Importing from Japan - What is the secret to becoming a squid man?

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > Importing from Japan - What is the secret to becoming a squid man?

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

Isn't it really weird that all of the internal controls on these JDM cars are in English? Like, the heater controls, the dashboard stuff, etc. I kind of get why they put English stickers on the outside, like TURBO, but do 100% of Japanese drivers understand things like CHOKE and SUB/HEATER PULL?

# ¿ Nov 9, 2017 02:26

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 09:45

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

Also if you're actively trying to run scooters off the road then gently caress you, you belong in jail you psychopath, don't try to murder people because they're mildly inconveniencing you, for gently caress's sake.

But of course you aren't really, you're just internet tough-guying your frustration that some people drive under the limit, the thing everyone is actually legally obliged to do.

# ¿ Nov 17, 2017 01:40

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

Garage2Roadtrip posted:

Every time we cross paths on AI you're bitching about a socioeconomic situation or standing up for the downtrodden. Bravo! Do you even own a car, why do you cruise the car forums?

I can't tell if you're being serious or not but yes, I have a 92 chevy S10 and a 03 mazda protege5. And I also have a bicycle and ride it on public roads. We have both a legal and an ethical responsibility to share roads with all types of vehicles where they are permitted, and it has to be OK for people to drive (or ride) slower than the posted speed limit, irrespective of a driver's preference. Yes, some people behave dangerously on roads, and that dangerous behavior can include proceeding at very slow speeds as one (but not the only) component of bad behavior... like, weaving around on the road, failing to make use of available space on the shoulder, etc. is dangerous behavior by a bicyclist who is also going slowly and their slow going makes that behavior more dangerous.

But just doing 30 in a 45 zone or whatever is actually fine and OK even if it's frustrating to people who want to go faster. It's not the same as someone doing sub-45 in a posted restricted access freeway. A 45mph road is already a "back road" and it's not fair or reasonable to demand that people getting around by scooter, or bicycle, or even a skateboard entirely avoid those roads too. If they're otherwise obeying the law and driving/riding safely, than yeah, you have no reason to be upset and definitely no cause to "run them off the road" (or just pass aggressively closely, honk, and otherwise be a big dick on the road). You match speeds a safe distance behind them and then pass when it is safe to do so.

This is not a controversial or unusual position for me to take, either. It's literally the law of the land.

# ¿ Nov 19, 2017 03:47

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

KakerMix posted:

I'm the jump seat

That is clearly the door gunner's seat

# ¿ Dec 27, 2017 00:28

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

KakerMix posted:

Just a standard WASD brand one. You're probably more interested in the keycaps specifically but it looks like they are unavailable on Amazon which is where I got them. They are on eBay though, along with a bunch of other neato colors

If you like this sort of thing, Massdrop constantly has tons of random mechanical keyboard caps and stuff for sale.

https://www.massdrop.com/mechanical-keyboards/drops

# ¿ Dec 28, 2017 19:35

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

My 1992 Chevy S10 is a Sierra Cab, but then GM decided to make the GMC Sierra with a later version of the truck, so using the term for an extended cab was abandoned.

# ¿ Feb 7, 2018 01:56

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

Hey Kaker I vaguely remember you posting about there being a limit to how many cars you can buy & resale as a non-business individual before you have to start being a business, but a quick skim of the OP doesn't show that so I was wondering if I dreamt it, or do you have a limit, or did you find out a way around it?

# ¿ Jun 20, 2018 07:02

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

KakerMix posted:

It's a state-determined thing. Florida says you can only sell 3 vehicles for profit as an individual. Like most laws of the type though it isn't one that is actively enforced, it's a thing where if it's brought to their attention from you loving up or someone reporting you then they might take a look. The other part is 'for profit'. If someone just comes up to you and asks to buy your car and makes you an offer you can't refuse then that doesn't count. I am currently going through the motions though of getting dealer licensed in Florida. The hardest part is finding a building from which to do business meeting Florida's requirements.
Ways around it include not abusing it and drawing attention to yourself, registering cars in other people's names (that you trust) and just keeping it low key. There are a ton of benefits to becoming a dealer though outside of the requirement though so to go to that length to avoid it seems silly.

As far as I know there is no federal requirement to sell cars, it's a state thing because the state is the one that's interested in the taxing of your vehicles.

Ah, OK, thanks. So basically you've already gone past the 3 limit, but you're super small time potatoes so the state doesn't really care, and you're going through the process anyway so if someone at the state level decided they did care, you could point to that to show that you're not trying to get around the law anyway.

What are florida's building requirements? I take it you need more than just a PO Box, they want dealers to have actual lots to park cars on?

# ¿ Jun 20, 2018 19:52

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

KakerMix posted:

Basically yeah. The guy that comes out to physically inspect the car's frame numbers compared to the forms from the Dept. of Homeland Security has been helping me out, he's 60 and been doing this for decades. He's been super helpful.
Requirements are at least 100 sq feet of office, non-residentially zoned, public street access and a sign with hours (that can say 'by appointment only') and some other more minor things. There is a special type of approval for buildings that are allowed to be used as an auto dealership that can fast-track the approval but otherwise you pick out a building, have an inspector come out (if its approved on paper) then they say if it's OK or not. After that and you get your license just keep it up with renewals and there is usually never another inspection.
The rules are set up more for an out door lot but I'm dead-set on a warehouse type deal because I want all my cars indoors. Pollen gets terrible during the year and we're about to enter monsoon season which means water spots out the rear end, no thanks.

Well on the one hand indoor space is obviously exponentially more expensive than bare asphalt, but given you have to have that office space anyway, that decreases the delta between having a lot and having indoor parking space considerably. It's still gonna be a significant delta though, so I hope you're doing your business financial modelling carefully before you sign a lease. It'll be cool to watch you go through the process of building this business though! I'm excited for you, I think you've definitely tapped into a viable opportunity here.

# ¿ Jun 21, 2018 22:53

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

everdave posted:

EDIT: how do I handle this? there was no bent fender in Japan wtf

Insurance. Someone presumably had a policy, which you presumably paid for in some way.

# ¿ Aug 14, 2018 19:38

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

Chicken tax on that one tho? It's a two-seater flatbed kei truck, right?

# ¿ Sep 5, 2018 19:38

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

KakerMix posted:

25% on 350 bucks though, that's not even $90 bucks. The rest is true though, 2500~ or so depending on transport from Port once in the US and getting a US state title.

Oh right, it's a % on the sale price, not some kind of fixed or minimum fee. That's fine then, cool.

# ¿ Sep 5, 2018 20:15

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

What's the green light on a stick on the front passenger corner of Riller's Mitsubishi?

# ¿ Sep 25, 2018 21:13

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

Lord of Garbagemen posted:

Some Toyota thing, was more interesting than cool.

C-HR. We have these in the US. I rented one in Ireland. It's a hybrid.

# ¿ Nov 6, 2018 00:31

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

Yes. They are called "insurance brokers" and their job is to sell you insurance. Sometimes they can get you a lower rate because they will check your eligibility across a bunch of insurers, using as close to an apples-to-apples comparison as they can. Typically, the insurance companies pay them, so they should not cost you anything.

However, it's not a total panacea. Sometimes the best price you can get is with an insurance company that doesn't work with brokers, or that your broker doesn't work with.

Also, inevitably whenever someone mentions what they're paying for insurance, threads derail into long sets of posts in which some people are outraged at such high prices and others are shocked by such low prices. But insurance varies wildly by zip code, and then still a lot by driver record. If you live somewhere that cars are more frequently stolen, your rates will be higher regardless of your record, age, etc.

Moreover, large insurance companies have models that tell them to accumulate more policies in such-and-such a geographic region this month, while not accumulating more in some-other-place this month, etc. They accomplish this by offering lower or higher prices for policies in those regions. So on any given date, the quote you get from a given insurer could be much higher or lower than it "should be" based on your particulars.

The end result is that it's difficult or impossible to compare people's rates to each other. If your next door neighbor is the same age and gender and education level and marrital status as you, drives an identical car, and has a better rate, then maybe give their insurer a call. That's about it.

Finally: one should not only shop on rates. The lowest possible rate is not necessarily going to be the best, because insurers do vary in quality - how stingy they are with paying out vs. contesting claims, in particular. A good insurer with good customer service and a good record of claims payment is worth a premium over the maximum-discount insurer.

Which goes back to one of the values a good broker can provide: they can steer you away from lovely companies that rip off their customers.

Personally I had an excellent claims experience with Amica when my car was totaled, and as a result I'm sticking with them. I've heard very good things about USAA, too. I have an insurance broker I use for my homeowners and earthquake policy, but last time I talked to him (which was probably 8 years ago, so YMMV) Amica didn't work with brokers, so I bought my car insurance separately.

# ¿ Dec 4, 2018 23:09

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2018/06/japanese-mini-truck-gardens/

Kei trucks with gardens in them. Now I kinda want one (I'm in California so it's impossible).

# ¿ Jun 25, 2019 22:00

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

The Door Frame posted:

I saw a Mighty Boy just south of Fort Bragg, so I know you can buy em. Or do you mean having enough water for the garden?

I meant the california CARB rules that prevent importing japanese market cars that haven't been crash-tested or emissions evaluated for a baseline by California or whatever? There's probably exceptions, and maybe you can import them to the state after they've been registered & licensed etc. in some other state first?

ah it's mentioned in the OP:

astropika posted:

The issue with California is that direct import vehicles have to pass FTP (federal test procedure) driving cycles, just like a manufacturer does type certifying a vehicle. The testing is several thousand dollars by itself, without considering modifications to bring the vehicle into conformance.
For an R32 GTR it costs something like 12-15k to modify and certify as CARB legal, which completely destroys the value of the car, you could be looking at 40k for an r32 skyline and you can buy much faster cars for 40k

I was quite set on getting an R32 GTR, the performance and buildability is difficult to beat at even the inflated 20-25k you can get a decent one for now, but when I weighed up the hassle and uncertainty of having to register out of state or paying close to 40k for a 25 year old car, even one as cool and evocative, I decided against it and bought a 911 turbo instead.

# ¿ Jun 25, 2019 23:19

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

I absolutely love the white pinstriping on that fire truck. Awesome. I bet you make a mint on that one.

# ¿ Aug 1, 2019 22:18

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 09:45

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

also sell stuff/list stuff for sale on facebook

# ¿ Dec 5, 2019 21:00

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > Importing from Japan - What is the secret to becoming a squid man?