Update: Moving to Japan... Corvette for sale around Montreal anyone?

"Flavien Vidal" (flyingfrenchy)
07/09/2014 at 17:04 • Filed to: None

My car is now officially for sale :(

Find me a buyer and I'll make sure you get your cut ;)

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

EDIT: Evening bump to get montrealers attention :)

I have to move to Japan in two months, so my car is gonna be for sale...

1995 LT1 Corvette - 300hp - 167000 miles - 9500 canadian $

The Good:

* FAST... 0 to 60 in 5.1s

* Manual six speed gearbox, rebuilt 4 years ago by ZF themselves

* New clutch, changed it 4 months ago... Stage 2 clutch, not sure it was the best choice for everyday driving, but it does the trick fine. Grips like crazy.

* Paint is 4 years old, very high quality job and it shows, cost about 4000$ at the time

* Interior fully redone at the same time as the paint, leathers are like new

* Comes with two sets of tires. One set of GoodYear Eagle F1 Supercar and one set of Pirelli SottoZeros for winter. Both sets are in good shape.

* NO rust on the frame. VERY VERY clean.

* New gas pump, new coils, new ICM, new optispark installed this week end oil changed 2000 miles ago with recommended 5W30 Synthetic Mobil 1

* C5 Z06 wheels... 295/18 in the back, 265/17 in the front

The to-do:

* Rear bearings could be changed

* Exhaust under the passenger seat with the metal protection around it that should be re-soldered. No rust or anything, I think I hit a bit of ice at some point and it moved the metal protection around the exhaust itself lol. No big deal but it vibrates making a noise you can only hear between 1500 and 1700rpm. You don't hear it at all otherwise.

* The driver side protective carpet could be cleaner... my fault.

* Oil carter ring join should be changed. No big deal at all though...

It's a very solid car, started everyday even by -30 degrees. Greatest car I've ever had. I would have brought it to Japan with me, but if I have to sell it one day I would struggle due to the fact that japanese are scared with high-mileage cars. It's been my daily driver for a year now and I don't regret it. SO much fun!

If someone wants it, let me know :)

EDIT: It can also be very practical to go to Ikea

Or just enjoy a proper winter with a properly fun car :)

DISCUSSION (66)

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Flavien Vidal
06/13/2014 at 14:33

Manual six speed gearbox, rebuilt 4 years ago by ZF themselves

WOO! ZF rocks! ;)

And although the Japanese are afraid of high mileage vehicles, I would think that with foreigners' obsession with big American muscle cars you would still be able to find a buyer (possibly at a very nice price, because of supply/demand and rarity). Also, I am jealous of you moving to Japan. Send me a KGC10 Skyline please! :D

BJ > Flavien Vidal
06/13/2014 at 14:33

I wonder which would make my wife angrier: buying this, or buying a 4x4 and a lift kit?

In other news: I'm pretty sure I saw you rolling up the Main a few weeks ago, although it could have been another yellow Corvette - I didn't see much but a yellow blur flying by. Good luck with the sale.

Jonathan Harper > Flavien Vidal
06/13/2014 at 14:38

Take it with you!

PS9 > Flavien Vidal
06/13/2014 at 14:42

Why you moving?

Also, NOOOO DON'T SELL, YOU CAN IMPORT YOUR CAR OVER THERE!!

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Flavien Vidal
06/13/2014 at 14:47

Moving to Japan? NICE! I always wanted to live in Japan but my wife doesn't and I have no idea what I would do for work once I'm there.

But I do find Japan as being one of the most interesting places I have ever seen.

are you gonna drive a Kei car? or are you planning on a proper JDM sports car?

May I ask what you will be doing for work over there?

thebigbossyboss > Flavien Vidal
06/13/2014 at 15:02

But but.....I love your car and can't buy it.

Flavien Vidal > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
06/13/2014 at 16:35

I still hesitate right now... Cappuccino, AZ-1, Beat?? Or going the proper car way with a prepped Eunos Roadster or a R32 GTR (with a RWD button-switch :) ), but whatever I get it will be JDM only... I want something unique that I can hardly find anywhere outside of Japan as a first car. (eventhough I might heritate from my borther in law's 2008 M3... Waiting on knowing whether or not it's a manual or SMG... you know what I will do if it's not manual lol)

Flavien Vidal > BJ
06/13/2014 at 16:38

What do you mean by "the main"? Sherbrooke? I rarely drive downtown with the car... Mostly freeway or backroads, but I hate start-stop downtown traffic...

And the Corvette is definitly the better choice, she can only but in love with it, unlike a 4x4 with a bro-kit :)

Flavien Vidal > PS9
06/13/2014 at 16:42

I would like to, but for the reasons I explained, I prefer to sell it here...

I'm moving because it's the end of my work visa and that I could not negociate a higher salary with the company that hires me. Considering the project I have of creating my own company, I have to make more money than what I make right now to be able to save fast enough... I have good plans for well paying jobs there which I hope will be conclusive. Worst case scenario, english or french teacher, combined with fake priest during the week ends (I actually have a serious lead on such a job lol) can pay alright :)

Flavien Vidal > thebigbossyboss
06/13/2014 at 16:44

You have a maximum of 2 and a half months to find the money, it's not too bad :)

Would love to sell it an opponaut and still read about it to be honest...

PS9 > Flavien Vidal
06/13/2014 at 16:44

Fake priest???

Flavien Vidal > Jonathan Harper
06/13/2014 at 16:46

It would cost too much for me to ship it, shaken it and so on, to most likely not be able to sell it for much at all due to the very high mileage (japanese HATE high mileage)... I prefer to sell it here...

Flavien Vidal > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
06/13/2014 at 16:50

It's a great gearbox indeed... Not the quietest, but damn, does it feel good! I might end up buying another one at some point over there... But for now I prefer to sell it and make sure I don't lose too much money on it rather than investing in shipping + taxes+ registration, not to be certain whether or not I will be able to get a decent price out of it...

Sometime soon, maybe, I'll buy a C5 Z06 instead :). No snow in Japan so it iwll be very fine to own one there...

Flavien Vidal > PS9
06/13/2014 at 16:51

lol yes, tons of fun :D

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_ea…

RotaryLover > Flavien Vidal
06/13/2014 at 19:42

NO NO NO NO DAMN I SHOULD HAD SAVED UP INSTEAD OF BUYING THE MIATA. I'M AN IDIOT!!!

BJ > Flavien Vidal
06/13/2014 at 20:14

The Main is St-Laurent; I guess it's more of an anglophone thing. I live on both sides of the language divide, so I'm no expert on Montreal in any language!

I saw a yellow 'vette crossing at St-Joseph and I immediately thought of yours. I think my wife would prefer the 4x4, because then at least we could transport our children with it... :)

Flavien Vidal > BJ
06/13/2014 at 20:22

St Joseph and St Denis, you can pretty much be certain it's me... It's where I live... :)

In the past 4 months I drove once on St Laurent though

BJ > Flavien Vidal
06/13/2014 at 20:27

How about you put it in storage, at my place? I'll make sure that the fluids circulate and the tires rotate, free of charge. Just keep it insured, ok?

When you get tired of Japan and nostalgic for the beautiful Montreal winters, the car will be here waiting. Deal?

Flavien Vidal > RotaryLover
06/13/2014 at 20:28

It's never too late to do the right thing :)

I'm sure you can get the corvette for the exact same price you bought your miata... so sell the miata and get the Corvette haha

Flavien Vidal > BJ
06/13/2014 at 20:29

I'll need to charge you a little fee of 9500$ if I were to let you store it at your place unfortunatly haha

RotaryLover > Flavien Vidal
06/13/2014 at 20:32

I really wish...but for the price I paid...I'm losing a lot.

djmt1 > Flavien Vidal
06/13/2014 at 20:43

Guess that means no Kei car scaring.

RotaryLover > Flavien Vidal
06/13/2014 at 20:58

Let's meet before you leave and sell the Vette. lol

offroadkarter > Flavien Vidal
06/13/2014 at 20:58

Ship the car over to japan, if you ever move back to the western world you could probably sell it there for a lot more than its worth here just due to the rarity of it in japan.

GLWS

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Flavien Vidal
06/13/2014 at 21:04

Which part of Japan? I go over about every other year myself.

Jedidiah > Flavien Vidal
06/13/2014 at 21:17

Or you could never sell it and just keep it.

It's a yellow, manual Corvette with an Lt1. It is only going to appreciate in value. I wouldn't worry about selling it Japan. You'll just have to wait for the right buyer; there would be demand because of the rarity over there.

I always wanted a yellow or red Corvette, but I'm nowhere near you and broke. :(

Flavien Vidal > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast.
06/13/2014 at 21:29

First I'll be going to Aichi prefecture to stay with my wife's family for two or three months until I find an appartment and a job which will probably be in Tokyo area.

Flavien Vidal > offroadkarter
06/13/2014 at 21:35

http://www.goo-net.com/usedcar/spread…

Rare, sure, but not worth it... This one, sure, has an automatic gearbox, but it only has 35000km and it will sell total (880.000yen is without taxes) for something like 11 or 12.000$.

I still have to ship it (2000$), import it (5% of the price of the car) and then register it (1500$ minimum with such a big engine). Just not worth it...

http://www.goo-net.com/cgi-bin/fsearc…

Here are more Corvettes for sale in Japan

Flavien Vidal > Jedidiah
06/13/2014 at 21:38

As I posted when answering to someone else... here is a 96 with 110.000km for taxes included around 11.000$

http://www.goo-net.com/usedcar/spread…

Just not worth it unfortunatly...

Flavien Vidal > djmt1
06/13/2014 at 21:38

Nope...

Flavien Vidal > RotaryLover
06/13/2014 at 21:40

lol sure, but I might sell it very fast... I'll change the optispark this week end and then I'll put it for sale for good pretty much away...

LeOnionRing > Flavien Vidal
06/14/2014 at 00:13

fix the exhaust and post it on kijiji. 10g's should be an easy sell, don't mention winter driving, and sell the winter tires separately.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Flavien Vidal
06/14/2014 at 13:08

Aichi? I used to live in Seto while I was in college!But for me, Tokyo is a much better fit. Have fun! You probably won;t need a car, but I would recommend at least getting a scooter for those times when you just don't feel like dealing with the trains. Are you able to drive on the left side?

Flavien Vidal > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast.
06/15/2014 at 09:32

Oh, don't worry, I'm very used to live in Japan, my wife is japanese :)

I don't enjoy Tokyo so much, I prefer the japanese country side where I'm the only gaijin around hahaha. It's fun having old oba-chan looking at me like I'm some kind of extraterrestrial :)

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Flavien Vidal
06/15/2014 at 19:19

Yeah, I didn't find Aichi to be very comfortable place to be as a gaijin. Every place from Yokohama north to Hokkaido seemed to be a much better fit for me. Don't know why really. Just couldn't stand to be in the place. If you like country living, Nihon-kai is a pretty nice area too. Out towards Tottori-ken. Nice people and really good food out there.

Kat Callahan > Flavien Vidal
07/09/2014 at 17:07

Welcome to my neighborhood. Where are you going to be?

Flavien Vidal > Kat Callahan
07/09/2014 at 17:10

At first with my wife's family in Okazaki near Nagoya for two to three months, then moving probably to Yokohama for work. But first... I have to sell my car.... Once it is sold, I can leave pretty much right away... Where are you?

Roberto G. > Flavien Vidal
07/09/2014 at 17:13

If I were a Canadian, I'd buy her. Honest to God.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > Flavien Vidal
07/09/2014 at 17:15

Same problem here. costs too much for me.

Flavien Vidal > Roberto G.
07/09/2014 at 17:16

This is a north american car, made in the USA and easily re-exported back to the US if you REALLY want it ;)

Kat Callahan > Flavien Vidal
07/09/2014 at 17:17

Gunma/Saitama. So maybe two or three hours by train from either Nagoya or Yokohama, depending on the type of train and where I start exactly.

Roberto G. > Flavien Vidal
07/09/2014 at 17:18

Sorrily and most sorrily, I live in Italy!

thebigbossyboss > Flavien Vidal
07/09/2014 at 17:22

Damn. I wished you moved in two years when I'll be done school.

Flavien Vidal > Roberto G.
07/09/2014 at 17:22

hahaha it's a bit far indeed :D

They tend to be quite a bit more expensive in Europe ;) I could still ship it from Halifax haha

Flavien Vidal > Kat Callahan
07/09/2014 at 17:36

Oh I'll be driving and skateboarding (I do downhill skateboarding for over a decade now...) around Gunma quite often... Mostly in Nikko on Irohazaka and in Kanagawa, but also in Gunma itself. Who knows maybe we'll meet sometime ;)

RotaryLover > Flavien Vidal
07/09/2014 at 17:39

Ok il faut définitivement faire de quoi cette semaine ou la semaine prochaine. Si possible. Ça va ce vendre extremement vite d'après moi.

Flavien Vidal > RotaryLover
07/09/2014 at 17:42

Je sais pas trop si je vais pouvoir pour etre honnete avec toi... Je veux pas risquer de casser queqlue chose juste avant de la vendre. La derniere fois que j'ai foutu quelque chose en l'air ca m'a pris 3 semaines a trouver ce que c'etait lol... On peut se boire un verre quelque part si tu veux, mais aller sur circuit je vais devoir laisser tomber pour pas prendre encore plus de temps avant de partir au Japon... :(

Ca fait chier, mais ca serait pas intelligent de faire ca differement...

EDIT: si t,as beosin de quelqu'un pour t'accompagner avec ta MX5 à Sanair, je suis pour par contre haha ;)

RotaryLover > Flavien Vidal
07/09/2014 at 17:47

C'est vrai, j'avais pas pensé à ça! Tu seras mon co-pilote alors hahaha! Je vais inviter des amis aussi. Je me demande si il y a du monde de Montreal et aux alentours qui voudraient faire une rencontre en même temps.

Flavien Vidal > RotaryLover
07/09/2014 at 17:52

Je commence a bien connaitre Sanair lol

Mais si tu veux y faire un tour, ca serait avec plaisir que je t'accompagnerai si j'ai le temps...

RotaryLover > Flavien Vidal
07/09/2014 at 17:58

Tu essayeras ma NC...malgré que les pneus sont a changer...encore hahaha.

Flavien Vidal > RotaryLover
07/09/2014 at 18:29

Avec plaisir, je ne connais que la NB :)

Minardi Gras > Flavien Vidal
07/09/2014 at 22:15

Good luck with your move. I'm in Tokyo too, I think there's a few of us. Oppo Tokyo meetup? We could... go to the Toyota place on Odaiba and drive ALL THE TOYOTAS.

Or something fun, whatever.

Flavien Vidal > Minardi Gras
07/09/2014 at 22:36

I should be in Yokohama in January... Before that I will be in Aichi... if they have some GT86 to TRY (I mean to REALLY try lol) sure it can be fun :)

Minardi Gras > Flavien Vidal
07/09/2014 at 22:45

They do run 86 HPD (86 Academy) days on their little 1.3km circuit and have86's available for 300yen a go the rest of the time...

http://www.megaweb.gr.jp/area/ride_one/

Also, you can rent the 86 from Toyota Rentacar: I rented this one and took it up to the mountains in Gunma and Nagano last week - only the branch in Shibuya has them with a manual. Great fun and not expensive either.

Kinja'd!!!

Minardi Gras > Kat Callahan
07/09/2014 at 22:52

Yay, more opponauts in Japan. I'm in Tokyo but took a Toyota rentacar 86 up in the mountains in Gunma last week, love the area!

Kat Callahan > Minardi Gras
07/09/2014 at 22:53

We should have a meet.

I'm climbing Mount Fuji this weekend, assuming Neoguri doesn't put a damper on my plans. ba dum tss.

Flavien Vidal > Minardi Gras
07/09/2014 at 22:54

Cool, I'll have to wait a little as I have to change my driver license first (they don't accept international driver licenses...) but it looks freaking nice though... I'll gladly rent one someday, eventhough I'll have a car of my own pretty much as soon as I'll arrive... (Mr2 GT?? Silvia S15 spec R? R32 GTR?? Rhaaa too many toys to choose!!!)

Minardi Gras > Kat Callahan
07/09/2014 at 23:01

Awesome, which route are you taking up Fuji?

Noeguri should be over by the weekend, the JMA charts show it's speeding up a bit.

I climbed Fuji on June 30th using the Yoshida trail, the top was full of news crews and photographers covering the first sunrise of the season which was a little unexpected - spotted photos of my wife and I in a few newspapers too (always from behind - I guess we don't look like foreigners that way...)

Definitely up for an oppo meet in the near future, I think there's a handful of JP based opponauts.

Minardi Gras > Flavien Vidal
07/09/2014 at 23:05

I used an International Driving Permit for the first year and my dad used one to get the 86 last week, they are accepted.

Getting a JP licence was easy for me as a Brit, difficult for US citizens - not sure about Canadians though...

Flavien Vidal > Minardi Gras
07/09/2014 at 23:08

On the website it stays you cannot use one for the HPDE training... dunno about rental though... Should be fine yes.

Canadians have no problem exchanging their license... (I'm not canadian though... I've lived here many years, but I'm french) I have to get my permanent resident visa first though as my wife is japanese... It should take a few months.

Minardi Gras > Flavien Vidal
07/09/2014 at 23:14

Ah, apologies, I thought you meant IDPs were not accepted generally.

Good luck with the visa process (I hear from friends that it's a real ballache) and let me/oppo know when you're settled in and we'll try and arrange a JP oppo event if you're interested. WEC/MotoGP/F1 in October might be a good bet.

Flavien Vidal > Minardi Gras
07/09/2014 at 23:21

no worries about the visa my wife and her mother do everything for me hahha

I don't know your situation but it's not very difficult to get it when you're married (have to prove that it was not a fake wedding and stuff like that, but since I've been with my now-wife for about 9 years, it's not very hard to prove :) )

I just have to wait for the visa itself... then get the proper japanese license (I can still drive with my international driver license in the meantime) and finally I'll be good to go to do anything car related that I want :)

Minardi Gras > Flavien Vidal
07/09/2014 at 23:31

It was the whole 'proving you're a real couple' thing that seemed overly intrusive. I'm not a permanent resident although I would like to go for it when eligible. My wife is also British so there's no easy way in ;).

Let us know what you're thinking about getting, at least in Aichi you have space to park a car! Sadly I couldn't find anywhere with a parking space in Tokyo (or rather, couldn't justify the ridiculous increase in price) but do have a motorbike which is just as fun.

Flavien Vidal > Minardi Gras
07/09/2014 at 23:36

Well for now it's "easy":

R32 GTR, MR2 GT, Silvia S15 Spec-r, Suzuki Cappuccino (a "boosted" one lol), Honda Beat (just for the noise of the engine, same thing slightly "boosted"), 200ZR, 300ZX TT, AE86, roadster turbo....... well quite a lot of things in my head right now haha

I've never owned a japanese sports car, I'm only used to big american V8, I want something different :)

And no problem for parking in aichi indeed... Once in yokohama, it should be alright and not TOO expensive either...

Minardi Gras > Flavien Vidal
07/09/2014 at 23:40

I had a Cappuccino when I lived in Hiroshima, it was great fun. Also had a VW-fronted Sambar van which was fun in a different way. In the UK I had an S2000 for a while and miss that car so would recommend you add that to your list of Japanese sportscars. And an FD RX-7!

Flavien Vidal > Minardi Gras
07/09/2014 at 23:47

I'm too worried about the FD... I want one badly, but its reliability scares the shit out of me... so I scratched that until I'm "richer" lol. The S2000 is nice indeed, but I'm not sure I want a snap-oversteer type of car... As I said I'm used to big slow drifts V8, so I might go for something "quieter" as a first japanese sports car... We'll see anyway, I still have to sell my car first :)