andy_w

Does anyone having any experience importing a UK spec. (RHD) Impreza from Holland/Belgium? If so, any advice or recommendations would be much appreciated.

Also, has anyone bought from

Rider

Andy,
We imported my wife's new MX-5 from Holland and it was an absolute breeze. I was going to do the same on an Imp, but can't stand the wait. I also got a quote today from Eurekar/Totalise for a Scoob 4 door for £15,151 on the road. That's cheaper than I've been quoted to bring it in myself. I'd seriouly think of doing it.
If I wasn't about to get a MY99 from my mate, I'd go for it.

andy_w

Rider,

Thanks for the quick reply. My quote from Totalise also included the option for £15,151 with only 1 year warranty. I'm not sure if its worth an extra £949 for 2 years extra warranty. I think probably not - given the Scooby's reputation for reliability, plus the fact that I don't do a very high mileage. I'll probably go for this option. I've asked them to supply a more detailed spec. Their quote was for a "Sabaru Ompreza Turbo"! No mention of 4/5 door, any options etc.

JasonHook

OOI did they give you a quote for lead times?
A Workmate wants to import from Holland (he works there) but is getting quotes of 7 months plus.
Regards
Jason

Tal

that price is to good to be true its a scam I bet its nearer 17.5k in total when you get all the facts - make sure it is full uk spec with airbags and abs

Tal

MY00 on order from Holland £14800 ( discounted from a Subaru Dealer)

andy_w

Jason,

Yes, they quoted 7 months. I don't mind waiting that long, especially when I'm saving so much off UK prices. Plus, it gives me time to save, and get my car sold - anyone interested in a 96P Nissan 200SX !?

Rider

Tal,
I don't think it's a rip off. Totalise are a pretty decent ISP, and it's their company. Plus you can pay your deposit via credit card, which is *always* a good sign. Try making a credit card deposit with a Dutch Subaru dealer. If I wasn't planning on swiping my mate's MY99, I'd do it just to save all the faxing/paperwork sorting we went through on the Mazda. Although I'd have to say that a personal import's still a piece of cake to do. And with Totalise quoting £15,151 including the VAT, it's a tough price to beat.

If only they did Evo VIs as well! I just drove my mate's one today. An hour after he collected it. Well. Bugger. Me. That's a quick car, and this, officer, is my licence. Please burn it.

CharlieWhiskey

Sounds like a good deal to me, but can I stand driving a Cavalier for the next 7 months? [Sad but true!]

Have they actually delivered any cars yet?

Tempting to buy a cheap Scooby and order a new one as well!

Nick Lines

I've just taken delivery of a shiny new Impreza Turbo in dark blue mica, UK spec, and saved six grand once all was said and done.

I used a dealer called Gertjan van der Velde, who can be contacted on +31 186 661556, or email gj_velde@wish.net. Everything went very smoothly.

There's a mailing list similar to IWOC called Importingimprezas which is dedicated to this subject - sign up at

sickboy

Andy,
I bought an MY99 (Sonic blue, <B>full UK </B>spec, leather and aircon) from Belgium (Benelux importer- equivalent of International Motors). Certainly not iffy.

After all the bills it was just under £18k (including flights etc). However I've only paid £15.5 at the minute- still no VAT bill.

It was a pice of cake. I went through

Nick Lines

Sickboy

Intrigued to see that you're speaking to Mr Swatman: any chance you can ask him about offering to sell the years 2 and 3 of the warranty to the people who bought from Holland and only have the one?

Admittedly, it's a different situation to the one that you're in. Sounds like you're probably in the better position - but I didn't pay that much, so it's swings and roundabouts.

Cheers,

Nick.

andy_w

Nick,

I've already been in touch with Gertjan van de Velde. He gave me a good quote (just under £15k), but this totalise deal sounds even better (they handle all paperwork, deliver to my door, and it includes road tax and 3 years breakdown cover). I'll check out your importing imprezas mailing list - thanks!

sickboy,
i had a look at Alliance, but their prices are a bit more than totalise at the moment.
BTW, what's the sonic blue like? I haven't seen that option on either UK or Dutch websites. Nearest is the 'new 555 blue' on the Dutch site. I haven't made up my mind about the colour yet - between silver, deep blue and 555 blue.

Tal

Good luck ( I still think it will be cheaper/better to do it yourself but you must do what you must do)

555 blue is sonic blue like the 22B/P1 at least it has the same paint code - 74F

Tal ( 555 blue MY00 in 5 months )

Whould also be interested in an extended Subaru warranty as third party warrantys are not worth the paper they are written on

robman

Hmm, the totalise deal does sound rather good! Don't forget the Thatcham approved alarm though!

Charlie, you could always join my new mailing list for "imprezas on order but currently ragging the t*ts off a cavalier"

You should see the club t-shirt...



[This message has been edited by robman (edited 07-12-1999).]

andy_w

Are there any good online pictures of a scooby in '555 blue'. The Dutch website has a picture but it doesn't look right to me.

Also, what did the guys who imported from Holland/Belgium do about an alarm? I was told by Gertjan van de Velde that they could not fit an alarm because it's not part of the standard spec. Did you just wait till you got your car back to the UK and get an alarm fitted? If so, which one? Can you get the same model that IM fit as standard to the UK cars?

Sorry for all the questions, but I want to do this right.

Richard Gledhill

Brought one in from Holland myself, had it 6 weeks now. Things missing from Dutch car:

- locking wheel nuts
- alarm
- 2nd and 3rd year warranty in UK.

Best thing to do is join the "importingimprezas" mailing list at

sickboy

Groovers,
if I get a positive reply fom Mr Swatman I'll start a new thread to let everyone know

I'm basically trying to get him to extrapolate the "claiming off EU importer" in the first year to the 2nd/3rd years.

I didn't specifically ask about buying extended cover from IM- who knows he may suggest it?

All the best.

rupertu

Sickboy, remember that the 2nd and 3rd years in the UK are not from the factory but are underwritten by an insurance company. In Holland the cover is only for one year. I have already suggested to Mr Swatman that we buy his Years 2 and 3 cover off him as an extension to our pan-European 1 year warranty. I think this would be a satisfactory result for us 1 year people. Surely if the Belgian cover is for 3 years then European law compels IM to honour it here anyway?

Kevin Greeley

Click here to see loads (may take a while) of pictures of my new MY00 in 555 blue :

robman

Kevin, did the side protection strips come as standard from Gertjan, or did you have to specify them as an extra? If so, at what point did you need to request them?

Ta

R

Q

Cracking set of pictures Kevin. Also how much did you have to pay for the alloys and tyres and were you offered the oportunity of just having these instead of the originals or did you have to have the originals aswell?? Also, also can you get the (I presume they are 17 inch) OZs in silver instead of gold??

Thanks

Q

Kevin Greeley

The side protector strips were 160 NLG - I now think they look quite good.

Also extra were the locking wheel nuts - 95 NLG.

I asked maybe a couple of weeks before delivery for these extras.

I only have the standard MY00 silver wheels. The Gold OZ 17 inches are fantastic and I would have ordered them had I known they were available.

Gertjan had one in his garage so I took the picture with it next to my car to see what it would be like. I think they were over £1000 extra for wheels and tyres and you keep the old wheels and tyres.

I suggest that you ask Gertjan which wheels are available - his email address is gj_velde@wish.net

Kevin.

Nick Lines

Good grief, we've found it: one thing that is cheaper in the UK. I paid 19.95 including VAT for locking wheelnuts at my local garage! (In Holland, 95NLG = about 30 quid after VAT is added)

andy_w

Kevin,

Great pics! I was thinking of getting Royal Silver, but you've just about made up my mind to get 555 Blue. Only problem is, I don't think the standard alloys look good with 555 Blue, so I'll probably have to get some nice gold ones. The 17inch OZ alloys look great. Do you know if they are available in 16 inch?

I think the decision comes down to wether I want my car to blend in with the crowd (silver with std alloys) or stick out (555 blue & gold OZs). I think the 555 blue/gold alloys is the best look, but sometimes it is good to have a car that isn't so obvious.

leeb

Great pictures, am I mistaken or does the 555 blue look very similar to Redish blue. Are they the same ?

PhilH

Does anyone know of any pictures of a silver car with the side protection strips fitted?

(I think they are a good idea but I'm unsure whether they will suit my 5 door in silver - delivery due from Holland in 3-4 months, and counting!)

Tal

Reddish blue is different to 555 blue

555 blue is the same as Terzo and P1 blue also it is suppose to be the same as the 22B but I think it looks different !

Tal

carl

PhilH,

I too would like to see a picture of a silver Impreza with side protection strips. Gertjan van der Velde has just asked me if I want them or not, as he has my car in front of him and "it is beautiful".

KevinS

Can you tell us how you got there and back to Gertjan van der Velde and how much it cost. Did he fetch you or did you have to make your own way there?