Wife has an EU-spec (is there such ) MY2005 Prius, purchased as new in Hungary. As we are moving to VA this summer (and the car has only 15k) it seems like a good idea to take it with us. Has anyone had any experience with importing a Prius into the US? Are there any concerns? (I know that we could just use it with the hungarian license plate but would be pulled over all the time for that ) I guess that customs and DMV are involved in the process ("naturalizing" the car)?!
I do not think this is a practical idea as the European Prius does not have the same emissions equipment as US Prius. The European Prius is priced much higher than a US Prius with comparable equipment. It would be better to sell the Euro Prius there, then buy a US Prius when you arrive in Virginia. Good luck with your move. http://foreignborn.com/visas_imm/entering_us/7importingyourcar.htm#safety
Thanks - didn't know that EU Prii are non-US-compatible... I guess the same applies to my custom-built Porsche Ok, not to hijack my own thread: half of my family is living in VA, and actually love that specific area (Lake Barcroft and Mantua).
BTW, your EU Prius has height adjustable front seats, right? If you do manage to import the EU Prius to Virginia, there are probably tens or hundreds of PriusChatters here that would love to swap out their front seats with yours: http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-main-forum/42015-seat-height-obvious-flaw-otherwise-great-car.html http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-m...i-ve-got-height-adjustable-driver-s-seat.html
Whoa! US-spec Prius driver seats are non height-adjustable?! WT?!* Wife (5") keeps it in the uppermost position while I (6") always lower it to the lowest one... May have to think again about having a US Prius
The North American Prius has a fuel tank bladder and an engine coolant heat recovery system. Both of those features are not found in Prius shipped to other regions. The European Prius has rear disc brakes while the US and Japan domestic market Prius have rear drum brakes. Does your Prius have side airbags located in the front seats as well as curtain airbags for both the front and rear passengers? This is a standard US safety feature. Your Prius may have other minor equipment differences regarding headlights, the FM tuner, nav system, speedometer/odometer display in kilometers vs miles, etc. US Toyota dealers have enough trouble repairing the NA Prius when thorny issues come up. Imagine what would happen if you drove up in a Prius that had different equipment installed.
Well, that's a perfectly good reason. Sorry if I was a little too cheeky. To put the thread back on topic, too bad you couldn't bring the adjustable seats and disc brakes, isn't it? I think, judging by the differences, you may have trouble bringing your car with you. Getting it registered and meeting different emission regulations could be quite expensive and time-consuming. Besides, if you can get a good price there, you're probably better off to sell it and buy another here.
You could bring over a significant part of the vehicle as a kit car. To do so you have to remove the engine and drive train. Once in the USofA you install an in-country drive train. You are the importer -- hire a customs agent. You become the vehicle builder and you have to prove that the vehicle meets all applicable EPA and NHTSA requirements (who dat? Nat'l Highway Traffic Safety Admin.) applicable to the year of the engine manufacture to whoever the approving authority is in your state -- in VA it's the Highway Patrol, a fun bunch of fellows to deal with. You even get special VINs. Of course you have to grind off the old one's. Good luck on subsequent resale. In this world, the word "warranty" simply doesn't exist. BTW, if US customs has a problem with your "kit" at the port/time of entry you will be given about 7 days to do 1 of 2 things: get it out of the counrty, or send it to the crusher --pictures and a certificate required as proof. There are no other options. 25 years ago this wasn't a big deal, I did it. But the Prius? OMG what a PITA! The gas tank and the HV battery are probably part of the drive train and then there's the matter of computer compatibility -- I think there are 6 or 8 -- and on and on. ( Hint: If you have to buy a wrecked Prius to get just the engine/"drive train," get separate bills of sale for just the parts you need, and another one for everything else. Otherwise you run into a tricky problem of "separability.") Are you sure you want to do this? Go to a junk yard and get a set of adjustable seats. Importing those shouldn't be a problem. They be "parts," and parts is parts, no problemo. Hope this helps. (He walks away shaking his head and muttering; "A Prius? A PRIUS? Jesus, Mary, and Saint Patrick, What is the man thinking?")
There are a lot of us U.S. Mail rural carriers who would love to have a right-hand drive Prius! Someone out there want to start a new business... importing and modifying the EU model to be legal here?
