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imported vehicle Vin search
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:55 pm
by wrksux
I bought a car from a private owner and got a vic roads permit to drive it so i can get it RWC and rego'ed. I called up to get a covernot for insureance and discoverd it is an import without a compliance plate

before anyone says yes, im a Fcuking idiot and im paying the price now.
It was also my first car

so go figure. at the moment im trying to track down whom ever bought it into the country vic roads told me to go to Dept transport which is in NSW, havent been able to get hold of them yet. im trying to find out from the guy i bought it off but he doesnt want to know me know so this is difficult. If anyone can help me track down with only a VIN number (jap one) I would be so greatfull otherwise im going to have to wreck it or try and take them to court for selling me a vehicle they knew wasnt bought here legally.
it was an 80 series 92 model,
the things that make me hope it was complied/regoed here somehow. LPG on it, TJM bar and new tyres and the like it was regoed about 12mnths ago, not sure if it was legit though :( but am trying to find out who to and what it was.
If the vehicle wasnt bought here legally can i still have it complied im trying to cut my losses. Long story short this has been the screwup and day from hell.
if anyone can help please PM me
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:34 pm
by ferret
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but unless it came in with import approval paperwork, then it can't be legally registered. However, I'd say the guy you bought it off would have to have know something (quite likely be involved). If you hold a CAMS license it is quite legal to bring vehcles in as a race/rally car, but it can only ever have limited cams rego. To my knowledge, there is no way that a 92 model 80 series could have been brought in and legally rego'd unless it was a personal import, in which case it should have a yellow compliance plate on the firewall in addition to the Toyota compliance plates. But if the insurance company is saying that it was never complied, I doubt that it will be there. Your only hope for trying to track down the previously registered owner will be via the department of transport, it will be mch easier if you can find a previous rego number though.
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:40 pm
by wrksux
Nope dont have a CAMS licence, can i get it coplied without the import paper work, what do i need for that? im fairly sure it was a personal import
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:52 pm
by DNA Off Road
This document might be worth a read...
http://www.citylink.vic.gov.au/vrpdf/rd ... hicles.pdf
If I were you, I would persue the guy you purchased it from. Did you buy it [and importantly, did he sell it to you] under the guise it was registered in Australia?
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 10:12 pm
by wrksux
i was told it had been registerd, they bought it and the guy cashed it in, the rego.
then they put new engine from a place in epping (have recipts) and then just decieded for tax and bis reason's to sell after 8 months, this should have set of alarm bells

they said yeah shouldnt need much. but from what i found on the dotars site it seems to be a crime to sell a car without an australian compliance plate or australian VIN/ adr complied.
i was told its been registerd and shouldnt be a problem, im going to hound them tomorrow for info on the guy they bought it from, i think they might have found out what i have and tried to cut their losses
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 10:45 pm
by liftkit8
funny feeling your car is still being driven. theres dodgy people keeping compliance plates, swaping them over to maybe an accident / writen off vechile . & driving / selling it off for a second time. im not racist , but ive been burnt by LEBkemba, now i use 39s as road tires.
real aussies drive over utes.
Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 9:37 am
by wrksux
im trying to trace this, if i can get it on teh road for a bit more it beats loseing approx 1/4 of my anual wage on a car i cant use or sell
Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 1:15 pm
by Emo
If the LPG was fitted locally it should also have an LPG compliance plate attached. In Vic, it would also have required paperwork to be sent to Vic Roads so their records show that it is dual fuel.
If it does have an LPG compliance plate, you might be able to argue that Vic Roads had all the details so it looked legit.
Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 4:02 pm
by wrksux
thanks for all the help guys, had dad's solicter call them and the car is being returned and im getting my money back. this has cost me around 500 but a lesson i wont forget soon.
moral Imports arent worth it
Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 4:08 pm
by sierrajim
wrksux wrote:moral Imports arent worth it
I think you might be wrong there. The moral is:
"Use your brain and do your homework"
Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 5:55 pm
by nicbeer
wrksux wrote:thanks for all the help guys, had dad's solicter call them and the car is being returned and im getting my money back. this has cost me around 500 but a lesson i wont forget soon.
moral Imports arent worth it
Should have got more off them for the farkin around you have done.
Nic
Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:47 pm
by ratboy
if its been rego with gas in vic and no compliance plate for lpg and no tank tag. take of valve cover off tank and theres a number stamped into the tank (some tanks) vic roads should have this no and all other info for this car
if was rego with gas
but u will have fun getting the info out of them
Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 9:24 pm
by wrksux
sierrajim wrote:wrksux wrote:moral Imports arent worth it
I think you might be wrong there. The moral is:
"Use your brain and do your homework"
well Jim if vicroads said it was ok and issued me with paperwork id say that is doing your work.
it took a federal seach and me calling the federal police and DOTARS to confirm the worst
Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 9:15 am
by sierrajim
wrksux wrote:sierrajim wrote:wrksux wrote:moral Imports arent worth it
I think you might be wrong there. The moral is:
"Use your brain and do your homework"
well Jim if vicroads said it was ok and issued me with paperwork id say that is doing your work.
it took a federal seach and me calling the federal police and DOTARS to confirm the worst
So you called Vicroads to confirm:
1. That the VIN and Engine numbers did not have finance against them
2. That the vehicle HAD been registered in VIC to Mr or Mrs XX
3. Paid for the report they offer you (less than $10)
And Vicroads answered 1. No finance, 2. Yes it was registered in their name, 3. We'll fax you the report.

Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 9:35 am
by wrksux
unreg so no engine clean, vin clean. Ive spoken to the federal police they are investigating some people in sydney for importing for parts then selling vehicles as a whole.
Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 9:52 am
by chimpboy
sierrajim wrote:wrksux wrote:moral Imports arent worth it
I think you might be wrong there. The moral is:
"Use your brain and do your homework"
Well, it's probably true that you need to be extra careful with imports, but anyone can be a victim of fraud, which is what has happened here. wrksux has been scammed by somebody.
Yes as you get older you get more wary of this stuff, but it's still the cheat's fault, not the victim's.
Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 1:05 pm
by ferret
Imports are fine, I currently own 2, and have owned several more in the past, but you just need to have a bit of background knowledge on what's required to rego one. ie they must have a compliance plate, for cars brought in a few years ago it will be a low volume import scheme plate, which is green, a private import will have a yellow plate, and more recent imports will have a sevs plate, not sure what colour they are. All you have to do is have a look around the engine bay and there will be one of these plates in addition to the manufacturers build plate, if you had asked around a few people that know something about imports before handing over the cash, you would have found that it is impossible to bring in an 80 series and register it legally unless it is as a personal import. To legally register a personal import you must own it in the country of origin for at least 12 months with documents to support this, it then needs to go through compliancing to make dure that the vehicle is roadworthy before it can be registered. You also need to have import approval paperwork from DOTARS no matter how it is to be complied (there are 3 types, personal imprt, sevs import, pre 1988 vehicles). Good to here you are getting your money back, but next time I would be doing a little more research before handing over your hard earned, and remember, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is!