# may have to sell my car :(....Audi C5 RS6?



## kismetcapitan (Nov 25, 2005)

well, I'm moving back to the States in two months, and while I imagine I'll be back to Korea for vacations, I neither have to and I just may spend my school holidays elsewhere in the world (I'm going back to get my masters degree and possibly a Ph.D, but I am getting on in years so I'm not sure I can afford that much time not working).

Due to wonderful American import laws and its particular reputation among the tuner crowd, the Skyline is as welcome to US Customs as heroin. I can bring my car into the States under a 25-year rule...so that means storing my car for FIVE YEARS.

That being said, I don't fancy selling off my car for £20K or possibly even less. It's nearly spot-on perfect, and most of you know how much went into the car. I've put 28,000km on my engine and it still runs just as it always has. A belt pulley seized a month ago - that's about as much excitement under the engine bay that I can think of in the past couple years. I'll never be able to afford a £200K car, which is what I'd need to get comparable performance from a new car.

So, on the fence about the car, mostly because car storage doesn't exist in Korea, and you can't legally take a car off the road, unless it's permanent (junking it).

In any event, storing or selling, I do need new wheels in America. I originally thought, right, an E39 BMW M5. But after thinking about it a bit more, I discovered that Audi had imported into the States 800-odd RS6 saloons in 2003 - that'd be the V8 twin turbo with bulging fender flares. 450bhp stock, a bit over 500bhp merely by reflashing the ECU. Since this car will do very long distance drives, reliability becomes an important factor, so I may want to avoid doing anything more than that. Plus, the car's an automatic, and I've never owned an automatic car in my life.

Anyone here have any input on the best 4-door saloon from the early 2000's? I've ruled out the E55 AMG. If the American RS6s were Avants, I'd be sold completely. But since I haven't that choice, would one be smarter in choosing the 400bhp E39 M5? I've looked into the issues that both cars have, and both are fairly typical in terms of maintenance and servicing. I'm very worried about understeer; I absolutely can't stand a car that does.

Or should I just sod it, keep my license safe, and putter around in an Audi TT (1.8T quattro) that the missus will like?


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## tarmac terror (Jul 16, 2003)

kismetcapitan said:


> Or should I just.....putter around in an Audi TT (1.8T quattro) that the missus will like?


:nervous::nervous:

Dont even bother..... Mate of mine had both the 185 and 225 hp versions and having driven both for extended periods of time and IMHO, they were cack!!

The 185hp version couldnt pull the skin off a rice pudding while the 225 version just understeered at every opportunity in the wet (something you say you hate!)

Your money, your choice but my advice is forget the Audi TT even exists.

TT


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## souroull (Jul 21, 2008)

take advantage of the low fuel price, no emission tax bands, no stupid engine capacity duty , and get yourself something with both big displacement.... AND turbos.

that sould narrow your choices down quite a bit


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## souroull (Jul 21, 2008)

o wait... a 35...!!!


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## lightspeed (Jul 11, 2002)

Send the 32 to the UK, stick it in storage for 5 years then into USA on 25 years.

You can come and visit us all for a few track day thrashings too.

Westfield Car storage, vehicle storage, classic and modern car storage, UK, London

intro-Indoor Car storage and transportation


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## mattysupra (Oct 31, 2008)

I had a RS6 before my R34 GTR. I sold the RS6 simply because of how much fuel it used to drink. 

The RS6 is very heavy on fuel. In fact it makes my R34 GTR look very good on petrol ! 

The RS6 was and still is the best car i have ever owned. However i was never over keen on the gearbox and yes they will understeer. 

Things to look out for is the DRC suspension. It fails more often than the average RB26 :flame: LOL, it tends to start with a knocking noise and then the whole lot fails. Buy a car with coilovers on it. 

Also the gearbox are known to break. I think more on the tuned cars.


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## black bnr32 (Jan 20, 2011)

Check into importing to Canada.


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## Sub Boy (Jan 28, 2008)

Can you import it as a race car, And then in five years reg it?


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## .::TopSky::. (Nov 4, 2010)

Volvo V70R.... says the Swede

I know there where a bunch of them made for the US Roads, AWD 300hp (easy to get to 400-450) great car for every condition! Reliable!

Otherwise I vote for Audi TT.


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## Nocturnal (Nov 5, 2004)

Going back to America? Get a Viper! (Hey, someone had to say it!) :flame:


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## akasakaR33 (Oct 10, 2005)

Why does it have to be German/European? What about that Lexus IS-F? Or Infiniti M?


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## kismetcapitan (Nov 25, 2005)

mattysupra said:


> I had a RS6 before my R34 GTR. I sold the RS6 simply because of how much fuel it used to drink.
> 
> The RS6 is very heavy on fuel. In fact it makes my R34 GTR look very good on petrol !
> 
> ...


I'm not too bothered about petrol; prices in Korea are as near as makes no difference to the current UK prices, but half the price in the States. While my mum is going on about how petrol back home is becoming unaffordable, I rather fancy the idea of a fillup costing less than 50 quid!

I do wonder, and I'll probably have to take this to an Audi forum, if coilovers and some suspension tweaking might dial out some of that famous Audi understeer. The transmission might be a worry, as I'm certain I cannot resist chipping the car - $500-odd to boost it up to 520bhp.

I'm on a bit of a budget; as I'm trying to squeeze in a second bike (Ducati Multistrada) to sit next to my BMW S1000RR, so the Lexus IS-F is out.

One thing that just occurred to me that I might want to take a look at is the Lancer Evo VIII, which was sold in the USA. I know I can go on an Evo board and hear all kinds of blither-blather about those cars, but I'd definitely like to know from a *Skyline* owner's point of view - are they any good? How does the handling compare with an R32? The lag on a 500+bhp Skyline is there, is it truly hideous on that 2.0 liter inline-4, if bumped up to 400bhp?

I did test drive an Evo X, and found it wanting in power and gasping for air at 7000rpm or so, although the flappy paddle gearbox was tractable in Seoul traffic.


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## kismetcapitan (Nov 25, 2005)

The idea of storing the car in the UK, with club members nearby, is also very interesting! What is importing a car that is not meant to be driven on roads (off-road track use only), like for the UK? Difficult? Piece of cake? Since it won't be on the roads, I'm guessing I won't have to muck about with MOT, insurance, tax discs and the like? Trailer it to GTROC track days on holidays, then when 2016 rolls around, send it home! And if I blow anything, there's no shortage of garages or parts, that's for certain!


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## Cris (Sep 17, 2007)

kismetcapitan said:


> I do wonder, and I'll probably have to take this to an Audi forum, if coilovers and some suspension tweaking might dial out some of that famous Audi understeer. The transmission might be a worry, as I'm certain I cannot resist chipping the car - $500-odd to boost it up to 520bhp.


Have a look into the engine bay of an RS6 and you'll see why they are nose heavy. It's a big heavy car too. Over two tonnes I think.

No idea what budget you are looking at but the following would be vaguely similar money to an RS6:

996 Turbo (fairly cheap over here)
Maserati 3200GT (I assume they were sold in the US). Very cool and v8 twin turbo which is nice. Even comes with a manual gearbox.

If you don't need a 2+2 then:

Corvette either c6 or Z06 (no idea what these cost in the states)
Lotus Europa (not sure if they were sold in the US). Bugger all weight and with some tweaks/bigger turbo will go quite well...
RX7 with an LS3
NSX


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## steve_gts4 (Nov 30, 2009)

kismetcapitan said:


> The idea of storing the car in the UK, with club members nearby, is also very interesting! What is importing a car that is not meant to be driven on roads (off-road track use only), like for the UK? Difficult? Piece of cake? Since it won't be on the roads, I'm guessing I won't have to muck about with MOT, insurance, tax discs and the like? Trailer it to GTROC track days on holidays, then when 2016 rolls around, send it home! And if I blow anything, there's no shortage of garages or parts, that's for certain!


with a car you can prove you already own, ie foreign reg papers, even to import it to be taxed and drive would not be a problem. i imported an r32 to the uk from australia on this basis. very easy and cheap.


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## black bnr32 (Jan 20, 2011)

here is a good source for used cars in the states:

New & Used Cars for Sale, Auto Dealers, Car Reviews and Car Finance Advice

it should give you a good idea of values

the cadillac cts-v is a good option, especially if you want to modify it for more power.

you will have exactly zero problems importing your 32 to Canada and storage is cheap.


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## kismetcapitan (Nov 25, 2005)

thought about that; I have a home in Ann Arbor MI and Windsor ON is just across the bridge basically. But I figured one would have to be a Canadian citizen to import? Or can I just ship it straight into a storage shed in Windsor without registering the car in Canada?


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## Dboy (Oct 21, 2009)

Can you not just import the 32 to the usa and keep it unregistered and off the road for 5 years??


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## kismetcapitan (Nov 25, 2005)

Dboy said:


> Can you not just import the 32 to the usa and keep it unregistered and off the road for 5 years??


absolutely not. Unless I cut the car in half and the weld it back together. And then even still, the US Customs service has been targeting and raiding Skyline owners in the States - *specifically* the Skyline. They seize the cars and without a good lawyer, the car ends up crushed. And to get it registered, I have to show import documentation showing that it *entered* the country in 2016. Stupid US import rules - they should allow one personal car if you can demonstrate you have owned the car as your main car when living abroad...like most countries do.


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## Dboy (Oct 21, 2009)

That's crap, Here in the uk you can keep it unregistered for as long as you like as long as its not used on a public road, I did not know the us was that bad for importing cars.


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## black bnr32 (Jan 20, 2011)

kismetcapitan said:


> thought about that; I have a home in Ann Arbor MI and Windsor ON is just across the bridge basically. But I figured one would have to be a Canadian citizen to import? Or can I just ship it straight into a storage shed in Windsor without registering the car in Canada?


I don't think you have to be a Canadian citizen, and you don't have to register it in Canada to store it.


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## kismetcapitan (Nov 25, 2005)

black bnr32 said:


> I don't think you have to be a Canadian citizen, and you don't have to register it in Canada to store it.


I think I'm going to look into that; Windsor is so easy to get to from my family home. I grew up so close to the Canadian border that when I was a kid, Canadian coins were used interchangeably with American coins.


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## Asphalt Jet (Oct 20, 2008)

NSX Type R


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## NISFAN (Oct 11, 2003)

Forget the EVO VIII, Subaru STi with 2.5 Cosworth engine and New Borg Warner/Coswroth twin scroll.


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## godzirra (Sep 16, 2009)

LS7 Corvette


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## .::TopSky::. (Nov 4, 2010)

kismetcapitan said:


> absolutely not. Unless I cut the car in half and the weld it back together. And then even still, the US Customs service has been targeting and raiding Skyline owners in the States - *specifically* the Skyline. They seize the cars and without a good lawyer, the car ends up crushed. And to get it registered, I have to show import documentation showing that it *entered* the country in 2016. Stupid US import rules - they should allow one personal car if you can demonstrate you have owned the car as your main car when living abroad...like most countries do.


They are verry strict when it comes to Japanese cars, in some states you can get prison for watching streetracing or having another engine than stock in your car. Skyline GTR is known in some countrys as the ultimate streetracing car that is unbeatable.


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## GTR-guy (Feb 13, 2006)

Pontiac GTO


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## .::TopSky::. (Nov 4, 2010)

Thinking of Fast Five made me think of Charger so how about a Charger?


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