# MY EXPERIENCE: Importing a car with JDM GARAGE



## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

As some of you know, I have been looking for a very specific R32 GTR Skyline for a while. I thought I would start this thread to help others looking to import a car, and to give an indication of my experience, to help others who might look to do it... 

JDM Garage are the company who found what I was after... http://www.japimportsuk.com/

I am going to post 100% how I find this experience, no edits... This is a car I have wanted for some time, and it has to be spot on***8230;

Having been in the Skyline scene for a long time, and still own my first Skyline I bought a little over 12 years ago, I know a thing or 2 !

I was after the following :
Car built August 1994 or later (Chassis number BNR32-311380 or higher)
Colour: White
Factory Nismo Kit (Front Lip, Bonnet Lip, side skirts)
Original unmolested, standard car
Xenon Lights
Mileage to be no higher than 130,000kms
From my research this equates to maybe 3% - 6% of the cars built ?!

Not the easiest of tasks, considering they stopped making them in November 1994, so only a short production run, let alone with the other things I was asking for.

I spoke to probably 10 or 12 companies (In November / December 2014) explaining what I was after. Some were lost at the mention of R32 GTR, others didn***8217;t inspire me with enough confidence.

*Thanks must be given to Kunal at Arneja Trading and Dave at The GTR Shop who have both been very helpful !*


Here is a photo that was provided of what I was looking for (which some of you may recognise as having belonged to Infocus user on here. I first saw this car in 2006 when I met him at the Nurburg Ring, and knew one day I had to have one***8230; !!!










The price of the car isn***8217;t relevant to this thread, as the aim is to share my experience, but as it goes, it was within my budget.

Points I think are of interest, and please feel free to ask questions / add more ..

Communication from JDM Garage themselves through out.
Accuracy of the price conversion in GBP I would have to pay, (prior to confirmed exchange rate at time of putting my money down once I agreed to buy the car).
The import process itself
Communication from Port / customs etc
Paperwork process
Total time taken from buying car, to it being in my possession.
Would I do it again ! 
Overall ***8211; when the car arrived, was it to my expectations ??


Over the last 7 or 8 months, I have probably seen less than 10 cars meeting the criteria, but none that were a 100% match.

Paul gave me a call the other day, this time he was certain, it was the right car.


















































Its an October 1994, V Spec II, eactly what I am looking for!

Pics look great, but, its a risk, not actually being able to see the car, I have to go by the Experience of Paul from JDM Garage.

Like the man from Delmonte, after a couple of hours considering it, I said Yes !

Lets see how this process goes over the next 10 -12 weeks !


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## Trev (Nov 1, 2003)

Great stuff Moffy! :bowdown1:

You know White R32's make sense! 

Worth a long over due catch up when she's on the road


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## Rich_A (Apr 11, 2003)

Good new Moff, congratulations. 

I cannot see the pic(s) though?

Well done all the same.


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## Irvine (Aug 18, 2012)

What was the reason for the chassis code?? 
I totally get every other request, will you keep it as is and have a valuable unmolested car in a few years or abuse it?

Neil.


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

Pics in first post now work !

Reason for the chassis code, well, there are 2 of them, both a bit silly probably.
1. - Too new for the Americans to really look at
2. - I have age related plate that can only go on August 1994 cars or newer.

Just waiting on more pics of the car now


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

Here are some more pics, the chassis number is confirmed as being correct too...
































































I'm guessing the exhaust on it might be loud from this !










Time to pay some money, then the process can begin to get car on the boat


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## m3dim (Aug 22, 2013)

Very nice, most importantly, it has the original drivers seat....


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

I've now paid the full amount. It came in £146 more than the calculated figure.
I would say that is pretty accurate. As a % of the amount I am spending its nothing. 

As we know, exchange rates are constantly fluctuating.. !


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## t5syy (Sep 30, 2014)

Interesting post as a newbie looking to get a fresh import I'll be watching this. Good luck with it, the car looks great. Keep the updates coming.


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

Car is just waiting to catch a boat....


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

Had a call today, car has been booked on to a boat, just waiting confirmation details on the boat etc, so I can track it...

Should be leaving within a week or so


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## Rich_A (Apr 11, 2003)

Moff said:


> Had a call today, car has been booked on to a boat, just waiting confirmation details on the boat etc, so I can track it...
> 
> Should be leaving within a week or so


Excellent! 

For you the next 8-12 weeks will freeze in time sadly....this I am sure you know.


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## GMeaks (Aug 12, 2014)

I bought my first skyline (R34 GTR VSpec) through Paul at JDM Garage, which arrived in December 2014, and he made the process as pain free as I can imagine it can be!! It needed to be immaculate, low mileage with expensive but subtle mods....my god did he deliver  Best of luck mate, your in good hands


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

Time will start going backwards !

Glad to hear lots of nice comments from other people who have used JDM garage


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

Boat is making its way round Japan collecting from ports it seems...

I need to stop clicking on the link every few hours, haha !!


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## R32 Combat (Jan 29, 2004)

The last car I imported was on a different boat to the one on the paperwork. Thus I tracked to to North American not Southampton. I must confess I was rather concerned.


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

R32 Combat said:


> The last car I imported was on a different boat to the one on the paperwork. Thus I tracked to to North American not Southampton. I must confess I was rather concerned.


That would be a pain !!!

Boat is just pulling in to Osaka, which is where my car is, to be loaded on the boat.

Hurrah


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

Bought myself a plate for the car, goes quite well, what do you think ?


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## LiamGTR (Nov 26, 2006)

Prepare for a £60 fine, I lasted 1 week with L19M TP before someone on a CCTV camera reported me to the fuzz.


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

LiamGTR said:


> Prepare for a £60 fine, I lasted 1 week with L19M TP before someone on a CCTV camera reported me to the fuzz.


Bit harsh of someone to do that !!


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## LiamGTR (Nov 26, 2006)

Moff said:


> Bit harsh of someone to do that !!



My thoughts exactly but I guess I would say that. I'd driven past a few of normal & traffic cops and they either didn't care, didn't have the time or maybe even didn't notice (because I used legal sized letters, font & plate size).

It was literally a CCTV operator in Eldon Square Newcastle that reported me to the cops who then arrived at my door to check it out before giving me the fine. I showed them I had legal plates in the boot and "can I not just replace them and I'll snap these illegal plates in front of you"

Nope. £60 fine  Can't complain really as I knew I was breaking the law.


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## cormeist (Jan 2, 2013)

Moff, all the best with the purchase....

Although, the waiting game is a absolute nightmare! I was constantly looking to see where the boat was with my Vspec II 34 on it...

I have to say the waiting was all fun though, I would 100% do it again as the suspense was like a legal high over the waiting period, like id keep finding myself looking at the photos, thinking of it tucked up on the boat, then when it actually lands the first starting of it!

I am really tempted now to look at an R35 as a import, like a 2008, however the yen as you say is fluctuating, so will just keep looking


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

Its a fun wait, car is now on the Malacca Straight, slowly but surely on the way


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

Slowly getting here... !!!


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

Sooooooooooooooo nearly here..... due in Dublin in a couple of days


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

On its way to Newcastle, then hopefully next stop after that


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## Will32GTR (Sep 23, 2015)

That's great, how exciting! What are JDM garage doing to the car when it arrives? (Servicing, alarm, waxoyl etc?)


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

I'm picking it up from the docks.. Will go to my unit and I'll do the work.

Alarm etc will be done by a local firm I have used for years


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## Spawn (Mar 18, 2015)

Did you see my white r32 on the docks


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

Spawn said:


> Did you see my white r32 on the docks


I've not been to docs yet...

This boat is teasing me, its been to Newcastle, then Antwerp, now Germany !
Sooooooooon it will arrive


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## davew (Apr 28, 2003)

Moff said:


> I've not been to docs yet...
> 
> This boat is teasing me, its been to Newcastle, then Antwerp, now Germany !
> Sooooooooon it will arrive


Strangley enough when i was at tyne dock, newcastle, collecting some cars there was a white r32 that had been off loaded and in the collection area with no paperwork. The dock hands told me it had been off loaded by accident and not put back onto the ship before it had sailed out.


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## Spawn (Mar 18, 2015)

ah ok , i though you are going to pick up the car from port of tyne . 


mine is unloaded 2 days ago , waiting for the customs clearance at the moment . actually car is veeery similar to yours . 94 august nismo body parts white vspec wheels etc... 

Hoegh Tokyo


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

Spawn said:


> ah ok , i though you are going to pick up the car from port of tyne .
> 
> 
> mine is unloaded 2 days ago , waiting for the customs clearance at the moment . actually car is veeery similar to yours . 94 august nismo body parts white vspec wheels etc...
> ...


Thats the puppy... 

PM me some pics


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## Spawn (Mar 18, 2015)

i can`t send PM at themoment because of the rules . 

I will open a new thread when i get the car . 

Here is a one pic : http://i.hizliresim.com/1r4AJY.jpg

Happy Days


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## SPEED MERCHANT (Jun 5, 2006)

:thumbsup:Moffy !!!

Congrats on the purchase you devil you, I'm now subscribed to your thread.
From the photos your (genuine) Godzilla looks awesome :thumbsup:


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## davew (Apr 28, 2003)

Spawn said:


> i can`t send PM at themoment because of the rules .
> 
> I will open a new thread when i get the car .
> 
> ...


Great looking car! Pop over and see us once your on the road.


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## Spawn (Mar 18, 2015)

Sure davew . Actually i was planning to meet with you guys . 

Did you really went to docks? You must have seen this one  

Now its Jurgen's turn  cant wait to drive it ...


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## davew (Apr 28, 2003)

Spawn said:


> Sure davew . Actually i was planning to meet with you guys .
> 
> Did you really went to docks? You must have seen this one
> 
> Now its Jurgen's turn  cant wait to drive it ...


Awesome pop over and see us We collect our imports from that dock


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

Now in France, must be sooooon


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

Its arrived in Southampton, just customs etc to go, then collection   

Woo hooooooooooooooo


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## Rich_A (Apr 11, 2003)

At last! 

It seemed to take ages, and I wasn't even waiting for it, must have been hell for you. Looking forward to pics when you finally lay your eyes on it.


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

Its been a long wait...

Collection day arrived... 

Took down a Gerry can of fuel, and a Jump pack.
This turned out to be a good idea, I've never seen the fuel needle so low, and battery was dead as.

Car started easily, good oil pressure. Its been probably hardly driven for 4 months or more, so needs a good look over before full comment can be made.

Keep you all posted.


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## Spawn (Mar 18, 2015)

Congrats Moff! Looking very nice.


by the way , our cars are almost identical


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## t5syy (Sep 30, 2014)

Hope the car is working out well for you. 
Did you find it easy to sort the paperwork out? How did the price compare to getting one of the trusted uk importers to arrange the sale and import?


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## Moff (Sep 27, 2004)

Well, maybe the time has come to sell this car. Prices seem to be strong, and I just don't use it. Its done about 400 miles in the 20 months or so I have owned it.

Has also been dry stored !


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## manzy47 (Apr 6, 2008)

You should expect strong money given how clean it is.

I've dealt with Paul in the past and he's a very helpful guy.

All the best.


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