Import News & Information

Changes to marine fuel regulations will increase the cost of all shipping – including shipping vehicles from Japan to Australia – from the 1st January 2020. This is expected to increase the shipping cost by about $150 AUD per vehicle. Below details are provided courtesy of Dolphin Shipping and the International Marine Organisation (IMO). The IMO is implementing a new regulation (IMO20...

Please note that the information below was current at the time of posting. Regulations may change over time so please check directly for the latest requirements with the registration authority in your State or Territory. With the new 25 Year Rule for car imports to Australia comes the next issue – what about left hand drive car registration in Australia ? Well, this is handled differently b...

Some important points to bear in mind when selecting vehicles to import under the new 25 Year Rule for car imports to Australia which STARTS on 10 Dec 2019: – Prices are rising fast on all classic vehicles The USA has their own 25 Year Rule which allows the import of RHD vehicles. Unlike Australia, American buyers have no reference point for pricing of Japanese imports so are prepared to sp...

Just confirmed – the new 25 Year Rule for car imports to Australia WILL START on 10 December 2019. Quick summary from today’s official update received today from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development: – The 25 Year Rule will start on 10 December 2019 (applications for import approval won’t be accepted before this date) – Vehicle...

Looking for import car insurance ? Companies that handle import car insurance can be a little hard to find, particularly if the model is unusual. There are a number of choices for import car insurance depending on your location in Australia, including NRMA (NSW, QLD, VIC, TAS), SGIC (SA), SGIO (WA) and Shannons (Australia-wide). View current list of companies for import car insurance...

Nissan Leaf Gen 2 40kW 2017 to 2019 model (AZE1) compliance is now available in QLD, NSW and VIC. Be one of the first to import the Nissan Leaf Gen 2 40kW, with greater range and improved technology and safety features over the previous model. Eligible import date range is 2 Oct 2017 to 25 April 2019 (Nissan Australia is approved to sell the Leaf for models built AFTER 25 April 2019). Secondhand ...

The Road Vehicle Standards Legislation Amendment Bill 2019 was passed today and gives the Govt. a new flexible deadline to implement the vehicle import regulation changes of up to 1 July 2021 (rather than 10 December 2019 as originally legislated). Behind the scenes the Govt. is indicating to industry stakeholders that it will implement parts of the changes early, such as allowing additional model...

This rare 2001 Mazda RX-7 RZ was sold on 8 August 2019 at USS Tokyo auction for approx. 5,000,000 Yen FOB ($85,000 AUD complied @ 72 Yen to the dollar), plus tyres and on road costs. Type RZ build #273 / 325. VIN: FD3S-601459. 280HP; 5 speed manual; 2 Seats; Seat style: STC; Interior: FF2; 17 inch wheels; Bilstein dampers; Normal suspension. 66,230 km with service records. Grade 4.5 B. ...

The Japanese annual “Obon” holiday is coming up again at the end of this week. Most Japanese businesses close for up to a week and this includes the Japanese car auctions. The Japanese car auctions will be closed for Obon 2019 from Saturday 10 August to Sunday 18 August. Obon is a Japanese Buddhist holiday that honors the return of the spirits of ancestors. During this time many Japan...

Well… we suspected this was coming from the lack of progress updates from the Govt. in recent months. Before going on, it has to be said – they’ve ONLY had 5 years to prepare for this. * Deep breath * OK, so moving on… Here is what we are dealing with -> the Govt. has officially announced it is unable to meet the 10 Dec 2019 implementation deadline and needs more time. W...

The Sydney Electric Vehicle Expo 2019 is coming ! FREE entry. Sat 26 / Sun 27 Oct 2019. Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney Showground. Website: http://www.theevexpo.com/ Browse Electric Vehicle import options for Australia here The easiest way to monitor auction vehicles in Japan – Set up FREE auction alerts to receive daily email updates....

Running low on battery bars in Australia and looking for your nearest EV charging stations ? Better download the PlugShare app ! The electric car revolution is quietly happening here in Australia with thousands of EV charging stations already available around the country and new ones added in different locations every week. PlugShare lets you find free and paid charging stations with the most comp...

This quirky 2004 Nissan Cube Ute was sold on 6 June 2019 at USS Tokyo auction for 650,000 Yen ($8,700 AUD @ 75 Yen to the dollar). Just one example of the unusual cars we see auctioned in Japan on a weekly basis. Even had Alpine speakers for the rear deck ! ...

Full Japan car owner history is now available through Japan Car History Check (JCHC). JCHC provides a range of great services to protect buyers of Japanese car imports worldwide. In addition to Japanese car auction and registration records, JCHC can supply comprehensive Japan car owner history – this is a full list of registration events from new right up to export. Japan Car Owner History O...

This RARE 1993 Nissan Skyline R32 Gts-4 AUTECH 2.6L 4WD – sold today at USS Tokyo auction for 2,700,000 Yen FOB which would be approx. $45,000 complied in Australia plus tyres and on road costs (@ 75 Yen to the dollar). 80,300 km. Graded 4 B with records, books, NISMO documentation and spare keys. VIN: HNR32-034842. ...

This RARE 1996 R33 GTR VSpec N1 (V-Spec Series 2 N1 #20/21) – sold today at USS Tokyo auction for 4,005,000 JPY (approx. $66,000 landed in Australia @ 75 Yen to the dollar). Graded 3 most likely due to general corrosion in various places and the rust holes in the right side step and right rear wheel arch… VIN: BCNR33-024522. ...

Here’s another car that stood out on our recent visit to USS Tokyo auction in Japan. This heavily modified 1990 Nissan Skyline R32 GTR by “Garage-34” was sold at USS Tokyo auction on 9 May 2019. VIN: BNR32-005346. 18,532 km on the odometer and not questioned by auction, but on a car like this we would say total km unknown. Repainted in original black. Modifications included 2...

We sourced this 1994 Toyota Hiace 3L diesel for a client recently. Super clean for age, with only 28,474 km and full service records. The owner had taken great care of it, right down to the classic 90’s TV entertainment unit for the rear passengers. ...

This 1985 Nissan Gloria 3L turbo Brougham passed in (unsold) at USS Tokyo auction on both 9 & 16 May 2019. The last bid price on this quintessentially over the top 80’s Japanese ride was just 265,000 Yen. It is probably buyable for less than $10,000 landed in Australia. ...

Think YOUR carpark space is tight ? We came across this one while in Japan last week. Parking space costs more than the van ! 😀 The easiest way to monitor auction vehicles in Japan – Set up FREE auction alerts to receive daily email updates....

This rare 1996 Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R VSPEC LM Limited (LM #148/188; V-Spec LM #75/102) in blue was sold at USS Tokyo auction on 9 May 2019. VIN: BCNR33-023735. 126,556 km. Final price was equivalent to approx. $110,000 on road in Australia (@ 76 Yen to the dollar and including LCT). ...

September 2019 update – Nissan Leaf Gen 2 compliance now available Be the first to import Nissan Leaf Gen 2 to Australia – the 40kW 2017 to 2019 model (AZE1) was added to the SEVS eligible import list on 9 May 2019. Eligible import date range is 2 Oct 2017 to 25 April 2019 (Nissan Australia is approved to sell them new after 25 April 2019). Secondhand and new Gen 2 Leaf’s are av...

The 2016 to 2020 Nissan Note ePower hybrid electric (HE12) is available for import to Australia. Full details for Nissan Note e-Power HE12 import. Related models: 2020+ Nissan Note e-Power 1.2L (E13, SNE13) 2021+ Nissan Aura e-Power 1.2L (FE13, FSNE13) A range of factory options are available including the sporty NISMO version featured above. The ePower petrol-electric hybrid technology is Nissan&...

This Limited Edition 2000 Mazda RX-7 Type RZ with 38,660 km was sold at USS Tokyo auction on 21 March 2019. VIN: FD3S-600196. It sold for around the 4,500,000 Yen FOB mark, or approx. $68,500 complied in Australia, plus tyres and on road costs (@ 79 Yen to the dollar). ...

This January 2001 Nissan Skyline R34 GTR VSPEC II (V-Spec II #316/1855) with 57,102 km (odometer replaced with records) was sold at USS Tokyo auction on 21 March 2019. VIN: BNR34-400648. It sold for around the 7,500,000 Yen FOB mark, or approx. $123,000 complied in Australia, plus tyres and on road costs (@ 79 Yen to the dollar and including LCT). ...

The 2010 to current model Nissan Fuga HYBRID 3.5L (HY51) / Infiniti M35h is now eligible for import to Australia. Skyline sedan’s big brother. Featured here with Aimgain VIP GT bodykit. Power rated at 268 kW at 1840kg = 145.65 kW per tonne. 0 – 100 in approx. 5.2 sec. Fuel economy ~ 5L / 100 km. Prices from about $20K to $50K complied depending on year, spec and km – please cont...

This 2002 Nissan Skyline R34 GTR VSPEC2 NUR (Nür #161/1003; V-Spec II Nür #120/718) with just 4,170 km was sold at USS Tokyo auction on 14 March 2019. VIN: BNR34-403071. It sold for around the 16,400,000 Yen FOB mark, or approx. $287,000 complied in Australia, plus tyres and on road costs (@ 78.3 Yen to the dollar and including LCT). Low km and rare model examples like this are very attractive ...

2021 UPDATE – Sorry, we are no longer taking orders for the NSX as the prices are now too high in Japan for viable import. Want to import Honda NSX to Australia under the 25 Year Rule and not sure where to start ? YES – The new 25 Year Rule has been confirmed and will allow the import of vehicles – including the NSX – that are over 25 years old, from 10 December 2019. Thi...

So, the new import regulations 2019 were finally released with some major improvements bound to put a grin on enthusiasts’ faces. YES – We have secure indoor storage available now for anyone wanting to get a jump on the market prior to 10 December 2019, which is only 10 months away and will be on us before we know it. Bear in mind that some classics may take months to source so it̵...

This vehicle has now been sold – thank you for your enquiries. This 2014 Nissan Leaf X Generation 1 fully electric vehicle with 84,713 km is available through one of our agents for 802,000 Yen FOB. Non-smoker’s car with cruise control, heated seats and almost 80% battery health. The final price for Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne would be approx. $16,900 complied in Australia, plus ty...