Importing a Console - Advice?

[Zohariel]

www.lik-sang.com

So it's got to the point where my craving for a DS Lite has reached critical levels and I'm thinking of importing. This could be partly due to the fact that I've had to send my regular DS back to Nintendo to fix a fault - if I get a replacement, I can sell that for more than a second-hand one, so that the upgrade stings a little less.

However, I've never imported a console before, so I'm a little wary. All my current gadgets (mp3 player, laptop) have lovely comfortable warranties I can fall back on should something terrible happen, and with an import DS Lite the warranty is likely to be slightly dodgy at best. Besides which, sending tech halfway around the world doesn't seem like the most sensible idea - think of all the bumps! Now, browsing the above website's forums, I've read problem threads - dead pixels, rattling noises, charging problems - which I'd want to be careful of. These are about 5 posts out of all of the site's customers, though, so I'm not too worried, but I'd really rather not go through all the trouble of importing to be left with an expensive, stylish but useless hunk of plastic.

Does anyone here have any experience with importing tech from places like Japan and Hong Kong, and if so was it good, bad, what sites did you use, etc, etc.

[Vyers]

You should be alright with a DS Lite. I'm considering importing one myself.

As far as I'm aware you can use the DS or GBA SP charger you already have to power it. If you want to use the Jap one you'll need some sort of step down converter (I think).

As far as customer service goes, I have no idea. I try my best to take care of my electronics, and they stay working. I'd say if it comes broken, you have grounds to return it, but if you break it in the mean time, I'm not sure how much you can depend on a warranty.

I ordered Jump SuperStars from Lik-Sang, and it was here in Ireland 8 days later.

Be sure to post how you get on with this, I might follow in your footsteps if all goes well.

EDIT: Actually there was a pretty good post by a guy on Cheapassgamer forums that was linked on Penny Arcade about the DS Lite he imported. I'll post the link when I get home, in case its of use.

[Zohariel]

It'd make things easier if it did run off a DS charger, but it doesn't... it runs off a separate charger to both the DS and the Game Boy Micro, which is a shame. As it is I'd need to buy a step-down converter but not much else (unless I wanted to get a USB charger, which I don't really).

And no need to provide the link, I found it all by myself. Thanks for the heads-up though.

Cheap Ass Guide to the DS Lite

As Vyers said, it's very thorough and, um, entertaining.