My Import Experience - R34 Vspec Gtr - Top Secret Imports!

[KR4-GTR]

Hi guys and girls,

Today I placed an order with Top Secret Imports to bring over my new car - a Bayside Blue R34 V-spec GTR!

This will be my first experience having a car picked out and brought over from Japan. I have made this thread to document the process, my thoughts and general experience as updates arise. Everything will be documented - from the moment I place the order until the moment the car is in my garage.

I have chosen to go with Top Secret Imports (www.topsecretimports.com.au) due to their great reputation and numerous recommendations from friends. I have been dealing with Garry. Top Secret Imports are a licenced motor dealer and are able to simplify and perform the whole import process for you (Jap deregistration, quarantine, DoTaRS approval, shipping, Aus and Jap customs, cleaning, transport, compliance, registration - everything!) Garry understands exactly what I am after and I feel comfortable trusting his judgement to bring me over a fantastic car.

For now, we play the waiting game. As the cars pop up available for sale over in Japan, Garry will send me the details, prices and pictures. Top Secret Imports dont just obtain their cars from the auctions, they also source them from dealers and private sales - so there is a large variety to choose from. All cars are thoroughly checked by their consultants in Japan and detailed reports / pictures are provided.

Upon delivery, the car is guaranteed to be mechanically fine and in excellent interior and exterior condition (including the front V-spec lower lip and also the cars alloy wheels). The car will also be in accident free condition with no structural faults, rust damage or large repairs, or resprays. The vehicle will have no large scratches or dents, will not have worn upholstery or carpets and will not be missing any interior, exterior or mechanical parts.

Garry advised that as per the companies normal practice, the $1000 deposit I paid today (24/10/2009) and also the payment of 2/3 of the cars purchase price (required after vehicle has been located and purchased in Japan) is 100% fully refundable if the car is not in the same condition which Top Secret Imports originally stated upon purchase / or if the car does not meet my expected standard when delivered in Australia.

A very exciting time, will keep you all updated!

Cheers!

Edited October 24, 2009 by KR4-GTR

[GTR STI]

good to see....will be an interesting tread....so will the final price and choice

[mxfly]

This one is auctioning tomorrow, you should get Gaz to check it out. 1999 V Spec, 35,000kms, grade 4 exterior, B interior. Opening bid at 2.4 mil yen

http://ayp3.nihoncars.com/cars/34701455/0/...d%3F3yGy%3F.JPG

Edited October 25, 2009 by mxfly

[c-gtst]

Looking forward to reading about your experience Chris. I am currently looking for a blue V35 and top secret are one of the dealers I was thinking about going with. Please keep us updated about how you go with them.

[KR4-GTR]

Cheers guys. Will definately keep you all updated with the progress

[suprasearchin]

Looking forward to reading about your experience Chris. I am currently looking for a blue V35 and top secret are one of the dealers I was thinking about going with. Please keep us updated about how you go with them.

+1. I found you while googling "top secret imports". Looking 4 feedback plz so i can also decide whether to engage them to bring over my supra. Have you seen any examples of hte car you want yet? How long is it expected to take to find the car then get it?

[KR4-GTR]

Hey mate,

I've seen one R34 GTR example from Top Secret Imports, its actually Garrys car and it looks mint. In regards to how long it will take to find the car I want and then get it - how long is a piece of string!? Im expecting the whole process to be atleast a few months.

If your looking for a Supra, they already have some landed and ready to go. I saw them in their show room yesterday and they looked pretty sweet.

Hope this helps you!

Edited October 25, 2009 by KR4-GTR

[Guest]

Is this a car to order and you pay retail they just have to keep under a set budget and to your specs or is it as per normal Broker were you pay them $1,000 for looking after you but they just do the compliance and you get full disclosure on purchase price.

This is a bold promise on an expensive car for a brokerage fee if that is how it is coming in "the cars purchase price is 100% fully refundable if the car does not meet my expected standard when delivered in Australia."

Be careful with "they also source them from dealers and private sales - so there is a large variety to choose from" as a quick search through the forum will highlight some issues on this way of buying.

[SS8_Gohan]

yeah, the dealers i thought just buy from the auctions and jack the price. So you may as well bid on the same cars and jump on them before they do. would private sales be yahoo??

mind if i ask why you went the import route over local cars? there's a lot of 34 R's going at the moment on car sales. 4 pages worth

[sloutch]

yeah, the dealers i thought just buy from the auctions and jack the price. So you may as well bid on the same cars and jump on them before they do. would private sales be yahoo??

mind if i ask why you went the import route over local cars? there's a lot of 34 R's going at the moment on car sales. 4 pages worth

Yeah there are alot of GTRs on carsales at the moment. But be prepared to fork out much more than importing one yourself. True you get to see the car physically, but the sellers never realise how cheap the GTRs are going for in the auctions now.

[Guest]

Yeah there are alot of GTRs on carsales at the moment. But be prepared to fork out much more than importing one yourself. True you get to see the car physically, but the sellers never realise how cheap the GTRs are going for in the auctions now.

May I ask what you are referencing for these cheap prices in Japan be it true stat's or the assumption of it always being cheaper. If it was so much cheaper even with the dollar a lot better workshops plating cars would be flat out not dead.

Going off the people buying in Japan daily they are not currently that cheap why I don't have the time for it just isn't that way any more.

[KR4-GTR]

Is this a car to order and you pay retail they just have to keep under a set budget and to your specs or is it as per normal Broker were you pay them $1,000 for looking after you but they just do the compliance and you get full disclosure on purchase price.

This is a bold promise on an expensive car for a brokerage fee if that is how it is coming in "the cars purchase price is 100% fully refundable if the car does not meet my expected standard when delivered in Australia."

Hey mate, car is to order, will be paying retail - just have to keep it within my set budget (which for now will remain undisclosed!).

mind if i ask why you went the import route over local cars? there's a lot of 34 R's going at the moment on car sales. 4 pages worth

Also SS8_Gohan, Good question! anyway - I have been looking in Sydney the past few weeks for a 34 GTR , there are not many available around here that are in my desired spec and colour, and the ones I have seen have not been up to scratch condition wise. Anyone that saw my old 33 GTR would know just how fussy I am!

I recently passed up the offer on one of the 34 GTR's I was originally looking at after the owner came back to me and accepted my original offer - looking forward to see how my import experience goes instead. Have had great feedback about top secret imports from friends and my mechanic - etc so think this will be the way to go!

Will keep you all updated!

Edited October 26, 2009 by KR4-GTR

[mxfly]

May I ask what you are referencing for these cheap prices in Japan be it true stat's or the assumption of it always being cheaper. If it was so much cheaper even with the dollar a lot better workshops plating cars would be flat out not dead.

Going off the people buying in Japan daily they are not currently that cheap why I don't have the time for it just isn't that way any more.

Good, clean R34 GTR's will always sell for a premium in Japan. Shitters will always sell for a fair bit cheaper and are mostly ending up in Europe and Middle East.

In fact, I've seen an R35 GT-R sell for less than late model R34 GTR's. 2 weeks, ago, a 2008 model R35 sold for just under 4 mil yen. Dont believe me? Here's the sale, although pics have been removed by seller/.

http://page18.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/w44071701

[Import Monster]

Good, clean R34 GTR's will always sell for a premium in Japan. Shitters will always sell for a fair bit cheaper and are mostly ending up in Europe and Middle East.

In fact, I've seen an R35 GT-R sell for less than late model R34 GTR's. 2 weeks, ago, a 2008 model R35 sold for just under 4 mil yen. Dont believe me? Here's the sale, although pics have been removed by seller/.

http://page18.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/w44071701

I'm pretty sure that price was not an outright purchase, but involves also taking over the finance currently on the vehicle, or having to pay it out before getting clear title on the car - I see this happen a bit on Yahoo.

Cheers

Az

[mxfly]

How's the hunting going?

This one looks damn good, supposed to be like new with less than 8,000kms, grade 5. Passed in at 4.1 mil

http://ayp3.nihoncars.com/cars/34836941/32...%3Fd3y3y%3F.JPG

http://ayp3.nihoncars.com/cars/34836941/32...3F%3Fd3y3y3.JPG

http://ayp3.nihoncars.com/cars/34836941/32...3F%3Fd3y3yn.JPG

[KR4-GTR]

Hey mate,

Still waiting to hear from top secret imports, presuming nothing has popped up yet in japan.

That one there looks really nice, definately be out of my price range though! i'd be happy with a grade 4 - 4.5 vspec with normal k's on it!

Edited November 3, 2009 by KR4-GTR

[mxfly]

They are not looking hard enough

Seriously there's some i can see from Yahoo and kurumaerabi, Jap version of Carsales.

[Guest]

They are not looking hard enough

Seriously there's some i can see from Yahoo and kurumaerabi, Jap version of Carsales.

Well there is your problem "Yahoo and kurumaerabi, Jap version of Carsales." as there are more reasons then you can think off why no one buys from there or tells people not to especially on a car like an R34 GTR.

[JGTC]

This was the same issue i had with Garry when i wanted to find my car, i was checking the USS auctions daily and constantly emailing them to check out certain cars i'd found.

That said though, Garry showed me all the DIY's they have going, it was about 6cm thick in paper (1 sheet per DIY) so they do have their work cut out for them.

I can only advise that you check in with them atleast once a week via email and pop in once a month in person, so they know you personally and your case will stick out more to them. Demand their attention and they will look after you.

Also look for cars in Japan yourself;

USS auctions:

https://bzl.cis6200.jp/e/index.asp

Password: P56997

If you find one, then give them the code of the car and they will follow up on it.

All the best, happy hunting =)

Danny

[Iron Chef]

Short version: the squeaky wheel gets the grease lol