mitSUBishi-guy

um I thought the heat bars on the bottom of the windscreen were just to defrost the windscreen wipers off the windscreen so that if you turned the wipers on it wouldn't rip the rubber off the blades? Rather than heating the entire windscreen? I could be entirely wrong though. My car's got the heat bars but I've never used them.

couple other things - for a facelift 2007 onwards BP legacy GT, there's no exact equivalent car here as AU went with the US(?) 2.5L turbo motor, while NZ continued with the 2.0L Turbo jap spec cars. If your BH is a twin turbo I don't think they were even offered in Australia. That might make insurance more expensive. Alternatively it may also make the car more attractive on the 2nd hand market, being rare. A full documented service history will help if you come to sell it down the track here. BTW, I've moved to Sydney.

My NZ New 2007 BP GT wagon is on a boat right now. In fact, may have landed in Sydney already. I just paid the duty and GST to the freight clearing company. Got a transfer to Sydney through my work. Did the sums, fingers crossed should break even or just over at worst. Compared the incremental cost between shipping my car vs the change-over price to buy something equivalent here. It seemed to work out in my favour. Will know for sure over the next couple weeks. Ok this is my experience in a nutshell... you need to do your own research and make your own decisions on this... After reading this, search the web for importing cars into AU. Loads of official and unofficial info there. What you need to do - apply for a permit to import a motor vehicle. No issue if it's privately owned by you for 12 months or more. You pay an application fee A$50, plus NZ$19 to courier the documents to Canberra. It helps a lot if you bought the car from a dealer as you'll need to supply purchase documents. Do NOT ship that vehicle until you've received that permit - 1-2 weeks turnaround. Contact shipping companies for quotes - all of them will ship a car for you. You'll need to complete a NZ Customs export declaration (NZCS224) to ship the car out and an Aussie Customs Statement for Vehicle Imported by Passenger (B357). Your shipper will probably also get to you to complete a Customs Clearance Advice form from their clearing house. The clearing house for my car is applying to the Dept of Environment & Heritage to clear the air-conditioning in the car - no refrigerant license is required as the car is a one-off import for personal use. I also had to complete an Aussie Quarantine & Inspection Service form (Unacommpanied Personal Effects Stmt) which covers our belongings and the car. Clean the car meticulously inside and out. If you've been doing donuts in the local playground best to get the car steam-cleaned. If it's only ever seen tarmac and it's clean underneath, just get under the guards with a water-blaster and some Simple Green. Apparently Aussie Quarantine will probably charge to steam clean it regardless just to earn a few extra bucks. Unless you're not in a hurry to clear it don't pack it full of belongings - clearing cars is a different quicker process to clearing personal belongings. Cost-wise: Shipping cost (yet to work out - my work pays for a 40' container to ship our belongings but I have to pay the incremental cost of cramming the car in and clearing it). Marine insurance - went through my local insurer $350. Aussie import duty: 5% on the value of the car. I supplied the purchase documents and also an estimated NZ market value (I didn't need to prove it - it was my valuation based on Trademe sales!) Looks like they used my market value. There's also Luxury Car Tax - n/a unless it's worth more than A$60k. GST: 10% on the total of the car's value, shipping, insurance and duty (yeah, tax on tax). I have just yesterday paid the duty & GST - A$3600. Next steps - quarantine inspection $? (inspection cost and maybe steam cleaning) Compliance $? - this is the Big Unknown... and the deal breaker. Fingers and toes crossed there's nothing I need to change on the car. Registration - which I believe involves a WOF type check (pink slip?), I need to get compulsory insurance (green slip?, probably A$500 - it's basically 3rd party) and then compliance/rego - blue slip?. Total cost $? Finally, comprehensive insurance. Anywhere from Too Much to WTF? Note - some insurance companies will not insure imports. I called 5 and got 3 quotes (NRMA, GIO, JustCars). AAMI and Commonwealth Bank both declined to quote. Premiums from A$1200 to over A$2000. NRMA was the best quote. If you're under 25 and it's a turbo, don't bother bringing the car. Well I'll post my final experiences and costings within the next couple weeks. Also - my opinion - it's probably easier to clear the car the newer it is. But obviously cost goes up...

Hi - just have a few questions... is your car NZ new or Japper? Was it adjustment to the ECU and is it permanent, i.e. you won't lose the tune if you disconnect the battery? Do you know if the autos have less power than the manuals in factory spec? I guess it's harder to tell in an auto but does the car feel torquier down low now? I've got a facelift GT manual, your tune sounds good especially if it can deal to the turbo lag!

2007 GTB - I asked my mechanic to look at the fuel filter when I was having hesitation issues on hard acceleration. He said it's in the tank... Thankfully my issues were solved by running 98RON.

Yeah good choice. The 6 speed is sweet. SI drive - not a fan. It's a dumbed down way of keeping Subaru's fuel efficiency numbers looking pretty. All it does is retard the throttle response. The Intelligent setting has the throttle response toned down so much it's virtually dangerous. It's like having a 1.6L engine in your car. Sport is barely tolerable. And I hate the way it refuses to stay in Sport Sharp (the ONLY setting to have imho) after you've turned the car off. It'll default back to the middle setting (Sport). You'll experiment with it of course, but in the end you'll probably get sick of it and want to rip it out!

BP wagon, manual. 8.6L/100km open road Auck - Wellys. Full carload 2 adults 2 kids, aircon running, sticking to 105-110kph. That's about 580km on 50L of petrol. This xmas - Auck - Hastings, no passengers, small load in the boot, moving pretty quick: 9.2 - 9.6L/100. Running 98RON.

Up to around late 2006, BP turbos were 5 speed manuals. Then there was a facelift and the 6 speed manual gearbox (from the 3.0L models) was introduced into turbo models. It's a sweet gearbox. Also if you're gonna go NZ new, there was about 12-18 months where the facelift GTs continued with the 2.0L turbo before supply switched to Aus spec GTs which came with the 2.5L turbo and less power (180kw vs around 205kw). I did a car swap test drive with a friend who just bought a 3.0L manual BP - he drove my facelift GT. 3.0L is a sweet motor. But not as quick as the turbo. I nailed his 3.0L on a motorway onramp. In my car he clung to my tail all the way down, and afterwards said the GT had plenty of power in reserve. But both engines are great - I love the turbo but I'd be more than happy with a 3.0L. Standard clutches are average though. Stall easy. Don't like fast changes. Might be that they're good when new, but don't wear well. I test drove a few and all the same.

Um so for a BP, does this also disable the factory alarm system? Cos if it does this is gonna be very useful in situations like when your key fob battery decides to go flat during a day's skiing in October. Manually unlocking the car is no problem. Disabling the alarm is another story altogether. Although I didn't try putting the key in the ignition and starting the car though - maybe that would've turned the alarm off...

One of our genuine keys ceased working with the remote central locking/factory alarm. It did however still start the car no problem and our car has the factory immobiliser. Winger technicians re-synched the key back to the car to get the remote functions working. As I understand, the immobiliser circuit in the key is energised by a radio signal emitted by the car when the key is inserted in the barrel. The key sends a code back to unlock the immobiliser. Locksmiths have equipment that can replicate the transponder. The remote central locking function in the key is more like an alarm remote and probably requires the manufacturer's specific unit to work - like you can't buy a uniden alarm remote and try to get it to work on your mongoose alarm.

with the key out of the ignition, look in the dash for a slow flashing red key symbol at bottom left under the speedo. That would indicate it's got the factory immobiliser. Also, I think that small rectangular magnet looking piece at the base of the key is the transponder thingy that communicates with the immobiliser.

Basically if I can get it in a 40' container, then my work covers the shipping. I do need to confirm whether the clearance cost is also covered for a car - everything else will be. But that's a negotiation point... If clearance costs for the car are covered, then it could well be worth taking the car. Getting approval to take a car is fairly straighforward for Kiwi's going over to live, under the Personal Imports scheme. It's meeting the ADR requirements that could be potentially costly. Imagine the cost of replacing something like headlamps or wing mirrors to comply with ADR. It's probably a bit difficult to borrow a set of headlamps to get me past the ADR! But I guess my questions were more on the assumption that I had gotten the car in the country, and therefore who were the best workshops in Sydney, and do you take a massive hit on resale because it's an import (even if it's NZ new).

Mitsi 380s are dead, sadly. Toymota good, reliable, but dull as dishwater, but to be fair, ain't gonna be going above 60kph most of the time in Sydney! Recently spent 3 months there on assignment. Serious congestion. But the condition of the roads there - worse than a rutted farmer's track! You'd think with all the money there they'd fix the damn potholes! What guts me is that there's not an equivalent legacy there - all facelift BPs were the 2.5L turbo with 180kw vs 205kw out of ours. For similar power, would be looking at a Tuned by STi Liberty... for a cool A$40k. No thanks.

Yeah I've heard its a massive bureaucratic exercise in frustration. Have done a bit of research and will talk to people when I'm next in Sydney. My rough financial calcs with lots of fat built in appear to be favourable hence why I'm entertaining the idea. Figured what helps with compliance is that the car's nz new, stock and I bought it from Wingers rather than privately. To get anything near equivalent there is so much more expensive as far as I've seen. If the Leggy doesn't make it over, we'll be driving a falco-dore. Cos they're cheap. In every way!

Are there any Aussie based (Sydney) forum members out there who could offer some advice? May have a job opportunity in Sydney. Work would pay to ship belongings which includes a car. Normally it's not really worth taking a car, but with free shipping and clearing costs, it works financially (vs selling up and trying to buy an equivalent legacy over there.) In Sydney, who are the good independent workshops there who know their Subarus? This is probably a one-way trip for the car. When it comes to selling it there, how does the market view private imports? Our car is a NZ new 2007 facelift GT wagon. And a further complication is that there's not really an equivalent Aus DM model - ours has the 2.0L twinscroll turbo motor whereas I believe Australia went to a 2.5L single scroll turbo in the facelift model.

Individual experience. we're down the broker road, have been for years. Paying well within the market and can't complain. I know others who are getting good insurance through brokers. Some insurance companies only work through brokers or third parties. Checking quotes via a broker should just be part of the mix in working out insurance - don't discount any avenues without trying.

gold. if you want a change how about gun-metalling the gold ones?

Go through a broker. They won't necessarily get you the cheapest but it should be competitive - the advantage is that the broker should be looking at the insurer's claims history. If they're sh*t on claims, the broker should be scratching them. And it helps if you're doing a whole insurance package - house, contents, the partner's car, etc. And you're not under 25.

Would anyone know if the fronts seats from a WRX STi are a straight fit into a BP legacy? The WRX seats would have to be from a later model car with side airbags and although custom brackets would resolve fitment issues, would the airbag circuitry be compatible? Why change seats? Well the BP seats are nice and comfy but tackle a few corners and they come up a bit short on support. Had Recaros in my last car - awesome. Best seats ever. Did check out japanparts.com - yes you can get STI seats by Recaro... at a cool $5400 each. Just a bit rich for most people. Also not sure if they have side airbags anyway. I did see a pair of STi seats with side airbags come up on TM once, so would be nice to know if they can be fitted to a BP and retain airbag functionality, for future reference.

Steering back to soobies... yep all facelift BP turbos were uprated with the 6 speed manual box that the 3.0R cars had (sold in NZ from around 2007 onwards). Facelift BPs sold in NZ were initially 2.0L twinscroll turbo motors (JDM spec) before supply switched to the Aus spec 2.5L single-scroll turbo with less power. And moving away from soobies again... Yeah I came from the evo camp and almost bought a 9 wagon, fresh import to replace my sedan. They appear intermittantly and there were a very small handful sold NZ new. Insurance is probably more than even a B4 RS4. Insurers just can't get over any mitsi with Evo on the name plate. Anyway bought a facelift GT wagon - very wife friendly, so much so, I hardly ever get to drive it.

My 07 GT did something similar. Really noticeable hesitation in power delivery when engine was under load - just when boost started building. Had mechanic check everything but nothing seemed wrong so suggested running 98 RON. That cured it. Interesting. Just something else to throw in the mix. Let us know what your cure is...

Facelift for you to compare photos (2007 model). Yours is a pre-facelift - grills don't look significantly different in shape but I've heard they are different enough that they're not interchangable.

Also note that with NZ new BPs, the initial batch of facelifts were 2.0L twinscroll with 6 speed manuals but sourcing switched to Aussie spec 2.5L single-scroll engines with noticeably less power. 2.5s sold around late 2007 onwards I think. But guessing you're not in the market for a car as new as that. Perhaps you might get lucky and find a rare 'Tuned by STi' Legacy... parked right next to a grey wagon this morning. Nice...

Update - haven't been looking at the fuel consumption readout for months but watched it today. So on the current tank, been totally city driving - short trips, stop-start rush hour, not even getting to 100kph. 13.4L/100... ouch. Oh well, lets see if I can get to 15!

so that's about 13.5L/100km based on current pump prices. Seems heavy for mixed driving - that's more 100% city consumption. But then if you've been a total lead-foot then that sort of consumption is probably expected. I get around 8.6L/100km all open road with car packed to the roof with kids and luggage. BP GT wagon, 2L turbo, 6 speed manual. Around 12L/100km in the city. Just normal driving, not hard on it. No reason why you shouldn't get similar.