# www.batfa.com, is it for real?



## SkylineOnTheWay (Jan 6, 2004)

Found this site, look at the prices, a 96 R33 GTR- $24K USD, and a 99 R34 GTR- $44K? Hmmm, anybody ever dealt or talked to these people?


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## kaptainkrollio (Jul 29, 2003)

they prolly just export and dont make them US street legal. thatll cost another $20k. they might also be salvage titles or something else wrong
cause theres no way to get a 97 silvia for $9k. somethings up


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## SkylineOnTheWay (Jan 6, 2004)

i called them, and got a Japanese speaking answering machine, so I dunno, anybody speak Japanese?
The thing I am wondering is if I wire them money, what guarntee do I get that I will have a car???


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## GTES-t (Jan 2, 2004)

Batfa.com is just one of many Japanese exporters. The prices you see are just for the car. Then, depending on where you have it shipped to, the freight cost is added. All of this is just to by the car, then ship it to a port. Those cars are not US street legal, none of them have the required safety conversions or emissions check done. If you buy one from them, you have to set up a RI (Registered Importer, ie. Motorex), and arrange for them to pick it up and do the required conversion and legalizing process.

If you keep an eye out, you'll be able to find a car you like at a great price, pay for the vehicle and shipping, then pay Motorex only their conversion cost. It is usually cheaper doing things that route then purchasing one they sourced, shipped and converted.

As far as the 97 Silvia for $9K, there's nothing up, It may not be turbo'd, but that price sounds about normal for there. If you want one that cheap, move to Japan, I got my 1990 Skyline when I was over there in 1999 for $3K.


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## SkylineOnTheWay (Jan 6, 2004)

:thumbup: So you are saying that they are legit, I mean even $5K USD for a Skylione + legalizing=$20K? would be cheaper than directly through Motorex?


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## SR20 Who Knew? (Jul 29, 2003)

So you can buy a car from a exporter and pay for shipping, but it won't be street legal. If it's not street legal would they even give you the car after it ships here to the US?


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## chimmike (Oct 17, 2002)

SR20 Who Knew? said:


> So you can buy a car from a exporter and pay for shipping, but it won't be street legal. If it's not street legal would they even give you the car after it ships here to the US?



yeah but you can't get it registered and insured for street use. it'd be for race use only.


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## GTES-t (Jan 2, 2004)

Yeah, what I'm saying with Batfa or any other Japanese exporter, is that you are locating a car, buying it and paying to ship it to the states. However, it MUST be picked up by a registered importer (Motorex in this case) and legalized before you can pick up the vehicle and drive it away.

The car MUST be legalized/converted to get it registered and on the streets!!!!

Sometimes this is a better way to go. For example, Motorex charges $34,000 for a '95 R33 GTS-t. 
On Batfa, there is a nice '95 R33 GTS-t w/Manual trans (stock #4006) for $9,300, then if you look the shipping cost to the US is $900 for a total of $10,200 to get the car to the US. Now, it MUST be converted, so looking at the conversion only cost Motorex charges for that model, it's $17,000 more to get the car legalized and for you to be able to get the keys and take to the streets. So the total cost of getting the car and shipping it through Batfa + paying Motorex to convert it is $27,200! That's a large difference in your favor!
It will not always be cheaper to do it this way though, if you look at the R33 GTR Batfa's listed (Stock #3217) for $24,800 plus the $900 shipping and $25,000 conversion cost, it's a total of $50,700 when Motorex charges $50,000 for one they sourced and shipped over.

Look at Motorex's selling price of a car they purchased, imported and converted.
Then look for a Skyline you like and add the costs for you to purchase it, ship it to the US and have Motorex convert it.
That way you'll know which option is better for you.


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## SkylineOnTheWay (Jan 6, 2004)

OK, but can I or cant I bring it here as a Show car only,and then eventually send it to Motorex to be legalized??
Also will they legalize anything else but Skylines?
Like say I get a Silvia, can theylegalize it?
Example: You have $20K to spend now, so but a R33 GTS, and ship it here, still ahve some monsey,but not enough to legalize it, can I just trailer it to shows,until I have the money to legalize it??

Thanks!!!!


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## GTES-t (Jan 2, 2004)

There is a show car import allowance, however, you have to submit an application, they review the type of car, reason for being a show car, etc. If you bring in a car that way, you have to have a good reason why it's so special. Being that the Skyline can be brought in legally through conversion, they won't allow it that way. There's also the off-road/racing use import, however they require a lot of info that proves it will be used for that sole purpose. (ei, race licence, schedule, race mods, etc.)

If you go to the National Highway Safety site, they have the import guidelines, a list of vehicles that can be imported as show cars (it's a VERY short list) as well as the list of vehicles that can presently be imported.
Here's the site: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/
The show car and off-road/racing use only info's in the bottom area.


Now the problem with a Silvia or 180SX, is that they are not on the list. So, to get them added to the list, you'd have to get one you want and at least one extra, import them to a RI that would be willing to do the conversions and testing. They in turn, will have to modify the extra one to make it fit US safety specs, then crash test it to verify that it fits the criteria. Provided everything is in order, they convert yours and get it legalized.


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## tyndago (Dec 21, 2002)

http://www.mirageautosports.com/GTR/Importation.html


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## xp1_ericsdaman (Jul 4, 2003)

hey could you like get them to ship it w/o the engine and have it as a rolling chassis which wouldnt have to be legalized then ship the engine over later? I think that it be a lil more on shipping but it should work


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## tyndago (Dec 21, 2002)

No its not possible to do that....

Thats intentionally defrauding the government. Mostly it goes against the Clean Air Act.


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## SkylineOnTheWay (Jan 6, 2004)

Im confused?
So if I fill out the application on the dot link, for Show purposes, and get approved, can I bring the car( Skyline) here for now, then eventually have it legalized,or not?
It just seems to save a ton of cash that way, instead of paying $39K, for an R32 GTR.
R33 GTR is what I want, but dont think its worth $40K legal, bone stock, maybe modded?

Somebody please answer my question!
GTR, show car first then legalize later???


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## Nismo Skyline (May 2, 2002)

SkylineOnTheWay said:


> Im confused?
> So if I fill out the application on the dot link, for Show purposes, and get approved, can I bring the car( Skyline) here for now, then eventually have it legalized,or not?
> It just seems to save a ton of cash that way, instead of paying $39K, for an R32 GTR.
> R33 GTR is what I want, but dont think its worth $40K legal, bone stock, maybe modded?
> ...


Yes you are confused.

No you CANNOT bring in any skline as a Show Only car. As stated a few posts above, there is a very short list of cars that can be brought in under the Show Only exemption. If it's not on the list, you can't bring it in. Since the car is approved to be brought in and converted by Motorex, then that's the only way to bring it in.

In theory it is possible to bring it in as a race car, but you have to show documention of the racing history of the chassis and pictures of the car. You also have to show your racing license and the sanctioning body rules that allow the car to run. It is very difficult to get this done, I have heard many tales of real race cars being turned down because they had never raced, even though they were factory built spare race cars from big teams.


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## tyndago (Dec 21, 2002)

Show or Display Exemption is an exemption for a reason. You don't need to get it DOT "legal" . Its an exemption.

However dont expect to get it on a Skyline GT-R. You might be able to get an exemption on say a 400R , or something else different , but you need to have all the documentation and then , you still need to get it to pass EPA standards.

Obviously a 1996 and up car had to have OBD-II and no R33's ever came with OBD -II.

This is enough of a reason not to be able to get show or display exemption.


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