Is importing a feasible option

[weewizard]

Is importing a feasible option

 

hi guys I have been investigating the options available to me, in order to purchase a 350. As you will see from previous posts i have gained some great info from other members on cars already in the UK.

 

I have now turned my research to importing myself. Using this company:

 

http://www.importdealer.co.uk/stock.php

 

 

Has anyone dealt with them before?

 

So far they have been very helpful. I have received a number of quotes for the different spec cars. Here is one example.

 

Below is a breakdown for a 2002 model VERSION T (leather but only 17inch alloys) Grade 4 with 20,000km. I have included Iin the breakdown a set of new Nissan 18inch rims and tyres so you can see the price difference.

 

 

 

UK Price Estimation - 350Z VERSION T with new rims

 

 

Yen Rate

220

 

Amount in Yen

1900000

 

Agency Fee in Yen

70,000

 

Amount in Sterling

8954.545455

 

Shipping Cost

550

 

 

Total Including Shipping

9504.545455

 

 

Import Duty 10 Percent

950.4545455

 

 

VAT at 17.5 Percent

1829.625

 

 

Total Cost Landed in the UK

12284.625

 

 

 

SVA/MOT prep and tests

1000

 

 

Import Dealer Fee

750

 

 

Registration inc 6 Months Tax

138.75

 

Total Estimated OTR Price

14173.375

 

 

Plus £500 for Nissan wheels and tyres £14,673.38

 

Plus £900 for Wheel-mania 18inch deep-dish wheels and tyres £15,073.38

 

 

All total prices include everything, buying, shipping, VAT, import duty, SVA, model report, our fee, CAT 2 insurance approved immobiliser, MOT, registration, 6 months road tax, and a full pdi (pre delivery inspection) prior to collection and a full valet.

 

 

As you can see he has quoted for the larger Nissan wheels or a nice set of snazzy wheels to.

 

What do you guys think?

 

Cheers

Richard

[lomoto]

buy one already in the Uk , not cheap enough to warrant the risk..IMHO

[Sarnie]

buy one already in the Uk , not cheap enough to warrant the risk..IMHO

 

Agreed. Seems like a lot of hassle when there are plenty of cheap jdm's already in the country

[mighty Z]

Is importing a feasible option

 

hi guys I have been investigating the options available to me, in order to purchase a 350. As you will see from previous posts i have gained some great info from other members on cars already in the UK.

 

I have now turned my research to importing myself. Using this company:

 

http://www.importdealer.co.uk/stock.php

 

 

Has anyone dealt with them before?

 

So far they have been very helpful. I have received a number of quotes for the different spec cars. Here is one example.

Its not worth it you could buy a real Z for a few hundred more with brembos and a proper lsd and 18"s

 

Below is a breakdown for a 2002 model VERSION T (leather but only 17inch alloys) Grade 4 with 20,000km. I have included Iin the breakdown a set of new Nissan 18inch rims and tyres so you can see the price difference.

 

 

 

UK Price Estimation - 350Z VERSION T with new rims

 

 

Yen Rate

220

 

Amount in Yen

1900000

 

Agency Fee in Yen

70,000

 

Amount in Sterling

8954.545455

 

Shipping Cost

550

 

 

Total Including Shipping

9504.545455

 

 

Import Duty 10 Percent

950.4545455

 

 

VAT at 17.5 Percent

1829.625

 

 

Total Cost Landed in the UK

12284.625

 

 

 

SVA/MOT prep and tests

1000

 

 

Import Dealer Fee

750

 

 

Registration inc 6 Months Tax

138.75

 

Total Estimated OTR Price

14173.375

 

 

Plus £500 for Nissan wheels and tyres £14,673.38

 

Plus £900 for Wheel-mania 18inch deep-dish wheels and tyres £15,073.38

 

 

All total prices include everything, buying, shipping, VAT, import duty, SVA, model report, our fee, CAT 2 insurance approved immobiliser, MOT, registration, 6 months road tax, and a full pdi (pre delivery inspection) prior to collection and a full valet.

 

 

As you can see he has quoted for the larger Nissan wheels or a nice set of snazzy wheels to.

 

What do you guys think?

 

Cheers

Richard

not worth it you could buy a real z for that with brembos and a decent lsd would nt touch an import for that money especially a t

I paid 16.8k for my uk gt with 14.5k on the clock its on a 53

[Leenx]

Quote "not worth it you could buy a real z for that with brembos and a decent lsd would nt touch an import for that money especially a t

I paid 16.8k for my uk gt with 14.5k on the clock its on a 53"

 

Where from can I ask?

[mighty Z]

Quote "not worth it you could buy a real z for that with brembos and a decent lsd would nt touch an import for that money especially a t

I paid 16.8k for my uk gt with 14.5k on the clock its on a 53"

 

Where from can I ask?

I bought it from a a dealer in kent who normally sells prestige cars i.e x5's m5's m3's ect he took it in part exchange i was down there at 1 pm the same day it went in the auto trader.

Dont get me wrong i have nothing agaisnt imports but i cant see the point when there are uk cars available for a simalar price.

[sl114]

i looked into this and went down the UK route instead, I like the idea of knowing what has happened to my car etc in the past.

 

Also for a few thousand more, you get yourself a UK spec car, with all the trimmings and a nice insurance quote

[Leenx]

Guys - how many times, insurance is pretty much the same. These insurance companies are beginning to understand that the imports ARE the same car and made in the same factory. Go ahead and spend the extra £1000 or so but I'd rather spend it on mods which I did. As far as history is concerned - the imports come with this also and like a UK car I wouldn't take a gamble unless it had a service history which mine did - but with 7k on the clock how much service history is there

 

Lomoto - where are you? JDM V UK thread brewing again!!

[sl114]

Guys - how many times, insurance is pretty much the same. These insurance companies are beginning to understand that the imports ARE the same car and made in the same factory. Go ahead and spend the extra £1000 or so but I'd rather spend it on mods which I did. As far as history is concerned - the imports come with this also and like a UK car I wouldn't take a gamble unless it had a service history which mine did - but with 7k on the clock how much service history is there

 

Lomoto - where are you? JDM V UK thread brewing again!!

I got quoted £650 more on an import over a UK spec, just giving my experience when i was looking for a zed.

[lomoto]

Guys - how many times, insurance is pretty much the same. These insurance companies are beginning to understand that the imports ARE the same car and made in the same factory. Go ahead and spend the extra £1000 or so but I'd rather spend it on mods which I did. As far as history is concerned - the imports come with this also and like a UK car I wouldn't take a gamble unless it had a service history which mine did - but with 7k on the clock how much service history is there

 

Lomoto - where are you? JDM V UK thread brewing again!!

 

Leenx, I've given up some people just like spending extra money

[mighty Z]

Guys - how many times, insurance is pretty much the same. These insurance companies are beginning to understand that the imports ARE the same car and made in the same factory. Go ahead and spend the extra £1000 or so but I'd rather spend it on mods which I did. As far as history is concerned - the imports come with this also and like a UK car I wouldn't take a gamble unless it had a service history which mine did - but with 7k on the clock how much service history is there

 

Lomoto - where are you? JDM V UK thread brewing again!!

How can you be sure your car has done 8k it's not like you can ring the last owner up.

I suppose some people are more gullable than others

[lomoto]

Guys - how many times, insurance is pretty much the same. These insurance companies are beginning to understand that the imports ARE the same car and made in the same factory. Go ahead and spend the extra £1000 or so but I'd rather spend it on mods which I did. As far as history is concerned - the imports come with this also and like a UK car I wouldn't take a gamble unless it had a service history which mine did - but with 7k on the clock how much service history is there

 

Lomoto - where are you? JDM V UK thread brewing again!!

How can you be sure your car has done 8k it's not like you can ring the last owner up.

I suppose some people are more gullable than others

 

how can you be sure yours has done the exact mileage recorded on your car, like I have said on another thread , on any used car UK , JDM whatever unless you have sat in the passenger seat for ever mile ..no body can categorically say there mileage is 100% genuine on any used car..no good ringing the previous owner ! he was probably the one that altered the mileage

 

in a recent trade survey conducted by the HPI company it was found that on average over 60% of UK cars had been mileage "adjusted"........ the majority by private owners

[mighty Z]

Guys - how many times, insurance is pretty much the same. These insurance companies are beginning to understand that the imports ARE the same car and made in the same factory. Go ahead and spend the extra £1000 or so but I'd rather spend it on mods which I did. As far as history is concerned - the imports come with this also and like a UK car I wouldn't take a gamble unless it had a service history which mine did - but with 7k on the clock how much service history is there

 

Lomoto - where are you? JDM V UK thread brewing again!!

How can you be sure your car has done 8k it's not like you can ring the last owner up.

I suppose some people are more gullable than others

 

how can you be sure yours has done the exact mileage recorded on your car, like I have said on another thread , on any used car UK , JDM whatever unless you have sat in the passenger seat for ever mile ..no body can categorically say there mileage is 100% genuine on any used car..no good ringing the previous owner ! he was probably the one that altered the mileage

 

in a recent trade survey conducted by the HPI company it was found that on average over 60% of UK cars had been mileage "adjusted"........ the majority by private owners

I agree with what your saying but look at it like this on a uk car you can ring the last owner ring the nissan dealers where the car was serviced and if that does nt satisfy you you can always plug a lap top in and see if its been clocked.

If I was sending my car to japan I could buy a nissan service book with genuine stamps for 150 get it clocked for 40 and get the interior and paint work tarted up for a grand to make it look nearly new the car could have done 40k but mr jap would never know he would probobly think he 's got a bargain when really my cars could have done 40k and be a proper drift slag.

I went to look at a 55/s Z at keighly cars in yorkshire he wanted 16k for it apparently the cars got fsh ect ect some of you might have seen it,

the car was a proper drift slag looked like it had been rolled on closer inspection none of the panels lined up.

Those guys up there have been in the import game for years and have 100000's pounds worth of cars in stock but he still got ripped off after all those years in the game so I hate to think what some unlucky people end up with.

[Leenx]

Before I bought mine, I had a good look in side and out (as you do) the car was / is in immaculate condition. There was no way the car had done more than the 7000 miles stated. TBH it hardly looked like the car had even been driven. I'll make the point that I've owned a lot of cars and not once have I bothered to ring previous owners etc - might be a different matter if the car was older / higher mileage. Ican't see why just because it's an import this factor should matter As Lomoto said. And I'm still lovin the fact that I drive around in a £15k car which everyone thinks is a £30k+

[mighty Z]

Before I bought mine, I had a good look in side and out (as you do) the car was / is in immaculate condition. There was no way the car had done more than the 7000 miles stated. TBH it hardly looked like the car had even been driven. I'll make the point that I've owned a lot of cars and not once have I bothered to ring previous owners etc - might be a different matter if the car was older / higher mileage. Ican't see why just because it's an import this factor should matter As Lomoto said. And I'm still lovin the fact that I drive around in a £15k car which everyone thinks is a £30k+

Sounds like you got a bargain did nt realise you bought the car over here a lot of people buy these imports with out even seeing them which is what I cant understand if the cars over here then I suppose there's some bargains to be had as long as your prepared to take a hit on the resale.

[jim]

I have to agree with everything that Leenx and Lomoto have said on this already. If you look closely at a car it's not too difficult to see if it has been damaged, rolled etc and repaired. And no amount of valeting can hide integral damage to interior or bodywork. The fact is that, apart from a few drifters, Japanese owners look after their cars better, drive on much better roads, have no salt on their roads, and trade in their cars far more frequently than we do. The result is a lot of high quality cars coming to auction in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka and Kyoto every month. The grading system they use is strictly enforced and the BIMTA certfifcation gives you peace of mind about mileage.

 

I agree that there are a few rogue cars and possibly traders out there - I enquired about that very car at Keighley Motors, and something about the guy's reaction put me off - I'm glad now that it did. I was also put off an importer in Dunblane here in Scotland by a friend, and again recent stories have confirmed I was right to avoid them.

 

However, I am very happy with the car I bought from MacKays in Edinburgh, and I know that several other owners have been pleased with them too. If you are careful, use recommendations whenever possible, and examine any potential purchase carefully, you will probably be safe.

 

Finally - generally imports are cheaper in my experience, and you cannot get the excellent tiptronic 'box in the UK!

 

Case closed.

[mighty Z]

I have to agree with everything that Leenx and Lomoto have said on this already. If you look closely at a car it's not too difficult to see if it has been damaged, rolled etc and repaired. And no amount of valeting can hide integral damage to interior or bodywork. The fact is that, apart from a few drifters, Japanese owners look after their cars better, drive on much better roads, have no salt on their roads, and trade in their cars far more frequently than we do. The result is a lot of high quality cars coming to auction in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka and Kyoto every month. The grading system they use is strictly enforced and the BIMTA certfifcation gives you peace of mind about mileage.

 

I agree that there are a few rogue cars and possibly traders out there - I enquired about that very car at Keighley Motors, and something about the guy's reaction put me off - I'm glad now that it did. I was also put off an importer in Dunblane here in Scotland by a friend, and again recent stories have confirmed I was right to avoid them.

 

However, I am very happy with the car I bought from MacKays in Edinburgh, and I know that several other owners have been pleased with them too. If you are careful, use recommendations whenever possible, and examine any potential purchase carefully, you will probably be safe.

 

Finally - generally imports are cheaper in my experience, and you cannot get the excellent tiptronic 'box in the UK!

 

Case closed.

You are joking about there being no salt on the roads are nt you?Japan's climate is very harsh in the winter alot worse than the uk.Who Do you think run's and funds bimta?

The 350Z is a drift car and japan is the drifting capital but that said as long as people are happy with what they bought I suppose thats all that matters.

[jim]

No joke - the Japanese do not put salt on their roads.