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Congrats Andy on purchasing a Stagea, I brought mine in January this year and have not regretted it. Bayside Blue looks really nice on Stageas (is it Metallic aka Bayside Blue Metallic like the R34 GT-R). The Autech bodykit looks good and the rims suit the car..

The funny thing when you get your car is when people look at your car...they will scratch their heads and always ask "What car is it?" and when you tell them it's a Stagea they all say "what?" and the other they will say "is that a volvo?" - I get it all the time lol

LOL that was the first thing my old man said when i told him i bought a stagea he siad what the f%#k is that. I explained to him it looked like a volvo and went twice as good then i showed him pictures of it and he fell in love with it.

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I always found funny when people tell me is it a Volvo and I respond back it may look like a Volvo but doesn't go like a Volvo...

My brothers saw my car, they wanted to buy the SIPS stickers that the Volvo's have on the side windows to piss me off..

LOL chef i was wondering how long it would take you to find this thread :)

haha - I actually found it via your other thread in the Importing section. I didn't realise that was your username, and when you said you'd bought through me, I'm thinking "What? Which customer is this?" :thumbsup:

So the final cost on the road will be around $19500 .... I can buy them in the same condition for less here in Australia. Sure it looks like a nice car but it hasn't been driven yet.

This is the third thread I have read tonight where people have bought cars from Japan for what looks like higher prices than they can be picked up for here.

I also know a person who has just bought a 1988 Silvia from Japan which will end up costing him around 12k on the road here, and he knows there are a few issues with it.

Is it really worth the hassle to buy a car unseen (yes I understand someone else has probably checked them out but they do have a vested interest) and go through all the hassle of getting it here, then go through the compliancing, wait around two months before you get it .... when you can find a car in Australia, take it for a test drive, get it checked out by a mechanic so you know exactly what you are getting for your money ..... and it will probably end up costing less.

All your comments show is a huge lack of understanding of the austion system in Japan. You wont buy that car here for less. The closest that is on sale is a Bayside blue RS4V in Qld for $17000 it is stock about the same km's no kit, no wheels, no mods at all. So I reckon to add $3-4000 for that lot.

The Auction houses have no vested interest in grading cars higher than they are. ALL the faults are written down. If Andy was smart, bought a good car, high grade and was prepared to the extra, (which it seems that he was) then I defy anyone to get a better deal here.

Also the fact that this car went through the auction system twice, shows that it is worth the money because the owner wasn't going to let it go easily. I am also sure that Andy wasn't the only bidder. So in the end that is exactly how the market price is acheived.

I do have a vested interest in talking it up..... I also have a Bayside blue one, when you consider that only about 6% of series 2's were ever painted in Bayside Blue, that makes it worth more...... so you really can't compare them with the silver and white ones..... If you want Blue, be prepared to pay more.

All your comments show is a huge lack of understanding of the austion system in Japan. You wont buy that car here for less. The closest that is on sale is a Bayside blue RS4V in Qld for $17000 it is stock about the same km's no kit, no wheels, no mods at all. So I reckon to add $3-4000 for that lot.

The Auction houses have no vested interest in grading cars higher than they are. ALL the faults are written down. If Andy was smart, bought a good car, high grade and was prepared to the extra, (which it seems that he was) then I defy anyone to get a better deal here.

Also the fact that this car went through the auction system twice, shows that it is worth the money because the owner wasn't going to let it go easily. I am also sure that Andy wasn't the only bidder. So in the end that is exactly how the market price is acheived.

I do have a vested interest in talking it up..... I also have a Bayside blue one, when you consider that only about 6% of series 2's were ever painted in Bayside Blue, that makes it worth more...... so you really can't compare them with the silver and white ones..... If you want Blue, be prepared to pay more.

same with red.... i was going to respray it.. now i might hold off a little :thumbsup:

Im stoked that its got a full 4" system in it.. theres over 1k saved already for me :)..and the mags are not annoying me as much as i thought.. although i will prob upgrade to 19's.

Congrats Andy on purchasing a Stagea, I brought mine in January this year and have not regretted it. Bayside Blue looks really nice on Stageas (is it Metallic aka Bayside Blue Metallic like the R34 GT-R). The Autech bodykit looks good and the rims suit the car..

The funny thing when you get your car is when people look at your car...they will scratch their heads and always ask "What car is it?" and when you tell them it's a Stagea they all say "what?" and the other they will say "is that a volvo?" - I get it all the time lol

I hate when the stagea is compared to a damb volvo,swedish taxi crap

Nice buy, and welcome to the Stagea community!

Yep, as Darrin said, your car has the 260RS front bumper, which I love on both the s1 and s2.

I've had my Stagea for almost 3yrs and I still get people looking at it when I'm in traffic, and a lot of people I know ask me what the hell it is.

What the?? Had to have a second look at this thread after seeing the author. Looks like he put as much thought into his name as I did ;) . What are the chances of two Andy D's having Stagea's? Looks like a sweet ride.

Darrin, wanted to thankyou for organising the cruise the other weekend. Had a great time and looking forward to the next one.

  • 2 weeks later...

UPDATE:

Car is on the boat and due for arrival on the 15th of june once it clears customs it will be booked in for compliance at kamikazee then i will take delivery of the beast getting really excited now and cant wait to see it in the flesh.

Edited by AndyD

Looks like a nice car in a rare colour with sunroofs etc...

I think you paid about the right price (not expensive) for such a rare coloured car.

I have a black S2 with leather etc and I was prepared to pay more at Auction for the rarity.

Enjoy the car and good to have another Stagea in VIC.

  • 3 weeks later...

Another Update: Car is in OZ landed on 23rd shipping and all the other crap paid for awaiting clearence from AQIS then off to be complianced so another few weeks yet getting anxious now cant wait to see it in the flesh.

Paid to date:FOB $8600 approx

Shipping charges duty,gst and other misc crap:$4230

To come:compliance $2500-3000

Tyres and on roads ???

All up somewhere around $17-$18000 all up im guessing

So the final cost on the road will be around $19500 .... I can buy them in the same condition for less here in Australia. Sure it looks like a nice car but it hasn't been driven yet.

This is the third thread I have read tonight where people have bought cars from Japan for what looks like higher prices than they can be picked up for here.

I also know a person who has just bought a 1988 Silvia from Japan which will end up costing him around 12k on the road here, and he knows there are a few issues with it.

Is it really worth the hassle to buy a car unseen (yes I understand someone else has probably checked them out but they do have a vested interest) and go through all the hassle of getting it here, then go through the compliancing, wait around two months before you get it .... when you can find a car in Australia, take it for a test drive, get it checked out by a mechanic so you know exactly what you are getting for your money ..... and it will probably end up costing less.

Hmmm, I can't believe I've posted in this thread and mentioned nothing about the above post. So, here it goes:

  • Firstly, your post is neither positive nor helpful. If you say that you can source a car for cheaper, why didn't you offer to do so - even if AndyD has bought his car, surely if he (or someone else) is in the market for a car in the future, your offer (if you could call it that) may be considered, correct?
  • Secondly, what makes you say that the car hasn't been driven yet? Do you KNOW that the valuation process DOESN'T involve someone driving the car? I don't know, but then I don't make those kinds of assumptions either.
  • Next, so what if three people have chosen to buy their cars overseas for a "higher" price than they can be picked up here? Do you know what each buyer is looking for specifically? What if they wanted their chosen car in a specific colour, with certain options fitted, or wanted to be the first Australian owners? What if they wanted a car with a body kit or different wheels? Or a totally standard car that they could modify or leave stock as per their wishes and/or requirements?
  • What makes you assume that the valuer who inspected the car has a vested interest?
  • You're right that a car bought here will PROBABLY end up costing less, but the fact that you even mentioned PROBABLY means that you don't know for sure. Factor in that you haven't taken into account any specific requests that a buyer might have, then who knows if that car could even be found here.
  • Lastly, it's interesting that you'd been signed up to these forums for all of 8 days and decided you'd be in the perfect position to make such statements - what is there for other forum users to dispute the fact that YOU don't have a vested interest in offering (once again, if you could call your post an "offer") to help others to get a car at a lower price?

Seeing as you've been on these forums for such a short time, I'll say this: if you choose to post these kinds of replies, please choose your words carefully. Attacks on other forum members are not appreciated, and will not be tolerated.

As I've already mentioned, the way you've worded your post is neither positive nor helpful. You could quite easily have made your points just as effectively if you'd instead offered some pointers on what a buyer should look out for, or mentioned that you'd seen a car with the same or similar features for a lower price.

Please take this all into account when you make your next post.

Thanks.

260RS in Melb

Great to see a fw more stags driving around!!! JVP I have seen your car nearly every day this week!

How else in Melb has an RS4S?? As far as I know there are only a hand full around, if that!

Great to see a fw more stags driving around!!! JVP I have seen your car nearly every day this week!

LOL

dont look at it its filthy and all dirty like.

i saw you drive past yesterday just as i opened the door at work to leave.

car looks nice man.

Hmmm, I can't believe I've posted in this thread and mentioned nothing about the above post. So, here it goes:
  • Firstly, your post is neither positive nor helpful. If you say that you can source a car for cheaper, why didn't you offer to do so - even if AndyD has bought his car, surely if he (or someone else) is in the market for a car in the future, your offer (if you could call it that) may be considered, correct?
  • Secondly, what makes you say that the car hasn't been driven yet? Do you KNOW that the valuation process DOESN'T involve someone driving the car? I don't know, but then I don't make those kinds of assumptions either.
  • Next, so what if three people have chosen to buy their cars overseas for a "higher" price than they can be picked up here? Do you know what each buyer is looking for specifically? What if they wanted their chosen car in a specific colour, with certain options fitted, or wanted to be the first Australian owners? What if they wanted a car with a body kit or different wheels? Or a totally standard car that they could modify or leave stock as per their wishes and/or requirements?
  • What makes you assume that the valuer who inspected the car has a vested interest?
  • You're right that a car bought here will PROBABLY end up costing less, but the fact that you even mentioned PROBABLY means that you don't know for sure. Factor in that you haven't taken into account any specific requests that a buyer might have, then who knows if that car could even be found here.
  • Lastly, it's interesting that you'd been signed up to these forums for all of 8 days and decided you'd be in the perfect position to make such statements - what is there for other forum users to dispute the fact that YOU don't have a vested interest in offering (once again, if you could call your post an "offer") to help others to get a car at a lower price?

Seeing as you've been on these forums for such a short time, I'll say this: if you choose to post these kinds of replies, please choose your words carefully. Attacks on other forum members are not appreciated, and will not be tolerated.

As I've already mentioned, the way you've worded your post is neither positive nor helpful. You could quite easily have made your points just as effectively if you'd instead offered some pointers on what a buyer should look out for, or mentioned that you'd seen a car with the same or similar features for a lower price.

Please take this all into account when you make your next post.

Thanks.

seconded. Nothing to add: you said it all, really... I'm on my 3rd and 4th import currently (due late next month), due to foreign cars having the options I wanted. And for the record, all 4 of my cars were significantly cheaper than comparable local cars...

AndyD can probably update you, but I suspect it's either at the workshop or very close to heading there.

Lack of extra photos was because the car made it on a boat before the agent could even get down to the docks to take pics - damn those Japanese and their efficiency! lol

I suspect AndyD is currently foaming at the mouth waiting to get down and have a look at it!!

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