Hello: from Japan

[weslmac]

New to the forum interested in all things Z related. Recently moved to Japan sold the Camaro and purchased the Z car. The car is currently being shipped here and will not arrive until October. It will be very interesting driving a US spec car over here. I dont post a lot but enjoy reading posts and seeing what you all are doing to your cars. I hope to post some pics once I learn my way around. I am aready planning a trip to Mt. Fuji as soon as the car arives.

Wes

[RandyD]

Congrats Wes - looking forward to some Fuji backdrop pics...

[birdmanx1]

Congrats Wes, looking forward to seeing what parts you'll get to the car being out there in Japan. I'm envious of your situation

Originally Posted by RandyD

Congrats Wes - looking forward to some Fuji backdrop pics...

x2 those would be great to see.

[weslmac]

Thanks, just passed the driving test and going to pick up the Nissan Cube in the morning will be first time driving on the left should be interesting. Because Americans are required to carry liability insurance here if you get in a wreck you will pay. Hopefully, I will get used to the road befor the Z arrives.

[Lemers]

You should have saved your money and bought a cheaper skyline R32 or 33. You might have even found a GTR.

[Zaggeron]

Congrats on the car and move. In for Mt. Fuji pics

[Dustin@Z1]

Congrats on the move! We recently visited Japan as a shop last November.

If you ever get a chance, go stop by our friends shop in Northern Japan @ Ultimate Z Motoring Pro Shop. Ultimate Z

Tetsui is an excellent guy and has a real passion for Z's. Might want to hook up with his Z Car club as well. They are VERY active in Z community and work direct with Mr. K himself quite often.

Post up pics soon! I can not wait to go back.

[weslmac]

Lemers, in my short time here I have seen so many Skylines but honestly having a hard time with the looks of the car and age, millage and so on. A bone stock Skyline is very expensive here. If the argument is power I can think of many cars I would rather invest in. The Skyline here is like the Corvette in the US and Parts, and labor rates from the local shops reflect that. I grew up watching the 260, 280, 300, 350 and now the 370. Now if I could purchase a Skyline R34 and sucessfully ship it home that would be nice but from what I have been told thats not going to happen. I am currently in Army Lodging and in the parking lot sits a new Dodge Chalenger that the owner can not get registered here. That is the reason I decided to bring a Z Car. I will be here for 5 years or more so I am not going to say that a GTR is not in my future but you have to know the MAX speed you can drive 95% of the time is 40km/h. I dont know if I want 600hp in these driving conditions. One more thing if you are looking for a bargin do not come to Japan everything is more expensive here. Current exchange rates are 75yen to 1 US Dollar.

Dustin, I will definetly look up Ultimate Z. I have been told there is a local shop that specializes in Z's as well. Ray's Engineering offers wheel repair and color options for the factory wheels thinking of changing the color. Once I get comfertable with the area and a GPS I will definetly check into the Z Club they say that is the best way to get track time. I was told that 1 hour of track time will cost $240.00 as a club member.

[Lemers]

Don't get me wrong I was in Japan from 2000 to 2004. I know somethings about the cars there.

1. The Army will import an Amwrican spec car to Japan, but you will pay around $3000 (2000 cost) to bring it to Japanese specs. Glass and emissions was what I was told. Then you will pay $3000 again when you bring it home. Not sure about you but adding $6000 to the cost of a Z just to have it in Japan isn't worth it. Also, you will need to find someone to loan you the money and let you take the car out of the states.

2. Due to JCI there is a huge used car market that caters to Soldiers. You will find inexpensive Japanese spec cars including skylines and superas.

3. thanks to motorex bringing home any J-spec car will be very difficult

4. The challenger was most likely bought through the exchange and j-spec ready (he will still need to convert it back to American specs when he leaves.

5. I can't speek to parts and labor but I do know thanks to JCI the Japanese are forced to keep their cars well maintained.

6. When else will you ever have the opportunity to own a skyline?

[kosstick]

Originally Posted by Lemers

6. When else will you ever have the opportunity to own a skyline?

370GT SKYLINE BROOOOOO lol

[Lemers]

Ask anyone if they consider the 370GT a true skyline.

[Dustin@Z1]

Originally Posted by weslmac

Dustin, I will definetly look up Ultimate Z. I have been told there is a local shop that specializes in Z's as well. Ray's Engineering offers wheel repair and color options for the factory wheels thinking of changing the color. Once I get comfertable with the area and a GPS I will definetly check into the Z Club they say that is the best way to get track time. I was told that 1 hour of track time will cost $240.00 as a club member.

I will keep you posted. There is usually a group from the United States that goes over there once a year with "Mad Mike" Taylor. They plan the trips around large Z events that take place. I think that they are working on some cool stuff for the 2012.

[weslmac]

Lemer, just having a friendly conversation no hard feelings just shareing what I have experienced since I have been here. Apreciate your thoughts as you have spent more time here then I have.

As you know I just made a 35 mile trip and it took 2 hours each way. Speed is not an option here. I am used to open roads with no crazy scooter screaming past me on the left and right side at the same time spliting lanes. Liability here is crazy.

Originally Posted by Lemers

Don't get me wrong I was in Japan from 2000 to 2004. I know somethings about the cars there.

1. The Army will import an Amwrican spec car to Japan, but you will pay around $3000 (2000 cost) to bring it to Japanese specs. Glass and emissions was what I was told. Then you will pay $3000 again when you bring it home. Not sure about you but adding $6000 to the cost of a Z just to have it in Japan isn't worth it. Also, you will need to find someone to loan you the money and let you take the car out of the states.

First, I am a civilian employee and I agree that I will be paying close to $3,000to register the Z here but no mods (glass or exhaust changes) will be required as the car meets Japan requirements for registration. The reason for the costs is the size of the motor. I will let you know the total cost once the car arrives. I bought the car used with 18,000 miles and did not pay anyway near sticker price. I traded a 2011 Lincoln MKT for the car as the Lincoln is way to large to drive over here. At the time I traded the Lincoln for the Z used cars were bringing top dollar and I actually made a positive trade on the Z which was less than 29k. The car is on a ship and will arrive October 13th so no issues with the lender releasing the vehicle. There is no cost in return shipping a POV as the Government will pay to ship a POV back when my tour is over. The POV I ship back does not have to be what I brought over here so a Skyline is a option however, I just looked at the R35 GT-R's and they are selling in the 60k range and up and that I am not willing to pay. But it is way to eairly to say what I will be bringing back. My intentions were to install a twin-turbo on the Z while I am here and get the brake and oil problems resolved.

2. Due to JCI there is a huge used car market that caters to Soldiers. You will find inexpensive Japanese spec cars including skylines and superas.

3. thanks to motorex bringing home any J-spec car will be very difficult

4. The challenger was most likely bought through the exchange and j-spec ready (he will still need to convert it back to American specs when he leaves.

The Challenger was brought over from Germany the reason he cannot register the car is due to lighting and no side turn signals. You have to install aftermarket turn signals. I am sure there are other issues I am not aware of. This is why I didnt bring a US car here. The Z will feel right at home here.

5. I can't speek to parts and labor but I do know thanks to JCI the Japanese are forced to keep their cars well maintained.

Parts and labor are just the same as the states not the same for every vehicle. I dont know about the Z but I was refering to a car like a used Skyline that is modofied that is over 10 years old.

6. When else will you ever have the opportunity to own a skyline?

When else will I have a US spec Z in Japan. Owning a Skyline here is like owning a Mustang in the states.

Want to talk crazy my Harley will cost $5,000 to register here. The 1690cc motor is larger then most cars here....lol


Dustin: Please do I would be very interested in going to a Z event over here. I need to learn how to post pictures. I took some for Lemer of some Skylines on post here. I believe I was passed by a R35 GT-R today followed by a SILVIA(sp)?

[Anthony@PM]

Good luck across the pond but if I were in your shoes there is noooooo wayyyy in hell i would bring a US car to Japan. I would deff find myself a Skyline or Silvia, or a RHD Supra as soon as my plane landed haha. No matter how common they are over there, they are NOT common over here and you would be able to come home saying you personally owned one, where as a Japanese guy may come here and buy a Mustang because its not something he would easily be able to attain back home.

And although you may not be able to get on the gas 95% of the time, when that 5% does come around and your still in a 300hp car you're gonna wish you had that extra 300hp to take full advantage of that small 5% . I would anyways

(please dont take anything I said as disrespect as I mean nothing bad or negative in anyway)

[weslmac]

Anthony,

Dont get me wrong I have never been oposed to the Skyline I have 3 to 5 years here before I have to leave there is nothing saying that I cannot ship a car home. You need to know that I have always owned Muscle cars in the past so I am new to this whole import scene. Dont laugh but I didnt even know the Skyline excisted before arriving here in Japan. In the states I prefer the Camaro, Chevelles, Vetts and Vipers. I bought the Z off a trade on a vehicle that I didnt have time to sell on my own and I wasnt going to just give it away. I suppose if Skylines were available in the states I would have bought one. Didnt want to bring a vette or camaro over here and the Z justed sounded right and I have always wanted one. The cool thing here is that you dont see many Z cars here they are just not practical the Skyline from what I can tell has a back seat. Some of the locals I have met here are excited to see a US spec Z car. I have not checked but they keep saying that the US Spec Z has a larger motor? Dont know havent had time to research it. Its kinda like the US folks want the Japan Spec parts and the people here want the US spec parts. I did go to a auto parts store today and they love blinking lights and have created about everything you could think of to put in a car. Will take some pics and post them when I learn how.