Die Judicii wrote:wanneroo wrote:The Hilux is not sold in the USA and cannot be imported individually for road use until 25 years old. However one place I work we had them for a contract we had for off road use only and I drove them plenty. Frankly I found them a slug to drive and they really don't handle all that great. On that alone I'd go for the Mazda, because the Mazda would have to be better.
WTF ?
What is their reasoning for not allowing their imports until they are 25 yo ???
Do GM and the likes have fears that they may become popular and outsell the home grown stuff ?
You can import anything as long as it complies with Department of Transportation rules and Environmental Protection Agency rules. That involves crash testing and other things. It's an expensive process. Some people have done it for R34 Nissan Skylines.
Toyota has other trucks that they sell here in the USA and make here as well.
The 25 year rule came about in the 1980s when Mercedes Benz lobbied Congress to pass the rules as at the time people were going to Europe and thanks to the exchange rate at the time, buying Mercedes, Porsches, whatever and importing them here on their own undercutting Mercedes or other factory dealers. They were called "grey market imports". It's basically a protectionism rule.
As a result if there is a cool car I want I have to wait until it is 25 years old. For instance I want a Ford Falcon, so I can import anything made before January 1998 right now. Next trip to Australia I will be buying a Falcon and/or a Commodore from the 1990s.
