Sorry for digging up an older thread, but i thought it was interesting.
Me... ive never owned an import. I just bought a brand new stock standard base model Lancer @ Mitsu, and the last car i had was a Toyota Echo which i also bought brand new 4 years ago. Theres people like me who LOVE the 'new car' smell, knowing no one else has ever owned it , driven it ... its a special feeling i encourage you ALL to enjoy at least once in your lifetime. Sure for the same price I could of purchase any number of 'fast' cars. The main reason i dislike imports is the fact that its hard to be unique in an import. ..... and to be honest, a LOT of idiots drive imports - they have a stereotype of their own. Sure imports are fast, and can be modified easily to produce more power, but gone are the days where ud look twice at Evos, GTRs, Supras, etc .... To me, imports are no longer unique purely cos whatever ure doing to them has already been done. Dont get me wrong, i LOVE a lot of imports, and do perve on every second Evo thats been tastefully, but would i own one? Probably not due to insurance costs, maintenance costs, and theres more to life than having a car thats goes fast and turns well. Id look at a new Hiace on 20s before any common grey import, regardless of how modded it was.
Keep in mind that sure Australia COULD bring in and sell locally a lot of turbo JDM cars we simply dont get, BUT Australia in comparison to other continents, is a small country. NZ get it lucky due to lack of import taxes, but crime and theft in cars is ridicuously high for this reason, its too easy to steal a car and strip parts. Sure it happens in Australia too, but i think the Government has been wise to limit what cars are imported to try and keep Australias new cars sales and manufacturing a profitable industry. Its also the source of many peoples incomes .
Each to their own I guess...... i realise 99% of the members on this forum are driving, but i thought id say what i had to say :roll: