spoons66

guys are there any advantages or disadvantages when buying a eu import,i have seen one for sale[ car from holland ] which i am interested in . Is the insurance and the parts the same ,or is there anything that i need to look out for.Also how many miles before timing belt needs changed.Car is a 2001 wrx bug eye any advice would be helpful .thanks

MJW

EU cars are exactly the same spec as UK cars. The only things absent when they are delivered new are locking wheel nuts and a CAT1 alarm. Since you're buying 2nd hand I assume these items will have been sorted out, but check anyway. The main advantage is that an EU import car is cheaper, and this will probably reflect in the 2nd hand price too. I think a general rule of thumb is they should be a grand cheaper than the UK equivalent, but of course this can vary.

You need to check that the car has been registered with Subaru UK and has a Certificate of Conformity (a certificate from the factory in Japan that the car is European spec)

The insurance premium should be no different as the specification is as per the UK car, and not a higher-powered Japanese variant (this is usually what stacks the premiums up with most insurers)

You will be able to get the car serviced at a Subaru main dealer if you want, though the MY01 will be out of warranty now so it will probably be cheaper to use a local specialist. All UK spec spares can be used so there should be no problems with availability.

Cam belt change is at 60,000 miles AFAIK

spoons66

thanks for the advice MJW

BrynO

Out of interest, why do you need a certificate of conformity and to register with Subaru UK? Is this not something you only need for any warrenty issues whilst its still under one? 'UK spec' is I presume easily verified by Subaru in the UK through the VIN number and insurers will take your word that it is a UK spec parallel import, any other reason to need one?
Spoons66, theres really not much to put you off an EU import, as long as you accept that it will always command less at re-sale than a UK car and that this is reflected in the price you pay for it now.

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

MJW.... Top advice

BrynO, I have an EU import MY02 bugeye and they have to have a certificate of conformity to confirm they are a UK car. They also had to be registerd with IM UK to be eligible for the Pan european warranty in the good old days I saved about 2.5 grand ............ not any more

Spoon66.. with the end of block exemption, exchange rates etc UK cars are probably a better bet

If you have a very kind scooby friend then I'd look at scoobynet "for sales" as the MY01/02 was pretty well unloved and there are real bargains to be had Bugeye scoobies can depreciate so much it can make your nose bleed. I'm keeping mine forever!!

The other option is to look at the dealer forecourts..... MY05's out soon so they may be getting twitcy with Bugeye's on the plot !!

Midlife.....

BrynO

I guess as my import was covered by an aftermarket warrenty from the selling dealer they probably did not bother passing the cert of confornity to the first owner. There certainly are some bug eyed bargains out there, I bought recently, looked at a few private sale EU imports, sub 20k miles on the clock for around the £10-£11k mark - damm good value I say!

WRXPete

I did the same....saved £3000 through motorpoint. They then fitted a Cat1 alarm for about £300 i think. Car came from Malta. Annoyingly it had no service book to stamp, but i'm just keeping the receipts. They also warned of only a 1 year warranty....but Bell and Colvill told me the other day that they believe Subaru offer a 2 year manufacturers regardless of where the car goes!!!
You also don't get the protective wax on the under side, which may effect the corrosion warranty. BandC can do that for £185 and also offer warranties as well if you want.....all in all, well worth it, although i did have to get a lift to Derby and pick it up myself!!!

GaryCat

The cars from places like Motorpoint & Trade Sales in Slough are from Cyprus or Malta and are built for those markets, therefore they are not UK spec. The "true" EU imports are UK-spec cars which were ordered as such from Belgian or Dutch dealers (usually) and they will have a 3 year pan-european warranty and a certificate of UK conformity.

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

I'm a sucker for Bugeye's in WR blue with morettes and this is on my local scooby dealer forecourt...

http://www.subaru.r66internet.co.uk/...p?ID=500452191

They look after my Modded bugeye

Ooops forgot to say it's Stan Palmers here in Carlisle...........Ask for Ian Armstrong.

Shaun

scoobydog

My MY04 is from Malta, has a 3 year pan European warranty (including warranty book service book) and comes with a certificate of conformity and is undersealed.

When I researched the differences between the EU an UK models it appeared that the reason for the lack of alarm, side airbags etc is that these seem to be Subaru options that the UK importers just specify as standard.

Anyone else know anything about this?

This is my first Scoob which I had in June and I can honestly say it has been a total pleasure so far

BrynO

Scoobydog, from the research I did before I bought and the several import dealers I spoke to, you are 100% correct. I honestly believe the 'no underseal' on Cyprus/Malta cars is a myth, and applies to JDM cars only. If a car is ordered as UK spec it comes with it, if it has no factory applied underseal, it is not UK spec. (unless someone knows different??). My car came from Cyprus it is identical underneath to a UK sourced car, so unless SOME importers are ordering cars in an alternative non UK but RHD specification which precludes underseal..... (sounds pretty unlikely)
You didn't get a service book with Cyprus/Maltese imports in the past, the selling dealer won't have issued one as the warrenty schedule is applicable only the country of origin, this is different with EU imports from Belgium/Holland etc which came with the generic 'Pan-Euro' warrenty book which you can also use in the UK. Guess now Cyp/Malta are in the EU they will now, (or soon) be issuing the same Pan-Euro books.

wrx

Don't you need to make sure you get the VAT reciept as proof the importer paid it when it was brought into the UK? I was told to keep mine for five years in case of query.

BrynO

I'd have thought the selling dealer is the one obliged to keep the records relating to the initial purchase and payment of VAT, if you buy an import through a UK dealer you are in theory the 'second owner', your purchase contract being with the dealer in the UK, not with the dealer abroad where he sourced the car from???