Importing for new expensive cars about to be OK in NSW

[Cars And Coffee Byron Bay]

Not sure if this has been touched yet

http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/-5-million-supercars-set-for-sydney-streets-65000.html

one of the comments mentions this about LHD cars.....true or not true anyone ?

 

 

at the same time as next years proposals indicate classic cars imported privately must then be converted to right hand drive for safety reasons.

 

[Russ]

if true, what a load of crap

[The__J__Factor]

It's half true. For enthusiast vehicles you only have to meet one of the following 6 criteria to be eligible for it to be imported, so may or may not require conversion. And i'm not sure but I think the pre 1989 rule still applies with no changes. 

 

Also part of the government’s proposed new Road Vehicle Standards Bill is the “streamlining and improving” of existing pathways for importing specialist and enthusiast vehicles.

This includes expanding the range of vehicles eligible for consideration as a specialist and enthusiast vehicle, with vehicles now to be required to meet only one of six eligibility criteria instead of meeting two out of four eligibility criteria as was previously required.

Over recent months, the government says it “has consulted extensively concerning these improved pathways”. The six eligibility criteria will be:

1. Performance: a new graduated threshold formula measured from 110 kilowatts per Tonne (kW/T) in 1992, increasing by 1 kW/T each year after.
2. Environmental Performance: an objective vehicle technology based on an alternate power source to internal combustion or a micro-car subcategory for low power (low emissions) vehicles.
3. Mobility: originally manufactured or fitted from the factory with substantive specialist mobility features to assist people with disabilities.
4. Rarity: total worldwide production of the vehicle ‘Make’ is less than 3000 units per year; or total worldwide production of the vehicle ‘Model’ is less than 1000 units per year; or total worldwide production of the vehicle ‘Variant’ is less than 100 vehicles per year. Left-hand drive vehicles imported under the rarity criterion will not require conversion to right-hand drive but will need state or territory agreement for use on their roads.
5. Left-hand drive: originally manufactured as a left-hand drive vehicle and not available as an originally manufactured right hand drive vehicle in another world market. These vehicles will require conversion to right hand drive for safety reasons.
6. Campervans and Motorhomes: originally manufactured as a campervan or motorhome.

[Jason A]

This has been brewing for a couple of years now. Being pushed by so well connected people in the auto industry. Particularly in NSW,  I expect this will just be the start of the easing.  New Zealand has already gone down a similar parth, has led to P cars becoming cheaper - but not dramatically. We have paid too much in taxes for a long time.

[Cars And Coffee Byron Bay]

Look out @turboT......apparently its no longer safe to import an older car with LHD.

1. Left-hand drive: originally manufactured as a left-hand drive vehicle and not available as an originally manufactured right hand drive vehicle in another world market. These vehicles will require conversion to right hand drive for safety reasons.

[Russ]

how are older cars more or less safe if LHD than newer ones?

[ANF]

Wait until the real legislation/ rules come out and then pull them apart......

[Coastr]

None of this makes sense unless we know what is happening with the personal import laws and 1 Jan 1990 rule.

i would say the ban on LHD is aimed at the corvette/camaro/f150 crowd.  

The issue here is that fed import laws are separate from state registration - by my understanding you can import a veyron but still cannot register it in any state until it meets the age criteria.

but people here already have things like Carrera GTs that can't be registered.  So how this is any different I don't know.

The campervan thing is directly aimed at the people importing those Nissan van things - they put a sink in the back and call it a camper.

The whole thing is a sop to dealers taking in big money due to their protected monopoly on car supply.

 

[vinnytang]

There's been a lot of new information regarding the import law changes over the last 10 odd days. Essentially, unless its ultra low-volume exotics, we won't be able to get them here as part of the new changes. From what I can see, anything that will be imported as part of the new pre-89/25+ year rule proposed will not need a RHD conversion to be driven on the roads.

here's some light reading, there's been some big backflips on the initial suggestions from a year or so ago.

https://practicalmotoring.com.au/car-news/personal-importation-new-motor-vehicles-proposal-dropped-government/

https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/new-grey-import-laws-the-facts-108526/

http://paulfletcher.com.au/media-centre/media-releases/item/2002-media-release-new-road-vehicle-standards-act-to-better-protect-consumers-and-provide-more-choice.html

 

[ANF]

Reading the info provided thus far, any vehicle that was not sold here new just has to have a power to weight ratio in excess of 135kW/ tonne, just about every sports/ performance car I know of does this..... if it could be bought here new, then.....

 

But as has been stated you still wont be able to register a new/ near new LHD car in most states....!

[firstone]

Well, the super rich 'are' in Sydney now.

Gunna change cars n coffee. Massive. ?

 

[turboT]

Look out @turboT......apparently its no longer safe to import an older car with LHD.

1. Left-hand drive: originally manufactured as a left-hand drive vehicle and not available as an originally manufactured right hand drive vehicle in another world market. These vehicles will require conversion to right hand drive for safety reasons.

thats my entire fleet!

[giuseppe]

There has been another update in the news today as well.  Sounds like its heading in the right direction, but its a long way off still with An “exposure draft” of the proposed changes is due to be released today (Wednesday 13 Dec) before being debated in Federal Parliament in 2018.

http://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/motoring/motoring-news/biggest-changes-to-car-rules-in-30-years-will-see-exotic-supercars-on-our-roads-hefty-fines-for-dodging-safety-recalls/news-story/81ec8464ce49d848961458a7500dacf9 

[ANF]

This is the 2 main bits that we need to worry about....

"Older performance cars eligible for import under the new regulations have a sliding scale that ranges from a minimum 110kW of power per tonne for 1990s vehicles, to a minimum of 136kW of power per tonne for modern cars.

The horsepower rule — on a sliding scale depending on the vehicle’s age — is designed to prevent importers bringing in regular cars under the specialist scheme." This is good!

"The only roadblock is whether individual states and territories will allow limited numbers of modern left-hand-drive supercars to be registered for road use." This is potentially not good!

[symsy]

There is only the NOW and the roads beckon... 

If you worry about next year .. you may not buy that car that your gonna smile in, get laid over or even crash in and end your life 

Depreciation is counter balanced by enthusiast appreciation

Reality check on a non appreciating asset bites hard and when it does .. just go for a drive.... its was only the last few years most em gained anything , up till then they were a liability that gave you bragging rights beyond penis size

Change in this area is always gonna happen .. just dont buy a new car.. just stick with a classic and when your buying your new classic negotiate hard .. tell em change is imminent and you want 20% discount