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Anyone got some Japanese connections?

I have a preliminary answer from my friend. Because it was a private message to me in answer to my inquiry, and because I have not asked his permission to cite him on the net, I will be sending his exact words to you in a private E-mail — the address you sent me. Nevertheless, to sum up what he said:

* He thinks that you should open an account with the 'trader' (see below).

* He thinks that these parts are made in Taiwan. He has seen vast warehouses of such stuff in California.

* If you buy from Japan (perhaps using my friend as an agent) he suggests that you have at least ten (10) buyers to offset the shipping etc.

* Shipping would be by sea, and it would take about one month. The weight is minimal, so the charges would be calculated on volume. (I am thinking that the unit of 10 pieces might figure into a minimum, volumetric rate — but I dunno.)

* He suggests that you check out who may be the traders who are shipping stuff like this into California and check them out in regards to a direct purchase. (Again my interpretation of this — you might get a group purchase together and save something on the shipping as well. But I imagine that this possibility has a lot to do with how the traders stand with U.S. distributors and other stuff.)

On the whole he is pretty positive about the feasibility of the project. Now, I am thinking that since all the hoods appear to be the same price (?), perhaps you can get a lot more people together if you were to choose more than one model — like one without a spoiler or whatever. Just a thought.

I may have missed something, but I will send you the mail. Cheers — Lorne
 
I speak and read Japanese fairly well for a gaijin -- but I definitely will not be as much help as some of the other options that have come up.

I can tell you, though, from first hand experience that mailing a 20 Kilo package by boat from Japan costs about 85 to 100 USD. And that's if you're cool with receiving it in 3 or 4 months.
 
Inkmo said:
I speak and read Japanese fairly well for a gaijin -- but I definitely will not be as much help as some of the other options that have come up.

I can tell you, though, from first hand experience that mailing a 20 Kilo package by boat from Japan costs about 85 to 100 USD. And that's if you're cool with receiving it in 3 or 4 months.
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That wouldn't be bad, the places that sell body parts here in the states charge $150 to ship a hood, course it doesn't take 3 months but hey that still seems steep to me! Grumpy shipped my Miata seats to me from Detroit and the are far larger and heavier than a hood and shipping was like $90!

Even if shipping is $100 per hood if the hood price is around $300 that's still only around $400, which is 1/2 what I could get a decent Miata hood for from one of the US companies. They all want $600 or more AND the $150 shipping fee :sigh:
 
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