| Author |
Message |
Mike Triggs
Tinkerer
3.0GT
Posts: 10
Reg: 07-2005
|
So, upload finally worked. This is the Soarer with the ship that delivered it in the background. Believe it or not up to 30 cars have arrived on this (this voyage several large trucks and 5-6 cars). Cars are lowered into a lighter (unpowered whaler-style clinker boat) while rtucks are put onto 2-3 lashed together. |
Mike Triggs
Tinkerer
3.0GT
Posts: 11
Reg: 07-2005
|
Both Soarers together, '97 in front (obviously, it's still dirty and unreg) |
Mike Triggs
Tinkerer
3.0GT
Posts: 12
Reg: 07-2005
|
Rear shot. The rusty tank in the background is the old whaling station remains. |
Mike Triggs
Tinkerer
3.0GT
Posts: 13
Reg: 07-2005
|
Looking seawards, the shore crane is on the jetty behind the cars. The cars are lifted off in a sling around each wheel, which often damages the mudguards and at least two of our wheel arches are showing dents. They also manage to scratch the cars in places. At least it wasn't dropped... |
Gareth Richards
Newbie
GTT-L twin turbo auto
Posts: 1
Reg: 07-2005
|
Years ago I watched my bike being craned off an Isle of Man ferry (was over there for the TT). Bloody nerve-wracking, and that was on to the quay. I'd hate to have to watch my car being transferred to a lighter, and then on to the dock!! |
Ian Johnston
Tinkerer
UZZ30 GT 4.0
Posts: 8
Reg: 07-2005
|
So Mike, I gather you like white! I would like a white one,
but a bit expensive to paint my FSG V8. What are costs like
and regulations on the Island for importing cars like the Soarer? |
Mike Triggs
Tinkerer
3.0GT
Posts: 14
Reg: 07-2005
|
Ian, I don't call it white, I call it Pearl
We weren't after pearl specifically, it's just that these cars came up at the right time. We like the gold and the burgundy but they are very rare. We didn't want (or I didn't) a dark colour as our 4wd is black (horrible colour for dusty roads). At the time we saw this one there was a blue one (the bright phthalocyanine blue) which was gorgeous but it had 250k kms, and a sunroof which we don't like.
We actually obtained a quote to repaint the first Soarer as my wife wanted it red, and it needs some panel work anyway. The painter talked her out of it.
Pearl is a very hard colour to match, as there are 4 separate layers to get right to match the other paintwork. The painter here is very experienced at matching and pearl paint because so many of the cars that come off the ship have light damage.
As for costs the Import Duty is 15% of Japan FoB price or $1000 minimum. That has to be paid and chit signed before it can be registered. It also has to have a rego check. That's all. There's no other paperwork, although there is talk of limiting imports because there's so many cars here. There are 400-500 registered hire cars alone (apparently).
The biggest cost is freight and lighterage. To NZ is flat rate in our case AUD1200, it's NZD150 per cubic metre plus 27% Currency & Bunkerage (stuffed if I know why we have to pay a currency allowance when AUD & NZD are so high). With other bits & pieces that will be close to AUD3000. On top of that locally there's $33.50 cubic metre for lighterage and an environmental levy (to pay for the rubbish depot which has nothing to do with cars).
We didn't actually see the Soarer come off (nor the first one) but I was there for the Isuzu and have a few scanned pics if anyone's interested. Luckily in the case of these 3 cars they came off at Cascade Pier (the northern one) because each time there were mainly southerly winds. At the other jetty (Kingston, the convict-built one) the ship is much further out and cars seem to get more damage there as the ship can never get out of the swell (and that's when the car's slammed into the ship, getting it into the lighter in effectively, open ocean).
It's impossible to land a car for much less than $6000 because of fixed freight costs so with the $1000 minimum duty there's been something of a move away from the cheap pieces of garbage imported in the past. Disposal is getting to be a problem too, they used to have firefighting practice on the wrecks, left them to rust then chucked in the ocean. Not sure what the new protocol is but they're not burned and not chucked. |
Mike Triggs
Tinkerer
3.0GT
Posts: 15
Reg: 07-2005
|
Sorry, confused the issue on freight. It's flat rate to NZ then transshipped in Auckland for Norfolk, the rate to here is per m3. |
Alan Carter
Newbie
V8 UZZ31
Posts: 1
Reg: 07-2005
|
So this would bring the total number of Soarers on Norfolk to........2?  |
Mike Triggs
Tinkerer
3.0GT
Posts: 18
Reg: 07-2005
|
Three, actually, Alan! There's an '85 old-school Soarer which has 68,500kms genuine, it was delivered here new. It's two-tone pearl-gold. Brown interior. It's owned by an old chap (2nd owner) who's actually trying to sell it so he can buy our '95 model. There's a downturn in the economy (low tourist nos) so it's not easy to sell "decent" cars. |
Mike Triggs
Tinkerer
3.0GT
Posts: 34
Reg: 07-2005
|
Great news.. well, pretty good news. As forecast by Don, our car is in fact a G-Spec car. I checked the chassis no today, and it has a G on the end. Unfortunately though it's still not going. |
Don Bagnall
Moderator
GT4.0 V8
Posts: 196
Reg: 05-2005
|
That's a bugger Mike........I mean the car STILL not running that is.
VERY good news re the "G" spec.
Now just have to get the little darling running like a Soarer should  |
Steve Latimer
Tinkerer
V8
Posts: 15
Reg: 07-2005
|
Hey Don. 'Scuse my ignorance but what's a G-spec rating mean? and how do you do, sorry XXX, check, that on the chassis number? Or is this one of those magical 120-odd special development racer-type cars?? |
Don Bagnall
Moderator
GT4.0 V8
Posts: 198
Reg: 05-2005
|
Ha ha, NO it's not a mythical beastie. I only do that sort of thing ONCE, as it tends to get a little "Tired" if repeated.
The 97 3.0ltr Soarers are available in 3 spec levels.
3.0GT: chassis number will be E-JZZ31-ACPVF, this is the base model, with vinyl steering wheel,No power seats,No woodgrain.
Options include: Woodgrain,sunroof,LSD,rear wiper,rear spoiler & sat.nav.
Next up the Totem pole is the 3.0GT(S), which adds rear wiper, rear spoiler,leather steering wheel.
Chassis number will be E-JZZ31-ACPVF(S).
Options include:Sun-roof,LSD,woodgrain & sat.nav.
Top dog is the 3.0GT(G), which has power seats,wood dash bits and UV reducing glass.
This model does NOT have rear wiper or spoiler as standard.
Chassis number: E-JZZ31-ACPVF(G)
Options include: Leather,rear spoiler,rear wiper,sun-roof,LSD & sat.nav.
ALL models have 15" alloys |
Jose-Antonio Castillo
Tinkerer
Soarer 2.5GT
Posts: 18
Reg: 07-2005
|
Beautiful car mike! Does it have the optional leather seats? |
Mike Triggs
Tinkerer
3.0GT
Posts: 35
Reg: 07-2005
|
No Jose, it has the standard velour seats (which as you'd know are very luxurious). I've not owned a leather seat car and not sure that I'd like to: while the smell and look is great, they don't breathe any better than the old vinyl seats and would be a bugger in hot weather. In fact I remember hating friends' leather lounges in sticky weather. I know you can cover leather seats with seat covers, but what would be the point?
This one has the later seats with longitudinal "stripes" which I initially didn't like as much as the "old" ones.
I'll post better pics when I have it cleaned up, it's still unbelievably filthy. |
Joshua Rao
Goo Roo
WA
JZZ30 vvti auto GT-L, JZZ30 vvti turbo BLK on BLK manual, V8 UZZ31 (being wrecked), Legnum VR4
Posts: 1955
Reg: 09-2006
|
After wrecking a few early TTs and uzz31s its amazing to see how much they changed on the inside! In terms of metal bars, clips wiring etc |
Matthew Sharpe
Goo Roo
North Island
JZZ31
Posts: 5825
Reg: 10-2005
|
Wow, thats an old thread! Predates me joining the site! |
Mike Triggs
Goo Roo
Western NSW
3.0GT G-Pack
Posts: 1508
Reg: 07-2005
|
Matthew Sharpe wrote on Saturday, September 04, 2010 - 11:52 am:Wow, thats an old thread! Predates me joining the site!
Interesting, though |
Mike Beck
Goo Roo
New Zealand
E36 Coupe
Posts: 5054
Reg: 11-2005
|
Mmm the good old Soarer days.
 |
Joshua Rao
Goo Roo
WA
JZZ30 vvti auto GT-L, JZZ30 vvti turbo BLK on BLK manual, V8 UZZ31 (being wrecked), Legnum VR4
Posts: 1959
Reg: 09-2006
|
when they werent worth 5k |
Joshua Rao
Goo Roo
WA
JZZ30 vvti auto GT-L, JZZ30 vvti turbo BLK on BLK manual, V8 UZZ31 (being wrecked), Legnum VR4
Posts: 1960
Reg: 09-2006
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