I have made an enquiry about trading my imported UK spec 2005 WRX in against a new STi and the main dealer has told me that he would not accept my WRX as it is an import from Cyprus. Is this normal policy for main dealers therefore will I have a problem wherever I take it?

 

Try another dealer dude.
When I exchanged my WRX for my current STI the sales person at my local dealer see I had a Prodrive exhaust, well back box anyway, and put the car down as a WRX with Prodrive pack. It was only a back box off ebay.
Dealers dont always know best or check the cars out properly.
Try your luck again mate

 

You would of thought that in the present economic climate that the main dealers would be desparate for business, not turn you away as you want to trade an import in. It's making me think twice about having another Subaru.

 

I know that some main dealers will take imports as p/x's, I've seen them advertise the cars with a note that the car is an EU import.
At the end of the day its entirely up to the dealer what he takes. He may think that your car is not particularly marketable in the current climate and he'll struggle to sell it. The main dealer nearest me has had the same range of blobeye WRX's on his forecourt for months. Another main dealer has just stopped selling Subaru but still has some used Hawkeyes that have been there for a year or more!! All you can do is try another dealer or maybe one of the importers (Allbrandsnew, Motorpoint etc).