Imports-pros and cons, can anyone help?

[rsi di]

Just toying with idea of buying import, have a good import garage down the road, just wondering what the good and bad point of imports are?

[lotusnobles]

More hassle than they are worth, just get yourself a proper UK car, will cost very little more and you wont be forever second guessin parts.

[shadowninja]

best of checking here: www.japmobiles.com/japukmeets/

pros: can get a more powerful car than the UK versions (imprezas are prime examples for mid to late 90s cars), often pretuned and well looked after, certain cars you just cant get (eg skyline r32 gtr) as UK spec, they can be substantially cheaper

cons: it may have been stolen, insurance is a pain, parts can be a pain if you dont have a local specialist to service your car. eg for skylines, Abbey Motorsport in Oxted (Surrey), specialist knowledge may also be needed to fix problems eg wankel engines in RX7s...

good luck

[trooper1212]

depends on the car

If it's a car that cannot be bought over here then dealers are happier to help you out. Toyota didn't have a problem with my MR2 Turbo, Mazda were little funny with my eunos roadster (mx5). Best thing to do is find your local dealer and ask them for their opinion.

You'll pay more on insurance for an import and some parts can be different.

Personally, I wouldn't buy an import again if there was a UK version available.

[mr2mike]

lotusnobles said:

More hassle than they are worth, just get yourself a proper UK car, will cost very little more and you wont be forever second guessin parts.

That's a fairly sweeping statement. The hassle may not be worth it if you can buy the equivalent UK car for reasonable money, but many Jap imports simply aren't/weren't avaiable in the UK (e.g. MR2 Turbo, Mitsu FTO etc.).

Insurance is the biggest problem I have found, but it's not insurmountable. Some of the more common insurers will cover imports for reasonable prices (such as Tesco Direct).

I've not found parts to be a problem as such. However, my local Toyota dealer appears to stock absolutely no parts at all, even parts common to the UK car have to be ordered which takes a couple of days.

[Brew]

I am on my second imported car and have had no problems at all (even when I smashed my old FTO into a wall - parts were ready available). As previously stated make sure you go through a reputable importer (as there are some very dodgy ones about). My advise would be to decide on the car you want and then look on the relevant owners club website. People on these sites have loads of info and in my experience are only too pleased to pass on details of their own personal experiences.
What are you thinking of getting??

[Mr E]

I run an import. It's got more power and a better spec than the UK car.

It's also got less milage, is in better condition and was cheaper than a UK car.

Servicing, parts and insurance are no problems at all......

[tamago]

i would have no problems buying an import. seems to be better equipped and generally lower mileage compared to UK cars...

[nws25]

With the power of the internet, parts really arnt a problem. Insurance is more affordable these days and plenty of specialists out there to look after you.
The stolen import thing is a bit exaggerated, if you use a decent dealer you'll normally get full service history e.t.c.
Not sure on jap specs having more power, for example the jap mkiv supra tt has roughly 50 bhp less than the uk example but it might be an exception to the rule.
But your find more modded cars available to import. Which you can save alot of money on.
Find a decent dealer and buy with confidence.

[CAR 7]

get a BIMTA check for around £150
full vehical inspection
mileage verification
and gaurntee that it is not stolen

£150 all in

[deltaf]

Gazboy said:

Totaly agree with Mr E, except the MR2 Turbo wasn't imported officially by toyota, so all turbos are grey imports (toyota assumed nobody was gonna pay £30 grand for an MR2) Always go with a reputable import garage, or clued up 'normal' garage, however there are some nice cars to be had privately, as long as you know what to look for.

Seconded. Imports have their advantages.

[Pierscoe1]

Further to this....

anybody dealt with Car Imports Direct in Bristol...

as in my other post, I'm after the S15 SpecR that they have..... are they reputable..?

Thanks

Piers