Anyone know much about car importation???

[Sodapop]

Hi I`m in Japan now and looking at buying a car and bringing it back to Oz when i return (1-2 years from now)... I have looked at the docos from customs and the RTA but it is rather nebulous as to what you can bring in... the main rule is that you have to have owned the car for over 12 months in the foreign country (and have proof of this) - but beyond this there isn`t a lot of guidance... for the record the car is a 6th Gen Toyota Celica SSIII (1999 build - the one with the round lights) only sold in the Japanese Domestic Market... as far as i know it is the same as the Australian domestic market model but has an uprated engine same as the MR2 and the Lexus RS200 and beefed up suspension and a prettied up bodykit... Given i am going to own the car for over 12months here in Japan - am i likely to have any major problems with getting it into OZ??? (yes i know insurance might be a little problematic - )

 

[JMcDog]

The main obstacle that you may face might be getting the vehicle a compliance plate - which is required prior to having it registered. If this model has been imported (into Australia) in any volume then you need to find the dealer/importer who has had it "complianced".... this could potentially save you a lot of money.... but the importer will know this and will likely screw you anyway. Getting a compliance plate for some of these imported vehicles can cost FAR more than you might envisage.... the fact that is DOES comply has little to do with it... it's the process that can be time consuming, costly and not without risk.

In summary, it is possible but do your homework and weigh up the risks! Also consider parts/servicing/insurance issues for the rarer models in Oz.

Cheers, McDog

 

[constable]

Hi I`m in Japan now and looking at buying a car and bringing it back to Oz when i return (1-2 years from now)... I have looked at the docos from customs and the RTA but it is rather nebulous as to what you can bring in... the main rule is that you have to have owned the car for over 12 months in the foreign country (and have proof of this) - but beyond this there isn`t a lot of guidance... for the record the car is a 6th Gen Toyota Celica SSIII (1999 build - the one with the round lights) only sold in the Japanese Domestic Market... as far as i know it is the same as the Australian domestic market model but has an uprated engine same as the MR2 and the Lexus RS200 and beefed up suspension and a prettied up bodykit... Given i am going to own the car for over 12months here in Japan - am i likely to have any major problems with getting it into OZ??? (yes i know insurance might be a little problematic - )

Now im not a 100% sure on this but i've heard you are better off pulling the car apart sticking it in a container and bringing the car in as spare parts saving you a bucket load on luxury car import tax!

 

[insider]

Buying a privately imported car from Japan is risky... I worked at (not naming anyone) production engineering for work experience and I remember some Japanese employees saying how far the the japanese built cars (made for Japan) are from meeting Australian standards...

Basically in Japan the average speed limit is 40 K's... In Australia it's 60 K's which means the cars in Australia will have to endure twice the impact force of a collision... A law in physics states that when you double your speed you have 4 times more energy...

Japanese cars made for Japan don't usually come with the following items...

-Bazooka beam: this protects the engine in a low speed front on collision
-Thinner Panels: The panels of the cars are about 0.2 MM thinner... It's allot when a panel is about 2mm at most in Australia... A hale storm will make the car look like a golf ball... Homer would call them speed holes
-Side impact beams: Perhaps the most important part of the car protecting you from a T-boning car isn't required in Japan...

I vaguely remember something about the fire wall separating the engine from you as well... But I can't remember

Getting Japanese cars to comply with Australian Requirements is pretty tuff... Probably not worth it...

IMHO

 

[Royce]

Now im not a 100% sure on this but i've heard you are better off pulling the car apart sticking it in a container and bringing the car in as spare parts saving you a bucket load on luxury car import tax!

Would hardly call a toyota celica a luxury car....LCT kicks in around the $70,000 mark.
You still have gst and maybe import duty to pay (depends on the age of the vehicle).

Royce

 

[JMcDog]

GST and import duty will not be the problem given you are planning to own the car for 12 months overseas. The compliance issue is the biggy.

 

[Tech_king]

It may just be easier to go to a japanese import car yard to buy the car, that way you won't have the problems you are stating!

 

[Sodapop]

in Japan the average speed limit is 40 K's...

True - but no-one pays attention to it (including "someone i know") - even radar detectors are legal here... Most people drive around 70 in 40 zones - but i live in the sticks... not in a metropolis (so it may be different closer to the big centres)... but i have been thinking about it and i think i will go with the 7th gen celica - based on specs it is vitually the same as the oz domestic model... On the compliance - yes some cars i think would be different - but a volume build like the celica would (most likely) be relatively uniform worldwide (doesnt make business sense to have to have all sorts of specs for different markets in a mass produced car...)...