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Applebees Appetizer posted:I was REALLY interested in one of those RVs for awhile, but after doing the math it's just more cost effective to get a used Chevy or Ford based class C RV, especially for ease and cost of maintenance/repairs. Anyone in the country can work on a Ford or Chevy RV, it would suck to be in the middle of nowhere in some small town with a cab over Isuzu diesel RV that nobody can work on or get parts for. It's all fun and games having a quirky imported RV until it's not. Hey I bought one and it has been getting $4k worth of repairs in Japan for 2 months what could possibly go wrong?
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Oct 28, 2019 22:09
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If you fix everything that could go wrong, it should be solid, right?  Also, regarding cabover isuzu diesels, there are actually a shitload of isuzu NPR cabover diesel trucks in north america. Not sure what their drivetrain specifics are but I wouldn't be surprised if those were one of the more part-source-able imports one could bring over. GM was using those engines for a long time too (they may have just been rebadging NPRs).
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Oct 28, 2019 22:40
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KakerMix posted:The quirk is the point though Yeah I get it and that's what initially drew me towards them, but considering the costs to buy one and then get it over here it's not worth it imo. everdave posted:Hey I bought one and it has been getting $4k worth of repairs in Japan for 2 months what could possibly go wrong? Case in point.
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Oct 28, 2019 22:50
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Applebees Appetizer posted:Yeah I get it and that's what initially drew me towards them, but considering the costs to buy one and then get it over here it's not worth it imo. If my camper hadn’t experienced these issues and got shipped back and forth all over Japan I’d have had a hell of a deal. I think the Isuzu I linked would have abundant mechanical parts availability and knowledge in USA. I’d be getting inspected and bidding if I didn’t have so so so many vehicles here or on boats.
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Oct 29, 2019 01:15
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That's such a handsome car. Nobody makes handsome cars anymore.
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Oct 29, 2019 12:40
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everdave posted:If my camper hadn’t experienced these issues and got shipped back and forth all over Japan I’d have had a hell of a deal. I think the Isuzu I linked would have abundant mechanical parts availability and knowledge in USA. I’d be getting inspected and bidding if I didn’t have so so so many vehicles here or on boats. Someone got it for 700000 yen which is amazing given it's a 4 condition.
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Oct 29, 2019 13:03
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French Canadian posted:Someone got it for 700000 yen which is amazing given it's a 4 condition. I would have been very happy to win that for around that price
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Oct 29, 2019 14:13
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everdave posted:If my camper hadn’t experienced these issues and got shipped back and forth all over Japan I’d have had a hell of a deal. I think the Isuzu I linked would have abundant mechanical parts availability and knowledge in USA. I don't know about that, but I'd make absolutely sure first before I went bidding on one. As someone experienced in camping and road tripping, it's when you break down in BFE when finding someone to find the parts and fix it becomes a problem. I would not want a unicorn RV in that situation, just sayin.
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Oct 29, 2019 14:38
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If someone wants a Japanese camper here you go...I am sick to my stomach I can't bid on this https://auc.japancardirect.com/aj-36PIWg6ORzdAGm6.htm
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Oct 29, 2019 19:53
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otaku69 posted:I loved how they put all that work into building and engineering and getting it legally recognized as being fit for road use, then then the government changed their stance on importing cars. Did they? Figures.
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Oct 29, 2019 22:31
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One of the Aussie posters can probably chime in with more detail, but yeah, their government used to be pretty tough on used imports in order to protect their local vehicle manufacturing industry. Which now doesn’t exist anymore, hence looser import laws. Edit: just had a quick search and like anything the current Aussie government touches it looks like the changes have been a total shitshow, so who knows. BuckyDoneGun fucked around with this message at 23:09 on Oct 29, 2019 |
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Oct 29, 2019 23:00
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everdave posted:If someone wants a Japanese camper here you go...I am sick to my stomach I can't bid on this Holy poo poo, 4wd stick! Also look at that boss CRT backup camera.
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Oct 29, 2019 23:08
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BuckyDoneGun posted:One of the Aussie posters can probably chime in with more detail, but yeah, their government used to be pretty tough on used imports in order to protect their local vehicle manufacturing industry. Which now doesn’t exist anymore, hence looser import laws. I don't know the exact details, but essentially we've had a hard 1989 rule for a while now, with some exceptions here and there for *reasons*. There was performance stuff on an approved list like Skylines and the like and pretty much open season on vans if you said it was to convert it to a camper, but nobody ever followed up to make sure you did. I think that's how the later Delicas, El Grand's, etc were imported grey market. Supposedly we are getting a rolling 25 year thing like the US (as well as a more broadly defined "enthusiast/performance" category for newer stuff), but not until December 10 of this year, according to the government. I'd be interested to see what it does to prices in Japan for stuff in the 1990-95 segment. I have a feeling the answer is "not alot"; Australia only has the population of a large US state, and we already had access to stuff like Skylines through the old scheme. Ethics_Gradient fucked around with this message at 10:32 on Oct 30, 2019 |
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Oct 30, 2019 10:27
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 jfc, almost $25k?
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Nov 2, 2019 18:24
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dp
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Nov 2, 2019 18:25
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snugglz posted:
lmao what the hell I mean I suppose it does include the water pump but jesus christ. It doesn't even have the little charm on the front! Oh no I actually see, they added the water pump as those things don't usually come with them from auction. Thanks harbor Freight! KakerMix fucked around with this message at 23:05 on Nov 2, 2019 |
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Nov 2, 2019 22:58
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Maybe it sold in California for one of those private firefighting companies. Just need an adapter for the fire hydrant.
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Nov 2, 2019 23:58
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Some rich guys in Cali were bidding against each other thinking they’re going to hold off wildfires at their house with that thing. Congrats seller on the big payday. Of course I specifically bought a Japanese fire truck without the pumps and stuff because I want it to be useful. But I’m all for JDM stuff going for bonkers. Playing musical cars at storage today. Got 5 more about to be here. Got the skyline at home now, man it loves to rev. A whole lot of fun.
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Nov 3, 2019 02:06
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ED, can you get all your cars in one place and take a picture? I was telling a coworker about this thread and they're pretty interested in importing now.
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Nov 3, 2019 07:37
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Rhyno posted:ED, can you get all your cars in one place and take a picture? I was telling a coworker about this thread and they're pretty interested in importing now. Right now I just have 4 and I have to go get the kids in a minute so I will list what I have and what I have coming. Tomorrow at work will try to post pics and also been meaning to start my own thread especially with the camper coming. Right now here in USA I have: 1994 Skyline 1994 Lite Ace 4x4 Diesel (stuck in my backyard with clutch issues) 1990 Nissan Bluebird wagon 1992 Toyota Celsior In a few weeks I have coming together the Hi Ace Fire Truck and the 1984 Honda Acty In December I have 2 Skylines, both 1994 one is GTS and one is ultra low mileage (35k km!) GTS-4 (AWD). I also have the Hi Ace Camper of Doom or Dread or bankruptcy or whatever on the same boat as those. Any questions on any of these or comments please post I can get back on forums after kids asleep tonight.
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Nov 4, 2019 22:39
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There is a rough March Super-Turbo up today, haven't seen another for months, it is auto-tragic though https://auc.japancardirect.com/aj-sXhHMEnXZPh8ea.htm Or you could buy this clean little 5 speed Starlet and do your own fun mods WITH ONLY 11k actual KM! https://auc.japancardirect.com/aj-sEoyjPBXuCxQ6ry.htm OR you could win this little 4 door Suzuki with 17k miles for probably $250-500 (plus fees) and have nice reliable transportation https://auc.japancardirect.com/aj-3x7Djl4ELxZvMLN.htm I'm just adding cool stuff from today, how about an almost brand new 4WD toyota van with 20k miles, probably in your driveway for $5k https://auc.japancardirect.com/aj-3xe4CCztF6TxeJ3.htm everdave fucked around with this message at 19:30 on Nov 6, 2019 |
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Nov 6, 2019 19:19
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Question: Do the vehicle sold at the auction houses you guys use ever have remaining shaken? (and if so, how much?) I am planning a trip for 2021 with some mates of mine from back when we lived in Japan - plan is to buy something at auction, spend 5-7 days in Japan, then put it on the ferry to Vladivostok and bomb it across Asia and Europe, ending in the UK. One potential wrinkle is none of us are resident in Japan so we couldn't register the car in our names, but I'm hoping a mechanic/garage might be able to do this for a fee - I know some foreigners in my area had a sort of "full service lease" agreement with their mechanics that basically worked this way. I'm sure I could have it stuck on the ferry and meet it in Vladivostok, but flights there are like 50% more than Tokyo from my quick survey of summer 2020 prices, plus I'd like to include Japan on the journey itself. Other questions: Are the cars you all are bidding on located centrally at an auction house (and if so where are they) or are they throughout Japan and transported to the port once you win? Would it make sense to create my own account for a one-off purchase, or should I go through an intermediary? Any other potential obstacles you guys could think of? everdave posted:I'm just adding cool stuff from today, how about an almost brand new 4WD toyota van with 20k miles, probably in your driveway for $5k Here in Australia we call those wombat vans due to the shape  They were sold here as the Tarago.
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Nov 7, 2019 10:02
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everdave posted:I'm just adding cool stuff from today, how about an almost brand new 4WD toyota van with 20k miles, probably in your driveway for $5k That one could be a guaranteed seller in the right area. Many SE Asian handymen and mobile mechanics around here drive one. Makes me wonder if they are popular in Vietnam or Cambodia for the same work. Odd choice to me, but they seem to tow little trailers around town perfectly well. Lolling at wombat van. The thing is just weird enough for Australia. Business in back, party in the middle, frunk filled with huge spiders.
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Nov 7, 2019 10:40
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The vehicles could come from all over Japan some far away like my camper from port. The biggest ones seem to be Tokyo and Nagoya but there are house from all over. I don’t have the answer to your shaken question but lots of nice ones I look at will say hasn’t road inspection through 2020.
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Nov 7, 2019 14:23
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Ethics_Gradient posted:Question: Do the vehicle sold at the auction houses you guys use ever have remaining shaken? (and if so, how much?) Some of the ones I get have shaken remaining, and it doesn't seem to matter what ones. 88 Soarer with 32,000 km? Hasn't been road registered since 2007. The 84 Rugger I got? Still had 3 months of shaken remaining. Generally the reason whatever vehicle is at auction is because it's up for renewal and the person has decided to get something else. The cars come from all over Japan. The Prado we just got yesterday is from Fukakoua. Most things I look at tend to be Central or southern on account of avoiding rust, but there is no rhyme or reason where these things come from. The consequence is that they will generally physically BE at wherever the auction house is. They are transported to the shipping port from wherever they are. The only other potential issue is making sure the fluids and everything are taken care of before you go on your trip. Should be plenty easy in Japan itself but I'd still make sure. Also tires, about 75% of the vehicles I get need new tires. About 50% also need a new battery or two.
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Nov 7, 2019 17:04
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I know it’s not in Japan but I’ll be driving past this on Saturday and am tempted to take a look... he wants £6k, about $7700, but LHD vehicles are very undesirable here and this one isn’t yet registered in the UK; its been listed for over a week already. could be a fun driver or a flip, though mileage is high. looks quite clean... https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1345192695646546/    
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Nov 7, 2019 17:37
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snugglz posted:I know it’s not in Japan but I’ll be driving past this on Saturday and am tempted to take a look... he wants £6k, about $7700, but LHD vehicles are very undesirable here and this one isn’t yet registered in the UK; its been listed for over a week already. could be a fun driver or a flip, though mileage is high. looks quite clean... Trade you a RHD Land Cruiser  What's he mean with "last of the 2.4 diesels" ? That engine is in Prados, Surfs, and HiAces, deep into the 90s.
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Nov 7, 2019 19:30
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My friend who I got into this (lives in same town) just won his third vehicle, looks pretty sweet. Has the 3.0
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Nov 7, 2019 21:19
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KakerMix posted:What's he mean with "last of the 2.4 diesels" ? That engine is in Prados, Surfs, and HiAces, deep into the 90s. yeah no idea... it’s a non-E version but I think those still went into trucks till 94/95?  everdave posted:My friend who I got into this (lives in same town) just won his third vehicle, looks pretty sweet. Has the 3.0 yeah it does... can’t wait to have more and more access to that motor (I assume it’s a KZTE?), it’s the dogs bollocks and far superior to the 2.4s. also the red is hhhnnnnggggg e: have you guys ever even bothered with something as high-mileage as what I posted above (300,000km)?
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Nov 7, 2019 21:58
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snugglz posted:yeah no idea... it’s a non-E version but I think those still went into trucks till 94/95? As I have both a 91 Prado and a 94 Prado, both 5 speeds and heck even the same color, but one with the 2.4 and the other with the KZ yes the KZ is so much better of an engine, it's incredibly dramatic the difference in performance between the two. I've never personally gone above 300,000 km, but I've done a couple Land Cruisers with 280,000 or so km. It doesn't matter with those trucks, being so goddamn overbuilt and reliable.
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Nov 7, 2019 22:36
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My 1kz hiace has almost 300k km and runs and looks perfect. To be fair, that's less than 200k miles which isn't that much for a toyota. It's all about how it was maintained. wilfredmerriweathr fucked around with this message at 14:07 on Nov 8, 2019 |
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Nov 8, 2019 14:05
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KakerMix posted:As I have both a 91 Prado and a 94 Prado, both 5 speeds and heck even the same color, but one with the 2.4 and the other with the KZ yes the KZ is so much better of an engine, it's incredibly dramatic the difference in performance between the two. Just jump on Australian Craigslist (Gumtree) if you want to see some survivor statistics: I see Cruisers with 400, 500k kms that are still chugging. OTOH it's pretty rare to see a Delica with north of 300k... I think I've seen like... two. Up for sale near me recently there was a mid-90s plain Jane 2WD petrol Hiace with just shy of a million kms on the clock. Was still running but needed a new head. everdave posted:The vehicles could come from all over Japan some far away like my camper from port. The biggest ones seem to be Tokyo and Nagoya but there are house from all over. Ah - what sort of freight costs do you pay to get them to the port in Japan? KakerMix posted:The only other potential issue is making sure the fluids and everything are taken care of before you go on your trip. Should be plenty easy in Japan itself but I'd still make sure. Also tires, about 75% of the vehicles I get need new tires. About 50% also need a new battery or two. Yeah, that is a good point. What sort of storage fees do you guys get charged?
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Nov 8, 2019 21:59
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You get a couple months of free port storage in Japan with your shipping.
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Nov 9, 2019 00:01
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Ethics_Gradient posted:OTOH it's pretty rare to see a Delica with north of 300k... I think I've seen like... two. In NZ at least Delica’s were so cheap and plentiful that if they ever needed major work (head gaskets and rust being the main killers) it was usually cheaper and easier to junk it and buy another in better condition. Or if you just needed any van, we’re spoiled for choice with more reliable LiteAce and HiAces. That probably contributes to the lack of high mileage ones. My brother in law drove L300’s (plain work truck spec) for years as a courier, his last one had somewhere north of 600,000km on its second engine after being thrashed to within an inch of its life, bouncing off the limiter every shift, all day every day because company vehicle. Also they still sold work truck spec here brand new until around 2015 for as little as around US$13k, so yeah no one bothered keeping old ones alive. Same platform since 1986, Mitsubishi learning some things from US van builders there! 
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Nov 9, 2019 03:06
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Have any of you bought a car from outside the auctions and brought it over? Just wondering if it is a giant pain in comparison or if there is a person/company to recommend for sorting it out on the Japan side. I just got back from 15 days over there 
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Nov 10, 2019 13:55
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BlackMK4 posted:Have any of you bought a car from outside the auctions and brought it over? Just wondering if it is a giant pain in comparison or if there is a person/company to recommend for sorting it out on the Japan side. Three. A 1983 Acty Street van, a 1994 Delica, and our 1984 Rugger, all bought of dealer lots. The process is exactly the same as far as paperwork, but cost is usually significantly higher and you aren't able to send over an inspector to really check the vehicle out. If it's from a dealer lot you can reasonably assume things are good as they are selling to the Japanese public. There was that goon earlier that was attempting to buy a Cappuccino off Yahoo Auctions and it would have worked out great if the seller wasn't trash. Japan Car Direct, or any exporter should be able to do this easily. The export process is the same regardless of where the vehicle comes from.
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Nov 10, 2019 16:55
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I don’t know if it has been mentioned but Hoegh is now adding $50 as a delivery order fee at least for me and I got double hit with it for my fire truck and Acty coming on the same boat this week apparently they loaded at 2 different ports Kawasaki and Kobe. It’s always something.
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Nov 10, 2019 21:09
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Hi import thread, I lurk here all the time because I dream of Beat... If you, like me do more lurking than posting, please feel free to come out and join AI:SS for this year. It's the most wonderful Secret Santa program in all of AI! slothrop posted:
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Nov 10, 2019 23:26
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  Brought the Rugger's windshield down this weekend. Also had a new Prado delivered, immediately took all the wheels off for new tires and some refinished wheels (will be completed tomorrow). Also took the ladder, bullbar (and rusty as hell fogs) and top rack off as that isn't our style.   Then took that rack and ladder and installed it on the white 70!   Also swapped out a brand new aluminum radiator in the Soarer as my flush clogged up the original something fierce. All good now though, rockets down the road in late 80s JDM bliss.  Now about that front bumper....
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Nov 11, 2019 05:06
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KakerMix posted:Three. A 1983 Acty Street van, a 1994 Delica, and our 1984 Rugger, all bought of dealer lots. The process is exactly the same as far as paperwork, but cost is usually significantly higher and you aren't able to send over an inspector to really check the vehicle out. If it's from a dealer lot you can reasonably assume things are good as they are selling to the Japanese public. I figured it would end up costing more, but like you said, there is a little bit more security in the car. Also the ability to look at the thing if you're out there at the time. About the only question would be how to arrange it all (purchase/transport to JCD or port). How did you handle that, or did JCD take care of it end-to-end?
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Nov 11, 2019 15:59
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