i saw a MK5

[GoLfMan]

saw a Mk5 GTi the other day.... amazing...the speedo goes up to 300km/h the interior was top class everything screamed smoooth such a nice car love to get may hands on one.. lower it and a nice exaust system on it so i could hear that motor.

[Golf Loon]

Parked my Mk1 next to an R32 yesterday and no camera. DAMN
Then I moved my scruffy beast away from the lovleyness.

[GoLfMan]

dont call it a scruffy beast its the R32 forefather the pitty is that we didnt get the MK2 golf syncro in aus

[Golf Loon]

or any euro spec gti`s

[imported_brackie]

or any euro spec gti`s

Or any Mk2 turbodiesels....

[Golf Loon]

Or Seat Turbodiesels it would appear. They sell for 300quid or less for a whole car in UK. sickening heh.

[GoLfMan]

Or Seat Turbodiesels it would appear. They sell for 300quid or less for a whole car in UK. sickening heh.

cos people dont know that their heart is german

[imported_brackie]

Changes to import regs.

I know that this is a hobby horse of mine but I just can't leave it alone. I really irks me that enthusiasts like ourselves can't import parts cars and models that are not available in Oz. (And that of course includes diesel variants of cars that are.) Do any of you have any experience in how governments, departments and pollies work as regards legislative changes? What is the best course of action to take? We would be no threat to the Australian car industry and it could be written into the legislation that we could import (maybe) only one car per year or something like that.

What are our collective thoughts?

Also, how do '90s and '00 cars from VAG, Peugeot, Citroen etc. stack up against ADRs?

[GoLfMan]

yeh it irks me to, i myself one day would like to import a Golf Syncro. its just the aussie protecting there own industry, unlike NZ where imports are the norm. id love a legislative change so we can get all the awesome european models here not just the basic line up.

[Golf Loon]

NZ import lots of things and fron NZ to here is easy.

My experience of Aussie customs is they say its real hard, as a deterrant, but when it comes to the crunch, provided you pay your charges they dont care.

Its just to stop everyone doing it!

[imported_brackie]

Terrific... But...

NZ doesn't have the pool of cars and parts that UK and US does. What about ADRs? How close? Is there a 15 year rule for cars from NZ? How does the FTA affect duty and tax on what you import from NZ?

[mad_gti]

In Australia, you can import any vehicle in for personal use as long as it is over 30 years old.

Up until earlier this year, the age of the vehicle was only 15 years, but due to the huge amount of japanese sports cars being brought in, the age was extended.

As far as I know, there is no pollution, safety or modification requirements, the vehicles can be regiestered. The only requirement is that an import approval be gained from the autorities before the vehicle leaves its country of origin.

[imported_brackie]

Wow!

This 30 year rule is new to me. Are you saying that the 15 year rule is now dead in the water?? More info, please!

[mad_gti]

It used to be 15 years up until about may this year. About 90% of the imports at the time were of Nissan sports cars (180SX, Silvia, 300ZX and Skyline).

The government recieved complaints from the local car reps about the business that they were loosing, so basically the government decided that 30 year old cars would be more appropriate for import (ie from America instead of Japan).

The other advantage of the new laws is that LHD cars can be brought in and in nearly all states can be driven and registered with having to be converted to RHD.

[Golf Loon]

This is what the government site says about the import rule.

http://www.ministers.dotars.gov.au/jl/releases/2005/february/l11_2005.htm

No immediate effect, but a slow closing of the loophole. Best bring in whatever we are gonna bring guys.