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IIRC elligability for import approval does go through chassis codes... For example, you can't import an Altezza under the SEVS scheme because SXE10 is the same chassis code as the IS200. You can personally import virtually any car, but it's much much harder than going through SEVS. (need to provide proof of residency in country of origin for 12 months, and proof that the car has actually been used [eg odometer readings] for a personal import)
Do a gap year in JP and bring an FT86 back? Haha.
Main reason cars are more expensive in AU is all about volume. It's why Commodores and Falcons have always been pretty good value for money, because traditionally (maybe not so much lately) they've shifted pretty high volumes, so they don't need to jack up the price to amortise the dev and production setup costs. It's true too that Aussies have a pretty high average wage, so if you think of every Aussie employed in the supply chain, it slowly adds up and does add considerable cost to the car.
For domestically produced cars there are design and production costs,
Imported cars have this as well, but there's pretty considerable shipping costs on top where they might save in design and production by doing it overseas,
There's lots in logistics and storage of the vehicles between the manufacturer and the dealer, dealer gets paid for storage costs too,
Advertising and marketing expenditure (very costly in Australia, we have pretty high CPMs compared to the rest of the world),
Mechanics to do pre-sale checks (their services are usually charged at $100+/hr at dealerships, but the mech will only see maybe $30/hr of that, haha),
You pay for a warranty too, believe it or not, and this cost will be determined on what the manufacturer believes they'll need to pay a dealership (based on that mechanic rate) on average for that car, and what they'll need to supply in parts
You also pay for those nice big shiny, well lit showrooms that ever dealer seems to have these days.
Just think about everything that happens when you buy a car. Nothing is free, and you need to pay for it all.
EDIT: Also is stuff like getting the car ADR approved, crash tested, etc, but this isn't that expensive if the car shifts any decent number of units. Still, something to be considered.
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