Iron Chef

The pics of the bunch are probably the 6.5 and the 8MR. The 5 RS is very highly regarded too, but because the RS models didn't have airbags, they can't be complied... Here's my new daily driver (apologies for the hijack...)

There's actually a low-km Nur STARTING at 4 mil today...interesting times...I could theoretically offload my N1 and get an R35 now, but I know which will be worth more in a few years time...

That's why I wrote rough/tired/high-km You're right - they don't always go together. On balance of probabilities a lower km one is going to be in better condition though

My opinion - for $20K... RX-7 - you're gonna end up with something with higher kms, and once rotaries get over about 70,000km, they turn into disasters if the previous owner hasn't maintained it. V35 - never get a decent coupe under $25K, they seem to be fetching stupid prices in Japan at the moment, even high km ones. You'd get a really nice sedan for $20K though, but I'd take a Y34 Cedric/Gloria over one every day of the week. R32 GT-R - even the owners on here will admit that getting a tired/rough/high-km example is a recipe for disaster in terms of the money you'd need to spend to keep it on the road. Having said that, $20K will buy you a nice, low-km 1994 GT-R, but V-Specs and V-Spec 2s are a stack more than that. The other option already mentioned is an Evo 6 (not a Makkinen) or even an Evo 5, one hell of a performance car for the money, and so easy to modify.

Spotted a black R32 GTS-t getting done the other night going through a red light camera at Holden Hill after being stuck behind some very slow moving trucks and not being able to see the lights. If you want to contest the fine, let me know and I'll back you up as a witness. Also spotted a very tough silver R32 GT-R with either [32 GTR] or [R32 GTR] on the plates. Awesome looking machine I'm gonna be out and about in the N1 tomorrow night, if you're in the city around 7:30 you'll probably see me around the place, make sure you wave and say hi. Taking a young bloke to his formal.

Sorry, misread your thread title slightly - once it's cleared customs, you'd need to arrange transport to get it off the docks and to wherever you want it to go. After that do whatever you like with it (aside from driving it unregistered on the street )

Any lawyer worth their salt would have to question the basic legalities of any legislation that allows the government to destroy private property. Sell it off, fair enough, but destruction is a different kettle of fish.

Just to clarify that one, once a personal import has been approved (and bearing in mind that once you've owned and driven your car for a year overseas, any car is eligible), then it's allowed into the country. Getting the approval is usually the most annoying part, but if you have all your paperwork in order, it shouldn't be too much drama. Getting the car registered is another matter - if you chose a LHD Ferrari to drive around in in Japan, for example, it would still have to be converted to RHD before being able to be registered and roadworthy, regardless of whether or not it was a personal import. So if you're planning to bring in a 900ps GT-R, getting it into the country is easy, getting a roadworthy and rego, not quite so

Just to clarify, the 19s actually had troubles passing ADRs with the Bridgestones, hence their removal from the market at the last minute, and replacement with the normal 18" HSV rim, painted a darker shade of silver. Once the 19s were approved with the Pirellis, the GTS owners were given the option of keeping the 18s, or flicking them for the 19s free of charge.

Spotted: Black R32 getting pinged by the red light camera on North East Road at Holden Hill last night. If you're on here, let me know, I'll back you up if you want to contest it.

Quoted for Truth - sex-spec FTL.

If it's anything like SA (and I presumed this would be the case Australia wide) a car cannot transfer ownership until the defect is cleared. Regardless, the only way to deal with it now is through the Small Claims Tribunal in your state. After that, your mate is pretty much screwed, although he will have learnt his first lesson - if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is...

$1K for compliance??? Riiiiiiggggghhhht...

My thoughts exactly.

Sorry Steve, I was hoping you'd get some answers from non-business owners before I weighed in lol The fact is there are plenty of R33s in Australia, good and bad, just as there are in Japan. If you find something locally, and trust your judgement when looking for faults, then there's no reason why you shouldn't buy one already here. But if you don't mind importing, then go for it. There are good and bad in every industry, and import brokering is no exception to that. Look around various forums for feedback (the unsolicited type from customers, not from mates of the broker) and make your decision. Better still, email the brokers yourself and await their responses - you'll soon get a feel for who you feel comfortable working with. As a general rule, if businesses have been around for a while, it's a good sign that they're doing the right thing by their customers.

...and ends with "and they got married and lived happily ever after"...

Hehehe don't worry Dan, plenty more potential for weird and wonderful cars. I just got the Vauxhall Insignia on the SEVS list last week - Google the VX-R model and see why The goal with the Evo 8 is to give it a jolly good thrashing - I'd originally planned to do that with the N1, but it's a bit too special for that kind of thing. It is a JDM one by the way. I've already been shopping for new rims for it lol.

For those interested, having considered a Nissan Cube, another Y34 Cedric/Gloria, an M35 Stagea and a F50 Cima, and having nearly bought a Honda NS-X, I ended up buying.... ....an Evo 8 hehe.

Actually I was also going to suggest the new Mini diesel, but also check out the Golf with the TSI motor. Have your cake and eat it too Above all, make sure you drive one before buying. And remember that if you buy a new car, you'll lose a lot more money on depreciation than you'll ever spend on fuel

Now I've heard it all...

Traditionally, shipping companies have allowed inner cargo, sent at the owner's risk. The problem was that theft was (and still is) pretty rife. It happens here on the docks in Oz, but for a variety of reasons, people seem powerless to stop it. One shipping company last year decided that, as a result, they would no longer allow inner cargo, but forgot to let anyone know about it, so we had a case of staff in Japan ripping out all the inner cargo out in Japan, and making a small fortune on Yahoo auctions when the stuff wasn't claimed. Only one shipping company still allows inner cargo, but you're very lucky if the parts actually make it to Australia. Thieving scum on the docks...

Very well said, I agree totally. Whenever I drive in Japan, I spend more time on the freeways at 100km/h (ok maybe a TOUCH over that hehe) than I do stuck in traffic.

Sorry John, I've had the flu for the past few weeks (non-swine variety) and, because I insist on answering all my emails, I have a backlog of about 300 to get through! I think I saw your original email, I rummage back through and send you something today.

Ok I've been thinking about this one some more - the car re-appears with an R34 GT-R nose...what's the bet he bought a front cut and the chassis number is now a GT-R one... Low life POS. Karma's a biyatch.

Yes.