Japanese imports

On or around Wed, 15 Sep 2004 15:28:33 GMT, "Simes" enlightened us thusly:

the instructions will be in japanese...

seriously, though...

you might find that some parts are distinct and difficult to get. Is Japan RHD or LHD? I vaguely recall it being RHD.

and it might have Honda badges on it, which would at least serve to puzzle the locals - ISTR they sold 'em as Honda summat-or-other as part of the honda/rover deal.

apart from that, all the normal discovery caveats would no doubt apply.

It won't have foglights...

It may have funny mirrors on the wings...

Check what engine is in it, and the exact nature of fitted kit. ISTR that the radios are on different frequencies or summat such. ECU could be mapped differently for local fuel and driving conditions.

If it's the old Discovery, check how cheap it really is. The main dealers are desperate to get shot of them at the moment with the new model coming in and production long since stopped. If you print out the import deal your main dealer may amaze you....

And it won't have rust....

due to the shortage of oxygen in them there climes.

Lee D

Will it be similar to the grey import MX5s and other Japanese cars in the late 90's. Either TopGear or 5thGear found out that most of these had infact been stolen from Japan and imported via dodgy middle east crime gangs. There was an increasing number of cars being tracked down by the Japanese police and insurance companies by their chassis and part numbers.

Probably completely unlinked, but I'm always cautious of _very_ good deals. David

-- ------- # | | :===[==¬|====; [/ \|___|_/ \| \_/ \_/ DavidM djm81NOSPAMatcam.ac.uk

Based on the NZ experience with used vehicles from Japan, it will have

*never* been serviced (or maybe once in it's life) and there's a reasonable chance that the odometer will have been tampered with.

For higher end used stuff like BMW, Disco, Rangie, Ferrari, Porsche and so on the ones imported ex-Singapore seem to be much more honest and better maintained.

I would not hesitate at all, I bought this

here - & the service is top notch (really topnotch for the kind of placeit is!!!) That Trooper is 12 years old & the photos don't show just how clean &tidy it is. Not a singlebit of rust, interior is superb due to no shit from the roads & constanthorrible damp miserable weather. They have some Disco's in that are mint in every way, the Japs really look after their carsl Only reason for my selling it is a new Subaru WRX & an old Range Rover !

The radio doesn't work after 90 on Fm so you can only get radio 2, but a freq extender costs £10 & works fine, don't worry about tyres, foglights or anything else required for the UK market as the SV test takes care of that. Without that they cannot be used on UK roads.

All in all, you can get a 10 year old car that will look 3 years old & remember, no towing in Japan, so no towbars or shagged suspension etc!

Go for it!

Nige

RHD

They were going to be sold as Honda Crossroad's - never launched as BMW came along and worked their magic....... if one *did* turn up with Honda badging, it would certainly be rare!

Indeed - in the most part Jap and UK specs are very similar (hence the "Other" 4x4 imports) - worth making sure it's not stolen as with the other grey imports though.

Richard

Wait up...

So a car, produced in the UK, shipped to Japan, and then shipped back, including al the relevent paperwork, is cheaper than a regular one ??? How's that work, then ?

Peter R.

On or around Fri, 17 Sep 2004 17:41:36 GMT, Peter R. enlightened us thusly:

Politics.

Very common, and it isn't limited to cars. Hence the term 'grey import' for so many things - computers, white goods, tyres, medicines etc.

Things are sold at different prices in different markets, and depending on local tax regimes and incumbent exchange rates. Imports from the US are pretty good at the moment, for example.

The Japanese MOT laws mean that cars there are virtually worthless after 7 years since all safety related features (seat belts, airbags etc etc) must be replaced for the car to pass costing £3000+. This means that nearly all cars are traded in and sold at auction to the other RHD countries-NZ, UK, Eire , Aus, India etc...This is the reason why the Pajero imports you see are all over 7 years old!

The Japanese Governments reasoning behind this is that Japanese domestic new car sales are kept continuosly high and there is no 'waste problem' as all the scrappers are exported! On the plus side there is a continuous supply of cheap high spec, good condition cars to the UK at much less the than the UK going rate for similar cars. This has seriously undermined certain manufactures cars sales- namely Mitsubishi- who won't support the imported Pajero/Shogun (but there are plenty of independent garages who will). Indeed Toyota Aus. got the Australian goverment to ban imports of certain models in

2003 (Hilux Surf/4Runner) due to suffering domestic new car sales.

I very much doubt that many imports from Japan are stolen due to the above stated reason as to why they are exported. Be wary of imported cars from other non European countries though- especially the expensive models.

A guy I know imports 600 cars a month from Japan- but I've never seen a UK car in his car compound......coals to Newcastle??

Nevillef

On or around Fri, 17 Sep 2004 22:51:30 GMT, "nevillef" enlightened us thusly:

wot a skewed, warped system.

Twas Sat, 18 Sep 2004 13:45:39 +0100 when Austin Shackles put finger to keyboard producing:

well, we benefit so wtf.

Regards. Mark.(AKA, Mr.Nice.)

Aye, crazy! Just sold my Imported Trooper today though! Roll on British Leyland build quality for me now!!!!

Am I right in thinking a lot of the switchgear in an 89 RRC is right outof the Montego parts bin?

Ta

Nige

It depends a little what they class as needing replacement, but it doesn't seem a crazy principle. Do air bags have a time limit? A lot of pyrotechnics do, because they can't really be tested.But everything at once seems a silly way of going about it.

Not really - the Montego is a bit modern and exotic - most of the car (including the door handles) is from the older Morris Marina.

I used to work on the Mongtego (we nicknamed them that) & I'm sure the indicator stalk & switches & buttons etc are right out of a 85-87 Mongtego! The door handle are deffo Marina (we had 3 of those bags of crud, me ad never shut up about the trunnions!!!!)

Nige

Moggy Minor parts weren't they ;-)

On or around 19 Sep 2004 13:39:02 GMT, "Simon Atkinson" enlightened us thusly:

nope. or not entirely. I had a marina to which someone had fitted a moggy front leg, and it was about 2.5" shorter, which led to it sitting crooked and wearing the tyre slightly oddly.