Japanese Imports

Gonthrax · 11-03-2001, 03:05 PM

Hello every one,
As I'm sure you all know, myself and a few others have been hashing over some ideas about bringing Skylines (Other Japanese cars for that matter) over to the US and giving Motorex some compitition. Now let me just say that this is still in the budding idea stage of things so lets not get over excited. However I think that this would be a very profitable venture if it was undertaken. I am new here and you all don't know me so I don't expect you to start throwing money at me all I am looking for is some support and information.
I have been digging around trying to find some info on Govt. grants that would apply to a business like this and, while I haven't been able to talk to any one who could give me a definitive answer, the people that I have talked to said it shouldn't be that hard to get the amount of money needed. If any one knows a good deal about Govt. funding of private businesses, please drop me a line.
As far as the logistics go, I have talked to someone who knows a man in Japan who owns an established car exporting company who would be interested in partnering with us. When I say us I mean any one who is envolved in this business if it gets started.
What needs to be found out now is this.

1) how to register the cars in usa.
2) cash flow to process this business.
I am working on this right now with the Govt. grants.
3) how to buy and export good cars with reasonable price.
the japanese contact can do this area.
4) how to sell in usa.
We can manage in usa.

Any way, if any of you out there with experience that could come in handy in this venture would like to help out, please drop me a line at mkafer@softhome.net

Thanks for your help,

Matt Kafer

SkylineGTS25t · 11-03-2001, 05:41 PM

What about insurance? I mean both on the business end and also for the consumer. Im pretty sure my insurance agent is clueless as to what a Nissan Skyline is. And I would be willing to bet that this would be the case with most of them. Also youd need to have good insurance for your stock and where-ever you intend to keep it. Id be willing to bet that Motorex would be more willing to employ a devious way of dealing with competition rather than lowering prices.

If this ever gets off the ground, I want one. But only if prices that beat Motorex's are invoked.

Oh, one more thing. I dont know about you, but where I live, we dont have emissions testing, and Im pretty sure that Skylines would probably meet the lowest US standards, so it might be more worthwhile to undertake this business in an area like mine(Pensacola, Florida) where you dont have to have the cars meet high standards, such as Californias. That way, you wont have to do any work on them, just bring em in and sell em.

Gonthrax · 11-04-2001, 10:23 PM

Thats very true, no insurance company I have talked to knew what a Skyline was either.
One other thing I've been wondering is exactialy WHAT is the info that Motorex is selling for 1.5mill? Is it exactialy what has to be changed to make it US legal?

CIN · 11-06-2001, 02:34 PM

EEEHHH????

1.5mil???? Holy @#$%

You can buy an excellent condition 2000 GTR34 V-Spec II for about $30,000-$40,000 from Japan.

Considering the import and reg charges, you should not go much higher even with mods. So I think you would be looking at about $60,000. So maybe $70,000 retail with a $10,000 profit.

CIN

super 96 accord · 11-06-2001, 02:46 PM

From what I've gathered by talking to people there are two ways to insure a skyline. You can do it as a special edition 240sx or as a grey market car in which case I believe you tell the insurance company how much you want to insure it for.

TheCamel · 11-08-2001, 11:22 PM

Do some research on becoming a registered importer first, then look into the modle you want to import. As far as MotoRex is concerned they send the car to a sub contractor to do the legalization, they themselves are basically a middleman. You can appply for the crash data from MotoRex's testing through the www.nhtsa.gov website under the freedom of information act, however know that the cost for doing this is not free, I was quoted $250 just to get the initial paperwork started.

TC

Smokin Dave · 11-09-2001, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by super 96 accord
From what I've gathered by talking to people there are two ways to insure a skyline. You can do it as a special edition 240sx or as a grey market car in which case I believe you tell the insurance company how much you want to insure it for.

from what i have read, insuring is done under what you value the car at, so grey market
btw, i am new, and importing a skyline w/o going through motorex is my goal

SkylineGTS25t · 11-09-2001, 12:56 PM

Im with Smokin Dave here. I refuse to pay Motorex's prices for a Skyline when I can get the model I want in either Japan or NZ for way under half what they want. I will have an R32 or R33 GTS-t and I wil not pay Motorex for it. Hell, I was on Autopoint.co.nz the other nite, and I fpund shitloads of them for way less than they want on Motorex, now all I have to do is get one to Florida and insure it. Maybe we could import them to Mexico or somewhere, and bring them up that way. Do they sell Skylines on the South American Continent at all?

Smokin Dave · 11-09-2001, 01:05 PM

i know you can have them shipped to the bahamas
i suppose we could get them their, and them sneack them across the border, i wonder what would happen if you ever got caught here in the us w/ an illegaly imported car? or if anyone would even know

Smokin Dave · 11-09-2001, 01:12 PM

off to lunch, have more to say, but will be back. btw i am not a troll, just new, w/ lots of info in my head. took me forever (2 days) to find a skyline forum.

SkylineGTS25t · 11-09-2001, 01:27 PM

I wasnt thinking about doing it illegally. But I do know this. Motorex is in a tight spot. They have to not olny make the cars conform to US emissions standards, but Californias as well. And we all know that Californias are tight. Anyhow, I do know this though. Here in Pensacola where I live, we dont have to have our cars tested every year for emissions, and I know that outside of Chicago and the suburbs, Illinois doesnt test either. So therefore, for those two places, youd only have to conforms to US standards. What I dont get is how Japan has managed to have tighter emissions laws than us for a long time, yet the car has to be brought up to our stnadards.

As for getting the car into the States, Theres lots of ports along the Gulf Coast between the Texas/Mexico border and Florida. Theres also olot of ports on the east coast as well. I know we can do this, and for alot cheaper than Motorex.

Gonthrax · 11-20-2001, 02:18 PM

Sorry for the lack of updates guys but I haven't had any time to do any more serious research guys. I'm in the process of moving to a new apartment right now but when I get done I'll get back on it.
As far as what happens to an illegal import. It get impounded and sent straight to the crusher, no questions asked :P
Also, I'll look into the S. America idea, I hadn't thought of that. Good idea

NIF · 11-20-2001, 11:14 PM

You are close on the emisions part. I'm 99% sure that all of Illinois has emisions testing, but most of Indiana doesn't. One of the advantages to living here in the Hoosier State.

dejoux · 11-20-2001, 11:47 PM

Remeber its not as simple as ringing a japanese car company and getting them to send you some cars over, now that many countries are starting to import from japan its getting harder and harder to find what you want, especailly the higher end stuff like GTR's

tyhel · 11-23-2001, 06:52 AM

The problem with the skylines in the U.S. is that the only legal ones are from Motorex and the HAVE A MONOPOLY. we need to take it AWAY.:finger: yes. They can charge $1000000 if they wanted but if you want a skyline , thats how youre gunna get it. Thats why I want to get into this (and the money) but I WANT ONE MYSELF. One thing I cant get over is that someone owns a Ford dealership and buys a corvette. There is no loyalty on anything. Just bring in the money. One guy bought a R32 GTS-T (something R32) for $15 !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Motorex is charging over like $40 000 for a R33 GT-R so they are moking up to $20 000 off each one. I think not.

kinda sucks when youre suckin' theirs.:licker: you dont want to be that guy. Think about it. Right now Iam spreading the word and I garentee that THIS WILL BE HUGELY RECEPTED. Peace Out.

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