In the first two parts of this series we purchased a 15 year old Japanese
import vehicle and went through the Australian Design Rules process. In this final part we’ll make
the necessary repairs and preparations, undertake a roadworthy inspection and –
hopefully – come away with new number plates and registration!
We’ll also check out the final on-road bill and give you some ‘been there,
done that’ advice.
Repairs and Preparation...
It’s important to accept that virtually any 15 year old vehicle imported from
Japan will need some repairs. So as you’ll see toward the end of
this article, the final on-road cost for an imported vehicle can amount to
substantially more than just the purchase price and ADR
modifications...
Our 1989 Nissan 180SX arrived from Japan in good overall condition, but there
were numerous repairs necessary to bring it up to roadworthy standard - and to a
level of presentation that we were happy with.
Here’s what needed to be done...
Body
The most obvious fault with our 180SX was a dent in the driver’s side front
guard. We investigated buying a replacement panel, but after being caught out by
a few differences in 180SX guards (such as relocation of the side indicator
holes and holes for lower side mouldings) we opted to have the original panel
beaten back into shape and resprayed by our nearest panel beater. The charge for
this was AUD$340.
Next came the front indicator/park lights. Curiously, the original
indicator/parkers were removed in Japan, leaving a pair of holes in the front
bumper. Some classifieds searching and ringing around local wreckers netted a
pair of indicators for AUD$60.
Oh, at this point it’s a good idea to check the operation of all exterior
lights, washers and wipers - we whacked in a new set of wiper blades for good
measure.
The factory Nissan rear spoiler had also been removed from our vehicle prior
to it leaving Japan – only some hastily taped-up holes were to be found on the rear
hatch. We’re still unsure whether to seal the holes and respray
the hatch or to find a replacement spoiler. Regardless, we were assured there
would be no problems passing a roadworthy inspection so long as the holes were
sealed – as seen in this photo, we used some cloth-backed tape.
Our vehicle was also fitted with a front bumper lip, which we believe was
offered as an option on the 180SX. The retaining strip and the bolts
for this lip had rusted so, rather than present a car for inspection with rusty
components, we opted to remove the lip.
While we were at it, we also replaced some of the rusty bolts securing the
front undertray.
In the days leading up to our roadworthy inspection, we had enough spare time
to investigate why one of the taillights had partially filled with water. We
removed the taillight from the car and proceeded to pull it apart – only to find
that it’s not supposed to be pulled apart... After cracking the lens (and much
cursing!) we had to purchase another taillight. This cost AUD$75 from a
wrecker.
We’re big believers in having a vehicle well presented for a roadworthy
inspection. As a result, we spent about half a day scraping off various export
and quarantine stickers, cleaning the body, engine bay and windows.
Interior
Just like the body, the interior of our 180SX received a fairly intensive
cleaning session. The smell of cigarettes also had to be overpowered with a
barrage of, well, less offensive scents...
Our vehicle was fitted with an aftermarket audio head unit, which had been
removed before leaving Japan. We plan to fit another head unit soon but, for
now, we decided to make a plastic faceplate to cover the hole in the console.
Just something to make it look tidy.
And then we had a lucky escape with the faulty digital dashboard.
When we first test drove the 180SX we noted that its digital dash and head-up
display were completely inoperative. The instrument illumination lights were
also dead. This, we imagined, would probably be caused by a blown fuse and a
disconnected speedo/odometer input – the car does have only 23,000km showing,
after all...
It turns out we were wrong.
None of the fuses was blown and a web search revealed that the Nissan
digital dashboard frequently suffers nasty internal problems. Repairs are
generally very expensive – and that’s if you’re lucky enough to find anyone
willing to touch it.
Things were looking pretty grim until we stumbled across a local electronics
guru, Martin S. Martin is one half of PLMS Developments
(www.plmsdevelopments.com) and he’s the man to fix digital
dashboards – at a cost of just AUD$85! We promptly ripped out the instrument
cluster, dropped it off to Martin and in a few days it was back in the car –
fully operational.
Phew!
Mechanical
As noticed during the preliminary mechanical inspection, our 180SX’s front
brake pads were stuffed and the front discs showed minor signs of wear. We
called upon on on-site brake disc machining business to freshen the discs and
install a new set of pads – the total cost was AUD$165.
When tackling the problem of the inoperative dashboard display, we noticed
that the HICASII warning bulb had been removed from the back of the instrument
cluster. Hmmm... Some research on the web revealed that the HICASII warning light
will illuminate whenever the power steering fluid is low and – sure enough – it
was a bit down in our 180SX. We topped up the fluid, refitted a warning bulb and
everything has since been fine.
As you’d no doubt be aware, a roadworthy set of wheels and tyres is a
‘must-have’ for a roadworthy inspection. Unfortunately, a couple of the Boyds
aftermarket wheels fitted to our 180SX were damaged so we ended up renting a set
of standard 15 inch wheels with new tyres from a wrecker. This is a temporary
measure that gives us more time to keep an eye out for some second-hand
aftermarket wheels. We might even get the existing Boyds wheels
repaired.
And, speaking of wheels, we were a bit concerned that the space saver spare
wheel in our 180SX was worn down to near its tread wear indicators. We don’t
like the idea of a dodgy spare wheel, so we picked up an as-new Nissan spacer
saver for AUD$40. We also scrounged together a jack, wheel lever and a basic
tool kit.
Modified Import Vehicles?
We must point out that a highly modified import vehicle can be a nightmare to
get through a roadworthy inspection. Your chances of passing the inspection are
greatly enhanced when the car appears unmodified.
Ideally, the vehicle should have a standard airbox and exhaust, no obvious
aftermarket under-bonnet bits and certainly no atmospheric-venting blow-off
valves.
Also be aware of illegal gauge placement, excessively dark window tint and
oversize wheels and tyres.
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Roadworthy Inspection...
Ahhh, the moment of truth – the roadworthy inspection.
Don’t be put off by the horror stories you’ve inevitably heard. If the
relevant ADR work has been properly executed, the vehicle is up to roadworthy
standard and all relevant documentation is provided, there should be no problem
passing the inspection – it’s as simple as that.
Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to take photographs of the inspection
process but we can give you a brief overview of the happenings...
The inspection takes about an hour and covers operation of all exterior
lights, washers and wipers. The vehicle is also lifted on a hoist and inspected
for rust and chassis damage. Note that the inspector who went over our car said
that drift-type S13s often crack near the base of the front strut towers. Brake
lines, pads, suspension, bushes and steering are checked. Diff, gearbox and
engine leaks are also identified.
The vehicle is also subjected to a drive-on brake system test. The maximum
brake force of the front brakes, rear brakes and park brake are tested. Any
brake bias irregularities are also identified.
Of course, the ADR-related modifications are also thoroughly inspected. The
seatbelts' retraction and locking action is checked and the child restraints,
fuel filler neck and side mirror are given a visual once-over. The doors are
also checked for signs of intrusion bar fitment and a photocopy of the engineer
certification is taken.
If you’ve done all of your homework, you will probably be organising new
number plates within a few minutes!
The cost for a South Australian roadworthy inspection is AUD$70. And don’t
forget it’ll cost you another AUD$46 for a temporary registration permit to
drive the car to the inspection depot.
Plates, Registration and Stamp Duty...
Once your vehicle has passed its roadworthy inspection, you can walk into any
registration centre to pay for number plates, registration and stamp duty. Note
that, in South Australia, the stamp duty on an imported vehicle must be paid
upon registration. Stamp duty is based on the market value of the vehicle.
We opted to splurge on ‘Premium’ number plates because normal numberplates
don’t fit properly into the 180SX’s rear numberplate cut-out. Premium plates
cost AUD$140 versus AUD$21. Add to this the cost of 3 months registration and
stamp duty and the final amount payable is AUD$570.
Have fun as you fasten the number plates and registration sticker to the
vehicle!
Total On-Road Cost...
So how much money have we spent from start to finish? Here’s a table of
expenditure for our Nissan 180SX...
Item |
Cost (AUD$) |
|
Purchase of vehicle |
5400 |
|
On-site vehicle inspection |
125 |
|
Rear seatbelts |
100 |
|
Driver’s side mirror |
15 |
|
Fuel filler neck and label |
67 |
|
Intrusion bars (with engineer certificate) |
550 |
|
VIN stamping onto body |
45 |
|
Temporary registration permits (2 required) |
92 |
|
Roadworthy inspection |
70 |
|
Rental of standard wheels/tyres |
50 |
|
Premium number plates |
140 |
|
Stamp duty and registration (3 months) |
430 |
|
Repairs – dashboard, taillight, front indicators, front brakes, spare wheel,
driver’s guard, wiper blades, replacement bolts, fuses, etc |
785 |
|
TOTAL COST (AUD$) |
7869 |
Note – at the time of writing, we were yet to purchase a replacement set of
wheels/tyres and have the air conditioning re-gassed (the system must be purged
before leaving Japan).
As mentioned in Part Two, we also received a discount on the fitment of the
fuel filler neck and intrusion bars. We saved AUD$45 and AUD$50
respectively.
Our Comments and Advice...
Is there much work that needs to be done to meet the ADR requirements
for a 15 year old imported vehicle?
No.
Does this mean it’s achievable and worthwhile to do the ADR work at home?
Probably not.
At the time of writing, various ADR centres – such as Best Enterprises – will
perform all ADR-related work to a Nissan 180SX for a cost of AUD$1288. Note that
this includes various ‘incidental’ expenses including the roadworthy inspection
fee and travel to and from the inspection depot.
Of course, this price does not include any necessary vehicle repairs.
If you have access to excellent working facilities, a wide selection of tools
and have plenty of time to spare it might be worthwhile to do the ADR work at
home. However, one thing is for sure – you need a lot of Monday-to-Friday
business time to spend standing around in line-ups to organise temporary
registration permits, waiting on the phone, etc...
The financial saving is also quite small when you consider the fixed costs
associated with the ADR process (such as new seatbelts, fuel filler restrictor,
child restraint anchorages and intrusion bars with engineer certification).
So, yes, you can get a 15 year old Japanese import on the road relatively
cheaply – but perhaps not as cheaply or easily as some people suggest.
ADR Costs for Different Vehicles
Be aware that the amount of ADR-related work and expenditure varies, depending
on the type of vehicle.
Some vehicles – such as commercials and 2-seaters – often don’t require the
replacement of seatbelts. This typically saves around AUD$400.
We’re told that a selection of high-end prestige vehicles are also fitted
with intrusion bars that meet ADR standards. This eliminates the most expensive
part of the ADR process, saving you around AUD$550 – more in the case of a
vehicle with four doors...
Vehicles manufactured before January 1st, 1989 can also get away without
a VIN stamped into the body. That’s about AUD$45 more in your pocket.
Given the number of variables, it’s easy to see how one particular vehicle
might cost only a few hundred dollars to ADR while another might cost closer to
AUD$2000.
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Contacts:
Yahoo Motorsport
www.yahoomotorsports.com
+61 8 8345 0939/ 0416 080462
Best Enterprises +61 8 8262
6055
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