Import Miatas from Japan for sale with FFS ??

[Race Grandpa]

I found a guy that can import Miatas from Japan with around 50,000 for a cost to me of $1,800 with delivery in Seattle. He says they are in good condition and it is something about the Japanesse that makes them trade in for new Miatas. ???

I was wondering what the demand would be for a right-hand drive with FFS.

How many problems might one run into when needing parts for a right-hand drive.

The only place I know that I could sell them in is the Miata.net forum - maybe Miata Club newsletters or EBay. Either way I would need to get a good profit to cover check out of car, holding costs, storage. lots of time and many other things I have not thought about. I would not be surprised if used car dealers have a 30 - 40 percent gross profit margin (Not net profit)

What are your thoughts?????

I think it would be REAL :cool: to have one. Just think of the looks you would get from the driver next to you.

However, getting used to shifting with left hand would take a lot of time - to long for an old-fart like me.

[Kyp J]

I would be real careful getting into something like that. Lots of red tape if it is a real deal and lots of ways of getting ripped off. If you know everything there is to know about "Gray market" importing and importing in general, you might be safer.

[Race Grandpa]

I agree. I spent 20 years financing various businesses - Good, Bad and Ugly.

One of the uglier ones was a car wholesaler who started getting into the Gray market importing Mercedes. I had no idea what he was doing. He eventually ended up in jail. The good news was that he repaid my loan.:biggrin:

My son-in-law has a friend that lives in Russia. He started importing cars from Japan. However, the Russian Mafia told him to get out or the business OR else :2guns:


I would be real careful getting into something like that. Lots of red tape if it is a real deal and lots of ways of getting ripped off. If you know everything there is to know about "Gray market" importing and importing in general, you might be safer.

[Gord96BRG]

RHD versions of cars are not legal in the US just because a LHD car is - you would have to import a few and pay to have them undergo the whole federal crash certification, which would involve crash testing several cars. Then, there's the whole airbag retrofit, change out all the glass to DOT compliant parts, change the emissions controls and ECUs, add EGR, etc. to meet other safety and emissions standards. I can't see it being remotely cost effective!

[99mx5]

It sure would be nice to get one of those miata fastback models...

[Kyp J]

RHD versions of cars are not legal in the US just because a LHD car is - you would have to import a few and pay to have them undergo the whole federal crash certification, which would involve crash testing several cars. Then, there's the whole airbag retrofit, change out all the glass to DOT compliant parts, change the emissions controls and ECUs, add EGR, etc. to meet other safety and emissions standards. I can't see it being remotely cost effective!

I have seen a few RHD cars on the street. Isn't there some provision for limited personal importation (like you already owned it and are moving to US) or collectors, etc.? I specifically know of a collector of Rolls and Bentlys and some that have RHD and he drives them to work. I think he has enough collector cars that he drives something different every day (that the sun is shining).

Get a mail delivery route.

[Griff]

We get loads of Jap imports to the UK (we drive on the correct side too !)

As do NZ and Oz.

The prices are cheap but not that cheap and we don't have any conversion problems, I can see it maybe being worthwhile for parts though.

[Kyp J]

We get loads of Jap imports to the UK (we drive on the correct side too !)

As do NZ and Oz.

The prices are cheap but not that cheap and we don't have any conversion problems, I can see it maybe being worthwhile for parts though.

What is Oz? Old Zealand?

[chuckerants]

What is Oz? Old Zealand?

Australia? As in Auzzy or Oz?

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

So Australia is where Dorothy and Toto went? I thought it was closer, like Iowa?

[Elphaba]

:chinese: Its "Oztrellia" its in Arizona right next to Estrellia:rofl:

[Griff]

Yep... from Ozzy... Oz, Australia.

They like Japan, New Zealand and several old colonies still drive on the correct side !

Now for 10 points can you tell me why we drive on the left side of the road ?

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

Pay me the 10 points. I win. I win.

"Because the steering wheel is on the right."

just kidding. :)

[Kyp J]

The steering wheel is on the right because they got a good deal on old Postal carrier horseless carriages from the states when they finally started using cars in the UK?

[Gord96BRG]

Yep... from Ozzy... Oz, Australia.

They like Japan, New Zealand and several old colonies still drive on the correct side !

Now for 10 points can you tell me why we drive on the left side of the road ?

It's because most people are right-handed. Waaaaay back, in the horseback days, if you were approaching someone you didn't particularly like and wanted to draw your sword, you'd hold it in your right hand - and want your right hand to be on the side where the approaching person would be. So, you rode on the left side of the trail, with sword in right hand, ready to smite the offending person!

Wanna know why the US switched to left hand drive? Just to be different from Britain! :D

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

And when the Brits went from horses to cars, they still needed to have their right hand and sword out the right side of the car to fend off people who were mad about the flickering Lucas lights.