Went to my local Subaru dealer yesterday to have a chat with the sales guy. I hadn't been down for about 6 months so thought it was time for a chat.
When I arrived the MD was there and basically said he has ended his Subaru franchise and is extending the Mazda franchise because Subaru are a pain and its not worth keeping going for 50 cars a year, and that the guy went to see was laid off as a casualty of ditching Subaru. Ouch!

So is this just a locallised thing or is it turning into national trend?
I thought the new STI7 UK car was supposed to be boosting sales, guess not.

Hmm Im sure when I went for my WRX test drive last week that the guy said theyd sold 8 sti's so far which sounds pretty good to me.

My local dealer is having trouble sourcing new WRX's. I am told there are none left in the country - all allocated to dealers or sold. Already he has had phone calls from other dealers trying to sieze my "in transit" silver WRX, but he has to insist to them the car is sold and not a showroom or demonstrator. He is awaiting 3 cars who all have eagerly awaiting customers.

Not sure, but I was under the impression that sales were going well

I spoke to a chap last night who has ordered his new STI7 prodrive, he's only got to wait 2 months, but if he wanted a WRX he'd have had to wait 5 months? sounds a bit odd, I'd have thought that should be the other way around.
Ron

Lets hope there is a shortage - it 'should' help residuals ... watch the same dealer telling you that he has had to fight with all the other dealers in the country to 'secure' your new car ... but then look sad and dejected as he tells you that your P/Ex is not wanted anymore as the car sales thing has fallen through the floor!! ;) dont you just love 'em?? :D

I find it amazing that such an ugly car is in demand - it makes us with the CLASSIC cars sitting pretty I would have thought? Especially the pick of the bunch - a nice one owner UK MY00 ;)

Pete

Yorkie

Bet he sold his allocation of P1's and had a waiting list for UK 300's as well !

:D :D :D

the supposed subaru dealer near me has hardly any there these days, has a mix n match of different marques on his forecourt. i dont car what anyone says, ive maybe only seen half a dozen on public roads since the new shape was launched. it just doesnt appeal, even after this much time. sorry, but i fail to see the appeal of the new wrx, even the sti. slow and ugly.

Of course each individual dealer will sell the first 20 they get, as with any popular mark, and they probably don't come any more popular than the STI at the moment, if the punter wants that type of car. But they may only sell 18 out of the next 20, 15 of the next, 10 of the next. What we don't have, and it confirms what the original post alludes to, is the endless waiting lists we had with the original Scooby, remember them, 9 months for a std Scooby, no haggling/minimum price/insult, with your trade-in, ridiculous Scooby second hand pricing. My local dealer is discounting the new ugly shape by about £2000 just to shift them. I think we may have to face it but the cars we love are becoming a bit old hat, and that Alfa 3.2 GTA is definitely looking a bit tasty, Oh god another make with crap residuals.

You might also want to consider that Euro Imports are big business currently too.

I would imagine that impact of people saving £2k or so is starting to hit UK Dealers ? It might not affect the likes of Ford or Vauxhall just yet, but cars like Subarus are sold in lower volumes already.

Just a thought ?

- Jon

I would echo the thought on imports - when you can buy what is a low volume car for a lot less money, then you would do, wouldn't you? I did, and would do so again.

Be interesting to see official figures for numbers registered vs numbers sold through UK dealerships :)

see loads of MY01's in Reading/Bracknel in fact yesterday i saw more of them than the old thing (or maybe old cars just dont catch my eye, i probably passed a few morris minors but i didnt notice them either!)

scoob_dood

most people are saving at least £3,500 on imports and up to£5,500. COuld be even more soon as someone reported wrx in switzerland in reduced to about £12,500 there add on the vat and stuff - mucho mucho cheapness.

I think the import situation is definetely hitting Subaru UK and so it should. I would also agree that I definetly see far less WRX's (UK MY01 not Jap) compared to turbos - probably something like a 1:10 ratio if Im honest. Doesnt bother me at all as it means I will be buyign a more rare car.

Haven't IM always limited the number of cars sold through dealers? You may hear from dealers that they've sold 8 in the last couple of days, but I bet they'll not be able to sell that week-in, week-out.

My local dealer in Stirling told me (before they went bust) that no dealer could survive on Impreza sales alone.

I must agree, that I've only seen a handfull of the new WRX up here in Scotland. I'm sure the new STI will generate a lot of interest, but just how many of us have almost £30K to spend?

Do I want one? oh yes
Would I rather try and save £5K importing one? you bet!

Stefan

I always understood that there was some kind of inter-governmental agreement that Subaru (and other Japanese makes) could only import a maximum of 10,000 vehicles per annum into the UK (hence the reason why Nissan etc set up manufacturing here). So, that means what? 3/3500 imprezas a year, split between all dealers? Not many per dealer per month.
Last year I was given the guff about 4/6 months wait and max. £500.00 cash discount. Is it any wonder then that I waited 5 months to import for a £4,500.00 saving (up front?. Who knows what the after market will be in 3 years time!)

Erik

There's been a lot of debate on here about the actual savings of importing Impreza's. Some vary from a few thousand, to claims of £6K+.

What I'd like to know, is how much extra does it cost in the long run? How much more expensive is insurance and just how easy is it to get servicing?

Has anyone actually sold their imported car and been given a reasonable price for it? (compared to a non-import).

Stefan

I saved over 6k importing mine, including alarming and registering it. (MY00 in November 1999 from Gertjan)

Insurance is the same as UK sourced car.

Resale depends how hard you can haggle. Some people have got very good prices on resale privately - as in the same that someone with a UK car would have got.

Chiark,

When asked by insurance companies if it's an import, do they differentiate between Euro Import and the Import's from Japan?

Stefan

Hey this is a cheery thread.

Saying that I went to visit a local Subaru garage in Devon at teh weekend and was told they had given up the franchise as sales were so poor.

Ozzy, yes they do! Very good point that I forgot to mention. Anything that's full UK spec, with the certificate of conformity, should be fine as it's a full UK specification car.

Excellent, that's one thing that's put me off. Now with the new ferry crossing from Rosyth to Zeebrugge, it should make importing a car a lot more hassle free.

Stefan

as for importing car from europe I heard a rumour that Subaru Dealers are being "allowed" by Subaru UK to import them from europe and sell them on at the dicounted price!

Not sure how true this is just heard it throught the grapevine

As for waiting times I work for Honda and we are having trouble getting cars on time (but you didn't hear that from me)

Hi Guys - yup, saved £5,500 importing a MY02 WRX 5 door from Alain Knockaert in Ypres, Belgium. The guy even brought it on his transporter to the P&O ferry terminal at Zeebrugge.

And insurance - exactly the same as a UK sourced car - after all, they are the same vehicle!!!

Must admit that after not seeing too many up here in Scotland (UK WRX's that is). I seem to be seeing quite a few around now. Mind you, I suppose they have been around a year+ now.

Still slightly dissapointed with mine though! Going to try the UK sti at Knockhill on the 7th April. Maybe that will change my current plans to buy a Golf PD150 at the end of the year!! We shall see.

Enjoy.........

[Edited by Mike Owen - 3/10/2002 11:07:12 PM]