Importing a Japn Grey Import - How ???

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Sat 7 May 2011 21:38
Importing a Japn Grey Import - How ??? - Surrey_Scientist

I am considering changing my elderly Corolla hatcback for a biger automatic estate car, and was wondering about getting a grey import (I already have a celica convertible grey)

I was thinking of something like an Avensis estate (think they call it Caldina) or Corolla estate or something similar.

I wondered how you go about getting "one to order" as most of the grey imports eem to be all sports-car type vehicles and I not something more ordinary like what I'm trying to get.

Can one "DIY" an import or do you have to go through a dealer/broker, and can anyone give me their experinces/recommend someone.

If indeed there is any advantage to doing this/realistic at my price-range.

I was intending to spend £3-4K, in the UK the cars are getting a little tatty/leggy at this price range and thei,ports seem in much better nick/lower mileage/higher spec at this price range.

I'm based SW London/Surrey area (Epsom/Sutton)

Or should Ijust be buying a UK car - there is not much choice for estate with auto when look on autotrader in the jap cars.

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Sat 7 May 2011 22:08
Importing a Japn Grey Import - How ??? - knowwun

Not sure that with all the chaos in Japan, now is the time I would be thinking about getting a grey import.

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Sun 8 May 2011 01:52
Importing a Japn Grey Import - How ??? - Steven Quas

I understand there can be rust issues as I believe salt isn't used on roads in Japan, so there is less underbody protection. Not sure if this is still true. Colleagues have imported from Europe to the UK and have had to produce a certificate of conformity to get it registered. There could also be an issue with an uncommon car which was never sold in exactly the same form within the EU, not having been tested previously, so no certificate would be available. I would suggest it isn't worth the hassle for such a car, unless you know that these problems don't apply.

Steven Quas

Hamburg

Edited by Steven Quas on 08/05/2011 at 01:53

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Sun 8 May 2011 08:59
Importing a Japn Grey Import - How ??? - piston power

Id be carefull of any jap imports at this time as several will have been under water and dodgy dealers will be wanting to part with these.

They were done over here with the floods in Cornwall a few years back!

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Mon 23 May 2011 03:53
Importing a Japn Grey Import - How ??? - BigJohnD

A friend imported his so-called grey new-ish Nissan via Dublin and despite the poor £/€ exchange, got a good deal. (We live nearer to the RoI than SE England.)

The warranty seemed to be world-wide and was all in English, as was the owners handbook, and while the labels on the switches &c were mostly icons, one or two were in Japanese.

The best part was the Sat Nav - no maps of Europe, just one of Japan, and a massive error message in Japanese probably saying location not found!

Edited by BigJohnD on 23/05/2011 at 03:55

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Mon 23 May 2011 14:44
Importing a Japn Grey Import - How ??? - Bleep

If you haven't come across it already, goo-net exchange is useful for getting an idea of specs and prices.

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Thu 26 May 2011 17:29
Importing a Japn Grey Import - How ??? - aaj

Hello,

I imported a car from Japan back in 2000. I bought it from a Japanese dealer who had a partner in the UK. So, the car was advertised in Japan and the UK with the UK customer (me) picking up the cost of importing it and converting to the UK spec.

I had the car undersealed, fog lights fitted, speedo converted, radio converted and an alarm fitted. The process was very easy, but only because the UK partner made it so. I even have the Japanese de-registration docs.

BTW Lots of cars that arrived via Dublin were stolen.

Personally, I wouldn't import one now, for the reasons given above inother replies. Also, when I bought the car, it was money I could afford to lose, should something had gone wrong.

Ultimately the car I imported, an Mitsubishi FTO, was about 25% cheaper all in. I still have the car now!

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Mon 30 May 2011 18:51
Importing a Japn Grey Import - How ??? - TTToommy

There are a lot fewer Japanese /Gray import companies these days to the hassle of importing and the hassle of exchange rates.

There are a few (very few) people still importing 4x4s and sports cars - get to know one of these if they're local and place an order with them

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