Road Legal in the US

[Locky]

Hi guys and Girls... bit of a question here.Im going to be emigrating to the states with my wife.Ive had my clio sport 1 month 650 miles does anyone know if or know where I could find information about wether my car would be legal for use in the US.I know they have regulations about bumber heights etc.Im not sure if the light pattern can be adjusted for a xenon either.I know parts would be a pain to find over there but I guess I could get them sent over.The only reason Im considering this is because there are no cars I like in the US... They just dont have the kind of sports cars we have available to us.I was looking at a ford mustang when I last went over.Its about 2 feet off of the ground on the most non-low profile tyres you can imagine.Its just not my cup of tea.Any help would be much appreciated...

 

[GR7]

Locky, you wont be able to drive your 172 to its limits over there, as there seems to be so many lower speed limits than we have here!

 

[Locky]

yeah ... although its not too bad.65mph on the interstate.Most ppl seem to do 80 or so though.Im told that the police are more concerned that you go with the flow rather than go 65 while everyone else is doing 80.Im moving to a fairly suburban/rural part so it does have some twisties.

 

[Simon172]

Whereabouts will you be moving to in the usa? i used to live in Texas (no cactus/cowboy jokes please) and the speedlimit on the interstates was 75 mph. Maybe thats just in that state? The cars over there are a bit boaty. Even the Subaru Impreza doesnt have a turbo, they do a Subaru Impreza RS which is a 2.5 litre, weird! my dad test drove it before we moved back over to uk. Its a great country tho, i really miss if over there. In fact my bro is over there on business at the moment in Dallas, lucky so and so! with regards to your car importing, i really cant help you there! sorry!

 

[Locky]

Hiya Simon.Ive never been to Texas... Ill be moving to Georgia the state of Peaches and Peanuts lol.... I know what you mean about the cars being a bit soft ... go round a corner too fast and you scrape your elbows on the ground.I guess when all your roads are wide and straight though you dont really need stiff suspension.The only subaru I saw there was a standard one.Had steel rims on it too.I did notice theyve started selling Mini Coopers at the Saturn dealership.Super expensive though $24,000 if I remember rightly.

 

[OOO]

You can always buy parts in Mexico, or even service it. IF you manage to export it because I used to have an Audi A3 and Americans always bitched about how it was impossible to import one.

One question, is your car left-hand drive? Because if it isnt I think its going to be quite difficult driving it.

You could always buy an SVT Ford Focus, they handle pretty well.

 

[Locky]

Hi 000 .... was it much hassle importing your A3? .. Ive noticed the shipping is relativly cheap, but I dont know what sort of duties are stamped on the car at customs... and getting tags etc.I must admit it is a right hand drive, but I think I would be able to deal with that.The only other car I was looking at last night was the Pontiac Grand Prix... the police use these in the area of Georgia Im moving too.I havent a clue what they drive like lol... but they look kinda ok.

 

[OOO]

The A3 was bought at the dealers but I used to check out an American VW forum (vwvortex.com) where people were always trying to import A3 and S3s but very few managed, if any. Thats why I say its difficult.

The Grand Prix is a boat in my opinion, there is a supercharged version which is not that bad, but its not nearly as fast as a Clio.

A Clio in the US would turn some heads i think.