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Interested In Starting An Italian Mini Export Business... Any Help?


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#1 riktanius

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Posted 15 November 2019 - 02:44 PM

Hey there, 

 

I am an American living in Italy, and I am obsessed with Minis. 

 

I currently work a decent paying desk job, but I would like to use my unique position to get into the business of buying Italian Minis and selling them in the US (or wherever there is a market).

 

Thing is, I dont know how viable this actually is and what hurdles to expect. Does anyone here do the same and can point me in the right direction for resources or information? I would really appreciate it. I have some meetings set up with Italian importers and exporters, but they dont work very much with the American market. 

 

I know that I might be stepping on your toes, and if so, please know I am just interested in this because I love the car and need to justify my obsession to my wife. I am not trying to be a millionaire or take anyone elses business. 

Feel free to PM me if that is better for you. 

 

Thank you. 



#2 Spider

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Posted 15 November 2019 - 04:13 PM

Offhand, one thing you would want to well look in to in the US is registering them. I don't know all the ins and outs of it all there (some of our US Based members could better fill in  on this), but I think after certain year of manufacturer it gets difficult to the point of impossible.

 

There's the obvious business end of things as well;-cost price, freight, duties local taxes and insurances. If there's any volume involved, I'd say you'd need to register yourself as a Motor importer and dealer in the US as well and you might even need to do this in Italy too. You'll probably want a secure holding yard in the US as well It maybe viable. Here in Australia, there was a number of firms buying Minis from Japan and bringing them to Australia for a few years.

 

Best of luck with it.



#3 mab01uk

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Posted 15 November 2019 - 06:36 PM

Extract and link below from the North American Classic Mini forum:-

"It is not easy for US citizens wanting to bring a Mini into the US. Depending on the specific situation, can range from a mild hassle, to hard, to very difficult, to impossible. You will have to deal with Environmental Protection Agency emission issues and Department of Transportation requirements for safety equipment and standards. Of course, you will have to pay duty on the vehicle as well, 2.5% for a car.
This page provides information for importing a vehicle into the U.S. , including requirements of the U.S. Customs Service and those of other agencies. Since requirements are subject to frequent changes, contact information has been provided for the agencies mentioned. Be sure to contact these agencies (particularly EPA and DOT) before importing your vehicle."

Importing Laws and Contacts,

Full details here:-

https://www.northame...d-contacts.html


Edited by mab01uk, 15 November 2019 - 06:37 PM.


#4 riktanius

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Posted 15 November 2019 - 07:32 PM

Thank you so much for the information, and keep it coming. 

 

I would basically only be bringing in minis over 25 years old, to exclude myself from some of the EPA and DoT issues. I would like to deal with Italian Market minis, all left hand drive and all having the correct lighting needed for the roads. Safety and Emissions standards shouldnt be too much of an issue with these classics. 

 

Again, I am not trying to make a living off of this alone. But if it covers the costs of my own mini projects, then it will be a success for me. 



#5 Magneto

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Posted 16 November 2019 - 03:01 AM

That page is misleading.....any car more than 25 years old can be personally imported into the states with no issues with the gummint, EPA or any other agency. The key words here are "personally imported" and any Italian Mini is automatically over 25 years old. So if you focus your business on advertising and selling those cars, you're fine - however, the purchaser will need to import the car - not you. You can make all the arrangements for shipping, contact a broker in the states to handle the stateside paperwork and you're golden.

 

One big hurdle is the cost of shipping vs the market price for the car - it may not compute.....if for example you need to sell it for $10K to make a profit but the market says it's only worth $11K, the cost of shipping will kill the deal.



#6 timmy850

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Posted 16 November 2019 - 05:49 AM

Another option is selling the parts specific to the Innocenti cars - grille, headlight trims, interior, doors etc.

#7 Magneto

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Posted 17 November 2019 - 05:36 AM

Whew, those are rare parts to find.....and there is more to it than that - heater, radiator, wiring harness all different - for example, as well as al the lights.



#8 Screwdriver

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Posted 18 November 2019 - 08:34 PM

If you love Minis so much, why not start a Mini rental company instead?

 

Much more profitable!

 

https://smallcarbigcity.com



#9 InnoCooperExport

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Posted 18 November 2019 - 10:45 PM

An English-speaking source for Innocenti parts would be great, but maybe a bit of a limited market...

#10 Dusky

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Posted 19 November 2019 - 05:53 PM

All depends on your funds too. If you could buy 4 innocenti's you could fill a full car container, saving loads on shipping.

#11 riktanius

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Posted 22 November 2019 - 07:10 PM

That page is misleading.....any car more than 25 years old can be personally imported into the states with no issues with the gummint, EPA or any other agency. The key words here are "personally imported" and any Italian Mini is automatically over 25 years old. So if you focus your business on advertising and selling those cars, you're fine - however, the purchaser will need to import the car - not you. You can make all the arrangements for shipping, contact a broker in the states to handle the stateside paperwork and you're golden.

 

One big hurdle is the cost of shipping vs the market price for the car - it may not compute.....if for example you need to sell it for $10K to make a profit but the market says it's only worth $11K, the cost of shipping will kill the deal.

 

This is my thinking. My first Mini was an Inno that I had shipped from Rome in 2006, but sold it before I even took delivery of it. 

 

Cost is something to think about. I dont want to be doing the stateside sales portion of it, at least not right now. I am much more interested in the search and buying here and then getting it sent across the pond. 

 

Another option is selling the parts specific to the Innocenti cars - grille, headlight trims, interior, doors etc.

 

I have thought about this, but parts and their quality varies like crazy and shipping is also another mess. I might look into it if the market is there, but I dont know. 

 

Whew, those are rare parts to find.....and there is more to it than that - heater, radiator, wiring harness all different - for example, as well as al the lights.

 

If you love Minis so much, why not start a Mini rental company instead?

 

Much more profitable!

 

https://smallcarbigcity.com

 

Eh, honestly, people here dont care that much. In Italy, everyone has a small car. And Fiat 500s are everywhere and they are even smaller than minis. The market just isnt there, at least here. Maybe if I move to Germany or something, but here, not so much. 

 

An English-speaking source for Innocenti parts would be great, but maybe a bit of a limited market...

 

Yeah, that is what I was thinking. Let me know what you are looking for, I can see about finding the parts and see if it is worth it to either of us. 

 

All depends on your funds too. If you could buy 4 innocenti's you could fill a full car container, saving loads on shipping.

 

Yes... that is what I am hoping. If I could get 2 sales, I could pay for another 2 out of pocket and save on the shipping. Then pack the container with parts and cars and save on shipping. Hope to recoup the money on the other end. 

 

I did get the wife's approval for this, so now just gotta get started. 






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