VR4's in Australia

[afterwords]

Hey guys, My names Nick and im from australia, brisbane to be precise and im at the stage where my old car really doesn't do anything for me (it never really did anyway) but the importing business is all the rage these days and ive always been a fan of the VR4 however genuine Mistu sold VR4's still carry a tag of atleast 15 thousand and the japanese imports with 1/3 the kilometers and wear are around the 10 to 15 mark, depending on modifications if any etc and we're talking 1989 to 1993 aged cars here, i was wondering if any of you guys know a way of getting a newer VR4 cheaper than what these import guys do it for? i know in NZ there's a few VR4's getting around, would any of you NZ guys know about import regulations for cars between NZ and AUS? i've decided a vr4 is the car for me so now im just getting to looking how i can get the best deal for me, im going to have a look at a 1989 VR4 (completely stock) for $13,500, thats about 5,220 pounds or 14, 300 NZ bucks. Seems a bit too steep for a 15 year old car to be and from what i read in the buyers guide the UK folk get them a lot cheaper, perhaps i could buy a newer VR4 from the UK and have it imported? any news on importing from UK or NZ, prices, anything at all will be fantastic and greatly appreciated, thanks guys.

[FTOLTD]

contact one of the import companies. like
www.svi.com.au
www.prestigemotorsport.com.au
www.j-spec.com.au

here is a sample of one that prestige has sold in the past

www.prestigemotorsport.com.au/?/au/stock/details.asp?StockID=1901

here is a sample of one that prestige has on sale now

http://www.prestigemotorsport.com.au/?/au/stock/details.asp?StockID=2370

[afterwords]

Cheers for the links, im aware of all these places but what i really wanted to know was, how could i get a newer VR4 cheaper than what they offer? sa in the buyers guide, people are paying 6K GBP for 1993 VR4's where as im paying the same for a 1988-89, hoping someone from the UK or NZ could hook me up with current prices for VR4's and then i'd see about the importing deal from their area to here rather than paying the same cash for a 1989, does that make sence? im 5:30 am and im just about to start work, i wouldnt be surprised if i re-read either of my posts and they didn't make sence at all.

[KiwiTT]

You may also want to check out the government regs in AUS. I heard they are pretty stringent about it. Hence there rarity in AUS. Once you sort out the regs, fly over from AUS to Auckland and check some of the 8G (1996-2002) Galants. In the meantime check www.autopoint.co.nz for current prices (NZ$15-30K).

[Spirit]

For £6k you can pick up an early 8G VR4 over here (1996>), they earlier ones gor for a lot less e.g. there is a 7G version (1993) local to me selling for around £3k ;)

Can you not just import one direct from Japan yourself ?

[FTOLTD]

the problem is that no one has done the work to get compliance for the Galant or Legnum in australia so they can be imported. So the only way to import a VR4 is by using the 15 year old rule, hence why you can only buy 1989 models, nest year you will be able to start importing the 1990 model. Unless you want to go and live in New Zealand, Japan or the UK for a year and own one there for a year then you can bring it back with you as a personal import.

[afterwords]

so i guess that rules out importing a vr4 from the UK and NZ cause their not converted to how we have to have them... well from what i read here (http://www.dcita.gov.au/Article/0,,0_1-2_1-3_170-4_12537,00.html)
both the aus and nz gov's has released the grip and are doing paralell imports on alot of things including cars, but from what i read its only aus cars going to nz, not the other way around, im gonna look more tomorrow and ring an importer and see what they say, they should know the rules, but yeah like FTOLTD said, you can only get the 15 yr old ones hence the 10 to 15 thousand AUD price tag, cause theres barely any here so they can charge a lot, it aint fair. i want an 8G, its like sex on wheels. Does this mean though that i cannot import another car from NZ? say a VR4 is a no-go because of the modifications that need to be done and no one can do it can i import a different car that they already import and get it complianced etc? i really do want a VR4 though, a white one, oh they look hot.

[afterwords]

Well i just rang SVI imports and basically i hung up sobbing. the SEVS rule is being axed, the 15 year rule's noose is being tightened so really what it means is no under 15 yr old VR4's are getting into aus, so the conversation went a little something like this.

"hi blah blah blah svi blah"
-hi im just ringing to have a chat about importing a car?
"yeah sure what were you after?"
-what i want to do is get a galant slash legnum VR4 here.
"well you cant do that"
-whys this?
"because mitsubishi dont want them here, you can buy brand new 4wd turbo cars here already"
-yeah but not a 2.5L v6 TT
"well its what mitsubishi have done"
-what about the 15 year rule? im going to see a guy about a vr4 on friday
"well you can import them under the 15 year sports car enthusiasts rule but thats the only way"
-can i ask as to why the g'ment would rather import a skyline then a VR4?
"well its mitsubishi, they just dont want them here and are making as hard as possible"
-what about getting one from NZ, paralell import?
"no, the only way you'd be able to do that is if you brought it in as a personal vehicle owning it for a year"
-you'd have to live there too wouldn't you
"yes, they've made that really hard to do as well"
-thanks for your time
"latergoose"

well what can you say? the guy was very nice and polite, rather informed too, as he should be but WHYYYYYYY, how can MMAL think that a VR4 inpacts on EVO sales? they're different carrrssssss, and i dont know which i would buy, probably the VR4 considering it'd be cheaper (older EVO's like the 3 are still going for 20 grandish) this is just nuts man, people say your lucky to live in this country but this country is screwed in the head basically if its not a holden they dont want you driving it, its crap and they want to let the manufacturers keep prices high, in NZ dimantes (magnas) go for 10K for 99 models, here a 99 model is 20K, its rediculous, thats IT man, im moving to the UK! ... whos gonna give me a job? please? im nice, i swear.

[dickytim]

it is next to impossible, to start with you pay almost what you pay for the car in stamp duties ect , to start with you must have owned the car for 12 months, I think you would also need to make sure it complies with various standards as well.

My advice in Aussie is build up a Torry with a big block in it if you need power !

[KiwiTT]

Don't go to the UK, it's getting harder there too (do a search on import) and read the threads. If I were you, I would move to NZ. (ps: I have lived in Sydney)

on my soapbox
The one big thing that annoyed me most, concerning cars, was they way they changed the rules for racing and called the series "Aussie V8", because the Falcon/Holden fans were so upset about a Japanese 4WD turbo (The Nissan Skyline "GodZilla" GTR) was beating all those big banger V8s with Hi-Tech.

Nowadays, its a "sponsors" race, with "Shell Falcon" vs "Mobil Commodore" vs "Vodafone Falcon" vs "Big Curries Indian Commodore" ... etc. B O O R R R I N N G !!!
off my soapbox

Anyway I really feel for you. Cars are really over priced in AUS, because of the rules you have in place protect the "locals".

[afterwords]

Yeah man its complete trash we're not protecting them, we're just giving them a big fat price to sit on. as for the torana post, as if you'd buy a bloody holden, AWD launches harder then any torana that isnt a top fuler, plus those 8G's are hot as, the older ones are ooookaaaay but i dont think i'd bother, im going to scope one on friday as ive said a few times and give it a good whack, other then that i guess i'll have to buy a skyline and be a tosser like everyone else - atleast its got a good mods base and atleast its not a silvia! but its not TTV6 :Cry1: , and yeah they changed the rules to RWD, rear live axel cause they cant cut it against the awd forced induction, tools. My mates got a poster of dick johnsons ford sierra, it has 64 BHP before the turbos kick in and 600 and something at full throttle, imagine the whiplash from that! but i shall report upon completion of my mission 'flog the old granny galant' friday night.

[Atom]

G'day Nick.
I may be one of the few people in Australia with an 8G VR-4.
I've got a 97 Legnum and another member, 'vrfour', has a 98 Galant. I don't know of anyone else.
We both imported them from Japan after owning them there for 12 months.
Unfortunately, that's the only way you are going to one into Oz. Either that, or buy one from somebody who has. (Both of ours are for sale, by the way...)
Awesome car. Absolutely nothing in Australia like it.
Ray

[matsondawson]

I don't suppose australia got the 8G non turbo legnums?
Maybe you could pick up one of those, then bring in a VR4 for parts and swap everything?