IMPORT FAQ

Please take a few minutes to read the information below

 

It is a very simple process to import a car fom Japan but you will have to do a little bit of legwork yourself to get the car MOT'd and on the road

 

We can complete this service for you at a cost of £495

 

The reason we charge this amount is that we bring cars in all over the UK and our costs can go up if we are physically having to travel the length and breadth of Great Britain to do these little bits of work for you

 

However, for the price of a fog light and an MOT you can do it yourself!

 

Get in touch with us by clicking here

 

IMPORTING MY NEW CAR

Why Import?

Importing your next car from Japan is a good idea for a number of reasons. Apart from physically saving a good deal of money you also get a better quality of vehicle

 

This is because ~

  • The Japanese DO NOT USE SALT on their roads
  • The cars are lovingly looked after and
  • Usually come with after market extras
  • There are big savings to be made

 

No salt on the roads in winter means that even older cars from Japan are in better condition than similar aged vehicles over here.

 

The Japanese lavish love and attention on their cars ~ this means that they are well serviced and maintained and you can regulalry pick up a low mileage example.

 

A lot of the vehicles we import come with interesting after market toys such as high quality Stereos and Speaker Systems, SATNAV, CD Players or CD Multi-Changers. You can benefit from these after market upgrades. Please note that some of these items (especially SATNAV systems and maps) may not be compatible here in the UK but these can usually be reprogrammed. We cannot offer any guarantees or warranty with the equipment or the cars supplied by us but we will do our utmost to get you the best value vehcile for your budget.

 

Overall, we feel that Japanese marques are better made, especially Toyotas and Nissans, with lower build tolerances and better engineering. When serviced regularly a lot of these cars, and especially the Toyota Hilux, will give you many years of worry free transport and enjoyment. With some of the diesel engines recording incredible mileages of 500,000+ lifetime miles. You will not be dissapointed.

 

MOT / REGISTRATION

MOT

Once you bring your car home from the port you will need to get it MOT'd as soon as possible (within 7 days). It is therefore a good idea to pre-book an MOT at your local testing centre. An MOT is normally a formality. You will also need to get a fog light fitted if the car does not already have one.

 

REGISTRATION

The paperwork supplied with your import includes a bill of lading, a used vehicle Export certificate or a certificate of de-registration. With these documents you can register your car as a 'grey import' in the UK. This can be done at your local DVLA Office. We tend to import vehicles that are 10 or more years old. Vehicles of this age will usually only require a fog light to be fitted and sometimes a new speedometer dash in Miles Per Hour in order to pass an MOT.

 

For vehicles less than 10 years old you will need to undertake an Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) inspection. Brought in by the DVLA in April 2009, the IVA is a slightly more complicated process and can cost up to £200 plus the cost of any changes to the vehicle. This test has to be done at a VOSA approved testing station. This is really just a more involved MOT inspection that will bring the car up to UK standards, but as most cars are manufactured to the same specification there is normally not much more to do. Here are examples of each process ~

 

Vehicles OVER 10 Years Old

  • Fog Light Fitted
  • Speedo Changed to MPH (not always a requirement)
  • MOT test certificate issued
  • Take De-registration & Insurance docs to DVLA
  • DVLA issues Age Related Number Plate
  • Car is now Ready To Go!

 

Vehicles UNDER 10 Years Old

  • Book Appointment with VOSA inspector (IVA test)
  • Make any changes or adjustments
  • Fog Light Fitted
  • MOT test certificate issued
  • Take De-registration & Insurance docs to DVLA
  • DVLA issues Age Related Number Plate
  • Car is now Ready To Go!

 

For more information regarding the registration of imported vehicles

you can click here to go to the DVLA website

 

For a number of reasons we normally import vehciles of 10 or more years older

It's just easier and less expensive (anything up to £500 less)

 

Click here to get in touch with us

INSURANCE

Insuring an imported vehicle is exactly the same as insuring a UK one

 

Just call around or go online for the best deals and tell them that

  • the vehicle is imported
  • it has not been modified in any way

 

Most insurers are happy to offer good deals

 

You will need to take your insurance documents to the DVLA to register your new car

 

The DVLA will issue you with an age related UK registration number

DVLA

All of the documents needed for importing are avaialble to download from the DVLA

 

Click here for a link to the DVLA document request page.

 

You need to tick the Import Pack Box

DVLA will send all the documents out to you.

 

Remember. We are always here for advice and guidance

 

For DVLA Individual Vahicle Approval Test (IVA)

Click HERE

 

For DVLA Registering an Imported Vehicle Information

Click HERE



For a List of our Terms & Conditions

 

Please click here