Something new in my garage

[94touring]

I use Marley earbuds.

[BruceK]

Interesting headphones.  Thanks.

[MiniDave]

Wood? to go with your watch?

I want to see a video of this thing going thru some of the roads around your place, with the top off of course..... 77.gif

Oh, and congrats on a successful 5 hour drive home in a car you only had touched for the first time at the port!

tell us about the port procedure? Looks like you checked in somewhere and were able to just drive to your car? Start it up and drive to the gate, then go....did you need the jump battery? Was the car filthy or not bad?

How did you pay your port fees? Cash, card?

[BruceK]

Wood? to go with your watch?

I want to see a video of this thing going thru some of the roads around your place, with the top off of course..... 77.gif

Oh, and congrats on a successful 5 hour drive home in a car you only had touched for the first time at the port!

tell us about the port procedure? Looks like you checked in somewhere and were able to just drive to your car? Start it up and drive to the gate, then go....did you need the jump battery? Was the car filthy or not bad?

How did you pay your port fees? Cash, card?

I'll have to see about making a video. 

I didn't have any doubt that the car would be capable of the drive from the port home.  It was extensively checked out by the seller and any issues were dealt with.   I think the only thing they really had to do was put some better brake pads on it after the video of it driving up and down the mountain roads. They are a regular repair shop to so they have the technicians and expertise to work on cars - not just sell them.  The shop did an oil change and a coolant change which apparently is complicated with the front mounted radiator and a cooling system with two radiator caps, plus an expansion tank.  Complicated in terms of purging air from the system after a fluid change I understand. 

The car has just under 40,000 km on it (less than 25,000 miles) and it's 29 years old so obviously it sat for long periods of time - that's averaging less than 1000 miles per year.  Not good for any car.   I did get some work order paperwork with it and from what I can tell it was basically recommissioned for daily use at about 32,000 km three years ago. The major thing at that time was the installation of a brand new timing belt then - replaced due to age, not mileage.  I also saw receipts in Japanese for work on the air conditioning compressor and other items back in 2018. 

Regarding the port procedure, a month ago I completed the DOT and EPA import paperwork regarding details on the car, basically ndicating the car was more than 25 years old, and the engine was at least 21 years old.  Yeah, The DOT and the EPA have different age rules. Figures.   So I sent those forms to my customs broker.  Then customs broker worked with the shipping company, the port, and US Customs to get the car imported.  So basically the customs broker paid the customs fee (2.5% for passenger cars) and the various port fees, bonds, and so forth on my behalf, and then totaled it up. I got that amount one day after the car was discharged from the ship.   I then wired money from my bank to the broker to pay them for doing all that.  Once the customs broker had acknowledged my wire transfer, they generated a release document and emailed it to me.  I printed it out and that was the golden ticket I needed to pick up the car.   

So, after getting to the port my wife and I pulled into the guard's station at the big massive open air port parking lot that takes charge of all vehicles that have been imported or will be exported.  We were told to exit and go get a special slip of paper with a number number from some port manager that was controlling all vehicles they were queuing up across the street before going through the guard station.  Most of those vehicles were 18 wheelers pulling car transport trailers full of used vehicles that apparently are being shipped overseas.   We got our number and went back to the guard station where our drivers licenses were examined, The check was made to make sure we had fluorescent safety vests, and a temporary ID badge was given to us while on port grounds.  We were directed to go to a small building and wait in line to have the release paperwork reviewed. 

When I finally got to the window I was asked if I had checked out the vehicle I was picking up.   I had not seen it yet so they sent me back out to look it over.  Turns out it was parked on the other side of the little building along with other personal imports that had come in from Japan on the same ship. I found where all the cars were parked and checked out my new Honda Beat.  It was in great condition just a little dirty from having sat at the port in Japan for a couple of weeks then five weeks on the ocean and then four additional days at the Texas port.  I posted photos earlier of the car as I found it sitting there as well as some of the other ones that had been imported, including that Mini. 

The ignition key was in it and it started at the first try.  I went back to the office and the only thing still to be done was to have somebody at the port visually check the car's VIN against my release paperwork.  Once that happened I was free to take it.  So I jumped in the car and my wife followed me.  We turned in our ID badges and we left the port area and headed right to a gas station about two miles away because I had no idea if the fuel gauge reading half full was accurate.  Turns out it was completely accurate, but the Beat has a gas tank that only holds a measly five US gallons. 

We drove about 5 miles away to a convenience store to buy some Windex and a scrubber sponge to try and remove all the grease paint writing on the windshield.  I also checked tire pressures and the engine oil level.  Then we headed home, staying off the interstate on smaller highways, with the idea being of keeping speeds down. But of course since this is Texas even smaller highways have speeds of 65 or 75 miles an hour.

[BruceK]

Today I ran some errands with the Beat.  I'm getting more used to driving it.  I noticed already that people have a tendency to pull out in front of it.  I think the fact it is so small makes them think that it is further away when they look before pulling out. 

First I went to a locksmith to have some keys cut.  I only received one key with the car, but I knew this ahead of time. So I went on eBay three weeks ago and purchased some early 1990s Honda Civic blank keys with the hope that they would be the same key design used for the Beat.  They were.  I wanted the OEM keys with the black plastic grip with the Honda logo, rather than all-metal generic keys from a locksmith.   

I also got a state inspection on the car in anticipation of getting it registered.   

Finally, I went to Discount Tire to purchase a new spare tire.  The space-saver spare that came with the car is original and totally cracked and dry rotted. 

I called the county sheriffs office and have an appointment scheduled next week to have a law-enforcement VIN inspection.   That's needed for any car that is imported. 

[94touring]

Are parts fairly easy to find?  Like brake pads or replacement disc?

[BruceK]

I think things like air filters and oil filters are easy to find here but everything else is going to have to be sourced from Japan.  I've got a few companies I used to get parts from my Toyota truck. 

I heard there is a US based Facebook group for Honda Beat owners, so I'll have to get in touch with them. I'm sure they've solved some problems like parts availability already.

[BruceK]

Well, a couple months of posts are missing, but here's a brief update on what happened to my Beat:   

Sold the super rare hardtop to a fellow Beat owner from California who drove 18 hours to pick it up. In return I got a good quality softtop from him (which he nicely installed on my car) and nearly $2K in cash.  Very happy with that result.

With that money burning a hole in my pocket I decided to address some little problems with the paint on the hood, both mirrors , and the right 3/4 panel.  Just wanted to make my very nice car even nicer.  Should be ready in a day or so.

I also joined a big Facebook group of Beat owners.  Facebook generally creeps me out, but I'm enjoying meeting other owners and learning stuff.

[MiniDave]

Wow, your garage sure looks different now! Did you add a paint booth too? It's like a Tardis, bigger on the inside....


;D

[BruceK]

Oh yeah, I created a whole body shop wing on my garage.  ;D

Actually, I'm farming out the painting to a local shop.

I tried my hand at painting two little playing card-sized pieces on the Beat made of plastic that fit near the trunk lid.  Sanded them down with progressively finer sandpaper,  used special plastic adhesion promoter primer, followed all the instructions and did 4 or 5 base coats, then carefully did 3 clear coats.  And the result was that they looked pretty blah at best.   After that result I decided I'm not going to try to paint anything larger without a lot more practice.  Hence my decision to let professionals paint the big stuff on the car.

[MiniDave]

Painting the mirrors black or silver to match the rest of the car?

[BruceK]

Silver to match. The mirrors had experienced both sun damage causing the pain to peel and also abrasions (from poor parking? Careless other drivers?).

[94touring]

Oh yeah, I created a whole body shop wing on my garage.  ;D

Actually, I'm farming out the painting to a local shop.

I tried my hand at painting two little playing card-sized pieces on the Beat made of plastic that fit near the trunk lid.  Sanded them down with progressively finer sandpaper,  used special plastic adhesion promoter primer, followed all the instructions and did 4 or 5 base coats, then carefully did 3 clear coats.  And the result was that they looked pretty blah at best.   After that result I decided I'm not going to try to paint anything larger without a lot more practice.  Hence my decision to let professionals paint the big stuff on the car.

That's fantastic.  Oh when you get good at painting I'll start sending cars your way!

[94touring]

I'm in Japan today and a yellow beat just drove by.

[BruceK]

I'm in Japan today and a yellow beat just drove by.

Cool!  See any other cars that are interesting or quirky?

[94touring]

Nothing too crazy. A few jdm looking cars.  Wasn't there too long.