diff --git a/.importlinter b/.importlinter
index 5e96db4469..79f541ccb3 100644
--- a/.importlinter
+++ b/.importlinter
@@ -28,10 +28,6 @@ forbidden_modules =
     openpilot.teleoprtc
     openpilot.tinygrad
 ignore_imports =
-    # remove these
-    openpilot.selfdrive.car.gm.interface -> openpilot.common.basedir
-    openpilot.selfdrive.car.interfaces -> openpilot.common.basedir
-
     # these are okay
     openpilot.selfdrive.car.card -> openpilot.common.swaglog
     openpilot.selfdrive.car.card -> openpilot.common.realtime
diff --git a/selfdrive/car/common/basedir.py b/selfdrive/car/common/basedir.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6b4811e53c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/selfdrive/car/common/basedir.py
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+import os
+
+
+BASEDIR = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)), "../"))
diff --git a/selfdrive/car/gm/interface.py b/selfdrive/car/gm/interface.py
index ae1689fe89..f19ce740ac 100755
--- a/selfdrive/car/gm/interface.py
+++ b/selfdrive/car/gm/interface.py
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ from typing import cast
 from math import fabs, exp
 from panda import Panda
 
-from openpilot.common.basedir import BASEDIR
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car import get_safety_config, get_friction, structs
+from openpilot.selfdrive.car.common.basedir import BASEDIR
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.conversions import Conversions as CV
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.gm.carstate import CarState
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.gm.radar_interface import RADAR_HEADER_MSG
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ NON_LINEAR_TORQUE_PARAMS = {
   CAR.CHEVROLET_SILVERADO: [3.29974374, 1.0, 0.25571356, 0.0465122]
 }
 
-NEURAL_PARAMS_PATH = os.path.join(BASEDIR, 'selfdrive/car/torque_data/neural_ff_weights.json')
+NEURAL_PARAMS_PATH = os.path.join(BASEDIR, 'torque_data/neural_ff_weights.json')
 
 
 class CarInterface(CarInterfaceBase):
diff --git a/selfdrive/car/interfaces.py b/selfdrive/car/interfaces.py
index 05150b0532..90aaec40b4 100644
--- a/selfdrive/car/interfaces.py
+++ b/selfdrive/car/interfaces.py
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@ from typing import Any, NamedTuple
 from collections.abc import Callable
 from functools import cache
 
-from openpilot.common.basedir import BASEDIR
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car import DT_CTRL, apply_hysteresis, gen_empty_fingerprint, scale_rot_inertia, scale_tire_stiffness, get_friction, STD_CARGO_KG
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car import structs
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.can_definitions import CanData, CanRecvCallable, CanSendCallable
+from openpilot.selfdrive.car.common.basedir import BASEDIR
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.conversions import Conversions as CV
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.common.simple_kalman import KF1D, get_kalman_gain
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.common.numpy_fast import clip
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ ACCEL_MAX = 2.0
 ACCEL_MIN = -3.5
 FRICTION_THRESHOLD = 0.3
 
-TORQUE_PARAMS_PATH = os.path.join(BASEDIR, 'selfdrive/car/torque_data/params.toml')
-TORQUE_OVERRIDE_PATH = os.path.join(BASEDIR, 'selfdrive/car/torque_data/override.toml')
-TORQUE_SUBSTITUTE_PATH = os.path.join(BASEDIR, 'selfdrive/car/torque_data/substitute.toml')
+TORQUE_PARAMS_PATH = os.path.join(BASEDIR, 'torque_data/params.toml')
+TORQUE_OVERRIDE_PATH = os.path.join(BASEDIR, 'torque_data/override.toml')
+TORQUE_SUBSTITUTE_PATH = os.path.join(BASEDIR, 'torque_data/substitute.toml')
 
 GEAR_SHIFTER_MAP: dict[str, structs.CarState.GearShifter] = {
   'P': GearShifter.park, 'PARK': GearShifter.park,
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ def get_interface_attr(attr: str, combine_brands: bool = False, ignore_none: boo
   # - keys are all the car models or brand names
   # - values are attr values from all car folders
   result = {}
-  for car_folder in sorted([x[0] for x in os.walk(BASEDIR + '/selfdrive/car')]):
+  for car_folder in sorted([x[0] for x in os.walk(BASEDIR)]):
     try:
       brand_name = car_folder.split('/')[-1]
       brand_values = __import__(f'openpilot.selfdrive.car.{brand_name}.{INTERFACE_ATTR_FILE.get(attr, "values")}', fromlist=[attr])
diff --git a/tools/setup.sh b/tools/setup.sh
index 2dc1144900..bc8e41a401 100755
--- a/tools/setup.sh
+++ b/tools/setup.sh
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ function ask_dir() {
   read
   if [[ ! -z "$REPLY" ]]; then
     mkdir -p $REPLY
-    OPENPILOT_ROOT="$(realpath $REPLY/openpilot)"
+    OPENPILOT_ROOT="$(realpath $REPLY)/openpilot"
   fi
 }