86GXL

I'm looking into importing a S5 from japan and would like some input from people that have done this or researched it.

mainly the cost of things like getting the VIN # for it and DMV stuff like that to legalize it.

also i dont wanna hear and JDM Tight Yo!!! crap...

Ryde _Or_Die

Um, I'm not sure you can do it AT ALL. There are a limited few of skylines I believe in the states legally. Basically as I understand it, a company has to go through the process of making a "kit" or something to make the car legal in the states (smog, crash test, etc). So you have to spend a ton of your own money to be sure that its safe and legal here, and then you can do that to every car you bring over. So once its been proven that doing "X" to a certain car will make it legal/safe (which costs a hell of a lot), then you have to do "X" to every car. Hard to explain, but the moral is I don't believe your going to be able to do it.

86GXL

they have been brought over before. plus they are sold in the US just left hand drive.. so thats not a problem... the only reason they do it with skylines is because they werent ever sold in the US

RylAssassin

Whats the point of importing a s5 to the states? I mean if your going to spend the money importing why not bring over a nice new spirit R. That would be worth the import charges.

86GXL

it would cost about $10K extra too... i can find FC's for $2000

ddub

Limited few skylines? Since when? There's 2 I see frequently where I live running around, and if there was a limited few I doubt 2 of them would be around me. I'm not exactly in a big city and this isn't a huge car/street racing/what have you type of area (like FL and CA, etc).

Ryde _Or_Die

Well by limited few, I kind of mean few in each area. There is only one in central FL or at least Tampa. It costs ALOT to get them over here. As of right now I believe there is only one company bringing them over.

ajsuper7

i still dont understand what the obsession with jdm fc's are, for the most part we got the better cars, just not all turbo. have you seen some of the stock rims on those things? and alot of the interior parts that came on jdm fc's look like **** too. if you want an infini III just buy the suspension and engine parts, its not worth wasting 10grand on a hyped TII, when in the end it wouldnt be all that much faster stock than a stock american fc. jdm mystique i guess, i dont get it.

casio

shipping will cost more than the car. legalizing imported cars doesnt sound like bread and butter. this topic has come up before.
as for the "jdm tight, yo" thing. i dont know why people talk like that referring to this situation. i would like to question why you would dig yourself a hole of debt for an old car that you can get here. its a little different, sure, but you will spend thousands more just getting the car legal and shipped. i would say avoid it if you dont want to spend $10,000 on a japanese turbo2.

Ryde _Or_Die

Also, have you ever driven and RHD car? I myself would never want to being right handed and also being used to LHD cars. I just don't see the point. Also, if you wanted a RHD car, you can buy the interior and just put it in your car if thats what you want. MUCH cheaper and easier.

86GXL

shipping comes roughly to $7000 - $8000... and if its not running then it doesnt have to go through DOT and Customs because its just a parts car... after that i know places localy that will legalize it for MUCH cheaper than motorex will

casio

along with the interior, the steering assembly, throttle cable, moving brake booster, replacing brake lines, wiring.... oh man, the list...

casio

oh, well, if shipping is only 7 or 8Gs, no problem. then poor another few thousand to get it running or maybe more to have a fun car. then we're only looking at 10 to 13,000 dollars. money well spent. i hope you REALLY want a jdm fc.

86GXL

well its simple to make the car "not run"... have somone in japan pull a few wires to make it in "non rolling" condition and they wont think twice about it when it comes to the US

Ryde _Or_Die

The problem is the shipping $$$. I can buy the baddest damn FC over here for less than the shipping charges. Or build my own, you know something that runs 10s and has a full coilover setup, nice paint job, some racing harts, etc etc etc etc etc etc. Whatever you want, you can get it for less. Hell for the money you are looking at dropping you can get a nice *** FD as well. Or a stock FD and stock TII for the $14000+ your looking at spending if you shop around.


And casio, I know there are other differences besides the interior. But what else will anyone notice and what else do you need to change to make it RHD? Obviously some things so the steering column and pedals will be on the right hand side.

casio

right, but to make it run (i mean driveable), the brake booster would have to be swapped, the brake lines are hard metal and would have to be purchased, the throttle cable would probably be off, the wiring would be different and might need to be lengthened. i'm not experienced with this and i can name things i wouldnt want to deal with.

as for cost, i could build a mid 11 second car with 8Gs i bet. hrmm, ~350+ rwhp, steering wheel on the right side. wait, that was $7-8K PLUS the car. so give me another few hundred or anothr thousand (whatever the car costs) to work with.
i think 87gtr made a signature adding up costs that came to less than 8Gs when he made ~370rwhp and ran an 11.6. i just couldnt fathom wanting my steering wheel on the other side instead of having a very fun car.

Cory Simpson

I don't see the point in importing an RX-7, we already have them here!!!

Maybe a skyline, because there were never brought here.... but still not worth the money.


Anyways, just to help a little, there is a loop hole, not legal (in the US anyways...), but a loop hole. It a car is 15 years or older it can be brought to Canada with no changes/modifications of any sort. And there is a importing company in canada call "import concerns" that brings in cars 89, and older. And for a pretty good price to.


You would have to drive to canada and pick up the car though, and it still would never be "legal"

gray 87 fc

talkin about only being one in tampa i have talked to three people that own a skyline and i seen one driving down gandy blvd so dont say there are only a few and if you go to bradenton speedway you can see about 10 of them at the import cars shows

casio

well we all agree that there's a limited few GTUs..es(thats me pluralizing GTUs), yet a few hundred were made. Skylines are rare... moving on.

IaMtHeRuThLeSs1

well spent??....****...i'd just get a FD

MARTIN

I agree with most here, why are you gunna spend double the money, to just bring a 16 y/o car that we have here, cept its RHD which makes it extremely difficult to pass anyone on the left, and also make LH turns....there are plenty of skylines roaming around here in miami, so its not worth the money either.... but I would bring over sylvia, those ***** are nice...anyways the only way that its worth it for anyone to use the shipping, is when you bring something for yourself, and you bring a whole shitload of **** to sell.....

casio

when bringing in cars we dont have, you have to go through crash tests. i believe that would even go for 96+ FDs (someone mentioned the spirit R). sure, the silvia is the same chassis as our s13/14/(15)s, but it might have to go through the same tests.
and to "i am the ruthless 1," i hope you picked up on my sarcasm.

86GXL

this is exactly what i would do... then legalize it... my whole point of starting this thread is... how much will it cost to get the VIN and registration done to it??

casio

where do you get that done? the VIN and registration. call and ask for the price. if you know everything else, call them and ask. if you can do it (the importing thing), they can give you a price. call and ask.

86GXL

well then i'll call and ask... sheesh.. now i gotta find the goddamn place... i dont even know what its called... but its here in idaho... just hoping somone would know round here