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Where do I find a Mexican Blazer?

Blazer

I have never seen the durango before but the two door tahoe is no suprise. I work at a truck accessory store and the rep from Fabtech has one of these lifted and done up, looks sweet. I try to talk him out of it evertime he comes in. They usually hook him up with a new vehicle every couple years so maybe some time soon it might come up for sale.
 
Grey market cars were a big business 10 years ago. People were importing cars made somewhere else and getting them titled here. Bill Gates even did it with a half million dollar italian sports car that he never got to drive because it wouldn't pass the existing standards in 1995.

Since then the feds and many states have clamped down on making sure vehicles meet standards, especially safety, think crash test bumpers. The other sticky part is the insurance company, they may not cover it because of those standards.

I wonder how hard it would be to leave it licensed in mexico and drive it that way?
 
I think Bill Gates' car was a Porsche 959, i think there are only like 2 or 3 of them that were allowed into the country and able to be registered. I think they got it to pass US standards but i'm sure it wasnt easy or cheap.... but this is Bill Gates....
 
From that I wouldnt think it would be that difficult or expencive as long as you was bringing over a newer vehicle. Mexico does has emission standards as well. I would think that a modern vehicle would have most of what is required. I think the "idea" of getting a CHEAP car with no hassle is what some people wanted and is not possible.

BUT heres the problem! Mexico has really shatty roads other than in big cities such as Mexico City so any used vehicle I would assume would be WELL used. But if you was looking to buy a unique new vehicle such as a 2 door tahoe or the like I bet it could be done close to buying a new car here.

Mexico is a poor contry but its not in the stone age. There are places in mexico that are very simular to the US as far as money and technology goes. So I would assume the chevy dealership in say Mexico City would have cars and trucks on their lot not much differnt as the dealership in the US. At least as far as technology emission and safty standards goes. So if you have the money for a new vehicle and a trip to Mexico I would say its feasable.
 
From the link posted above:

"Both the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advise that although a nonconforming car may be conditionally admitted, the modifications required to bring it into compliance may be so extensive and costly that it may be impractical and even impossible to achieve such compliance. Moreover, some vehicle models are prohibited from importation. It is highly recommended that these prohibitions and modifications be investigated before a vehicle is purchased for importation."

According to what I could find online, Mexico's 2001 emissions standards were based on our *1981* emissions standards, and don't even include OBD2. There is no way that will meet current US standards, and getting to OBD2 from nothing? That would be expensive. There is no way shape or form that this can possibly be worth it. Sucks, but it's the truth.
 
Mudbug1979 said:
I have never seen the durango before but the two door tahoe is no suprise. I work at a truck accessory store and the rep from Fabtech has one of these lifted and done up, looks sweet. I try to talk him out of it evertime he comes in. They usually hook him up with a new vehicle every couple years so maybe some time soon it might come up for sale.
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i saw that tahoe this very morning actually...guy lives in augusta and i see it around town fairly often.
 
redneckdude said:
i saw that tahoe this very morning actually...guy lives in augusta and i see it around town fairly often.
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I am totally digging the Tahoe...

I'm willing to bet that the OBDII stuff could be pulled from a wreck and adapted fairly easily. The bumpers are the same and therefore should meet the same crash standards as the American 4-door version.

What else is there besides the emissions stuff?
 
I looked into this for a client of mine that wanted to bring over a Land Rover Defender 110. After looking through the DOT regs, and talking with the tag agencies, the general consensus was this: since the 110 did not come with airbags, it had to have them put in. So, the client was going to buy 2 110s, fit them both with airbags, and then CRASH one of them to prove it was safe and the bags worked. Problem is, DOT said if the tests were inconclusive on the 1st crash test, they could require further crash tests. Client backed off and decided not to go through with it.

The other way, mentioned earlier, is to buy all of the parts and assemble in the states. There is a company in AZ or CA that does this with Land Rovers, and even he says its definately in the gray area. The other huge problem is insuring it. Not just the vehicle, but coverage in case you crash into others...if the car aint clean, insurance will deny the claim leaving you responsible for the accident (and injuries).

Also, the Mexicans are still enjoying CJ-7s. They have alot of cool stuff we will never have...who would of thought we would be jealous of the mexicans?
 
djsblaze said:
I looked into this for a client of mine that wanted to bring over a Land Rover Defender 110. After looking through the DOT regs, and talking with the tag agencies, the general consensus was this: since the 110 did not come with airbags, it had to have them put in. So, the client was going to buy 2 110s, fit them both with airbags, and then CRASH one of them to prove it was safe and the bags worked. Problem is, DOT said if the tests were inconclusive on the 1st crash test, they could require further crash tests. Client backed off and decided not to go through with it.

The other way, mentioned earlier, is to buy all of the parts and assemble in the states. There is a company in AZ or CA that does this with Land Rovers, and even he says its definately in the gray area. The other huge problem is insuring it. Not just the vehicle, but coverage in case you crash into others...if the car aint clean, insurance will deny the claim leaving you responsible for the accident (and injuries).

Also, the Mexicans are still enjoying CJ-7s. They have alot of cool stuff we will never have...who would of thought we would be jealous of the mexicans?
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Well in the case of the Tahoe, it'd still be a Tahoe...right? :dunno:
 
I saw the two door Ramchargers while down in Mexico but, the back windows were one piece, they looked sweet! Never saw the two door Tahoes but, if that picture is accurate, they could easily look pretty sweet!

As I have asked many times, why are so many cool vehicles never available in the U.S.?:(:mad::rolleyes:
 
dyeager535 said:
According to what I could find online, Mexico's 2001 emissions standards were based on our *1981* emissions standards, and don't even include OBD2. There is no way that will meet current US standards, and getting to OBD2 from nothing? That would be expensive. There is no way shape or form that this can possibly be worth it. Sucks, but it's the truth.
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GM has different things in different markets, but I would be surprised if they ran totally different engine management for Mexico. That would be more expensive for them. It's not like OBD I TBI stuff is still in production. My guess is that they just delete some emissions parts for cost reduction and re-calibrate the PCM to match.

*EDIT* This is true for the engines that are common, anyway. For engines that aren't available in the US, it's anybody's guess what is on them (like the small diesels, for example).

Mexico has much easier crash testing standards. Some of those vehicles aren't sold up here because they don't meet the US standards. This doesn't mean they aren't safe, just more comparable to older US cars.
 
Blue85 said:
GM has different things in different markets, but I would be surprised if they ran totally different engine management for Mexico. That would be more expensive for them. It's not like OBD I TBI stuff is still in production. My guess is that they just delete some emissions parts for cost reduction and re-calibrate the PCM to match.

*EDIT* This is true for the engines that are common, anyway. For engines that aren't available in the US, it's anybody's guess what is on them (like the small diesels, for example).

Mexico has much easier crash testing standards. Some of those vehicles aren't sold up here because they don't meet the US standards. This doesn't mean they aren't safe, just more comparable to older US cars.
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I was thinking about this thread yesterday...

I think a few things could be deleted to save money, but overall, I agree with you that a total redesign would cost MORE money.

Either way, I'm sure the frame underneath is 100% the same except for length, and anything you'd need to add to make it meet USA standards would simply bolt on.
 
tahoe2dr218vy.jpg


tahoe2hn5.jpg




DUDE!?!?!?! I would SOOOO pimp one of those things up here in the US!!

DAMNIT! Why NOT sell to Americans?? C'mon!!!


Although, "Scrap"? And, why only a fender flare up on the front? Hmm....
 
Blue85 said:
GM has different things in different markets, but I would be surprised if they ran totally different engine management for Mexico. That would be more expensive for them. It's not like OBD I TBI stuff is still in production. My guess is that they just delete some emissions parts for cost reduction and re-calibrate the PCM to match.

*EDIT* This is true for the engines that are common, anyway. For engines that aren't available in the US, it's anybody's guess what is on them (like the small diesels, for example).

Mexico has much easier crash testing standards. Some of those vehicles aren't sold up here because they don't meet the US standards. This doesn't mean they aren't safe, just more comparable to older US cars.
Click to expand...

jonrpick said:
I was thinking about this thread yesterday...

I think a few things could be deleted to save money, but overall, I agree with you that a total redesign would cost MORE money.

Either way, I'm sure the frame underneath is 100% the same except for length, and anything you'd need to add to make it meet USA standards would simply bolt on.
Click to expand...

Exactly. I do know Mexico has been going through a tech. explosion in a relitivly short time recently. I cant find it now but searching the web about this topic the other night I found a colored map that showed the use of ULSD in north america. Most of mexico sells ULSD now, starting last year 2007. Also GM offers *onstar in most MAJOR mexican cities though the service is somewhat limited. I found a bunch of information but desided it was kinda pointless to argue this thread any further. It isnt hard for a country to progress very fast when its northern neighbor is the USA. I dont think they are as far behind as alot of people would assume.
 
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