Anyone Bought A Japanese Import?
Discussion
For a few years now I have been admiring these Japanese Imported Jaguars . Given the amount of still decent British Jaguars out there especially the X350 models I wonder why would you ? The Price of these Imports are often in excess of the British Models so no discernible cost saving and some of the specs can be a bit lurid especially on the R Models with the occasional Tangerine Leather Seats . I have seen almost £30k being asked for some Daimler models and I wonder given these and indeed all X350 were never great sellers during their time of Production who is actually buying these cars . Outside of Enthusiasts such as ourselves what Model recognition does a £25k Super V8 have amongst your average car buying Public ? I have been to numerous Car Shows and Classic Gatherings and have yet to find anyone who has laid out on a Japanese Jaguar yet they must be going somewhere . If anyone has purchased one I would love to hear how that has gone for you . Are you delighted thus far with the purchase and indeed if you have laid out big money have you considered your exit strategy ? Really hoping to hear of some genuine experiences ?
I almost bought a Jap import X350. So glad I didn't now. Was sold as being immaculate, etc etc.
I happened upon the same car for sale again on Car and Classic recently. Check out the MOT history of the car - LK55UEF -
Date tested:
12 March 2020
FAIL
Mileage 71,126 miles
Repair immediately (major defects):
Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Nearside Rear Suspension rod pin or bush excessively worn control arm (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))
Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))
Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))
Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))
Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
Repair as soon as possible (minor defects):
Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))
Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):
Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))
Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))
Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))
Date tested
19 March 2019
PASS
Mileage 66,031 miles
MOT test number
9075 3072 2461
Expiry date
18 March 2020
I don't recall ever seeing such a change in a car's MOT history in 5k miles, which makes me suspect that the first MOT wasn't quite as thorough as it should've been. Get a good one, I'm sure it will be fine, but I'd just be very, very cautious.
I happened upon the same car for sale again on Car and Classic recently. Check out the MOT history of the car - LK55UEF -
Date tested:
12 March 2020
FAIL
Mileage 71,126 miles
Repair immediately (major defects):
Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Nearside Rear Suspension rod pin or bush excessively worn control arm (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))
Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))
Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))
Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))
Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
Repair as soon as possible (minor defects):
Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))
Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):
Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))
Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))
Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))
Date tested
19 March 2019
PASS
Mileage 66,031 miles
MOT test number
9075 3072 2461
Expiry date
18 March 2020
I don't recall ever seeing such a change in a car's MOT history in 5k miles, which makes me suspect that the first MOT wasn't quite as thorough as it should've been. Get a good one, I'm sure it will be fine, but I'd just be very, very cautious.
https://www.ultimatejaguar.co.uk/cars/jaguar/xj/4....
Funnily enough I ran into this one at my local Independent in Milton Keynes yesterday . It has apparently already been sold and the Dealer who I have previously had the pleasure of meeting some time back was having the car thoroughly gone over prior to the new owner taking possession . I would ASSUME that suspension bushes may have been a part of this but great to come across a Dealer who obviously cares about the cars he sells and the customers he supplies , something the main Dealers should take note of .
Funnily enough I ran into this one at my local Independent in Milton Keynes yesterday . It has apparently already been sold and the Dealer who I have previously had the pleasure of meeting some time back was having the car thoroughly gone over prior to the new owner taking possession . I would ASSUME that suspension bushes may have been a part of this but great to come across a Dealer who obviously cares about the cars he sells and the customers he supplies , something the main Dealers should take note of .
Welsh Pirate said:
... lots of stuff ...
That's worrying for sure but absolutely none of it can be directly attributed to the car having been imported from Japan. The previous MOT could well have been a "friendly special" carried out by an unscrupulous selling dealer (it happens, my own car had inoperative washer jets but somehow had a clean test just prior to my purchase) and there's nothing there to say that the car arrived from Japan in that state.Even then, tyres, brakes, suspension bushings and joints etc. all wear out in Japan just as they do here. The rationale for buying a car from Japan which is available in the UK is usually because they don't salt their roads due to their climate and they drive on the same side of the road so you can get an older car which won't have the same corrosion issues, not because they're necessarily maintained to a higher standard or anything.
That all said, it is perfectly possible to get good cars which have lived all their lives in the UK, just takes a bit longer perhaps if you're being particular about condition and corrosion.
ETA - @OP, I presume you know all this already but I guess for the benefit of anyone who doesn't, Japanese import cars will have probably have a speed limiter set, speedometer in km/h, possibly require some exterior light changes to bring them in line with UK legislation and you may well have some fun with the sat-nav, if present...
Edited by 8bit on Wednesday 16th June 14:53
8bit said:
Welsh Pirate said:
... lots of stuff ...
That's worrying for sure but absolutely none of it can be directly attributed to the car having been imported from Japan.As said by the previous poster - cars are not immune to wear-and-tear just because they came from a different country.
Evercross said:
Indeed. In fact, looking at the rap sheet I would say that most is wear-and-tear entirely attributable to and consistent with the reported mileage. The jargon makes it sound terrible but it is really just suspension bushes and drop links, plus a misaligned pair of headlights - not unusual for an import, plus a wiper blade, tyres and brakes. Not exactly terminal rot or such-like!
As said by the previous poster - cars are not immune to wear-and-tear just because they came from a different country.
Totally agree that it normal wear and tear and as you intimate standard fare for an X350 . Still not coming across many Buyers of Japanese Jaguars on this Thread though , its the same story on many other Jaguar Forums , where are they ? You would think if you did your homework before laying out the readies for such a car you would be shouting from the rooftops about what a fantastic purchase you had made .As said by the previous poster - cars are not immune to wear-and-tear just because they came from a different country.
Having owned several I have a particular love of the X350 and scan the For Sale Adverts on an almost daily basis , what I find more often than not is overpriced static stock . Where are these Buyers ?
Zumbruk said:
I personally know both this Car and the Dealer who is selling it , in fact I last saw the car at EE the Jaguar Independent in Milton Keynes where it was on the ramp having a full suspension overhaul . The Mechanic also informed me he believed the Car was sold though apparently not .Its a very early X350 XJR so without the improvements of the later models , its also the car I mention at the beginning of the Thread . I would have no hesitation in buying a car from Vince Galvin the Seller , my concerns would be the usual Japanese Import issue of what history he has for the car , the fact that its an earlier Model ( a non issue for many ) and its not the cars best colour scheme ( a purely Personal opinion )
I would also be chancing my arm with a cheeky bid , I note that Parkway the Mansfield Dealer are still carrying X350 and X358 Stock from over a year ago which indicates to me a pretty stagnant market for highly priced stock . I notice another Manchester Dealer has withdrawn an XJR from sale again having failed to sell it for the best part of a year .
reddiesel said:
Zumbruk said:
I note that Parkway the Mansfield Dealer are still carrying X350 and X358 Stock from over a year ago which indicates to me a pretty stagnant market for highly priced stock Have I fallen down a hole into some strange world where someone would actually consider paying £15k for a 18 year old X350 with not particularly super low mileage that cannot possibly be verified because it's an import?
You need to get the ladybird book of car buying if you're even entertaining that. Which appears to have been a big seller, because as noted everyone seems to know not to buy them and they hang around in stock forever with greedy dealers.
You need to get the ladybird book of car buying if you're even entertaining that. Which appears to have been a big seller, because as noted everyone seems to know not to buy them and they hang around in stock forever with greedy dealers.
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 13th July 18:40
stickleback123 said:
Have I fallen down a hole into some strange world where someone would actually consider paying £15k for a 18 year old X350 with not particularly super low mileage that cannot possibly be verified because it's an import?
You need to get the ladybird book of car buying if you're even entertaining that. Which appears to have been a big seller, because as noted everyone seems to know not to buy them and they hang around in stock forever with greedy dealers.
Its definitely an interesting situation and I must admit to smiling whenever I hear the usual Dealer Spiel about the X350 being the last of the Classic JaguarYou need to get the ladybird book of car buying if you're even entertaining that. Which appears to have been a big seller, because as noted everyone seems to know not to buy them and they hang around in stock forever with greedy dealers.
Edited by stickleback123 on Tuesday 13th July 18:40
they are actually asking more for some X350 than they are for the X351 , it seems they are intent on turning the car into the next Land Rover Defender and they are failing miserably .
stickleback123 said:
Have I fallen down a hole into some strange world where someone would actually consider paying £15k for a 18 year old X350 with not particularly super low mileage that cannot possibly be verified because it's an import?
Hell, no, for those very reasons. Like a lot of people here, I like browsing car adverts. Doesn't mean I'm going to buy them.I'll throw in a favorable comment...
Apparently Jaguars destined for Japan went down the same production line as UK cars, and therefore have the same levels of rust protection etc (yes, I know some Jags are aluminium!)...this isn't necessarily true for other makes, especially Japanese makes (I've known a couple of people buy Japanese imports that have had very little in the way of rust protection)
Apparently Jaguars destined for Japan went down the same production line as UK cars, and therefore have the same levels of rust protection etc (yes, I know some Jags are aluminium!)...this isn't necessarily true for other makes, especially Japanese makes (I've known a couple of people buy Japanese imports that have had very little in the way of rust protection)
I've drooled over jagwestlondon site for a while now but after looking into the Japanese auction market I noticed the same car. Two modern XJR's here. One on the car vector Japanese auction site history
https://auc.carvector.com/st-gigWBPR3DvJkd.htm
86,300 km or 53,600 miles
And the other on jagwestlondon https://www.jagwestlondon.co.uk/vehicle-details.ph...
38,600 miles
They're identical details and photos. But there's a 15,000 Mile difference. Not claiming anything but the links make me question the conversion process employed...
https://auc.carvector.com/st-gigWBPR3DvJkd.htm
86,300 km or 53,600 miles
And the other on jagwestlondon https://www.jagwestlondon.co.uk/vehicle-details.ph...
38,600 miles
They're identical details and photos. But there's a 15,000 Mile difference. Not claiming anything but the links make me question the conversion process employed...
Wildtypitch said:
I've drooled over jagwestlondon site for a while now but after looking into the Japanese auction market I noticed the same car. Two modern XJR's here. One on the car vector Japanese auction site history
https://auc.carvector.com/st-gigWBPR3DvJkd.htm
86,300 km or 53,600 miles
And the other on jagwestlondon https://www.jagwestlondon.co.uk/vehicle-details.ph...
38,600 miles
They're identical details and photos. But there's a 15,000 Mile difference. Not claiming anything but the links make me question the conversion process employed...
I would have phoned them up and asked for an explanation , like you I drool over them especially the X350 Portfolio models . This particular car you post a link to has as far as I can see suffered an offside front shunt involving the front wing and door being replaced . Personally I wouldn't touch the car .https://auc.carvector.com/st-gigWBPR3DvJkd.htm
86,300 km or 53,600 miles
And the other on jagwestlondon https://www.jagwestlondon.co.uk/vehicle-details.ph...
38,600 miles
They're identical details and photos. But there's a 15,000 Mile difference. Not claiming anything but the links make me question the conversion process employed...
Edited by reddiesel on Saturday 8th January 13:18
reddiesel said:
Wildtypitch said:
I've drooled over jagwestlondon site for a while now but after looking into the Japanese auction market I noticed the same car. Two modern XJR's here. One on the car vector Japanese auction site history
https://auc.carvector.com/st-gigWBPR3DvJkd.htm
86,300 km or 53,600 miles
And the other on jagwestlondon https://www.jagwestlondon.co.uk/vehicle-details.ph...
38,600 miles
They're identical details and photos. But there's a 15,000 Mile difference. Not claiming anything but the links make me question the conversion process employed...
I would have phoned them up and asked for an explanation , like you I drool over them especially the X350 Portfolio models . This particular car you post a link to has as far as I can see suffered an offside front shunt involving the front wing and door being replaced . Personally I wouldn't touch the car .https://auc.carvector.com/st-gigWBPR3DvJkd.htm
86,300 km or 53,600 miles
And the other on jagwestlondon https://www.jagwestlondon.co.uk/vehicle-details.ph...
38,600 miles
They're identical details and photos. But there's a 15,000 Mile difference. Not claiming anything but the links make me question the conversion process employed...
Edited by reddiesel on Saturday 8th January 13:18
I've recently taken a liking to their rather lovely XJ6 in Brooklands Green advertised for £10995...
I believe JagWestLondon have a legal obligation to make plain the fact that they are using a library picture instead of one of the actual vehicle . I haven’t checked if they have done so in this case ? Fingers crossed that you buy the car you speak of though statistically I don’t think you will
reddiesel said:
I believe JagWestLondon have a legal obligation to make plain the fact that they are using a library picture instead of one of the actual vehicle . I haven’t checked if they have done so in this case ? Fingers crossed that you buy the car you speak of though statistically I don’t think you will
I have seen them say exactly that in the past.Gassing Station | Jaguar | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff