US Nissan Owner Escalates To Tokyo Stock Exchange After Being Denied Rare Nismo Kit

Nissan’s Nismo Heritage Parts program offers newly manufactured components for some of the brand’s most revered models, including the R32, R33, and R34 Skyline GT-Rs. Many of these parts can be shipped to enthusiasts around the world, but as one owner recently discovered, not everything is available to buyers in the United States.

The owner in question recently took to Reddit to explain the situation and their dismay at Nissan’s refusal to sell a specific Nismo part.

Read: Nissan’s Z Heritage Edition Will Hit 300ZX Fans Right In The Feels

In their post, the self-described “Nissan owner and shareholder” didn’t specify which part they were trying to buy (more on that later) but claimed that Nissan North America wouldn’t sell it, the dealership’s parts department also declined, and Nissan Consumer Affairs offered no solution.

Why Won’t Nissan Sell It?

According to the Redditor, Nissan stated that the part cannot be sold outside of Japan. The company reportedly told the owner that if they truly wanted it, they would need to ship their car to Japan for installation.

Dissatisfied with that answer, the owner said they had filed a governance inquiry with the Japan Exchange Group as a shareholder, lodged a complaint with the ADR depository, and even contacted Nissan’s Board Secretariat.

As they wrote, “Why does Nissan publicly advertise parts that US customers are prohibited from buying?”

What’s Actually Happening?

As is so often the case, this post doesn’t tell the full story. For starters, the Nismo Heritage Parts program doesn’t have a US website, and the disgruntled owner is likely referring to the Japanese website, which Nissan has every right to advertise its parts without needing to export them to the United States.

After all, it’s a Japanese website for Japanese consumers. Then there’s the small matter of the part the owner is after.

A subsequent comment from the poster reveals they want to buy a pricey Dual Overhead Camshaft (DOHC) conversion kit for Nissan’s L-series inline-six engines. This package includes a new cylinder head for the L-series engine, along with an increased bore, a new head tensioner, sprockets, a chain guide, and a block tensioner. There are also new ignition coils and gaskets.

The setup enables the classic inline-six to produce as much as 300 hp and 221 lb-ft (300 Nm) of torque.

Nissan’s website reveals that just 300 examples of the DOHC conversion kit are expected to be produced, with orders opening in January next year. Nissan also clearly states that the kit must be installed by an L-series engine tuning specialist. It’s also very expensive, costing 3,850,000 yen or $24,700.

It’s unclear if Nissan is aware of this one customer’s complaints and if it will be willing to sell him the DOHC kit. However, it seems unlikely. Nissan sets its own policies, and nowhere has it claimed that the kit is available to customers in the United States.