|
THIS IS A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE WAY SVi CAN GET WHAT YOU WANT AND SAVE YOU MONEY
SVi have many years experience in the importing and compliancing of Japanese motor vehicles. The success of the business is due to the fact that we give clients the ability to avoid an often unpleasant encounter with a car dealer as well as offering the client a way to buy the car of THEIR choice. The financial benefit is significant, as well as this advantage, clients are saving thousands of dollars normally extracted by a dealer. The way that clients are treated by SVi and the honesty in dealing with them is unique. SVi have a proven track record of taking care of clients before, during and after the buying process. After ten years of supplying vehicles to satisfy client needs about 1/3 of SVi business is repeat business. To achieve the best result for you it is critical that you get the best help and advice when deciding the type and quality of car to be purchased. This is easier to decide after seeing what is available. There are new models becoming eligible all the time. When the RAWS ( Registered Automotive Workshop Scheme ) started there were very few vehicles that could be imported. Many clients are unaware of the various models available, so it is important to have these explained. Your informed decision will ensure that we accurately seek suitable vehicles for you to consider and that you will be happy with the car you will eventually own and drive. We can and will be happy to provide references. We have a massive list of clients that have offered to describe the SVi success they had. There may be car dealers around that have clients offer to do this but it seems unlikely. It is our aim to make you a happy client and a future referral. THE PROCESS HOW DOES IT WORK? What type of car do you want? We listen to what you want to buy, sometimes we assist in that process because we know what is available and what can be imported / complied. If someone has told you stories that simply are not right, we'll "bight the bullet" and tell you the way things really are. For example, vehicles in Japan travel about 10,000 klms per annum, that's just a fact of life. There are some, in fact quite a lot, of vehicles that have very low klms but they are not usually the cheap examples seen on car yards. Good cars with low klms are not usually the very cheap ones. Persistence and patience usually results in getting a true bargain, that is, a great car at a good price by putting sensible bids on suitable cars. That is what we can do for you, inspect, report and bid / negotiate for you. What is a suitable budget? You decide on a suitable budget based on previous and current auction prices. We have access to previous prices and vehicle details which we'll share with you. The things that affect price are klms, models, colours and modifications. There are other factors like the weather, the location of the auction and the time of year, it's all relevent and after doing this so long we are in a position to give enlightened advice about what the state of the auctions may be at any given time. We have a simple form that help you describe what you want a bit later in the website. Are finances available to take advantage of the system? We will ask you about money, the payment is important; we need to know that the car you instruct us to buy for you is able to be paid for within a 48 hr period. Not the full price, just the car cost FOB in Japan. It is way too late to apply for finance after the car is purchased. The typical factors affecting finance are, stabilty, have you lived / worked at the same place for a reasonable period? Abilty to service a new loan, Have you demonstrated the abilty to repay a loan by already saving similar ammounts as the loan repayments ? or, Has your situation improved recently? for example, have you just paid out a loan? When getting finance for the first time you may find a garuntor is the way to go. Everyone's situation will be different. There is one thing for certain, the finance offered by most retail outlets is the most expensive way of buying. Compare, prepare and save. What is the deal with compliance? We will describe the requirements regarding compliance and getting vehicles off the docks but in general terms, vehicles have to be stock standard when they are complied and first registered. Performance parts have to be removed in Japan or prior to arrival at the RAWS compliance workshop, this is arranged for you as a rule. We avoid un-nescessay loss of expensive parts, often we remove them in Japan. Discuss this in detail with us. How do I know that the car will be good? That is the single most important difference between SVi and other ways of buying an imported car, we have very experienced professional inspectors and buyers in Japan, we actually bought our main buyer to Australia and trained him here for 12 months. Maybe he trained us, either way we speak the same language, when we say it has to be straight, clean and original, no mis-matched paintwork, no orange peel paint finish etc etc, we know that is understood. SVi have the advantage over other importers in many ways but the genuine money back garuntee is of the utmost importance. It would be foolhardy and dangerous to buy a car without having a thorough inspection and genuine money back guarantee, I would not do it and I advise others not to as well. OK, SVi get the car inspected but what if it is still not as described when it gets here? Good question and one that is asked often. We have developed a very easy to understand, comprehensive money back guarantee, please take the time to visit our way of looking after clients in this regard, go to the site map and click on garuntee. How long does it take to find a car? The average time is about a week but we have had some specific requests with tough budgets that have taken a lot longer, it is often you who will determine the time it takes, you are in control. You can start bidding low and work up or you can say, that is the car I want and I will be happy to pay up to $X . We will do our best to get the car as cheaply as possible without exceeding your stated figure. If the cars are there and the inspections are spot on to what you want it may be that you will bid but we will not put pressure on you to do so, it is your decision.. Like any auction it is only money that buys the goods. If you only have a certain amount it may pay to be a bit more patient to get the car you want, if you are in a hurry it may cost a bit more. The fact is that you can buy for the same cost as any dealer through this system. You will probably buy a different quality vehicle than what you'll see in most dealer yards, your motivation is to get a great vehicle, dealers are motivated differently, something to do with being "dollar driven". Business is business, I am not knocking dealers, they have to pay the rent after all. After the purchase how long does it take? We usually find that it takes about 5 to 7 weeks. There are some things that SVi don’t control which can have a delaying affect. Some examples would be shipping delays or the Dept of Transport may decide that the RAWs , complier, should have a “spot audit” and your car may be the one they want to look at. This is rare but if something happens, you will be informed immediately and you will know the TRUTH, not some stupid story to fob you off. If you work on 5 - 7 weeks you'll be pretty close. Do cars still come over as deck cargo? No, cars are transported as “ RO-RO “ roll on roll off, all shipped in massive, purpose built car carriers, multi story, sealed vessels. Cars are tied down tight to the floors and damage is rare. Clients can decide to have shipping insurance or not, there is a $500 excess on claims and in the 10 years we have been operating we have had just one claim. I still recommend insurance just the same. How long do cars sit on the docks here in Australia? That depends on the Import approval and the number of cars that have to be inspected by quarantine. The SVi service arranges the quick passage through the docks by using our air-conditioning import license, the RAWS best compliers that are approved by the DoTaRS , generally they are not the cheapest but they are the preffered way to go. We usually use RAWS that are members of the RAWS Association, it simply means they have been checked out, trained and are in agreement to do high standard compliance work promptly and without fuss. In most cases SVi will arrange the RAWS ( one of which is owned by the SVi directors) to do the compliance quickly and competently. SVi clients go straight to the front of the queue thus avoiding lengthy delays. How long does it take to get the compliance plate? Usually a week to ten days from the date of submission to DoTaRS. The compliance process technically starts with the import approval application. Only a RAWS can import a vehicle under the new system. The import approval application will only be issued to the RAWS . The vehicle has to be complied by that RAWS as they applied for that approval. This is scary ! There are some RAWS that have taken up to 9 months to get cars complied ! SVi have the knowledge and experience to avoid these RAWS which means a speedy , efficient compliance and plating of the car. No shortcuts, just efficient, swift compliances. There is a guy on the internet that charges a lot less than $1500 +GST why pay SVi that much? You get what you pay for. Pay a little , get a little bit of service, pay the correct fee and you get great service, experience, someone that will respond to your calls even after the purchase, someone that has a fixed, known address, someone that offers a genuine money back garuntee, someone with a great reputation and who is a licensed motor dealer broker. The fact that SVi directors own and operate a RAW should also be an advantage to buyers, knowledge is power, we help you understand what you need to know and make sure you don't get caught out. I have concerns about insurance. SVi will assist clients to get the best cover available by sharing what we know with clients, we don’t send out lists of insurers to everyone, that would just help the motor dealers and scurilous backyarders to pick the eyes out of it. Most insurers allow a percentage of their total business to imports and the dealers would consume that in no time. It is necessary to arrange your own insurance so we help with a comprehensive list. What is the auction grading system about? There are a number of things affecting grades which are; age, type of vehicle, corrosion etc. Our Japanese inspectors have the language skills to get the best interpretation so you know a bit about what the car is like even before they go to inspect the car. Just a quick note here, many cheap brokers will buy using auction grades and taking the grade as proof that a car may be good. This is always going to be a problem, most Japanese inspectors are good but some are not, veryone has a bad day and if you get a car that is not well described, who will help you out? Good inspections and a garuntee is the minimum recommendation. Different auctions have slightly different versions of what is a grade 4 , our inspectors make sure, check, photograph and report exactly what they see. Don't settle for less. Vehicles usually have an auction graded description which is usually accurate as follows: 6 being absolutely new, no kilometres, 5 is like new but with low kilometres, 4.5 would be an exceptionally good car, 4 would be a really nice original car and better than average , 3.5 cars are still very good as are auction grade 3, 2.5 grade cars are not really good and so on down to 0. Accident cars. Vehicles which have had significant accident damage are always auction grade 0, or a variation of “0”. Sorry this is hard to explain. If the accident was small and has not necessarily been repaired it may be anything from “0” to “099 “ which would be indicative of the damage. R graded cars are usually quite modified but may also be A accident cars. What do I get with a Japanese car? Most Japanese cars are fully optioned, with air conditioning, power windows, power steering, central locks, sound system, carpets, etc. I have seen yards with some very low klms shown on the speedos, are they genuine? Most vehicles have done comparatively low kilometres; you may notice that other vehicles in retail outlets show less klms consistently … you can guess the rest. The good news is that the Japanese are soon changing the dereg papers, which have to be supplied to the compliers, to show klms at the last inspection. Great news for people wanting to buy an import. Ask for the original no matter where you're thinking of buying. There is no legitimate excuse to hide the dereg, the same goes for the auction sheet, see the original. What should I do to make sure the klms are real? The minimum requirement you insist on should be original Japanese dereg papers and the auction sheets. If these are not available you should not buy the vehicle in my opinion. You will very likely have trouble selling it later if you can’t prove the klms this way. Log books Some vehicles come with log books and some do not. Don’t be concerned if they are not supplied, it is different than here. The auctions sheets should indicate the real kilometres and the dereg originals will confirm or conflict with them .The deregistration papers are intended to guarantee clear title (not stolen). What will I save? We usually save buyers between $3500 and $10,000 depending on the value of the vehicle purchased. There are vehicles sold previously and used in Australia that are cheap in the paper but they are rarely what they seem. Backyard dealers are not subject to consumer laws and can spin speedos, do dodgy repairs, sell without proof of title, resell flood damaged cars and a host of other sneaky ways to separate you from your money without a care for you or the car after you drive away. They may not even be there when you limp the car back looking for assistance. Buy from or through a reputable Company. Licensed motordealers offer some good assurances that are relevent and should not be overlooked. Say you don’t find me a car, what about my deposit? The SVi consultant agrees to try to find a vehicle suitable for the purchaser. If, after 90 days no suitable car is found the purchaser can have the deposit refunded or they can still keep SVi looking for the suitable car. When a car is bought how will I pay? The purchaser pays the money to SVi or the agent in Japan (with SVi’s assistance.) Most people prefer to pay SVi rather than some unknown entity in Japan, just in case there were ever an issue with the purchase, SVi are LMCT, able to be visited at thier premises and offer safeguards to purchasers. The exchange rate on the day will dictate the actual amount transferred. Any paperwork SVi forward for signing must be returned by overnight mail to avoid costly delays. Where will the car land and what happens when it does? The vehicle will arrive in an Australian Port where customs clearances and quarantine inspections are arranged. The Dept. of Transport and Regional Services, DoTaRS, which used to be known as “Federal Office of Road Safety” issued import approval has to be supplied to the customs agent and a host of other paperwork has to be done. Don’t underestimate the paperwork, it is absolutely critical that EVERY aspect has to be done right or the car will sit on the docks costing, sometimes, massive storage fees and exposure to the elements. That's why it's unwise to do it yourself. One missing document will stall the whole thing. Sound systems are rarely stolen; however they are not covered by insurance. Very few vehicles sustain any damage at all and the vehicle can be insured in transit for about $100.00. What do I pay when the vehicle arrives? The purchaser will pay the customs agent all fees, taxes and duties relevant to the importation of the vehicle prior to the vehicle being trucked to the compliance company. SVi assist with this as it is quite complicated. When do I pay for the compliance? The complier will modify the vehicle to the relevant Australian Design Rules and fit the Australian compliance plate. SVi will generally pay the complier first and bill the client. If there are extra costs like brake rotors of roadworthy items unable to be included in the compliance these costs have to be passed on to the owner. Delivery The car may be picked up or trucked interstate if required. SVi may assist to get the best trade rate for the client. If the customer needs help to register the car the consultant may, at their discretion, assist the purchaser to achieve this. Why not buy from Japan without SVi? Buying from Japan can have mixed results, many people have bought and been lucky that the vehicle they bought was an OK one, many more have been disappointed with the delivered vehicle, what do you do then? SVi buy from and through reputable dealers whose descriptions are consistently good and who need SVi so they are careful not to make careless mistakes. SVi staff travel to Japan often and assist the client in each case either in person or using our agents. Can I get the car complied myself and save money? Only a RAWS can import a car to Australia and only a RAWS can comply that car. The negotiating power of another RAW means that no one is likely to get the same price as SVi and the package must remain intact to insure smooth transit through the many complex papers and forms. It is easy to forget or overlook something if you are not used to a certain process. It’s very expensive to store vehicles on the docks where things may get damaged or even go missing. SVi have established practices to deal with all paperwork. SVi will use the best , reputable compliers not necessarily the cheapest. Vehicle not complied correctly may be subject to recalls. RAWS that do not comply cars correctly may take lengthy periods to have a plate approved so your car could sit for up to nine months, This happened to one of our clients who bought a Soarer through us and the complier, whom we no longer use, took all that time to get a plate. Cheapest is not best when it comes to compliers. What can SVi do that I can’t do myself? SVi can save you thousands of dollars and at the same time source the vehicle you want. SVi can do all the paperwork for you, arrange the import, compliance, transit insurance, customs clearance, quarantine in Japan and in Australia, transport to the docks in Japan and from the docks in Australia at trade rates. SVi can arrange interstate delivery at a fraction of what local domestic clients ever could. SVi can help arrange insurance in Australia for most people. There are many more savings with SVi that are too many to mention but all savings are passed on to you, without fail! What about parts and service? SVi will assist our clients only. We have long established parts networks, fact sheets, workshop procedures and links through the RAWS Association Limited group to assist our clients all over Australia. SVi are happy to assist our clients exclusively through our networks. Delays are kept to an absolute minimum and in some cases, access to parts is quicker and cheaper than comparative local vehicles. Abbreviations that may assist when trying to understand importing and compliance issues; ADR Australian Design Rule AQIS Australian Quarantine Inspection Services DoTaRS Department of Transport and Regional Services FORS Federal Office Of Road Safety , now DoTaRS RVCS Vehicle Certification System RAWS Registered Automotive Workshop System FOB Free on Board ( a vessel, includes costs to get it on board) GST Goods and services Tax SVi Special Vehicle Imports Pty Ltd RO-RO Roll on roll off method of transporting cars in a vessel | 