Advise Importing A Tommy Kaira R33 Gtr

[batman67]

I am the owner of a R33 GTR Tommy Kaira that has been sitting in japan for the last 2 months waiting on import approval, now after all this time trying to get to the bottom of it all I have tracked down the buyer & he has sent me the pictures of the car. I find the car has had its chassis number removed from the firewall & the only serial number is a serial number 868 stamped on the left strut tower.

I am hoping that someone can advise me if this is normal for a Tommy Kaira car to have it's chassis number removed?

The buyer in japan is now trying to resell the car on my behalf. (because it will be easier than trying to import it)

But he has told me I am going to be out of pocket. Oh & the so called broker I was dealing with in sydney has vanished.

The chassis number I have is

Yr/Mo Registration: 1996 (June)Make: NISSAN<LI>Model: SKYLINE<LI>Grade: GT-R TOMMY KAIRA<LI>Chassis No: kyo(62)868kyo<LI>Kilometers: 109661<LI>Doors: 2 DOOR COUPE<LI>Color: WHITE

• Condition Grade: 4
  
• CC Rating: 2600
  
• Engine Type: PETROL
  
• Wheel Style: Mags
  
• Tires: Normal
  
• Transmission: 5SPD
  
• Interior Color: GRAY
  

• Interior Grade: B
  
• Power Steering: Yes
  
• Power Windows: Yes
  
• Air Conditioning: Yes
  
• Sunroof: No
  
• Spare Keys: No
  
• Air Bag: Single
  
• Interior Type: DELUXE CLOTH
  

• Thanks for any advise
  Scott
  

[Chris Rogers]

the last tommy 33 I had was a sedan - it HAD a chassis number on it. I think yours has something amiss. in short - run far far away.

[xALmoN]

cash sent?

[DRIFTT]

Oh & the so called broker I was dealing with in sydney has vanished.

Message me you contact details if you want info on how you might be able to use NSW Dept of Fair Trading against this broker.

[batman67]

Yes the cash was sent.

I paid the broker $5000 deposit. $1000 for him, $2000 deposit for the car & $2000 for the compliance w/shop.

He sent me the 3 x auction pics of the car, front, back, interior.

Then told me I won the car.

He then emailed me the banking details for IBC in Japan

We paid the balance, 5 to 6 weeks down the track we tried to find out the progress of the car, couldn't get in touch with him, I then called the compliance shop, he kept telling me they were waiting on approval from dotars. I started to do my own research, so we contacted IBC, emailed them the bank receipt, then they sent me all the pictures of the car. One picture being the missing chassis number.

I then sent a threatening email to the broker, indicating that I knew what was going on & I was going to the police, 3 days later I heard from him saying that it wasn't his fault,blablabla. The car had to be sold to get my money back. I told him to refund me my $3000 that he had & I haven't heard from him since, his emails bounce back & his phone is always off.

I guess it's true what they say "A sucker is born every minute"

[pistol-pete]

Once you get your money back, talk to beer baron, he's selling his

[Iron Chef]

Hi Scott,

Sorry for not getting back to you before, I know you PMed or emailed me at some point about it.

In Japan, when a car is stolen, they generally remove the chassis number from their registration system - if it is then recovered, they will blank off the chassis number under the bonnet and reassign it a new identity, usually with the new registration number (which is what you have listed up the top there).

I paid REAL good money for an R34 V-Spec II that was in the same boat, and I took the loss and put it back through auction rather than risk it, but a few workshops I contacted said that they were happy to do it if it was restamped with a new VIN over there. One even said they'd successfully complied and registered such a car. Not sure if this helps...

Cheers

Kristian

[Blitz_boy]

who's the broker? name and shame!!

[batman67]

Hi Scott,

Sorry for not getting back to you before, I know you PMed or emailed me at some point about it.

In Japan, when a car is stolen, they generally remove the chassis number from their registration system - if it is then recovered, they will blank off the chassis number under the bonnet and reassign it a new identity, usually with the new registration number (which is what you have listed up the top there).

I paid REAL good money for an R34 V-Spec II that was in the same boat, and I took the loss and put it back through auction rather than risk it, but a few workshops I contacted said that they were happy to do it if it was restamped with a new VIN over there. One even said they'd successfully complied and registered such a car. Not sure if this helps...

Cheers

Kristian

Thanks Iron Chef,

Who would I talk to in Japan about having a vin restamped?

IBC currently have the car in their posession & they have re-listed it for sale.

The contact that bought the car was Matt Martin from Mashamoto. I've found out since making contact with Matt he is based in the UK, so I'm not sure if he is the guy to discuss it with.

I am still keen to import the car if I can register it.

[MattR]

PM ducati02 i believe he has just got one of these from Beer Baron. he might be able to help you

[Iron Chef]

Thanks Iron Chef,

Who would I talk to in Japan about having a vin restamped?

IBC currently have the car in their posession & they have re-listed it for sale.

The contact that bought the car was Matt Martin from Mashamoto. I've found out since making contact with Matt he is based in the UK, so I'm not sure if he is the guy to discuss it with.

I am still keen to import the car if I can register it.

I would start by speaking to RAWs in your state about the situation and seeing what they say, as they will be the ones who have to sign off on it. I can't remember off hand who did one before, but I know it has been done.

[Mr Eps]

i have been reading this from the start and - cannot empathize with you - sorry (in case you took that wrong - empathize means.. to understand fully what that person is going through)

this must be very frustrating for you man.. sorry to hear!

if it were me..

i would go to the loungeroom and pull all the couch cushions off.. take them into my bedroom

i would then go into my wardrobe. and get every single coat that i ever owned.

i would get all those coats.

and drape them over a couch cubby house. (everyone knows that if the cubby has coats over it - it's invisible)

and from there - well.. i'd just.. climb on into the couch cubby covered in coats.. and i'd stay in there until everything eventually righted itself and it all just blows over..

you're a brave guy for following this path in a land abroad! hats off to you..

[Iron Chef]

Rowan you really are a strange, strange man.

[DRIFTT]

He has a few different websites with no full contact details.

MashaMoto UK Ltd.

8A, 8B & 8C Victoria Industrial Estate

Victoria Road West

Hebburn

Tyne & Wear

NE31 1UB

Email: [email protected]

Tel : +44 (0)191 489 9000

Fax :+44 (0)191 489 9000

http://www.mashamoto.co.uk/

http://www.mashamotoimports.com/

http://www.mashamoto.nl/

http://www.mashamoto.be/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/MashaMoto/57130400487

http://www.myspace.com/mashamoto

[batman67]

I'm unable to pm anyone, but as soon as I can I will.

I spoke to a customer service rep at IBC late yesterday, he is the guy that has been supplying me all the info to date.

I have asked him if he will chase up the process of having a chassis number restamped.

Does anyone in NSW know any RAWS that would be interested in helping out with advise?

I cannot get a straight answer from the guy that was recommended by my oh so honest & reliable oz broker.

[Beer Baron]

I just recently imported and complied a Tommy Kaira RL spec R33 GTR and have now sold it. yes it still had the original nissan build plate with chassis number. your car won't of course have a VIN as they are only assigned once the car has import approval. what it's missing is the chassis number.

if what iron chef said is correct about your car previously having been stolen and then recovered it may still be possible to import it. you need to talk to the compliance workshop. you must know the chassis number (even if it's not stamped on the vehicle) as they need it to apply for that vehicle import approval they claim to be waiting on.

if you know the chassis number, and you get the import approval through ok, then it "may" be possible to have someone in japan simply stamp the chassis number into the car or on a plate that is then riveted to the firewall or strut tower.

please don't take that vague advice as gospel though. I wouldn't want to advise you to do something that is not 100% legal.

I'm still not sure how you ended up with a uk broker. that is a shame as someone local would have been good. it's a bit poor that the bloke didn't mention up front that he is not based in aus.

I would think in the circumstances he should at the least be refunding you his fee. that $1,000 will help offset the cost of either having the chassis number stamped or the loss you will take in re-selling the car in japan.

unfortunately I can't imagine any RAW would want to get involved at this late stage. there is nothing to gain in it for them, only potential for hassles. so with that in mind you need to patch things up with the RAW you have and try and work with them to get this car LEGALLY imported and complied.

[NXTIME]

It's a sad situation to be in, but hopefully there is a postive result in the end.

If the broker is in the UK, how and to who did you send the deposit/broker fees?

[batman67]

Well I looked in the mirror on the weekend & found the tattoo along my hair line, it say's 'SUCKER'

I have been well & truly scammed.

The supposed broker in australia is now uncontactable, so I guess he has screwed me for $5000.00 aud.

He supposedly uses Mashamoto to buy his cars, a bit strange, but I was only told of this on Friday. A rep from IBC japan called me to explain what has happened.

I have paid aust broker $5000, $2000 as a deposit for them to bid on a car. $2000 to pay for compliancing & $1000 broker fee. BTW knowone has ever heard of the aust broker.

I received an email from aust broker with 3 x auction pics of car, he then sent me the details for a japanese bank account to pay the balance of the car. This bank account number turned out to be Masahmotos account. Mashamoto gets the money but doesn't pay for my car because it has a missing chassis number. Mashamoto will not reply to my emails.

Masahmoto has quite a few cars sitting in IBC's yard, unpaid for. He owes them approx $350,000

The compliancer has never applied for import approval, so it seems the aus broker has vanished with $5000 of my money (oh & I know of one other person that is waiting for him to purchase him an Evo 7 for the past 4 months) so I guess he has at least $10,000.

Mashamoto has my $12500, because he isn't talking to me & now I have been told he is not talking to IBC.

I feel like crawling under a rock because I was so gullable to believe I was getting a bargain. If it's too good to be true, it isn't.

I've now lost close to $18000, I would have been better off giving my bank account details to that guy is Algeria that wanted to send me a million dollars. I'm sorry for rambling on but $18000 is alot of money & I'm feeling sorry for myslelf.

The rep at IBC has told me that they are going to a higher authority to see if they can do anything to help out. But I'm not feeling so confident anymore.

Thank you to all who have offered advise

[Iron Chef]

This is a valuable lesson for people importing through an unknown broker - if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is!

Scott, so the broker is in Australia?? PM me and DRIFTT his name and details and we can do some research...

[Beer Baron]

yeah mate, feel free to pm me with any details you may have. if there is any advice I can give you I will do so and perhaps someone I know may have heard of this bloke and may be able to help you. I've been importing cars and parts for just over 10 years now and have a lot of friends in aus and japan in this industry and it's a pretty small industry...

stuff like how did you find this broker? was it through a recommendation? from whom? from a website? ever meet him in person? any contact details?

it sounds like you are in a bad spot at the moment but it may be salvageable. I would think it's likely the $5K is gone but hopefully the $12,500 you paid for the car can be recovered.

it doesn't make you a sucker. you read all the time about people buying cars from overseas and it makes it seem very safe and easy. the reality is that it's very high risk. at any point a link in the chain can disappear with your money. the only thing that stops it happening is that most people are honest. I have had plenty of transactions with friends and business partners involving big, big sums that were based on nothing more than a verbal agreement and a handshake. I'm pleased to say none have ever gone bad but the risk factor on those is through the roof.

the only real protection you have is chose someone who is established in this business. in that case generally their reputation is worth much more than scamming you out of a brokers fee. also when using a broker you should never have to pay them anything other than their brokers fee or at most some other small costs (maybe towing etc if they oversee it for you). stuff like compliance should be paid direct to the workshop, car cost direct to japanese agent, freight and customs costs direct to customs agent etc.

anyway, don't slit your wrists just yet. send me whatever info you can give me (I will treat it in strict confidence of course) and I will do whatever I can to help.