Importing a smart

SMARTCAR95 · 08-25-2008, 12:20 PM

Since the smart is legal for sale in the usa now would you be able to go to lets say england and ship one here if had the same engine as in the one in the usa.

WhiteNBlack08 · 08-25-2008, 12:24 PM

Nope, euro spec smarts are different from USA spec smarts.

**JPaul** · 08-25-2008, 12:26 PM

Only if the car is "americanized"; that is, made-up to pass the strict EPA requirements. The "older" 450 was imported, had to go through costly and time consuming efforts... before it could be registered.
From posted experiences, it is way way much cheaper to buy a smart stateside than to import one!

pdboilermaker · 08-25-2008, 12:40 PM

You could import the car, but, you could not drive it on the road. You would not be able to buy plates or insurance for it. Not only would it have to meet the EPA rules from the post below, it would also have to meet the FMVSS requirements which it would not.

**SmartCard** · 08-25-2008, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteNBlack08

Nope, euro spec smarts are different from USA spec smarts.

yep, even a difficult trick in importing from our N.American neighbors as well.

RVGRINGO · 08-25-2008, 03:02 PM

It is a bit ridiculous, isn't it? It seems that our speedometer in Km must be changed to one in those strange miles that only the USA uses any more. Oh, the right hand mirror must have those words etched upon it; of course you read them every time you use that mirror, right?
You CAN drive your foreign Smart in the USA, just as we do when we visit. It is registered in Jalisco and we buy a temporary liability policy for the time we are in the USA. You CANNOT permanently import it or register it in the USA without jumping through hoops.