How To Register A Grey Market Car In California

Warranty return or lemon law buyback.

How to register a grey market car in california. Releasing it from the port is a long task and registering it with the dmv is no picnic. Buying a car in a foreign country is hard transporting the car can be a challenge. How to import your gray market dream car in 3 easy steps. 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. Since it spent very little time in germany and the rest of it s life in so cal it s rust free.

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. They re the forbidden fruit of the car world. These vehicles have different smog check inspection requirements. 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. It s an original ca blue plate car imported into ca at the height of the gray market era shipped from the dealer in ge direct to the gray market importer in so cal i have original window sticker.

Registering the vehicle is straightforward. Grey market cars are illegally imported vehicles that don t meet u s. Safety and emissions standards. 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. A grey market vehicle i e direct import is not manufactured to meet u s.

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. Registering grey market car car in california post by expeditionimports mon may 11 2015 4 26 pm so far everyone lmtv we have had was completely legal for ca. Registering gray market cars are very problematic here in ca. If you live in california or hawaii the 25 year rule likely does not apply. I m just worried they re going to send me to a smog ref and i m going to be under the microscope.