New Import Rules?

[pauly24]

Can somenoe explain to me the 15yr old rule, or is it pre 1989 cars now?

Im looking for a project car, and was thinking about importing the oldest R32 i could find, but it seems like no matter what year R32 I import, i will still have to pay the 2 grand or so complience fee, is this correct?

[carizma]

The 15 year rule ended in 2005 and was replaced by the pre 89 rule. Note thats not cars from 1989.

As for the compliance, it must be complied under RAWS. Just as a word of advice, you would be better going for a 92 - 94 as it has factory side intrusion bars and the condition will be better and there will be little difference in the overall price.

Paul @ Carizma

Can somenoe explain to me the 15yr old rule, or is it pre 1989 cars now?

Im looking for a project car, and was thinking about importing the oldest R32 i could find, but it seems like no matter what year R32 I import, i will still have to pay the 2 grand or so complience fee, is this correct?

[Iron Chef]

^^This man speaketh the truth. I don't even look at early model R32s any more.

[pauly24]

Oh ok thanks, might go for a 33 then. Really tossing up, its between getting a skyline or something with an LS1. Either one will just end up being a project car.

[Beer Baron]

lol, new import rules. it was changed 5 years ago!

but Pauls advice is spot on. you can import and comply R32s under raws and early models will cost you more as they require more work (side intrusion bars need to be added, they are factory on post 92 models). so as he suggests it's cheaper and easier to bring in a later 32 than an earlier one.

to be honest if you want an R32 project car you could buy a rough one in aus that is already complied, imported etc for probably as low as $15,000 or even less from a desperate seller with a less than perfect car. even if you bough a GTR in japan for say $5K it would be more than $15K to have it imported, complied and on the road.

personally i try to avoid importing cars with an 'on the road' value of less than $20,000. purely because there are a number of fixed costs with importing. it gets to the point that the actual money you are spending on the car in japan becomes such a small part of the total cost that you are way over capitalising on that car. buying really cheap dirty cars to bring in is not worth it. you can buy them already here and save the time and money!

[KR4-GTR]

^ thats some great advice there baron