Is it legal to purchase a Volkswagen in mexico and import it to the US?

Question

THey have made classic vw's in mexico for far longer than they did here, can i legally import one?

Answer 1

The Mexican VW's do not meet the US DOT requirements. Therefore a lot of work would have to be done to the car in order to import it. Things like the glass, door side guard protection, bumpers, lights, etc all have to be DOT certified. The smog requirement is an additional hurdle the state requires.

Answer 2

The reason why VW stopped selling the Beetle in the US was that they really couldn't get it to meet emission standards, safety standards, and other imports made the car basically outdated. So, the big issues you'll have to get around are the safety and emission laws which the car isn't going to pass no matter what you try. Now on the vw the floor pan section (where you'll find one of the VIN numbers) can be removed and replaced making the car much older at least on paper. So, you can take a 2000 put it on a 1969 pan and title it as a 1969 and you only have to meet the standards of 1969. As well it you do this correctly it'll basically have no negative effect on the car. Now are all Mexican beetles in the US converted this way? No, it's the DMV and there are tons of loopholes and grey areas out there.

As well there are Mexican beetles all ready in the states, so you may want buy one that someone else has all ready completed all the paper work on and save yourself the headache. Which is what I would do and I had looked at doing in the past. Anyways check out the link below and really read up on the topic. It can be be done, but if your just looking the easiest and cheapest way to get a beetle this may not be it.

Good Luck

Answer 3

I have worked on a couple of Mexico built V W in the past. The motors dont have the smog additions we need here to register them. That is your main concern. As far as the rest of the car goes, these bugs are made up of alot of different years. The most noticable thing about them is the body is built to be either a convertable or a hard top. It has the reinforcing and gussets built into the chassis and body for a convertable along with the heavier and taller doors.
The tail lights are from the earlier bugs too. And the motor is what some call an industrial motor. Some parts would be very hard to find in the US. And they just dont feel like a bug built in Germany.

Answer 4

Not really. The most common way of doing this is to purchase a late model air cooled Beetle in Mexico, bring it into the country completely dissembled, and then reassemble it on a refurbished pan from a legal US spec Beetle. You then have to title it as an earlier car. of course, that's not exactly legal either... More like punching loopholes through the law.

There are peole who have successfully brought one in from south of the border and gotten it titled and registered, but the cost for fees, waivers and bribes are huge.

Answer 5

major hassles , need to change glass upgrade a lot of safety stuff and pass emissions ( very difficult for a air cooled car ) and I've heard the mex. beetles have no heater channels.

Answer 6

Import it as scrap!!!! When it's scrap you don't have to worry about all those BS US regs.

I sell harley Parts to Europe all the time we open the packiging and label it as scrap, the don't have to pay any import tariff (up to 300%) or value added tax (80%) like they would have to for new parts.

Answer 7

Yes but find out about extra charges and the pollution requirements.

Answer 8

Yes. It will have to pass safety and emissions to be licensed though.
Just pour some SeafoamTM in the gas tank....:)

Answer 9

Yes you can import one but it has to meet your states requirements for emissions.

Answer 10

Yes, you can. Have fun with Customs! It shouldn't take more than a few thousand dollars.