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Golfboy666GTI

Importing a E30 M3

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It was 1st registered in October 87 (built Jan 87)

To register a 20 year old car its done by the date it is 1st registered (in this case Oct 87 in Japan) and it has to be landed in NZ after it is 20 years old, therefore I couldnt register it without exporting it and then reimporting it after Oct 07.

Think you can import them just not put them on the road till then. Would give you the chance to do it up and get it fully loaded for road use :-)

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Think you can import them just not put them on the road till then. Would give you the chance to do it up and get it fully loaded for road use :-)

Nope, the car has to be landed 20 years of age from its date of 1st registation to be registered here in NZ.

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Nope, the car has to be landed 20 years of age from its date of 1st registation to be registered here in NZ.

Correct!

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Correct!

But you can buy them from someone who has already imported them (like twrracing) but not registered for the road, then when the magic 20years is up you can register it for road use?

confusing eh

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But you can buy them from someone who has already imported them (like twrracing) but not registered for the road, then when the magic 20years is up you can register it for road use?

confusing eh

I don't think it works like that, it must be 20 years old from when it was first registered when it comes into NZ, regardless of who brings it in, and sells it to who etc. You can re-export it if it is a bit "young" then bring it back in, but this is obviously a bit expensive to do.

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Just to bring somthing to everyones attention.

It is not the date of manufacture, it is the date first registered in Japan that they look at.

So searching by model year could shoot you in the nuts.

This information is not pulled from the net, but as advised by the guys at TWR Racing, its the reason for the 2 Black M3s they have/had going cheap for a while. 20yrs Old, but registered in Japan only 16 years ago. Now thats a screwed pooch.

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This information is not pulled from the net, but as advised by the guys at TWR Racing, its the reason for the 2 Black M3s they have/had going cheap for a while. 20yrs Old, but registered in Japan only 16 years ago. Now thats a screwed pooch.

Or a cheap base for an M3 race car! cup half full etc. etc.

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Who'd bust you if you just put your 325i plates on it?

Lazy WOF places wouldnt check would they?

ANd its just a m3 kit right? lol!

Even if you did get caught, the fine wouldn be that harsh would it?

Oh, i suppose the biggest problem would be no insurance tho.

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Who'd bust you if you just put your 325i plates on it?

Lazy WOF places wouldnt check would they?

ANd its just a m3 kit right? lol!

Even if you did get caught, the fine wouldn be that harsh would it?

Oh, i suppose the biggest problem would be no insurance tho.

yeah .. wouldnt want to get nailed for car conversion ... its not a nice one to have on your record / do time for

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Nah the fine would be OK - its the prison time for fraud I'd be worried about. think I'm joking????

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I don't think it works like that, it must be 20 years old from when it was first registered when it comes into NZ, regardless of who brings it in, and sells it to who etc. You can re-export it if it is a bit "young" then bring it back in, but this is obviously a bit expensive to do.

Send it to Fiji and then re-import it = $700

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Firstly - there is a single RHD (original from factory) M3 that was the Australian show car. Then worked out demand was not high enough to manufacture in RHD, so if you wanted one, it had to be LHD.

Secondly - not all RHD conversions have been done by Birds. Graeme Clyde (GAC) has done two conversions I know of (my M3 Evo I, and an Evo III - Sport if you will). Took me about a year to have converted and get street legal (back in 2001). A lot of effort, but well worth it.

My advice, spend as much money up front as possible. Otherwise, you'll be spending twice as much on whatever you buy.

$50k, and you can drive away in my M3 tomorrow.

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Firstly - there is a single RHD (original from factory) M3 that was the Australian show car. Then worked out demand was not high enough to manufacture in RHD, so if you wanted one, it had to be LHD.

Although there is a black one in NZ that has always been touted as being "genuine factory RHD," I think you will find it was bought by BMW Motorsport Australia (Frank Gardner) as a LHD, then converted into a RHD car over there. A top notch job, but not factory.

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$50k, and you can drive away in my M3 tomorrow.

Tell us more...is that the EVO1 or EVO Sport ( III) ?

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do what rowdy toyota boys do, angle grind vins from both cars over, and drive the m3 as a "ghost" car, real dodgey but youd be sweet haha

Edited by nz320i

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Tell us more...is that the EVO1 or EVO Sport ( III) ?

It is an Evo I (confirmedby VIN) but has Evo II specs (i.e. around 220 bhp, etc). Group N racing suspension (from memory) and all the bells and whistles (i.e. custom manifold / extractors built, alarm, stereo, ... lacking sunroof). All papered up so you can actually drive it away (as opposed to trailer trash). If anyone is interested (beyond tire kicking) call Graeme Clyde at GAC and he will talk you through the car as he has known it as long as me, and has done all the work on it (incl. RHD conversion).

The Evo III is now in Australia, I think. If only I'd had more money back in 2001!

Cheers,

J

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just out of interest, other than the 20 year rule, how new does a car have to be, how many years old etc?

Honestly Sparkle...how many opinions do you think you'll get on here ?!?!

Do yourself a favour and hit this

Perhaps we should do a sticky on importing a car and just have a link to the LTSA site. It would save alot of hassle with everyone having a different opinion on what can and cant be done.

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Honestly Sparkle...how many opinions do you think you'll get on here ?!?!

Do yourself a favour and hit this

Perhaps we should do a sticky on importing a car and just have a link to the LTSA site. It would save alot of hassle with everyone having a different opinion on what can and cant be done.

care to do a write up ? .. If so ill sticky it ...

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care to do a write up ? .. If so ill sticky it ...

Whilst Ive imported a car I certainly dont think I know everything there is to know about it (e38's maybe but not e30 m3's!).

I honestly think its best if we just tell everyone to visit the LTSA site and go from there. It was my starting point and it really is very good on details about what you can and cant do.

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Agree with Martyn. The best way to do it is 'feel' your way through the process yourself. I did this for my E30 M3 about six years ago. As a lawyer, it was one of the toughest 'paperwork' exercises I have ever had to do in life. I promised myself I'd never do it again.

Still, if you are up for it, do your own research - otherwise someone else's 'advice' could lead to the most costly mistake you make in a few years. E30 M3s don't make great pieces of art for the wall!

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