Cautionary Tale: Make SURE you can import your car!

[lyndsayjo 2]

Here's my warning to you VJers planning to drive your car into the US!

I knew that I had 6 months to import my car to the USA, so I didn't sweat researching the import process much before I left. I spent so much time on everything else, I thought I'd take a bit of a break from it all. Boy, has it come back to bite me.

My little 2007 Chevy Optra got us down to LA, and the Customs officials had no problem with me saying "I've got 6 months to import it, so I'm going to take care of that when we're more settled in."

Well, three weeks later the head gasket blew on it. Coolant burning, pulling off the freeway, TONS of smoke. The car is toast, and that's a bummer. So I figure - no problem. I'll import the car and we'll junk it.

The Optra was never sold in the USA! So the result is that it doesn't meet safety standards, and there's no part available to bring it up to US safety standards. We spent 2 hours at a GM dealership to confirm that no part was ever made that would fix the problem. The problem, you ask? The passenger airbag light on my car is a little symbol. In USA, it has to have words instead.

All of my research now says that my only option now is to destroy the car. It can't be sold or donated to anyone. I can't transfer the title to anybody in the US, and I can't import it.

When I called customs to ask how I get a car destroyed to stay legal with them, all I got was incredibly rude treatment and no answers! I'm stuck with a car sitting in my mechanic's parking lot because I didn't do my research ahead of time.

Don't be a bonehead like I was - make sure your car can come into the USA!

And if you've been in a similar situation and know what I should do with my car... I'm all ears

[msbau764 245]

Here's my warning to you VJers planning to drive your car into the US!

I knew that I had 6 months to import my car to the USA, so I didn't sweat researching the import process much before I left. I spent so much time on everything else, I thought I'd take a bit of a break from it all. Boy, has it come back to bite me.

My little 2007 Chevy Optra got us down to LA, and the Customs officials had no problem with me saying "I've got 6 months to import it, so I'm going to take care of that when we're more settled in."

Well, three weeks later the head gasket blew on it. Coolant burning, pulling off the freeway, TONS of smoke. The car is toast, and that's a bummer. So I figure - no problem. I'll import the car and we'll junk it.

The Optra was never sold in the USA! So the result is that it doesn't meet safety standards, and there's no part available to bring it up to US safety standards. We spent 2 hours at a GM dealership to confirm that no part was ever made that would fix the problem. The problem, you ask? The passenger airbag light on my car is a little symbol. In USA, it has to have words instead.

All of my research now says that my only option now is to destroy the car. It can't be sold or donated to anyone. I can't transfer the title to anybody in the US, and I can't import it.

When I called customs to ask how I get a car destroyed to stay legal with them, all I got was incredibly rude treatment and no answers! I'm stuck with a car sitting in my mechanic's parking lot because I didn't do my research ahead of time.

Don't be a bonehead like I was - make sure your car can come into the USA!

And if you've been in a similar situation and know what I should do with my car... I'm all ears

The other option is to sell your car in Canada and buy a used car with the proceeds in the US.

[ricnally 258]

Wow, I've never heard of an Optra. And it's a chevy that was was only for Canada and never produced in the US? hmm

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Hmm - I don't get it - you have to officially import it before sending it to the junkyard? Can't you just take it to the junkyard and get it crushed and be done?

[JohnR! 5,495]

I found something you may be interested in. The Optra was sold in the US under the Suzuki badge. If the car is salvageable and worth the expense check with your Suzuki dealership if you can bring it up to California code. At worst you may be able to get it repaired and drive it back to Canada where you may be able to sell it and not be completely out of pocket.

Good luck!

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/pictures/15-canadian-cars-you-cant-buy-in-the-us#slide-1

Chevrolet Optra

In China this car is called the Buick Excelle. In Korea it's the Daewoo Lacetti. And in Australia it's the Holden Viva. GM sold it in Canada from 2002 to 2008 but never in the U.S. Afterward it was replaced by the Chevy Cruze. The Optra was available as a wagon and a hatchback in addition to a four-door sedan and used a 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 119 hp. The similarly sized Chevrolet Cobalt, which was sold at the same time in the U.S., used a 2.2-liter four-cylinder that produced 145 hp, though the Optra was cheaper.

The Chevy Optra WAS sold in the U.S. as the Suzuki Forenza. I have one in my driveway. It may be the worst car ever made. I hope I don't die in that thing.....

Here's my warning to you VJers planning to drive your car into the US!

I knew that I had 6 months to import my car to the USA, so I didn't sweat researching the import process much before I left. I spent so much time on everything else, I thought I'd take a bit of a break from it all. Boy, has it come back to bite me.

My little 2007 Chevy Optra got us down to LA, and the Customs officials had no problem with me saying "I've got 6 months to import it, so I'm going to take care of that when we're more settled in."

Well, three weeks later the head gasket blew on it. Coolant burning, pulling off the freeway, TONS of smoke. The car is toast, and that's a bummer. So I figure - no problem. I'll import the car and we'll junk it.

The Optra was never sold in the USA! So the result is that it doesn't meet safety standards, and there's no part available to bring it up to US safety standards. We spent 2 hours at a GM dealership to confirm that no part was ever made that would fix the problem. The problem, you ask? The passenger airbag light on my car is a little symbol. In USA, it has to have words instead.

All of my research now says that my only option now is to destroy the car. It can't be sold or donated to anyone. I can't transfer the title to anybody in the US, and I can't import it.

When I called customs to ask how I get a car destroyed to stay legal with them, all I got was incredibly rude treatment and no answers! I'm stuck with a car sitting in my mechanic's parking lot because I didn't do my research ahead of time.

Don't be a bonehead like I was - make sure your car can come into the USA!

And if you've been in a similar situation and know what I should do with my car... I'm all ears

[lyndsayjo 2]

Hmm - I don't get it - you have to officially import it before sending it to the junkyard? Can't you just take it to the junkyard and get it crushed and be done?

That's right, it has to be imported first. No junkyard will take the car.

But in better news, the car was sold in Canada as a Suzuki Forenza, HUGE thanks to JohnR for finding it! I've hopefully ordered the part that will bring this saga to a close.

[floridaboundcanuk 7]

Wow, what an odd tale. Having imported a car myself (a ford), I highly recommend everyone just take the extra ten minutes and do it at the border. The guy there filled all of the paperwork out for me. After that I lucked out at the DMV, got a person who had no idea what to do with foreign cars and just plated me like a regular driver lol Saved a lot of tax. Unfortunately I get a lot of junk mail from this scam warranty place in Chicago (that I guess scans the VIN registry) now that looks like its a government notice, but wants me to buy an extended warranty. Be careful of those.

[lyndsayjo 2]

Wow, what an odd tale. Having imported a car myself (a ford), I highly recommend everyone just take the extra ten minutes and do it at the border. The guy there filled all of the paperwork out for me. After that I lucked out at the DMV, got a person who had no idea what to do with foreign cars and just plated me like a regular driver lol Saved a lot of tax. Unfortunately I get a lot of junk mail from this scam warranty place in Chicago (that I guess scans the VIN registry) now that looks like its a government notice, but wants me to buy an extended warranty. Be careful of those.

If you can do that, sure! The main difference that would've made in my case is my car could possibly have been denied entry at the border, though, for not being up to safety.