Quote:
Originally Posted by shihabby
FYI, I purchased my '90 R32 GTR a few weeks ago from The GTR Shop in the UK and it cost £10995 shipped which translates to $18,433 including exchange rate and roughly $500-$600 in Paypal international fees. I'm factoring in another $1500-$2000 or so in customs broker fees and Texas tax, title, and inspection fees. And this is with me picking up the car myself from port at Houston or Galveston. Mine is a well-modded, excellent shape R32. It is NOT as cheap as you think, the paper/legwork is a big hassle and future costs will be even more PITA. Dedication is absolutely required.
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The fees can add up quickly and it can feel like you're being nickled and dimed. Especially when it comes to container shipping. Depending on where it is going and who someone uses drayage and de-vanning can end up adding 30% plus to the overall freight charges. It is definitely worth using a broker as well as you've obviously already realized. The fee for their services is typically a bargain if it lets you avoid having to deal with the paperwork.
Although we are technically "exporters" we offer to handle import arrangements for our customers like many of the importers do. That is one of the advantages of going through a dealer/service. You show up at their place and pick up your car and you are handed all the paperwork you need to register.
If there is one thing we've learned it is to our customers advantage to notarize everything. We have the Japanese title translated and the translation notarized. The Bill of Sale is notarized, lien releases are notarized (if required by the state), odometer statements are notarized, etc.. Not every state or even every DMV in said state is going to require all the notarizations, but it makes everything easier.
We have cars registered and on the road in 8 states now and the two documents that have been the most important are the HS-7 and 3520-1. Also, even though the Japanese titles/de-reg certificates are mostly in Japanese and English now, most DMVs are going to want a translation.
So far the only state that has been a bit difficult has been Arizona, but that is because they wanted everything notarized and forced our customers to go through inspections of the cars (one failed the first time around because of a bad bulb for a third brake light). We aren't currently exporting to California so there is no need to get into that nightmare!
Washington - Easy
Oregon - Easy
Arizona - Slight PITA
New Mexico - Easy
Texas - Easy
Colorado - Easy
Florida - Easy
Indiana - Easy
Illinois - Easy
If anyone needs help with import arrangement feel free to email us. We're happy to help and just want to see more of these cars on the road. That includes customs brokerage, intermodal, registration and even notarized title translations. We are more than willing to field questions as well and pass on any knowledge we've gained in terms of the process.