. . . but one of the few cars I'm actually interested in owning is a previous-generation Fiat Multipla. You know--the kind that looks like someone's backyard project gone awry--froggy eyes and all that? In a visit to Italy a few years back I rode in one used as a taxi and thought it was something close to the perfect family vehicle. A Camry or a Volvo just won't cut it for me. I need to be different.

Now the problem is that I live in the US and they were never imported here. I'm sure the bureaucratic hurdles would drive anyone insane. That notwithstanding, anyone have any ideas on how I could possibly realize my "dream" of owning what some have called one of the ugliest cars ever produced?

I suppose you could travel abroad to the UK or mainland Europe for a while and have a search round, (or maybe even look on the internet) purchase the car, take it to a port on the west coast somewhere and then get it shipped out to America at your own expense; or buy online and ask the seller if they'd be willing to send it to a dock for you or something?

I personally would take a trip across the pond, it's always nice to see the condition of the car and possibly test drive before making any final decisions, but I'm sure there are plenty of MK1 Multipla's about.

Isn't Jim Magill of Long distance Panda fame (and denizen of the classic panda section of this site) bringing a Multipla to the US? His is going to a motor museum tho once he's driven it to Mars, he has imported a few fiats to the US would probably be the guy to ask about the paperwork/transportation side.
http://www.littlefiatbigadventure.com/multiplamissontomars09.htm

StevenRB45 said:

Isn't Jim Magill of Long distance Panda fame (and denizen of the classic panda section of this site) bringing a Multipla to the US? His is going to a motor museum tho once he's driven it to Mars, he has imported a few fiats to the US would probably be the guy to ask about the paperwork/transportation side.
http://www.littlefiatbigadventure.com/multiplamissontomars09.htm

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I believe this is true, although Jim has set off to the Arctic circle in his Panda on another mission which started yesterday, so I guess he won't reply until he returns in around a month or so.
He imported the Panda, the Nuova 500 and his next mission is a Multipla, so yeah, he'd be the person to ask.

BillyArizona said:

. . . but one of the few cars I'm actually interested in owning is a previous-generation Fiat Multipla.
Now the problem is that I live in the US and they were never imported here. I'm sure the bureaucratic hurdles would drive anyone insane. That notwithstanding, anyone have any ideas on how I could possibly realize my "dream" of owning what some have called one of the ugliest cars ever produced?

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Simple answer is that you can't... You can import one but you'll never be able to get registation tags unless you lie and say thats it's Toyota and then if you have you'll need to tell your insurance company that it's really a toyota and pray you never have an accident cause if you do the insurance investagetor will make mince meat of your claim

Sorry, it's just the USA isn't the place to import a non federalised car....

Jim

I think Jim is right. All cars permanently residing in the USA have to be type approved (or rather have the USA equivilent), and as the Multipla was never officially imported it won't have this. Without the type approval it won't be legal to drive on the roads or eligible to be insured.

I think it is different though if the vehicle is only temporarily in the USA and therefore not permanently imported. That way cars from Canada and Mexico that are not type approved can travel in and out of USA borders. There might be an age issue for importing too, where these regulations only apply to cars after a certain year. Best check with the appropriate authorities first before attempting to import a non USA approved car.

1986Uno45S said:

I think Jim is right. All cars permanently residing in the USA have to be type approved (or rather have the USA equivilent), and as the Multipla was never officially imported it won't have this. Without the type approval it won't be legal to drive on the roads or eligible to be insured.

I think it is different though if the vehicle is only temporarily in the USA and therefore not permanently imported. That way cars from Canada and Mexico that are not type approved can travel in and out of USA borders. There might be an age issue for importing too, where these regulations only apply to cars after a certain year. Best check with the appropriate authorities first before attempting to import a non USA approved car.

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On the age issue I am fairly certain it's 15 years


Trev

Well that's crappy. Protectionism at it's worst.

America is very protectionist, although it pretends otherwise.

The Multipla (original) is design genius. The detailing is brilliant and as a driving machine it is great. The Diesel is the best of course, and it looks like the replacement will be ordinary - to suit the mass of the market. Shame. It isn't ugly either, just good functional design, with attitude

I hope you can get one into the States though...

Does that mean there are no kitcars or custom built cars in the USA?

Can you not get the equivalent of a SVA?

your crazy....

Hellcat said:

Does that mean there are no kitcars or custom built cars in the USA?

Can you not get the equivalent of a SVA?

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Think thats off on a tangent abit. You'd be able to drive a custom or kit car cause all the parts on it would be from a USA spec'd car cause where else would you get the doner car from? Thou there is nothing stopping you bringing in car parts from outside the USA. There's quite a trade in Thema engines I believe and sticking it into your Lancia HPE or what ever cause they were sold there and no one cares what you got under the hood (they only worry about religion, guns and sex over there I find). A lot of states have no MOT and some only test for Smog, hence the crack about sticking Toyota badges on the Multipla, LOL!

There is a gray market, I know of one man in californian with a Barchetta that is registered as a 1965 Fiat Coupe and gets away with it. But if he gets in a smash his insurance will wash their hands of him. Look what it's like here if you stick a spoiler on the boot and don't tell them, could you imagine what they'd make of not telling them the right car?

And a car must be over 25 before it would be considered for 'historic' status and not need type approval (but even at that there are exceptions). I've managed to sell the 500 and the Multipla out there only because I sold them to Museums so as they'll not be driven on the road they're no longer cars but exibits...

God, this just reminds me of how sodding complicated it is to get a car into the USA. Like we're doing it his summer for the 3rd time with the Multipla and my head aches already thinking about the paperwork!

Insurance is the worst part... It's not as if Driect Line are going to give you a green card, LOL

JIm

couperob said:

lol please dont but a multipla, i worked on fiats for 7 years, although they are good whenm they are goin, when faults arrise you will have difficulty in getting some one to carry out repairs, not even due to america not being able to get your parts, there is complex wiring circuts, 'can net works' high speed networking which isnt an easy feat of finding faults with,could i recomend buying a dodge ram they look the bee's knees

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Most cars have CAN these days, its the norm.

Personally dont find CAN faults any different from normal run-of-the-mill wiring faults..

Hellcat said:

Well that's crappy. Protectionism at it's worst.

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We have type approval here in the UK and Europe too. Not sure how easy it would be to import a new USA only spec car into the UK any more, though you could a few years ago. It's all to do with meeting modern crash regulations and construction and use requirements. It's daft because you could import a 1960's 400bhp muscle car with drum brakes all round eek because it was built before certain regulations came into effect, yet you probably couldn't import a 2009 Saturn Outlook because it hasn't been rated for use in Europe.

Daft! :nutter:

Wonder if he seen it as it passed thou the states last week