Private Import

[m3gtr]

under the private import scheme, are left hand drives eligible? or are they striclty right hand drive only? from recent memory, only classic cars were eligible for registration...like pre 1970..at least in SA it was like that.

If its possible then it opens up Euro import options for me, as theres a stack of cars here in Japan that go pretty cheaply...can anyone advise on this?

[insanity]

I was just about to edit my post on your other topic...

I am sure that you can register it with a restricted plate, unless it is a classic as you mention.

It does open your market up much more when looking for Euro cars in Japan, but I would tend to stick to RHD.... it will make your life SOOOO much easier

[raz0r$harP.UK]

Like I said in the other thread Personal Imports are subject to state rego requirements.

e.g. In NSW you may be able to register a LHD vehicle under 4.5 tonnes GVM if:

- it's more than 30 years old

- or it's not required under law to be RHD

So something like a Mitsubishi Eclipse (if you chose to waste the Personal Import scheme on a car like that ), would need a RHD conversion in NSW.

[m3gtr]

I was just about to edit my post on your other topic...

I am sure that you can register it with a restricted plate, unless it is a classic as you mention.

It does open your market up much more when looking for Euro cars in Japan, but I would tend to stick to RHD.... it will make your life SOOOO much easier

ive driven a couple of LHD here..not too bad. A guy i know took me for a spin in his 190E 2.5 litre 16 valve evolution 2. do you know this car? maybe you remember it from Gran turismo..

what a car. damn thing had active suspension, like the old williams F1 cars used to have..engine was simply glorious, too. That thing was LHD and you mentioned the car would have to be rare and collectable...id say that 190 would qualify for that!

[kakimoto33]

under the private import scheme, are left hand drives eligible? or are they striclty right hand drive only? from recent memory, only classic cars were eligible for registration...like pre 1970..at least in SA it was like that.

If its possible then it opens up Euro import options for me, as theres a stack of cars here in Japan that go pretty cheaply...can anyone advise on this?

You can import pretty much anything you like as a 'personal import' as long as you have awned and used it yourself while living overseas for at least the past 12 months and are returning to live in Australia again afterwards.

Once you have the car in Australia then you have to meet the normal registration requirements in your state - usually this means minor compliance type work to make sure the car meets ADR's and unfortunately this includes it being right hand drive unless it's over 30 years old (15 years old in WA)

[m3gtr]

Like I said in the other thread Personal Imports are subject to state rego requirements.

e.g. In NSW you may be able to register a LHD vehicle under 4.5 tonnes GVM if:

- it's more than 30 years old

- or it's not required under law to be RHD

So something like a Mitsubishi Eclipse (if you chose to waste the Personal Import scheme on a car like that ), would need a RHD conversion in NSW.

sounds like you want me to do your dirty work for you!

30 years old eh.....

not "required" to be RHD,...? what would qualify a car for that concession?? can you give other examples??

[m3gtr]

You can import pretty much anything you like as a 'personal import' as long as you have awned and used it yourself while living overseas for at least the past 12 months and are returning to live in Australia again afterwards.

Once you have the car in Australia then you have to meet the normal registration requirements in your state - usually this means minor compliance type work to make sure the car meets ADR's and unfortunately this includes it being right hand drive unless it's over 30 years old (15 years old in WA)

so if what youre saying is true, anything built after 1977 will have to be converted to RHD?

[raz0r$harP.UK]

Here are the state requirements..

NSW: http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/dow.../vsi40_rev1.pdf

VIC: http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/NR/rdonlyre...A48/0/VSI18.pdf

WA: http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/IB-106A.pdf

etc, etc

google "left hand drive" + the name of your state licensing authority.

[insanity]

I'm positive its the same for Sunny QLD too...

30 yrs.... or get a restricted rego (for club events, track days etc).

ive driven a couple of LHD here..not too bad. A guy i know took me for a spin in his 190E 2.5 litre 16 valve evolution 2. do you know this car? maybe you remember it from Gran turismo..

what a car. damn thing had active suspension, like the old williams F1 cars used to have..engine was simply glorious, too. That thing was LHD and you mentioned the car would have to be rare and collectable...id say that 190 would qualify for that!

I understand what you mean... they are great to drive, and not that hard to adapt to driving LHD...

what I meant was it would make it so much easier for you regarding registration if it was RHD.

[m3gtr]

I'm positive its the same for Sunny QLD too...

30 yrs.... or get a restricted rego (for club events, track days etc).

I understand what you mean... they are great to drive, and not that hard to adapt to driving LHD...

what I meant was it would make it so much easier for you regarding registration if it was RHD.

oh, i wont bother if its going to be such a hassle. when i was a kid my old man went to the trouble of converting a seven series BM he bought back from germany and it was sitting in parts in the shed for ages. im NOT going to bother if its going to be that big a headache..

Yet, i wonder how much conversions cost in Oz... and would it be worth it?

Razor, i come from SA. Ill try your tip on the google engine tho. cheers for pointing out my lack of common sense!

[insanity]

^^^ I don't recall the conversions being cheap at all.... I have a feeling there was a place in central QLD that did a lot of the American Corvettes or something... I'll try and find their site for you. I guess you could google it as well and see what comes up.

It wouldn't be something I'd like to try myself either.... I would make a mess of it!!