The NHTSA granted amnesty for import automobiles older than 25 years in 1998, but now the joke is on them. So even though it doesn’t comply with requirements, you can now import any Nissan Skyline that was manufactured in 1995 or earlier.
In This Article...
Are R34 Skylines available in the US?
There is a widespread misperception that R34 GT-Rs are prohibited in the United States. That’s accurate for the most part, although there are some outliers. Federal legislation states that these vehicles cannot be imported until they are 25 years old, and this restriction includes the month of manufacturing.
How much does a US-spec R34 Skyline cost?
Currently, base-model r34 Skyline GT Rs rarely sell for less than $100,000, while the rarest models, like the V or M spec Nurs, fetch over $300,000 at auction.
Can a Skyline R34 be imported?
Federal law prohibits the importation of vehicles not made with the U.S. market in mind until the vehicle is at least 25 years old, barring the drastic alterations mentioned above.
However, many of the safety and emission regulations are reduced or eliminated after that 25-year period.
Fans of the R34 are patiently waiting in the hopes that this will make the cars much more accessible and inexpensive for American drivers.
Since the initial Nissan Skyline GT-R R34a models weren’t released until January 1999, they won’t be allowed into the United States until at least 2024.
When can an R34 be purchased in the US?
If nothing changes, you’ll be able to legally operate the first R34 Nissan GT-R on American roads in 2024. It simply isn’t worth the danger to get around the law and smuggle one across the border up until that point. When you’re in a jail cell and your car is waiting to be smashed, it won’t help you one bit. Our judgment? Get an Acura NSX in the meanwhile to save yourself the trouble.
About the Author Justin Dake once made the Oakland Bay Bridge congested. He was riding his most modern motorcycle when a rod went through the radiator. He anticipates keeping up his excellent fortune. His work can be found at jstn.dk.
An R34 cannot be registered or operated on public roads in the United States before 2024, according to the NHTSA, and is only permitted for use on tracks. This calls for specific NHTSA approval and the conversion of the vehicle to track-only use prior to importing.
This information is relevant whether you are shipping a vehicle within the contiguous United States, including a car, truck, SUV, motorbike, or even a powersports toy.
When you export a vehicle from the United States, you must have a number of paperwork. Here are the required paperwork as it is usually advisable to organize everything before attempting to plan shipping.
Both expressions refer to the same document, which contains details on the manufacture of the car, such as its place of origin. The MSO/MCO often has the same appearance as a Certificate of Title and includes the name of the manufacturer, the VIN, and the year of production.
If a vehicle meets the requirements of the Show and Display Rule, it may be allowed a maximum of 2,500 miles of restricted use on public roads annually. The NTHSA reserves the power to permit importation but forbid registration of the vehicle.
What are the prices of skylines?
The base MSRP for the 2021 Nissan (Skyline) GT-top R’s variant is $113,540. The MSRP for the NISMO trimas begins at $210,740.
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In the US, which skyline is acceptable?
You can use this page to click on a specific area of this text, or scroll down to read about how to import a Nissan Skyline into the US in its entirety.
Numerous Skyline guides have already been released, and we’ve seen that there is a lot of misunderstanding regarding their present legal standing in America.
Our supporters have constantly questioned us about the situation, seeking the truth and explanation.
We’ve thus chosen to write a comprehensive guide explaining all the fascinating details and responding to the all-too-frequent query, “Why are Nissan Skylines prohibited in the US?”
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Since the F&F brand surely contributed to the Skyline’s rise to become a cult icon in the US, we first brought up the matter and provided some clarity in our Paul Walker Skyline article.
The Fast and the Furious star was without a doubt one of the biggest R34 GT-R aficionados in the US and was also fortunate to have owned and driven several of them in Japan, including the illustrious Mine’s R34 GT-R.
But what if you don’t want to travel to Japan to satisfy your Godzilla craving? What’s holding you back from bringing your own in and becoming a renowned figure in your community on the track or in the streets?
We have some happy news for you! Any vehicle older than 25 years can avoid the absurd US legal system.
This implies that, except for California, where there are some additional obstacles, it is totally legal to import and own a Nissan Skyline R31 or R32 GT-R in the US at the moment.
You can also lawfully import any Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R that was registered before 1995 as of the time this page went online.
However, you’ll have to wait a bit longer if you want to import a Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R, as we’ll discuss in more detail below.
What is the price of importing a Skyline from Japan?
Fortunately, the demand for the Nissan Skyline is so high that many of them can be found for sale on American soil, and dealerships have sprung up all over the place that specialize in JDM imports. Once they have gone through the importation process, these cars can be purchased and sold in the same manner as any other domestic U.S. vehicle. However, there are a few extra requirements to meet if you wish to bring your own GT-R.
The process is substantially simplified because so many businesses that specialize in JDM are willing to handle the import snafu for you. One of the top importers in the United States at the moment is TopRank Importers, based in Cypress, California. Typically, shipping costs are fixed plus an additional import charge. Where things can become complicated is with this import tariff, as TopRank notes. As the import market for automobiles continues to heat up, the existing import duty rate of 2.5 percent may change.
There is a flat $5,500 price for export from Japan and import into the United States, said Sean Morris, owner of TopRank. Additionally, transportation to their California dealership is included in this set price.
Why is it illegal to use the R34 in the US?
In summary, the Nissan Skyline GT-R is prohibited from being imported into the US since it does not adhere to the 1988 Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act. The Skyline was not designed with the necessary safety elements to abide by the applicable traffic safety regulations.
A vehicle is exempt from these rules once it reaches the age of 25, at which point it is allowed to be imported and used on American roads.
With California being likely the most noteworthy exception in terms of particular states where you would have difficulties importing due to tougher emissions control legislation, this means that vehicles like the R32 GTR (the original “Godzilla”) can be imported into the USA.
By 2024, you should be able to start importing the R34 GTR. The oldest versions of the R33 GTR are also starting to become legal for import and compliance (provided there are no additional changes to legislation by then, or further tightening of emissions and environmental rules which is always a risk in the current climate).
To be on the safe side, there are no laws that prevent you from importing a Nissan Skyline as a “show piece” that isn’t allowed to be driven on the road but instead sits in your garage. However, we have heard stories of people looking to buy and store Nissan Skylines with a view to registering and complying them once they turn 25 years old in the hopes of increasing value. While it is likely not a bad idea, there is always a chance that the government could modify import regulations, leaving you with a depreciating burden rather than an asset that depreciates over time. Although it’s unlikely, it’s nevertheless important to remark.
We would be interested in hearing from you if you are aware of any other legitimate ways to buy a Skyline GTR in the United States. Please comment down below!
What R34 GT-R is the rarest?
The price of the Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R Nismo Z-Tune, which a US auto collector is said to have spent $1,985,000 for, has been clarified. He claims that while this specific Z-Tune is the most expensive one ever bought, the initial reports substantially overstated his actual purchase price.
Only 19 Z-Tune versions were produced, making them the rarest of all R34 variants. Nismo sought to produce 20, which is a beautiful round number, but ultimately was only able to find 19 pre-owned R34 V-Spec II vehicles.
There is a good reason for the very high demand for R34 GT-R vehicles. You should know that this Z-Tune smashed the record and then some before we delve further into this issue.
When a Z-Tune was last for sale, according to our records, potential buyers were prepared to spend up to $600,000, but that was seven years ago.
Why are R34 aficionados so enthused about the Z-Tune? In addition to being scarce, it has a very fascinating past. Nissan needed to be persuaded that it needed to be produced, so Nismo bought a 2002 V-Spec II and installed a number of engine enhancements taken from its Le Mans racing vehicles. The Z-engine Tune’s block is stronger and has been bored out to 2.8 liters. 493 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque were produced as a result of Nismo’s addition of a set of improved turbochargers.
In case you were wondering, the original batch of R35 GT-Rs that were released in 2007 had “only” 480 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque.
Nissan then gave Nismo the go-ahead to purchase a number of secondhand vehicles in order to modify them into Z-Tunes. Less than 18,000 miles had been put on each of the cars. Z-Tune Silver was applied to all but one of the vehicles; Midnight Purple III was used to complete the last vehicle.
They also incorporated more racing-related details. The Z-Tune is a little bit broader to fit the bigger wheels, and the vents on the hood are useful. It has a Brembo brake configuration specifically made for this car and a racier suspension arrangement from Sachs.
The approach Nismo utilized to construct it is another aspect that makes it unique. Each car was disassembled and manually rebuilt. Even more welds were added by Nismo, and other pieces that customers would never see were replaced with carbon fiber alternatives.
That conveniently brings us back to the R34 demand. As you may be aware, the R34 won’t be able to be legally imported for a few more years. Not that it matters because, according to reports, there are warehouses filled with valuable JDM classics that are just waiting for the deadline to approach. These cars, according to legend, have already been sold.
The R34 is one of the pinnacle poster cars from the Playstation Generation, which is currently wealthy. The previous generation purchased expensive vehicles like the original Lamborghini Countach for the same reason.
The lucky owner, who received delivery of the car in December of last year, is 458destroyer on Instagram, a well-known supercar collector known for spending a lot of money on the cars he wants. There is no scarcity of money, as you can see from looking at his stream. He declined to disclose the precise amount he paid out of respect for our privacy, but he did express his joy at having the Z-Tune in his collection at last.