Jap Imports

[maximum_velocity]

Burn 'em at the Jam Tin I say, except Cam as he is plain out of luck.

Scotty

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:lol: :lol:

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lol :o

[ktford]

I don;t like the 'grey import market'!

This market has a significant impact on the value of used cars in Australia.  In saying that, I appreciate that they offer a lot of perfomance for the money and that their is a whole subsidiary market for the 'bolt on' brigade.

My opposition is based purely on the damage it has done for the whole used car market and the "Performance Stickers and Bodykits" mentality of the transient trogs that buy them.

Where Expensive Daewoo and Ford should stop bringing out a new series every 12 months. That would definetely help with the used car market as well.

We must be careful, we need to keep the Gisepee's (spell check) in a vocation, keeps them off the Mexican streets

Scotty

[theeone]

2 years ago my Brother In Law imported a 4 door GTST Skyline, 2.5lt turbo, 5spd, already had cooler, ECU and exhaust mods, nice jigger.

Now Bro is certainley no "trog", he is in fact a mechanical engineer, unfortunately

he hasnt het scored an engineer's job that gives him a company car, so the R33 for 17k landed was a pretty good deal, and having driven it myself with him and our wifey's sitting in back, I'm sure the guy VT Clubby that we blew of hadn't seen a 4 door before either.

He imported it privately, but through an agent, if that makes sense.

Unfortunately before Christmas some guy In a Charade ran a Red and wrote it off,

he was insured with Shannon's and he got his 17k and went and bought a 2nd hand Rex.

Big boy too 6'4" and about 120kg's, I would'nt think he'd fit in a Rex, but he loves it!

[FamiliaGTRAe]

Burn 'em at the Jam Tin I say, except Cam as he is plain out of luck.

Scotty

Thanks for your support there Scotty!

You will be glad to know that I will be rejoining the ranks of Ford shortly.

I am arranging myself funding, out side the knowledge of the Director of Finance, for a Older Classic Ford(s). :-)

To supplement my Japanese side dish of Familia and Motorbike.

Cheers,

Cameron

[Antisocial]

What about the fact that 'some' domestic Jap cars are not built to last as long as export cars, as they are discarded before 100,000ks.

Case in point, about 10 yrs ago the Mrs had a KC laser with a clagged motor so I bought one of those low K impor motors from a Mazda 323 as a replacement. As well as having a ton of pollution crap compared to the Oz spec version including a different head with an exhaust EGR port going from the other side of the head feeding back into the inlet manifold so I could not simply use the original Oz manifold.

Then when I went to change the head I noticed that the timing chain was a piss ant single row 10mm bicycle chain job as compared to the 25mm double row one on the original.

Then a few years later a similar thing with Mitsubishi Starion I bought that had a 2nd hand Jap motor fitted.

It had a 3rd little 15mm exhaust EGR valve on each cyclinder that the Oz model didnt have, we have the casting marks on the head but it is not drilled out to fit the valve. Actuated by a little wing on the rocker arm.

The jap motor did not have oil cooling jets that spray on the bottom of the pistons to cool them (as the does the BA). And a few other things.

All in all I found them to be of lower durability/quality than export motors.

[XRSEX]

What about the fact that 'some' domestic Jap cars are not built to last as long as export cars, as they are discarded before 100,000ks.

Case in point, about 10 yrs ago the Mrs had a KC laser with a clagged motor so I bought one of those low K impor motors from a Mazda 323 as a replacement. As well as having a ton of pollution crap compared to the Oz spec version including a different head with an exhaust EGR port going from the other side of the head feeding back into the inlet manifold so I could not simply use the original Oz manifold.

Then when I went to change the head I noticed that the timing chain was a piss ant single row 10mm bicycle chain job as compared to the 25mm double row one on the original.

Then a few years later a similar thing with  Mitsubishi Starion I bought that had a 2nd hand Jap motor fitted.

It had a 3rd little 15mm exhaust EGR valve on each cyclinder that the Oz model didnt have, we have the casting marks on the head but it is not drilled out to fit the valve. Actuated by a little wing on the rocker arm.

The jap motor did not have oil cooling jets that spray on the bottom of the pistons to cool them (as the does the BA). And a few other things.

All in all I found them to be of lower durability/quality than export motors.

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Things have changed since 1985. Usually the latest import motors are pretty good and better than aussie ones. EG. Subaru, Nissan etc.... Especially now they release a lot of engines with factory forged pistons etc.... You have to be careful though as sometimes they tell lies about the distance travelled.

[BAturb]

I heard a rumour today that importing a car fitted with a turbo will no longer be allowed is there any truth to this?

[XRSEX]

I heard a rumour today that importing a car fitted with a turbo will no longer be allowed is there any truth to this?

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Never heard that one before!

What about all the Turbo diesel trucks.

[Turbo6man]

I don't care how good they are. I don't care how cheap they are. If it comes out of Japan I hate it on principal. Simple yeah?

Well, you asked for opinions, so there it is.

[chooch]

thanks Mr XRSEX and all the other lads, all your info is awesome.

I love my T, but its draining me financially (repayments), there are some other ventures that I need some cash for so I'm looking at importing a supra or skyline for about $20,000, I still think the T is an awesome car but these imports have the same bang for half the buck.

I must admit I have checked with all the people I know that have imported........and there pretty nice cars, I guess the importers dont want to import crap and get a bad reputation.

I have rung around for insurance. Shannons wouldnt insure me becuase I'm under 30 and not in a car club? but I did find a place in Melbourne that will insure a Supra for $1100 plus $1800 excess (if it's my fault), I reckon this is reasonable.

Just wondering if anyone can point me towards a decent importer?

Im thinking of these guys- http://www.japanperformancedirect.com.au/index.htm

Any thoughts?