2016 Imports

[roadsternut]

2016 is the first year that "interesting" Eunos Roadsters can be imported.

J-Limited




M2-1001



Also, the 1991 UK spec Le Mans BBR Turbo can be imported

[— Madaboutmx5s —]

It will be interesting to see if the Japanese car auction market for the eunos roadster is changed by this dynamic. I still look through the roadsters for sale in Japan at the auctions but have not bid on anything in ages and last won a silver pitcrew around 18 months ago.

[vindi49]

I'm guessing not much will change ... can't see many cars heading to the states because of them being RHD

Russell

[Airbrush1]

I'd very much like an imported Na over here in the states for shits and giggles, but I feel like all the importers are going to price gouge them as badly as s13 Silvias and r32's. I'm not paying $10k for an Na just because it's rhd.

[roadsternut]

You might think that, but even before 25 years had passed, low numbers of Eunos Roadsters were turning up in the US. North of the border, Canada has a 15 year rule, and its estimated there are over 75,000 RHD cars there; practically all of them will be JDM imports.

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/buying-a-r...sure-1.2464404

The story sounds rather similar to the insurance scam being run in the UK 10 years ago....

I can't see ordinary roadsters being of interest, but the unobtanium specials? Early US cars, if in good order, seem to sell for $3-4000; £2000+. In the UK, MOTable Mk1s make £1000. There's much less sticker shock if someone is selling a very good mk1 Miata for 5 figures; in the UK, its nigh on impossible to get more than £10k for any Mk1, even ultra low miles concours. A recent concours winning car, used by Mazda in its ND literature, was sold for £10k through the MX5OC, but struggled to get to £8k when it returned to the market. Importers in the UK have shown little interest in importing the properly rare Mk1s (M2 etc), unless a bad example ends up in the UK by mistake, because they know there is no money in them (looks like current importers are working on a 100% markup principle). US buyers might have a different view of a $12k M2-1001 though, let alone nice Pitcrews et al.

When UK buyers first started bidding on Roadsters in 96-97, apparently there was an inflationary effect that impacted NZ buyers (they had to pay more for their cars). At the time, the values of MX5s in the UK was being sustained by limited supply through Mazda dealers (very difficult back then to buy a used MX5 except through a Mazda dealer).

[Flyin 92]

I'd very much like an imported Na over here in the states for shits and giggles, but I feel like all the importers are going to price gouge them as badly as s13 Silvias and r32's. I'm not paying $10k for an Na just because it's rhd.

This. I'll probably buy one from Canada and trailer it down. It'll save a few grand on shipping/import fees from the holy land. Hell, I found a 1997 R33 GTR (might have been a V-spec) for sale for $13,000 CDN. Seller claimed it was in good shape, but who knows. I had a few military friends who bought them in Japan for about the same price.

[speedypenguin]

Oh man, having a real M2-1001 in the states would be fantastic.

[Corifto]

I would love a RHD 4 door for a daily.

[Flyin 92]

I would love a RHD 4 door for a daily.

I have my heart set on a 98-99 Lan Evo V GSR. Loved that car ever since GT2.

My buddy in the AF had an Evo IV and it was soooooooo sweet.

[— fwdtamiya —]

[Flyin 92]

I would do a LOT of this if I had a Cappuccino

[Corifto]

Specifically, aside from a sedan, I really want a clean 98 180sx. Just to fuck with the bois

[Paul B]

I would just want a RHD Miata for the hell of it. Maybe working for Customs will help

[— Madaboutmx5s —]

You might think that, but even before 25 years had passed, low numbers of Eunos Roadsters were turning up in the US. North of the border, Canada has a 15 year rule, and its estimated there are over 75,000 RHD cars there; practically all of them will be JDM imports.

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/buying-a-r...sure-1.2464404

The story sounds rather similar to the insurance scam being run in the UK 10 years ago....

I can't see ordinary roadsters being of interest, but the unobtanium specials? Early US cars, if in good order, seem to sell for $3-4000; £2000+. In the UK, MOTable Mk1s make £1000. There's much less sticker shock if someone is selling a very good mk1 Miata for 5 figures; in the UK, its nigh on impossible to get more than £10k for any Mk1, even ultra low miles concours. A recent concours winning car, used by Mazda in its ND literature, was sold for £10k through the MX5OC, but struggled to get to £8k when it returned to the market. Importers in the UK have shown little interest in importing the properly rare Mk1s (M2 etc), unless a bad example ends up in the UK by mistake, because they know there is no money in them (looks like current importers are working on a 100% markup principle). US buyers might have a different view of a $12k M2-1001 though, let alone nice Pitcrews et al.

When UK buyers first started bidding on Roadsters in 96-97, apparently there was an inflationary effect that impacted NZ buyers (they had to pay more for their cars). At the time, the values of MX5s in the UK was being sustained by limited supply through Mazda dealers (very difficult back then to buy a used MX5 except through a Mazda dealer).

Yeah kind of what I was thinking and how it might change buying patterns for good cars in Japan.

[vindi49]

I think you'd be surprised just how many £8-10k Mk1s are being sold at the moment. A friend of mine imports them and he's struggling to find enough cars to keep the potential buyers happy. These aren't rare cars either, just normal spec cars in good condition and low to medium miles. There is already a lot of competition for normal cars because in the UK our cars rust away badly so getting a Jap car is almost the only way to guarantee a really clean car.

I think the story about the OC show car is incorrect, assuming it's the same red car. I know the car, the price it sold for and the current owner ... if it's the same one your numbers are way off.

My thinking is a few rare / collectable cars will go to the US but it won't affect the prices much, if at all. The cars I can see being affected are the ones that were never available in the US

Russell