fazack

1) Not undersealed for UK environment. Not sure about this but I do know it rains a lot in Belgium.
2) No alarm/imobiliser fitted. Cost me £325 to have it fitted in Belgium by a UK guy who flew over - same alarm us UK spec
3) 16 " alloys (yuk). No, 17" as per UK
4) Service costs increased. First 1,000 oil not free, otherwise the same
5) Larger insurance premiums. No
6) Locking wheel nuts
7) Nowt else.

Get on to www.keyring-cars.co.uk or give them a bell

FreeT

fazack:

cheers, did u get one or r u still shopping around (ie what other known importers are able to get their hands on them).

Iknow it rains there, but i think it is nore to do with the amount of salt we put on the roads in winter - apparently much stronger than eu countries.

Anyone else know about these items.

Nigel H

I've got a 2001 EU Import - Fazack's right.

But I think the underseal thing is rubbish.

They are UK cars that just end up in Belgium. When IM get the cars they put on locking wheel nuts and an alarm.

Guess this underseal 'rumour' comes about from the Jap (Grey) imports which don't have the UK spec underseal.

Shoot me down if I'm wrong

Steve vRS

1) Not undersealed for UK environment. Mine is undersealed
2) No alarm/imobiliser fitted. Importer fitted CAT1
3) 16 " alloys (yuk). No 17"
4) Service costs increased. Agian only first service
5) Larger insurance premiums. No. Tell the insurer that it is a Euro import and insure it to the same value as a UK car and the premium is the same
6) Bit more hastle getting them serviced in my opinion
7) Warrenty claims may be a bit more complicated - however IM seem to make life difficult too!

Steve

(Imported from www.4wdcars.co.uk)

fazack

T,
Not heard of the EC salt mountains ? All in Brussels m8.

Keyring proved good upto now. I get the car on Tuesday so time will tell.

The 5 month wait has been frustrating but I've actually been waiting 5 years so it is worth it for the £5K saving. To be honest, I feel sorry for the UK dealers - I don't know how they sell anything.

fazack

P.S. If you spk buy through keyring, give them my name - I might get a bottle of chamagne out of it.

funky_monk_flying

1 years warranty instead of 3?

and possible "froggy sat in it syndrome"

FreeT

Cheers for all comments, but just a last question - why is it only a 1 year warranty instead of 3 years (dont eu get 3 years cover)

5 months - well done, that must have been hell - enjoy.

Harry_Boy

Hi FreeT - Mine's arriving in a couple of weeks, just in time for March 1st. As everyone says, the only difference is the lack of a Cat1 alarm, and locking wheel nuts. The dealer I'm getting mine from uses a specific model code to ensure that the car is a full Uk spec - same wheels, same everything.

He's Alain Knockaert in Ieper, Belgium (Ypres to you and me). Saving over £5,500. Phone number is 0032-57-20.20.66
Fax : 0032-57-21.61.98
E-mail : knockaert.gar@pandora.be

Any probs, let me know....

Ian E

iTrader: (1)

Speaking from experience, I'd definitely recommend the import route. Try Gertjan at http://www.subaruvdvelde.nl/ for a price. Never met such a helpful car dealer!

Cheers,

Ian.

Ian E

iTrader: (1)

Subaru UK underwrite the three year warranty. I'd heard that from now on all EU cars will come with a minimum of two years warranty though?

Harry_Boy

Belgian Sccobys come with a 3 year warranty. Apparently, if you make a claim, it just goes back to Subaru Belgium to be ratified.

WRBlue

If you want to save the money, do it. At the end of the 12 month pan european warranty period you'll have modded so much of the car that the UK warranty will have become questionable. To boot, the saving you make will have financed much of the modding.

If you don't mod and need high levels of cover buy a be-em. No brainer really.

Harry_Boy

FreeT - the car doesn't have to go out of the country.

FreeT

"Belgian Sccobys come with a 3 year warranty. Apparently, if you make a claim, it just goes back to Subaru Belgium to be ratified. "

But you say it doesn't have to leave the country? i'm very confused now. How is it covered then?

Apple

Free-T

quoting from my order sheet

"Cars purchased through Belgium now come with a 3 year / 60,000 miles* warranty, a 6 year anti-corrosion guarantee and 3 years free membership of Subaru Assistance. (* whichever comes first)."

I think it's 2 years pan-european (now mandatory) plus 1 year Belgium top-up and Assistance (via Mondial Assistance) covers technical breakdowns but not accidents. Are these the people that cover UK spec cars?

Apple

Harry_Boy

The claim goes to Belgium, not the car....

BL

The Subaru assistance o0nly applies if we are in Belgium, not UK!!

Spoke to my local dealer & he says that imports will not be on new service intervals unless Subaru Belgium are on same intervals. Bsically, if we miss a belgium service, we are not covered under warranty. What a joke eh?

bumcrack

Some insurance companys charge more for an import(even though it's the same spec)

What car insurance don't any charge any more and the price was the second best quote I had.

Regards Adam

polarbearit

I believe that it is against EU law for cars imported from europe to be charged more insurance premiums for identical cars...

Service intervals are a good one though... Can't see the problem lasting though. Sounds like uk dealer BS really

FreeT

So what advise can you offer if buying from a company like tradesales, where you know not what country the car is coming from as it is already in the forecourt? Benefit of course no waiting. Downside you only save £3,500.

I Stancer

Buy from Gertjan v d Velde in Holland. Top bloke.two years warranty is standard accros europe as of Jan 1st . if you need more buy it in UK . Cat 1 alarm £350ish fitted in UK with VSIB certificate. Gertjan will throw in Locking nuts and Floor mats if you ask . you know it makes sense

FreeT

This may be old ground but the thought of saving £4500 is too tempting not to investigate, think how many upgrades for £4500.

Does anyone know what the main differences are between UK and European UK specifications for WRX MY01/02? Ive read on some older threads that some may be:

1) Not undersealed for UK environment.
2) No alarm/imobiliser fitted.
3) 16 " alloys (yuk).
4) Service costs increased.
5) Larger insurance premiums
6) ?
7) ?

Some may be true and there may be others - can you help please?



[Edited by FreeT - 2/7/2002 10:14:18 AM]

FreeT

Thanks to all, very usefull. £5,500 saving is brilliant - thanks.

WRBlue - i stil think u need ur eyes tested (jj), but that is a very good point, dont think i could be bothered with the hassle if the car had to go out the country again.

Interestingly tough does that mean the warrantly deals with all the additional costs of transportation.

[Edited by FreeT - 2/8/2002 9:08:10 AM]