🔧 BUILD My Quest for an R34 Skyline GT-R V-Spec

[willizm]

Me waiting on Top Rank to give me a call back….

 

[Mook]

Try giving Driver a call.

Driver Motorsports

Premium JDM Imports, Sales, Tuning and Service. We believe in bringing in only the finest quality JDM automobiles. We do a complete inspection, fix and repair any issues that a car may have before selling. All of our cars are 100% legal with Virginia State title ready to be transferred into your...

www.drivermotorsports.com

 

[willizm]

Try giving Driver a call.

Driver Motorsports

Premium JDM Imports, Sales, Tuning and Service. We believe in bringing in only the finest quality JDM automobiles. We do a complete inspection, fix and repair any issues that a car may have before selling. All of our cars are 100% legal with Virginia State title ready to be transferred into your...

www.drivermotorsports.com

I’ll give them a call tomorrow as they are closed now

 

[willizm]

Ok so a bit of an update. I spoke to Chris who is the owner of Driver Motorsports and he gave me the particulars on how they go through the import process and work with To Rank to store cars in Japan as well. The cars I’m looking for range in the 150-180k and there are added fees for storage, import, tariffs, and so forth. I found one candidate I’d feel comfortable with but I still need to go through the process of verifying condition and even then some dealers are selective on who they sell to as some are not cool with selling for export.

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[IceCreamAssassin]

What’s the “repaired” mean?

 

[Mook]

I've read, and I forget where, that alot of Japanese shops / enthusiasts and even dealers are getting more and more pissed that alot of the clean skylines are getting shipped over here. I'd be pissed to...until I took that inflated sale price money and put it in the bank ?

 

[willizm]

I've read, and I forget where, that alot of Japanese shops / enthusiasts and even dealers are getting more and more pissed that alot of the clean skylines are getting shipped over here. I'd be pissed to...until I took that inflated sale price money and put it in the bank ?

It’s probably more so that Japanese people that want to buy one can’t because the inflated price has priced them out of reach. I don’t think the sellers care much because they are making a killing

 

[Mook]

It’s probably more so that Japanese people that want to buy one can’t because the inflated price has priced them out of reach. I don’t think the sellers care much because they are making a killing

Combo of both, absolutely.

Ya, not sure why I included dealers in that.

 

[Pro Stock John]

Sounds like a complicated way to make money.

 

[willizm]

Sounds like a complicated way to make money.

Yeah but at the end of the day I get to own a GTR and an appreciating asset. If these cars continue to appreciate imagine what the price can be when people can more readily import them after 2024. It’s not a sure bet, but likely given how the import r32’s and supras trended the last 5 years

 

[Pressure Ratio]

Not sure the past 5 years is a good trend to use as a decision-maker. Used car prices are insane. Making some cars, like the Supra and GT-R increase as well. But it's a bubble. Granted, I think the R34 will always be a top-tier collector car. Not sure I would use the values as of late in any price predictions.

The muscle car market was insane pre-2008. We saw clone 1969 COPO/Yenko/Z28 Camaro selling for almost as much as the real ones. Post-2008 bubble burst, the prices of real cars still have not reached the price levels they had pre-2008. Since 2008, the markets, Gold, Silver, and others all have WAY outperformed their values too. So most cars are not good investments. But I get the R34 isn't exactly the same as a muscle car either.

My point is, values now are way too high. I bet a correction is coming. Now, will a car that isn't available here now be worth more in 2022 and later once they can be imported? That is hard to say. I think the R34 will be one of the few cars that could stay at the top of the market. No matter where the market goes. Up or down. Just where will you be when it happens and need/want to sell it.

 

[willizm]

Not sure the past 5 years is a good trend to use as a decision-maker. Used car prices are insane. Making some cars, like the Supra and GT-R increase as well. But it's a bubble. Granted, I think the R34 will always be a top-tier collector car. Not sure I would use the values as of late in any price predictions.

The muscle car market was insane pre-2008. We saw clone 1969 COPO/Yenko/Z28 Camaro selling for almost as much as the real ones. Post-2008 bubble burst, the prices of real cars still have not reached the price levels they had pre-2008. Since 2008, the markets, Gold, Silver, and others all have WAY outperformed their values too. So most cars are not good investments. But I get the R34 isn't exactly the same as a muscle car either.

My point is, values now are way too high. I bet a correction is coming. Now, will a car that isn't available here now be worth more in 2022 and later once they can be imported? That is hard to say. I think the R34 will be one of the few cars that could stay at the top of the market. No matter where the market goes. Up or down. Just where will you be when it happens and need/want to sell it.

I look at the 60’s muscle cars as coming down on the backside of the curve as that generation dies off those cars will be more plentiful for a generation that isn’t all that interested. 90’s cars to me are still ahead of that desirability curve. I guess the way I see it is that the r34 GTR in vspec trim is never going to be less than it is now. It may plateau for a few years but they aren’t going to drop like people think they are. People thought $50k supras were ridiculous but with limited numbers and high desirability it makes sense why these cars are trading over 70-80k for even high mileage 6 speed cars and much higher for lower mileage ones. Add in that the GTR has arguably just as high desirability with even more limited legal imports available in the country and it’s going to be 300-400k potentially. Maybe not, but you won’t see them sell for less than $150 for legally imported vspec come 2024

 

[Pressure Ratio]

But you won't have one imported for $150K either. You are looking at the blue one at $180K. Add taxes, fees, duty, shipping, storage, and so on. Where does that put you?

I agree the R34 is a better buy if you are trying to beat the curve pre legal import date. But I still think all cars are in a bubble and it will correct. What will happen to the R34 is the question. Will the $150k to $180K become a $100k to $125k car in a year or two?

If you want the car to own it's one thing. As an investment, is a totally different story. People are getting wide-eyed as they see rising values like we have been seeing. Suddenly everyone wants to jump on buying cars for investments I think the R34 is a different scenario. But if/when prices of other cars fall, it will bring the values of the R34 down as well. How far will they come down is the question. Plus in 2026 when the flood gates have opened and there are more and more r34 in the country, what will that do to values?

 

[willizm]

But you won't have one imported for $150K either. You are looking at the blue one at $180K. Add taxes, fees, duty, shipping, storage, and so on. Where does that put you?

I agree the R34 is a better buy if you are trying to beat the curve pre legal import date. But I still think all cars are in a bubble and it will correct. What will happen to the R34 is the question. Will the $150k to $180K become a $100k to $125k car in a year or two?

If you want the car to own it's one thing. As an investment, is a totally different story. People are getting wide-eyed as they see rising values like we have been seeing. Suddenly everyone wants to jump on buying cars for investments I think the R34 is a different scenario. But if/when prices of other cars fall, it will bring the values of the R34 down as well. How far will they come down is the question. Plus in 2026 when the flood gates have opened and there are more and more r34 in the country, what will that do to values?

I’ve priced out a few lower miles bayside blue cars and at $180k it’s about $30k in additional costs for storage, terrifs, import fees, etc. I was talking more about the median costs of average GTR vspec cars. I’ll be paying a premium for bayside blue for sure but I doubt it’s in as much of a bubble as other cars due to its overall rarity. Again I highly doubt the car is going to be less than it is now as we approach import legal year 2024. Other cars that are legal to import right now to me are more subject to the inflated price and bubble. I can’t touch the car for another 3 years and once they become fed legal the prices will increase. May not be much, but won’t be less than what they are currently.

below is the breakdown I asked Chris from Driver to validate if I’m missing any additional costs. Trust me, I’m doing my homework here and not just looking at the purchase price of the car.


$180,000 - Sales price usd current conversion
$8,000 - Driver Fee
$4,000 - Broker fee (high end)
$10,000 - Japan indoor storage
$4,500 import tariff (currently 2.5% for $180k)
$600 - shipping to port (high end)
$1200 - shipping to USA (high end)
$1800 - Customs/import feeds (high end)
$300 - Virginia Shipping
$210,400 Total

 

[Pro Stock John]

Actually high end Muscle cars are pulling strong money right now, they are going up. I think the cars really appreciating in that space are rare and documented cars. The non-numbers, not as rare cars are not seeing the same appreciation. Seeing folks sell stuff like a numbers matching, documented, low mile 69 Z/28 for very strong money.

 

[Pro Stock John]

I'd rather put 100k in the market and spend the other 100k on car.

 

[willizm]

I'd rather put 100k in the market and spend the other 100k on car.

How about 200k into the market and 200k into a car

 

[SleeperLS]

Ok so a bit of an update. I spoke to Chris who is the owner of Driver Motorsports and he gave me the particulars on how they go through the import process and work with To Rank to store cars in Japan as well. The cars I’m looking for range in the 150-180k and there are added fees for storage, import, tariffs, and so forth. I found one candidate I’d feel comfortable with but I still need to go through the process of verifying condition and even then some dealers are selective on who they sell to as some are not cool with selling for export.

Search for used - Japanese used cars. | Goo-net Exchange

IJapanese used cars and Japan car exporters. 320,000 used car stocks. Website 'Goo-net Exchange' shall make all of customers satisfied to buy Cars from us.Search for used .

www.goo-net-exchange.com

View attachment 101176

 

[IceCreamAssassin]

Will you guys please just let this man buy this car?! Please!!

 

[Pressure Ratio]

How is he getting a car from Japan to the states for $1,200?

Currently, a 20' container is $20K and a 40' high cube is approaching $40k. That alone can show you where things can change over time. In 2019 you could ship a 40' container for like $6k. Now it's almost $40k. Imagine if when you can bring the car over and a shipping cost are what they are now or higher?

I am not against you buying an R34. I hope you do get one here. But I think it is dangerous thinking of it as an investment. Unless you look at it like any other investment, that you can lose as well.

 

[Pressure Ratio]

Actually high end Muscle cars are pulling strong money right now, they are going up. I think the cars really appreciating in that space are rare and documented cars. The non-numbers, not as rare cars are not seeing the same appreciation. Seeing folks sell stuff like a numbers matching, documented, low mile 69 Z/28 for very strong money.

ya, they are doing ok. But on average, still not at pre-2008 numbers.

Just using it as an example that he could be potentially using an inflated bubble price.

 

[Pro Stock John]

Maybe so.

 

[willizm]

How is he getting a car from Japan to the states for $1,200?

Currently, a 20' container is $20K and a 40' high cube is approaching $40k. That alone can show you where things can change over time. In 2019 you could ship a 40' container for like $6k. Now it's almost $40k. Imagine if when you can bring the car over and a shipping cost are what they are now or higher?

I am not against you buying an R34. I hope you do get one here. But I think it is dangerous thinking of it as an investment. Unless you look at it like any other investment, that you can lose as well.

Driver Motorsports was about $4000 all together in shipping and Top Rank quoted me at $5500 shipping all together including customs and transport to and from the ship. They seem to do this all the time and their prices don’t seem all that far off from each other. Maybe call them and ask how they do it. Both are reputable in this space.
I’m fully prepared if prices change as do tariffs. It’s all part of the risk.

 

[willizm]

Setup a couple searches with some of the online sales pages. There a few nicer cars out there including this higher mileage one but looking at the pics it looks well taken care of. I think i'm going to start working with TopRank Japan and/or Driver if they can find the right car as Top Rank USA primarily deals with cars here already. Cars like this I'd want it thoroughly inspected because some of the cars that come across auction with 4.5 ratings has so much rust that I'd be so worried to jump on something at auction only to find out it's a rusted hunk of crap underneath. Luckily the R34's generally were regarded higher and were more taken care of but still there are some iffy ones out there.

This one appears solid for it's miles but curious to see what it looks like underneath. It also has the Nismo gauge cluster which runs about $5k but with these kinds of cars you really need to validate the mileage was recorded properly. I don't know much about S-Tune or if that is a thing. Calling Mook

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www.carsensor.net

 

[Mook]

IIRC, the S Tune was one of the precursors to the almighty Z Tune. Had Nismo parts and made 400hp? Maybe a bit more, maybe a bit less. I dont remember. However, hese were supposed to come from the omori, which makes them big dick swingers.

But you can also just slap S parts on a standard GTR as well sooooooooo.