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One of the most expensive but rewarding hobbies—it might be more appropriate to say passionate pursuits—is collecting vintage import cars from Japan. American and European marques have their set of loyal fans; Japanese models also have their own cult following, especially when you’re talking about sporty coupes and other rare marques primarily released to the Japanese Domestic Market. South Africa is a lively market for imported vehicles including collector’s and vintage quality cars. For this reason the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa has put in place a set of Import Control Guidelines that are focused on the importation of previously-owned vehicles, buses and trucks, taxicabs, and auto parts including but not limited to engines, differentials, and gearboxes, whether used or new. These guidelines include policies on importing vintage and collector’s vehicles. The import procedures for vintage cars are not the same as those of “regular” vehicles. South Africa is very strict when it comes to vehicle importation, so if you’re interested in getting a vintage car into South Africa, you should take heed of the following regulations. What are considered vintage and collector’s vehicles? Import cars from Japan are considered to be vintage models if they are 40 years old or even older. Collector’s vehicles on the other hand are those that have been considered or classified as such in the international auto industry by motoring professionals. There are no hard and fast rules about what makes a car a collector’s item; because of this, importation requests for a collector’s car are taken up with the South African Veteran and Vintage Association, who are knowledgeable about international standards and criteria. A collector’s car may be one that has unique characteristics, such as having superchargers and turbo. Take note that if bought as left-hand drive vehicles, these would need to be converted to right-hand drive once they reach South Africa. What are the requirements for importing vintage and collector’s vehicles? South African citizens who are going to import cars from Japan, whether vintage or collector’s, are required to accomplish Application Form IE463. They must also attach a copy of their South African ID or passport (if scanned or photocopied, submit the page with the barcode and personal information). Applicants should also provide a document containing the full details of the vehicle/s. For importing the collector’s vehicle, the applicant must submit an affidavit confirming the vehicle’s country of origin. The application process Once the application is approved, the vehicle will be granted a provisional import permit, which gives the vehicle the go signal to enter South Africa. Upon arrival of the car’s documents (the exporter would usually send importers a copy of these), the applicant must then fill up a new form and to submit this with the vehicle’s certificate of registration. A Letter of Authority, issued by the South African Bureau of Standards, must also be submitted for the clearance of import cars from Japan. Import and customs duties must also be paid. To prevent the rampant importation for reselling purposes, the guidelines also state that vintage and collector’s cars may not be disposed of within a period of two years from when these were imported into South Africa. It sounds fair, so if you want to have a vintage Japanese auto, work hard to follow the rules so you can play hard when showing off your car!
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import cars, used cars, japanese used cars,
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