Does the 15 year rule deserve to die?

[djr81]

Let me preface this post by saying that all else being equal I, for one, would prefer the 15 year rule stays in being. Unfortunately, from all that I have seen lately it needs to be legislated out of existance. Contentious point perhaps, so why?

Those with long memories will remember why the SEVS/RAWS/15 year rule was bought into existance in the first place. Put simply use of the previous scheme evolved in such a way as to mean that in a lot of cases the most profitable vehicles for importers/compliance shops were those that had been damaged and repaired. The general quality of vehicles was deteriorating - something which led, in part - to the severity of the SEVS/RAWS scheme. The rules on chassis rails for instance are there to stop accident damaged cars being imported.

The 15 year rule was put in place in the belief that the volume of such vehicles would be relatively low. Clearly this has not happened.

The popularity of this rule has caused three negative effects:

The price of 15 year old cars has increased appreciably. Take a look at the auction prices for vehicles such as R32 GT-R's. The difference in pricing between an 89 model & a 94 model of the order of 250,000 yen. Clearly the regulations are having the effect of distorting the market in Japan. Guess who is paying top dollar for the oldest of the cars?

The lack of regulation has allowed operators that are perhaps not as scrupulous as they could be. Other markets suuch as New Zealand require the odometer readings for imported cars be substantiated. Australia doesn't. Have a look at the auction listings and compare the km's on 15 year old vehicles with younger versions of the same cars...

The high demand and low supply means that almost every example of some 89 models gets imported into Australia. How many 89 R32 GT-R's do you think are left in Japan? The consequence is that even accident damaged & the roughest of cars get imported.

In summary:

The 15 year rule was bought into existance to allow enthusiasts to import rare and or low volume exotica. Think more so the Group A homologation specials like the 1987 R31 Skyline GTS-R than any of the R32's. Unfortunately the lax rules have allowed every man and his dog to become an importer. This has led to high prices being paid for low quality cars. As an enthusiast I hate that this has happened, but the laxity of the laws has ruined it for eveyone. So the 15 year rule in its present form needs to die.

Enough of my rant.

Before I get flamed, please be aware of the following:

I am not an importer.

I am not a car dealer.

I do own an 89 model (A GT-R)

I do own a 94 version of the same car.

[Beer Baron]

I think the biggest problem I have with the 15yo laws is the number of farking parjeros and delicas and sh1t like that being imported. that's just what we need, more 15yo pajeros tear arseing around the place.

I have no problem with people importing cars like BNR32 GTRs that were only sold here in a very limited number, or even GTSTs that weren't sold here at all.

but yes, some more quality control would have been nice. but there was nothing to stop people importing nice cars. so I guess like buying cars here in aus, buying cars under the 15yo rule was a case of buyer beware...