Mini trucks are the ultimate haul-masters all over the world. They are loved for their flexibility to maneuver easily through almost any path, their performance and their affordability. However, if you are planning to buy your own mini truck like the Suzuki Carry 4X, which by the way is one of the best mini trucks you can find in the market today. There are a number of things that you should it into consideration; among them is how you will actually acquire it. Of course there is a local dealer around you where you can easily buy and hi the road. But is it the best deal you can get?
If you are frugal like many other people around who like to save big then you might also want to weigh in the importation option. And before you even think of that option as a complex one the way your local dealer likes to make it, read this post. We hope it will shine some light on the process of importing a mini truck such as the Suzuki Carry from Japan to the US without any issues.
What You Need To Know To Import Your Mini Truck
Know more about the mini truck – The first thing before you even think of the customs and every other thing is to first know the vehicle that you are looking to buy. You’ll want to check its body condition and find out more on its performance is. Good enough, when you are working with exporters like Substar, you will love the fact that we do thorough inspection on every vehicle. We’ve been dealing with tons of mini trucks ranging from the Suzuki Carry, Subaru Sambar among other dozens of mini truck models.
Understand the US Import Laws – Although it isn’t that necessary to master every bit of it, knowing some things will help you to know how to follow up. USA has some vehicle import requirements which you need to understand prior to making the shipment of the vehicle.
Here are some of the things that you need to know regarding the laws and requirements to import a vehicle;
-Vehicles being imported to the U.S must comply with several standardizations including the EPA and DOT set standards.
-The first step before importing a vehicle is to first file for an “Entry”. This is a requirement that should be done through the Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The will approve the import allowing you to import any particular vehicle from other countries.
-Again the vehicle being imported should comply with the set emission standards and if it doesn’t meet those requirements, it might not go through the registration process.
-You need to prove the ownership of the vehicle by presenting the original certificate or a certified original copy of the certificate.
-Also as a requirement by the EPA and the Department of Transport (DOT), one is required to present a certificate showing that the vehicle conforms to these agencies’ standards. The completion of the EPA 3520-1 form and DOT form HS-7 are the required documentations to complete this process. You should also have copies of these forms just in case DMV needs to have their copy. After the completion of this inspection and verification, you should be provided with a CBP Form 7501 for which proves that the vehicle has fully complied to the standard.
As a side note, there are vehicles that have stickers on their engine or inside the vehicle doors stating that they have complied to the set EPA and DOT standards. Usually these vehicles don’t require one to have the manufacturer’s letter to be approved, but instead they are approved automatically.
Importing and Clearing the mini truck – Another thing that your local dealer might never want you to know is that the fees charged are lesser than you think. Just because it goes through different departments for clearance doesn’t mean that it becomes costly.
The only payments that you should expect are minimal ones that are required by the clearing and tax agencies. Here you need to lodge a custom declaration, pay custom dusty charges, and import tax if any.
The process becomes easier when you have all the documents in case they are required by the clearing officers. Under normal circumstances, this process shouldn’t take more than 72 hours for complete clearance. Once this is done, your vehicle is cleared and ready for registration.
Registering the Vehicle
Registration part is the final stage before you get your mini truck on the road. The Department of Moto Vehicles (DMV) will inspect and license the vehicle upon meeting the requirements. Among the important things that you need to have in hand when registering the mini truck are the approval documents by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Not much is needed to complete the registration process and the copy of CBP Form 7501 provided by CBP should be enough. Everything else from this point is just a walk in the park and you can organize on getting the plate for your car and insurance.
Conclusion:
Most people don’t understand the importation steps which bar them from getting what they want overseas. Surprisingly, the process of importing a mini truck isn’t as hard as many perceive it to be. There are also many benefits that one can have when they choose to go with a mini truck like Suzuki Carry. If you are looking for an affordable yet high performing mini truck to run your daily errands then a Suzuki Carry 4X4 could be the ideal option for you.
We understand that this process could be complicated to some importers who haven’t done it before, but the reality is, it is much easier than you think. Get in touch with us or get the help of a custom importer to help you find out the best mini truck that you would like to import. We’ve got plenty of Suzuki Carry mini trucks in our regularly updated listing which you should check out. We have been serving our customers in the US helping them ship their vehicles easily. You can also check out other models such as the Honda Acty, Subaru Sambar, Mazda Scrum and the Daihatsu Hi-Jet from out listing.