Brought a Mitsubishi Delica Chamonix to an offroad park...

"Flavien Vidal" (flyingfrenchy) 01/20/2019 at 08:36 • Filed to: None

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... an holy hell was that thing glorious! As you guys might know, I’m not an expert in offroading but ohhhhh crap is it fun to learn! And I did I enjoy pushing that thing! Such a different experience from track or mountain roads... I may or may not have crapped my pants a few times. And I loved it!

Enjoy a few pics of the day, and a video as soon as I find the time to edit it.

I really enjoy my job (yes it was a “work day”).

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > Flavien Vidal 01/20/2019 at 08:57

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That is awesome!! Is it as tippy as it looks? I’d be afraid of it going over on it’s sude. 

Khalbali > Flavien Vidal 01/20/2019 at 09:00

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Am I the only one who read "chamonix" in a Michael Jackson voice?

and 100 more > Khalbali 01/20/2019 at 09:07

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LOL! I did now!

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Khalbali 01/20/2019 at 09:19

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CHA MO , N ICKS, Y OU KNOW IT, HEE HEEE

Flavien Vidal > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/20/2019 at 09:20

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It’s actually not bad at all! It can take quite a side incline without ti pp ing... You will poop your pants because you’re seated real high and it moves a lot up there, but the car in it doesn’t fall on its side easily... rock walls and stuff like that next to the car are more of a problem as, even though it won’t tip over, it moves A LOT and can hit wall and trees next to it easily.

BJ > Flavien Vidal 01/20/2019 at 09:25

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Man, that’s awesome. I’ve been looking at these, especially the newer gen, but prices are crazy here. And they’re all the short wheelbase, but I want the LWB.

Maybe I'll win the lotto and you can ship me one?

Flavien Vidal > BJ 01/20/2019 at 09:27

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This one being a manual turbo diesel isn’t cheap at around 13k$, shipping to your country included... and it’s already sold at that! I didn’t know there was a SWB and a LWB version though... which is the one I have?

random001 > Flavien Vidal 01/20/2019 at 10:30

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I want one.

BJ > Flavien Vidal 01/20/2019 at 11:00

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To he honest, I’m not sure for that generation. There might have only been one size.

The newer generation you can tell by the length of the panel behind the sliding door. They’re 200mm longer between the wheels and 400mm longer overall.

There are 2 diffs for the LWB, 9" and 9.5", the latter coming from the Pajero and being limited-slip, I believe. Some more info here:

http://www.mdocuk.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=42624

Khalbali > Flavien Vidal 01/20/2019 at 12:15

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Also there are a so many things I want to buy from you, it would definitely be cheaper to just import myself to Japan.....

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Flavien Vidal 01/20/2019 at 12:39

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Looks like you guys had a blast! I see Nakazoto in those pics, I thought he was living in the States? He is back in Japan now?

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Flavien Vidal 01/20/2019 at 13:11

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When I replace my honda commuter crv t some point I am seriously thinking of importing one of those.

Stef Schrader > Flavien Vidal 01/20/2019 at 14:04

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This is wonderful in every single way.

Flavien Vidal > BJ 01/20/2019 at 19:27

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Ha ok ok, good to know, I really don't know much about Delicas

Flavien Vidal > random001 01/20/2019 at 19:28

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I can make it happen ;)

Flavien Vidal > Khalbali 01/20/2019 at 19:29

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A Delica like this one runs around 13k$ landed... But there are lots of cheaper fun cars to bring in! Suzuki Jimny or Cappuccino can be had for 5 to 7k$ landed...

Flavien Vidal > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/20/2019 at 19:30

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His wife is Japanese and he works for a company that send him here regularly so he still visits 4-5 times a year.

Flavien Vidal > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 01/20/2019 at 19:32

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I can help whenever you're ready! Manual turbo diesel aren't cheap (13k$ landed for that one) but if you won't mind a gasoline automatic, it would be noticeably cheaper!

Flavien Vidal > Stef Schrader 01/20/2019 at 19:34

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It was really awesome... You might recognize that tall grey haired guy as being David, the mad Isuzu and keicar hoarder from middle-o f-nowhere, TX

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Flavien Vidal 01/20/2019 at 19:37

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Ah, gotcha! I just saw him in the MCM video not that long ago, so I was wondering if he was back there for awhile!

You look like you are having a blast in that Delica....I’ve thought about bringing a Jimny over, would make a great winter car here in Nova Scotia considering our road often doesn’t get plowed for a few days after any major storms! :P

Flavien Vidal > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/20/2019 at 20:32

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Jimny are awesome too!I have this 550cc Turbo one for sale now for 4900US$ landed to Halifax if you want...

David comes here every 2-3 months so I make him bring me back tools from the states everytime :D

random001 > Flavien Vidal 01/20/2019 at 20:36

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Don’t tell me that....

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Flavien Vidal 01/20/2019 at 20:39

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NIce! I think the last-gen Jimny is my favorite though!

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Flavien Vidal 01/20/2019 at 21:15

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Well that isn’t too steep, worth it. I met a guy recently with one at a show, he was the caterer and I saw it and went right over to him. Oh I know you can help me! I wish I could buy the newer ones, I saw an amazing new one in Izu a couple years ago. 

Flavien Vidal > random001 01/20/2019 at 21:24

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Again... I can make it happen... easily... :D

Flavien Vidal > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 01/20/2019 at 21:29

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The new ones just don't do it for me... All automatics, electric steering...meh..

Flavien Vidal > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/20/2019 at 21:30

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The brand new ones? Or the JB23?

random001 > Flavien Vidal 01/20/2019 at 21:35

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I will go back and read your posts on how easily....

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Flavien Vidal 01/20/2019 at 21:37

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Nope, not the brand new ones (I love those too, but too new to be imported yet, of course!), the gen before that. I think the JB23? I don’t know the model codes!

This one! :)

I’m not an off-road guy at all, but the Jimny is the only off-roader I would love to have as I like smaller cars! :)

Flavien Vidal > random001 01/20/2019 at 21:43

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I already wrote this post for a BaT auction that goes in fairly good detail about how to import a car in the states:

First import:
The way it works is actually fairly easy on your side… Once you’ve bought the car (I send you an invoice which you sign and send me back… bank infos are on it for the transfer), we schedule the shipping while you contact your broker. I recommend AWIS.US. They are cheap and good (280$ per car including the ISF which I’ll go over in a bit).
Once we have a shipping date set, you wait. 3 to 4 days before the ship sails, I will contact you again to give you what is called the “Bill of Lading Number”. You need to give that reference number to your broker so that he can fill the ISF form. The ISF form is the only thing that’s kind of time critical. It has to be filled out BEFORE the ship sails out, the broker can only fill it once he gets that reference number but that number is only given to me 48 to 96h before the ship sails. So once you receive it, send it right away to him via mail so he can fill out the form in time.
It’s basically just something letting the US customs know that a car is coming their way. If you’re not living in the US, you’re not concerned by that.
Then you just wait some more :)
About 10 days after the ship sails, we will have received all the paperwork for you (actual Bill of Lading (x3, we send you 2 and keep one here. You NEED that piece of paper so that the shipping company releases the car to you once at your port. No BoL, no car) + Export certificate which officiates as a title. Along with that that we’d ship any manual or extra key the car may have… All that ships via express mail and gets to you in 3 to 6 days.
You send a scan or picture of the BoL and of the export certificate to your broker via email, and he’ll get back to you with the NHTSA and EPA exemption forms for your car after you’ve paid him + the 2.5% taxes the US government wants you to pay.
16 days (if you live near Tacoma) to 35 days (if you live in NYC) after the car shipped out, it gets to your port!
A couple of daysa after it arrives, our broker tells you that it cleared customs, that you can get the car and you now have to pick it up. First call the port and they’ll ask you to pay for the port fees (100 to 150$) which you can either do in person there or via the phone.
After, google the port your car arrives in + “TWIC escort” (don’t forget “TWIC” when googling it, results would be fairly different to what you’d want otherwise) and set up an appointment with a TWIC certified person who will escort you into the port to pick up the car as you are not allowed to enter into the port alone. That’s an extra $60 to $100 to get an old guy walk around with you, telling you about all the cars those youngsters are bringing in from Japan these days.
In some sates, you can get temporary plates for your car so you can just drive the car back home… in other states you can’t so you have to trailer it back home. And that’s about it. With all the accumulated paperwork (NHTSA + EPA exemption forms + Export certificate + tax receipt…etc) you go to your local DMV and you get them to understand that yes, the car comes from Japan, which is why it doesn’t have a 17-digit VIN and yes it’s ok to register it and yes please, let me speak to your manager… by that I mean go to a bigger DMV office, avoid the smaller ones you might end up losing a couple hours there before they give you your title as the clerk may have never dealt with an imported car before :)
Total cost for the importation would be $280 in broker fees with AWIS (I’ve found them to be the cheapest and to be very efficient, I highly recommend them), 2.5% of taxes (so $250 for a $10000 car), $100-$150 in port fees and $60-$100 in TWIC escort.
Then first time registration costs depend on your state…
And that’s it, go drive to your local mountains or to Cars and Coffee, you can do whatever you want with it! (Unless what you want is move out to California… it’s america, but you’re not THAT free :D )

Now concerning the parts… I ship any parts at cost to all my customers. So just drop me an email, tell me what you want, pay via paypal and it will be on your way… Packages under 2kg are really cheap to send from here… Even heavier stuff isn’t too bad at all… (2kg packages will cost around $20 to ship and take 2-3 weeks to arrive. 30kg packages will cost $250 and take about as long… It can also be shipped much faster. Express Mail for a 30kg package costs $360 and takes 3 to 6 days to arrive… a 2kg package via EMS will cost about $45. Overall much cheaper than shipping stuff from the US…)
Please don’t ask me for special bodykits that are a mess to pack and send haha, but any maintenance stuff, I’ll send whatever is needed from here for whatever it costs me + paypal fees…

Flavien

Flavien Vidal > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/20/2019 at 21:44

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Yeah these ones are fairly easy to get too if you want one to Halifax :)

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Flavien Vidal 01/20/2019 at 22:34

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Good to know for when I am in a position to get one! Aren’t that generation of Jimny a bit more expensive compared to other similar sized off-roaders? A 660cc one would be fine with me. I’m never in a rush to get anywhere! :P

The Pajero Junior looks fun as well!

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Flavien Vidal 01/20/2019 at 23:48

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True, if I could get a clean older one with side graphics I would be pretty happy. 

Nauraushaun > Flavien Vidal 01/21/2019 at 01:08

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Bloody hell that's cool

Flavien Vidal > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 01/21/2019 at 02:07

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Well, this one is sold, but I will get more ;)

Flavien Vidal > Nauraushaun 01/21/2019 at 05:06

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It really is! :)

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Flavien Vidal 01/21/2019 at 15:52

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Ive seen half cuts for Toyota diesels from Australia, is that common in Japan for exporting? I know a guy with a truck here and he was thinking of swapping that in an exempt truck here.

Flavien Vidal > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 01/22/2019 at 06:34

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Yeah Australia needs to get half cuts due to tons of restrictions that they have on car imports... so it’s more common there.

random001 > Flavien Vidal 01/22/2019 at 08:40

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Sigh. Fine, let me know when I can get an L400 with the 3.0 V6 (6G72, I think?), or if there’s a very sweet L300 in the works...

Darnit...

Flavien Vidal > random001 01/22/2019 at 09:29

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L400 just started to be available for the US mrket (1994 production start) ... I doubt I’ll get an automatic in stock, so the next Delica I’ll get for sale will be also manual, but they are also more expensive ... That particular L300 is sold, but you can be certain I’ll get more! Maybe something even more offroad capable if I can haha

random001 > Flavien Vidal 01/22/2019 at 10:29

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I can drive stick, or are you saying all the V6 L400's are auto?

As for parts, is there any possibility that you can find a set of second gen Pajero Evolution seats lying about?

Flavien Vidal > random001 01/23/2019 at 03:08

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No, I’m saying that if you want a cheap one, automatic is the way to go... They are noticeably cheaper than manuals... And I don’t have the infrastructure to deal with parts sadly. The logistics to buy and cheap parts is not something I feel getting into. I already help my customer get parts for the cars they buy from me, I can’t imagine doing more lol...

random001 > Flavien Vidal 01/23/2019 at 06:47

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Well, then you’ll just have to keep a look out for a Pajero Evo to ship my way in about three years...

Flavien Vidal > random001 01/23/2019 at 07:37

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I’ve seen a couple... They seem to have prices hovering around 10k$ at auction now... but once they become US legal, it will be double that for sure.

random001 > Flavien Vidal 01/23/2019 at 07:45

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So I need a friend in Canada to hang on to it for me, is what you are saying...

Flavien Vidal > random001 01/23/2019 at 07:54

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yeah they’ll be worth a lot more when they become US legal...