Neil Smalley

Pro's

Initially cheaper
As Easily available as in the uk

cons
Deprecitates quicker.
Will need a tracker,Cat 1 alarm fitting etc
Some dealers are 'funny' about 2 and 3rd yr warranty claims

Make sure you do NOT get a cyrpiot/Malta import as these are not covered under the pan european warranty, even in the first year.

As for companies, a good few people have used litchfield imports
http://www.litimports.co.uk/

[Edited by Neil Smalley - 10/2/2002 4:46:05 PM]

Ian E

iTrader: (1)

Razor 2001,

We're talking about EU imports NOT JDM imports.

EU imports are purchased to full UK spec - i.e. the same car.

e.g. for a MY00

Cost New From UK Main Dealer £21k
Value Now £13k ish
Loss £8k ish

Cost New In EU (Full UK Spec) £15.5k
Value Now £12k ish
Loss £3.5k ish

I'm buying an EU car again next anyway

Cheers,

Ian.

[Edited by Ian E - 10/2/2002 6:30:15 PM]

Ian E

iTrader: (1)

Stephen,

You're right, just checked the figures - it cost me just under 16k all in. Mines only done 20k so its worth more

Cheers,

Ian.


[Edited by Ian E - 10/2/2002 6:57:43 PM]

speedking

ZIPPY's post edited to say MY03

ZIPPY I thought you were moaning recently about the crap trade in you were offered (possibly not against an STi though, and possibly not at Mainland ??).

[Edited by speedking - 10/3/2002 3:02:53 PM]

Jatinder

Im in the market for a Impreza WRX. What are the pros and cons of an European model (built to UK spec.)? If so can anyone recommend any companies who will do this for you, or is it better to go over to an European Country to make the deal yourself! Any comments?

Ian E

iTrader: (1)

I'd definitely go the EU import route.

Not sure about the depreciates quicker bit? I paid 15.5k for my March 2000 MY00 - reckon its worth around 12k now. Depreciation would have been a bit quicker if I'd paid 21k for the car.

Don't believe any of the main dealer scare stories - at the end of the day its the same car built on the same production line.

I bought mine direct from Gertjan in Holland but I've heard Keyring cars provide a good import service.

Cheers,

Ian.

chiark

Neil,

Doesn't depreciate quicker at all!!!!! Quite where that myth comes from is beyond me. If you buy a car that costs 23k in the UK for 15k, you can move a little with pricing

If you're talking about grey imports, I think your comment is valid.

Nick.

ROLIWRX

Jatinder,I've just got mine had it about a week. I'm not bothered about the depreciation because this one's a keeper.
I looked at it this way, pay just under 17K and the rest of the money(that is saved on UK price) on mods.
One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the wait, I ordered mine on March 14th and got it last Tuesday! In fairness right from the offset they did say it would be 5 months. I got mine from Belgium and was imported for me by Exclusive-Eurocar Imports Ltd.
I then picked it up from down south.

ROLIWRX

Jatinder, I've just bought one I've had it a week. Not bothered about the depreciation because this one's a keeper. The way I looked at it was what I saved on UK price 21.5K (I paid just under 17K)I have splashed out on mods. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the wait I ordered mine on March 14th and I picked it up last Tuesday. In fairness from the outset they did say it would be 5 months. I got mine from Belgium and was imported for me by Exclusive-Eurocar Imports Ltd.

DBT

Ian E, mine should arrive from gertjan in Holland in no more than 2 weeks.... have you been pleased with it all ?

It was ordered in April, so it's been quite a wait, but hopefully all be worth it by mid way through October....

DBT

mutant_matt

Neil,

The depriciation of an EU sourced car vs UK is actually less. 18 month - 2 year old MY00 imports are going for around £1000 less than their UK counterparts. If you consider they usually cost between £4000 and £8000 less, that's a lot less depreciation

Also, if the car came from Malta then IM will support it and the EU warranty these days is 2 years.

Matt

Razor2001

Hi guys,

I am slightly confused:

If you buy a JDM import and drive it away lets for 16k or

buy a UK (exact same car as above, with all the trackers etc etc) except it is an official UK car) but it cost you 20k

and in 1 year you come to sell it and the UK sells for 17k and the JDM import sells for 13k......in theory have they not both depreciated 3k ??? and hence the depreciation is no different (I can actually see how a JDM may depreciate less due to teh fact that if you work off of percentages 20% of 20k is more than 20% of 16k).....maybe I am missing something

Cheers,
Ray

PS: Seems pretty straight forward to me, less money up front but then less money when come to sell back...doesn't it work out in the in end ? and with time value of money perhaps the import is the best way to go ???

Ian E

iTrader: (1)

DBT,

Yep Gertjans a top bloke to do business with - best car purchase I've ever made. He's got an excellent reputation - loads of UK people have purchased cars from him. I'll definitely use him again for my next Scoob.

Pass on my regards,

Cheers,

Ian.

Razor2001

Ian,

I am with you man, why anyone would ever buy a UK when you can get a JDM or EU import for cheaper and get it serviced at a specialist no worries is beyond me. There is no way I would ever buy a UK, I can hardly find one advantage

Cheers,
Ray

Stephen Read

Ian E,

You are almost right but your figures are a little optimistic...

Cost New In EU (Full UK Spec) £15.5k
(Depends on what exchange rate you got at the time of course but only a few would have made it home with an MY00 for £15.5k and that's before you have paid for your travel and added an alarm etc.. I would say most imported MY00's cost the owner £16.5k+ on average. Some MY99's were cheaper as they hadn't yet cottoned on and started adding massive RHD premiums and the FX rate in Early '99 was xlnt!)

Value Now £12k ish
(got under £11k for mine with 28k miles in Scotland)

Loss £3.5k ish
(a £5k loss for me but hey! it was a blast!)

speedking

mutant_matt : Euro warranty (Belgium/Holland) now 3 years as standard.

The only real problem with the EU import is that you will not be able to trade in at a main Subaru dealer. (At least that is the situation currently.) Therefore you will have to privately sell an expensive vehicle, which is not to everyone's taste. I suspect that situation will have changed in 3 years time so no worries.

Also if you replace with another Euro sourced car you have to pay quite a hefty deposit many months before you get the car. If there is any overlap of ownership you will have running costs on 2 imprezas

I can recommend Keyring Cars, just do it, you know it makes sense

Neil Smalley

Matt

UK dealers have been offering lower trade in values for EU imports. Other marque dealers may not notice the difference.

It seems to be a rule of thumb that the dealers for the make of car you have will offer a lower trade in than others. It happens with VW and BM's too

JFB

One word of warning, The Euro import saves money up front but if you have a warranty claim, you pay up front and if the Dutch or Belgian warranty people are happy the the faulty part you had replaced was a genuine fault they will then pay up. The faulty part has to be returned to them at your expense. Then you have to hope that they do not disagree with your garage's diagnosis as happened with my MY00 gearbox. It has taken over a year with major corrspondence course and only for a desperate attempt in writing to Subaru in Japan, I was not getting much joy. That was £3518 !

Be careful.


Jerome

Tim-Grove

I have a EU import Clio 172 and the depriciation scare storys are not true just dealer scare mongering. Take a look in the trader and the used imports are going for as much as the used UK ones.

Tim.

chrisp

Depends on the grey import, nice good example with a full service history in classic form still makes good money.

I personally wouldnt buy a UK car and get one from the EU, after three years who cares. As they get older the price difference will be less at 5 years old I should imagine they will be little in it. The price guides seem to reflect this as well. The bike industry went through this a few years back and now look at the prices .

DBT

Will do Ian, Cheers for that. He's been very good so far, with the couple of extras, I've requested. I'd reccommend him to anyone.

I do appreciate why Subaru dont want to take in EU imports as Part ex, and I dont suppose they're likely to change their mind on that, but as people realise, that in reality there is no difference in the car at all, and getting parts etc... isnt' a problem, then the prices for 2nd hand import/uk scoobies will get much closer, and the loss will be far far less on the import. I'd not pay the £21,495 that the dealer wanted for a UK spec, with no chance of haggling from what I could make out. the Import cost me £16,255 everything included

DBT

speedking

The reason it might change is that when block exemption ends that dealers (and supermarkets for that matter) will be free to source their cars from anywhere, and to sell various makes alongside each other. They may then be more willing to take a Euro import in part ex as a) they will be selling new euro sourced cars and b) their prices will have to be competitive across a range of different marques c) there may be more subaru 'main' dealers because they will be able to sell them as a sidleline and not rely on the one make.

All IMHO of course. Here's hoping.

chiark

'nother vote gor Mr van der Velde. Pass on my regards - tell him Nick of ImportingImprezas says hi

Jon1T

JFB - I s[oke to IM about warranty claimes on EU imports - they sdaid that 'Belgium/dutch car have a 3 year warranty, and the warranty process is handled in exactly the same way as UK cars' Ie take to dealer and they sort out the claim directly eioth IM.

IM's words not mine. There's a lot of BS talked about EU imports - there are no downsides bar a lower price when you come to sell - but you pay a hell of lot less when you buy.

A lot of the BS comes from people who've been conned into paying over the odds for a UK car and are trying to justify the extra £4-5k they forked out.....

ariel

Where's pete, he on holiday then?
Bought my 00 car from Gertjan and the previous STi from Japan. No regrets with either of them.

Jacey Boy

I agree, I bought a New Holland Civic Type R in June for £14,500 all in, sold in August for £14,250 with 1800 miles.

ZIPPY

Speedking,Mainland have offered me a decent trade in price on my Euro import against an STi 7,but i will now wait until Febuary to see the MY01 model.

Zippy

Jacey Boy

Zip, dont you mean the MY03

Vanker

got to be euro import here too why buy in UK for 21K ish when you get the same car in euroland for 15.5k ish. OK so no locking wheel nuts or alarm, everything else is the same. Yes a wait of 6 months or so is required but it is worth it. Try snoop4cars.com via knockhart in belgium.

Nigel H

I've got a Euro MY01

I sold an imported Focus for UK price, but....

There must be some impact on Subaru Euro residuals because you can't p-ex at a UK Subaru dealer. It's not big, but it must be recognised.

Also for earlier Euros (like my 01) there must be some impact 'cos of the lesser warranty.

However this can be offset 'cos Subaru Benelux aren't taking photos at track days