Paying top dollar for imports
Discussion
I've noticed a few older cars (from the 1990's) advertised on importers' sites which look like they're in fabulous condition, and with low mileage - but expensive.
Do most people who import this quality of car store them away and maybe only drive them a few times a year in the summer?
I'm thinking that if I were to buy one and use it as a daily driver, depreciation would be significant.
One example I've seen was an old Starlet selling for around £10k. I think it had about 30k miles on it, but it looked fantastic - almost like new. I'm not even sure if these are available in the UK, but I presume a well-used one would fetch a few hundred quid. If I were to put around 15k or 20k a year on the minter one, but try to keep it in nice condition, would its value soon plummet from 10k to 3k..2k..1k..?
Do most people who import this quality of car store them away and maybe only drive them a few times a year in the summer?
I'm thinking that if I were to buy one and use it as a daily driver, depreciation would be significant.
One example I've seen was an old Starlet selling for around £10k. I think it had about 30k miles on it, but it looked fantastic - almost like new. I'm not even sure if these are available in the UK, but I presume a well-used one would fetch a few hundred quid. If I were to put around 15k or 20k a year on the minter one, but try to keep it in nice condition, would its value soon plummet from 10k to 3k..2k..1k..?
Generally you'll pay £2-3k more for a freshly imported example rather than something JDM that's being sold on privately in the UK, just to cover the cost of import and the associated gubbins.
Depending on the car you would lose a bit of value if you racked 10k a year on it, but the old JDM stuff is holding good money because it's desireable, mileage is less of a factor to those in the know than condition.
I bought an Integra DC5 for £9k... sold it after 2 years and 7000 added miles for... £9k.
Depending on the car you would lose a bit of value if you racked 10k a year on it, but the old JDM stuff is holding good money because it's desireable, mileage is less of a factor to those in the know than condition.
I bought an Integra DC5 for £9k... sold it after 2 years and 7000 added miles for... £9k.
Also anything that hasn't been subjected to the salted roads here is going to be in worse quality than something minty fresh from Japan, it would also depend on who was importing it - some I'd be happy to pay the higher price but others I would not.
My Skyline was about +£1k over the price of a UK one from an importer, but sold for -£3k over the value of the same condition car 3 years later, however I still made money on it just that the price of a mint one from Japan has skyrocketed
My Skyline was about +£1k over the price of a UK one from an importer, but sold for -£3k over the value of the same condition car 3 years later, however I still made money on it just that the price of a mint one from Japan has skyrocketed
Personally I think you’d be mental to buy one of these ultra low mileage hot hatch examples, unless you plan to keep it for a very long time and aren’t too fussed about re-sale.
Torque GT have just taken in a like new Civic EP3 and slapped a £19k price on it. There’s also a Pulsar GTI-R for £20k
Nice as they are, the number of buyers for them must be absolutely tiny.
Torque GT have just taken in a like new Civic EP3 and slapped a £19k price on it. There’s also a Pulsar GTI-R for £20k
Nice as they are, the number of buyers for them must be absolutely tiny.
I have recently had a impreza spec c imported with 29k miles. It was a couple of grand cheaper than the ones i have seen for sale at dealers
I think its worth paying for theses imports just for the fact they have no rust (but there are some rusty ones in japan)
Mine will be used as a weekend car, occasional track day and euro road trip to the nurbergring. I think using it as a every day car will lower its value as the miles go up.
And i will be keeping it off the salty roads through the winter months!!!
I think its worth paying for theses imports just for the fact they have no rust (but there are some rusty ones in japan)
Mine will be used as a weekend car, occasional track day and euro road trip to the nurbergring. I think using it as a every day car will lower its value as the miles go up.
And i will be keeping it off the salty roads through the winter months!!!
rossub said:
Personally I think you’d be mental to buy one of these ultra low mileage hot hatch examples, unless you plan to keep it for a very long time and aren’t too fussed about re-sale.
Torque GT have just taken in a like new Civic EP3 and slapped a £19k price on it. There’s also a Pulsar GTI-R for £20k
Nice as they are, the number of buyers for them must be absolutely tiny.
Good low kilometer Pulsar GTi-R's are now pretty expensive at auction in Japan,with the US market now also hungry for them you'll easily payTorque GT have just taken in a like new Civic EP3 and slapped a £19k price on it. There’s also a Pulsar GTI-R for £20k
Nice as they are, the number of buyers for them must be absolutely tiny.
over a million Yen for a really nice low mileage GTi-R,and that's base auction price before you've factored in all the remaining costs to get the car to the UK and road legal etc etc ,remember back in the early 00's...there was a shed load of them coming in,most of those have rotted away by now!
rossub said:
Personally I think you’d be mental to buy one of these ultra low mileage hot hatch examples, unless you plan to keep it for a very long time and aren’t too fussed about re-sale.
Torque GT have just taken in a like new Civic EP3 and slapped a £19k price on it. There’s also a Pulsar GTI-R for £20k
Nice as they are, the number of buyers for them must be absolutely tiny.
£19k for that EP3 is bonkers IMO.Torque GT have just taken in a like new Civic EP3 and slapped a £19k price on it. There’s also a Pulsar GTI-R for £20k
Nice as they are, the number of buyers for them must be absolutely tiny.
TommoAE86 said:
I didn't look at the price for the EP3 when it popped up on facebook, agree that's a mental price for one of those. Though don't think the Pulsar is overpriced as that age of good JDM metal is sought after now.
Maybe, but comparing JDM for JDM at £20k... I’d be taking an Evo 6 Tommi Makhttps://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mitsubishi-Evo-6-5-Tomm...
Butter Face said:
rossub said:
Personally I think you’d be mental to buy one of these ultra low mileage hot hatch examples, unless you plan to keep it for a very long time and aren’t too fussed about re-sale.
Torque GT have just taken in a like new Civic EP3 and slapped a £19k price on it. There’s also a Pulsar GTI-R for £20k
Nice as they are, the number of buyers for them must be absolutely tiny.
£19k for that EP3 is bonkers IMO.Torque GT have just taken in a like new Civic EP3 and slapped a £19k price on it. There’s also a Pulsar GTI-R for £20k
Nice as they are, the number of buyers for them must be absolutely tiny.
I paid 11k for my r33 gtst 40th anniversary edition. 44k miles. Imported fresh from japan and only 1 prev owner in Japan. Its unmolested and stock as factory. I couldn't find low mileage stock ones here in UK thus the import route. Average UK r33 gtst price is 9 to 10k excluding the 40th anniversary edition. With the American Market opening up for them prices are going up and up.
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