When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Thanks for having me join the rotary family. Prior to this, i started out with a prelude, then an 08 STI hatchback, and then a 500hp+ Evo 8 that I lost due to a drunk driver. To fill my empty void of a parking space, I thought, why not an FD rx7.
Car only has exterior modifications such as a body kit I'm going to switch out, SSR viennas merisia (vip look? lol), and HKS hypermax coilovers. Here she is the day i got her from the port in Galveston.
Looks to be in great condition! Congrats! What company did you go through to import it? And what are your plans for it?
The company is called 'Driven x Blessed LLC', although technically, They're not an importing company lol. They're just 2 guys who happen to own a track called MSR Houston. They've been importing for friends and family. They did all the hard work such as sourcing (because they have a guy who lives in Japan), paperwork, inspection, customs, shipping, shipping insurance, title and registration, etc etc..
Car looks great, love the hood, that design is my favorite! is it a genuine RE Amemiya one?
Any more details? Km? Engine Mods? Photos? What are your plans
I don't think the hood is a genuine RE Amemiya, because wouldn't there be a branding somewhere(?), although its stupid light.
Plans is to replace all hoses, fittings, clips, get an Apexi Power FC, and take it to their track on Dec 16.
Long term plans is to replace the body kit for something else.
No engine mods cause I specifically asked for stock.
I don't think the hood is a genuine RE Amemiya, because wouldn't there be a branding somewhere(?), although its stupid light.
Plans is to replace all hoses, fittings, clips, get an Apexi Power FC, and take it to their track on Dec 16.
Long term plans is to replace the body kit for something else.
No engine mods cause I specifically asked for stock.
Yep, if genuine there will be a sticker/logo embedded into the fiberglass/carbon fiber on the underside of the hood - will be right in front of you, close to the catch when you lift the hood.
The company is called 'Driven x Blessed LLC', although technically, They're not an importing company lol. They're just 2 guys who happen to own a track called MSR Houston. They've been importing for friends and family. They did all the hard work such as sourcing (because they have a guy who lives in Japan), paperwork, inspection, customs, shipping, shipping insurance, title and registration, etc etc..
Be careful who you tell this to and where you post this on the internet. They are doing something illegal by not having a RI license to import and sell vehicles. Did they register this in your name or was it registered in their name first and now you're the second owner?
Be careful who you tell this to and where you post this on the internet. They are doing something illegal by not having a RI license to import and sell vehicles. Did they register this in your name or was it registered in their name first and now you're the second owner?
I'll keep what you said in mind moving forward. Whats an RI license? I would assume they have that because they've been importing casually, and they even wanted me to spread the word that they wanted to do this in the long run. They registered and titled in their name, and then I registered in mine. So yea, I'm the second owner.
Yep, if genuine there will be a sticker/logo embedded into the fiberglass/carbon fiber on the underside of the hood - will be right in front of you, close to the catch when you lift the hood.
Looks nice man. An RI license is like having a dealers license in the US (which you also need btw) to sell and import cars in other people's names. It requires you to have a certain space size, etc etc to actually carry out the business. It's not cheap and the facilities they require you to have aren't cheap either. RI can also bring cars into compliance (like when people bring their cars from Canada and use the substantially similar clause). They CAN petition to bring cars into compliance that aren't currently as well, mainly by crash testing them and showing the DOT standards are upheld. Either way though, you have to have the RI license to import cars for people, but you are allowed to import cars on your own (like I am doing now) for your own use.
The fact that they registered it in their name first tells me that they don't have a RI license and they are basically attempting to sell cars that they first are "theirs" then are just re-selling instead of actually importing for customers. This is a gray area for importing because I haven't seen a black and white number for what the CBP determines to be "too many cars". For instance, I import myself a car, under my name, for myself, but then get tired of it. How long do I have to wait to resell, how many can I resell? I can say that once they are telling people that they are a business and have a business name but don't have an RI, I'd be nervous if I was them. The minimum fine is 6k per violation, but it can be MUCH higher.
If you went to an official RI, you'd be the first owner of the car, just like a new car dealer makes you the first owner of a car, they don't buy it then resell it used.
Last edited by nopistons1994; 11-29-18 at 02:54 PM.
Looks nice man. An RI license is like having a dealers license in the US (which you also need btw) to sell and import cars in other people's names. It requires you to have a certain space size, etc etc to actually carry out the business. It's not cheap and the facilities they require you to have aren't cheap either. RI can also bring cars into compliance (like when people bring their cars from Canada and use the substantially similar clause). They CAN petition to bring cars into compliance that aren't currently as well, mainly by crash testing them and showing the DOT standards are upheld. Either way though, you have to have the RI license to import cars for people, but you are allowed to import cars on your own (like I am doing now) for your own use.
The fact that they registered it in their name first tells me that they don't have a RI license and they are basically attempting to sell cars that they first are "theirs" then are just re-selling instead of actually importing for customers. This is a gray area for importing because I haven't seen a black and white number for what the CBP determines to be "too many cars". For instance, I import myself a car, under my name, for myself, but then get tired of it. How long do I have to wait to resell, how many can I resell? I can say that once they are telling people that they are a business and have a business name but don't have an RI, I'd be nervous if I was them. The minimum fine is 6k per violation, but it can be MUCH higher.
If you went to an official RI, you'd be the first owner of the car, just like a new car dealer makes you the first owner of a car, they don't buy it then resell it used.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh.
thanks for clearing that up. Yea I would be worried too because 6k is a steep price to pay.
nice. i love little surprises like these, at least good ones.
gonna open the hood on the weekends and see what else i find.
Get a nice android double din stereo so you have bluetooth and android auto, some new speakers, make it nice to drive in. Does the factory tach not work, I'm guessing that's why they put the aftermarket one right in front? You could look into getting that sorted if it bugs you. Also grab a new leather shift boot from Mazda to get that sorted, not much really inside though!
Get a nice android double din stereo so you have bluetooth and android auto, some new speakers, make it nice to drive in. Does the factory tach not work, I'm guessing that's why they put the aftermarket one right in front? You could look into getting that sorted if it bugs you. Also grab a new leather shift boot from Mazda to get that sorted, not much really inside though!
Yeah ahah. Ordering those as we speak. The factory tach does work, however, the cluster light is very weak, so I think that's why he put that there.
One thing I found out when I picked it up, was the steering wheel isn't adjustable lol.
One thing I noticed is that the blitz full auto turbo timer is going crazy and beeping nonstop unless I turn it off. So I'm just going through things at the moment and working out the kinks
Yeah ahah. Ordering those as we speak. The factory tach does work, however, the cluster light is very weak, so I think that's why he put that there.
One thing I found out when I picked it up, was the steering wheel isn't adjustable lol.
One thing I noticed is that the blitz full auto turbo timer is going crazy and beeping nonstop unless I turn it off. So I'm just going through things at the moment and working out the kinks
It would be a rough day if you bought your first FD sight unseen and never found out prior that the steering column doesn't adjust. When I bought my most recent one, I took a 12 year hiatus and forgot about it, sat in the car and was like "whoa this is uncomfortable" lol. Takes a while to get used to it, but it's fine (I'm 6'1 190lbs).
If I was you I'd take that tach off and just do new bulbs on your original cluster. It's very easy to replace the bulbs, and you can do new orange LED bulbs which would be dope. It would also clean up the look (I hate the giant aftermarket tach fast and furious civic look, so I'm biased lol).
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh.
thanks for clearing that up. Yea I would be worried too because 6k is a steep price to pay.
I was in this situation as I imported, or at least tried to import, 2 cars within a year of each other. I got flagged in some system. I had to actually prove the second car was for personal use and not for resale. I ended up having to wait a couple months until the 1 year lapsed to avoid having to go through the application process to get the car. They were going to have me fill out an application to PROVE the second car was for personal use and not resale. It's wild. Since your car was done legally, even if the hammer came down on your guys, you'd be fine. They would just have to deal with whatever the government wanted to punish them with
I was in this situation as I imported, or at least tried to import, 2 cars within a year of each other. I got flagged in some system. I had to actually prove the second car was for personal use and not for resale. I ended up having to wait a couple months until the 1 year lapsed to avoid having to go through the application process to get the car. They were going to have me fill out an application to PROVE the second car was for personal use and not resale. It's wild. Since your car was done legally, even if the hammer came down on your guys, you'd be fine. They would just have to deal with whatever the government wanted to punish them with
wow this is the first I've heard of that! I'm in the process of importing another car now (my GT-FOUR is still waiting as it's a 94) so I'm sure I'll get some ****. They really are for me though, I will be using both. I'll probably sell one in the distant future, but not right away. You'll be fine though, your the second owner, it's not like you bought a hot car, I don't think they'd take it from you.
11-29-18, 09:18 AM
