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Considering buying a Jap import..Are there any issues?Views : 3968 Replies : 16Users Viewing This Thread : |
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Jan 15th, 2022, 23:40 | #11 |
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Just awaiting delivery of one. Will let you know how it turns out. I guess the main thing is to buy the seller, at least that's what I did. And just be aware of all the costs involved.
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Jan 16th, 2022, 18:38 | #12 |
Junior Senior
Last Online: Today 00:37
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Location: Hampshire
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Another issue could be the 180 km/hr speed restriction. It's not much of a problem on public roads, except for some in Germany, but it's a no-no on track days. The cost of fixing it varies hugely from car to car.
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Jan 24th, 2022, 14:35 | #13 |
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Have got mine on the driveway now awaiting registration, so here's some information on my experience. At this stage, it may differ from what some others say, but of course - everyone has their own experience and information!
I bought and imported my vehicle through Goonet Exchange who were absolutely excellent as things stand. I chose them because they were the only company I could find who accepted payment by credit card. I wanted to pay this way for extra protection. All others required funds to be sent by bank transfer (not necessarily anything wrong with this if it's a reputable company). During the process with Goonet I was in touch with the same customer representative throughout and everything was arranged via email. All communication was very good and prompt. Like all the importers, Goonet are just a middleman/agent between you and the actual seller. So it's vital to do your homework on who is actually selling the vehicle. I always believe with things like this that you've got to buy the seller; so check everything about them. Look at where they trade from, what their capital is, type/condition of vehicles they sell, no of employees, who the owner is, reviews, etc - anything you can think of. Also, was the vehicle a trade in or bought from auction? I bought mine from a Volvo specialist who provides a 2 year comprehensive warranty with all their domestic sales. Some of the advertised vehicles on Goonet come with a condition rating, but if not - you can pay for one for about £40. With regards to costs involved, they were as follows. Initial cost is: Cost of vehicle and transfer to port (FOB) + shipping then on arrival: Import duty @ 10% of FOB + shipping VAT @ 20% of FOB + shipping + import duty Port handling fee Customs agent fee Car insurance Courier to deliver vehicle (if not picking up) MOT Vehicle registration + vehicle tax Any other prep/repairs/servicing Obviously all the costs add up, which is why it's important to buy well and consider all expenses and logistics. I'd suggest the main aim is to end up with a vehicle that costs less and is in better condition than a UK market equivalent whilst negating any of the risks involved. With regards to some of the points already made. I've checked with Volvo HQ and they said rust protection should be the same as European specification. Of course, this would make sense as it's a European manufactured vehicle - not a Japanese one. My mechanic also noted that the undercarriage looked like it had full factory protection on. I'm going to triple check with The Main Stealer when it goes in for the language change. But I suspect the extra underseal thing is often a marketing ploy used by companies selling imported vehicles. The Volvo company hails from Scandinavia, one would suspect their rust protection is already more than adequate. Also, if worried about salt on roads, just make sure the vehicle is rinsed underneath on a regular basis. Insurance is going to be higher initially as it will be done on the chassis no. The brokers/specialists were nonsense for me, their quotes were very high even though I had maximum no claims and they all seem to work in the same clique by passing business onto each other through commissions, etc. I didn't like the vibe of them. I went with Direct Line who were 60% cheaper than the brokers. I'll get some more quotes when the vehicle is registered to see if it's worth changing. You don't have to switch to mph for the MOT. It's fine in kph. It's not really worth switching for me as it would mean having a mixture of mph on the speedo and kph per on the odometer. Unless you're going to start tampering with the electronic mileage recorder, wouldn't do it personally. Try it in kph for a while, if it's annoying, then consider the various solutions. Tyres should be fine if they are supposed to be. Premium brand and good tread all round on mine. If any worries, just get them checked out. Also, any warnings will be in English, as long as you get the software change. Costs about £150 at The Main Stealer. The independent specialists seem to charge a bit more for some reason. |
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Jan 27th, 2022, 00:21 | #14 |
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Hi Nick04- What did you buy and how much was it in total?
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Jan 27th, 2022, 20:34 | #15 |
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Jan 28th, 2022, 00:03 | #16 |
The Brit Brick
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That seems a little pricy compared to buying a UK car, unless I'm missing something?
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Jan 28th, 2022, 14:10 | #17 |
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Yeah, the costs all add up. There's lots of different vehicles and prices out there, so it really depends what someone is looking for. Cheapest route is to go through the auctions.
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