Ray_li

Apart from the EU (somewhere like Holland) imports being cheaper to buy are ther any other pros of buying a EU import.
If its a import do the Subaru dealer ships service the car?
What about insurance?

Ray

ace2002

Havin read plenty of threads some insurance companies are funny to imports even though they are exactly the same (as long as it is EU obv) I've read a few where dealers are funny about it too! Prob cos at the end of the day they would rather you buy a car from them and milk you for even more money!

I'm sure there are plenty of other ppl who can elabarate (sp) on this

corradoboy

Pros :- Save cash, get one over on thieving (s)dealers
Cons :- Insurers can be upity about the seats (UK cars have side seat airbags, EU don't), you won't get a PPP fitted unless you take it back to the country of origin (sour grapes), no Cat1 alarm, the Euro is too low at the mo' and with strong haggling you'll get a UK for nearly as little after considering alarm, tax, plates and the effort of importing.

The warranty is pan-European, so any dealers should be able to do the servicing and any warranty work (as long as it's not from Cyprus, or anywhere else European but not EU). Sales guys will tell you a host of lies to try and dissuade you such as they won't service it, but ask the service manager if he will, I bet he says yes.

JFB

A Euro import is fine if
1. you a have a cooperative Subaru garage to do all the servicing.
2. you never have a warranty claim as the ultimate authoristaion for the repair work comes form the warranty people based in the country of purchase and not IM UK AND they usually require sight of the defective part before authorising payment. Therefore, the claim is effectively retrospective and usually, you have to pay for the work yourself in advance and then claim back from Holland. I had a bad experience with a gearbox replacement on a Dutch import and had to correspond with Japan before I got my refund and which took over 14 months - £3750!
3. you intend to keep it for three years so the second hand price falls into line with the UK models.

Once bitten etc etc now have a UK car.

Hope this helps.

Jerome

jonm01

What about the cars from places like Litchfield Imports?

matt.bowey

The person that bought my UK MY00 said that he wouldn't but a EU import!! Their 2nd hand value is arguably lower.

corradoboy

Get a starting guide price from the likes of tins.co.uk and directcars.co.uk (both supply UK cars!) then armed with prices around £18k, head for 2-3 main dealers and push like hell. If you're going to investigate imports further, look at Litchfields, Emporer, Well Lane and TSL. Well Lane and TSL should (I think) be able to offer full servicing and warranty repair cover as they are primarily performance modification/repair specialists. IIRC imports are currently running at around £17k, so for a £1k saving you have to wonder if it's worth it.

crispyduck

iTrader: (1)

For some thoughts on Euro-imported Imprezas MY01-03, how much has the tide turned? see the link.

I've a euro import and so far would do the same again. I've read the above comments about warranty which surprise me a little. I suppose it may depend on where in Europe you get the car from. I was told by the Belgium dealer that you pay nothing up front for warranty work. As stated here the authorisation for warranty work is made my the company, Subaru Benelux in my case, who gave the warranty. My dealer was upfront and said the only disadvantage of warrant work on euro imports is that it can take an extra day or so get repairs authorised.

So far I have not had any warranty work done so can not actually comment on how efficient it is, hense why I say "so far" I would do the import thing again - assuming it's still cheeper that is!
-Steve

skid

I also have a euro import from belgium.My local dealer says only disadvantage on warrenty is that it takes an extra day for authorisation as they use a third party called international motors to validate warrenty claims.They will also fit PPP as the car is identical to uk model however they suggested that i ring Belgium to check that it would not void warrenty.

Ajax

Stevecrisp: Agreed, Got my MY03 WRX from Well Lane, got it at the best price for the least inconvenience.

Nothing but pleased, got loads of modifications, top and tracker and alarm, all for the price of a UK car, all done by Bill at Well Lane.

I wish I had waited cos’ he is selling them even cheaper than the price I paid now, and I thought I had a bargain.

Some people just want to throw their money away, stupid really because it s the same car.

For the record the insurance group is 19 the same as the Bug eye and that did not have side airbags, so it’s not the biggest issue in the world for insurance.

MJW

Just to dispel the PPP myth re. euro imports - I had PPP fitted to my EU import by a UK dealer with no problems - all they wanted was to see the Certificate of Conformity.

edited to add that if I was in the market for a new scoob now, I would probably buy UK, as the price drop and exchange rate means the price difference is only about £1-2k now as opposed to about £6k when I imported mine in 02





[Edited by MJW - 1/11/2004 5:19:08 PM]

RajS

Certain People will tell you that you won't get as much for an EU imported car when you come to sell it in a few years time. This is a load of bull.

I bought my last car, an Impreza Turbo(with air con) in Sept 2000 from Holland for £14,000 all taxes paid. I sold the car last April for £11,900. That's not bad depreciation at all. The lady that bought it didn't seem bothered that it was imported.
just my £0.02

Ajax

MJW: price difference is only about £1-2k.

People talk on here as if £1k to £2k is nothing, beats me!

I would save a fiver and go to another garage, some of you must have money to burn if that’s the ONLY saving.


Not getting at you personally M8, but if you have got an odd fiver you don’t want mail it to me

Ray_li

Thank guys. Does it make a difference if the car is 3 years old?

crispyduck

iTrader: (1)

All the discussion so far assumes buying new when importing, thus first registered new in the UK.

I've never imported second-hand cars but would be interested to know if there any issues e.g. SVA, insurance, registration etc. I think you'll have to take the alarm off the car before it comes in to the UK - different approved frequencies and all that.
-Steve.

crispyduck

iTrader: (1)

Ajax, I agree about the price - 000's in my pocket is better than someone elses. That's ya first years depreciation!

Everyone will have there cut off, which for me was about £500 e.g. if I saved (including ALL costs) anything above £500 I'd import - but that's just me.

Ajax

Stevecrisp: My cut off point is 1p, if I can get the same car cheaper elsewhere and it’s the same car I will buy it.

Do you think Dutch people are ashamed of driving a substandard car that cost them less than you paid, of course not.

They have a WRX or STI and you have one it’s the same thing, perhaps us Brits are car snobs.

If it does not say specially made and prepared for the UK market and cost more we will not part with our hard earned cash.

Lets face it it’s a Jap car not as even made in the UK, believe it or not it probably came off the same production line as a EU car, what a thought!

SNOBS!

Ajax

I would like to apologise for my above thoughtless comment, as I had not thought it through properly.

My cut off point is not a 1p, sodum I would not even give them that, out of principal.

Anyway thought we were Europeans, members of the EU with a free market.
OR is it written somewhere this does not apply to CARS for the UK.

sickboy

on to my second imported scoob- both from Belgium.

First one I sold privately with no problems- the buyer and I both were very happy with the deal.

That car had been subject to a warranty claim. I took it to my local Subaru dealer, they fixed it and I got the car back. From my point of view, there was no extra effort involved. In fact, I beleive the Belgian dealer was very accomodating and paid for a new timing belt (which apparently would not have been a warranty item- not going to go into specifics of my case here).

The biggest downside for me was the long 6 month lead time, and some uncertainty over currency fluctuatuion. However I forward bought and fixed the exchange rate so no problems.

ALl in all some extra work, but the savings make it well worth the effort. On a personal note, I can sympathise with the UK dealer predicament, but I do think they could help themselves better- not sure how (why should they etce etc!). The service departments I have frequented have always been very good. I'd like to think I was treated the same as if I'd bought in the UK (who knows!).

Would I do it again?: yes. When I can afford it......



[Edited by sickboy - 1/12/2004 1:34:41 PM]

MJW

Don't forget when you buy an EU import you have to have a CAT 1 alarm and Tracker fitted which can cost up to £1k. Any less of a saving and it wouldn't be financially viable. These items are standard on UK cars. Also, I expect you can get a grand chipped off the list price from a UK dealer. So on the base price if there's only £2k in it, it's not worth importing (in my opinion, based on the financial climate at the time of posting)

And any spare fivers I have usually go on Optimax !!

dsmith

Well I made > 2K saving after all taxes/alarm fitting etc etc. Would have been more if the rate hadnt gone **** up.


First service last week. Dealer didnt so much as blink when I told him it was euro-import - just asked for chassis number aswell.

I suggest if your local dealer has issues you remind that gently of their legal obligations within the EU.

My wife also has a Euro-Import MX5. Had several warranty issues and servcing done my local main Mazda dealer.

I get the distinct impression people are reluctant to believe they're being ripped off and are swallowing main dealer waffle. When pushed on why I should buy from them my local dealer could only come up with "We'll be here to look after you". Well that garage no-longer has the Subaru Dealer in my area so even that was complete bollox

Deano

[Edited by dsmith - 1/12/2004 3:34:58 PM]

John P

Just picked up and as far as insurance there is not a problem. However you must make it VERY clear to the company that it is a UK spec car being imported as opposed to a JDM? car being imported. My UK spec MY00 was insured on the VIN number by Churchills (note no uk car tax, dutch temporary tax and number plates)Drove to Bristol to register (1st registerd in UK etc) and then more recently swapped insurance companies due to slight mods.
Savings are savings, you do need to check all the hidden costs.
PS if you dont want tracker dont get it fitted in UK, doesnt save anything on many insurance companies that I tried.

sickboy

ah, the myths about insurance and servicing etc etc

Full UK spec is crucial, import from a country which has dealers 3 year warranty.

Beware the exchange rates! and forward buy your currency. The euro rate is not helping at the moment, but it would be a good time to import from USA!

Including alarm fitment and delivery etc I saved about £2000. Now that is a lot of extra special service from my local dealer....

Never had a problem from the service department, and even had a hassle free warranty claim 2 years into owning my last MY99.

You pay your money and take your choice.....

keevster

iTrader: (1)

i've just imported an MY04. no hassles so far. my insurance was actually cheaper for the WRX than a lightly modded 52 CTR. cant beat it, 2 groups higher too.

carl

Even less of a difference. The warranty would have expired on both a UK car and an EU import at 3 years. Once it's expired, there's no reason to use the dealer network for servicing any more.

Ajax

MJW: If you buy a WRX you have to buy a tracker if you want one, no matter if it’s a EU or not on a new car, I know u get one on the STI.

A decent one with life subscription will cost the best part of a grand and as for the alarm its always an advantage to buy the alarm you want.

I.e. one with Blackjax etc

Alarms aren’t that dear.

I don’t see the problem with saving money. IT’S THE SAME CAR just cheaper