scoobyglasgow

Bit of a warning for everyone on here.

Just picked up my first Scooby on Monday. After hearing of some previous stories about imports I made a point of asking the dealer to confirm that the car was indeed a UK supplied car. I was assured that it was and that everything was above board. However, a few things didn't appear to add up (the dealer couldn't give me the service book and claimed that it was still at the Subaru dealership getting stamped up following a service, the HPI report I asked them to provide me with was apparently lost in the post etc..) and I decided to ask Subaru to check it out for me. Surprise, surprise, no record of the car on Subaru's records - turns out the thing is a bloody import after all!!!!! After several heated telephone conversation, the dealers have agreed to take the car back (although they are being complete w*nkers about it - not so much as an apology!!). After some probing, they admitted that they knew that the car was an import, but do not feel that they had to highlight this fact to me (despite asking for UK spec prices for it). Guess the moral of the story is if buying from a non Subaru dealer, get Subaru to do a check on the chasis number for you - could save quite a bit of hassle in the long run. The car is going back to the dealer tomorrow - then I am straight off to Subaru to try and pick up a UK car from them (possibly a brand new WRX with the free Prodrive upgrade!!). For anyone local to the Glasgow area, It would not surprise me if the try the same stunt on some other unsuspecting individual. The car is a black WRX (Reg - SF54 HFV) - avoid it like the plague!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Edited to remove potentialy libelous content

scott.w

what so bad about an import

lightning101

Most Subaru UK dealers won't service them, therefore de-valuing car even quicker than usual.

Dearer to insure.

Harder to sell on due to the above.


Some imports don't have full UK spec either, e.g. Cat 1 alarm, trackers, body underseal etc etc.

scoobyglasgow

Subaru tell me that the import doesn't have:

Alarm
Side airbags
Anti corrosion treatment

And that I could face big problems with the warranty. By all accounts, UK dealers will carry out basic work on the import under warranty, but if something big goes wrong (i.e. engine blows up), I would have to go back to the supplying dealer -which will most likely be in Malta or Greece!!!!!

In addition, the car is a 54 plate with 10K miles - priced at £17K. I could pick up a brand new import for around £16K!!!!!!!!!

mickp

iTrader: (1)

Hey Imports not the end of the world mate !!!

Understand though if youve been told different

scoobyglasgow

Wouldn't have minded so much if they had been up front with me and the car was priced accordingly - hate the idea of some t*sser trying to rip me off.

Bartop

How much did you pay for it mate - I can fully understand if you payed full UK money !

speedystu

you go get a uk car but an import will give you more fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

scoobyglasgow

I paid £17K. Have seen brand new imports advertised for only £16K!!!!!.

scoobyglasgow

May have been more fun if it was a Jap inport (more BHP etc.) - but not one from Malta!!!

pslewis

Imports = BAD news ............ try selling one!! well for decent money I mean!

The proper UK car is the way to go, wise move!

Pete

virgin

they are out of order, call trading standards mate

and yep, 16k new..............not only did they withhold the truth, they also bull****ted you about the price

To everybody else on this thread, i firmly believe that
this issue is not about imports being good or bad....its about the above

scoobyglasgow

Exactly. Already made a call to trading standards. They have taken some basic details from me - said they will allocate the case to one of the local trading standards officers who will come back to me in due course.

wheelwright

I second that

jasonius

iTrader: (1)

I agree this dealer was out of order to cover this fact up, however the rest of the stuff about EU UK spec cars is complete bollocks..!

Insurance isn't a problem, see Norwich Union web page, the seats are FAR superiour to the uk seats and as for servicing/warranty work, LOL, dealers are falling over themselves to service and work on my import. If not then go to a dealer that will. My car is fully reg. with IM for cross border warranty work to be carried out here in this country..! To boot I've also got a 5 year full transmission warranty...!!!!

As for the trade in value, do you really think the uk cars hold their money these days..! Yes an import 3+ years down the line 'may' be worth less than a similar UK car, but not by much, if any..!

Why else do you think IM are offering free PPP these days..? It's to try and even up the short comings of buying a UK car..!

Lewis how much do you think your 'proper' uk car is worth now...?

pslewis

No idea, what would you reckon?? £4500?? If it was a tacky Import it simply wouldn't sell!!

Its pretty unique, unmolested, 1 Owner, FSSH, 56,500miles and the original brakes!!

Pete

preacha

To tell the honest truth I have found none of the above to be true,

Most european mainland imports are "exactly" the same barring the alarm.

More people need to wise up and save some money, rather than bend for the dealers

scoobyglasgow

I hear what you are saying about saving money - but the dealer was trying to charge me £17K for a second hand WRX import (by claiming that it was a UK car) when I could pick up a brand new import for £16K - paying a grand extra is hardly a saving!!

preacha

If you've got the £17K - why not buy a new import?

The dealer service is really pretty crap across the board (after experiecing 4 I soon went elsewhere), and the warranty not worth much considering the reliability of these cars.

Jap2Scrap

Ignore this lot mate. One person starts a thread and they all end up arguing amongst themselves, usually off-topic. Read a few threads, you'll get the idea

For the record, you did exactly the right thing. That car was worth nothing like that, probably up to £4k less. Dealers like that should be named and shamed. Just a shame this place can't take the chance you're fabricating at all.

scoobyglasgow

I guess I was put off of imports by the negative reports (most of which have already been listed in this thread). I take on board your comments, but there seems to be such conflicting stories (some people backing imports and others slamming them) that it is hard to establish the true position.

scoobyglasgow

All completely true about the dealer - would love to name and shame (as I did in the original post), but I guess I have to respect the forums stance on this (don't want to get banned on my first night!!!).

preacha

Got mine from Lichfield Imports... speaks for itself.

The comments about being worth £4k less are debatable.

If there really was "this difference" then why pay £4k for not too much...

I bought an import and would do again. I wouldn't want to but one from a dealer tho'...

Good luck.

scoobyglasgow

Cheers mate!!

riiidaa

iTrader: (2)

You can bet the reason boils down to which side of the owners fence people sit on here...

Personally I'm glad my car is a UK car.

However I hate the fact that the Brit market never gets the beefy varients in auto.

The jap market had the benefit of classic model "automatic" turbo saloons etc

I'd have gotten an import one of them, IF i could have found one firstly but clinchingly IF the insurance companies did not rub their hands upon hearing the words, "Impreza" "Turbo" and import in one sentance - a true licence to print money, if the driver is - 25yrs old!


ANYWAY

IMO you did the right thing, persue the trading standards thing mate.

Jap2Scrap

lol.. Sorry that was an ironic attempt to start another off-topic argument.

There's nothing wrong with imports, both my MR2 and GT4 were imports and gave me no problems. It's just that if you're paying UK prices you expect a UK car. I don't think anyone can argue with that.

willsy369

Dont know if this is any help or weather you can do it(as im posted in Germany) but i bought my 05WRX from a subaru military sales dept in Germany for £14999 brand new! (R/H drive too)that was with a £1000 off, but still he had 04 interior WRX's for £12999! would you be able to do that or find a mate in the Army to purchase it for you? You may have to keep it in Germany for 6months though for the tax free reasons? Willsy

Ajax

Some people are born stupid!
others have to learn the hard way..........................!

If you have a UK spec’ import and saved a fortune buying it, you can afford to sell it private well under the book price and still make a killing privately.

But there again who wants to sell, unless you need to buy a new one cos’ the brakes are shot.

Ajax, paul

riiidaa

iTrader: (2)

You'd not just sort your brakes out then??

Ajax

I think pete has a few tip's for us all on this, We can all learn somthing from him.

By the way what is a Trol and is Irony humour?

Ajax