Engin

1. andy James Paid 2. Keith D 3. ShortPaul 4. Fozzydaz 5. MrT-350z 6. Monkey1983 7.olly350z 8. 350_Jer 9. Leigh_370Z 10. Buptaboy 11. MicktZZZ 12. Engin Paid 13. Sutton1511 14. FG_Zee 15. Richie94gt 16. Nismoandy 17. Ben350 18. Edip 19. Jamah_Zed (x1 Passenger) 20. Cain_350z 21. harvers

@andy jamescan we start booking now? We’ve hit 20.

Hi everyone, I’m looking to replace the factory Bose stereo in my 350Z, and I’m currently considering two options: Kenwood DPX505BT Kenwood Excelon DPX795BH The main difference seems to be the preamp voltage: the DPX505BT has a 2.5V preamp output, while the Excelon DPX795BH has a 5V output. Unfortunately, I have no experience with sound systems and don’t know how this difference might affect sound quality or compatibility with the factory Bose amp. I also vaguely recall something about the ohm values of head units when replacing the Bose system, but I’m unsure how it applies here or what I should watch out for. I’d really appreciate any advice on which of these units would work best, or if there are other better options. My main priority is to keep the car as close to original as possible, so I’m not interested in anything with large screens or modern-looking interfaces. Thanks in advance for your help!

Can we do it with 18? 🙄

It would be a shame if we can’t get a stand for missing just 2 😕

We need to bump the post more lol

Count me in 1. andy James 2. Keith D 3. ShortPaul 4. Fozzydaz 5. MrT-350z 6. Monkey1983 7.olly350z 8. 350_Jer 9. Leigh_370Z 10. Buptaboy 11. MicktZZZ 12. Engin

Duty was 2.5% not 5%, did they change it recently?

I’ll keep sharing updates about my 350Z here. Here’s what I’ve done so far: Major service at Nissan – Just for peace of mind. New tyres – Went with Michelin Pilot Sport 5. Laser alignment done. Front bumper resprayed – It was faded from sun exposure. Also had the rust on the bonnet sorted with a simple paint job. Headlights cleaned – They look fresh again. Dashcam installed – Viofo A219 Plus, hardwired. Really happy with it. To-Do List Replace antenna: It’s broken, and I keep forgetting to fix it. I will need to get it sorted soon. I may use one of those shorter antennas. Underbody rust-proofing: Top priority, but still not done. Head unit: Stuck between finding a used Bose unit to stay original or upgrading to a Kenwood. The current one shows a “Check Disk” error, maybe a sign to go aftermarket? Open to ideas... Steering wheel & shift knob treatment: Both have some sun damage on the top parts. I have to find a way to get it done... Remove the Jap TV: I don’t want to put a tablet there, but not sure what else to do with the cubby. Again, open to ideas... Weather strips: Bought some from Amazon, but I’m not sure if they’re all the same size. Will check this when I get a chance. A-pillar finisher repair: Thinking of reinforcing it from the inside with resin and fiber. Planning to do this when I sort out the weather strips. Emblems: Considering replacing them, they look a bit aged. Tiny rust bubble on the side of the bonnet: It is very small, I wish I saw it before the paintjob... Refurbish wheels: They’re showing some wear, and I think refinishing or repainting them will really improve the car’s look. I’m happy with the progress so far, but there’s still a lot to do. If you’ve got any advice or suggestions, especially about the head unit or cubby space, let me know. I’ll post more updates as I go.

Hi, it is pretty simple actually. You have two options; 1- ask exporter to help you with it, which is the easiest way 2- you can request it from japaninspection.org the certificate I got is through the exporter but it came from this people. also as a third way I am sure you can find a middle man in the UK.

I will continue providing updates in this thread, because, why not? Finally, she is ULEZ compliant! It took around two weeks to receive the Certificate of Conformity and just one day to be officially marked as compliant.

No way, you quoted me 5k which is more than 3 times the quotes I got from other providers.

I got this one, perfect fit: https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries/varta/b31/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpMGd6-b6iQMVYJdQBh2gwwHXEAAYASAAEgLcGfD_BwE

You are a saint, attaching images here. I am also attaching images of bonnet, just in case someone can give a quote on that.

A little bit late, but for anyone else who is still trying; this is the answer I got from Nissan Japan after trying for a long time: Regarding your inquiry, we regret to say that we are unable to provide you with information regarding UK or European rules and regulations that the vehicle complies with since the vehicle is a Japanese specification model and homologation test has been conducted under Japanese regulation. Also, currently we take our position not to allow providing information/support for the market that the vehicles are not developed or manufactured since we do not recommend exporting Japanese specification vehicles to other countries.

Hey everyone, it’s me again with some updates! 1. Turns out the import duty for a Japanese car manufactured in Japan is actually just 2.5%. I wasn’t sure at first, it sounded too good to be true, but it checks out! Also definitely no IVA needed for cars over 10 years old. 2. After a long wait, I’m collecting the car from the garage tomorrow. The DVLA took ages to process the registration. 3. Looks like I misunderstood the garage initially. The prep they did was for the MOT and didn’t include fluid changes. Still, the service was excellent! 4. According to gov.uk, the car is ULEZ compliant, so no charges in most of the UK. Only Bristol and Birmingham charge for their clean air zones. I’m getting a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) to exempt it everywhere else. 5. The CoC costs around £300. It’s specific to the chassis number, not a generic document. I struggled to find clear info on this, so I hope this helps anyone in the same boat. 6. The front finisher is cracked right above the B-pillar, battery was dead when car arrived so it’s probably happened at the ship. It’s frustrating, and I wasn’t expecting such a part to be pricey. I’ll try to get it repaired. 7. I’ve booked a used car inspection at Nissan on Tuesday for just £25, which is a good deal. It’s on their website, you should look at it if you need a general check. 8. I’ve got new tyres, Michelin Pilot Sport 5, and they’re being fitted on Thursday. I struggled to find a clear answer for tyre sizes, looks like jdm is different than UK spec, and decided to go with the size on the car. 215/55/R17 for front and 225/55/R17 for rear. 9. Insurance costed me £1,460. Considering it’s my first car, I’ve only had a UK license for a year, and have no NCD, I think that’s fair. Fingers crossed for a better rate next year! Now I’m looking into oil recommendations and hoping to tackle the change myself. Thanks, everyone for the advice and info so far!

Thanks, Payco, amen to that. I’m not sure if fluids are included in the price; we haven’t discussed that yet. I was basically too excited to remember what to ask. I’ll clarify that in my next communication with him. I have some questions about E10, like whether it matters if it’s 97 or 99 octane, but I think there are enough posts about those already. Thanks, Ekona. Yes, on second thought, it’s not bad at all. It’s even lower than my initial calculations. I'm also still looking for a reliable place to buy the HKS Speed Limit Defencer. If either of you or anyone else has recommendations or tips on avoiding knock-offs, I'd really appreciate it. Or should I go for the cheapest I found?

Okay, I have more information. I visited a guy who deals with Japanese imports, and he said I don't need an IVA since the car is well over 10 years old. And I have more good news: he said there is a change in duty. If you are importing a Japanese-manufactured Japanese car, you only pay 3.5% duty instead of 10%. I confirmed this with the freight forwarder as well. It sounded like the forwarder said 2.5% instead of 3.5%, but I didn't bother to ask further. I will see when they send the bill. I will also let the guy handle all the conversion and registration, but I need to buy an HKS Speed Limit Defencer myself; he will install it. Do you guys have any recommendations on where to buy one? I wonder if there are any knock-offs, as I don't want to connect something unreliable to my car. He will collect the car from the port, prepare it for the MOT, do the odometer, MOT, DVLA registration, 6 months road tax, number plates, and install the HKS. He charges £825 for this service. How does that sound? It seems a little high to me, but considering it will be a hassle-free operation for me and I won't have to deal with anything, driving the car straight from the garage, I feel like I can live with that.

Hi Payco, There is a 10% duty and 20% tax, but it still comes out cheaper than one I would buy here. It will be coming directly to Southampton, which I consider very lucky. I live about 10 minutes from the docks. Did you do the SVA/IVA for yours? I am really confused about that.

Hi ShortPaul, thank you very much. It is like gambling when you buy a car from an auction, let’s hope for the best 🥲

I am using a foreign company, Japonic Trade. I thought we didn’t need special approval for cars over 10 years old. I checked again and it looks like I missed the part about “importing” a vehicle on gov.uk Thank you very much for the valuable information. I bought the car today, and I believe it will take at least 2-3 months for it to arrive.

Hello everyone, This is my first post here and I’m excited to join the community. I’ve always dreamed of owning a 350z since it first came out, and I’ve finally taken the plunge and bought one from a Japanese auction. My previous cars were economy models like the Hyundai i20 and Skoda Fabia, so this is a significant step up for me. Here are the details of my new pride and joy: 35,000 km on the clock Blue Looks clean Automatic Spec T (I believe this is similar to the GT without cruise control) However, I have almost no experience with maintaining a car myself, no experience with sports cars, and none with importing a car. I’m wondering if this might be a midlife crisis decision, but here I am, and I’m eager to learn. I’d appreciate any advice or opinions on the following matters: Initial Maintenance: I’ve read that it’s wise to change all rubbers and liquids before driving an older car with low mileage. I plan to service the car afterwards, but should I get the MOT done before or after these changes, considering it’s an import? Fog Lights: Some friends mentioned that the car might pass as advisory if it doesn’t have rear fog lights from the factory. Is this true? If so, why do so many people install those square fog lights? Maintenance Resources: Can you recommend any good resources for learning more about maintaining a 350z? I plan to keep an eye on the oil and change it every 3,000 miles or sooner, but my knowledge is quite limited, and I want to learn more. Rust Proofing: I’m considering getting an underbody coating for rust proofing. However, I’ve read and seen that arches tend to rust easily on UK cars due to how the sheets are smashed together. Is there any way to prevent this? Import Costs: I’ve covered the Japan-side costs and am in touch with freight forwarders for the UK side, but it feels like I might be missing something. Here are the costs I’m aware of: Customs clearance (including terminal handling, documentation, and import clearance levy) VAT and duty Servicing, changing oils, MOT Insurance Additional Advice: Are there any other areas I need to be aware of? Any specific topics I should look into? There’s so much information out there, and I feel a bit lost on where to start. To provide more context, I am attaching auction sheet of my car. Thank you all in advance for your help. I’m looking forward to becoming a part of this community and learning from those who know these cars best.