Ebay: Unimog 1450 L DOKA Expedition Camper

mhiscox

Exp. Leader Emeritus
I think everyone knows this, but just to be sure . . .

You are unlikely to get to import this vehicle into the U.S. for road use. Exemptions to the DOT, EPA, and NHSTA regulations aren't given to vehicles until the model year is 25 years old, so a 1983 is as new as can be brought in this year. Canadians have to wait 15 years, so even they have a while to wait.

The chances of bringing a Mog into Federal compliance are essentially zilch and, because it doesn't look the part, the occasionally-used-if-not-quite-legal route of bringing a newer Mog in as an agricultural vehicle (and then finding a compliant state to register it) likely won't work either.

Too bad . . . good price for a basic but competent camper.
 

39Ronin

Adventurer
Good point for the US guys on here. Ok Canadians, it is only about 3 years from being legal here so somebody buy it and rent it out for the next 3 years, then take possesion... just dreaming of how to make it work!
 

Robthebrit

Explorer
I thought all mogs were legal in Canada, after all they are sold there. M Hans Ross has lots of late model SBUs for sale.

Rob
 

mhiscox

Exp. Leader Emeritus
Robthebrit said:
I thought all mogs were legal in Canada, after all they are sold there. M Hans Ross has lots of late model SBUs for sale.

Rob
I wouldn't disagree with Rob, as I don't know for sure. I recall some issues about it a while ago, but can't remember what came of it. I'll post to the Moglist and one of the Canadians can probably give me a straight answer.

There are actually many late model Mogs for sale in the U.S., too. If they made it through Customs, for whatever reason (ag use, research, etc.), then it is the business of the individual states whether they get licensed to drive on the road. If, as is common, there is no emissions testing for a diesel truck that large, it often just comes down to having the right lights, turn signals, mirrors and so on. Thus, once in the country, Mogs can get licensed in many states and, once you get licensed in one fairly-compliant state, subsequent, more rigorous, states will generally ask relatively few questions when transferring registrations.

I'll let you know what I learn.
 

mhiscox

Exp. Leader Emeritus
mhiscox said:
I'll let you know what I learn.
And here's what I learned . . .

No one thought it likely that the truck could come into Canada now. However, it seems that the definitive answer can be had for someone willing to dig hard enough, and that is a nice price for a truck that new.

You have to get the schedule of allowed vehicles from the Registrar of Imported Vehicles to determine what is allowed. Go to http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/importation/impxus_e.htm for countries other than U.S.
Also, this reply, which is what I think I was recalling about there being trouble with the newest Mogs.

I'm a little fuzzy on the details now, but Transport Canada has a law on the books regarding Unimogs and I believe it says that any Unimog produced between 1996 and 2002 ( I maybe a little bit off) cannot be imported into Canada, not even for off-road use.

Calling Transport Canada may be useful, but I would tend to think that unless you speak to the guy who deals with Unimog (apparently there is someone in Transport Canada who is the Unimog expert) you'll get bad or incomplete information.

MB Canada has sold Unimogs through various channels over the years but I am not aware of them selling any in the 90's although they did sell MB Trac's here for a limited number of year in the late 80's and maybe into the early 90's.

The bottom line is that there is a very good chance someone could import a newer Unimog into Canada and have it sneak under the wire and get a plate from one of the provincial Ministries of Transportation, but if Transport Canada were to ever catch them the result would not be pretty. If they were lucky they would have to export the machine, worst case it would be sent to the crusher and the owner would have to pay some fines.

Please keep in mind that this is all second hand info from a couple years back so I could be completely off base. The person looking to import the machine will have to do some serious digging and spend many hours on the phone trying to find the right person with the right information within Transport Canada.
Heck of a truck, but also apparently a heck of a problem working around the bureaucracy. As Rob hinted, probably the most knowledgeable person on whether it could be done would be Hans Mross at Mross Import Services in Langley (http://www.unimogcanada.ca). And if it could be done, there's a chance that he'd act as the importer for a payment. ("Interesting" man/business, though; don't take my mentioning him as a recommendation, though he is inarguably extremely knowledgeable.)
 

39Ronin

Adventurer
For sure it can not be imported unless it is 15 years or older. The only way is if it was made for the US market then you would have to consult the TC (transport Canada) exemption list to verify eligibility. I have imported vehicles from Germany and Japan and they all had to be 15 years or older.
 

Plainsmuse

Adventurer
Good spot

39Ronin said:
Wow. Just found it today on ebay, and but of course, some one here was way out in front of me. Checked it out online to rent some time ago, as well, in SA. Website lists there idea of business, perhaps giving in due to down turn. travelmog.de. Basic interior, probably set up with chilean 230volt/50hz.
 

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