i guess the best way to look at it is. to get a similar power/weight ratio car to do the same things would be a s13 turbo with coilovers, and rims which would set you back 10g anyway...
mx5 is basically an AE86 without the roof and they cost 8 to 10g stock std.
spending less on a base car = more money to spend on car its self (compaired to buying a more expensive base car) jsut happens that the parts your looking for a 25 years old rather than parts that are still being made new for the S13.
meh... just pay what things cost.... if u wantto buy things, just buy them.
lol at white people in japan. just lol.
I think that complaining doesnt get you anywhere. Do some networking with people face to face, its amazing what parts you will turn up.
I can understand why things cost so much. Quite frequently people order things over privately and and decide instead of using it in their car, they will sell it to make money to fund something else. Ive noticed its these sellers who do things on the smallest scale that usually want the most for it.
Importers aren't really the ones setting the prices, they pay what they have to pay, they make a decision about whether a purchase is viable to make some coin on when they buy it, and assume all the risk of loss or damage or not selling. Risk costs money, basically. Dont get me started on overheads.
Theres no way you can just show up in Japan and buy stuff. You need contacts and sources. Do you have any idea what a garage big enough to fill a container in costs over there? You'd need to spend 6 weeks collecting parts and looking for stuff. Like others have said, its not always for sale to a gaijin. My friend tried to buy me a crown wheel and pinion set over the counter at Toyota and they wouldn't sell it to him unless he could produce documentation for a car on the road in japan that it would fit.
with the whole import business...
just jap do it.... they just done get ae86 parts.
there are a few wholesalers out there, they just dont cater to the ae86 market.
the way you save money is completely irrelevent to what you earn, but what you spend.
if you can cut costs in any way shape or form, you will save money, obviously, but the more you save, the more you can get in the shape of interest in a compound account, and the more you have in there the more you can spend on sprinters.
I had to take a step back with my missus, every second it was 10 bucks here, 10 bucks there, 30 buck dinner here and shit, and your money shoots our your wallet like its spring loaded. Now its calmed down.
wheelfriends.wordpress.com
"im lookin nothin like her poppa. i wouldn't give a bitch ten cents to put cheese on my whopper"
I could have easily started a business just getting things off Yahoo back in 2003. Not so many people were doing it then, and very very few white Australians were willing to learn the 5 japanese words that were needed to navigate Corolla parts on Yahoo. (Attitute has changed ever so slightly now). I did learn a few words, and used my computer hacking skills to order parts for myself and a friend. TRD LSD centres for $290 and stuff like that. But living in Hobart, the shipping didn't make sence, (to send stuff back to the mianland).
I was at JDS imports in 2008. But a very small business, and all Nissan spares. I tried to get stuff for AE86 off Yahoo but my boss was such an idiot, or lazy, words can not explain. I guess that is why he is now pushing trolleys at Woolsworth.
All the importers were making money getting American classics imported, in the early part of 2008. Not sure about now.
You need to have a very good knowledge of every part of the car to make the most money out of it. A well known importer on these forums was wrecking a car. I phoned him and wanted a few parts, and a fuel filter or bracket or something. He didn't even know what a fuel filter looked like, so I couldn't get the part.
^^^ so true brother
When I hear someone crying "takumi tax" I just think fucking wanker!
Hachiroku since 1994
Originally Posted by LittleRedSpirit
i think people have to realise how much it actually costs to "do up" cars.
parts in demand are expensive, rare parts are more expensive, rare parts in demand....good by bank balance!
i dont think its any better in other "scenes". s13 gear isnt exactly cheap, datto 1600? stanzas? escorts? most "cheap" cars arent cheap when you start playing around.
but thats what its about, spending to much money, overcapitilising, for the fun of it!
i do think that some times people do take advantage of this, but thats to be expected in this world, just have to do our best!
and also remember...the majority of us are EXTENSIVLY modifiying our cars from standard, how can you expect that to be cheap?
true, if it's expensive just save, i bet i make less than all of you but you just have to wait and buy the best parts so you don't have to replace shit later, think how much other things cost today and to bring a world of joy for years for a measly 10k, well worth it i say
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