I was reading an article where its now being considered <again> to allow the import of 2nd hand vehicles albeit near new, to allow Joe and Joy Average have access to decent vehicles at a reasonable price...and I thoroughly agree...but the vested interests/big end of Town are showing their influence to dissuade as usual...with old arguments in a new playing field...
Now that Australia will not much longer have a Motor Vehicle Industry to protect its being canvassed to allow so called 'grey imports'.. ..near new vehicles have previously been against our Laws ""to protect our Car Manufacturing Industry"".....anything made after 1989 and was not brand new, was not I understand, allowed to be imported...
The rich/influential have of course been able to import their expensive Vintage Toys...er..I mean vintage cars and Yank tanks, Mustangs, Muscle Cars, English Classics etc so long as they were pre 1989...what a ruse....buy their duty free grog that does not leave the country when they travel over to inspect the vintage Toys...write off the travel costs to a specific ""Conference"" they attend... ahem....and come back with something that APPRECIATES in value generally because of the desirability factor once they are here and the limited numbers available here unlike in USA...
Now the old chestnuts of lack of available parts....unsafe for Australian conditions etc ad nauseum are being dragged out as excuses once again......now that they can't use the 'protection of local industry' excuses...so how many cars made by established and well known makers in the world today, are actually unsafe for Australia?...another chestnut is that existing vehicles will depreciate in values faster by allowing an influx of comparable vehicles....hogwash IMO...
The influential business folk have of course always been able to depreciate their vehicles taxation wise which means the 20/30% one loses the minute you drive out of the showroom is less painful, than Joe and Joy Average who have no hedge against new car instant depreciation values............or can even afford the ever increasing protected prices for 4WD's etc..
In this new playing field of no local Industry to protect it will be interesting if the vested interest groups/large new car dealerships win out as usual to the detriment of the small end of Town...
Jobs may even be created sourcing parts for these 'grey vehicles' and fixing/servicing them....if the dealerships won't touch them...or just maybe they may be forced to change their ideas....like large Caravan Parks are going to have to do as well in the future to maintain their market shares......
What are your thoughts.....?. decent near new 4WD's may be available at a fraction of existing/protected prices......times are certainly changin'. and not all for the worse........Hoo Roo.
-- Edited by Golddetectornomad on Monday 22nd of September 2014 11:40:57 PM
-- Edited by Golddetectornomad on Monday 22nd of September 2014 11:45:00 PM
-- Edited by Golddetectornomad on Monday 22nd of September 2014 11:50:52 PM
__________________
'Without Going, You Get No Where'.
' Aspire to Inspire before you Expire'
Where Gold be....is where Gold be......old Cornish saying......
The older we get the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.......
Unfortunately a lot of the vehicles to come in, never having been released here, will suffer the problem of spare parts availability. Don't worry about the Dealers losing out, a lot of them have already aligned themselves with importers for when it all happens. One thing we can be sure of, they won't lose out, the profit margins will be better.
Point taken Mike...so it would make sense to import vehicles only a few years old, of models that are already here....they have known track records here and likely have spare parts/2nd hand parts already here....the main point is at a few years old, no-one has to take the 20/30% initial depreciation 'hit' the second you drive out of the showroom/dealership.....so they should be better value than new for Joe and Joy Average......I agree I can't see new vehicle dealerships allowing this without their slice of the grey import action........should be win/win situation...however IMO Australia is now the new Nation of greed...everything seems to be about "acquiring stuff"....so every Commercial transaction can expect to be tainted by excess profit taking by the Big end of Town.......IMO...
.....look who benefits under Negative Gearing it certainly is not, and never will be 'First Home Buyer's...our young folk who need assistance most...but its the Big End of Town who really benefits and prices of homes keep soaring out of their reach...all the wrong snouts are in the trough....IMO.. welcome to 'Team Australia'......Hoo Roo
-- Edited by Golddetectornomad on Tuesday 23rd of September 2014 08:19:56 AM
-- Edited by Golddetectornomad on Tuesday 23rd of September 2014 08:22:23 AM
__________________
'Without Going, You Get No Where'.
' Aspire to Inspire before you Expire'
Where Gold be....is where Gold be......old Cornish saying......
The older we get the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.......
Just check with your Insurer as to how keen they are with Grey Imports. Has been an issue over the years, especially with regards to repairs. Good Luck!
I used to be keen on getting a bargain by importing second hand vehicles, and when I used to play with cars I did import, then worked on the vehicle to get to what I wanted. It probably only cost be about 50% MORE than buying the same vehicle locally!
If you want to buy a decent second hand vehicle with reasonable mileage, and avoid the 20 to 30% up front hit, why not go to the ex lease auctions in your nearest capital city. There are always bargains there for the people prepared to put the effort in.
On the other hand if you want to be able to go into a car yard and buy a cheap vehicle because it is a grey import, then be prepared for the pain that goes with it. With extra stringent roadworthy requirements, and vehicle testing, which will then affect everyone not just the bargain hunters.
I believe there is a place for historic vehicle importing, but would be happy to see them forced onto limited use historic plates.
Hi Guys , I bought a Nissan Stagea which is a Grey import 6 years ago and a year later bought another for my son , Really easy to get into the country and requires approval through the authorities , roadworthy and reg . The limit on different cars is because the local produced cars are a lot lower standard than imports ( holden and ford )and if an import is in the same class / size vehicle it will not be allowed because it reflects on local workers . For instance a 2001 Nissan 200sx wont be allowed in as they were sold here by Nissan but an earlier model is .
Insurance , there are a number of insurance agencies that insure grey imports , Shannon , Just Car ,Lumley and a few others , and the premiums aren't too bad. Parts for most nissans are interchangeable or are easy to get through the dealers , other vehicles I am not sure about .
I've imported WRX's EX Jap via NZ and never had any issues..
Yes some parts are different.. But it only takes one brain cell to work things out..
Don't leave it up the local spare parts guys .. No brain cells only VIN #s to work from..
Coil on plug for Jap , while wasted spark on models here..
EBay is your friend, latter models had COP..
So isn't the fact that there will no longer be a local vehicle manufacturing Industry to protect going to alter the dynamics of what was allowed previously under the 'protection' Rules/ Grey Import Laws..?
Given a new level playing field that was not available previously, and hopefully without vested interest interference, would it not mean that better Grey Import deals await Joe and Joy Average on say 4WD's/Tugs in the near future?
In other words won't 'Grey Imports' no longer have the stigma with Insurances etc as it becomes the 'norm' to import the best roadworthy vehicles say two/three years old from those Country's still manufacturing vehicles..the same as brand new vehicle imports at the moment...all should become more affordable and available without the previous protection tariffs...
A whole new secondary market industry of the best second hand/near new vehicles available could/should be created if allowed to happen...surely genuine competition would see only the 'best' roadworthy condition vehicles make the trip to Australia for re-sale... and that competition should make prices more attractive......the main point of my original post..I've never been involved in the Motor Industry, only a concerned consumer.....Hoo Roo
__________________
'Without Going, You Get No Where'.
' Aspire to Inspire before you Expire'
Where Gold be....is where Gold be......old Cornish saying......
The older we get the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.......
It's all pretty sad really, now we can import Japan's cast-offs. We really are sliding down the slippery slope to becoming a banana republic. Looks like second best is good enough.
It's all pretty sad really, now we can import Japan's cast-offs. We really are sliding down the slippery slope to becoming a banana republic. Looks like second best is good enough.
Hi hako,
Well having just brought a Jap import I would consider that it is not second best, but rather compared to the similar Australian vehicles offered they are the best. For some reason the vehicles offered here over the years were often of much lower specs and equipment levels than those sold overseas.
There are some down sides but mostly caused by the trade trying to discourage the import trade. With computers there should be no problem with spares but the local dealers do not want the business so its on line to buy O/S.
I have worked around the Pacific and they may drive better and newer cars out of Japan than the average Australian does. ?? Having a controlled car industry in Australia that held the country in the grip of the overseas manufacturers and their profits has served Australia poorly for years. As we see now clearly they do not care about our jobs.
