How To Register A Gray Market Car In California
These vehicles have different smog check inspection requirements.
How to register a gray market car in california. Releasing it from the port is a long task and registering it with the dmv is no picnic. Safety and emissions standards. Since it spent very little time in germany and the rest of it s life in so cal it s rust free. Vehicles originally manufactured for sale and use outside the united states but which have been converted to meet federal and california safety and emissions standards. Since it s a post 1975 car it is required to have certain smog devices and a test to get registered.
Vehicles which have been returned to the manufacturer under california s lemon law. That means i m shafted with little chance other than historical vehicale registration. They re the forbidden fruit of the car world. When i purchased 9193 i was unaware of grey market cars and how ca. All grey market vehicle inspections are only performed at the wethersfield inspection lane.
Even that s a big maybe. If you live in california or hawaii the 25 year rule likely does not apply. Talk about a sucker punch that i didn t see coming. Buying a car in a foreign country is hard transporting the car can be a challenge. A temporary registration may be issued at that time so that the vehicle can be presented for a safety inspection at a connecticut dmv inspection lane and an emissions inspection at a connecticut emissions station.
A grey market vehicle i e direct import is not manufactured to meet u s. Views them regarding smog and registration. How to import your gray market dream car in 3 easy steps. I m just worried they re going to send me to a smog ref and i m going to be under the microscope. I tried to register it at the auto club today but when it came up as a grey market car the said it needed a dmv managers code and they told me i have to go into the dmv to complete registration.
Direct import or gray market vehicles are vehicles that were manufactured outside the united states for which the original manufacturer did not obtain california or federal certification. Registering the vehicle is straightforward. The epa normally covers direct import vehicles under the ici program but if a vehicle is going to be registered in california it needs to meet the. Federal motor vehicle safety standards and or california emissions standards and is not intended by the manufacturer to be used or sold in the u s.