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  Soarer Central * General Soarer Chat * Is it possible to import LHD SC400 2000model. Previous Previous    Next Next  

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Lance Moon
Tinkerer
Victoria
SC400 V8

Posts: 50
Reg: 11-2007

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Sunday, December 28, 2008 - 01:51 pm, by:  Lance Moon (Lancemoon) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hi, guys and girls,

Can I import 98-2000 Lexus SC400 from USA and get the Rego at Australia?

Do you have any idea for it? and i never want to conversion from LHD to RHD.
Scott Wilkes
TryHard
Tasmania
92 TT Factory Manual

Posts: 168
Reg: 10-2008

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Sunday, December 28, 2008 - 02:59 pm, by:  Scott Wilkes (Scottywilkes) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

i think theres a specific cutoff date that LHD cars can be registered, and they can only be registered as a Special interest vehicle, so you can only drive them so much in the year. Thats my understanding
Mike Bradberry
Goo Roo
Queensland
V8 UnLimited

Posts: 1133
Reg: 07-2005

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Sunday, December 28, 2008 - 06:18 pm, by:  Mike Bradberry (Halflife) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Lance, I can foresee many problems with doing that.
Firstly, the Aussie dollar is not great at the moment as far as the exchange rate is concerned, secondly the cost to import from the USA would be astronomical.
I can't really see why you would want to drive a left hand drive vehicle in any case.
If the issue is buying a late model Soarer (SC400), they do come up from time to time in the usual places i.e. Ebay, Carsales, Motorpoint, Carpoint etc. It would be good to check out the model though as I have seen 94' models advertised as 2000 models. Clearly this is the compliance date and not the year model of the car.
Lance Moon
Tinkerer
Victoria
SC400 V8

Posts: 51
Reg: 11-2007

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Sunday, December 28, 2008 - 07:55 pm, by:  Lance Moon (Lancemoon) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks Scott and Mike.

The reason of LHD SC400 is firstly, after the 98 has VVT-I engine and 5Speed AUtomatic, and secondely drive the LHD is my favour.

Act, I do not worry about extras, just worry about compliance and registration. otherwise i think about buy that and stay in usa more then 1 yr and bring it here.

anyway thanks to you ideas.
Mike Bradberry
Goo Roo
Queensland
V8 UnLimited

Posts: 1134
Reg: 07-2005

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Sunday, December 28, 2008 - 08:54 pm, by:  Mike Bradberry (Halflife) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Lance said "The reason of LHD SC400 is firstly, after the 98 has VVT-I engine and 5Speed AUtomatic"
OK now I'm more clear on exactly why you want one from the USA.
Rob Rojo
Goo Roo
NSW
Soarer TT

Posts: 1330
Reg: 12-2007

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Sunday, December 28, 2008 - 11:09 pm, by:  Rob Rojo (Rob_tt) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

No, Vehicles must be over 30 years old.

http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/EFD263AC-A239-46CB-93CF-1D620B6CCA48/0/VSI18.pdf

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/downloads/vsi/vsi40_rev1.pdf
Joshua Rao
Goo Roo
WA
JZZ30 vvti GT-L

Posts: 1245
Reg: 09-2006

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Monday, December 29, 2008 - 02:13 am, by:  Joshua Rao (Soaren1) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There were apparently 2 actual sc's in Australia prior to the soarer movement. Maybe hunt them down or convert your to V8 vvti and 6 speed Getrag from supra. Would be nice to have a real SC though.
Ben Socratous
Goo Roo
SA
I am the fibreglass/kevlar/carbonfibre king!

Posts: 2007
Reg: 07-2005

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Monday, December 29, 2008 - 10:02 am, by:  Ben Socratous (Socrates) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

In SA we have just changed the LHD drive laws to be over 30 years old too. Also, the owning for a year part of your plan... in SA you actually have to prove that YOU lived over seas with the car as well, not just had the car garaged somewhere while you were over here. If it were that simple, we'd have so many cars on the road using that loophole that would otherwise not be allowed.
Dave Rose
DieHard
wa
uzz31 v8

Posts: 660
Reg: 03-2007

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Monday, December 29, 2008 - 11:01 am, by:  Dave Rose (Sand_groper) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yes you are right Ben , they will check your passport to see if you were in the right country for the right time.
It would be nice to have wti +5sp ...but i love the air bags, EMV, dig dash etc .
Mike Triggs
Goo Roo
Western Australia
3.0GT G-Pack

Posts: 1301
Reg: 07-2005

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Monday, December 29, 2008 - 12:07 pm, by:  Mike Triggs (Mikeandimah) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

WA & NT allow LHD drive cars to be registered. There are a few here in Exmouth, the US service personnel bring them in (and I guess take 'em home again as they'd be hard to sell being weird US models). There are also plenty getting around Alice Springs from Pine Gap people. Other states, forget it unless you have deep pockets.

Sounds like a lot of trouble to get a VVTi V8 and 5-speed- better to get from a later Lexus out of Japan maybe.
Peter Callegari
Tinkerer
Victoria
Soarer TT

Posts: 14
Reg: 12-2008

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Monday, December 29, 2008 - 01:43 pm, by:  Peter Callegari (Peterc_69) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

i had a look into importing a car from japan. I'm not sure if the same law applies from USA but a family friend owns an import company and he said that you can't privately import any vehicle that has a production date after 1992. I think he told me the reason was that people will then import all the current model cars for dirt cheap prices from japan. EG, was looking into importing a 2008 suzuki swift for my girlfriend which would've worked out to about $12000AUS plus taxes on top. More than half the same model was currently selling into Australia. I had the car lined up and everything and unfortunately was told that i'd never get it into the country. I'm not sure if the same rule applies to the USA but i'd imagine there'd be some limit. Otherwise there are some car import companies around that can legally import cars here, but you'll pay through the roof for them to do it
Mike Triggs
Goo Roo
Western Australia
3.0GT G-Pack

Posts: 1303
Reg: 07-2005

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Monday, December 29, 2008 - 01:53 pm, by:  Mike Triggs (Mikeandimah) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Our Soarer came in last year as a personal import, and it's a 1997 model. The personal import scheme allows for any model/year as long as RH drive for most states.

As for a "private" import I was suggesting a half-cut, not a whole car to be registered. Presumably the later VVTi V8 and auto 'box would fit in with few modifications to a V8 Soarer.
Mike Beck
Goo Roo
New Zealand
Soarer Limited UZZ31 V8

Posts: 3011
Reg: 11-2005

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Monday, December 29, 2008 - 03:36 pm, by:  Mike Beck (Gold_40gt) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)


Mike Triggs wrote on Monday, December 29, 2008 - 01:53 pm:

As for a "private" import I was suggesting a half-cut, not a whole car to be registered. Presumably the later VVTi V8 and auto 'box would fit in with few modifications to a V8 Soarer.




Thats what I was thinking.

Would be a worth while upgrade if you had the money to do it.
Lance Moon
Tinkerer
Victoria
SC400 V8

Posts: 52
Reg: 11-2007

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Monday, December 29, 2008 - 03:48 pm, by:  Lance Moon (Lancemoon) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks for you guys again,

I think swap to VVT-I engine and auto box, but i want drvie LHD as well.. anyway, so is it possible to WA or QLD?
Mike Triggs
Goo Roo
Western Australia
3.0GT G-Pack

Posts: 1304
Reg: 07-2005

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Monday, December 29, 2008 - 03:55 pm, by:  Mike Triggs (Mikeandimah) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I have no idea why you'd want to drive LHD drive car on the "wrong" side of the road, but yes, LHD cars can be registered and driven in NT and WA.
Ben Lipman
Goo Roo
NSW
Soarer TT manual

Posts: 1117
Reg: 04-2006

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Monday, December 29, 2008 - 03:55 pm, by:  Ben Lipman (Ben12a) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

If you (or someone) gets a US half cut, I'd love to take the LHD hand brake off you.

Our RHD hand brake gets in the road of the gearshift when your seat is bolted straight to the floor.
Peter Nitschke
Junk Filterer
South Australia
UZZ30 UZZ31

Posts: 10331
Reg: 11-2004

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Monday, December 29, 2008 - 04:29 pm, by:  Peter Nitschke (Pen) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I read somewhere that the 5 speed auto isn't a great box, might reduce the enjoyment a bit.
Mike Triggs
Goo Roo
Western Australia
3.0GT G-Pack

Posts: 1305
Reg: 07-2005

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Monday, December 29, 2008 - 05:35 pm, by:  Mike Triggs (Mikeandimah) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)


Peter Nitschke wrote on Monday, December 29, 2008 - 04:29 pm:

I read somewhere that the 5 speed auto isn't a great box, might reduce the enjoyment a bit.




Yes, if it's the same box as used in Lexus 470 and Landcruiser, many journos bagged the 'box in tests. I'd assume it is as the 4.7l engine is essentially the same (detuned for 4WD use although torque was relatively high if outputs weren't great for a 4.7l).
Miles Baker
Goo Roo
Vic
66 Mustang GT Convertible, 55 Chevy Bel Air, 69 Firebird 455

Posts: 1429
Reg: 08-2005

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Monday, December 29, 2008 - 05:50 pm, by:  Miles Baker (Milesb) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

LHD? Give up, no.
Mike Beck
Goo Roo
New Zealand
Soarer Limited UZZ31 V8

Posts: 3015
Reg: 11-2005

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Monday, December 29, 2008 - 06:17 pm, by:  Mike Beck (Gold_40gt) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hmmmmmmmm

Just spend the funds for a VVTi 1UZ front cut or trying to import one on a supercharger for your current soarer.

Probably put a bigger smile on your face in the long run and be cheaper!

Or get a VVTi LS400 and enjoy that.

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