C-Red

So you equate having a RAW as being a "good guy" in the industry? Jash

SEVS is a mechanism for the large manufacturers and smaller boutique sports car makers to get Sports Cars and other limited scope vehicles into the country. The crash testing and emissions data required is easily provided by the manufacturers, yet incredibly hard for a small workshop, or even a conglomerate to get, or test themselves. Think Evo 8, STi's etc etc. People have just got to face up to the fact that its not going to happen and move on. Its not a matter of not being able to make a difference - this isnt Erin Brokovich, and you're not going to get wider public support for this. Some internet based brokers are just going to have to deal with a drop in cashflow. Jash

Funny, I've mellowed in terms of road rage, when I first started going out with the missus we were road rage masters. Got some good stories from that period - Once had a Chevy ute pass me in the peak lane on the narrows - I was in a Landcruiser. Chased him around North Perth for about 20 minutes with a crowbar, its amazing how quickly an 80 series cruiser does a 180 on the handbrake. Jash

I find it amusing that people think that a few hundred or even a few thousand people can influence the scrapping of the 15 year rule. A few facts to consider: The large Japanese manufacturers in the country dont want to have 15 year old examples of their product coming in outside the framework of their dealer network. These manufacturers employ 10s of thousands of people nationwide directly and indirectly and contribute millions of dollars to the major political parties and hence influence their decision making. Who do you think is going to have the bigger clout - Toyota Australia or a bunch of individuals having a whinge? The government also doesnt want "grey" imported cars coming in in any great numbers. Unofficially they dont want any more than 18,000 SEVS vehicles coming in, which I dont think will happen anyway. There is provision within the SEVS legislation for DOTARS to further clamp down on the amount of vehicles coming in should SEVS prove to be too popular. Having untold numbers of 15 year old vehicles coming in outside the SEVS structure is not something they want. All this popular resistance is based on the fact that the government actually want second hand imported vehicles to come in - they dont. You can write and petition and protest until the cows come home, but you arent going to change that fact. All the "industry" bodies nationwide - MTA, RAC etc etc are all against second hand impoted vehicles - add that to the rest and its a pretty formidable association to try and take on. As someone else has mentioned the main spearhead of this action is someone who has a lot of potential earnings riding on the longeivity of the 15 year rule. No guesses who. Now before any of you mention yes I am a specialist import dealer, and I'm enthuisiast too. Yes I've bought some 15 year old vehicles for myself, but when you see the sheer amount of 15 year old crap on the wharf - like old Pajeros, Shitbox old Mercs, small trucks etc etc you can see that something needs to be done. I can see the effect that bulk importation of 15 year old vehicles would have on small used car lots and used car sales in general. Jash

It shits me when someone carves you up when you're in a substandard car. I've been driving a fcken XF panel van these past few days and you forget that you take nice cars for granted...Isnt it sad when numbskulls transfer from VLs to Skyrines? Jash

As much as I hate to say it, the feds needed to do something to stop the flow of shitbox 15yo imports coming in - there's a yard around the corner that is chock full of Pajeros, Patrols etc etc and low level Euro stuff. Now I'd struggle for anyone in here to say that those sort of vehicles were imported in the spirit of the legislation. I really dont think there is an easily workable solution to this problem so we're all being punished for yards full of crap. My 2.2 cents. Jash

New and basically new are two vastly different things. If they were new in a box... How many k's have they done? Jash

I'll give you 3k. Jash

With reference to the seedier side of J, we were out late one night in Akasaka (Think Central Business District) in Tokyo - there was an armoured S Class Merc with 3 9mm bullet impacts in the 12mm thick armoured glass. We were most impressed - then we moved off quickly. But its like anywhere in the world - stay out of their way and you'll be right. All the tryhard junior Yak wannabes in Shinsaibashi in Osaka were good value. Jash

C'mon Rezz I'm anything but random, except in the 'Pongi TGI Fridays at 5am after 25 standard drinks...I made it back to the hotel at 8:15am Jash

A1 Smartarse reply. You werent serious were you? Afro I'll give you 1k for the lot. Mail me - [email protected] Jash

What are the 19s? You got pics? Mail them to [email protected] Jash

Baka Gaijins the lot of you! Its good value to get away from the main drags and experience some real J action yeah? Jash

As far as I'm concerned a "Ricey Car" is a 1.5 Carby 4 door Lancer with an Evo 4 kit and Altezzas on 13" Black steelies. That Yashio 15 was one of the nicest turned out cars at the Salon - my favourite of the show - if I remember correctly they quoted a "street trim" 400hp from it - more than enough to take care of 99% of Rexes. In the words of the immortal Eazy E - "I can afford to laff cos I'm backing it up" - If a car has enough grunt then it can have a bit of rice. My 14 will be bagged and riced to the hilt - but it will have 300rwhp and be sub 5 to 100 capable - is that OK? Top pics Blitz - We're processing the 7 or 800 remaining pics - we've only got 165 of Race Queens tho... Jash

Believe the hype dude. Just doing my bit for AU-JP relations. Jash

Thats the one from ****edgaijin.com yeah? Seemed to be a murmur that it wasnt a legit sticker. Jash

We we're practicing a bit of reverse racism at TAS, all these yanks thought that because we were gaijins too that we'd want to talk to them. If they came up we pretended we didnt speak engrish. The jackets with the Nihon Lingo on them worked a treat - by the end of the show manufacturers were hitting us up to handle their stuff. How did you guys enjoy J and the show? Jash

Yeah that was us. We made two trips out to Chiba that day - little fecker at UG didnt give me back my Mastercard. Was worth it for the pissy journey back on the train, and the scenery, oh the scenery. Jash

You're looking at around 1000 per rim at the moment for 18s off the top of my head. About the lightest 18" rim you can find in that size. Jash

Can you send me a pic? [email protected] Jash

Dude, By the time we'd packed it was 5:30 - we called up for a wakeup call at 7:00am and the guy goes - thats only an hour and a half away - to which we replied "yeah no shit". I'm not lying when I say its taking me a couple of weeks to recover... Mat is hard on the Sumiko trail, but very few J chicks have net connections at home yeah? Makes International Trade a bit hard...She wants a gaijin husband though duder. Jash

Tell you the truth I was a bit traded out that night - last thing I felt like was drinking and clubbing. It was nice just to hang around and talk shit. You'll need to book a few days off over that time dude - lots of damage to be done... We keep telling Matty to get of his arse - he's too busy whacking skanks down here to get his act together. Jash

I've got to say that running from the Po-Po in J is pretty much the same as running from the cops in Oz. Funniest thing was that dude driving back past the filth to put all the shit back into his boot. Thats still cracking me up. Dude all that would have made that night complete is a few tubs of hot sake and a few kawaii kogals. Jash

There's one of some aho gaijins running from the cops on the nanko docks too - we'll have to do that again my son. Jash

Funniest thing is the little fcker really hates gaijins - he wrote baka gaijin on both the posters I got signed. Apparently its a running joke in J how much he hates foreigners. I'm going to go up to him next time in J and give him a mouthful in J... Jash