I have just purchased an 2008 S2000 from a main dealer. The documentation is in English but, as the previous owner purchased it through a broker, the PDI is not recorded and, possibly for the same reason, Honda UK do not have full details of the car on their system eg no engine number etc. Honda, however, assure me it is a UK car simply because it does not show on their system as an import! Experian and HPI do not show it as an import either and the DVLA also have no record of it being an import-not sure these last 3 are foolproof for identifying EU imports!.

I may be slightly paranoid, but is the above sufficient to prove 100% that the car is a genuine UK car, or is their anything I can look for on the car itself to see if it a genuine UK car?

 

It sounds like a car intended for the EU or Japanese market, to me. It was probably never driven abroad and first registered in the UK, making it a non-uk car, but not technically an import either. If this is the case then you have various positives and negatives.

Since you bought it from a dealer (presumably a Honda dealer), they should certainly know whether it is a UK car or not, from the VIN. If Honda UK don't have the details then there is every posibility then it is what you think.

The differences are marginal, and in some cases the foreign cars are better than the UK ones, with extra options etc. If you don't like it speak to the dealership as its something i'd want to know when buying the car.

 

IIRC, EU imports still didn't have the crappy HUK alarm system in 2008, which is a good thing.

Mine doesn't!

I believe only EU/UK chassis numbers start JHMAP1... so there's a clue. So would be the square rear number plate if it were JDM.

 

Do the number plates have a dealer/supplier's name on them?

Quite a few cars came in technically via cyprus, as mine did. They are full uk spec and have a full 3 year warranty. However the warranty is for 3 years/60k miles rather than 3 years/90k miles. If Honda don't have the car on their system i'd say that it is probably a Euro import.

If it is a Cyprus import then there is no visible way to tell. They do have the Honda alarm system as it was factory fitted. The V5 will not tell you that it is an import because technically it isn't as it hasn't been used overseas and was first registered in the UK.

However, as long as honda uk think it is a UK car and will honour the warranty there is no need to be the slightest bit worried.

Honda UK will be able to tell if it is a Honda UK supplied car or a Euro import. Ask them that specific question and get them to put it in writing if you're worried.

 

There was an OEM alarm from 2004 onwards.

The service book should have a stamp from the issuing dealer however that is not always the case and the only definitive way to fing out is through Honda UK.

 

By far the easiest way to find out is to phone your local dealer, quote the chassis number and ask them to check what the warranty mileage is - if they say 60,000 miles then it is an import, 90,000 miles is UK spec.

 

Brilliant, Davey!

Listen to the man.

 

Is the alarm a clue? What alarm did the 2008 EU cars have-is it Cat1 or Cat2? How do I tell which alarm I have got? The remote I have is the standard Honda item.

 

As mentioned there's really no difference at all other than 30,000 miles on the warranty. All RHD cars supplied through Europe in recent years should be a UK spec.

GT spec more likely to be UK car, check for name of supplying dealer on original paperwork or the plates, Bob Gerard, Motorpoint etc were frequent suppliers of Euro imports.

 

Just to confirm-did 2008 EU cars come with a CAT1 alarm and locking wheel nuts as standard and the only difference to a UK car is the warranty limit of 60000 miles?