Private importing a legacy. Need advice!!

[sn1tzr]

Hey guys,

My current Leggy is getting a bit high on the kms and although i still love it and it drives well, i'm not going to need a car for the next couple of months so i'm thinking of selling it and finding a later model, lower km replacement from Japan.

Interested to hear anybody's thoughts or experiences in the process of doing this??

Here's what i'm looking at: http://www.beforward.jp/subaru/legacy-b4/bf341661/id/446420/?mfg_year_from=2005 (just an example, ideally a ~100,00km BP / BL 2005+ 2.0GT/3.0R)

Basically a case of pressing go, sending thousands of dollars to Japan and preying that it makes it through compliance??????

Edited January 12, 2015 by sn1tzr

[caspros]

I have done this exact process in the last month, from buying at auction to shipping/MAF/ compliance etc. It is NOT scary at all.

[Jay09]

My dad is an improter of those sort of vehicles I can give you his details if yiu wanted to go through it thay way

[Nachoooo]

Am interested also. That specific legacy won't get compliance or reg due to the chassis code being a TA-BP5. To be imported to NZ, it needs 3 characters before the BP(5/E)

Such as: http://www.beforward.jp/subaru/legacy-b4/bf330539/id/434699/?mfg_year_from=2004

Note the CBA (3 characters) in front of BPE

As for importing agents or who manages the transaction, purchase and shipping for a private import I'm not sure. Most common compliance faults are brake pads and/or rotors, tyres and control arm bushes, tyres in some cases too. It helps to budget at least some of these in to your price. Also any noted structural damage will require a repair certification which bumps the price up even more, but you won't really know unless you get a reliable report on the car before purchasing.

Edited January 12, 2015 by Nachoooo

[sn1tzr]

 caspros said:

I have done this exact process in the last month, from buying at auction to shipping/MAF/ compliance etc. It is NOT scary at all.

Awesome to know. Did you go through an agent or privately?

[sn1tzr]

 Nachoooo said:

Am interested also. That specific legacy won't get compliance or reg due to the chassis code being a TA-BP5. To be imported to NZ, it needs 3 characters before the BP(5/E)

Such as: http://www.beforward.jp/subaru/legacy-b4/bf330539/id/434699/?mfg_year_from=2004

Note the CBA (3 characters) in front of BPE

As for importing agents or who manages the transaction, purchase and shipping for a private import I'm not sure. Most common compliance faults are brake pads and/or rotors, tyres and control arm bushes, tyres in some cases too. It helps to budget at least some of these in to your price. Also any noted structural damage will require a repair certification which bumps the price up even more, but you won't really know unless you get a reliable report on the car before purchasing.

Ah sweet. Thats a bit of a trap already. Good to know though. Jay i'll PM you

[caspros]

 sn1tzr said:

Awesome to know. Did you go through an agent or privately?

I signed up to an auction site. Then I watched cars that came up for auction, and then someone over there would bid for me, up to the amount I specified. That covers it being delivered to your door in NZ (shipping/fees/MAF/insurance). Likely a compliance center rather than your house. Then you just pay for the VTNZ for WOF, and rego. And that's it ! Here's a breakdown from them :

xxxxx yen - 2% surcharge on vehicles over 700,000yen, 4% for vehicles over 1,500,000yen

60,000 yen - our discount FOB if payment received in 3 workings days

(75,000 if received after 3 working days)

5,000 yen - transport from auction house to shipping yard

(can be more if auction is far from yard)

123,113 yen - JACANNA (NZ$1395 + 8500 YEN freight & delivery to your door)

4,000 yen - bank fee

[Andy_Mac]

Out of interest what does the 3 digits before the model code imply that rules out 2 digit cars?

[BINKZ]

 Andy_Mac said:

Out of interest what does the 3 digits before the model code imply that rules out 2 digit cars?

Emissions standards I believe

[tebbyj]

My boss imports cars from befoward all the time, they usually need some minor work, most commonly brakes, rear shocks (from being strapped down) and tires. He's only had one that needed a new lower rad support panel because it was bent. To be honest if you compare prices to what you can get here your only saving 1-1.5k for cars less than 10k and you have to wait 3 months, and you really don't know what your getting.

Carwebs is another website thats quite good, they give you a guarantee on compliance, all though their bidding process isn't great.

[Nachoooo]

 BINKZ said:

Emissions standards I believe

Yeah, my understanding too. I can't understand any physical differences between a CBA BPE compared to a TA BPE 3.0, however the facelift BP Turbo's came with a secondary air pump, again for emissions.

[sn1tzr]

Thanks for all your help guys, incase anyone was interested - have kick started the process by selling my current wagon.

info in the forsale thread http://clubsub.org.nz/forum/showthread.php?45224-FS-2003-Legacy-GTB-BP5-Wagon-Wellington-City&p=570349

or trademe link http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=836434696

[syphe]

are those prices on beforward converted to NZD? We're looking at getting a RAV4 for the missus, but can't find the colour we want locally, so might be a good option.

[syphe]

[delete]

Edited January 20, 2015 by syphe
repost

[sn1tzr]

 syphe said:

are those prices on beforward converted to NZD? We're looking at getting a RAV4 for the missus, but can't find the colour we want locally, so might be a good option.

Prices on there are all in USD unless specified

[seith_31]

Guys neeed your inputs

Looking at importing one of these... You think it would comply with nz regulations albeit minor work?

http://www.beforward.jp/subaru/outback/bf337466/id/441121/

http://www.beforward.jp/subaru/outback/bf352765/id/457070/