166 from italy expert advice

francz · #1 (**permalink**) 10-07-2006, 06:19 AM

Hello,
I have a family member in italy that wants to sell a 166 turbo gas '00 doe's anyone have any legal information on what I need to register this in Massachusetts? I.E emission papers title translations, and any expert knows if this car meets mass requirements?

MrT · #2 (**permalink**) 10-07-2006, 10:46 AM

You'll probably get more knowledgeable replies soon, but the basic info I have says -- "No way." Cars not regularly imported into the US, the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, can't be imported by individuals because of DoT and EPA regulations. Crashworthiness and emissions testing and cetification is mind-bogglingly expensive. Never mind all of the older vehicles still on the road that don't meet the requirements. They don't count. "It says so, right here." They were "grandfathered" into the system, as the expression goes. Anything dated from after the regs were adopted must justify its existence here in the good old USofA. At least if you are a vehicle and want to be run on the public roads. Unlicensed drivers are another matter entirely. How's that for schizophrenic enforcement of the rules?

**elite38868** · #3 (**permalink**) 10-07-2006, 03:45 PM

I've heard of someone taking their car to England to get the special bumpers that the US requires as well as smog equipment and then it was okay. Use the search function and it will probably be over there. If you do decide to do this, get the 166 (if you can even find it) with the big V6 and bring that over here. No point in bringing a 4 banger turbo...

81GTV6@work · #4 (**permalink**) 10-07-2006, 08:53 PM

If you want to ship it to mexico and drive it back to Mass then you will be all set till Customs gets to you. If you know someone at some port then you can get it in under the table, but there is no way you will get this in legally.

Hit an Apex · #5 (**permalink**) 10-07-2006, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 81GTV6@work

If you want to ship it to mexico and drive it back to Mass then you will be all set till Customs gets to you. If you know someone at some port then you can get it in under the table, but there is no way you will get this in legally.

81gtv6 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-09-2006, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hit an Apex

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

DanW · #7 (**permalink**) 10-09-2006, 10:15 PM

You cannot register non-DOT cars in MA without running a few into a brick wall a.k.a crash testing. In all seriousness, the only way I know of to bring in a truly foreign car for registration is to meld it into a salvage car. I was thinking of buying a Nissan Skyline and registering it under the system used when the "grey (or gray) market" existed in the 1980s. No dice. Thus, the Skyline would've been perpetually known as in Infinity.