righthand drive diesal landcruiser to usa
- Thread starter maxcruise
- Start date
Jeff Wanamog
Off Road Camper Guy
What year is the cruzer?
How hard is it getting parts for the Troop Carrier? That is one of the main things that shys me a away from importing one, especially traveling here in the Americas.
RMP&O
Expedition Leader
I imported a 1977 Nissan Patrol from NZ to the USA in 2003/04.
If the truck is over 25yrs old it is no worries. If not forget it.
Back then it cost me about $2500 all up. This included steam cleaning/pressure washing, inland shipping in NZ, customs duities, broker fees and shipping on a boat. I picked it up in Long Beach and trailered it home so I am including the fuel for me to drive to SoCal in that $2500.
Make sure RHD is no problem in your state, I hear some places in the USA RHD is a no go. Make sure you have the NZ title. Without some sort of title DMV will not title & register the truck. You also need a bill of sale to pay tax on it, unless you live in Oregon or a state with no sales tax.
I also have a 1983 diesel Patrol that was imported from Germany, I however did not import this one.
For parts, Ebay Australia works well. RooDogs on Ebay has gotten me just about anything I need including factory OEM parts and hard to find 24v stuff.
If the truck is over 25yrs old it is no worries. If not forget it.
Back then it cost me about $2500 all up. This included steam cleaning/pressure washing, inland shipping in NZ, customs duities, broker fees and shipping on a boat. I picked it up in Long Beach and trailered it home so I am including the fuel for me to drive to SoCal in that $2500.
Make sure RHD is no problem in your state, I hear some places in the USA RHD is a no go. Make sure you have the NZ title. Without some sort of title DMV will not title & register the truck. You also need a bill of sale to pay tax on it, unless you live in Oregon or a state with no sales tax.
I also have a 1983 diesel Patrol that was imported from Germany, I however did not import this one.
For parts, Ebay Australia works well. RooDogs on Ebay has gotten me just about anything I need including factory OEM parts and hard to find 24v stuff.
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It is a 1994 model
Schattenjager
Expedition Leader
You should research a brokerage importer. I have had a few grey market cars in the past - it is a huge premium to have a certified shop install the emissions, check the emissions, verify safety stuff etc.
Getting it here is easy. Getting a license plate is a painful financial experience. Our DOT sucks. What a money grab machine...
Getting it here is easy. Getting a license plate is a painful financial experience. Our DOT sucks. What a money grab machine...
1leglance
2007 Expedition Trophy Champion, Overland Certifie
I don't consider this a hi-jack as finding parts is part of owning a non-US based rig...
I have not had any issues yet at all.
Example....I have factory dual tanks, and needed a gas cap. There is a website toyodiy.com that let me look up the part number and while I could have had the Toyota dealer order it I also found it at NAPA for cheap.
Washable Toyota air filter in stock at dealer.
Harder to find items can be transfered in from Toyota Canada or Australia to my dealer (if you dealer isn't this nice there are others to order from).
And of course ebay Oz and such are options.
Thanks.
What I am referring to is finding parts while on the road, it is one thing to have a play vehicle, and quite another having an odd vehicle trying to travel long distances with it within America/Mexico/Canada. Can't really pull into a Toyota dealership and buy insert non-US part here. We can prep our vehicles the best we can, but would be nice to think that if something would break, down time would be minimized, instead of waiting on parts to be shipped.
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RMP&O
Expedition Leader
Know how to work on the truck before you go anywhere.
The majority of break downs can be fixed on the spot or at the least fixed to the point a truck can be limped to a place where it can be fixed or the part found.
My TB failed on a trip to Panama in 2010, it started failing in Mexico. I ordered a new one from the USA and had it shipped to Belize where I was heading. Tacomas are not sold outside the USA so parts are not very available. When I got to Belize I only had to wait about 4-5 days before the part showed up. I fixed it and was on my way. Belize is not such a bad place to lay low for a week while you wait for parts!
Last summer I spent 3-4hrs on the phone with a RI who has been in the business for over 30yrs. I was trying to find a way to legally import a newer than 25yr old vehicle. I knew it was a lost cause but tried anyways. The RI told me the only real way to do it is to bring the truck in under a 364 day permit, ie temp permit. Then just keep it here, let it slip though the cracks and then title it in a state that is easy to title a truck in. He advised against it but was willing to do the import if I was willing to pay him. I decided it was not worth the risk or expense and that I could just as easily build my own truck that would be as good or better than a non-USA imported diesel truck.
Working on the vehicle is the easy thing...if you have the replacement part in hand.
Some aren't so lucky to be broken down in Belize....say if you were passing through trying to get to Colorado....a week or two stuck in Phoenix during the height of the summer would blow.
Athabasca
Observer
Unless its an LC that you have invested alot of time and money into it may be worth selling here and then buying one in NZ.
There are some variables in your favour though to keep it. The US dollar is weak.
Shipping is quite cheap right now.
Im sure you have heard of trademe to check the local NZ market.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Cat...rder=motors_default&v=&buy=&isBrowsing=1&14=&
Sorry bud I read you were moving back to NZ....Disregard and carry on....
Check out the Ih8mud classifieds there are some RHD diesels there, some canadian and some registered in the US
There are some variables in your favour though to keep it. The US dollar is weak.
Shipping is quite cheap right now.
Im sure you have heard of trademe to check the local NZ market.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Cat...rder=motors_default&v=&buy=&isBrowsing=1&14=&
Sorry bud I read you were moving back to NZ....Disregard and carry on....
Check out the Ih8mud classifieds there are some RHD diesels there, some canadian and some registered in the US
1leglance
2007 Expedition Trophy Champion, Overland Certifie
One of the reasons I wanted the 1HZ inline 6 non turbo toyota diesel is that there are so FEW things to go worng that would strand me.
Sure there are things that will make it run worse like valve adjustment being out, or weak injection pump but for the most part there just are many fatal parts. And NO electronics needed.
I carry a spare fuel filter, spare belts, the air filter is washable, spare oil filter and I am ordering spare gaskets in case I need to open things up. Also I am ordering 2 spare complete hose kits, I will replace everything when they get here and carry the rest.
Other than that I have read through the parts thread on ih8mud and it seems like most other bits can be sourced almost anywhere there is a NAPA or toyota dealer or a box can reach me.
The rig is also a manual trans so I can bump start and I hope have aleast 1 good gear to get me to some kind of town.
These days I think if you stick to an older diesel simple engine/trans and keep up on the preventive maint you can travel the old with out too many worries.
Sure there are things that will make it run worse like valve adjustment being out, or weak injection pump but for the most part there just are many fatal parts. And NO electronics needed.
I carry a spare fuel filter, spare belts, the air filter is washable, spare oil filter and I am ordering spare gaskets in case I need to open things up. Also I am ordering 2 spare complete hose kits, I will replace everything when they get here and carry the rest.
Other than that I have read through the parts thread on ih8mud and it seems like most other bits can be sourced almost anywhere there is a NAPA or toyota dealer or a box can reach me.
The rig is also a manual trans so I can bump start and I hope have aleast 1 good gear to get me to some kind of town.
These days I think if you stick to an older diesel simple engine/trans and keep up on the preventive maint you can travel the old with out too many worries.
diesal import to the US
OK if importing a truck from NZ that is less than 25 years old is like pulling teeth from a chicken, then can you find diesal replacement motors, since the US does not seem to big on the smaller diesal engines for vehicles. Is any state side car manufacturer installing diesal engines these days.
I have been out of touch with the US for a few years, so would not have a clue.
Cheers
OK if importing a truck from NZ that is less than 25 years old is like pulling teeth from a chicken, then can you find diesal replacement motors, since the US does not seem to big on the smaller diesal engines for vehicles. Is any state side car manufacturer installing diesal engines these days.
I have been out of touch with the US for a few years, so would not have a clue.
Cheers