Stump The Best And Brightest: How Did This Opel Vivaro End Up In Illinois?

by Luke42

Published: July 26th, 2011

stump the best and brightest how did this opel vivaro end up in illinois

I spotted this Opel Vivaro CDTI on the University of Illinois campus.

How did this apparently-European vehicle end up in Illinois? Opel’s website suggests that they don’t do business in Canada, but this Vivaro has Quebec license plates, and a stuffed animal in the window that suggests it is a personal vehicle.

Does anyone have any idea how such a vehicle could end up legally touring the American Midwest with Canadian plates? What say you, readers of TTAC?

#Europe #Export #Opel #StumpTheBestAndBrightest #Vivaro #WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot

Luke42

EV enthusiast. Private pilot. Computerman. Learned conventional car maintenance from my dad.

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2 of 67 comments

Pete Zaitcev on Jul 27, 2011

There is a bunch of Mexican rolling stock in southern states, e.g. Nissan X-trail and the like.

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BTEFan on Jul 27, 2011

My educated guess is that someone from overseas is living and working in Quebec for a few years and brought their van over. I am guessing they are of the 'Jon an Kate Plus 8' types with lots of kids or something. There is a Peugeot 406 coupe that has been running around Vancouver for a few years. We tracked the driver down and he said they were here on a work visa for 2 years and ICBC allows them to register it as long as they take the car back when they return to thier home country. I have seen a few Chevy Joy and Swings (Opel Corsas) with BC plates on them for the same reason - ex Mexico. We have a lot of RHD cars that are more than 15 years old that are brought in. I have seen a few Mercedes A-Class Fuel Cell cars running around near Ballard Power in Burnaby and BC Hydro has a fleet of RHD 2011 Mitsubishi iMEVs running around for evaluation. They definitely spice up the sea of silver Civics and Corollas that is the norm here...

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Recent Comments

MaintenanceCosts Who knows whether it rides or handles acceptably or whether it chews up a set of tires in 5000 miles, but we definitely know it has a "mature stance."Sounds like JUST the kind of previous owner you'd want…
28-Cars-Later Nissan will be very fortunate to not be in the Japanese equivalent of Chapter 11 reorganization over the next 36 months, "getting rolling" is a luxury (also, I see what you did there).
MaintenanceCosts RAM! RAM! RAM! ...... the child in the crosswalk that you can't see over the hood of this factory-lifted beast.
3-On-The-Tree Yes all the Older Land Cruiser’s and samurai’s have gone up here as well. I’ve taken both vehicle ps on some pretty rough roads exploring old mine shafts etc. I bought mine right before I deployed back in 08 and got it for $4000 and also bought another that is non running for parts, got a complete engine, drive train. The mice love it unfortunately.
Statikboy I see only old Preludes in red. And a concept in white.Pretty sure this is going to end up being simply a Civic coupe. Maybe a slightly shorter wheelbase or wider track than the sedan, but mechanically identical to the Civic in Touring and/or Si trims.