Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 06:27 pm, by: Joseph Drysdale(Joblodorifto)
Hi everybody!
I have recently started the process of importing my own Soarer, after selling my R32 gtst.
Fast cars are nice but I have a fast bike so "fast" cars are a little boring now. I figured I should get something nice and comfy for when its raining, and have always liked Soarers.
I don't know what else to add here...oh wait a link to some photos!
Hopefully that should bring up a little gallery of my new car.
Oh and I do have a very important question, and if no one knows the answer could someone point me in the right direction for an area to post it in? I need to find someone in Brisbane who can compliance the car when it arrives. I have no idea who can do this or where to search!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 06:58 pm, by: Will Schultz(Johnny_dangerous)
Thats a fine lookin soarer buddy.You've picked a great boat to cruise around in. I'm sure a QLD member will be along to answer your question about compliance.
Monday, November 05, 2007 - 12:55 pm, by: Joseph Drysdale(Joblodorifto)
Thanks for the good words everyone! I thought that thing in the passenger side was a flare, but I wasn't sure but now I know!
The car should be here at the end of the month. I've called a couple of places, one that sounds good should be getting back to me tomorrow. I got hung up on by some guy I assume because I didn't speak Japanese
I'll give that tufftoys a go tomorrow when I have some time free.
Oh and to anyone who has gone through the photo's, in picture 28 I think theres a picture of the glove box with a little electronic thing beside it, am I right in assuming this is a height controller? Is there a little faq somewhere that can show me how these things generally work and what limits there are?
Monday, November 05, 2007 - 01:59 pm, by: Joseph Drysdale(Joblodorifto)
It's a 1991 model. Here's the details from the email I got for it.
1991 Toyota Soarer GT LTD 4000cc V8 engine Automatic dark green 80,000 km's No major accident history Power steering Power windows Air conditioner ABS brakes Leather interior Grade 4 condition 18" alloy wheels
Good to see it has a height controller, I hear they are expensive to buy. Now I just have to hope it doesn't go missing on the docks
Monday, November 05, 2007 - 03:39 pm, by: Mike Beck(Gold_40gt)
Yeah, I looked into getting one but with the prices I decided not to!
Hmm looking at your rear tail lights, look like they are 1994-96 versions - rather interesting.... perhaps replaced by the previous owner as they do look better than the 1991 versions
Friday, November 09, 2007 - 05:32 pm, by: Joseph Drysdale(Joblodorifto)
I called that tufftoys place and they said they can't do Soarer compliancing yet. Doh! Any other ideas?
Paul: I currently have no car, and that seems like an awful long time to be sitting on an R6! I might see if I can organise a car though, it does look like a nice little drive.
Saturday, February 09, 2008 - 09:29 pm, by: Joseph Drysdale(Joblodorifto)
Holy Moly I can't believe how long ago I started this thread. I'm still waiting on the car to be complied. The workshop is waiting on some custom made seatbelts as they say Toyota doesn't sell them anymore, and then wait for a compliance plate. ETA end of February. At least the workshop has told me it appears to be in excellent condition.
Wow a wait of around 4 months. This may be my first and last attempt of importing my own car! Hopefully it's worth it when it's ready!
Sunday, February 10, 2008 - 12:10 am, by: Joseph Drysdale(Joblodorifto)
I think that it's the 92 or 93 model onwards that don't, their seatbelts meet ADRs. Silly me chose a 91 model...doh! So they have to be replaced...at a cost of about $1000.
Sunday, February 10, 2008 - 10:48 am, by: Kyle Wathen(Cspot)
This is what Rob Hayden posted...
"Klippan belts are still made for Soarers. Cars manufactured from factory after the 7th month of 1992 do not have to have the seatbelts changed under revised compliance laws.
Toyota seat belts supplied for a vehicle manufactured post 7th /1992 are 100% ADR compliant."
Strange about the custom seatbelt, as the seatbelts in my car are supposebly 'custom' made by Klippan/Autoliv, whereas the ones in my brothers car are made for soarers and are the same brand.
I dont know why they just dont put the soarer ones in each car?
Also Toyota do sell seatbelts but only in black now and they cost about $400-500 each!
Sunday, February 10, 2008 - 12:19 pm, by: Mike Triggs(Mikeandimah)
Callum Finch wrote on Sunday, February 10, 2008 - 11:55 am:
Are they not allowed to use seatbelts from a more recent year??
They'd undoubtedly fit right in, Callum (the belts were interchangable between our '95 and '97s) but I believe it's illegal to use 2nd hand belts no matter what their history is.
Sunday, February 10, 2008 - 03:46 pm, by: Joseph Drysdale(Joblodorifto)
Yeah I already asked them if I could grab some 2nd hand belts, they said they have to be brand new.
The cost of new ones from Toyota was going to be around $1000 all up, but they said they cannot source them from there anymore (maybe my colour is not available anymore). The cost of these custom made/klippan belts is expected to be around the same amount. This plus the cost of some new 18" tyres (235s front 265s rear it has on it now) has kinda blown the budget a little
Paul Gaspar Tinkerer queensland single turbo manual
Sunday, February 10, 2008 - 04:00 pm, by: Paul Gaspar(Speed)
hey Joseph, My friends on the Gold Coast have a compliance centre which do Soarers for $2,100 plus tyres .Give me a call on 0438 377 028 if interested.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - 04:14 pm, by: Joseph Drysdale(Joblodorifto)
Kyle Wathen wrote on Monday, February 11, 2008 - 09:06 am:
Joseph is $1000, for the front and rear seatbelts?
I bloody hope so!
I did speak with the compliance shop about 2nd hand belts, they were pretty adamant that they had to be new belts. Their reply was
Replacement seatbelts need to be purchased new to meet the evidence requirements for the series soarer. 2nd hand seatbelts hold no value in regards to DOTARS approving the vehicle.
Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 08:30 pm, by: Joseph Drysdale(Joblodorifto)
Sweet merciful heavens...it's here!
Seems like quite a decent car, although not quite as good as it had seemed in the pictures. The height controller went missing, it has a blinky dash and the emv doesn't seem to do anything? It just stays blank, although if I press buttons or touch the screen it beeps.
Drives nicely, got quite a good note to it, which surprised me because I thought they were very quiet cars. Suspension is oh so smooth on the road, although the tems switch is broken, it just wiggles from side to side.
I think that's about all I can think of for now, I'll get some pics up after I've cleaned it. It looks like there's 6 months worth of dust on it!
Dave Billings Goo Roo Louisiana SC 300, 2JZE, 5 Speed
Thursday, April 07, 2011 - 10:41 am, by: Joseph Drysdale(Joblodorifto)
Geeeez I can't believe I've had this thing for 3 years now...and I think I have put on about 8000ks.
I think I have spent far too much on this thing for it to basically sit in my garage for the last 2 years being driven maybe once a month, but there's still a list of things to do before I can pass this car onto someone else in good conscience...unless I sell it as is for a good price just to save myself the rego and insurance costs!
I never did update the pictures in this thread, but I have one I took of it on my profile here.