dogtired

Hello,

I've just registered on this site because I'm on the verge of buying a scooby WRX. I'm lucky enough to be able to buy a new one but still looking to save a few pounds. I have seen one advertised which has been imported from Malta and has yet to be registered. It was manufactured in Europe but because Malta is not in the EU apparently the manufacturer's warranty would not be valid in the UK. Does anyone have any experience in buying such an import or advice in general about buying one in these circumstances?

Dogtired.

corradoboy

Welcome to the site.

Your question is a very (very) common one. I guess you've been to Motorpoint. You are right about the warranty. The spec on non-EU cars is slightly different, and so IM wriggle out of the warranty. They usually aren't undersealed, and have no Cat 1 alarm. You will loose all and more of the potential saving when you come to sell it and could be financially battered if anything goes wrong mechanically. MP will try and sell you a warranty extended to 3yrs, but it ain't worth ****.

If you consider what each element costs, £200ish underseal, £400+ alarm, ££££'s off resale value and very expensive non-warranty repairs, then the £1.5-2k saving over a discounted average UK price of £18.5k seems a bit silly.

If you want to save money safely, buy a 2nd hand UK car with less than 8k on the clock for around £16k and let someone else take the initial depreciation hit. I just bought mine with a new price spec of £22k for £16.3k and 2 years warranty remaining.

Happy shopping.

KJD Mk1

iTrader: (3)

hi i just bought a new 2003 wrx jap model with gas lights blacked windows 18"rims cat 1 alarm & undersealed 250bhp for £14995 on the road.its fantastic! u dont get a manufacturers warranty but i got 12 months from supplier. at the end of the day new is new i am well happy with mine. if u want any more info email me and i will try 2 help.

keevster

iTrader: (1)

my car is a malta import. it has a 3 year pan european warranty, covered by licao malta. so basically if you have a prob with your car, your UK scooby dealership will contact subaru malta, who will honour the repair all under warranty. My car has the EU certificate of conformity, which i dont know if you get from motorpoint. motorpoint is a dear option. when i checked them out the WRX+all extra's(required) was coming in around 18.5k.
corradoboy, you can get your full underseal carried out for 100 quid from most scooby dealerships, and a cat 1 alarm will sock you 300quid.
and to be honest, you can do the wax oil underseal by yourself for 19 quid and your time, and it is every bit as good as a dealership will do it, probably better as you can take your time and get it done properly.

i paid 17400 for my car MY04, and i am well happy with it. the experiences i have had with warranty's in my past, i am only glad to save 3 grand, cause at the end of the day every dealership will find something to avoid paying out warranty work. that is my opinion, but if i were you i would go for the cheaper option, "the import" the savings are worth it. and dont listen to dealership bull**** that its not UK spec, this is different thats different, cause it aint mate. they are just peed off cause you did not buy from them at there rip of prices. the EU imports are identical, they all come from the same factory, underseal and locking wheel nuts are the only difference, and that dont cost 3 grand to rectify.

happy hunting, be sensible choose the import.

Keevster

just to add, malta becomes part of the EU in two months.

papascooby

I payed £18,600 for a UK MY04 from a UK dealer

bluenosewrx

iTrader: (2)

i got my car from belgium in 2001 and havent had any probs yet,paid around £16,000,(when the pound was strong against the euro).it is the same car apart from the chassis no and logbook.i bought wrx car mats and locking wheel nuts and you cannot tell the difference,the only down side i had was i had to wait 5 months.go the import route,litchfield imports,well lane turbo centre and emperoer imports usually have cars in stock for around £16.5-17.5.just my tuppence though ,good luck mate and welcome to scoobynet.

r32

I think most would say buy from a Dealer ........... not whatsthepoint
Full three years warranty, not an insurance usually with a set limit (check on that). Cat 1 alarm and immobilser no worries on the underseal, body warranty too. Higher resale value and you can get PPP without losing your warranty. By the way they are all manufactured in Japan. An EU sourced car would be a better bet than Malta. On some supermarkets there can be hidden on the road charges, make sure you have a full price not what they show in their adverts, no alarm for instance, a CAT 1 is about another 500 notes and most if not all companies will insist on that, there may be about 300 pounds in other charges too. Also try the Dealers for a best price, you can come awful close and have no risk.
STEVE.................