GTR Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

MY EXPERIENCE: Importing a car with JDM GARAGE

6K views 45 replies 15 participants last post by  manzy47 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
As some of you know, I have been looking for a very specific R32 GTR Skyline for a while. I thought I would start this thread to help others looking to import a car, and to give an indication of my experience, to help others who might look to do it...

JDM Garage are the company who found what I was after... http://www.japimportsuk.com/

I am going to post 100% how I find this experience, no edits... This is a car I have wanted for some time, and it has to be spot on***8230;

Having been in the Skyline scene for a long time, and still own my first Skyline I bought a little over 12 years ago, I know a thing or 2 !

I was after the following :
Car built August 1994 or later (Chassis number BNR32-311380 or higher)
Colour: White
Factory Nismo Kit (Front Lip, Bonnet Lip, side skirts)
Original unmolested, standard car
Xenon Lights
Mileage to be no higher than 130,000kms
From my research this equates to maybe 3% - 6% of the cars built ?!

Not the easiest of tasks, considering they stopped making them in November 1994, so only a short production run, let alone with the other things I was asking for.

I spoke to probably 10 or 12 companies (In November / December 2014) explaining what I was after. Some were lost at the mention of R32 GTR, others didn***8217;t inspire me with enough confidence.

Thanks must be given to Kunal at Arneja Trading and Dave at The GTR Shop who have both been very helpful !


Here is a photo that was provided of what I was looking for (which some of you may recognise as having belonged to Infocus user on here. I first saw this car in 2006 when I met him at the Nurburg Ring, and knew one day I had to have one***8230; !!!



The price of the car isn***8217;t relevant to this thread, as the aim is to share my experience, but as it goes, it was within my budget.

Points I think are of interest, and please feel free to ask questions / add more ..

Communication from JDM Garage themselves through out.
Accuracy of the price conversion in GBP I would have to pay, (prior to confirmed exchange rate at time of putting my money down once I agreed to buy the car).
The import process itself
Communication from Port / customs etc
Paperwork process
Total time taken from buying car, to it being in my possession.
Would I do it again !
Overall ***8211; when the car arrived, was it to my expectations ??


Over the last 7 or 8 months, I have probably seen less than 10 cars meeting the criteria, but none that were a 100% match.

Paul gave me a call the other day, this time he was certain, it was the right car.















Its an October 1994, V Spec II, eactly what I am looking for!

Pics look great, but, its a risk, not actually being able to see the car, I have to go by the Experience of Paul from JDM Garage.

Like the man from Delmonte, after a couple of hours considering it, I said Yes !

Lets see how this process goes over the next 10 -12 weeks !
 
See less See more
6
#5 ·
Pics in first post now work !

Reason for the chassis code, well, there are 2 of them, both a bit silly probably.
1. - Too new for the Americans to really look at
2. - I have age related plate that can only go on August 1994 cars or newer.

Just waiting on more pics of the car now :)
 
#8 ·
I've now paid the full amount. It came in £146 more than the calculated figure.
I would say that is pretty accurate. As a % of the amount I am spending its nothing.

As we know, exchange rates are constantly fluctuating.. !
 
#13 ·
I bought my first skyline (R34 GTR VSpec) through Paul at JDM Garage, which arrived in December 2014, and he made the process as pain free as I can imagine it can be!! It needed to be immaculate, low mileage with expensive but subtle mods....my god did he deliver :) Best of luck mate, your in good hands
 
#22 ·
Moff, all the best with the purchase....

Although, the waiting game is a absolute nightmare! I was constantly looking to see where the boat was with my Vspec II 34 on it...

I have to say the waiting was all fun though, I would 100% do it again as the suspense was like a legal high over the waiting period, like id keep finding myself looking at the photos, thinking of it tucked up on the boat, then when it actually lands the first starting of it!

I am really tempted now to look at an R35 as a import, like a 2008, however the yen as you say is fluctuating, so will just keep looking
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top