R35 Grey Import

[MonsterGTR]

I am in Victoria and thinking of buying a grey import. Just wanted to know if anyone on the forum has done this. If so what are they doing for servicing and parts. I understand there is no warranty but that aside can Nissan Australia legally refuse to service these cars.

[EvoMitchy]

You will only be able to buy one already landed here- exchange rate makes it impossible now... wont see anymore imported R35's

[MonsterGTR]

It is one that is already landed, complied and registered.

[maclarenf1]

You will only be able to buy one already landed here- exchange rate makes it impossible now... wont see anymore imported R35's

Sorry to hijack the tread...

you got way to many evo's.. there

[Gibbo_R35]

I am in Victoria and thinking of buying a grey import. Just wanted to know if anyone on the forum has done this. If so what are they doing for servicing and parts. I understand there is no warranty but that aside can Nissan Australia legally refuse to service these cars.

They can refuse to service and also refuse to warranty.

Nissan Japan is not the same company as Nissan Australia. The Nissan Japan car is a different beast to the Aust car. They have no statutory requirement to support a car that is technically not theirs at all. It is not even the same spec.

As such they may service it for you, but it will be an all care no responsibility scenario. They will not do recalls, nor updates or anything.

I would buy the JDM import if you are looking at modding it and/or if it is very cheap.

There are aftermarket companies that service them...however "Caveat Emptor".

Google it if you are not sure what it means.

[(OO)SKYLINE(OO)]

There is a Red R35 GTR with th number plates SPECV in VIC and from memory it is a JDM Import.

Yes, don't expect Nissan AUS to give you any warrenty what so ever.

It's pretty much taking it to your trustworthy mechanic and forking out the cash.

[Duncan]

who is likely to know more about how to service it than the first year apprentice who will look after it for you at nissan aus. I wonder how long it will be until the first r35 is written off by a nissan aus service department

[sh@un]

it'll be much the same as the way Honda does the NSX servicing- only fully trained mechanics with a good work history are allowed to work on them or gve them a shake-down out on the street

[Drift Motorsport]

Dealer services are hack jobs anyway.

I know mechanics that work in Jap dealers (Mazda, Nissan) as well as Euro dealers (BMW, VW) and the team are the worst mechanics in the business.

Dealer servicing = ripping the customer off by not doing the work or f.ucking the car even more for a customer return and more labour.

Any decent Jap speicalist that has a good reputation should be able to service your car to specification and actually do the work.

Shit, you could even do it yourself! Its not hard to change fluids and wear&tear parts.

[PIG747]

it'll be much the same as the way Honda does the NSX servicing- only fully trained mechanics with a good work history are allowed to work on them or gve them a shake-down out on the street

Yep thats true. I worked at a Honda dealership that sold and serviced NSX's and there was only 2 guys that were allowed to touch them. They were some of the best mechanics i've known and worked on the cars like they were their own. Even one of the customers that had the last nsx's brought it in and got the mechanic to fit a fully supercharger kit to it because he didn't want anyone else working on his car

[Ghostrider]

Hot word from my local Nissan dealer is that ANY R35 grey import will not be supported in ANY way by the Aussie Nissan Network. No parts or service in any way.

Cheers, D

[Duncan]

I'm sure you're right Dennis, but that is exactly what they tried when grey import r32s arrived and look how well that discouraged people. 100 Aus delivered and about 5000 grey imports.

All this will do is ensure that smart importers have a chance to make good money because it will be worth their time parallel importing parts from japan. Lets face it, its not exactly hard to undercut Ni$$an Aus' parts prices.

Its a shame Nissan have learned nothing in 15 years.

BTW regarding nissan dealerships "best mechanics" working on these cars - unless they went out to the market and hired a couple of gun people in every dealership, these are the same guys that have been doing oil changes on pulsars for the last 10 years. I've bought 2 of nissan's (at the time) top sports cars brand new (200sx and 350z) and used dealer servicing...and it was rubbish.

One simple example is they were not able to diagnose a bent lower control arm as the source of a suspension "clunk" and poor wheel alignment. My local mechanic did. Also they stood there and told me straight up that using 1l of oil per 1000klm is high but not outside acceptable. Right. And I went 3 months without a radio in the 305z because there apparently wasn't a working one in the country....I only got it then because I turned up at the dealership with a set of screwdrivers and asked where the demo 350z was so I could remove the radio (since they didn't seem to come with one)

[MonsterGTR]

How can they refuse to sell parts to you over the counter.... Does any one know if the radio works in Australia from a Japanesse import R35.

[Blitz]

Hot word from my local Nissan dealer is that ANY R35 grey import will not be supported in ANY way by the Aussie Nissan Network. No parts or service in any way.

Cheers, D

Correct.

So basically, buy Australian delivered, or don't ask for parts or assistance from Nissan Australia, period.

[sewid]

How can they refuse to sell parts to you over the counter.... Does any one know if the radio works in Australia from a Japanesse import R35.

Radio doesn't work, our frequency bands do not overlap really. You can get a band expander but your display will always read wrong. Not a reason not to buy one if the price is right though.

They may sell you certain parts provided you can give them an Aussie VIN number but some parts they just wont sell period, even if you really do own a Australian delivered R35 GT-R. These are things like:

- Engine assembly

- Transaxle assembly

- ECU and TCM

Lots more, see the attachment.

[Beer Baron]

How can they refuse to sell parts to you over the counter.... Does any one know if the radio works in Australia from a Japanesse import R35.

mine does.

[Beer Baron]

also, jdm models have auto headlights, auto wipers jap gps integrated navi (which may or may not be able to be converted for use in aus), launch control and don't have the ugly headlight washers (though downside of that is you have to wash them yourself!). not sure if aus models also have both drivers and passengers windows full auto up and down but the jdm ones do. but the aus ones have the 5hp more, the slightly larger fuel tank and the new wheel colours. the jdm one also have more modes for sus, box and TRC (if I remember correctly).

when it comes down to it at this stage of the game an aus car is the better value. the guys that have been driving their jdm cars for over a year now though made the right choice in my eyes, but I would only buy a jdm one now if you plan on tracking it and modding it and thus don't care about the (flimsy) warranty. there are not too many jap buttons, and I have never had any trouble using climate, stereo, display, dvd or any other functions. they are all intuitive and most buttons are in english.

[Snowman]

Hey Richard - have you worked out how to change the clock on the JDM ones or is that one impossible?

[Beer Baron]

hmm, haven't looked at it. should be able to. I'll let you know!! till then I guess I'm on tokyo time....

oh, plus I forgot the best feature of the JDM car. It says ohayo gozaimasu to me in the morning and tells me the day and date in japanese, and at night it says kombanwa. nice japanese chicks voice. makes me feel special...

[sewid]

also, jdm models have auto headlights, auto wipers jap gps integrated navi (which may or may not be able to be converted for use in aus), launch control and don't have the ugly headlight washers (though downside of that is you have to wash them yourself!). not sure if aus models also have both drivers and passengers windows full auto up and down but the jdm ones do. but the aus ones have the 5hp more, the slightly larger fuel tank and the new wheel colours. the jdm one also have more modes for sus, box and TRC (if I remember correctly).

when it comes down to it at this stage of the game an aus car is the better value. the guys that have been driving their jdm cars for over a year now though made the right choice in my eyes, but I would only buy a jdm one now if you plan on tracking it and modding it and thus don't care about the (flimsy) warranty. there are not too many jap buttons, and I have never had any trouble using climate, stereo, display, dvd or any other functions. they are all intuitive and most buttons are in english.

The carwings button doesn't work

Neither of the wings deploy...