Yes Trev, I bought a new pre-registered Transit from Guernsey, re-regestering it was simple, Alan.

 

import

Thanks Alan,

This is a Japanese Import to Guernsey then ended up in UK.

TM

 

You will probably have to pay VAT at 17.5% of the assessed value by HM Customs at the time of import.....not what you paid for it.

You will not be able to register it in UK without the VAT receipt.

 

Watch out for the differences between cars made for use in Japan and those made for the UK. Some years ago a friend of mine who deals mainly in trucks went to Japan and bought hundreds of one year old cars to sell in the UK. I remember he had lots of problems but I do not remember the details.

I do remember that one big one was the speedometers reading only in KPH. I think he had to have them inspected before he could sell them in the UK and I know by the time had had jumped through the hoops he reckoned there was little profit in having done it You may be able to check on the net, Alan.

 

Is it delivery mileage? Ex-Guernsey/Jersey vehicles are quite often ex-rental, but obviously low mileage/one season.

Colin

 

Guernsey

Is it delivery mileage? Ex-Guernsey/Jersey vehicles are quite often ex-rental, but obviously low mileage/one season.

Colin

3,000 miles, 2 years old

a quote from the trade seller

"vehicle is X damaged now repaired and was originally imported as new from japan and registered as a new vehicle in guensey i have copies of export certificate and registration document from guernsey hope this helps thanks"

TM

 

Unless it is way way below book value, I would personally walk away from it....Japan to Guernsey to UK with damage at some time.

Check with dealer about the VAT payment too.

Sorry to be a pessimist but there are a lot of S/H cars out there with known histories.

 

hi
I brought my 'guernsey' car back with me when I came back to England. I had to go to the local tax office to pay the VAT and then the process was easy. DVLA are happy with the tax papers , we agreed the price with no great hassle.


neill. :roll:

 

Lad I know used to import cars from Japan, don't believe the history at all. Go on what you see if you really want it. Ive seen cars with 20,000 kilometres with tyres down to the canvas. You can't trace the history, and don't have a clue whats happened to it before it left Japan. Some are also different to the uk equivalent and the parts you think are interchangeable are not.

So be very careful

 

Hi Trev,

Trying to save you some money here. A friend of my son bought a Japanese import and wishes he had never seen the thing in the first place.

Apparently the quality is totally different to what we are used to in the UK, they have different body panels, engine parts and heaven knows what else. When he needs a replacement he has all sorts of problems first of all finding out the appropriate part number so that he gets the correct replacement, then there is the cost which is apparently prohibitive. He has already spent more than he saved when considering the difference between what he paid for it and the price of an equivalent UK sourced one.

He says and I quote 'Don't touch one with a barge pole!'

Mike

 

Hi.
For Import Japanese parts,try Trevor Milner in Matlock Derbyshire, he supplies parts for the son in law,at the right price.The son in law lives in Portugal,so you can see how far he has trawled to get the proper stuff at the right price,you could also try Bullivants garages derby,but i have no experience of dealing with this company,but heard no bad words either. I have no connection with either of these two companies.
Ted

 

If its that simple get the dealer to do it as part of the sale!

C.

 

Forgot to mention the insurance angle.........all insurance companies ask if the car is an import and they will almost certainly increase the premium.

Yes, all cars not built in UK are imports but the insurance companies differentiate between those imported through official channels and those they call "personal" imports.

I speak from personal experience even though my car had an identical specification to those imported through the official channel.

 

Forgot to mention that, whilst it may seem cheap now, when trading in or selling on, Imports are classed as Grey Imports, and whilst other vehicles are Valued from Glasses Guide or C.A.P Grey imports are valued from the Grey Valuations Book and they book at a substantial amount lower that U.K. Registered Vehicles.

They are also not undersealed/ corrosion treated from new the same as U.K cars.

Hope we are not putting you off to much, on the plus side they are usually a higher spec than the uk equivalent.

 

Car

The car is extremely rare.

Not seen another in the UK

It is 18 months old and asking price is 40% of what it would cost me to import a similar one.

Thanks

TM

 

Trev, if you are a car enthusiast and this is a car you want go for it. I have always been a car nut and have never been willing to miss one I want for the sake of a few quid.

Years ago a friend of mine wanted an RS1800 MK2. We found a really good one and ended up not getting it because he wanted to give 50 quid less the the dealer would take for it, he still regrets that and never did get one, Alan.

 

A lot of stuff posted in reply to your question is not very accurate. My partner and I imported cars from Japan for a number of years and only stopped when the Yen became to strong against the pound again. You can get some rough ones but generally cars are serviced well in Japan they cover very low mileages and as no salt is used on their roads under the cars is usually like new. While it is true the underseal is not as good, they are so clean this is easy to rectify if you wish. As to them being built to a lower standard than Europeon ones this is pure rubbish. Spares are generally easy to obtain and well priced, insurance outlook has changed and this to has not been a problem for some years now. The thing I am not sure about is the import implications from the Channel Islands but a quick call to the DVLA should answer this. The resale price on a lot is in fact higher than the Europeon equivalent, one that comes to mind is that a Pajero always fetches more than the same year Shogun. The car you wish to import, you say, is a rare one, if you tell me what it is may be able to give more specific information.

 

what is it?

A lot of stuff posted in reply to your question is not very accurate. My partner and I imported cars from Japan for a number of years and only stopped when the Yen became to strong against the pound again. You can get some rough ones but generally cars are serviced well in Japan they cover very low mileages and as no salt is used on their roads under the cars is usually like new. While it is true the underseal is not as good, they are so clean this is easy to rectify if you wish. As to them being built to a lower standard than Europeon ones this is pure rubbish. Spares are generally easy to obtain and well priced, insurance outlook has changed and this to has not been a problem for some years now. The thing I am not sure about is the import implications from the Channel Islands but a quick call to the DVLA should answer this. The resale price on a lot is in fact higher than the Europeon equivalent, one that comes to mind is that a Pajero always fetches more than the same year Shogun. The car you wish to import, you say, is a rare one, if you tell me what it is may be able to give more specific information.

Okay, but don;t go buying it and try selling it back!

TM

 

Cars

Anyone any Recommendations for Imported car insurance?

TM