Total import costs if the exporter only pays freight?

[Clead]

Hi guys, sorry this not regarding a Cruiser, but it is the international JDM Alliance . I'm very close to wiring funds over for a Pajero which is in amazing shape, but the seller (a dealer) is including just the can freight and insurance in his price. Could I get a total of other miscellaneous costs from someone who has brought their own unit over? The actual selling price is under $2000 , so duty and taxes shouldn't be much, but I need to budget for port fees, average BC inspection costs etc. I live in the Vancouver area, so I'll be able to handle most of the issues personally. I dumped Terra2 like a hot potato, and will not be paying any broker fees on this one . Feb '92 5dr with Warn winch, air shocks, snorkel, 61K documented. Wooohoo!
Thanks,
Duncan

 

[Psilosin]

Don't leap before looking of you can be in for a surprise. The costs on this side of the pond are fairly significant.

Getting your car off the docks:

Using a customs broker (I have used A&A and ABC) on this end, the total fees are in the $1000 range for RORO (includes duties, tax, form fees, washing etc etc etc) and $1500 for container (like RORO + destuffing and temp storage).

This link will provide all the DIY steps for RORO if you don't want to use a customs broker (well worth the extra few hundred imo):

http://forums.gtrcanada.com/viewtopic.php?t=1643

Compliance:

Plan to spend around $200 to $1000 to make your vehicle comply to BC standards assuming no mechanical work needs doing and you are doing the mods yourself. Headlioghts will be your biggest cost as it looks like the headlights on a Paj of that year are not generic so you will either have to get some NA equivalents off a Montero. Plan on getting new ones ($$$) from the dealer since the odds of finding used in BC is pretty slim. Ebay will be your best bet for used from the USA. Hopefully the glass is AS stamped on a Paj (most likely is) or plan another $1000-2000+ to replace all that. Then there are all the other stuff you have to do like DRLs etc etc that is a seperate topic in itself. If mechanical work is needed then of course more costs and more delay.

Inspection:

Apply for BC vIN tages ($25) then wait for them to arrive at inspection station. Inspections are around $80-150. Tip: Make sure you have good documentation on the vehicle as all the places I have gone will not accept specs from the NA equivalents, in this case a Montero, unless you can back up that part numbers are identical. So for example, if they are checking your brakes and the rotors don't have the min thickness stamped on them and you don't have the docs to give those specs...fail.

Registration:
Pay PST on the purchase price at this point.

Immediate Maintanance:
Plan on a few hundred for some immediate maintanance like oil/filter/coolant etc etc that should be done asap before puting too many Km's on your new ride.

Hope that helps. Still a good deal importing your own but your end cost will be nowhere near the original $2000FOB. Nice looking Paj btw. How much is your shipping cost quoted at? And is it container or RORO?

 

[Clead]

Hi Psilosin. Thanks for the info. His price is 720,000¥ shipped and insured, which could put it out of my price range of around $8000CDN plated based on $1500+ for dock-side fees. It would best be categorized as a personal sale. The story is that he hand-picked the unit for himself for in-Canada use, and then made himself a permanent Japanese resident, so he's stored it for 2 years undriven. It's not listed in his dealer stock, and it is truly a beautiful unit, so I have no reason to doubt any part of that.
Headlights shouldn't be a problem. I have lots of time. It wouldn't be shipping until mid-February for a March landing, and I've seen them on Ebay and through the US used-parts search engines for about $100/pr. DRL setup I can get from the Mitsu Diesel (and unofficial JDM page) at 4x4wire from Phil and friends.

 

[canucksafari]

Nice looking truck. I have never imported myself so can't advise on that. However, I can advise as Psilosin has done that you need to have $$$ set aside for repairs and maintenece catch-up. I had set aside $1000 on mine which was good until my injector pump started weeping. If you can do the work yourself then you might be able to make for under $1000. It helps if you have maintenance records to verify when and how many kms the previous maintenance and repair work was done. Here is a list just for starters: F & R difs fluids, tranny fluid, TC fluid, all belts (including timing belt), all coolant hoses, coolant flush, new thermostat, valve gap setting, probably new brake pads, Shocks, springs, steering components, clutch (if standard), injector pump (IP)seals (if not viton type seals in the pump), etc. The Delicas are starting to report more IP seal failures. You don't have to do the IP seals right away. But you are proabbly going to have to get them done. Sometimes they just start weeping and other times they just start to piss out when they go. If you get your IP rebuilt I recommend you avoid Valley Fuel Injection and go with NW Fuel Injection.

As you know, the Pajero is essentially the same as a Montero, except it has a 2.5 L diesel. In my humble opinion, I think it is a bit on the small side for a truck of that weight, especially if you plan to tow anything. However, if you don't push it hard and keep an eye on your temps, you should be okay. Anyhow, as it is essentially the same Montero, many of the parts (except the engine related ones) can be had from local part shops. There is also a lot of cross over to the Delica - mainly drivetrain. Considering the number of these Vans now in Canada - especially BC - getting the drive train parts should not be too hard. Check out this forum for more info and links: http://delica.ca/forum/index.php

Good luck and Cheers

 

[Clead]

Hi Canucksafari, I have no plans for towing, just light off-roading with the wife and daughter. We'd like to see the Ghost town area in eastern BC for example. You know, road-deactivations and such. Other than that, it'll be a daily driver for work and groceries, Whistler trips, etc. I've driven a few, and they seem able enough around town. Not fast by any means, but enough torque to get through an intersection pretty quickly . Are you, or were you in Richmond by chance last week? I saw a neat Safari turning left from southbound Gilbert onto eastbound Westminster around lunchtime Thursday or Friday. I've never seen one actually on the road here!
I figured on the IP going in the near future, but the seller said nothing about any leaks currently, and he was personally recommended by another JDM user in Alberta. It would truly suck if the timing belt needed doing immediately. It's a little beyond what I can comfortably do, and the local JDM shop wants $1200 installed with new pulleys and w/pump.

 

[canucksafari]

I would try to get him to verify when it was done. I am not sure at how many kms the belt has to be done. If it has been done, the Japanese shops generally put a sticker on the timing belt cover or somewhere in the engine bay. It should have the date and kms stated when it was done.

I recommend that you get yourself some tools and a shop manual. The English ones can be had from Australia, New Zealand or the UK. I got mine off of Amazon.com from the US. Weird eh? The Patrols were never sold in the US or Canada after the 1960s. Also, check out Milner Off Road for the manual and Pajero parts: http://www.milneroffroad.com/Pajero.htm. They have parts for a lot of JDMs and I have heard that they are quite good. Just had one report that the brakes pads they sell are poor. But, you can get your pads a Lorco. In sum, if you can do the grunt work yourself and leave the real specialized work up to the mechanics, you will save yourself a lot of cash.

As for the IP leaking, there is not much you can do about it. With that few KMs, I doubt if it has been rebuilt. The additives or biodiesel are great for lubrication but they don't replace the aromatics taken out by the refining process to reduce the sulphur. It is the aromatics, in the old LSD but now pretty much gone in the ULSD, which keep your seals from drying out and cracking.

There are only two Safaris in the Lowermainland which I am aware of: mine and Greig's SWB two door Black over Silver. Mine is a long wheel base of the same color. The other one that I know of is over in Victoria. However, there could be a lot more. They just don't participate or know of the Nissan Patrol and Safari forum at Patrol4X4.com.

Cheers, John

 

[Psilosin]

The actual selling price is under $2000

He's asking 720,000¥ shipped and insured

Doesn't add up to me. At todays exchange rate thats CIF$6,975CDN. If the vehicle cost itself is less than $2000 then thats some mighty expensive shipping!!! Might want to have your guy double check his calculations. Should be around $1500-1750 for container shipping, less for RORO.

I would estimate your total AFTER maintanance, inspection and registration should be closer to that $6000-8000CDN mark.

 

[Clead]

I may have miscalculated. We've never actaully discussed a seperate price vs shipping, just a shipped price which seems fair to me. The fellow says he paid almost $6000CDN for it two years ago. Is that reasonable for a minty kitted-out Paj? I've seen some auction units going for $4000 USD +, some of the grade 4 <100K LWB units.
My bad.
Duncan

 

[Clead]

Woohoo, seller says he's cleared a RORO spot for me, sooner rather than later. Must be a benefit of having a 4000-car lot. That should drop the landing costs a little bit. Any downsides to RORO over container?