dan4

Hi everyone. I have been what I have seen called a Scooby Lurker for a long time now, but this is my first post.
I have recently bought a brand spanking new MY01 UK spec Scooby from Belgium and as all those who have followed a similar route will know the car comes with a service / warranty book which has kilometres instead of miles. The importers I used to bring the car into the country told me that at the 1000 mile service, the dealer I use should swap the book for a UK one which will have the service intervals in miles. However when I booked the service and mentioned this they seemed reluctant to do so. Have I been told a porky by the importer or are the UK dealers a little stubborn as I have their profit in my bank instead of theirs?

JonW

Been sold a dummy mate... the original book lives with the car and get stamped up etc. Its not hard to work KMs to Miles... 100, 7500, 15000, 22500 etc etc.

Jon.

Boost II

iTrader: (1)

No import owner has ever managed to get a new log book from Subaru UK. Dealers need to submit chassis and registration numbers to order a new one which are checked against the list of UK supplied cars. Some countrys have space for the 1000 mile/1600k service in the log book eg Belgium, others don't so you'll have to get the dealer to write something in and stamp it. The english hanbooks can be ordered like any other spare pert if you need that too.

Stephen Read

I have a Dutch import and my log book is in Double Dutch ;-)

I think you were (ahem) misinformed by the suppling dealer.

I assume that the log books issued by IM have been specifically designed to support the terms of their warranty.

Thus, they are not inclined to offer us (or even sell us!) a UK logbook - perhaps as a little dig at us for being 'naughty' and exercising our rights as consumers to seek out the cheapest source of products within the EU!

This may be petty but it's their ball. Other UK distributors/manufacturers are less huffy.

Please note I do symapthise with IM to a degree because I believe that it was/is only the avoidance of Continental luxury taxes and the FX differential that made it worthwhile for us to import and it is not down to the fact that the UK distibutor makes an outrageous mark-up IMHO.

The DVLA went to the bother of changing the way they issue V5's for new vehicles to make them indistinguishable from those supplied by UK dealers which goes some way to redicing the 'stigma' of pukka Euro imports. (they used to indicate that it was a personal import I believe, now they say New at First Registration).

I have not actually seen a UK logbook myself but my Dutch one is more than just a pre-printed document...it also has a sticker on the inside cover listing the chassis number and date of registration.

I never bothered myself but you may be able to persuade a tame UK owner to apply for a replacement log book on your behalf but I don't know if this would work as they may want to provide it with the 'correct' chassis number on it etc.

I am currentl getting mine serviced out here in Switzerland at the moment so Dutch or English doesn't make any sense but the dealers still appear to know what to do!

dan4

Thanks for your replies. Looks like I'll have to do the conversion and just keep grinning. What a fantastic car and for the import price, unbeatable performance per pound. Can't wait until it's had the first service when I can start to see what it can really do! (only on a track of course)

Nigel H

I've got a Belgian one which is written in Dutch and French.

I don't feel the need for the UK one, 'cos I can understand the French.

There's not much need for one anyway is there? Just get it serviced a 1 000, 7 500 etc.

There's small print in there about the extended warranty.

What' this thing about luxury taxes. I thought scoobs were cheap in Belgium 'cos they didn't sell well

chiark

It ain't the dealers that make the price difference...

...so who could it be? The factory? Or the importer?

Personally, I know who my bet would be with.

Nick.

Stephen Read

Chiark, You are probably right and that it is either FHI or IM that is making the money in the UK.

Based on these Dutch Prices...

43,264 (NLG) Net price LHD WRX
8,220 (NLG) Dutch VAT 19% BTW
51,484 (NLG) Subtotal
16,161 (NLG) Dutch BPM 31.4%
67,645 (NLG) Price a Dutchman would have to pay

and FX at 3.53 NLG = £1

12,256 (£) Net price LHD WRX *
2,329 (£) Dutch VAT 19% BTW
14,585 (£) Subtotal
4,578 (£) Dutch BPM 31.4%
19,163 (£) Price a Dutchman would have to pay

* It is this low net price that we pay and then add UK VAT to arrive at the imported price.

12,256 (£) Net price LHD WRX #
14,401 (£) UK VAT @ 17.5%

That was what I meant about the avoidance of the Dutch luxury tax making it cheaper for us to import. Remember Mr Dutchman has to pay almost £20k for his car too - the only difference being that it is his Government who are collecting almost £7k in taxes!

# Warning! The above figures are the LHD prices!

Don't get me started on the RHD premium !!!! They were designed RHD for the home market so there should be a LHD premium forchrissakes!

Assuming that the reatil price of a UK supplied WRX is approx £21k including VAT that means it is approx £18k net (exlcuding VAT).

Therefore, someone must be making £5.5k more per car on those sold in the UK - but it could FHI or IM or more likley split somehow.

Better get back to work now!


[Edited by Stephen Read - 11/28/2001 2:13:29 PM]