Rs-4 Avant

[WEEDER]

Sorry ahead of time if anybody esle has posted this question before. But I am wondering if anybody here has ever tried to bring a car over from the UK, and if so what problems have you ran into? I am getting sick of them just getting the cool sh**. I want what they are having.

[iconoclast]

heres the first step:

http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-IMPA...-27/i19118.htm

[SoCalS4Avant]

I'm sick of it myself Weeder, but without spending loads of cash, I'm not sure there's much we can do.

Check out this thread in Avants only. There was details in there about a decision by the National Highway Safety Administration allowing certain year RS4 Avants into the US because it was determined they were similar enough to cars already here. Why don't you try and get them to make the same decision about newer ones as well!?

Here's the link: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=219905

Here's the link to the National Highway Saftey Adminstration decision: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/E6-3233.htm

[WEEDER]

I will spend the cash. If there is a will there is a way.

[SoCalS4Avant]

I will spend the cash. If there is a will there is a way.

Well, having seen what's in your garage - I'd say go for it buddy. And give me a ride when you bring it over!

[enigma1406]

Might as well get an RS6 as well.

[RAudi Driver]

I will spend the cash. If there is a will there is a way.

I don't think that you can afford it Weeder.

[aaaudiprotein]

^^^ LOL
It is possible as long as u willing to pay that much.

[Tiesto]

I've seen a kid driving around in a Skyline with the steering wheel on the wrong side, exactly how expensive is it?

[Bu11dogg2]

You're better off purchasing it from a company that specializes in the foriegn auto business.

Either that or get someone in the military in Germany to purchase one for you and have it shipped back.

[DGS4]

I've seen a kid driving around in a Skyline with the steering wheel on the wrong side, exactly how expensive is it?

If its a Blue R33 with White TE37's thats my friend John's car. The car cost him roughly $65 grand legalized and it was a R-Spec drivers edition with onboard computer.

I have thought about this several times, But just the process to make the car legal to be driven here seems too tedious and expensive for it to be worth it.

[SuperAvant]

Isnt the only reason it is prevented from importation is the battery location?

[DGS4]

Isnt the only reason it is prevented from importation is the battery location?

Theres alot more to that. It gets tricky from the most extensive emission regulations conformed to US spec all the way down to the turn signals of the car.

[Dodge2Dub]

I will spend the cash. If there is a will there is a way.

Last time that I was in London I spoke to the folks at Audi Forum just down from Picadilly Square about doing this. They said that they regularly export cars around Europe and occasionally to the states and that it wouldn't be a problem. They quoted me a price, but for the life of me I don't remember it now. Give them a call...they may still have options.

Audi Forum
74-75 Piccadilly
London, W1J 8HU, United Kingdom
+44 20 73182222‎

[PSYC0TIC ONE]

You're better off purchasing it from a company that specializes in the foriegn auto business.

Either that or get someone in the military in Germany to purchase one for you and have it shipped back.

not quite that simple, i wish it was otherwise i would have brought the skyline I had in japan to the states... nothing special just an R33 with an RB25DE, non turbo... still a great car

[Liam@TheGallery]

B7 RS4 Avant will be very expensive and not admissable under the similar vehicle guidelines for importation. Because the battery is located in what wold be a spare tire well inside the rear of the car, it cannot conform to NHTSA crash test rules. You would have to modify the battery location and electrical system, then provide - iirc - 5 additional vehicles to be crash tested for conformity. The cost to do so is approx $1.4m per car in addition to the cost of the vehicle and the modifications.

[RAudi Driver]

B7 RS4 Avant will be very expensive and not admissable under the similar vehicle guidelines for importation. Because the battery is located in what wold be a spare tire well inside the rear of the car, it cannot conform to NHTSA crash test rules. You would have to modify the battery location and electrical system, then provide - iirc - 5 additional vehicles to be crash tested for conformity. The cost to do so is approx $1.4m per car in addition to the cost of the vehicle and the modifications.

Wow, I was just kidding when I said that Weeder couldn't afford it.

[Auditude2.0T]

You can do it just alot of money.

[iconoclast]

Might as well get an RS6 as well.

theres already a road legal euro rs6 avant here in the US and its for sale... its in california... iirc hes asking 70k...

B7 RS4 Avant will be very expensive and not admissable under the similar vehicle guidelines for importation. Because the battery is located in what wold be a spare tire well inside the rear of the car, it cannot conform to NHTSA crash test rules.

how is this any different than my e39 m5 which has the battery located in the same spot??? (im not arguing with you on the facts, thats exactly what i heard as well... i am just curious why the e39 m5 gets a clean bill of health and a pass but the b7 rs4 avant does not...)

[RAudi Driver]

It went through safety testing.

[Auditude2.0T]

b/c its a wagon the battery is in the passenger compartment.

[Liam@TheGallery]

theres already a road legal euro rs6 avant here in the US and its for sale... its in california... iirc hes asking 70k...



how is this any different than my e39 m5 which has the battery located in the same spot??? (im not arguing with you on the facts, thats exactly what i heard as well... i am just curious why the e39 m5 gets a clean bill of health and a pass but the b7 rs4 avant does not...)

Because the battery in your M5 (just like the RS4 sedan and Conv) is in the trunk, not in the passenger compartment where is can become an extremely heavy projectile in an accident.

These posts come up often on forums and the majority of the replies are filled with incorrect information and generally with the connotation of if you have the money anything is impossible. Well, I've imported a few cars in the past and it's not easy, very expensive and if you attempt to bend the rules, you will see some hard times ahead. Questionable RI's (registered importers) have spent time in prision, faced heavy fines and customers have lost significant amounts of money and the cars. Look at the fiasco with Motorex and the Skylines. A fool and his money are soon departed if you try to import a B7 RS4 Avant.

[Auditude2.0T]

Because the battery in your M5 (just like the RS4 sedan and Conv) is in the trunk, not in the passenger compartment where is can become an extremely heavy projectile in an accident.

These posts come up often on forums and the majority of the replies are filled with incorrect information and generally with the connotation of if you have the money anything is impossible. Well, I've imported a few cars in the past and it's not easy, very expensive and if you attempt to bend the rules, you will see some hard times ahead. Questionable RI's (registered importers) have spent time in prision, faced heavy fines and customers have lost significant amounts of money and the cars. Look at the fiasco with Motorex and the Skylines. A fool and his money are soon departed if you try to import a B7 RS4 Avant.

thats exactly what i wrote above:)

[iconoclast]

Because the battery in your M5 (just like the RS4 sedan and Conv) is in the trunk, not in the passenger compartment where is can become an extremely heavy projectile in an accident.

These posts come up often on forums and the majority of the replies are filled with incorrect information and generally with the connotation of if you have the money anything is impossible. Well, I've imported a few cars in the past and it's not easy, very expensive and if you attempt to bend the rules, you will see some hard times ahead. Questionable RI's (registered importers) have spent time in prision, faced heavy fines and customers have lost significant amounts of money and the cars. Look at the fiasco with Motorex and the Skylines. A fool and his money are soon departed if you try to import a B7 RS4 Avant.

so basically the laws of gravity and inertia are different in europe than in the US, lol. either way i may have dreamt this but wasnt the battery located under the rear passenger seat on e34 or on a few merc models? i forget which but i recall back in the late 80s or early 90s some german car had it there...

either way you have a very good point, it may not be worth the time and energy to even do this if the end result is 7x the vehicles actual worth or could result in jail time...

here is the euro rs6 advert:

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...8&rdpage=thumb


^wow, longest url ever.

[Liam@TheGallery]

so basically the laws of gravity and inertia are different in europe than in the US, lol. either way i may have dreamt this but wasnt the battery located under the rear passenger seat??? or on merc, i forget which but i recall back in the late 80s or early 90s some german car had it there...

NHTSA has some strict regulations and passenger compartment safety is one of the stricter areas. For example, when a manufacturer is certifying a model for the US, each interior material must be crash tested. Every seat, dash, trim, seat belt, and headliner item has to be crash tested in a car. This is one reason why the RS4 does not have Alcantara, Audi Exclusive is limited to certain cars that have certain types of leather and the main reason why the ala carte interior options on Porsches are so costly.

[akasch]

Buy a yacht, sail it to Europe, hide the car in its garage, and sail it back to the states

[Tiesto]

Buy a yacht, sail it to Europe, hide the car in its garage, and sail it back to the states

A yacht with a garage...Got any pics?

[skunkoncrunk]

Get the B5 RS4. You already have a B7.

[d.p]

Why would you want one from England? RHD over there, get one from mainland Europe, Germany or someplace that drive on the same side as we do.

[iconoclast]

NHTSA has some strict regulations and passenger compartment safety is one of the stricter areas. For example, when a manufacturer is certifying a model for the US, each interior material must be crash tested. Every seat, dash, trim, seat belt, and headliner item has to be crash tested in a car. This is one reason why the RS4 does not have Alcantara, Audi Exclusive is limited to certain cars that have certain types of leather and the main reason why the ala carte interior options on Porsches are so costly.

gotcha... makes sense in a way. thanks for the insight/info.

[Maverick]

you could rent a air craft carrier for 3 days and transport as many cars as you want. haha, joking aside. I am really sick of why we get the "down-graded" cars(exterior/interior/HP/Torque).
America has some very strange safe regulations that I just don't understand.

[DGS4]

Look at the fiasco with Motorex and the Skylines. A fool and his money are soon departed if you try to import a B7 RS4 Avant.

The guy from Motorex had his warehouse/shop seized, all his cars were seized and crushed. There was an aerial picture some time ago of about 10-20 skylines stacked up on its sides like dominos waiting for the crusher.

Also if you roam around the Skyline forums, Alot of people who bought Skylines from other importers also including Motorex during a certain time period were having their cars (already paid for and registered) seized and crushed without reinbursement.

IIRC the owner of Motorex is doing or will be doing a stint in Federal prison for a long time for this.

[d.p]

He is in Federal Prison for kidnapping isnt he? Not so much the illegal imporation of cars.

[SPhwoarr]

When you look at a US spec vehicle vs a Euro spec vehicle, there are numerous subtle differences below the surface in addition to the obvious ones. These arise not because manufacturers like to localize their product, but rather to satisfy local legal requirements (e.g. DOT requirements).

As already mentioned in this thread DOT mandates that all changes to a vehicle (even minor interior options) require a full testing process and approval. This is the main reason why US spec cars have a limited number of option packages whereas you can order a Euro spec vehicle and change anything you want.

I looked into DOT certifying my Sweden bought 99.5 A4 when i moved back to the US. I can't remember the details but it was something like 2x the sticker price and several months of modifications. It is a quagmire consisting of 50% safety and 50% bureaucracy.

Finally, you will have a hell of a time getting Audi to honor the warranty. Hate to be a downer but it looks like it is close to impossible. When I moved back to the US I realized I had to give up on having an RS4 Avant. What makes it even harder is that I have two friends in London who taunt me about their RS4 Avants that they happily park on the street every night! Bastards! I keep telling them their cars belong in my LA garage where they would be taken care of properly.

[DGS4]

He is in Federal Prison for kidnapping isnt he? Not so much the illegal imporation of cars.

He was sent to jail for Fraud and Car theft along with kidnapping.