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DIY: How to Import an E30 Touring

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    #76
    Prices have really gone up. I paid 1300 Euro from B-haven to B-more. I did work with an American Lamprect on the shipping and the port service. I never went to the port. They handled everything. I paid almost $1900 on the service, fees, and import duties duties to get it out of port. It was also well worth the cost to pay an agent in Germany (800 Euro) who looked it over, handled the purchase, paperwork, insurance, and transport to the port. Shipping by truck to Chicago cost more than the liner across the Atlantic.

    For anyone thinking about it, now is the time to import a good Touring. They will be all scooped up very soon and I suspect that they will be quite expensive soon. Remember, there weren't that many to begin with (103,704 out of 2,344,341) and they were used constantly. I wonder how many lower km not rotten Tourings there are left in the world. My agent, Jens Richter, bought two more violet 93-94s after shipping mine to me. One had rust and missing Euroweaves and the other had 300k km and a worn interior. He sold them both in one day for nearly as much as I paid for my 70k km car with no issues at all.

    By the end of August I will be tooling around Chicago and southern Wisconsin with my professionally installed m52b28 too!

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      #77
      Originally posted by twright View Post

      I was told by the shipping company that the HS7 and EPA forms are now filled out electronically and would not give me a copy. I filled them out myself and didn't have a problem.
      They have been filed electronically for probably 20 years, but there is also a paper copy somewhere, which may be required to move cargo from the secure side of the port to a storage area that can have cargo exit. That said, if you had good luck without stamps that's awesome, but when I physically looked at the MD MVA employees checklist for documents it specifically specified a customs stamp on the doc. Clearly this may have changed for my state, or not be part of the process for others.

      Just remember, shippers are not set up for cheapskates who might want to clear their own car through customs, and they would much rather have you pay them more for the service.

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        #78
        Originally posted by roguetoaster View Post

        They have been filed electronically for probably 20 years, but there is also a paper copy somewhere, which may be required to move cargo from the secure side of the port to a storage area that can have cargo exit. That said, if you had good luck without stamps that's awesome, but when I physically looked at the MD MVA employees checklist for documents it specifically specified a customs stamp on the doc. Clearly this may have changed for my state, or not be part of the process for others.

        Just remember, shippers are not set up for cheapskates who might want to clear their own car through customs, and they would much rather have you pay them more for the service.
        I begged both the shipping company and Ivo for the EPA and DOT paperwork. They both said they don't do that anymore.

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          #79
          Hmm, Ivo wouldn'tbe able to get those forms since they are filed by the importer, and yes, I was stonewalled by my first shipper when I asked, but when I asked their listed importer the documents appeared.

          I also see the following or similar on three or four states fairly current requirements list for importation.

          "The following U.S. Customs and Border Protection forms with the Customs stamp, electronic signature or ACE document(s)"

          Presumably there is still a way to get a physical copy or some other type of approval document to go along with it if a state wants to be difficult about it.

          Whatever the case, do as your individual state allows, and once it's titled in the US it's probably fairly safe.

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            #80
            Originally posted by roguetoaster View Post
            Hmm, Ivo wouldn'tbe able to get those forms since they are filed by the importer, and yes, I was stonewalled by my first shipper when I asked, but when I asked their listed importer the documents appeared.

            I also see the following or similar on three or four states fairly current requirements list for importation.

            "The following U.S. Customs and Border Protection forms with the Customs stamp, electronic signature or ACE document(s)"

            Presumably there is still a way to get a physical copy or some other type of approval document to go along with it if a state wants to be difficult about it.

            Whatever the case, do as your individual state allows, and once it's titled in the US it's probably fairly safe.
            What's an "ACE document"?

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              #81
              I was just quoted $2280 for shipping from Zeebruge Belgium to Tacoma, not too bad. I’ve got a recommended guy working on getting one for me right now. Red, 75k mile design edition 316. Finger’s crossed that the car is as advertised when my guy goes to check it out. If it is it should be on a boat for the states by mid Sept.

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                #82
                Originally posted by twright View Post

                What's an "ACE document"?
                Your search engine provided answer is as good as mine, but: "The Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) is the system through which the trade community reports imports and exports and the government determines admissibility."

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