I need to hear from each and every person that has purchased ANY Canadian vehicle and had to make it meet US EPA standards.

The 1982 Trans Am I am buying from an individual in Toronto is ready to be driven back to the states (Ohio), but US Customs would not allow it to go through because I did not have a letter from Pontiac stating that it conforms to US DOT and EPA standards. The US Customs website states that SOME vehicles will require this letter, but does not indicate what determines a vehicle needing this. Customs told me that cars 25 years or older donÕt need this letter. Mine obviously is 4 years from being old enough. They simply could not let me bring it home without the letter or label on the car indicating it complies with US (labels indicate it does comply with Canada). Plus they were less than rude to me about the matter.

After speaking directly with Pontiac this morning, I received confirmation that my car IS indeed an American build, and DOES conform to the US DOT safety requirements (which should make sense since it was built here), but it was made for the Canadian market and doesnÕt meet the US EPA standards. It is a one owner vehicle, and has been in Toronto its entire life, kept in immaculate condition (only 21K US miles). It has a Canadian odometer/speedometer, and a catalytic converter with split pipes that each go to a smaller muffler (IÕve never seen this on US Trans Ams, but I know some older cars had this setup). So WHY then am I punished for having an 82, whereas I would be free of problems if my car was built prior to 78?

Before you respond, understand that I have done as much research as I can possible. No one really knows the steps in importing a vehicle, and even Customs doesnÕt seem to care about a dream IÕve had.......sure security and policies are important, but itÕs ridiculous that I went all the way up there to get it and was denied even the option of bringing it back with a grace period to have an e inspection done. I had no reason to believe that I would be denied driving this car home. Do any of you know what the EPA in the US may have me do to the car to make it comply? Have any of you sold to or bought from the US? Will an e check suffice for Pontiac to approve? And how would I get that done if the car is not allowed in the states yet? Canada certainly doesnt run echecks for vehicles in preparation for importation do they? All I need is a label or letter stating that it complies......so what do I have to do to get that? And preferrably this week?

Am I correct in assuming that, since it is an American car, it has the exact same motor, tranny, electricals, etc? It sure looks like it does, again with the exception of the Canadian dial.....but all the other gauges are just like US. So does this mean that a diff. exhaust system is necessary for the EPA approval? My friends dont think that is the problem since several cars have them. I would imagine that a Pontiac technician would know what was done to the Canadian bound cars that makes them not comply.......but all my frind thinks is that customs just needs a simple document, and all I have to do is figure out why Pontiac doensÕt consider this car EPA compliant in order for that document to be issued. They can get me one now for the DOT approval but why pay $60 CAN for a letter stating that only 1 of 2 things are ok? LOL

I canÕt imagine having already spent the time and money I have on a car I will never get to own (except for waiting til 2007 to bring it home which is absolutely out of the question). Some of you must have dealt with this before, or know someone that can offer advice. I am more than willing to change the exhaust system if that is all that needs done (but if others have that then WHY would I?). I am calling EPA in Wash. tomorrow when I have time, to tell them my situation and try to figure out what needs done so that I can bring it home. I KNOW cars of this nature have been imported without a problem, so what do I have to do to bring this car home? I had to unexpectedly pay for storage to keep it on the CAN side.....I only have a month and want to get it to OH before I have to pay any more. The dream IÕve had of owning a 3rd gen for 20 years is worth the trouble, and IÕm not giving up this car.

Thanks for your help!!
Brad Sherman
Columbus Ohio USA

 

Issue has been resolved. Moderator please remove thread (I cannot).

Vehicle conforms to EPA code E which waives any car 21 yrs old or more.