This can't be very good news for UK sourced models.

If £20,995 is now the price of an import, what will this doe for UK residuals. UK model now looks VERY expensive at £25,995

I have to wonder with you mrdeli. Car supermarkets have been known to sell slightly dodgy imports before, so it may be there is still a premium to be paid for a UK car on the secondhand market.

I'm continually looking at supermarket adverts to see when they get their first Civic Type Rs in... that's what I replaced my old MY99 with (rather than an STI which was going to be £10k more) because I think it's protected a bit more from import prices.

Nowt wrong with a Euro Import. Its about time Subaru clocked on and warrantied the Euro cars. Most other manufacturers will, ie BMW, Toyota etc

I know a couple of people who have picked up brand new MY00 models for £5-6k off the UK price. This seems to piss people off on here, but that's where the smart money goes! Interesingly, most price guides show no difference in UK - Euro second hand prices on scoobs.

Go Euro!

MB

The difference with Toyota is that they have had for as long as I know a 3 year manufacturers warranty all over the world. Other car makers used to be (unsure if they still are) 1 year manufacturer and 2 year dealer (from the country of origin). Which is why when all this importing was starting up and a 1 year Pan European warranty was with most cars, imported Toyota's still had a 3 year warranty..........

Selling privately should be fine if you get a buyer who knows his stuff but wait until you try to trade it in at a main dealer.

[Edited by sillysi - 4/24/2002 3:18:40 PM]

True :rolleyes:

MB

[Edited by Dark Blue Mark - 4/24/2002 3:20:00 PM]

sillysi... I paid less so can afford to take less.. meanwhile the difference between UK and Euro price is sat in my account earning. (earning sod all actually, but you get the point)

Suddenly occurred to me
Why would anyone who has made the effort to import a car and save thousands ever even consider selling it to a dealer who will always offer peanuts for any car compared to how much you can get privately?

E.g. Peugeot offered me 40% of what I was able to sell my 306 for privately
Lotus offered me 70% of what I sold the Elise for privately.

Surely we can assume that someone sensible enough to save money by importing would never be daft enough to ever sell to a dealer.
Therefore the issue of 2nd hand imports being worth less becomes irrelevant, because it's only (sometimes) true in situations which won't arise.

Alpine,

Yes I do get your point. Stick the cash in an ISA, £3000 over a year earns you about £450 tax free interest.

BT52b,

I agree if I had bought an import I would not trade it in with a dealer, but circumstances do change.

Mark (BT52b) I agree with you to an extent, but as new import sources with cheaper prices come along, that must knock the value to a knowledgable private seller too. If they can get a new Euro import STI for £21k (as opposed to £23k-ish previously) that must knock all secondhand values by a couple of £000.

[Edited by SJobson - 4/24/2002 4:03:23 PM]

It will initially but after a couple of years there should be no difference, as they are the same car. Even more so when the warranty expires!

I own a UK BTW.

MB

But it should knock the price down exactly the same for the UK cars as well.

Simon, you seem to be probing a suspicious amount into the STi. Is it a serious look, or just prodding a toe into the water?

If it is a serious look then would it be at the expense of Elise or Civic? (or as well as....?)

BT52B, whilst I agree with the logic, as an aside, I'd love to know where you get an ISA from paying 15% interst !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want one please.

Ah, Mark - neither. If you a buy a new car (or, worse still, 2 new cars) then you're going to suffer heavily on depreciation if you sell quickly. And anyway, the whole point of getting out of the Scoob and into the Civic was running costs and throttle response - and I doubt the STI would be anywhere near the Civic's ballpark for those!

I just happened to notice this particular advert, and it looked good value. No more than the usual interest in the market (this time;))

"BT52B, whilst I agree with the logic, as an aside, I'd love to know where you get an ISA from paying 15% interst !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want one please."


Eh? You lost me there.....so would I!

Simon, so it's just the tiniest edge of the littlest toe then....
Must admit to enquiring myself, although I was pretty sure we wouldn't get one.

Not even the tiniest edge of a little toe. Not unless I could buy one new now and sell it in a year's time without it having depreciated one iota. And there's no chance of that!

ScoobyK,

I think it was compound interest over a 3yr period. I don't check my statement very well :-)