Yen falling.... time to import?

Not long ago Japan decided to devalue their currency and the yen has been falling. It's a continuing economic policy and the Yen is only going to devalue further which actually makes importing a car from there more of an attractive idea. .

http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/USDJPY:CUR USD value vs Yen

I'm curious if anyone here has any experience with any companies that import japanese market cars to North America? Anyone have any importers they could suggest that work with Americans? I can only find info on Canadian companies or companies based in Japan. I know the laws and what's required just trying to find who you need to work with to do this so I can go further and see if it's worthwhile.

Found a number of interesting cars on this site: http://www.japaneseusedcars.com Delta Integrales, Alpina BMWs, a few Peugeot 205 GTIs, 1G-GTE manual trans soarers, all kinds of AE86s, AE92 GT-Zs, Skylines, etc. Probably will contact them and ask if they can find a 25 year legal Integrale but I would like a company that someone has experience with.

Might as well ask, what would you import? So long as it's a model that can be imported within the 25 year rule lets see it.

I'd wait another year and get a R32. Or wait 3-5 years and get a Suzuki Alto Works rs/x.

Someone showed up at the MegaMeet this year with something that I initially saw the tail end and thought it was a Cressida. Then I realized it had two doors. And was right hand drive. And the front clip was totally different. It was a Soarer - the generation before the Lexus SC version.

That would be my choice. Or maybe an early '80s 2 door Skyline:

Its almost 25 years old too:

just 2 more years... And I can drive one across Canada to Detroit :)

fidelity101 wrote: Its almost 25 years old too: just 2 more years... And I can drive one across Canada to Detroit :)

Or just pull the engine out, drop it in a USDM chassis, and slap a catalyst in it. Badda-bing, badda-boom!

N Sperlo wrote:

fidelity101 wrote: Its almost 25 years old too: just 2 more years... And I can drive one across Canada to Detroit :)

Or just pull the engine out, drop it in a USDM chassis, and slap a catalyst in it. Badda-bing, badda-boom!

What USDM chassis? We never got the JC Cosmo here.

Also check out goo-net. They have an English site as well but it converts to dollars and includes some extra import fees. That is te sute i used to find my Evo IV a few years back. I'm also curious about the import requirements since I'm livin in Japan for another 3 years and I'm looking at what I can bring back with me. The older classic Japanese cars cost a pretty penny here. I have been on the lookout for a Pulsar Gti-r but they are rare and expensive for what you get. I'm actually thinking an original right hand drive mini may be the best option for something to import when I move back as they are still cheap here. I am certainly enjoying the lower yen rate though!

SlickDizzy wrote:

N Sperlo wrote:

fidelity101 wrote: Its almost 25 years old too: just 2 more years... And I can drive one across Canada to Detroit :)

Or just pull the engine out, drop it in a USDM chassis, and slap a catalyst in it. Badda-bing, badda-boom!

What USDM chassis? We never got the JC Cosmo here.

Thats what mount adjustments are for.

In reply to N Sperlo:

I see what you did there.

I should point out that there are tons of cool cars here like classic skylines, etc but they are worth a ton here so buying them and doing the import process is not worth it IMO. some cool but less desirable cars from the 80's are a good bet (like a CRX) but not easy to find. R32 Skylines go for as low as $7500 but I just don't have enough spare cash unfortunately. My buddy just shipped his 73 VW bug back that he paid $600 for (and another $500 in fees) but he is military and they paid the shipping. I will have to pay all fees myself. So I'm mostly just collecting parts at this point. Picked up a GT2560R for $35 and got a free Miata hardtop. Just gotta rent me a storage space so I can get some bigger hardware!

A bit unconventional, but you won't find anything like it here.

In reply to N Sperlo:

Naw I want the crazy future interior from 1990 that has sat-nav and hidden off gauges. I would however, swap in manual trans from an FC or rx8.

bastomatic wrote: A bit unconventional, but you won't find anything like it here.

SPACE PIG!
We get those down from BC all the time,though almost all of them are white.

"A deposit of 150,000 Yen or US$1,500 is required before you can buy cars from auction.

We will send instructions for making the deposit by email.

Note that the deposit can be used towards your purchase(s). "

I entered fake info just to see if I could at least view them before sending $$. Nope:

"Thankyou for choosing to use Autospecs Ltd (japaneseusedcars.com)

An email has been sent to your email address. If you haven't received it please go back and check that you have given your correct email address.

To become a member, you must follow the instructions in the email and send a deposit."

FTO GP Version R

Want. So. Bad. Probably my favorite car we didn't get in the states.

I'd take a Yellow GPX, too.

God I hope so, our company runs on Japanese imports. Be nice to have some more margin again.

There was a special edition 1991 Turbo II that would be sweet to have. If any even exist anymore. It was an ultra-light zero-options model.

But that'd be a diaper-rubber. I'm with fidelity101, get me a Cosmo. Doesn't have to be a 20B model.

I bought a bunch of parts for my S13 240sx with R32 Skyline GTS-T RB20DET engine swap, from Japan in 2006. But the exchange rate was even better, 120 yen = 1 dollar. Last year it was like 85 yen = 1 dollar.

I used Yahoo Auctions Japan, figured out enough Japanese, and was lucky that the Japanese use the chassis code for parts identification. My buddy that is Japanese would then buy the parts on the site, ship them to me and send a paypal request in yen for what he spent.

Have a set of Ohlins PCV coil overs, and 2 different "Field" tuned ECM's for the engine. One of the ECM's tuned by Field has 4 different maps, and a selector remote that switches between them.

Any sites for JDM motorcycles?

I wouldn't mind an old two stroke honda sport bike.

Goobike Japanese site

Goobike English site