How The Hell Did This BMW 1 Series Get Past US Border Control?
Someone, somewhere, has apparently managed to get around the USA’s notoriously stupid import laws and register a British BMW 1 Series in Florida.
The details of how it actually got past customs are a bit sketchy, but Jalopnik has picked up on media coverage of this 2007 116i as the current owner is trying to sell. The low-output normally-aspirated four-pot under the bonnet is nothing special and the car wouldn’t get a second glance in the UK, but it’s a complete one-off in the US. If it’s legal.
It’s not old enough to qualify for import under America’s draconian import regs, but the original owner allegedly had the right-hand-drive fish-outta-water shipped over in one piece from Scotland before, almost straight away, selling it to someone in Florida who went through the motions of obtaining a ‘bonded title’ and then ultimately a ‘clean title’, which the seller claims makes it completely legit and road-legal. It still has the British V5C certificate, too.
Naturally it hasn’t escaped being lowered and fitted with wheels from a 135i. There looks to be plenty of wear and tear, too, but with bidding having reached just over $4,500, it could be a bargain for someone looking for a one-off project.
With a pretty basic spec and 78,000 miles on the clock, it has been used as a daily by the seller, but judging by some of his comments he’s having a bit of trouble getting rid of it. If he’s “posted this car for sale many places before, without any issues,” we can only assume that his main issue is that no one actually wants it.
Plenty of commenters on the original ad would like to see it crushed, despite it being insured and registered with the Florida authorities. There have even been threats of bringing the law down on the seller.
Is it too big a risk or a temptingly unique way into rear-drive, manual gearbox giggles? Let us know what you think.
Comments
DUUUUUUDE i see these all the time. in NY
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And yet I don’t even see that you own a car. There are many reasons to buy a 116i.
Damn it, I give up on my country. F@$k this sht, I’m going to Japan or Australia or some crap.
There’s always New Zealand, no insurance required and register just about anything that runs and drives all while living in middle earth.
I did not know that the series ones is not for sale in the united states :o
i´m from mexico and bmw sell them here,
the more you know…
Haha I live in Florida and tried to buy this car earlier this year and I’m still thinking about buying It if the price is right.
Doesn’t It Have Porformancd Package Brakes
Thumbs up for sticking it to the stupid import laws
Did the one comment about the Police and the MRAP get COTD?
Interesting. The 1-series is not on the list of non-conforming cars and it could be argued that it is substantially similar to the 1-series sold in the US. Might have been an easy import.
This is true, but lately the NHTSA has really been turning down petitions to test vehicles under the “Substantially similar” clause, simply because they are RHD.
Super simple, just drive It to Canada, leave it in storage until 2032, then reimport it legally. Voila!