Another Touring import from Europe

[bmw325_num99]

While looking for a car to import from Japan, I made the mistake of looking at car classifieds sites in the UK. I say mistake because I was hoping to import something that I liked from Japan: something I was not in love with and could sell. My goal was to flip something and at least break even for the fun and experience of it.

Instead, I found a BMW 320i touring in fair condition selling for cheap. Well, I pulled the trigger on the BMW instead. I may sell it as planned and hope to break even or I may keep it.

The car has already been picked up, loaded onto a ferry and is bound for the USA. Wish me luck that it makes it across the ocean and through customs OK.

[LateFan]

What will your import fees, shipping, and broker costs be? I've read about $2500 to a western US port from Europe.

[bmw325_num99]

What will your import fees, shipping, and broker costs be? I've read about $2500 to a western US port from Europe.

Import fees: $220 (Est)
Shipping from Portsmouth to Baltimore + broker fee: $2500
Storage/cleaning/Transport from London to UK Port: $343

[LateFan]

Thanks!

[slammin.e28]

There's a nice thread over on Mye28 where the entire import procedure is documented to a T. Might want to check that out. Very interesting.

Nice score OP!

[ST1G]

There's a nice thread over on Mye28 where the entire import procedure is documented to a T. Might want to check that out. Very interesting.

Nice score OP!

Link to thread plz.


cook touring mate!

[slammin.e28]

Link to thread plz.


cook touring mate!

Purchasing a Vintage Car in Europe… Easier than you think.

Ivo over there is the man when it comes to bringing cars over. 3rd page has all the port of Baltimore pickup things and costs.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Interested to see how this goes please keep this updated with all the import details.

[animal]

Sweet - the 320 is still an i6 - right?
I may be interested in buying - got pics of the interior? Hopefully its a stripy cloth of some kind :)

[bmw325_num99]

Sweet - the 320 is still an i6 - right?
I may be interested in buying - got pics of the interior? Hopefully its a stripy cloth of some kind :)

Yep, it is an inline 6, just the smaller displacement M20. Sorry, no stripey-cloth interior. The car also has a lot of dents and dings which I may or may not fix up depending on if I keep it. It is rough but like I said it was cheap and the interior is in good shape. The touring as all of the goodies I associate with euro-models: smileys with city lights, euroweave wheels, headlamp washers, analog clock, headlamp level switch, rear foglamp, power front and manual rear windows (I assume). I am trying to decide which one of my e30s to keep...the coupe or this. Here are more pics of the touring.

[bmw325_num99]

I think the car is lachsilber so if anyone knows of a hood, fender and sunroof panel available around the mid-west let me know so I can put them to good use!

[bmw325_num99]

It has been too long since I updated this thread so here it goes:

The car arrived in NY in late January. The car made it through customs without a problem and the customs fees were only were only $180. Orchid Euro, who is handling the import process, picked up the car for me and trailered it back to their shop in Pottstown, PA.

On Feb 28, I went to go pick up the car with my understanding and very cool wife. We looked around at the amazing wheel assortment and the many interesting VWs the owner has and has imported.

We were glad to have spent the extra money for Orchid Euro to go through the car before we left and fix anything they found that was likely to cause a problem. They ended up repairing the radiator and plugging the tires (what I wanted them to do, rather than buy new components) so I can provide the car with permanent fixes back at home.
We loaded up the touring and set off.


[/IMG]http://i1353.photobucket.com/albums/q663/bmw325_num99/1989%20BMW%20320i%20Touring/20150228_104115_zpshh6npvir.jpg[/IMG]





And then finally, my Touring was waiting for me!!!!

[bmw325_num99]

Our plan was to make it to Cleveland that night for a mini-vacation (Hey, Cleveland date night does rock when you have a baby and never go out otherwise). The weather was perfect and the roads leaving Pottstown and on the PA turnpike were wonderful compared to the straight, flat boredom factories of the mid west.

After a night in Cleveland we set off. We knew the weather was going to be bad but I have never seen such epic front-slush on a car before. The way the ice and snow froze to the car was pretty cool I thought.

The best news is that we made it home OK. I took the car to the pressure wash place and got all up underneath the rockers, side skirts, fenders and rear apron and THEN took it through the touch free car wash. The rusty sunroof panel was leaking, hmm, better replace that. Incidently, you dont really think much about drive thrus until you drive a right hand drive car. My wife did much of the parking garage work at the hotel and the car wash required me to get out and walk around the car to pay.

[bmw325_num99]

As it stands now, my coupe is up for sale as I continue to work on the touring.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=349778

I will sell one of them but there is much to do on the touring before I consider it sale worthy. I was happy that the car had no structural rust anywhere and that the underside is very clean. Not only are the rockers and fenders clean, but the places where tourings specifically are known to rust (rear door sills, C pillar, bottom of rear hatch and rear hatch sill) are rot-free. Last night i sanded a new (used) sunroof panel for paint, installed a new (used) front lip (thanks Hexagone), took the exhaust manifolds off to work on the broken studs and fix an exhaust leak there. Pics are before I vacuumed the area of course. I have already ordered a cap/rotor, valve cover gasket and half moon set, spark plugs and timing belt kit (thanks Bimmerheads). I am still looking to order tires 15 inch tires for the euroweaves, spark plug wires, shift bushing rebuild kit, roundels, front bumper towhook cover, driveshaft guibo AND headlamp wiper blades. I havent decided if i will have the car paint or not nor have i investigated why the signal lights wont self-cancel. Other than that I have some cosmetic issues to deal with like a filthy headliner so lots to do!

I used the car for a Walgreens run but generally it is staying in the garage until the salt gets washed away.

I applied for a title almost 2 weeks ago so I am expected I should have one in 4 more weeks. Illinois seems to have a decent "Gray Market Vehicles" process in place in terms of ease. The local DMV people were a little unsure what to do but since I was armed with the GRay Market pamphlet they themselves made, the phone number of the Gray Market person in Springfield, my 7501 Federal Entry Summary form, Bill of sale and UK ownership papers things seemed to be looking good for me. We will see! In IL you can register a car 25 years old or older as an antique with restricted driving use. you can drive them in the summer months but only to and from car shows, parades and workshops. I opted for the "expanded use antique" which allowed unrestricted use during summer months and restricted use during winter months (when it will be garaged anyway). This dropped my registration down from 196 to 146! AND I get a snazzy gray license plate that kinda matches the car as opposed to the ugly Land of Lincoln normal IL plate or the hearing-aid-brown colored normal antique plate.

[e30Brah]

Great little project so far and enjoyed the read.

Hoping you keep updating this.