Hi Lads

[Liam]

Hi there, just joined and wanted to say I love the site. Some great info here for budding Land Cruiser owners! It's amazing to see what some of you guys can do with what looks like a pile of rust on wheels!

I have a question which some may find blasphemousness... I'd love a BJ40, but have neither the skill, time or space to tackle a re-build myself. Does anyone know a good website to use for browsing Japanese BJs with the intention of importing? I've been looking on tradecarview, but I've heard they can be a bit dodgey!

I'm also keeping an eye on Donedeal... There was a beautiful red one for sale, but I think it's gone!

Cheers lads!

[jmcg]

Hi Liam and welcome. Tradecarview gets bad press sometimes but you do need to bear in mind that it is an advertising website no different to autotrader or carzone and is used by some less than honest people claiming their sows ear is a silk purse.
That said, I bought my 41 through Tradecarview but I paid little for it and knew to expect a vehicle that needed some work. If you do go down that route and are buying a reasonably decent machine for a lot of money then it's worth getting an independent to inspect it before parting with cash. By the way, when importing you will be hit for vat and import duties in Dublin port.
You do see some for sale in Ireland in good condition or restored from time to time. As another guy on the forum pointed out, after restoring one of these you could be spending €10k!! so that might be a price guide for you. If you do take the plunge though, you will own a very unique vehicle that will turn heads and will only become more desirable. Best of luck.

[Liam]

Cheers for the info man, glad to hear tradecarview isn't all bad! Do you mind me asking what the damage was on the shipping costs? I know I'd be stung for import duties all right (but I'm not sure how much), but I thought that if the vehicle was over 30 years it was vat exempt, have I been misinformed?
The BJ40 I saw on Donedeal was 10K all right, so I presumed that I'd have to fork out somewhere in that region for a fully restored one! The only thing is that I'm getting married later this year, so I haven't got that sort of budget at the minute (and my future wife would flip if I blew the wedding budget on a Land Cruiser!!!)
Cheers again for the info man, all the best!

[ADAM J]

welcome to the site liam :)

[jmcg]

Shipping from Japan set me back €500 CIF (carriage, insurance and freight) to Dublin port, you'll pay the stevedore about €100 and you are best to use a broker to handle the vat man and import duties, this will be about €120. As far as vat goes, I though it was applied to all imports from outside the EU but you are better asking an import broker. Remember that vat and customs duties are calculated on the vehicle purchase and shipping costs.
I used MCC brokers on Store St in Dublin, give them a shout and they'll fill you in.
Best of luck with the wedding.

[Liam]

Nice one jmcg, cheers for the information. I think you're right about the vat being exempt inside the EU only all right! I'll keep all this in mind if I decide to take the plunge (and I think I will)... After the wedding of course!

Cheers for the welcome ADAM J!

[mick]

HI liam welcome 2the fourm,