just arrived in Yokosuka Japan, 2 year duty assignment

[1 tuff z]

my brother just arrived in yokosuka. we talked on skype last evening, he'll be there for 2 years. told me he looked but did not see any z's yet, but would keep his eyes open.

 

love to have him bring something back for me but don't know where to start [regs, etc] or where to look?

 

also considered heading there for a week myself while he's still there...i believe this will be his last overseas tour of his career then back stateside, couple more years and retire.

 

he'll pin on the colonel bird monday.

[Tony D]

If you have the means to ship it yourself and don't get hung on the free shipping of a POV the military provides get one and ship it yourself. The main advantage to having someone there is they can "line up" prospects and then you can come with cash or line of credit in had to close the deal when you see the one you want.

You can't take more than $10K cash out of the country at one time, so the days of 'cash and carry' are gone. Big Brother has ways of checking as well, so wire transfer and bank reg familiarity will help.

 

Get your shipping company lined up beforehand, or have your brother do that footwork. Being near Yokuska it's a large port city and shippers should be plentiful. The biggest advantage you have is the possiblity to buy the car, get it on a three-day temporaty transport tag (or buy multiples to drive it for up to a couple of weeks---the 'red slash plate') before dropping it at the freight forwarder.

 

Shipping to major port would be cheaper than to go all the way to Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Duluth, etc. Driving in from the coast (New Jersey, LA, New Orleans) can mean a cheaper shipment. If you go with a single car in a dedicated 20 or 40 foot container it will be about $3500. Getting it knocked down to part of a multiple shipment that is shared to a major port like LA can get you shipping as low as $1000, plus some borkerage and agent fees.

 

Shipping the car in a dedicated 20 footer does have appeal because you have LOADS of parts space. But shipping a 20 footer costs as much as a 40 footer. If you can find two other guys who RELIABLY can come up with the money, and desire a car, you can get the per-vehicle cost comparable to a brokered single-vehicle shipment, with the added benefit of packing away body kits, and other bulky items which aren't cost-effective to ship otherwise.

 

If you travel business, you can usually fenagle a G-Nose in baggage (especially if you are at an elite status on the airline) on the way back...

 

Costs will be high for a good car, but having someone local may give you the chance to scout territory for less than perfect cars that a re complete and can be had for considerably less. I have seen guys with box skylines landed cost for $8K including shipment and spares! You have to look, and like anything those deals are out there...but infrequent. Sounds like you got 2 years to find it!

 

If you plan on your brother taking advantage of POV shipment, you will likely have to get it in his name NLT 13 months before his PCS orders.

 

PM me if you want any more information. I am on schedule to visit Quarterly. One of our agents lives near Yokuska, and another near Yakota. I could always try to meet up and go hunting with you... it would be an experience!