Imported?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Wed 5 Jul 2006 10:01
Imported? - bobda
How can you tell if a car is an imprt and has the balance of it's manufacturers warranty remaining?

Will the first registered owner be the importing company or a non-UK address, or is it not that simple?

Ta!
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Wed 5 Jul 2006 11:30
Imported? - aahbarnes
If it's a european import there is nothing on the V5 registration document to indicate so. The easiest way is to look in the service book and see if the PDI (pre delivery inspection) was completed by a foreign main dealer. The warranty runs from the date of the PDI.
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Wed 5 Jul 2006 13:52
Imported? - bobda
What if it's a possible Japanese import?

It's a Daihatsu Copen, which a friend is looking at getting, at a local car supermarket and it's for sale for about £1k less than any other similar ones on autotrader, which is why I ask.

I'm sure the supermarket sales staff will be frank and honest when I ask them later on, though...
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Wed 5 Jul 2006 15:14
Imported? - Aprilia
Japanese domestic market vehicles have a shorter VIN number, usually of the form (e.g.) DE3A-0123456
Of a course a 'Japanese import' could be one made for the RHD European market (e.g. Irish Republic) but then imported into the UK. This will have the longer Euro VIN code and the V5c will indicate its from another EU country.
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Thu 6 Jul 2006 09:44
Imported? - bobda
Cheers for the advice, went to see it last night and it seemed honest enough, 54 plate (Sept 04), 2 owners (which was my only real worry), 8500 miles in bright red.

Needs a service (every 3000 miles or 6 months) at 9000 so I'm sure the garage will find anything untoward if the car supermarket's 78 point checks don't...

All service stamps were in the UK, including the PDI and both previous owners were in the same area. I tried to get the phone numbers of the previous owners to find out why they had sold it, but it seemed they were both ex-d.

Still, nice little car and it went surprisingly well!
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