Richard Lowe

As a newbie to this site i have been looking through previous posts with interest on the subject of Uk cars versus jap imports. i am currently looking to buy and have been offered low mileage imports straight from jap honda dealers for about

Shipley

Lower

Make sure its had its SVA before you accept it.
This means the speedo will read MPH and they should have fitted a rear fog lamp. They will also have to get around the lack of headlamp washers.

At your cost you will have to :-

Have the speed limiter removed
A Cat 1 alarm fitted
Replace stereo
Buy a warranty
Check for recall completion (Spark plug one in particular)

Apart from that, you should have an identical car to a UK spec one.

You are correct about the insurance costs, they are the same.

Richard Lowe

The price i have been quoted is an on the road in the uk price with the sva, speedo conversion etc already carried out. As the car will have been sourced from a Japanese honda dealer, i even get the service history including recalls.

Is there a list of recalls anywhere i can look at? What was the recall about sparkplug one?

richard

Shipley

Have a root around the Honda site...its in a service or customer service area where you can put the VIN in to check what recalls are due / done.

Honda seem ok about covering them on JDMs.

The spark plug recall replaced all 4 plugs as they could work loose.

If the dealer is quoting a UK price, you have some cash for a stereo upgrade !!

BTW, don't listen to the negative comments about JDMs, if you look carefully you can get a very good car and save yourself a fortune. I know I did !!

Bassoctopus

Recall info (including a link to the Honda webpage) can be found on the Tech FAQ at the top of the list of threads. HTH

Shipley, I'll add your comments about JDM cars to the Technical FAQ, is there anything else that you wish to add?

Richard Lowe

Thanks for your help. I'm looking at getting the car through an importer i know of through the mr2 club. He's offered me three cars so far, the cheapest being an 00 car with 8k miles for 15k sva'd, speedo converted with an immobiliser fitted. Only problem is i don't seem to be able to get a black car with red leather from japan.

richard

Richard Lowe

i further question. You comment on the lack of headlamp washers. Why is there the need for a work around. Can you just not have them?

richard

ahurst

lower

I am in the process of importing a Jap S at the moment. I have sourced my car myself through an agent in Japan. Be wary of import companies as some tend to buy low grade or accident damaged cars in order to make more money in the UK.

Most Japanese cars are sold through auction, it is always worth asking the import company about the 'grade' of the car and whether any mechanical history is know. As all cars undergo a pre inspection prior to auction where they will be issued a grade and brief report.

If an imported has sourced the car themselves they should have access to these details.

I intend to do the SVA conversions myself as this is another way to save money. The car won't necessarily have to be identical to a UK spec car to pass the SVA as there is currently a loophole in the law.

I have done quite a bit of research into imports and have some useful info and websites which might be of interest.

regards

Alistair

Shipley

Lower

There is some strange rule about Xenons and headlamp washers. I'm going from memory here but remember something about if they are dirty then then can cause problems (according to European law (HA HA HA) )

My importer brought in 3 cars at the same time. He bought one headlamp washer kit (

Chris Mckenna

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Shipley
[B]Lower

There is some strange rule about Xenons and headlamp washers. I'm going from memory here but remember something about if they are dirty then then can cause problems (according to European law (HA HA HA) )

My importer brought in 3 cars at the same time. He bought one headlamp washer kit (