Beautiful Malaga ‘74 Coupe on BaT

bubukitty

bubukitty

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This just popped up today on Bring a Trailer. A ‘74 California coupe relocated to Europe and restored over there and available for sale in the Netherlands. Euro bumpers fitted. I’ve seen this seller’s coupes on BaT before and they are always very nice.

bringatrailer.com

M90-Powered 1974 BMW 3.0CS 5-Speed

Bid for the chance to own a M90-Powered 1974 BMW 3.0CS 5-Speed at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #186,470.
bringatrailer.com bringatrailer.com
 
I wonder how long ago it was registered in CA and if the fact that that it was registered there before would make it possible to register easily in CA even though it’s being imported.

When I bought my coupe with Montana registration I was able to just show the coupe’s previous CA registration and it made registering it here a breeze.
 
Sweet looking ride! Anyone know if the 25% tarriffs applies to used cars imported from the EU?
 
it shouldn't matter, its a USA model 3.0 CSA - 4335377. it can be titled in California as long as any smog requirements are present. (i do not know if a 74 is still required to have smog equipment in CA at this time - memory says 1976+)
 
rsporsche said:
it shouldn't matter, its a USA model 3.0 CSA - 4335377. it can be titled in California as long as any smog requirements are present. (i do not know if a 74 is still required to have smog equipment in CA at this time - memory says 1976+)
Click to expand...
Yea it’s 76+ here in CA. When I registered mine, the DMV were searching for the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety sticker, which was no longer present because the car had been repainted. That is when I showed them the previous CA registration and they said that was all they needed.
 
Definitely any ‘76 and newer car is subject to smog requirements in California. 1975 and older are exempt. I know as I had a 1976 Jaguar XJ6C and had to pass emissions, but if I had bought a 1975, I’d have been home free. On BaT, the seller advised they would cover all import fees, including a 25% tariff if I read his response correctly.
 
Pardon my ignorance....but are the tariffs also applied to used vehicle sales? Horrified if the answer is "yes." Actually, I am quite concerned either way.....but applied to the sale of pre-owned cars will compound the harm to the classic car hobby.
 
The car looks really great to my eyes. Well done.
For the engine experts here, M90 at 3.5L seems like a great choice with the displacement and the later fuel system?
 
yes the idea is horrifying. a tariff on a used car seems ridiculous, but the orangutan in the white house loves the idea of tariffs. (not a political comment - just one about the president's idea). we are also facing this regarding the importation of parts for our vintage vehicles. in reality, since this was an original import into America in 1974, it has theoretically already been imported and resided in the USA ... so one could make a case that its being repatriated. it just went away to have a 'facelift / cosmetic surgery'
 
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Agree, this car was already imported so it should not pay again.

I doubt tariffs would apply to classic cars as the intent is to encourage US manufacturing, but manufacturing is by definition not of classics but new cars...

We had it easy so far in the US, other countries have been pretty rapacious all along with people that want to bring a cool car they desire. I looked at buying a Land Rover in Uruguay for local use, and the price is way higher than the global price, import duties are 20% plus VAT 22%... And they have no local industry to favor, just tax hunger.
Argentina similar, but they do have local industry to protect. Millei has been lowering it a bit actually especially for EVs.
 
rsporsche said:
yes the idea is horrifying. a tariff on a used car seems ridiculous, but the orangutan in the white house loves the idea of tariffs. (not a political comment - just one about the president). we are also facing this regarding the importation of parts for our vintage vehicles. in reality, since this was an original import into America in 1974, it has theoretically already been imported and resided in the USA ... so one could make a case that its being repatriated. it just went away to have a 'facelift / cosmetic surgery'
Click to expand...

good point, you are absolutley right, but I wouldn't want to speak ill of orangutans; they are beautiful animals created by God almigthy.
in the case you mentioned it seems a squad of spoiled, bullying, bad-tempered, and foul-mouthed gangster teenagers that have occupied the whole building, it is hard to recognize the proverbial US diplomacy and good manners
but i wonder if everybody there realizes that is actually the US people who pays the tariffs, for cars and all other stuff
meanwhile europe is buying zero "wolkswagen", sorry, i meant tesla, (note the nsapd reference)
all-right,
but it was impossible to know
 
Arde said:
Agree, this car was already imported so it should not pay again.

I doubt tariffs would apply to classic cars as the intent is to encourage US manufacturing, but manufacturing is by definition not of classics but new cars...

We had it easy so far in the US, other countries have been pretty rapacious all along with people that want to bring a cool car they desire. I looked at buying a Land Rover in Uruguay for local use, and the price is way higher than the global price, import duties are 20% plus VAT 22%... And they have no local industry to favor, just tax hunger.
Argentina similar, but they do have local industry to protect. Millei has been lowering it a bit actually especially for EVs.
Click to expand...

my guess is that you pay each time
my dad bought a flat, he payed taxes back then
my dad died, i inherited the flat
i payed taxes again
 
Tariffs are rules based and no rules have been issued that address the proposed 25% tariff on motor vehicles imported from the EU. Thus, we cannot know whether the proposed tariff, if it is imposed, would apply to the importation of this particular car.

I find it interesting that the seller of this car is offering to cover the tariff if it is imposed. I suspect they are betting the tariff will not apply.
 
After doing some research on the matter, overall it does seem very "cloudy" to say the least on tariffs on vintage classic cars imported after Wed. This article from Car and Classic seems to be the best so far to try and clarify what most of us thinking of buying a classic E9 or E3 from overseas and how it would affect us (the vintage car community in generlal). Although it seems to lean towards "all" vehicles at the moment. I have a feeling this may eventually be clarified and only be placed on new vehicles. That is just my opinion.

The article also pictured a BMW 2002 and even a Coupe, so I thought that was cool.

Regarding some of the comments made on this thread "not being political" I wholeheartedly disagree. Disparaging our current President and his staff is absolutely political and offensive to more than half the country. If I said stuff like that of the former President and the tables were turned, I would have my comment deleted if I didn't edit the post which has happened in the past. It can't be one sided. I have thick skin and if you want a discussion in private, fine. But I don't feel it is appropriate on here as this has been addressed many times. Especially coming from a moderator and another member both of whom I admire.

Enjoy the article...

www.carandclassic.com

Trump’s Automotive Tariffs and their impact on Classic & Collectable Cars - Car & Classic Magazine

Donald Trump has announced a 25% tariff on all imported cars as of 2nd April 2025. What will tariffs mean for classic and collectable cars?
www.carandclassic.com www.carandclassic.com
 
the only thing i disparaged was the president's idea - the love of tariffs. well i guess i did call him an orangutan ... simply because of his policy on tariffs on cars + parts. if that offends you or anybody else, you have my sincere apology.

i do appreciate the article and the fact that i have had each of the 4 cars in the pics is quite coincidental.
 
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