I'm not sure if this has been posted already but I think as many people as possible need to know about this, Feds Seize Illegal Nissan Skyline GT-Rs In Cali - Nissan Skyline - Jalopnik. It seems that the California state government has decided it would be a good use of "our" money to seize all the Skylines that were brought into the country "illegally". The cars were imported in parts (separating the engine from the chassis) in order to exempt themselves from smog checks, because importing them in separate pieces technically makes them a kit car, and able to claim exemption from smog checks. Two cars have already been seized, are being held in San Diego and according to a member of supraforums, who spotted the cars, are slated to be CRUSHED! It's a shame that such wonderful cars are going demolished, and I hope that the people who own these wonderful cars find some way out of their current situation.For the full story check here Nissan Skyline GT-R s in the USA Blog: Two R34's and R32 Seized in California : Kaizo Drama Increases : UPDATE

 

LOL owned!

 

that is a damn shame

 

in not sure if the guys are smart of stupid but they are owned for sure...

 

o noes.

10 char

 

loophole closed.

 

I use to do the import of containers like many other import shops that get stuff from Japan/Hong Kong. I have imported a few whole cars and parts cars before. Heck I even had a sweet 1996 Mini Cooper from Japan. Super clean and a great DD. Most cars that were whole were sold to shops for their use and the others with seperate engine from shell were sold either seperately or put back together. We never had any problems with the container. I think the company that imported the Skyline did it too many times. We would get containers every 3-4 months. Skylines are great cars but over rated. Mini coopers, FD3S, Silvias are easier to sell and don't break the buyers pockets.

 

Seriously. It's a loophole in the system, you cheated the system, you got caught, you lose. That's how the game is played.

 

^I know its just to bad they have to be destroyed, maybe if they had to pay some kind of large fine, which the gov could use to plant trees to offset the "pollution" caused by the non compliant cars. It would be kinda like when you buy an LCD the government imposes a mandatory fee for hazardous chemical disposal when you trash it.

 

However much I love Skylines, there is a possibility they were black market cars anyway. Cars stolen, stripped, imported, rebuilt =/. The problem the government typically has with these cars is not really the pollution it has to do with the cars not being NTSB non-compliant. There is a safety issue with you personally in the car also what kind of damage the car can cause to other cars in an accident. NTSB compliance is expensive and typically not pursued by kit-cars. Either way sorry to see them go but it's a byproduct of the risk you take.

 

Bummer, they use to just put a registration freeze on the vehicle. Now they are stepping up there game! What a waste of money and rb motors.... tear tear.

 

Yeah man, it totally sucks when the law is enforced. Like this one time when I...

 

ridiculous.
i was following this for awhile.
its a simple problem with the firewall, rear tail lights, and door panels that keeps the skyline from being tested for 'real' federalization.
if this country is so free why is it that we cannot import a large handful of cars from other countries?

if that isn't the worst, some owners are being narc'd by fellow skyline forum members recently.

(sniff)

 

That's lame, BOOOO the "Man"... what good does that do, that's like destroying a peice of art that was smuggled into the country. They don't care what a car like that may mean/stand for in a tuner's eye's but to seize/destroy a peice of art like these cars are, is simply ignorant.

That is all.

 

I never understood the laws. It's perfectly acceptable to drive a big American muscle car getting 8 miles to the gallon, smoking like the Malboro man and louder than anything else on the road, but you can't import a car.

 

the united states and europe have very stringent requirements for safety. Japan didn't have any such rules when most of those cars were made, nor did they have the emissions requirements they have now.

 

yup...all those "safe" cars that were made over the years that catch on fire or roll over with the slightest breeze or explode if hit in the rear...ever seen a skyline get into an accident? ive seen a bone stock one eat a wall at about 45 mph at sebring and not only was the driver fine (got up and walked away on his own power) but the car didn't look as bad as one would expect it to.

safety my ass. its all about MONEY. that's all anything is about anymore in the eyes of our gov't.

 

Cept yes it is about money, the money NISSAN didn't want to pay to get these cars tested and registered. You are completely misplacing your blame on the government. They have rules/laws and certain people abided by them, they get to keep their cars cause they went about getting their cars approved legitimately. Cheating the system can only get you so far, and guess what their time ran out.

Edit: In addition, so you saw a car run into a wall in a controlled environment. Your one experience doesn't account for extensive crash testing that is required to get a car DOT approved/etc.

 

agree with this 100%

 

actually i saw a car run into a qwall in an uncontrolled environment...lab testing the DOT does is considered controlled testing.

nevertheless, the rest of the world can get these cars, but we can't. They are safe enough for everyone else but apparently the US feels as though they have to go off of their own standards. If I owned a company that did incredibly well around the world but couldnt sell some models in the US because they have obnoxiously exclusive rules then so be it. Who loses out in the end? we do.

So i guess my blame was slightly misplaced...everyone is greedy as all get out, our gov't for making peiople pay ridiculous fines and charges to legalize these cars in the u.s. and nissan for not bothering to make them US compatible.