with the Smart Car. An RI named ZAP dumped hundreds of millions into getting the Smart Car on the list, then MB came in and completely undercut them. They tried to sue MB to recoup the money they spent, and lost.

http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/for...t-latest-3957/

So yea, it's pretty hopeless. Believe me, I would LOVE for that not to be the case. I personally desperately want to import a Grey Market 123d coupe, but I know it will never happen either.
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      12-31-2008, 05:03 PM   #22
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Nixon, does this mean I am not on the hook for a pair of floor mats?
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