Imports?

[TNT ANDY]

Hi Guys, just looking at an imported WRX estate near me as a stand in for the 5 (temporary until I gets her back on the road) but its an import. What, if any are the plus' or minus' for imports. Has anyone had any experiance?

Cheers - big nose

[Adam L]

A serious lack on history is the downside. Most jap motors on the roads are imports though, so they're not all bad.

[TNT ANDY]

A serious lack on history is the downside. Most jap motors on the roads are imports though, so they're not all bad.

Cheers Adam, I was under the impression that spares and insurance etc where ither hard to come by or expensive / awkward

[smithsgtt]

Cheers Adam, I was under the impression that spares and insurance etc where ither hard to come by or expensive / awkward

spares for a import are'nt much dearer and insurance depending on what mileage and who you go with helps ive got 3 cars 1 normal car 1 import (mr2 turbo) and 1 ,5 turbo and iam finding the mr2 cheaper at he mo with major limited mileage of 1500 a year with all mods decleared at £229 a year

[Trevhib]

Toyota Japan for example have (or had), told their UK dealerships that they HAD to offer the full suite of service for imported Jap Toyotas. So no problems there. Might be worth checking with Subaru. Don't think it's an issue these days tbh, neither is insurance if you go with the right people.

Join the Subaru club tonight and get the info you need mate.

[TNT ANDY]

Cheers you guys, I'll ring around tommorow and check it out..

[pocket rocket]

Second-hand Subaru parts are very easy to find so are Evo 4-6, Camskill are quite good for jap cars sell nearly everything you need and if they dont have it then the dealerships normally have an import parts computer so you can find exactly what you need.
Wagons hold the road much better than saloons but make sure the WRX your buying is an import because the UK version is a little down on BHP .
12 years on UK roads is much harder on the car than 12 years in Japan less salt,less rust, more stringent M.O.T's.

[Saint AAI]

New poster! (less than 10 posts)

I'd go for an Import Impreza over a UK model, I have a UK one and really wish I'd have bought an STi. Mine is a GC8 and with it being a UK model, only had around 215-220bhp as standard. Its cost me loads getting it up to 300bhp and getting hold of second hand UK spares is harder than the imports. Last year I killed my rear diff and it took me 6 months to find a replacement. There was loads of WRX and STi ones knocking about, but couldn't fit to mine as ratios are different. Also the UK GC8's didn't come with aircon if your bothered about that sort of thing.

[phase i 16 v turbo]

I brought a Jap spec Nissan Pulsar GTI-R a few years ago. It was a plus all round. Higher spec, lower cost my local dealer was able to give me some back ground on the car from the vin number i.e. as to whether it had been rallied, as alot of them where then converted back for road use to sell. The local dealer was able to supply all the parts I ever needed and there are enough people stripping them, or ebay for bits. The insurance wasn’t a problem and I had no issues selling it.

[daveybgtt]

Yeah in general import's have lower mileage, been better looked after etc, although the two I've had (gt-four, and impreza wrx wagon) didn't come with an alarm/immob, I geuss the japs are a lot less pikey than us brits.

Insurance is ****ty, It's going to cost me roughly £600 fully comp for the scoob, whereas it's only £200ish for the raider, 28, 6years NCB by the way.

They are quick though! Mines got a blitz boost controller set to 1.1 bar, which is the maximum before the fuel cut kicks in, grips like **** as well. Just need to get it de-limited, as it top's out at 112 MPH, maybe i need some NAWS, 2 of the big ones?

[Tiny Tim]

How long has it been in the country Andy?

I got my car as a direct import back in October and havnt looked back. Yes, you take some risks importing car, but if you go through a reputable company, they'll use their own people out there at the auctions finding decent cars. Generally, a 10yr old car from japan will resemble a 3 year old british car, mine is spotless.

Insurance will bite you slightly, but if its just a WRX it shouldnt be too much anyway.