diesel fueled light-duty vehicles manufactured before Jan 1, 1975 form 3250,
category "S".
Why the 25% duty?
The 25% duty referred to goes back a ways. In the early eighties, Ford and GM
were getting thier sport utility clocks cleaned by Toyota 4runners and Nissan
Pathfinders. Rather than build a better vehicle, the pressure lawmakers into
passing legislation slapping a 25% tarriff on all import 2 door sport utility
vehicles. The Japanese responded two years later by making them 4 door and
thereby getting around the tarrif. The americans by this time, had entered into
several joint ventures with the japanese firms on SUV's so they couldn't get
too carried away with protectionist measures without shooting themselves in the
foot. The Mazda Navahoe/Honda Passport is nothing more than a two door Ford
Explorer built on the same assy lines just with different badging and colors
depending on whose brand it is. What the US guys did do was slap an additional
tarriff on all SUV under 6000 pounds gross vehicle weight. This explains why
Land Rover Discoveries and Defender 90s are both slightly over this figure. In
the Defenders case, they added heavier springs to achieve this, at the expense
of ride quality. My owners manual lists the GVW at 6003 pounds and it definately
rides harsher than my old leaf sprung 72 Ser lll 88 did. The mechanic at the
dealer who is also in our rover club with his old lla "The Offender" instead of
Defender, suggested eventually switching to standard Defender 90 springs to help
the situation. So, yes, an old two door Land Rover would be subject to the above
tarrifs, a four door 109 would not.
Rgds Mike Fredette, Portland, Oregon