Anyone recommend a good importer?
 

As above...

Im thinking of getting rid of my UK turbo and replacing it with a
STi (V6) Type R but I want one with as low miles on as poss. And from what Ive seen so far I think I might be better off importing one. So.. anyone got any recommendations on who to contact or any tips etc?

Cheers

J :)

Importing has become nigh-on impossible at the moment IIRC due to changes in the SVA rules requiring a test report (which costs £xxxx's) for the precise model you want to bring in. Getting in touch with Iain Litchfield (banner ad on this site) would be a good start though.
Rgds
C

www.neweraimport.com, they are very very good.

Cheers, will give them a look. I thought they did newer stuff thb.

Will give them a call

J :)

Any particular reason as to why they a "very very good"?

J :)

Oh.. just tried that link... dont think its right ;)

I believe New Era Imports have an STI Type R V6 for sale at the mo!!

Try.

www.litimports.co.uk

Ian likes his scoobs :D

Just had a look at that one, not keen on it, doesnt look right for what Im after. I have however just found this....
clicky
Which is the type of thing Im after but I want one with lower miles... however, they have one in apparently, with 8k on the clock!! They're gonna get back to me with details but sounds a bit pricey.. £18k what do you lot think?

Cheers guys... keep 'em comin

J :)

Jay; whilst finding a 'good' importer is important; its more important to establish whether you will be able to register to the 'good' car that they import for you. There is a lot of nonsense talked on Scoobynet about changes to SVA tests; the law hasnt changed in any respect. You have needed to take an E-SVA test using a comparison test, for any vehicle manufactured after December 31st 1996 since 2001 and you still do. In order to avoid using a comparison test the majority of people (fraudulently) declared their vehicle as being 'Modified for disabled use'; with little more than a steering wheel attachement they were able to qualify for a simple SVA irrespective of the vehicles age. In April this year the ministry closed the 'disabled loophole' meaning that all vehicles of qualifying age have to take an E-SVA using a comparison test; whether 'disabled' or not. As you can imagine, there wasnt much of a market for comparison tests (model reports) before because we didnt use them; now that there is they are filtering very slowly onto the market. I havent been able to find a comparison test for an STI6, let alone a Type R; this doesnt mean that one hasnt been produced. All comparison tests are held by the ministry; when a test is submitted the owner will indicate whether they are prepared to loan it others; I believe that the ministry will be able to tell you whether there is one able to hire. If the test's owner doesnt want to loan it you will be told that one is not available but I cant see that happening; the STI6 Type R isnt a common car so I cant see anyone having a specialist market to try to protect (If this was a new more popular car it would be common for the test owner to not share it to give themselves a market advantage).

Perhaps you can find a decent example from an importer who got his SVA test booked before the cut-off date; this would have been possible as long as he knew the chassis number and reserved an imobiliser/alarm at the time of booking.

Simon

Wow!
Cheers Simon.

Sounds like this is gonna be fun.. NOT!

This place I have found in Scotland say they have one in with only 8k on the clock but the guy I spoke to say he think its gonna be £18k.. which sound pretty damn pricey to me but if thats whats gotta be done, the so be it!

Cheers

J :)

Btw; a decent WRX R STI6 will have cost at least £15,000 to land so it isnt really that dear, they sell for £10K+ at auction with transport, shipping and duties coming to over £4K.

Thanks Simon. You seem to be well versed... have you imported one or two?
Well, thats kinda what I thought but wasnt sure, was going off the ones I had seen on Autotrader ITRO £14K.
Originally I was looking into a P1 but seeing as theres now 3 or 4 in my local club alone, thought Id go for one with more gadgets... <homer mode on> hmmm...DCCD... <homer mode off>

J :lol1:

Saying that the law hasn't changed is both wrong and misleading.

It is NOT fraudulent to say that the car was modified for disabled use if, indeed it was at the time of the test. Don't forget that SVA tests are conducted by a small number of VOSA-operated test centres, so if the vehicle wasn't as described (including legally permissible disabled modification), it simply wouldn't pass. You can't just find a dodgy SVA centre like you might be able to find a dodgy MOT centre - they only vary between very picky and exceptionally picky.

Whether that modification is retained after the test is completely irrelevant. Having passed the test and been registered it is NOT illegal to then remove the steering wheel knob, any more than it's illegal to fit a stereo or a boost gauge (both of which, incidentally, would likely cause an SVA fail due to having sharp edges).

The law HAS changed to remove this loophole,and this has had a very real impact on the procedure which has to be followed in practise when importing a car. Where a model report exists and can be rented, it generally just means an extra expense is incurred. Where one doesn't exist, you need to have one created (expensive), or pick a different car.

You are nit-picking Andy; also, the law with regard to vehicles that require an E-SVA and a comparison test has not changed; the only change is that the option of abusing a loop hole that existed previously has been removed.

In answer to your question Jay; yes I have imported a number of cars

Simon

I'm not nitpicking, I'm being pragmatic. If the law hasn't changed, why the hell is my brand new MY05 JDM STI sitting in a warehouse unable to be SVA'd because I'm still waiting for VOSA to process the model report?

Prior to the change, it could have had a knob fitted to the steering wheel and been SVA'd and registered by now. But thanks to the change in the law to remove that option, I'm still driving around in an old van.

Have you approached the ministry to see if anyone has a comparison test for your applied model code? Whilst its a slim chance with a new model; there may be one available to rent from a non-advertised source.

Simon

The law has changed, fairly recently in fact and is undergoing revision according to the SVA peeps. The law regarding classification of personal imports has also changed.

If you would like to see if a model report is availible for your car check here:
http://www.modelreports.com/acatalog...l_reports.html

Although they are commercial, ie hire out various reports it is of some use regarding if a report is available for your car. If you already have a car that a model report is not available for you can have your car tested FOC and then own said report. Which can be handed out, sold etc to allow more vehicles of this type through.

This is my understanding of it. Although I admit, there is so much jargon to get through it may be inaccurate.

Forgot to add, Newera only import quality vehicles. Miguel is very, very dare I say it, top of his field at this.

This doesn't mean its all rosey though, the people who prepare the SVA test for cars imported by newera are not as good as you would hope them to be.

Simon: thanks for the tip, but no report currently exists for the MY05 JDM STI. Litchfield Imports have done all the testing to create one for themselves but it's taking time to convert all the test results into the correct format and make the report 'live' for SVA centres to follow. Bureaucracy at its worst, I'm afraid.

jay why do you have to import it? i got my v5 type r second hand off scoobynet imported new into this county so the history is easyer to follow, and it was a lot cheaper than the prices above, and the chance are that it will have been maped for uk fuel, i know mine is(linked:D ) and was low miles 40k on a s plate

mike:)

newera website they have a version 6 type r on the site in sonic blue. never used this company but heard good things about them on here

mike

Spartan; Im getting pissed off with this now; I understand the regulations well; I now adhere to them, before, I used to abuse them along with everyone else. Im not holding an E-SVA workshop here ffs; I was explaining in simple terms, how things were, in an effort to help someone, rather than to know best. And seeing as Im sharing my experience here; modelreports are sh!te; along with most of the other SVA-related businesses based at Southampton Docks.

Well, didnt really expect this thread to get a bit "heated" but there ya go, SN at its best! :Whatever_

Anyway, I really appreciate everyones input, I have been doing lots of diggin and have a reasonable idea of what Im talking about now. Cheers for the advice Simon, very informative. I am going to see this one with 8k on the clock on Wednesday that was registered just before the law changed. Im now also considering a silver STi8 import with lots of extras on from Steve at Langtree Garage (wickedkit).

I'll keep ya posted.

Cheers guys!

J :)