Import car to the US

[AandB 3]

Ok... Here is my problem:

I received my compliance letter from my manufacturer... It says: The vehicule is compliant with all United States Federal Motor Vehicule Safety Standards (FMVSS), except regulation 208FMVSS, the vehicule is not equipped with a passenger side airbag.

so what i understand here, is that i have to call the NHTSA to know if my car can be elligible to import, and i might need to sign a contract with a DOT RI in the US to modify my car so it can meet the requirements. However.... Is it possible to add a passenger side airbag to a car that doesn't have one at all??? And my car might not be elligible at all for import?

Ok i know i can wait until tomorrow and call and everything but i'm getting really pissed right now, as my fiancé already bought his one-way flight to come here so we can move to Dallas with my car. AND, the women NEVER told me anything about that, and i called 4 times because i had problems getting the letter (the first one wasn't delivered, then there was a mistake in my name, etc..)

Does anyone know something that could help me and let me sleep in peace, or in kind of peace, tonight?

[lilacvioletiris 11]

Ok... Here is my problem:

I received my compliance letter from my manufacturer... It says: The vehicule is compliant with all United States Federal Motor Vehicule Safety Standards (FMVSS), except regulation 208FMVSS, the vehicule is not equipped with a passenger side airbag.

so what i understand here, is that i have to call the NHTSA to know if my car can be elligible to import, and i might need to sign a contract with a DOT RI in the US to modify my car so it can meet the requirements. However.... Is it possible to add a passenger side airbag to a car that doesn't have one at all??? And my car might not be elligible at all for import?

Ok i know i can wait until tomorrow and call and everything but i'm getting really pissed right now, as my fiancé already bought his one-way flight to come here so we can move to Dallas with my car. AND, the women NEVER told me anything about that, and i called 4 times because i had problems getting the letter (the first one wasn't delivered, then there was a mistake in my name, etc..)

Does anyone know something that could help me and let me sleep in peace, or in kind of peace, tonight?

I would suggest you call the location that will be your point of entry and talk to a person their about the import. I know Beth & John (another couple where the John came from Vancouver) had the wrong letter, but then subsequently found out that because there was no airbag in the car (because it predates the airbags existance) it cannot be imported. Do you know what land entry POE you are going to go through?

[Brenda2010 1]

Wow, now this is something I did not expect! Admire your dilligence...I plan on taking my 1994 Mazda Precidia down...it doesn't even have power windows, never mind air bags!

That seems a bit extreme that they won't allow cars in that pre-date airbags - craziness - I'm sure there's a gazillion of them being driven around the states.

Has anyone had a positive/no hassle experience they care to share?

[AandB 3]

I called the manufacturer and it cost a lot of money and time to add air bags to the passenger seat. And if i import it before doing it through a Registered Importer, it's even more expensive. So i finally decided to sell my car!!!

I just booked a one-way flight for me and my fiancé to Dallas, direct flight, very cheap i was very surprised, so i can carry my dog with me since she's very small (10 lbs). And with American airlines it's possible to carry her on the plane.

So after stressing so much about all this yesterday, i finally have good news and i can still plan my move

I definitly suggest to everybody to MAKE SURE BEFORE DOING ANY PLANS that their car can be imported, and at what cost (modifying the car can be very expensive!)

I'm glad i found a backup plan that fast... !

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I called the manufacturer and it cost a lot of money and time to add air bags to the passenger seat. And if i import it before doing it through a Registered Importer, it's even more expensive. So i finally decided to sell my car!!!

I just booked a one-way flight for me and my fiancé to Dallas, direct flight, very cheap i was very surprised, so i can carry my dog with me since she's very small (10 lbs). And with American airlines it's possible to carry her on the plane.

So after stressing so much about all this yesterday, i finally have good news and i can still plan my move

I definitly suggest to everybody to MAKE SURE BEFORE DOING ANY PLANS that their car can be imported, and at what cost (modifying the car can be very expensive!)

I'm glad i found a backup plan that fast... !

This is my experience as well. My car in Canada needed to have a passenger side airbag to get the compliance letter, and it didn't. When I investigated the cost it was more than the car was worth! So, regretfully, I ended up selling my car instead before I moved. I sold it to a friend for what was still owed on it so that worked out well, but for a while there it looked like I wasn't going to be able to sell it before I moved.

Good luck with your move- and I'm glad you're bringing your dog with you on the flight.