What do I need to know and what are the hidden costs that are normally overlooked?
Thanks.
franc123,
Dec 5, 7:03am
Import what and from where?
mr_lovebug,
Dec 5, 7:07am
Start of next year, Feb or March. It's a website I have been told about.
Is it normal to pay up front in full?
mr_lovebug,
Dec 5, 7:14am
Thats the thing how do you know where it is coming from? I like Honda's so that will be what I will look at.
Site is tradecarview if you have heard of it.
Thanks
frank1,
Dec 5, 7:18am
As franc123 said--import what and from where?--more info needed. Of course you gotta pay up front,FOB,or CIF,do you buy pay up front for your groceries--of course you do.
mr_lovebug,
Dec 5, 7:21am
OKay, what is FOB & CIF stand for please.
This is all new to me.
intrade,
Dec 5, 7:31am
if its new to you then you better do loads of research most cars you cant even register on nz roads if they dont comply with the emission standard and all the other requirements whom apply for fresh imports. FOB= Free-on-board
rsr72,
Dec 5, 7:37am
FOB- free on board ship, costs paid to there. CIF- cost + insurance + freight costs to destination port included in price.
gammelvind,
Dec 5, 7:42am
Type importing into the search box on the left, read all the threads and then come back, at least then you will have base knowledge in what appears to be an arena frought with huge potential losses and few potential gains.
frank1,
Dec 5, 7:49am
Most cars cant be registered in NZ? --absolute rubbish intrade
a.woodrow,
Dec 5, 8:13am
Read what he posted again
kazbanz,
Dec 5, 8:40am
Mr lovebug- Theres no right or wrong answer to the following question. Are you happy to send thousands of your dollars overseas on the basis that the person that gets your money promises to send you a car? Are you happy that no matter what there is ZERO come back on the overseas supplier if the car is Non compliant at all,Is accident damaged,is rusty,has mechanical issues ? Do you know what extra cost there is beyond CIF or FOB price? -Incidently best case scenario budget an extra $2500 over and above FOB.-that's shipping compliance and rego Then add 15% to your purchace price including agents fees for GST When you factor in the extra 2.5k plus the gst is the car significantly cheaper than a nz one? Incidently just a heads up, Jap cars must be post 2004 minimum. Euro 2007 diesel post 2008.(diesel year might be out a year either way) That's the MINIMUM year which is not make/model specific. but at least ya know nothing 2003 can come here
mr_lovebug,
Dec 5, 9:04am
Thanks so much for Kazbanz.
I was looking at pre 2002 and never knew about the post 2003 rule.
I will have to relook at the costs and budget now.
tamarillo,
Dec 5, 7:13pm
Don't. Too many pitfalls unless you're really on to it.
kazbanz,
Dec 5, 7:51pm
Actually 2004 is the cutoff year. Theres a reason pre 2004 stuff is a lot cheaper. All that said. YES you can save money buying in japan. If you are prepared to take the risk
franc123,
Dec 5, 9:15pm
I think it really comes down to whether YOU think the saving you make is worth foregoing the protections that a local dealer has to offer you, at least jf the car is already here and has been complied and is otherwise ready for sale you can check it out yourself beforehand or engage a third party to do it for you. For commonly available models ex Japan personally I wouldn't attempt to private import, there is too many potential hassles involved.
westwyn,
Dec 6, 4:51am
I have a fair bit of "skin in the game" when it comes to the import industry, and I can categorically tell you, the organisation I'm involved with gets a LOT of calls from the general public who've decided to "save a bundle of money" by buying and importing their own car in to New Zealand, only to have the whole process turn to severe custard upon arrival or compliance due to a varied number of issues that the importing trade implicitly understand and hedge against, but a one-off private importer doesn't / can't / didn't know about. And in this game, when you're left holding the bag.
franc123,
Dec 8, 6:42am
Because its over 20 years old, its a magic number dreamed up that instantly makes non impact and emission compliance OK on stuff that was previously banned. Its surprising that such vehicles are even still available, I thought that nobody would be bothered any longer.
noswalg,
Dec 8, 6:51am
Ahhh OK , had forgotten about the 20 yr rule, its hard to believe there's still vehicles like this available in Japan.
intrade,
Dec 8, 7:24am
a guy i know keeps dreaming of importing a car from bforward . its so cheap he recons.
kazbanz,
Dec 8, 7:24am
THAT is another fallacy about Japan. Theres plenty of old cars knocking around. The secret is to buy stuff that's "hot" even today--or possibly especially again today.
deus701,
Dec 8, 9:57am
I was looking at importing, was studying the currency too (at one point NZD$1 = 95 yen) hence a $12,000 car could be bought for a mere $8,800. I contacted a few companies, some of those were overpriced with the commission they charged and complete tools, and some were actually decent and advised me to wait for the currency to pick up (at the time NZD$1= 72 yen).
Anyway, after a ping pong with some company, I just went out to a local dealer and bought my car. I may have spend $1-2k more, but sometimes its not worth the hassle for me.
lusty9,
Dec 8, 10:04am
the only time I'll import is when I win Lotto and buy a Bugatti Veyron, heaps of Honda's here to buy sheesh. For me looks like that will never happen.
franc123,
Dec 8, 10:22am
Knocking about as in being driven on the road? The line put out by importers always was that these draconian Shaken tests were so bad that basically 7-9yo cars have to go through a comprehensive and uneconomic rebuild hence the willingness to export them? Is this not the case any more?
westwyn,
Dec 8, 10:38am
That's essentially still correct- it is expensive to keep an older car on the road- but several things have changed that. -the GFC and general recession in Japan has had a significant impact on their domestic market, with sales of new cars down significantly, and a population less willing to simply discard their older car in favour of buying new. Sure, new sales are still big- around 300-400,000 vehicles a month- but more of the old stuff is still around than used to be. -The JDM cool factor- a lot of the older stuff is worth serious money both in Japan and on export markets, especially sports cars and 4x4's. The value in Japan of Supras, Skylines, EVO's, Silvias etc has gone crazy- while Landcruisers etc have never really gone down at all! Run-of-the-mill stuff has stayed on a downwards curve to nothing, but if it's a little different, with shaken, it's still got value. It's a very different market to the one 10 or even 20 years ago.
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