25 Year JDM Import - High Demand?
05-25-17, 07:30 PM
#26
We're not talking about affluent civilians with more money than sense, who feel like hiring a lawyer and dropping tons of money on personalized importation services so they can feel "special" about having a RHD vehicle in the US.
We're talking about a (probably junior) military member who's trying to get the US Government to cover the costs (all the costs) of shipping his JDM toy home to the states for him.
Vastly different situations
We're talking about a (probably junior) military member who's trying to get the US Government to cover the costs (all the costs) of shipping his JDM toy home to the states for him.
Vastly different situations
Personally watched 100s of Skylines/Silvias/etc. shipped back by military friends and acquaintances. It really is not so complicated if it is a mostly stock car. Especially so for FD's since there is lots of part availability in the US. All this crush your car stuff is over the top, takes quite a bit to go down for things to progress that far. Yes if you show up with a wide body 20B peri-port FD caged out monster then you are in a world of hurt but that is just common sense.
05-26-17, 08:48 PM
#27
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
05-26-17, 09:15 PM
#29
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
Except in this case you have to worry about this form:
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production...nts/3520-1.pdf
Last edited by Valkyrie; 05-26-17 at 09:24 PM.
05-26-17, 11:35 PM
#30
That is the exact method that black ops performance and Jap stars uses. It's 100% illegal. I had this discussion with the owner of black ops recently. He also used the word loophole. My stance on that is typically at the end of a loophole, you're not breaking the law. Also, doing it that way forces you to register the car as something that it isn't or by some other means that aren't......... legal. Like what the owner of the Jap stars offers. Obviously he won't go into details but he is offering "legit" Florida titles and license plates for 1600$ to anyone with a "grey market" car. It's absolutely insane.
05-27-17, 12:45 AM
#31
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
That is the exact method that black ops performance and Jap stars uses. It's 100% illegal. I had this discussion with the owner of black ops recently. He also used the word loophole. My stance on that is typically at the end of a loophole, you're not breaking the law. Also, doing it that way forces you to register the car as something that it isn't or by some other means that aren't......... legal. Like what the owner of the Jap stars offers. Obviously he won't go into details but he is offering "legit" Florida titles and license plates for 1600$ to anyone with a "grey market" car. It's absolutely insane.
Problem is that a state title won't keep the feds from seizing your car.
If you're doing it to bring a track car home, you'll probably be fine...
05-27-17, 03:00 AM
#32
I know that........ you know that......... they know that.... the problem is, the people paying for these smuggled cars either don't know or don't care. For whatever reason people think "gray market" cars are a real thing and that the term "state legal" is also a thing. Then trying to explain to them that neither of those things are actually things, it turns into "well its not for everyone" or "you're just mad cuz you can't afford one" or my favorite "I'm just grateful they're doing this and we get to have these cars in America". I wish there was a way my soul could face palm. It's just so depressing....
05-27-17, 03:05 AM
#33
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
Grey market is a thing, but it's for expensive German/British/Italian cars that more or less meet federal requirements that a rich person is willing to pay an importer a lot of money to make them legal.
05-29-17, 01:56 PM
#34
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thats correct. I'm not paying anyone anything to get it to my residence in the states. Registering it under the 25 year and as a Texas vehicle will give me no issues. I have every intention of keeping it fellas, I'm just making an informed decision in case my family trumps my FD ownership for whatever reason.
05-29-17, 01:58 PM
#35
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FD prices in Japan are actually really high right now, from what I have heard.
Still much lower than what you'd pay in the US, but high for Japan.
That said, prices vary WILDLY by year, condition, mileage, and mods because it was produced for so long and because they cost so much to maintain.
It probably still isn't going to be worth importing an early-model FD, once you pay $3K to bring it in. Not to sell, at least. If you just want to take your own car home, do it.
Still much lower than what you'd pay in the US, but high for Japan.
That said, prices vary WILDLY by year, condition, mileage, and mods because it was produced for so long and because they cost so much to maintain.
It probably still isn't going to be worth importing an early-model FD, once you pay $3K to bring it in. Not to sell, at least. If you just want to take your own car home, do it.
05-29-17, 03:51 PM
#36
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We're not talking about affluent civilians with more money than sense, who feel like hiring a lawyer and dropping tons of money on personalized importation services so they can feel "special" about having a RHD vehicle in the US.
We're talking about a (probably junior) military member who's trying to get the US Government to cover the costs (all the costs) of shipping his JDM toy home to the states for him.
Vastly different situations
We're talking about a (probably junior) military member who's trying to get the US Government to cover the costs (all the costs) of shipping his JDM toy home to the states for him.
Vastly different situations
05-29-17, 05:06 PM
#37
You shouldn't have hardly and problems, just make sure you go to the transport office early to make sure you're good on everything, don't wait till the last minute. I was stationed in Yokosuka and had plenty of friends bring back vehicles under the 25 year or older rule. Unfortunately I'm state side now and had to pay for an imported one. Gray market vehicles are definitely a real thing, and I had my RHD FD inspected and appraised as a gray market vehicle by a 3rd party appraisal network before I bought it. It was mostly stock with a few after market modifications including exhaust and suspension that did not slow down the process. I have DOT (HS7), EPA (3520-1), 7501 (with customs stamp / initials), 3461 form with perforation all ready to go for ease of registration process.