[url]http://ca.jalopnik.com/5775509/feds-launch-new-crackdown-against-nissan-skyline-owners[/url]
[quote]The owner of one of the nation's largest forums for Nissan Skyline fans got a call three weeks ago from his wife, telling him that Homeland Security agents were on their doorstep looking to seize his Skylines. Their goal? "To get them off the road."
Since Nissan never legally sold the Skyline in the United States, those that are in the country had to pass a maze of federal standards for emissions and safety, including crash tests. Thanks to the failure of an importer who didn't perform the proper test, only a small run of Skylines from 1996 to 1998 can be legally brought to the United States, and many that were originally OK'd for import later had their papers pulled. Those cars are contraband as far as the U.S. government cares — even if they were considered legal when their current owners bought them — and there's nothing current owners can do to make them legal
The proprietor of the SkylineOwners USA says he was expecting the worst when he got home on Feb. 11, but found just two Immigrations and Customs agents. What was more confusing was the agent's info:
It was evident that someone somewhere had passed on some bum scoop, that I was running a business with the sole intent of trafficking illegal non-conforming vehicles into the U.S. by the dozens. In addition they were under the assumption that I possessed a warehouse where I kept all of the vehicles and also did all my automotive repair and modification work at.
The owner, known as Vandrel, had just two Skylines; one that's old enough to be exempt from vehicle import rules, and another for which he had extensive paperwork. After their visit, the customs agents called Vandrel back to say his second Skyline had been deemed illicit, and they would return to seize it on Tuesday.
But when they came back, Vandrel had a surprise for them:
I made it very clear that my intent was to retain ownership for the time being and export the vehicle from the country, and that I had already made arrangements for a sale to be conducted as well as export of the vehicle, which of course shocked them completely since all past Skylines seized were not owned by someone who carried the ability to execute an export on the spot. With no car and no material items left in my possession that would cause me to worry about being questioned or investigated by the federal government any further, I now have nothing to lose by challenging them and I intend to do so to the fullest of my abilities and resources.
The move has motivated the Skyline community, but also raised the eternal question of whether such pursuits are the best use of government resources. We've left a message with Homeland Security, but the answer to why agents are tracking down every last Skyline may be the ages-old one: Because they can.[/quote]
YAY Freedom of choice!
for more:
[url]http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/breaking-news-us-government-turns-up-heat-on-skyline-owners.html[/url]
I posted this in In the News as well.
I remember when SOUSA got locked down. A few of the mods there told me "No one is coming for anybodys cars" and this happened.
we need more of this
good to know homeland security is protecting us from evil baby-murdering japanese terrorcars
[editline]4th March 2011[/editline]
"leaving the government to auction the vehicle off and collect a profit for their benefit. "
I bet the cars end up right back in the US only for the cycle to repeat :v:
Thank god the government can be trusted to keep our streets free of these evil 300hp 10 year-old 2 door sports coupes.
especially among the obviously safe bumperbeamless s13 frankenswaps
[editline]4th March 2011[/editline]
those are real words look em up
lol my s13 is bumperbeamless
Are they at least buying them off the owners for market price?
nope just selling them
Sad thing is, a large percentage of the active skyline community are active or ex-military.
risk your life for the home of the free, have your pride and joy taken from you because some g-men said so.
lol, if I had one I would put it in the 40ft container I have buried and tell them to enjoy trying to find it.
That guy is a badass though. "No fuck you it's been sold and will be exported soon."
nicoclub needs more lawyers
[QUOTE=edberg;28412513]nope just selling them[/QUOTE]
So basically the government is stealing their cars and shipping them out of the country to sell.
That's no better than what the mob does.
[editline]3rd March 2011[/editline]
Actually it's probably worse, I think stolen cars get covered by insurance.
But cars that have been confiscated by the government, I'm not so sure.
The cars don't just get confiscated by the government and the owners told "lol sry bro".
The owners do have the option to export the car and sell it. It's just that most of the people that own them don't have the means or know-how to export it and/or sell it out of country. And the Skylines don't go for nearly as much outside of the United States.
the fuck would they do with the cars once they took them? destroy them?
[QUOTE=c0nk3r;28418143]the fuck would they do with the cars once they took them? destroy them?[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=edberg;28412513]nope just selling them[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=MikeL14;28414997]The cars don't just get confiscated by the government and the owners told "lol sry bro".
The owners do have the option to export the car and sell it. It's just that most of the people that own them don't have the means or know-how to export it and/or sell it out of country. And the Skylines don't go for nearly as much outside of the United States.[/QUOTE]
it's still taking advantage of people who don't any better, I doubt they share any viable options with the owners
Hmmm, should we spend money looking for this guy?
[img]http://japanfocus.org/data/1.%20OSAMA%20BIN%20LADEN.jpg[/img]
Or This guy?
[img]http://i50.tinypic.com/2r61bq1.jpg[/img]
Yep that last guy, he was behind the trade center bombings I just know it.
[QUOTE=NecroTitan;28422442]Hmmm, should we spend money looking for this guy?
[img_thumb]http://japanfocus.org/data/1.%20OSAMA%20BIN%20LADEN.jpg[/img_thumb]
Or This guy?
[img_thumb]http://i50.tinypic.com/2r61bq1.jpg[/img_thumb]
Yep that last guy, he was behind the trade center bombings I just know it.[/QUOTE]
What do we do when we find him ? I know, let's take his car away !
i bet bin-laden has a pretty sweet ride
[QUOTE=NecroTitan;28422442]
Yep that last guy, he was behind the trade center [B]bombings[/B] I just know it.[/QUOTE]
lol
[QUOTE=edberg;28425148]i bet bin-laden has a pretty sweet ride[/QUOTE]
Didn't you know? He hosted Pimp my Camel for 2 years.
SOUSA is on a mission to change the laws.
[QUOTE=MacHaddock;28425516]lol[/QUOTE]
What's so funny?
He spelled bombings correctly. o_O
[QUOTE=bradley;28464909]What's so funny?
He spelled bombings correctly. o_O[/QUOTE]
Maybe he doesn't know about the bombings, hope I am wrong though.
Ah, I see. Hmm.
[QUOTE=Snaker;28464963]Maybe he doesn't know about the bombings, hope I am wrong though.[/QUOTE]
or maybe he thinks necrotitan is saying that september 11 were bombings
[QUOTE=bradley;28464909]What's so funny?
He spelled bombings correctly. o_O[/QUOTE]
conspiracy's :tinfoil:
[QUOTE=lemon_lover;28466584]or maybe he thinks necrotitan is saying that september 11 were bombings[/QUOTE]
ding, winner.
Ah, I get it now. Everyone I hear talk about it calls it "bombings", I really don't give a shit what it was. It may have hurt alot of people but I just don't really care. I'm cold like that.
woa man hardcore
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