Best Car To Import From Japan Under Personal Import Scheme

[bobo]

Hi,

My dad is an Aus citizen living in Japan so he is eleigible to import 1 car per year to Australia via the Personal Import Scheme. I would appreciate some advice:

Which car/makes models do you recommend we look at importing? What will sell well in Australia? I am not necessarily after the most expensive car possible - something that will turn a tidy profit will be nice.

Thanks for any comments

[gazza750]

any of the GTR'S , late model supra's tt of course

cefiro's cima's just about any late model jap car will do

[Wink]

I'd get something that wasn't available to import normally (so no GTRs, Supras etc)

Something like a late model NSX would be great

[D-limo]

Forget GTR's if you want to make money... VIP style something like a Y32 or Y33 Cederic, Gloria, Cima.. Nissan Infinity. UZS131 Toyota Crown etc.

Bombed JZX81 chaser would be my pick though if I had the chance.

[32vspecII]

you could get a highly modified sevs vehical that couldnt be complied normally

[ebola]

you could get a highly modified sevs vehical that couldnt be complied normally

[insanity]

I realise you are only new to here... but search a few of the other topics by m3gtr... we were only just speaking about this last week.

yeah, a highly modded sevs vehicle might be ok, but rarer cars such as NSX, 22B rexy, would probably be more profitable

Oh, and Welcome to SAU

Edited January 18, 2007 by insanity

[battery]

NSX for sure

[nachoman]

id buy something unique which not many people have here

say a genuine toyota altezza rs200 ?

[insanity]

funnily enough.. my second favourite car.... and I didn't even think of it?!?!

[gel]

Definately bring in something that's not mass grey imported...

NSX-R / Accord Euro-R / Civic Type R

S2000 2.2L

Legnum or Galant VR4

M35 Stagea or V35 Skyline

EVO 8

List goes on... but if it was my pick it definately would be the NSX-R

[blk180]

Yep 22B or evo 3.

you need to import something people want if your trying to sell the cars when they get here, as for GTRs im sure people would like big mod GTRs i know i would.

[izataskyrine?]

Hmm all the cars listed above are awesome but will take along time to sell. If you are looking into this as a way to make money i suggest u look elsewhere (me an my brother have actually tried the same thing.. doesnt work). If you want to do this to have the opportunity to drive some fantastic cars all the while selling them and not worrying about how long they take to sell.. go for it. Imports arnt selling to well at the moment though there popularity is on the decline so keep this in mind.

[msnismo]

EVO 3 FTW

[32vspecII]

evo 3 is not a bad option or 4 or 5

but you would make more money from something more expensive

[gel]

Any car that been grey or personal imported will be hard to sell unless it is going for cheap...

I brought in a 3 series BMW under personal imports a few years ago thinking it is a popular car but once the potential buyer knew it was a personal import, they either lose interest or try to cut my asking price by $5K... So I gave it to my Mum to drive rather than selling for dirt cheap.

[Silver-Arrowz]

NSX-R for sure.

[Import_Fan_WA]

My suggestions. (WARNING: VERY long list!)

Performance & luxury orientated

-Nissan President (The current one.) >_<

-Nissan X-Trail GT

-Nissan K12 March 15SR-A

-2000 - 2001 Nissan Wingroad 2.0ZV-S

-1992-1996 Nissan Leopard 4.1

-Nissan R'Nessa 2.0GT Turbo

-Honda NSX Type-S/ Type-S ZERO

-Honda NSX-R

-2003- current Honda Odyssey Absolute (gen.3 version) (It's basically like an Accord Euro-R, but in the body of an MPV.)

-2003- 2006 Honda Stream Absolute (Same as above.)

-2006 Honda Stream RS-Z

-2000 - 2002 Honda Accord/ Torneo euro-R

-2003- current Honda Accord euro-R

-DC5 Honda Integra Type-R

-EP3 Honda Civic Type-R

-2004 Toyota Aristo V300

-Japanese-spec Nissan Fairlady Z (Z33)

-Eunos Cosmo

-2003-current Toyota Caldina GT-FOUR

-Toyota Mark II Blit

-Toyota (110-series) Mark II iR-V

Toyota Verossa

-Toyota Mark X

-2003 - 2006 Toyota Estima 3.0 AERAS-S

-Toyota Voltz Z

-2001 - 2004 WiLL VS

-Toyota Altezza RS200 Z Edition

-Toyota Altezza Gita AS300

-2005 Subaru Legacy B4 Blitzen

-1998-2002 Subaru Legacy B4 RSK

-Honda Avancier

-Honda Orthia

-Mitsuoka Le Seyde

-Mitsuoka Galue II

-Mitsuoka Galue III

-Mazda Atenza Sports 23Z

Run of the mill

-2001 - current Nissan Elgrand Highway Star

-2005 - current Nissan Elgrand Rider Alpha

-Mitsubishi Dion GDI Turbo.

-Honda Inspire 3.0 i-VTEC

-2000 - 2003 Toyota Estima 3.0

-2003 - 2006 Toyota Estima 3.0G/ AERAS-G

-2001 - 2006 Toyota Estima Hybrid.

-2003- current Nissan Cube/ Cube3

There are quite a lot of interesting models which didn't make it ot the SEVS list!

[catzilla]

check this car out it pretty rare and no compliance required for personal imports

[bobo]

thanks for the replies, lots of good advice.

about 6 years ago I brought over a Honda Accord under the Personal Import Scheme (older model) and that was pretty hard to sell - people weren't interested. I owned it for 3 years and sold it for 1K less than the total purchase+import price, so that was a good deal. So I guess I will need to think carefully about which model to bring.

The NSX is a sexy car and seems pretty rare here - only 7 for sale on drive.com.au. If I bring out such an expensive car, I hope I can sell it! What's the market like here for such an expensive import?