importing a 300zx

[spritley56]

Hi dont know whether this is right place or not but here goes

Have recently joined and am actively looking for a 300zx just wondered if someone could advise me on importing a zx from japan myself eg the benefits and pitfalls and if it is all worth while or is it just as easy to buy a jap import in this country any advice welcome

[Gaz 300]

Sudesh is your man to talk to hopefully when he comes on line he will pick up on your thread

[Medallion Man]

when you say, you will be importing the car... do you mean via an import company or you will do all the work yourself?

If you know someone in japan you might have half a chance but other than that you'll just be paying someone a lot of money.

and no guarantee of quality as you wont be able to check the car yourself (i.e. AA check).

Although you might get a really nice car you also might end up with a wreck.

 

My car was imported (not by me) and registered as a L reg... the car turned out to be made in 91 (as i discovered from the Chassis number).

 

good luck...

[Pablito]

There are a few nice, well loved ones for sale at the moment here in the uk, have you checked the for sale section on here?

[spritley56]

the company ive seen the car with is Budget Holdings Co., Ltd. but its on a site called

Japanese used cars - トレードカービュー [tradecarview] any one any ideas

is budget holdings a import company or what

[Guest HollowPoint]

I don't think there's a great deal of benefit in importing one yourself these days. As Medallion Man says, unless you know someone in Japan who can car shop for you, and do all the relevant Japanese equivalent checks like the AA check and HPi checks etc. you could just get ripped off. If you buy from an online auction, you get a crappy little picture of the car while it sits there waiting to be bid on, you can't hear it properly, see it properly, look underneath, blah blah blah. Also remember, once you import it, you have to register it in the UK, so it has to go through a compliancy test, get certified, then you have to tax it, insure it, MOT it, etc. All before you can really drive it.

 

Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong on any of my points here, I've never imported one myself, but a couple of my friends imported 200SXs, 300ZXs and GTRs a few years ago. One GTR came in with a GTS-T chassis number, but was definitely a GTR chassis, engine, gearbox, etc. so obviously a Jap cut-n-shut, one 300ZX that was meant to be a TT Manual came in as an Auto N/A and another GTR came in as a GTS 4 door :S

[spritley56]

many thanks HollowPoint for your advice your points are noted and i think you could be right

[big_jim]

With prices as they are, you'll pick up a bargain over here, and with much less hassle and chance of getting stung.

[leo-r32gts]

speak to someone who does this and has experience of importing cars. They will soon tell you what's what. I've heard many horror stories about importing cars, but someone imported my car and many other good uns on this site too, so it is possible. Maybe with the Yen falling it might be a good time to do it again as well?

 

It will probably be a lot more expensive though, so unless you're after a '99 spec low miler, I'd advise against it..

[Sudesh]

Importing just about any car from Japan at the moment will be more expensive that finding one already in the UK.

 

However if its something you really want, prepared to spend good money, then you could get a nice example from there.

 

Have you a link to the car your after?

[Sudesh]

Is it this car:

 

http://www.tradecarview.com/used_car/japan%20car/nissan/fairlady+z/7269632/

 

To give you a rough idea on price, that car would cost around £3000k landed in the UK all duties paid and on the road, give or take a few ££ depending on exchange rate and any work that may need to be carried out for MOT.

[spritley56]

yep this is the car if i decided to go ahead would the forum guide me through

[spritley56]

could you give me a rough breakdown of the figures pleas

[Stephen]

i really think you would get better value for money buying one already in the uk. just have a look what for sale within the club at present pretty sure gonzo still has that black swb.

[Guest HollowPoint]

Yeah there are tonnes of cars already in the country, for sale that you could pays ya money and drive the car away there and then, plus you get club history, known vehicle, roughly the same price etc. etc.