http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-8-Series-850I-V12-V12-2-door-850I-BMW-1991-only-78000-KM_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6130QQihZ015QQitemZ2 50217758563QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

I don't think it would be easy to bring a J-spec into the states, not unless the rules have changed

What are the rules?

Very nice color for an 8 series though.

Japanese cars are like Euro cars and can be imported into the US but, and this is a big but, will require Federalization. That means that all aspects of the car must comply with US DOT regulations. Typically that means a 6-12 month painful process by a registered importer and significant $$ ($10-15K) to make the car compliant. Things that need to be addressed are all lights and glass, speedo and much more. There is also some kind of lab testing required altho I do not recall what testing that is.
Once a car is 25 years old or older it can be imported to the US without all this. In Canada, it is 15 years (for now), thus the influx of J-spec E31's. More J-specs come here because of the significantly lower mileage value of them compared with Euro cars which typically have much higher mileage. I have seen a 1991 E31 J-spec arrive here with 29.5 K kms (18K miles).
On my BC 8's Registry (http://www.wuffer.net/page7.html) here there are currently 31 J-specs and there are at least another 10-20 that are for sale by dealers in the province. This influx has driven the price of Canadian spec cars down as well.
For what its worth.
Tom
www.wuffer.net (http://www.wuffer.net)

Wuffer,
Very nice to see you on these boards...Thanks!!!!

I'm not sure about what the requirements are for a J-spec car, I am in the process of importing a euro-spec 850i to the states very soon. It is true, you do have to go through a registered importer BUT, because the 850 was made in the states in the 90's some things are already in compliance (glass, door reinforcements, airbags, etc) For my car, I have to replace the cats, oxygen sensors, all exterior lights and the spedometer must read in mph. I also have to install or activate the seatbelt warning chime and add a 3rd brake light in the rear deck. It also has to have an emissions test. The R.I. will usually do all corrections for you but you best believe that they will charge you for labor and parts but you can do alot of this yourself (minus tests). It should only take between 90-120 days to get your car back registered as U.S. spec unless it fails the emissions tests. Each test is about $2-3k but the 1st one comes with the price of importation (mine is running between $7-8k). So depending on the price and condition of the car, it could be a deal, you just have to call around to get quotes. Good luck!!!

It also has to have an emissions test.

Be aware that even thou you have an emissions test in the USA, some States will not accept those results and will have to be tested in one of their test sites before you could license it or sell it into one of those States.

California will not accept a federal emission test and must be retested at a C.A.R.B. facility if the vehicle is to be registered in California, will cost anywhere between $1500 and $3000 depending on who does the testing.

They test cat light off time, fuel vapors, and exhaust pipe emissions.

HTH

I didn't know the E31's were made in the US, I thought they were made in Germany, guess you learn something new.

They werent made in the US.

They werent made in the US.
so, i guess we learned that we knew it all along ...hehe :D

The time element for me was to get it here from Japan, it took 3 months:mad to get it shipped and an extra $400 for destuffing (no drive on spots) it in Vancouver. It arrived with 35000 km and took me 3 days to get it certified . Cost for certification was $100 . Needed to change tires (DOT), add 3rd break light @ a cost of $1100 plus a couple hundred for incidentals.

So glad our government is keeping us from buying all those "unsafe" cars-
I can't tell you how many times that seatbelt warning time has saved my life when I just wasn't paying attention...

WHAT r u talkin about????