Importing a Prelude from Japan

nickyboy · Post by **nickyboy** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 1:22 pm

Anyone here done it? I've seen some cars that look nice in the auction pictures, but obviuously I can't see them in person, which puts me off buying without using an agency.

nitin_s1 · Post by **nitin_s1** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 1:42 pm

Contact TorqueGT?

A1ex · Post by **A1ex** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 1:51 pm

I spoke to these guys when I was looking at getting a type s.

Seem to know what they're doing, want a £500 deposit to start looking for you (scares off the time wasters)

nickyboy · Post by **nickyboy** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 2:21 pm

Cheers, left a comment on their fb page. 4th gens should be rust free over there?

Would you buy an import here for say a grand, then another 2 grand on respray, or buy from Japan for 3 grand?

Duo · Post by **Duo** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 2:23 pm

+1 for Torque GT

They are nice guys, know their onions and both my Stagea's came from them and both were tidy rust free examples. If you want a good import at a very very VERY fair price on the road these are the guys to talk to and if you agree to buy based on the pics they get from Japan you get 6 months tax as an added bonus. Honestly I can not give them enough praise and if I had it I doubt I could give them enough money either, when I went to pick up the white Stagea there were like 5 Toyota Altezza's, all with the Yamaha BEAMS engines

they also had a Skyline GTX, the 4 door one, sadly that was an auto though and I just couldn't do it

A1ex · Post by **A1ex** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 2:24 pm

yeah they should be.

Might be an idea to check insurance on an import 4g first, I found it was at least double the cost of a UK spec for me (26 & 5yrs NCB).

nickyboy · Post by **nickyboy** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 2:45 pm

I'm guessing about 3 grand all in to import one? How soon after being in the UK will rust be evident though

Insurancs isn't a problem, 35 with 9 years ncb

Post by **rob quilter** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 3:09 pm

nickyboy wrote:How soon after being in the UK will rust be evident though

Most cars from Japan don't have any underseal on. As soon as you get your hands on it, buy a tin, take off sideskirts and bumpers, treat any small spots of rust, then slap on the underseal on. Job done.

Post by **Donald** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 5:43 pm

Bit more info here as well about the whole process if you haven't already read about it: click.

Post by **Pushki** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 5:56 pm

I bought my 4th gen' a few months after it had been imported.
It was rust free and only 40k on the clock.

I've since undersealed it.

You should get a minter for £3k.