noob from the usa...possibly moving

[20 til 3]

figured why not say hello, new here and wanted to look at some australia honda forums to see how things are in that area, i'm from the middle of nowhere USA and possibly moving down next year and looking for some info on importing a car into the country. But what regulations do you have with importing a lhd civic? is it possible and what should i look out for, i'm thinking of wollongong, but havnt heard to much about the place yet and looking for more info on the best places to live.

here are a few pics of my car...and would it be worth importing?

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e363/drfttruk/100_0751.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e363/drfttruk/100_0761.jpg

yeah...it says south dakota lmao

btw, it has a b16a

[ICV 73C]

nice car, but i duno nothing about importing, but i'll say just come down n settle down and then u can pick one of theses coupes up when u are financially set etc... wollongong is good for fishing and has a big temple LOL

[20 til 3]

well, i hear melbourn is a pretty good place, but i love touge(place near by where i am) what would you guys reccomend? btw here are some more pics and all the parts are authentic other than the wheels lol

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/slowcivic/The%20Civic/fondernight.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/slowcivic/The%20Civic/100_0558.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/slowcivic/The%20Civic/100_0552.jpg

[d15z1SUX]

well theres lots of ek coupes in australia. but only the facelifted model comes with b16a. so if you were to buy another one its probably more costly than in the US. i think facelifted b16a coupe is at least 15k plus. so i think it would be worth importing your car. i guess its LHD so it would be different too? haha.

[Rivic]

looks sweet ;) id go for it don't really know much about the importing side of things bu prob just gottathink wots ur future with ur car? are u gonna have any trouble selling it being LHD u prob shouldn't its somethign unique about it gl with everyhing ;)

-Jase

[d15z1SUX]

u could get a RHD conversion? haha

[Q_ball]

Welcome to the forums mate :)

[.::F[L]Y::.]

welcome.

anywhere along the East coast is good. Brisbane is abit more laid back than syd and melb imo...

In regards to importing your car i reckon just sell it and come here and buy another coupe and slap in a k series. much easier and less hassles.

[jeffske]

dont bother importing the car to Australia, you will need to get it RHD converted and complianced which will cost a pretty penny. I think you should sell your car and look for another one once you settle into Australia. I assume you're moving here by yourself (theres no mention of family) depending on what you do for a living will pretty much determine where you should live (obviously you'd want to live close to work) I'm not sure how deed your pockets are but the general sydney area is pretty expensive in terms of real estate, even rental prices have increased due to lack of available properties. Wollongong is a big hole, not much to do there really (unless you like fishing and big temples LOL) Sydney is a pretty fast paced area, people can be somewhat rude (especially on the roads) and as mentioned its not a cheap place to live

if you have any further questions feel free to ask, because im sure one of the boys on here would be able to answer any questions you may have
cheers

[20 til 3]

well i would be moving with one of my friends and we were both debating on moving over and in a year possibly have the cars shipped(he has a s14 240(200sx) that is modded also.

thanks for the help though and even being on this board justifies moving over there lol

how is newcastle, my buddy is big into the drifting scene and it seems there are alot of them up in that area. we'll see as the year goes on though i guess

[.::F[L]Y::.]

if your into racing goto qld. they love racing up there...

not much of racing is done in sydney except bunch of ppl goto kks and pump up loud music or do happy laps.

[jeffske]

well i would be moving with one of my friends and we were both debating on moving over and in a year possibly have the cars shipped(he has a s14 240(200sx) that is modded also.

thanks for the help though and even being on this board justifies moving over there lol

how is newcastle, my buddy is big into the drifting scene and it seems there are alot of them up in that area. we'll see as the year goes on though i guess

Im not sure what mods you and your mate have,but when it comes to compliancing Australia is really strict on saftey and emmissions. As mentioned before, the conversion to RHD, compliancing and engineer certificate will be a big hit to your wallet. You should be able to get a decent price for your car if u sold it there and u can easily pick up another one here and obviously you'd have to work on it to get it up to your expectations. Queensland car scene is bigger then New South Wales, and the police here are nazis when it comes to street racing, burnouts and other hoon behaviour (think fine and impounding)

[Joeyboy]

gday 20_til_3! regards importing, i remember there was a thread about this sometime ago.

Here's a link u might find useful. GOOD LUCK!

http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59106&highlight=importing+car

[d15z1SUX]

why don't you both strip all the parts to your cars and bring the parts here. your friend can find a s14 easily and you can also find a ek easily too.

[20 til 3]

well we'll see now, i mean we both are going to have enough money to be saved up lol, and a k20a swapped hatch is pretty sick(buddy has one here) but i love everything about my car and it is exactly what i want, but they only go for around 7500 (AU) around here. But when we come down prior to moving we'll most likey look for a car one of the days to bum until we get more situated

[SiReal]

welcome mate!

nice car. i say, bring all your parts over :) esp the rims!

btw, what does your name mean?

[NSPYRE]

2:40 ?? haha :P

[20 til 3]

can i ask why you would want me to bring the wheels? lol

and 2:40 referers to my friends 240sx(he set the name up ) lol

:honda:

[SiReal]

hehe cos those wheels are rare in australia and everyone wants them!

[20 til 3]

the wheels are rota's lmao, there a dime a dozen in the US and are cheap as hell hahaha, but thats why i dont have centercaps right? you guys dont have rota over there? or not that common?

[SiReal]

we have rota, but that particular model are hard to come by for some reason.

rotas arent that cheap here. 15" for ~700 AUD = ~500USD?

[20 til 3]

well our 16" are roughly 500 american but they are easy to come by used, just in my town alone(140,000 people) there are 10 sets or so of them i just really like them on my car, although i use to have the te37 knock offs but sold them to a friend, there light and cheap enough to the actualy volk/gabs or whatever you would be looking for. thanks for the complements...lol i should post some of my friends rides on here...little bit more crazy than mine

[zorella]

oooooh don't import. No no. Stacks of compliances, paper work, fees, tax... you'll also pay more for insurance of course. My Accord is imported, the guy who brought it over spend thousands doing it, and had it stuck in quarantine for months. Bring everything you can, minus the car itself. Besides, the Left to Right conversion alone will suck your wallet dry.

I'm on the Gold Coast in Queensland near the QLD/NSW boarder, there is a plauge of pretty cars here. Also, we don't need to have our cars checked by the Government/law people each year like NSW. A car only needs a saftey check when it's brought/sold. But unless you work in tourism, don't bother turning up here (gc) without a job already lined up.

[20 til 3]

oooooh don't import. No no. Stacks of compliances, paper work, fees, tax... you'll also pay more for insurance of course. My Accord is imported, the guy who brought it over spend thousands doing it, and had it stuck in quarantine for months. Bring everything you can, minus the car itself. Besides, the Left to Right conversion alone will suck your wallet dry.

I'm on the Gold Coast in Queensland near the QLD/NSW boarder, there is a plauge of pretty cars here. Also, we don't need to have our cars checked by the Government/law people each year like NSW. A car only needs a saftey check when it's brought/sold. But unless you work in tourism, don't bother turning up here (gc) without a job already lined up.

I just would love to have my LHD car over there. I think what i will do is move, then buy a beater car.

What is the jobs like? Would there be any jobs that i could do and be able to afford all of my bills? I work at Wells Fargo Bank here in the states, is there any basic banking jobs that would pay rent and let me mod my car alittle?

What would be a good town to live in? I was looking at Newcastle...anyone here live there?

Sorry for all the questions guys, i just want to be prepared.

[FR33K]

depends what area you want to live in.. the suburbs you seem to be choosing are quite far out from the city (newcastle being about 2 hours)

everything revolves around the city here in Sydney..

[zorella]

It's basically the same as anywhere else in the world, City more jobs but more expensive to live there. Suburbs, less jobs, cheaper living.

Try www.seek.com.au for an idea of what jobs are available, where and how much they pay. Rent depends where you live of course. I don't know what the southern states figures are, but GC is $300 minimum these days. 5 yr ago it was $150, very depressing :(

[20 til 3]

What is considered a good wage? For example i get paid 12.50/hour in USA, and that pays my rent and bills and still gives me some extra cash for my hobbies.

[FR33K]

you will be sharing accomodation in Australia which would ease the pressure a bit but if you rent say a unit in nth sydney youll be looking at around $500 a week... the further you move away the cheaper it gets.. for example.. move out 35- 40 mins from the city (where i live) and rent is about 250-300 a week for a whole house..

cant tell you what a comfortable wage is over here.. all depends on your spendin habits :P

[[[d a n n y]]]

Welcome dude.
for bring the cars over u and your friend should not do it.
there are JDM S14's proper name 200sx's readily and easily available here.
ofcourse not same power as the jdm power house but still much easier.
as for your car dont bother just buy alot of goodies from USA and slap it on your new ride

[20 til 3]

you will be sharing accomodation in Australia which would ease the pressure a bit but if you rent say a unit in nth sydney youll be looking at around $500 a week... the further you move away the cheaper it gets.. for example.. move out 35- 40 mins from the city (where i live) and rent is about 250-300 a week for a whole house..

cant tell you what a comfortable wage is over here.. all depends on your spendin habits :P


Thanks again everyone, any additional info would be helpfull.

Does anyone know of a website i could look at to get a better idea of what rent would be.

[pepper]

found this site, give it a try

http://www.domain.com.au/?mode=rent:wave:

[Drew]

http://www.dotars.gov.au/roads/safety/bulletin/importing.aspx

In particular


5. Personal Imports - Part 8 on Application Form

Visitors, temporary residents, foreign diplomatic personnel, companies and corporations are not eligible to import a vehicle under the personal import scheme.

To be eligible for a personal import the following criteria must be satisfied:

1. the vehicle has been owned and used by the applicant for a continuous period of at least 12 months (3 months where ownership and use of the vehicle commenced before 8 May 2000);
2. at the time the vehicle is imported, the applicant is:
i. an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident; or
ii. a person who has applied to become an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident;
3. the applicant is of an age that entitles him or her to hold a licence or a permit to drive a road vehicle of that type;
4. the applicant undertakes to comply with any requirements as to road safety that are imposed in respect of the vehicle by the Administrator; and
5. the applicant has not imported a road vehicle owned by him/her within the year ending on the day on which the vehicle in respect of which the application is made is landed in Australia. If an applicant has imported a vehicle under any other provisions in that time, approval will not be granted.

The criteria outlined at (a) to (e) above are mandatory criteria as included in Regulation 13 of the Motor Vehicle Standards Regulations 1989. The criteria will be strictly enforced.

Copies of the following documents must be provided to establish ownership and use of the vehicle overseas for twelve consecutive months, or more:

* every page of your passport including all blank pages
* statement of travel. This involves supplying details of any absences from your main country of residence during the relevant qualifying period for ownership and use of the vehicle. If your travel was for business reasons you must supply a letter to that effect from your employer.
* purchase documents
* overseas registration documents in your name
* Driver's Licence

A $50 application fee must also be provided.

Applicants importing from Japan must include the following additional documents:

* Overseas registration certificate, from time of purchase, to time of deregistration, in the applicant's name
* Overseas de-registration certificate, in the applicant's name, showing the date that the vehicle was deregistered in Japan if applicable
* A parking approval in the applicant's name showing that the applicant had permission to park the vehicle
* Compulsory Tax and Insurance
* The applicant's driver's licence -international or as issued by Japanese authorities.

410 & 457 Visa holder and New Zealand Citizens

Regulation 13 of the Motor Vehicle Standards Regulations states that the applicant must be an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident or a person who has applied to become an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident. The Administrator has recognised that people travelling on 410 Visas are unable to apply for permanent Australian Residency, even though they are permitted to remain and live in Australia. The Administrator also recognises that New Zealand citizens and people travelling on a 457 Visa are unable to apply for permanent residency until they have migrated to Australia and have met certain immigration requirements. The Administrator will consider applications to import personally owned vehicles from applicants who are entering Australia under these arrangements.

Note: In these cases, all criteria other than (b) in relation to citizenship, must still be met.

Applicants from New Zealand and those travelling on a 457 "Long Stay Business Visa" will need to demonstrate their credentials as genuine migrants by way of:

* Employment details - letter from employer stating where you are working
* Rental agreement/purchase agreement for property in Australia
* Opening of Australian bank account
* Shipment of household goods
* Australian telephone/electricity accounts
* Australian tax file number
* Medicare card
* Enrolment of children in an Australian school
* Sale of property in home country
* Resignation from work in home country
* Cancellation of rental property in home country
* Entry Stamp into Australia -until you arrive in Australia your import approval is unable to be granted. (This only applies to New Zealand passport holders)

This list is a guide only, and you may be required to provide further evidence of your migration status.

Applicants travelling on a 410 "Retirement Visa" will need to demonstrate their credentials as genuine migrants by way of:

* Rental agreement/purchase agreement for property in Australia
* Opening of Australian bank account
* Shipment/quotation of household goods
* Medical Insurance for Australia
* Australian telephone/electricity accounts
* Australian tax file number
* Sale of overseas property
* Resignation from work in overseas country
* Cancellation of overseas rental property

This list is a guide only, and you may be required to provide further evidence of your migration status.

All Applicants

Further details may be requested to substantiate claims of ownership and use of the vehicle during the qualifying period.

Other documents that may be required include:

* Previous owner's deregistration certificate for the vehicle
* Vehicle insurance documents in the applicant's name
* Documents, in the applicant's name, in relation to the purchase of the vehicle, for example, cheque butts, bank statement/credit card statement, ATM withdrawal document, receipt from vendor of vehicle
* Documents, in the applicant's name, showing that the applicant paid for any maintenance or repairs to the vehicle
* The applicant's passport with exit and entry stamps that indicate when the applicant left and returned to Australia and show that the applicant was continuously with the vehicle in the overseas country for the required period
* Proof that the applicant is currently resident in Australia
* Proof that the applicant returns to Australia with the vehicle
* The applicant must produce a copy of both passports when dual passports are held
* Proof of the applicant's physical presence, continuously or intermittently, during a twelve month period in the country where the vehicle was purchased and primarily used prior to lodging an application to import the vehicle to Australia
* Evidence of the frequency, regularity and duration of visits to places outside the country where the vehicle was purchased and used
* Evidence of the maintenance by the applicant of a permanent place of abode in the overseas country during absences (eg telephone accounts, electricity bills).

Documents that are not in English must be accompanied by a translation certified by a member of an accredited agency such as the National Accreditation Authority of Translators and Interpreters.

You may be required to submit original documentation (not photocopies) to confirm eligibility under the Personal Import Scheme. If the applicant declines to submit the documents requested, the Administrator will take this into account in assessing the bona fides of the application and may, as a result, refuse to issue an import approval.

Applicants can contact the Department by phone (calling within Australia 1800 815 272 or from outside Australia 61 2 6274 7444 or by e-mail to Vimports@dotars.gov.au) for advice on acceptable authorities to witness documents in the country where the vehicle is registered and/or used. These persons would hold an authority to witness documents similar to that of a Public Notary or Justice of the Peace in Australia.

Under the Personal Import Scheme, modifications to bring the vehicle up to minimum safety standards can be deferred until you wish to register the vehicle.

For Australian registration purposes a vehicle imported under this category must:

* be roadworthy; and
* meet minimum safety standards

if you are eligible, a Personal Import Approval will be issued. The approval papers comprise four parts:

* One copy clears the vehicle from its point of entry to Australia;
* One allows you to obtain a Personal Import Plate;
* One is for the registering authority; and
* The fourth is for your own records and should be kept with the vehicle.

Personal Import Plates

A Personal Import Plate is evidence that the vehicle is an approved vehicle import and allows it to be registered.

Before applying for a Personal Import Plate, the vehicle must be brought up to acceptable ADR standards and the original import approval headed "This copy authorises the issue of a Personal Import Plate" must be completed.

Some registering authorities will inspect your vehicle and sign a statement of compliance. Others will refer you to an authorised signatory for inspection.
The statement of compliance must be signed on the appropriate three approval documents by an authorised person.

The original signed statement of compliance which is marked for the plate engraver must be sent to the plate engraver whose address is given on the Import Approval. There is an additional cost for the engraving of the Personal Import Plate.

Contact your State or Territory Registration Authority for details about how to have your vehicle inspected and the statement of authority signed. The addresses of the Registration Authorities are provided at the back of this bulletin.

[90LAN]

just move to brisbane mate cheaper living costs and the best city in oz

[Kazaf]

Newcastle is a quiet and lovely place.
It's more of a rural area, not as populated as most other area's.

For cheaper affordable rent it's probably better in the west of Sydney, but living in the west probably isn't the best place, as crime rates etc. are high.

[dc2dc2dc2]

$12.50 US ~

wow thats not much at all...

welcome man ! nice rims btw :)

[Fitzy]

newcastle is good place to live.

its car scene might not be as huge as sydney,melbourne or brisbane but still has one.

anyways its a 1 and half hour drive to sydney if you wanted to go chill down there on the weekend.

rent is decent depending on how close you are to the beach,cbd etc etc.

though seeing as i am from newcastle i think its great.

all up to where you want to live, work etc.

[lil_miss_vtec]

YAY!! Go Newcastle!!
Best place!!!!

[Joeyboy]

BRISVEGAS babeeeeee

but if you're into your cars...modifying and sh*t then best place would be syd and melb....lots of goodies down there. the car scene in brissy is huge! but not as big as our southern cities.

we got more honies here though :D *jokes* :thumbsup:

with d rent, u could try www.realestate.com.au and go into their rent section

[Muzz]

Yeah brisbane for me too, its more chilled out. Sydney and Melb are a bit more fast paced. Also crime seems to be quite a bit higher down south.
Apparantly theres been quite alot of car jackings and such, somthing thats truely unheard of up here. Its nice and close to LOTS AND LOTS of really enjoyable mountain drives, not far out from the city either.

[pat88c]

hi how it going welcome ozhonda

another place try in nsw, is gosford to wyong on central coast of nsw 30mins to 1hr from sydney. live by beaches Avoca ,Copacabana ,Ettalong Beach and others or live around lakes of Lake Munmorah, long jetty etc...

came down under have fun drive on the of some best twisting and turn roads in Australia anywhere you go

pat88c

[Muzz]

it wouldnt hurt to do some traveling before you decide where you want to settle down, the east coast of australia (queensland, nsw, victoria) is the best of australia. Spending a week, around the capital citys of each state will give you a good chance to go exploring around the areas and get a feel for the differences between the areas, also the cost of living etc.