NOT SO Duty Free Trueno

[Hama86]

Hello.

Don't be mislead by the thread title. I bought the car with taxes in Japan. But I attempt to import it to Germany duty-free. Normal imports would have import and consumption taxes, a whopping 29%. I can save those because of 3 conditions:

1. I lived in Japan for at least 1 year
2. I have the car registered under my name in Japan for at least 6 months
3. I will not sell, rent, gift or borrow the car for a whole year afterwards
   

Details:

• 1986 Sprinter Trueno 3dr
• 205.000km (1st engine)
• 140.000km (2nd engine)
• TE37's + Intra spare
• TRD LSD
• (more details later)
  

I am still in Japan and enjoying the car on some days. The other days... Either I have no time, or my car is not running. I had a difficult start. I bought the car, but delivery of the car took 3 months. On its 3 day, I had a head gasket blow, together with insurance and road service problems along the way. The engine had to be replaced. The day on the redelivery the coolant temp sensor cable broke off. The next day my driver side tweeter fell off and got crushed in my door, something with my clutch or transmission and a parasitic draw.

For 2 days I tried to find the draw but the multimeter was displaying a good value. While trying to pull one of the interior fuses, I touched the brake pedal which triggered the switch. Basically the brake pedal has a play, and sometimes the pedal triggers the brake light. This was draining my battery in the morning.

You can follow me on social media (see signature)

My car posing next to a nice replica:
   

My car in front of Nissan Engine Museum:
   

The day I broke the small door speaker (tweeter?):
   

[banpei]

I see you are having fun with the hachi! Nissan engine museum and the Daikoku Futo parkinglot!

That would be a very nice deal if you can get it duty free into Germany.
If the German law would forbid your duty free in the end, importing it into the Netherlands first would be an option. It gives you the low VAT tax rate of 6% on oldtimers, however this tax rate will go up to 9% from the 1st of January 2019 onwards. The tax ruling in the EU is that if anywhere VAT has been paid, they can't charge it a second time. It would however require you to get it legally registered in the Netherlands first.

[Bean]

Switzerland has the same rule and while the movers took ages to clear the paperwork I din't pay a dime of tax on my LS in Switzerland.

[AlexKTM]

woha, living the dream! would be the same in spain, i guess it has something to do with european car import sh*t

Enjoy that experience, sounds awesome
if you made a youtube channel as noriyaro, id totally follow that!

[Hama86]

Thank you very much everyone. A friend and I tried to investigate the transmission noises so we took it apart. It looked all fine. But I was working in the dark and closed my hood. Yeah, I broke my fuse box cover. Also I have a chipped windscreen which I should repair before shipping back.

@banpei: The new import rules in the Netherlands is new to me. That sounds bad. I'm glad it is 2019, so if I have a problem with my initial plan, I can still think about going the NL route.

@Bean: And yeah, this import rule may be a EU thing.

@AlexKTM: Believe me, cars in Japan are so cool, but owning and driving? Not so much. My intern salary is really small, so in the end it was a decision between owning the car and traveling and seeing Japan. Parking lot, insurance, toll roads...

[Hama86]

Hello, long time no update.

I am enjoying my car now. 2 weeks ago I participated in a Gymkhana practice event and the car survived 1st gear dynamic driving. Really easy to go side ways, though as a noob, I could only do one good long drift. The handbrake seems a bit weak, no bite. Next Gymkhana event is the following Sunday.

As for the transportation, I got a proforma for a RORO transport from Yokohama to Bremerhaven. It is, with the current Yen course, a 1000€ deal including documents, translations, export company and transport. An importer gave me also some hopes for the first days of the car on arrival, around 157€ (though I think it will triple).

The bad part however is the car itself.

• The windshield is weak. A lot more chips appeared already in a matter of months.
• The only lights with e-marks are the once for the license plate illumination. Front once all need e-marked light assemblies and bulbs for registration. Luckily, pre-1991 cars do not need rear fog lights.
• German laws s*ck! My TE37's and any aftermarket suspension parts are illegal. Therefore I have a few options. I could import my car with the TE37's but use them for motorsports in Germany (races on closed tracks allowed) OR I sell them in Japan, and use the cash for stock wheels, transport and modifications later.
• My car came with tinted windows on the rear, but they are probably older than I am and were faded. They were so bad it took my buddy and me the whole day to remove the rear window alone, with a heat gun. I can now see and recognize cars and structures . The rear side windows will be done on Saturday.
  

I bought a magazine with illustrations about the different AE86 models. As far as I can see, there are 2 stock wheel options for the Kouki models.


(top left and middle right are labeled as Kouki wheels)

The 13 inch stock aluminium or the 14 inch optional Intra's. Are these wheels readily available in Europe? I saw a few Intra's on eBay, even cheaper than the usual prices in Japan (those wheels are made in West Germany ). Though my car dealer has the stock 13 inch's around for very cheap, maybe I should get those. Any thoughts on availability for stock wheels in Europe?

I also got more information about my replacement engine. The donor car was a 2 owner car, maintained by Carland since 29.000 km on the clock and at the time of the transplant had 132.000 km.

Sadly, no official documents to proof this.

That is it so far. I will keep you updated.

[zenki]

Keep te37, get a cheapo set for inspection. That’s how everyone does it.

[Bean]

Have you tried a distributor or reseller of work wheels in Germany, they ought to be able and supply you with a TUV paper for some fee

Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

[banpei]

(03-16-2018 06:05 PM)Bean Wrote:  Have you tried a distributor or reseller of work wheels in Germany, they ought to be able and supply you with a TUV paper for some fee

Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

I was thinking in the same lines:
http://work-wheels.eu/index.php?id=151

Also if necessary, I have a set of OEM wheels that I was planning to fix up: they are the bottom right ones in 14 inch and (I thought) 6J. As things are going now I won't be doing anything with them soon, so if you needed you could either borrow them to pass TUV or take them of the same price as I paid for them.

[d3nso]

I also could loan you some atiwe wheels.