Buying An R34 Gtr - Local Or Import?

[croat]

Beer Baron, I didnt think they would cost that much. My budget is around the $65k mark, although for something as clean as the first one I could maybe budge a little. Dont think I could justify spending that much on a GTR. Do you know any other sites to visit where I can find some nice cars for import?

[GTR-N1]

Todd and Yumi (Edit* via Kristian) have a nice VS I (not VS II though, that you were asking about), coming in next month + warranty.

From Nara prefecture, no rust, no damage, modified 550ps, white, full service history.

[Iron Chef]

I have it listed on my site, Terry

http://www.ironchefimports.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=416&Itemid=38

[TwinTurboCelica]

How about the NUR listed on carsales for 65k

[TwinTurboCelica]

Btw, just checked out the Iron Chef one, looks nice.

[croat]

Terry still after a vsII. Keen on the updated interior etc..

CHef that white one looks very neat

[Marlin]

With RAWS requiring virtually stock standard cars to be signed off, how does one get these more modified examples through without major time invested (assuming you can source stock parts).

Someone somewhere is fudging something!

IMO, a modded car ex Japland may appear value, but certainly not if you need to go to hell and back to have it complied correctly, as a friend who recently bought a 34R in and had to swap out (and find first!) a standard 34R dash because his had gauges inset into it. The cost of such works ads up quite quickly..... and you still haven't seen or driven it to actually know if its a good one!? lol

[Mr Eps]

^^^^get a load of THIS guy!

haha nah just tricking...

it's a bit of a catch22 (i think that's the saying?)

cars have to be brought back to standard for compliance...

...yes and "no"

yes - it is a federal requirement to return the cars back to stock for compliance, however once the car "passes" compliance - it gets very hard to "chase it up" for the authorities...

so in a sense... the most viable time that authorities can "police" the RAWS (not revs - revs = pre 2005) the RAWS is BEFORE compliance is passed..

while it's in their shop...

crazy, right? any worker with half a brain would say so what, it's a work in progress.

i mean to say no modified cars can be imported.. is a load of pap.

im sure someone's going to get up me for saying this - but it's entirely up to the RAWS owner and how much money they want to make off their customer.

the RAWS owner is the one that "passes it"

there is no "government inspector" that comes down to the shop n check every car that goes through...

they are bestowed delegated authority to make the call themselves.

the onus is on them and them only to say "yeah okay" or "naaaaaah think i might need to take the bodykit off aye, yeeeeeaaaah gunna be 3 days labour for that aye"

they can "pass" it in whatever form they deem necessary. the only reason that they would make someone install a dash is because they RAWS owner feels like getting his wife a new flatscreen TV. and has to find a way to pay for it.

they can comply it "modified" and nobody would be any the wiser - if authorities come back to him for mods, he can simply push the blame onto the owner of the car n say "wasn't me"

the way they make the customer cough up the cash is...

usually they do the work before they ask.

and when you blast them for your 4 grand invoice - they often give you a ten minute rant about "litigation" and "sueing" and "malpractice" and try to pretend like they know what they're talking about. this intimidates the customer. and they pay it.

forgive the rant. i know it has nothing to do with GTR's... but to say that only "non modded" cars can come in is a load of scat. it is a rule that can't REALLY be policed and is perpetuated by whoever wants to perpetuate it... which is usually those who have something to gain from "returning a car to stock"

on topic - importing a GTR won't necessarilly save you money... but it MAY mean you'll get a nicer car... you never know - there are enthusiasts who DONT thrash their car in every walk of life.

take my soarer for instance, cost me a lot more to import. but the money isn't an issue when you get a mint car with service history and millions of yen worth of name brand mods

Edited January 18, 2011 by Mr Eps

[Beer Baron]

it actually can be policed very easily. say a compliance shop gets a modified car and the customer begs them not to return it to standard as they can't afford it. workshop says ok, they then submit the car to DOTARS online as complied, at this point the car is supposed to be completed and awaiting it's compliance plate to arrive at the workshop. this is the point at which DOTARS will initiate a spot check and they give only 24hrs notice. so no a workshop cannot say 'it's a work in progress' as they have already submitted the car as completed. so if DOTARS arrive to find it not as it's supposed to be it's a big problem for any workshop that would do that. this is why most (should be all) workshops will insist on returning vehicles to standard as it's their business at risk. I would strongly suggest anyone wanting to import a modified car talk to you compliance workshop BEFORE you buy it and ask them what exactly will be involved and what kind of costs you are looking at. that way you can decide up front if it's viable or not.

[Marlin]

lol, thanks for the reply Eps, I didn't read it all, but I'm sure it was quality

[Mr Eps]

^^^ it seems i was misfed information in the rant i got given!

that makes a lot more sense what you said... when i was being told it i was like "that makes no sense"

but yes - that's sterling advice

[Chris Rogers]

it actually can be policed very easily. say a compliance shop gets a modified car and the customer begs them not to return it to standard as they can't afford it. workshop says ok, they then submit the car to DOTARS online as complied, at this point the car is supposed to be completed and awaiting it's compliance plate to arrive at the workshop. this is the point at which DOTARS will initiate a spot check and they give only 24hrs notice. so no a workshop cannot say 'it's a work in progress' as they have already submitted the car as completed. so if DOTARS arrive to find it not as it's supposed to be it's a big problem for any workshop that would do that. this is why most (should be all) workshops will insist on returning vehicles to standard as it's their business at risk. I would strongly suggest anyone wanting to import a modified car talk to you compliance workshop BEFORE you buy it and ask them what exactly will be involved and what kind of costs you are looking at. that way you can decide up front if it's viable or not.

^^^ this man..

speaketh the trooth...

marlin,

I know the car you are talking about as well. it was me that pulled the dash on it well after the RAW did it.

[autoworx]

. this is the point at which DOTARS will initiate a spot check and they give only 24hrs notice.

I have never had any notice of random inspections , they just turn up

[Mr Eps]

i'm pretty sure they /have/ to give you SOME form of notice...

..not trying to sound cocky when i speak like that but im just saying i highly doubt they're allowed to "rock up" like that...?

[autoworx]

on every random inspection I have ever had they just rock up with no notice .

on my last sample car the inspector told me an amusing story where they did another sample car inspection , finished a little early , had some time to kill so wen't back to the same workshop to do a random inspection on a different car

surprise!

[Chris Rogers]

they do the same here as well. I know of a few shops that before all this came to a head would let me grab a car - do what I needed to (usually an alarm or similar.) and return it to them., now its a entirely differnt matter. they will rock up and inspect at will.

[Iron Chef]

If inspectors are turning up without notice, then I suggest workshops join the RAWS association and kick up a stink about it - inspectors are meant to give 2 days notice if workshops have not had any prior infringements. Even when workshops have been put through the ringer, they should get 2 hours' notice.

[autoworx]

we have no problem with them turning up whenever they want as we have nothing to hide .

as a long term member of the raws association I would encourage MORE random inspections with no notice.

[mickey]

cuts both ways I guess, as long as the inspection itself does not impede on the company's ability to continue working then as the autoworx guy says random 'no notice' inspections won't hurt (although it's probably annoying).

If you're being targeted and it interrupts your ability to do your job then that's when a workshop should complain.

[Beer Baron]

we have no problem with them turning up whenever they want as we have nothing to hide .

as a long term member of the raws association I would encourage MORE random inspections with no notice.

Yeah agree with that to a point. Like you say if you're doing the right thing inspections are not a problem. Once a cars submitted it should be all fine so there is no excuse for failing. but some workshops who are space limited will have cars stored at another site etc so it makes sense to give some notice to save wasting dotars time and taxpayers money.

Anyway at least you've proven what I was saying. People think it's a free for all but anyone thinking they can get away with sub par compliance is living on borrowed time.