I am looking into importing a Corrado

[20v kit car]

peter is right..most in japan are lhd...owned a vr6 lhd carrado...now sold but have a lead on another lhd vr6 for sale in sydney...cheers steve

[20v kit car]

peter is right..most in japan are lhd...owned a vr6 lhd carrado...now sold but have a lead on another lhd vr6 for sale in sydney...cheers steve if any one wants it i'll do the homework for ya.

[syncro]

That one's not LHD! Go and have a look at it!

[imported_brackie]

At the moment there are three options for private imports:

1. Own and use the car for 12 months abroad. (This is the option I've used in the past)

2. The car is at least 15 years old.

3. The car is on the SEVS list.

If you don't meet any of the above criteria then one further option is to apply to have the make/model included on the SEVS list.

Cheers!

So, no matter how old the car is it's importable if it's on the SEVS list? What about compliance? Does it have to jump through the hoops? Putting it in an example, could I import a 1997 Corrado and get in road licenced without having to have it compliance checked?

[peter_j_g]

The rules say:

For an entry to apply to a particular vehicle you wish to import, the vehicle must:

· be of the Make, Model, Model Code and Vehicle Category specified in Schedule 1 of the entry; or

· be of an alternative Make and/or Model than specified but determined by the Administrator of Vehicle Standards to be of the same design as described in Schedule 2 of the entry; and

· have a Build Date within the specified range, where given in Schedule 1 of the entry; and

· meet all conditions or restrictions specified in Schedule 2 of the entry; and

· have the same vehicle features as those that met the criteria as detailed in Reasons for Decision.


The decision is for 1989 - 1995 models. A 1997 model Corrado would be eligable under the rules above, if it's essentially the same as a 1995 model.

Perhaps we should apply for more VW/Audi to be added - a car isn't on the list until someone applies.....

[OEM G60]

The last Corrado's were made in 1995 anyway ........... there is about 5 or so that were registered in '96

[20v kit car]

phil u must mean mark has done the conversion???....there is another vr6 lhd US spec car...I know the second car is waiting for donor bits from the uk...been a while it too may be rhd by now?....otherwise its another one out there cheers steve

[V8quattro]

Man, this is all getting very confused here! I'll chip in my 2 cents worth, as I looked at buying a Corrado, too.

1. All Corrados I have seen for sale in Japan on the net are low-kilometre cars for about $1000-$3000 at auction. I saw about 8 for sale. ALL were LHD: some US-spec, some Euro spec. In Japan it was and maybe still is a fashion thing to own a LHD (and entirely legal over there, of course. So there are heaps of Euro LHD cars in Japan). I have thought about importing an interesting VW/Audi of any description and all the ones that are remotely exclusive are LHD. I can get a really nice RHD 1988 Golf CL 1.8 for 500 bucks, tho. Not quite the same, is it?

2. Australian import rules. Do a google if you want to confirm the latest, but this is how I understand it if you live here and want a car from over there (anywhere that is not here. Here is Australia):
A. You can buy a car, get some else to buy a car, whatever, and then very easily get it registered here with a quick spit and polish (the pedants among you WILL pull me up on this) if, and only if it is a 1988 build car or earlier. This was the 15 year rule, which no longer exists, since the Fun Police took it away. It is now the 17-year rule, which in 2006 becomes the 18-year rule, in 2007 it becomes... you see where I'm going.
B. The SEVS rule. You buy or get someone "over there" to buy you a car and ship it on over. So get your agent to buy your 1995 Corrado LHD in Japan and bung it on the next ship over. The problem is no-one seems to own the SEVS importation rights to the Corrado (even though someone obviously put in an application for at some stage a few years ago) so it remains inactive. To gain the rights for this, you need to operate a workshop (now I'm getting vague) and basically prove to the government bods that you could run a sheltered workshop better than they could, only you intend to import and make (fully, to almost complete ADR standard) registerable Corrados instead of learning how to hold then push a pen. The SEVS licence costs big bucks, it basically means you are a low-volume importer. If you have more than $100,000 to burn, are available 24/7 to fight the bureaucrats for a few years to make it all happen, then you can and will own a Corrado in Australia. Or go live o/s for more than 12 months driving the Corrado and then you can bring it in.

God, that exhausted me. I'm going to bed.

[imported_brackie]

2. Australian import rules. Do a google if you want to confirm the latest, but this is how I understand it if you live here and want a car from over there (anywhere that is not here. Here is Australia):
A. You can buy a car, get some else to buy a car, whatever, and then very easily get it registered here with a quick spit and polish (the pedants among you WILL pull me up on this) if, and only if it is a 1988 build car or earlier. This was the 15 year rule, which no longer exists, since the Fun Police took it away. It is now the 17-year rule, which in 2006 becomes the 18-year rule, in 2007 it becomes... you see where I'm going.

Yeah. Looks grim. Pre '88 cars are very long in the tooth...Especially if from a cold, wet, snowy country that salts its roads.

B. The SEVS rule. You buy or get someone "over there" to buy you a car and ship it on over. So get your agent to buy your 1995 Corrado LHD in Japan and bung it on the next ship over. The problem is no-one seems to own the SEVS importation rights to the Corrado (even though someone obviously put in an application for at some stage a few years ago) so it remains inactive. To gain the rights for this, you need to operate a workshop (now I'm getting vague) and basically prove to the government bods that you could run a sheltered workshop better than they could, only you intend to import and make (fully, to almost complete ADR standard) registerable Corrados instead of learning how to hold then push a pen. The SEVS licence costs big bucks, it basically means you are a low-volume importer. If you have more than $100,000 to burn, are available 24/7 to fight the bureaucrats for a few years to make it all happen, then you can and will own a Corrado in Australia.

Pretty much knocks this one on the head too. This really pi**es me off as it makes it almost impossible for enthusiasts like us to bring in models or variants not available here. I can understand (to an extent, anyway) the govmt. wanting to restict "grey imports" and protect our car industry, but to make it hard to bring in models we can't get is just too much. And the "ADR" thing is getting pretty stupid too, as most European cars come up to or exceed them in other ways. (Probably superior primary safety characteristics cancel them out to begin with.)

Or go live o/s for more than 12 months driving the Corrado and then you can bring it in.

God, that exhausted me. I'm going to bed.

Or, find somebody who is coming to live over here and get them to bring it in for you?? Oh, I suppose that they also have a rule that once here it can't be sold for x years(?) Carpoid..........Mate!

[OEM G60]

I've tryed persuading my girlfriend in the past to buy one and bring it in for selling but its too much hassle and ££ for her ......... and theres not enough time either now i could sell mine whenever i wanted to, theres no time restriction.
I guess this means mine will be worth a few $$ with the situation now
How much do you think a good condition VR6 would fetch ?? How much are you willing to pay for one Wolfsburg ??

So with the SEVS thing, if a trader has rights to it, is it for individual models and not the whole list then ??
The law is stupid really as brand new foriegn cars are coming in all the time, i can understand they have to be selective but a 10+ year old VW is hardly posing a threat to the Australian car industry is it ??

[syncro]

phil u must mean mark has done the conversion???....

[wolfsburg]

I may have the opportunity to do some overseas living in the future, so will spend some energy and cash on my MK1 for now.

I would be willing to pay around 15k AUD for a good vr6, now that may be a low price??

[silva1]

15years

That is odd - as you say its on the 'Specialist/Enthusiast' list. Can you not contact the people who decide directly and find out ??
I think the 15 yr old rule only applies to new residents etc but i could be wrong.

Don't give up !!
Hang in there !!

it's actually 15 years for anyone living here not just new residents & i think that might even be getting extended 1 year by the year. so it just seems to be getting harder to bring a car into the country. new zealand use to be very amical in this area but they are even cracking down on imports
it is possible to bring acar into the country if u have owned it for aperiod of 1year overseas

[imported_brackie]

Over regulation

Sorry Guys, but I just can't leave this thing alone! I emailed the DOTARS people and asked for clarification on the import of (for example) a pre '88 Golf:

Subject: Import of VW Golf Mk2


Excerpt for FAQ on Jim Lloyd's website

3) What is the new exemption?
The new exemption allows the import (without restriction) of all vehicles
manufactured before 1 January 1989. By nominating a specific date, the “buffer”
period (between hobby vehicles and mainstream vehicles) will be gradually extended
over time – up to a maximum of 30 years. This proposal generally preserves current
arrangements. 1988 (and earlier) model vehicles will continue to be available under
the exemption.

Please confirm for me:
I am allowed to import a 1988 VW Golf Mk2 diesel without ADR modification. (These cars were not available new in Australia.)
Regards,

The reply was:

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

Hi Peter.

You will be able to obtain an import approval for vehicles manufactured in 1988 and earlier, so in this instance a 1988 VW Golf.

Regards,

So, I take it that if you can find a rust-free pre '88 car you can go for it! Importing a Corrado looks pretty hard, but I'll chase that one in good time.

[OEM G60]

Unless you can somehow register as an '88 model ...........