WARNING: 15 year rule changes

[DRIFTT]

As I said they dont want thousands of 15 year old imports coming in and the people that bring them in are specialised dealers not every Tom Dick and Harry or BROKERS that dont tell the truth.

Not Landcrusers and Hiace vans but Corvette's and RX7's.

[Soulja]

So Driftt they dont want thousands of vette's and rx7' import, does this mean they will make it alittle be harder for those cars?

[Mitchell]

Hey, if you're looking for a 1989 R32 GTR and worried about the fifteen year rule, buy mine

It's already here, complianced and registered in Queensland.

See R32 GTR MUST SELL in Classifieds (Whole Cars)

I bought it off a guy who personally imported it in 1999, has all plates etc (he lived in Japan, was married to Japanese woman, they came back here to live and he brought the car, she decided she didn't like Australia, so they went back there to live and he sold me the car).

All this fifteen year stuff is muddying the waters and making it a bit harder to sell a car, so take advantage of me and my lower price without the risk of being stuck with a car sitting on a dock or in storage.

[Mitchell]

Just doing a bit more looking around (particularly DOTARS site).

My understanding:

- the first R32 GTR was made in August 1989 (but only about 50 that month, first full month of production (around 1000?) was September '89)

- you need an Import Approval before your car leaves Japan (or at least before the ships enters the destination port)

- it takes 30 days to process an Import Approval application

- the car has to be 15 years old to the month before you make the application for an Import Approval

then I suppose the first R32 GTRs to arrive under the 15 year rule will be August/September 2004 + time to process application + time to send to Australia = October/November/December 2004??? (how long does it take to arrange transport and get car from Japan to Australia once you have an Import Approval?)

Sound right?

[Mitchell]

...and finally, the only savings relate to the cost of DOTARS compliance, but there is a cost increase in State Transport Department compliance, and maybe a rise in GTR prices in Japan if demand is high enough, or people are trying to recoup the cost of having a car sitting in Japan for up to 12-15 mths waiting to get an Import Approval if they have mis-timed things?

So what will a R32 GTR REALLY cost at dealers from end of 2004/beginning of 2005 under the 15 year rule?

[DRIFTT]

The prices will go up and the time delay will throw the whole thing out as the car isnt to leave Japan till the import approval has been issued.

So if Customs and DOTRS were around looking at your paperwork and your import approval was issued 3 days before the car arrived it wouldnt take much to work out that the car was sent with out a import approval in your possesion so if the rule was pushed they could make you re-export the car or destroy it.

We were working out delivery times in to Fremantle and waiting for import approvals the car would be sitting in Japan for around 2 months waiting since we only get a boat once a month.

[Mr-s413bt]

Hey Driftt.

I think your mistaken there.

Now from what DOTARS actually say a vehicle is considered imported once it ENTERS the port where it is to land.

"An Import Approval MUST be obtained before a vehicle is imported. Importation occurs once the vehicle is brought within a port for the purposes of landing it. For example, a vehicle being transported by ship is “imported” once the ships enters the destination port. "

That is a direct quote from DOTARS.

Glenn

[DRIFTT]

My mistake how about when you clear you vehicle and the date of issue is after the date the vehicle landed.

Import approvals cannot be issued for vehicles that have been imported.

Do not ship your vehicle to Australia until such time as you are issued with an Import Approval.

If you do ship your vehicle before receiving an approval and your vehicle arrives before the application is processed, an approval cannot be issued.

A lot of vehicles have been turning up before the import aproval has been issued due to the time frame it takes to process a import approval.

Last month 50 cars came on the boat with no import aprovals that had to be rexported due to vehicles being sold to people who dont understand the rules.

Every part of importing a car is being looked at including the approvals.

Its not a story like saying nothing is changing on the 15 year rule.

[Mr-s413bt]

Hey Driftt.

Thats a pretty big mistake to make!!

I'd spew if i had to re-export 50 cars!!

[ricknismo]

so do ya reckon its worth the wait...or buy a $7000 88 cefiro now.

[DRIFTT]

The 50 cars wasnt a mistake it was people not telling them everything including import approvals and the requirements just selling them the cars which stuffs it up for everybody as it highlighted imports to the government again which isnt wanted at the moment.

[Duncan]

Doesn't really help that DOTARs are currently taking 6 weeks to approve their own import forms.....

[DRIFTT]

It takes so long to get an approval because of the amount of 15 year cars being bought in to Australia and DOTRS have put a lot more staff on to process the extra paperwok.

Import groups and the government want to cap the amount of cars coming in under any rule so unless you want a clean low klm car dont bother.

[regan]

Import approvals are now taking as long as 30+ days to process,the delay seems to be in staffing with-in the Dept, and the usual give a F%$CK attitude constantly being displayed by our Federal friends.

It is allways a "smart move" to have the IA in hand before you ship your vehicle, although a vehicle is not officially classed as imported until the customs entry has been made.therefore if you import a vehicle and factor in a 14-20 day turnaround for your IA and your vehicle arrives and you still have not recieved your IA (it happens) DONT let your agent enter it , cop the storage . As the vehicle has no status until the entry is made and the Feds have no info on its wereabouts until that time.

[davehoos]

3 yrs ago i was told to expect 60 days and it arrived in the mail less than 17 days.

[meggala]

yep they are takign at least 30 days now

and regan is right.

still I look at every car case by case

and btw the raws approvals are much quicker casue they are filled in by the raws on line

[meggala]

yep they are takign at least 30 days now

and regan is right.

still I look at every car case by case

and btw the raws approvals are much quicker casue they are filled in by the raws on line

[DRIFTT]

We put three in two weeks or so apart for 15 year cars and all turned up together and one was in 17 days and one in 30 so it varys on the work load.

RAWS and 15 year import approvals are done in different areas as far as I know and with in 2 to 3 days of posting the cheque is banked so you might save one day.

You can email 15 year ones I have been told but you need credit card details and I might honestly save you a day or two.

[meggala]

and you can fax them as well

[gerryb]

I lived in Japan for a couple of years and was bringing cars to Australia on a small scale a few years back, when the major changes took place. (Most punters don't realize until ages afterwards, I found that even almost 2 years after i arrived back your average car enthusiast punter was just starting to catch on, even though the 2 year sunset period for existing compliance plate holders had almost run its course!!)

I found at that time the laws changed very rapidly indeed, I followed all the legislative changes very carefully and checked the DOTARS daily,( there was chopping and changing on almost a weekly basis, sometimes less). IF I were thinking of importing a car now, when there a rumours of changes to laws, I would be doing the same thing, if you didn't you'd be a mug. I have seen people who have had to re- export cars personally and there's no excuse, they just issue you with a notice and give you a month or so and its out.

There are powerful lobby groups at work when these changes are in the wind, for example a certain major car manufacturer,, (which will remain nameless), was a very strong lobbyist just before the big review took place in 2000, (it was strongly rumuored), that led to the current scheme that's in place.

There is usually some substance in rumours, maybe other parties have been at work who may have been effected by the growing import of 15 year old used JDM vehicles!