grey market car

Define grey market please?

 

Your mechanic should have his head examined.. Nothing wrong with a Euro version car at all. The headers do not have pre cats in them so that is a plus.. Matter of fact the headers in Euro cars are the exact same headers in the challenge 360 race car.. As long as the conversion was done properly and all paperwork is in order and available then its a great car as long as everything else checks out. Ask your mechanic to give you a list as to why to stay away from a Euro.. Maybe because I own one.. I love it.. Its actually the car the way it was designed to be vs. being modified and upgraded to meet the needs of other countries. Euro has no power seats. It also has the gauges with exception of speedo in C vs. F. Odometer is probably in KM vs. miles so that may be a bonus if current owner does not know that. Euros have been known to be a bit more peppy.. Is it more difficult to re-sell.. Yeah.. Does it appeal to a select few.. Oh yes.. If you like bells and whistles and need power seats then I would pass.. Whats really nice is the rear light set up. You get these really bright fogs that light up the whole road when driving at nite.. Its like a sea of red when looking thru the rear view mirror. Again concerns for a Euro.. Paperwork and making sure conversion is up to snuff.. Next I would really like to know what country the car was spec'd for. Italy, Germany are a plus... Those cars are pretty much out of the factory as designed. ECU's are a bit different with different mapping.. TCU's are the same and you may want to upgrade if not done so. US or Euro version. When I purchased my car I have all the paperwork. Even the receipt from the airliner.. All the custom forms, letters and work performed with detailed parts lists and diagrams of how the emission plumbing was installed. Even the owner's manual for the emissions conversion. Very interesting read. Just be careful and do your homework.. If everything checks out.. Its a fantastic car. Hicups to anticipate:

1. When transferring title DMV will not decode or recognize vin - its a minor certificate that you fill out and sign while at DMV.. Certifying that the vin number your supplying and what is on the title is in fact on the car.

2. Insuring the car. Same thing.. their system will not be able to decode the vin so you have to fill out a similar form certifying the same as above.

Very easy and not even worth a sweat but something that is different when transferring title, registering, and insuring. I had no issue at all relating to vin number and Euro status when insuring.

Hope this info helps.

R

 

I don't know enough to comment on the differences between US and grey market Ferraris...but having owned several grey market Porsches and BMWs, I can tell you that you must be very sure about your Federalization and Importation papers. I know I'm just repeating what Mr. Chairman said above, but it can't be stressed enough...make sure of the paperwork! Know what work was needed to be done to Federalize it, and be able to prove that it was done if questioned. I was questioned about my '85 BMW M635 after the car was in the US for almost 20 years and had to prove it was legally imported.

 

Be careful, Jack. You might want to find out the ramifications of buying a grey market car that doesn't have it's papers. I owned my cars years ago, and things were fairly strict then...and this was MA and NH. Not sure if things have changed since then?? I always went right to the DMV and asked them my questions...and made sure I had the answers in writing.

The importer I bought my first grey market car from was a friend of a friend, and he told me not to touch a car without it's Federalization and Importation papers. He said that if you're caught with an illegal car, you'd either forfeit it or have to pay to legalize it (which, at least back then, was very cost prohibitive). Maybe this doesn't apply today (he told me this about 30 years ago)...or maybe he was wrong, I don't know, but I always lived by his advice.

If this car doesn't have it's papers, maybe find out which federal agency handles these issues nowadays and ask them for copies? You want the physical copies with your car...don't wait until you're questioned to begin the process of obtaining them...they could impound the car while you figure out how to get them.

All of my experience dates back from 1985 to 2000, and everything I say might not even be relevant today. The bottom line is we're all just people commenting on the internet....you'd better ask the DMV about this before you spend any money!

 

you need to be really careful with this as stated above. I know that it can take up to 2 years to get the car "cleared" with customs etc and during that time it has to sit with a customs/conversion shop and you can't touch it. the question I have is has this car ever been registered with the DMV in the US? If not i would run for the hills!

 

to be extremely honest, the euro version car is more "ferrari" than us version. ferrari has to make modifications to meet US laws and stuff. one thing off my head is the corner lights , my euro version doesn't have it.

so, for a purist, maybe its worth the effort.

 

Wouldn't it just be easier to buy a U.S. 360 and change the few things to Euro spec like headers? Much less headache and it's still a Ferrari. Weren't they building them as "world cars" by that point with only minor differences?
Greg


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That's good to hear
I hope it works out and you get a great car!

 

+1. As an owner of a euro car when a Ferrari is as it should be out by the designers it works perfect!

And miss out on the euro "discount"? Pay more for a US car only to spend even more money to convert it over? Nah. The "headaches" are only for owners in The Republic of Kalifonia. I'll pay less, have a little more humidity, live by the beach and never have to deal with emissions, inspections and CA's oppressive taxation.

 

Uh.... Can we get some pics, OP?

 

Good luck, Jack!

 

Yes, G&K does 50 State conversions. There are only a couple of places that can get the stickers you need for CA. Despite the various opinions here, having just the NHTSA and EPA paperwork (49-State) will not get you by in CA.

 

Yes. Raise rear wheels on black ramps, undo the 10mm bolts that hold on the under tray and the 3 philips screws on the center back. Drop the tray and slide it out the side.

Buy the "oil change kit" on ricambi (ricambi.com). It has O-rings and oil filter. Spend the extra $$$ and get the original UFI filter. Ricambi.com. They'll even give you a couple gloves!

Oil... meh. Wherever works for you.

 

LOL! Tell your mechanic to get his head looked at. If anything, the euro cars are better than the ones intended for the US market. They have headlight washers, rear fog lights, ..... All of which improve the car IMO.

Time to find a new mechanic?

 

My car is a Euro and from California, never failed a smog test according to Carfax. I really don't see a difference with the US besides the pre-cats.

 

You need to be very careful with generalizations about gray market cars that enter the USA market. Every individual car will be different in how it complies for the federalization conversion process. From huge amounts of parts replaced, modified and converted, to nothing done, other than paperwork....you just don't know until the car is inspected. For example, unless imported by the owner, a car imported by a dealer for resale, must have the speedometer converted to read MPH. (they don't care about the odometer)...BUT there are always exceptions to the rule, or an inspector misses that the speedo was not converted (I've seen it before).

 

Actually, I believe it's "ricambiamerica.com'

Mike