I've read the responses on this topic and all are correct, however the
focus on the import restrictions, not why they were restricted.
The answer to why new Peugeots or any non-US model car cannot be
imported is the Mercedes-Benz W126 model. (500SEL)
This model is hands down the most numerously imported grey market
vehicle ever. According to Wikipedia over 25,000 were grey-market
imported per year in the early 1980's.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W126
Take a wild guess what happened next. Mercedes-Benz, in addition to
Rolls Royce, Ferrari, BMW, etc, lobbied hard for legislation that
would restrict grey-market imports.
Considering the vast collection of geographic location and political
persuasion of this lists members, I could safely say that the vast
majority of us might take offense of a foreign company influencing the
sovereignty of US and Canadian laws, and a citizen's right to import
vehicles. (Yes, foreign vehicles…I know…)
What exactly is being protected by the banning of these vehicles?
It is quite obvious that it is the interests of these foreign
companies' bottom lines.
While it infuriates me that the US continues not to recognize European
standards even though they are in some ways superior, it cannot fully
blame the NHTSA or the DOT.
Who I blame are the politicians who were influenced by the lobbying
efforts of Mercedes Benz and the others.
A small stream, and yes I would consider 25,000 to be a small stream,
would not make a hill of beans difference in emissions or safety
statistics. Granted, common sense should be utilized. One cannot say
that a Trabant is a clean car.
Where I see the most hypocrisy when the grey market debate is brought
up is in the continued existence of motorcycles in the USA.
For the sake of argument I will agree that all US non-conforming cars
are death traps, as long as all motorcycles are removed from US highways.
Like a potential grey-market import, motorcycles are also on the US
roads amongst the "safe" US-conforming vehicles, yet:
They do not have bumpers
They do not have seatbelts
They do not have airbags
They cannot pass a US crash test
They cannot pass a side-impact test
I am also unaware of an Insurance Industry safety rating for cycles
How can this dual standard exist?
To clarify, I do not wish to see motorcycles removed from the roads,
nor do I believe their presence on our roads is unsafe. The fact the
alibi of safety and the environment is nothing but a smoke-screen to
cover the fact that a foreign interest lobbied and changed US laws
that impact a citizen's right to freedom and choice in their personal
vehicle decisions.
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Received on Sun Jun 25 11:09:21 2006
