Do you need tests to sell Hubcaps in the USA?
 

Hi,

I was wondering do you need to do some kind of tests to products being sold in the USA?

Which in the best place to ask these questions. US Customs?

I am planning to sell My FleXcaps to US and trying to find out what kind of paperwork I should fill or what kind of regulations the producst need to fulfill...

For example recycling and material markings etc...

Product is this:

FleXcap hubcaps are aerodynamically optimized | Tuneko Ltd

Best regards,

Vesa Tiainen

I suggest you contact SEMA.

Anything that affects the emissions system definitely needs to be tested and certified in CARB-similar states, and some states have restrictions on some modifications that change, for instance, ride height, lighting, tires, etc. I can't imagine that hubcaps would fall under any such restrictions. That said, I fully agree with Darrell that you talk to SEMA. Not only could they give you guidance on regulations, but they can assist members with product marketing.

Outside of California, the US isn't very uptight about automotive modifications. People install parts all the time with no sort of certification required. Modifications like hubcaps are beyond the scope of my state's safety and emissions inspection, and mine is one of the stricter states.

Actually, as long as you don't touch the emissions systems, California is more lax than most states about modifications.

I can't give you any advice, but I just wanted to say good luck on your endevours.
That is a very clever design !

Thanks for your input again. I contacted SEMA and lets see what their answer is...

How about saturating Europe first? There are tax benefits of trading in Europe, not to mention duty fees and shipping costs. Plus, there is already many Europe-wide haulage companies that can help spread your brand with some clever on-board advertising.

I can certainly help with the marketing and advertising, if you need it.

Good luck!

Of course the Europe is first, but as you mentioned the shipping costs to USA are a factor. Solution Mill the parts at States and ship them directly to resellers ;). I dont know if you can get away with duty fees this way?

Other solution is that someone who is willing to rent me a space of his garage to work as warehouse for FleXcaps. Ofcourse you would get paid from every delivery you take to us post. So far I have no enquiries from states, but that will happen sooner or later...

All the help is needed and I am willing to take if it is Free or very cheap. Or it can even cost real money if it possible to pay them when products are selling enough to be able to pay someones elses work...

As you said in your email, my grammar is not perfect. I know that. So if someone wants to fix the text on my webpages. I would be more than happy. yesterday we did a new pressrelease from FleXcaps on today hopefully it will be on the internet.

Also there are plans to have more languages choices on the webpages so again if you want to translate the text to other languages its welcome. But maybe the texts first should be correct in english...

Please send any copy files you have, unless all you have is the copy on the website, then I'll strip it from there.

Let me know if you plan to change the structure of your site also. For example, your home page could definitely do with some work to make it more appealing and informative.

Email me so we can discuss anything you'd like to talk about.

When you've got the final text, I can translate it into Dutch if you want.

OK. First we try to finish the english webpages to proper grammar. After that I will send the files to you.

Thanks again.

You may want to talk to vendors that sell wheel covers and ask what standards their other wheel covers conform to. I would guess that there are ASME and/or SAE standards that most meet, but may not be required to sell them here.

Contacting the vendor would also get your foot in the door for finding distibutors here to sell your product.

Mike

Hubcap Mike's and JC Whitney Auto Parts come to mind.

Already contacted hubcap mike a week ago, no answer to my email so far. Will try the JC autoparts.

Vekke - I know its off topic, any updates on the Vario ?