Any Advice For A Newbie?

[Stinky Rooster]

Hello!

I have been looking about for a new family wagon and stumbled across what I initially thought was a japanese variant volvo.....then I drove one!

Now I am madly head over heels in luuuurve and I am making plans to get one, but I have hit a few problems I hope someone here can help me out with. Being from WA (wait awhile) I had a minor heart attack when I compared the prices at the only importer in the state to the average price elsewhere in Australia. How does $24K for a 1997 series 1 with over 80 000k's on the clock sound? And that is a bargain basement RS4V with NO frills at all - not even so much as a sunroof! When I saw that I could get the same model in NSW or QLD for about $17500 with sunroof, leather seats, mags and all the other goodies, I started trying to find out what is involved in getting a vehicle from over there complianced for wa, but all I have been able to find out so far is the freight costs - and they aren't enough to put me off doing it this way.

Having never owned an import before, I am struggling to find out any details I need to make a desicion and I really don't want to put this in the too hard basket because She Who Must Be Obeyed has said that the other option is a domestic Corolla wagon.....

help??

[Wildcat]

Import your own or buy from the eastern states...all i can say dont buy from a certain yard that has heaps..they are b@stards and the price of their cars is a joke! ( i would know....i live in wa as well and they complied my car what a joke and a major pain in the butt)

I brought mine from japan, got it complied in perth and i saved a shit load compared to what the certain unnamed shop was asking. Brett imported his from japan got it complied in QLD and transported it to perth and STILL was a shit loads cheaper than that unnamed shop!

If you buy a car from the eastern states if its complied already all you will have to worry about is transport to perth, rego/pits and insurance etc...shouldnt have too many dramas if its complied! There is only one place in wa that complies stageas and i personally wouldnt recommend them but the choice is yours!

[Ska]

Or you could buy mine for $30k, 1997 RS4V converted to manual with about a billion mods

[CruiseLiner]

i got mine from autowholesale in perth for 18.2k almost 2 years ago with 120 000km but in immaculate cond with sunroof and series 1 (non neo), why on earth are they asking 25k these days??? more of a demand i think

wait 6 months and there will be a nice rb26/gtr 5 speed and gtr diff stagea with fresh engine for sale with bilstein coilovers, and plenty of other goodies

im just trying to work out what car to put the current engine into, something small and light is the criteria

[Tangles]

The easiest tip is to buy a private sale Stagea in any of the states; go for as stock as possible (within reason) to get it thru your Transport check station (in adelaide we have the infamous Regency station), drive it home to wa or freight it.

If its already been regod etc and isnt 'outrageous' so that it wont pass a check without bucket loads of $$ mods to return to stock... then you cant go wrong.

I did this a yr ago with a 18k Series 1 auto in qld, CoolPC was the owner, although I never used these forums back then so I didnt know that at the time (doh.... nah lol got a top deal in my opinion). Very stress-free way of buying a Stagea at a proper price.

[pixel8r]

I think I know the caryard that was mentioned. Its quite possibly the one I bought my car from. And yes be VERY wary of buying from a car dealer. I've now spent $3k+ fixing up things that the dealer should have fixed - and I have 12 month AWN warranty and trust me that doesn't cover much. Its good to have but it doesn't cover anything major.

You'll probably get a much better deal if you import one privately. That way you're paying less for the car, you know how many genuine kms its done (usually) and you'll get photos of just about every angle and every section of the car so you know exactly what you're buying. The caryard I bought mine from supplied about 5 photos and when I asked for photos of scratches I was told there weren't any - only to find about 6 or 7 noticeable scratches on the exterior.

Going from people's experiences on this forum, I'd say a private import would be the best option. They generally handle compliance and rego for you and can have the car delivered to your state - where you will probably need to change the rego to WA plates and insure it etc.

Or you can follow Brendan's advice ^^ and buy one privately thats already in australia. That way the same rules apply as for purchasing any car 2nd hand through the trading post etc.

[mike40sydney]

after going thru the process of researching and then importing a stagea i couldnt be happier.it was a much better option than going thru a dealer.i was fortunate enough to snavell a bargain series 2. all up with new mags etc and rego it owes me 15 grand total for similar at a dealer in nsw id expect to pay 25 to 26 for the same car its currently insured for 26grand.i would recomend this path as the kilometers will more likley to be genuine and you can request photos etc which is what i based my decision on little things like no sign of rust in any of the underside photos and wear on the stearing wheel and peddles also look at seat wear etc and its a fair indication as to the true state of the car and how its been treated.i personally wanted a stock one as less chance of it being thrashed etc .there were a few people in here that were ready to say hey mike you got shit just because i had the balls to take a bit of a gamble but ha ha to them its turned out to be a gem and im extremely happy with the purchace and with jspec for all their help.and for what i paid i could justify some mechanical repairs if needed but as it turned out its verry healthy.just my 2 cents worth mate.....regards mike.........

Edited September 23, 2006 by mike40sydney

[IMPORTD]

Do remember though by importing another one you are killing your own market peoples.

I know the yard in question and the guy who compliances. He is nice, so not sure why he makes it so hard and I guess he charges what his boss tells him to.

I was going to buy one from there But sooooo glad I didn't as I bought one for $16K in adelaide with mods, still reg'd in WA Twisted web lol

There are a few for sale on the forum here.. Not sure if they are sold or not...

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/in...7&hl=stagea

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/in...4&hl=stagea

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/in...7&hl=stagea

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/in...121445&st=0

There is also a mod on here that has one for sale. Pranks car: http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/in...howtopic=105163

[Wildcat]

^^agreed kyles...but in this day and age people are after bargains and the shop in question cant seriously justify their marketups--they currently have a yellow stag on their website s2 nothing special asking 28k and a 96 silver again nothing special asking 24k..HELLO you have got to be kidding me! THe best way to go these days is to import yourself...yes you take a risk but its worth it! in my case my car was cheap and i was worried that i would get a lemon but after talks and photos and everything im very lucky that i got the bargain i did. I have had her for 3 months next weekend and i have only had my back window wiper come loose, flat battery last weekend so i took the risk and it paid off! So for under 15k i came out well and truely infront!

I have agree also with the certain male that complied my car he is nice and he follows every order that his ******* boss tells him, but im sorry if your complying my car and you run the car dry of fuel that is your responsibility to tell me not say nothing until i ring you saying whats happened to my car! You dont do damage like that to someone elses car and not say a thing *end rant sorry*

All i can say Dale is doing a ring around and find out what is the best option out there....it will pay off in the end!

[IMPORTD]

***off topic..sorry***

Hey Kirstie, I agree thier secondhand used cars are over priced one of the reasons I didn't buy from them there is also a place in Queensland that are over priced also..... I hope you are taking it further somehow? Couts? What damage did it do?

[qikstagea]

im just trying to work out what car to put the current engine into, something small and light is the criteria

off topic, but -

240Z. oh yeah.

[Tangles]

regards mike.........

Mike, you took a risk... no doubt about it. But for the price and the perceived condition (photos when in japan, info etc) it was a calculated gamble but it paid off hey ! got to be happy with that ! Im not a gambler, hence why I bought one already rego'd but yet not from a dealer.