Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

I'm wondering if it's possible to have a Canadian drive a Delica across the border and leave it down there. When coming back across the border they could just say that it broke down and they scrapped the van. Once in the USA another individual could pick the van up and get it back to their place where it would sit on private property until it reaches the 25 year limit and it can be registered legally.

I'm guessing you're getting some very nice incentive offers for your L300 down there.

Unless you enjoy tangling with customs, I would advise against doing what you are asking.

Read this thread: http://www.delica.ca/forum/import-to-the-us-3293.html

jfarsang wrote:Getting it across the border is possibly the most difficult part. The main one being finding someone gullible enough to sell their L300 to a US resident. It's their ass if their vehicle crosses the border. That's been discussed too. Someone wanted to drive their delica south and sell it. Coming back through customs would be a rollercoaster ride with a bad ending.

jfarsang wrote:I posted somewhere in the past year how to import a vehicle newer than 25 years old.

You will have to search for it.

Short version :

1. Dual citizenship
2. Registered importer and offroad use only
3. Get a canadian to drive it over the border (high risk to the canadian)

that is it. Period.

I know people who have tried everything possible and none were ever successful at importing. This spans over the last 10 or so years with different types of imports.

The easiest option is #3 but who will you find to risk their customs status when they drive a vehicle down and come back up without it ?
The criminal/border/customs risks are very high for that Canadian.

No offers on my van, just enquiring for someone. I think the question of customs is what could they do if you told them the vehicle died and it wasn't worth bringing it back so you left it down there. The L400 that was for sale in Washington is an example of this. How did they get back through customs?

The onus still falls upon the canadian owner and there lies the problem with your first question.

Cnd drives vehicle down and leaves it at someone's place.
Cnd flies/drives back up and at customs informs them that the vehicle either a) has broken down and they are in the process of bringing back into Canada or b) the vehicle has been scrapped at a scrap yard.

Neither way can the vehicle be legally registered in the USA without customs knowing about it and then knocking on your door as to why you said the vehicle was scrapped but is now miraculously living and on the road.

The only question is whether the owner wants that hanging over their head.

That's nice and clear now. Good to know.

EDIT: In the states a scrapped vehicle can be re-built so could not the vehicle have legitimately been scrapped and then re-built?

Just tell them I will take $21,000 for the high roof and delivery will be in 2014 (it is a 1989 have to check manufacturing date)

My question is..

What do you tell ICBC..

that you scrapped it?

since you didnt "Sell" it the Delica would stay under your name forever in ICBC's computers.

Also Yes there are states that allow the cars to be registered.. , the rule is only on the Federal Level..


Same thing here in BC.. ICBC doesnt have a 15 year rule.. Its Transport canada, if you could get a newer then 15 year old Car into Canada.. ICBC would still register and insure it.. they dont care how old it is.. its Transport Canada that governs the age of the vehicles.

anyways.. best not to drive it down there and lie about it being scrapped..

FalcoColumbarius wrote:I don't think there is anything that says you cannot import a foreign vehicle (under 25 years) into the States. I have heard of guys bringing them in to drive only on their land or on a race track. I'm sure you could keep one in your personal collection, you just can't insure them for driving on the road, right away (until they're 25 years old).

Actually, it is a federal law that prevents you from importing a non NHTSA crash-tested-and-approved vehicle into the US that is less than 25 years old. It has nothing to do with emissions (separate EPA law) or whether it is LHD or RHD (this is a state law, like California, which does not allow RHD).

There is much more detail in this thread:

http://www.delica.ca/forum/import-to-th ... 93-90.html

dah_hunter wrote:My question is..

What do you tell ICBC..

that you scrapped it?

since you didnt "Sell" it the Delica would stay under your name forever in ICBC's computers.

Also Yes there are states that allow the cars to be registered.. , the rule is only on the Federal Level..


Same thing here in BC.. ICBC doesnt have a 15 year rule.. Its Transport canada, if you could get a newer then 15 year old Car into Canada.. ICBC would still register and insure it.. they dont care how old it is.. its Transport Canada that governs the age of the vehicles.

anyways.. best not to drive it down there and lie about it being scrapped..

The states do not allow the vehicles to be registered with the exception of Florida. The DMV cannot process a JDM VIN number, they literally cannot enter one into their computers as the number sequence is wrong. To get a number you must get the vehicle inspected and have a new number issued to you. If you don't have your NHTSA form or sticker when this happens, then you will probably get yourself arrested by the trooper inspecting your vehicle.

The way that people are driving them is by taking a VIN number off of a wrecked vehicle, and using that VIN number to register the vehicle to get their "tags", plates and then their insurance. They are not registered as the same vehicle, the DMV does not accept them.

So, every vehicle you see down here that has US plates that has not been legally modified by someone like Glenn at CC Auto, is in fact not legal on the roads. I know for a fact that there is not a single legally registered Delica in the entire state of Washington.


I have been back and forth across the border lots, leaving my Delica here and returning in a Jeep. I have never been asked about my Delica yet. However, I have TN-1 status, so I am across the border often.