Wanting a Unimog Camper Setup...Droool
- Thread starter Hodakaguy
- Start date
mhiscox
Exp. Leader Emeritus
There's more about it floating around the Portal, but the short answer depends on whether the vehicle is 25 years old (to the month) or not. If it is not, legal importation for more than one year is nearly impossible. If it is 25 years old, legal importation is, if not exactly easy, readily doable. As U1300s (and the rest of that series) can be either older or newer than 25 years, it will depend on the particular vehicle.
You have to get the truck legally into the country. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol enforces the age restrictions for the NHSTA and EPA, and you can go to their website to learn all about the importation requirements and duties. If they approve, you get a CBP form legalizing the importation. Once you have that form, titling and registering the vehicle with your state is usually not a problem, with the exception of California, which has special rules that affect older diesel engines, said rules being further impacted by whether the vehicle is considered a recreational vehicle or not. That doesn't mean different hoops won't arise at the local motor vehicle department, a common one being the need for the title document to be translated should you be importing, say, from Europe.
All things considered, if you've got your heart set on a foreign one, a 1989 or older model will be worth pursuing. That said, though, it is nearly universally agreed that finding one already legally imported into the US or Canada is easiest, if for no other reason than shipping is several thousand dollars, and you'll likely be called on to transfer large sums of money to people you don't know in countries where, should anything go wrong, any legal action would be exceedingly difficult.
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dwh
Tail-End Charlie
mhiscox
Exp. Leader Emeritus
:iagree: Rob has refurbished and sold some nice trucks over the years.I would suggest to contact Rob Pickering in La Junta - he is The Unimog Guru in US and has some in stock for sale. Not sure about posting the details, may be against the rules of the forum for advertising. But you can just Google him.
Also, it is certainly worth following up the nice '86 U1300L you like on Vancouver Island. Importation from Canada would be relatively straightforward, you could test drive it in advance, and there'd be no $5K+ boat ride.
(For those who don't know that truck: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/134501 . . .
Hodakaguy
Adventurer
Thanks guys for the info, I talked to Expedition Imports today. I love the low mile U1350's that he currently has...it's a shame you can't title/license them 
If I had my Syncro sold I'd be looking at the unit in Canada...unfortunately I'm in the research stage now.
Thanks again for the info!
Hodakaguy
If I had my Syncro sold I'd be looking at the unit in Canada...unfortunately I'm in the research stage now. Thanks again for the info!
Hodakaguy
Thanks guys for the info, I talked to Expedition Imports today. I love the low mile U1350's that he currently has...it's a shame you can't title/license them
Thanks again for the info!
Hodakaguy
I've driven one of those 1350's. Really nice trucks with a lot of desirable upgrades, heavy duty, 2 piece axles, heavy duty tranny (which shifts much nicer than the stock ones), factory intercooler, heavy duty frame. We were on the fence. It seems possible that some states may register one, if you get the right DMV person on the right day. But its risky. And theres also the risk of bringing it out of the country to Mex etc and then having problems coming back in. Lots of legal 1300s running around, although even those can be difficult to register in some states (CA isn't doing them right now unless you want to spend about 10k to get it tested on their system, ask us how we know).
But...if you really want a platform that can do everything (other than drive faster than 65, and at a sound level where you can hear yourself think), then the MOG is hard to beat. The camper on ours is finally nearing completion.
-S
mallthus
Pretty good at some stuff
Do remember that South Dakota is the Liberia of US domestic auto registration. It's darn easy to get plates there. Your home state might or might no hassle you about that, but it's less likely with an RV, especially a used one, where you're not depriving them of an obvious bit of sales tax revenue.
photo_i
Explorer
Actually it is more than likely that home state will have an issue with out of state vehicle. South Dakota (or Montana) is great for full time RVrs.
We have a syncro (facebook.com/syncrobo) and now a u1300 camper build almost complete (instagram.com/mogtug). Get a mog! If you don't live in CA registering a 25 yo+ one is pretty easy. I second you checking out Rob Pickering in La Junta, in particular if you want crew cab. Scott at Expedition Imports brings in a bunch all the time. One piece of advice I would give is to be picky. There are a ton of these trucks in Europe and they sell cheaply there. Hold out for a low mileage, rust free, cream puff. And mentally budget for 5000-10000 in mechanical maintenance and upgrades to get to a truck you would feel confident taking out of the country. The parts prices actually aren't too much worse than syncro prices these days. Tires on Mogs hurt the most!
I love both my rigs. Each has their own advantages. You can drive the syncro daily, it's compact and relatively fast and modern. It's quiet, ac and radio feasible. It's an awesome long mile cruiser and rough road fun. The mog is comparatively loud, annoying to drive on the highway and crude. But when you want to take 5000-6000 lbs of stuff with you anywhere you want off road, it's a beast.
to get to a truck you would feel confident taking out of the country. The parts prices actually aren't too much worse than syncro prices these days. Tires on Mogs hurt the most! I love both my rigs. Each has their own advantages. You can drive the syncro daily, it's compact and relatively fast and modern. It's quiet, ac and radio feasible. It's an awesome long mile cruiser and rough road fun. The mog is comparatively loud, annoying to drive on the highway and crude. But when you want to take 5000-6000 lbs of stuff with you anywhere you want off road, it's a beast.
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