frequently asked questions..

In the course of our business we answer a lot of questions. The following are the most frequent queries regarding used Japanese imports..

what's a grey import? this term is normally used in connection with used vehicles originally intended for the Japanese domestic market imported by independent motor traders in to the UK from Japan. Why grey import? No one seems to be sure. I've always assumed, possibly quite wrongly, that it describes a product that does not fit into the usual (ie black and white) areas of new and used, and therefore attracts the term 'grey'. For all I know it may be that the first used MX5 shipped from Japan was brought in by a Mr Grey and unwittingly he spawned a whole new phrase. If you are interested enough you could always ask car salesman at your local franchised dealer. If he didn't know, he would almost certainly make something up. Lord knows they've had plenty of practice..

are Japanese imports left hand drive? in common with most of Australasia, the Japanese motorist drives on the left and their cars are therefore right hand drive.

are Japanese imports legal for UK roads? yes, once certain minor modifications have been carried out. Before any import less than 10 years old can be registered for UK use it must pass a Single Vehicle Approval test. The main changes required for a Japanese car to pass the SVA are speedo from KPH to MPH, fitting of rear fog light, and fuel filler neck restrictor. Certain cars may need changes to lights, tyres and non-standard accessories. If it's over 3 years old then the vehicle will also need an MOT. For the latest on SVA and ESVA please go here

aren't the specifications different to UK cars? yes there are some differences between UK and Japanese domestic market specifications, but on the whole these differences are minor and cosmetic. Japanese vehicles tend to be better equipped than their UK counterparts, with power steering, electric windows, air conditioning and alloy wheels just about standard on most models.

do they look different to UK cars? the main difference you will notice is the square rear number plate fitted to many Japanese imports. Some Japanese models are badged differently to similar UK models. For Eunos Roadster read MX5, Pajeros are Shoguns in the UK and Nissan Sunny's are Pulsars in Japan.

I thought the body panels were different to UK cars? the rear number plate surround panel may well be different, but in the majority of cases the rest of the body will be identical to UK specification. There is the odd exception. For example the  Japanese Toyota Estima looks similar to the UK Toyota Previa, but is in fact quite a bit narrower. Obviously in this case, whilst most of the mechanical parts will be similar, few body parts will be interchangeable.

they don't have any rustproofing do they? because the Japanese don't encounter salt and grit on their roads and tend to rely upon winter tyres more than we do, the under body protection of many, but not all, Japanese domestic market vehicles is not up to UK specification. Reputable import specialists will rectify this prior to sale. The upside of this fact, often conveniently forgotten by detractors, is that even the oldest of Jap imports can be free of all but the most minor corrosion. Liberal application of cavity wax now will ensure that in a few years time, there will be some amazingly well-preserved 15 year old sports cars and 4x4's on UK roads. Or to put it another way - have a look at a 10 year old Land Rover Discovery...

is it true that you can't get parts for them? generally this is another urban myth. The majority of OE service parts are available from the appropriate main dealer and aftermarket parts from most factors. Even the fairly radical Mitsubishi FTO which has only recently become available new in the UK, utilises a lot of parts from the Galant, for example. Very rarely have we been stuck for parts. In the motor trade you can always rely upon specialists filling a niche. There are certain obscure vehicles available only in Japan where UK parts supply may be problematic. Similarly the fitting of aftermarket (sometimes very radical) body styling kits is very popular in Japan. Getting replacement bits for for the more weird and wonderful conversions could be a bit of a nightmare.

do these differences make Japanese imports unsuitable for UK use? in the vast majority of cases a mainstream Japanese import is a viable alternative to a UK supplied vehicle, with better specification and - this is the most important bit - age for age, significantly less corrosion

what about depreciation? it is true that 4 to 5 years ago, before the novelty of imports died down a touch, certain models which had hitherto been rarities on UK roads, were changing hands for silly money. Very average FTO's were fetching £15k and late GTO's over £20k. 4 to 5 year old Eunos Roadsters at £10k looked stunning value compared with the very rare UK examples and some fingers, both private and trade, got badly burnt. The market has now matured and the depreciation curve of most imports is no worse than the UK equivalent. This was confirmed recently by none other than CAP, one of the trade's valuation bibles. In some cases such as early Eunos Roadsters and Pajero's, their rust free condition can mean that they actually attract a premium over their UK equivalents. Let's put matters into perspective. It is generally accepted that a new vehicle can lose 25% of its value a soon as you drive out of the dealer's showroom. For a nicely equipped family saloon you could be talking £4 to £5000. That sum would buy you a perfectly respectable, reliable and rust free Eunos Roadster for the weekend....

aren't Jap imports difficult to get insured? this may have been the case a couple of years ago, but not now if you use to a specialist insurer or broker. We have often found that a change in insurance company from an uncooperative one to a more enlightened firm has resulted in a reduced premium. See the question below regarding security and then check out our insurance page.

do Jap imports have any vehicle security fitted?  there is very little car crime in Japan so generally there is no demand for alarms or immobilisers. Some later and more upmarket models will have a transponder type immobiliser fitted as standard. Insurance companies often require vehicle security to Thatcham standards. Category 2 is an immobiliser only and Category 1 is an alarm system with an immobiliser. Costs are approximately £125 and £300 respectively.  

what about stolen imports? if you saw the recent BBC Watchdog programme which highlighted the racket where high performance cars and 4x4's are stolen in Japan and shipped to Dubai, where they receive a new identity backed up with forged documentation. You may have got the impression from this programme that this is a recently discovered scam. Not so. Any reputable import specialist - and the majority are reputable - will tell you to avoid the middle east connection like the plague. For this reason our vehicles always come from the same source in Japan, and we can therefore guarantee their legitimacy. However, the stolen import problem should be seen in perspective. From our experience there are still an awful lot of dodgy vehicles being bought by unsuspecting Joe Public - and not from dealers either. If you really want to live dangerously then try buying any type of vehicle from the private adverts in magazines such as Autotrader and Exchange and Mart. Alternatively you may wish to consider cutting out the middle man by just setting light to your cash yourself.
 For more info on this subject check out our Buying Tips page.

Showroom 
  New Cars    Trade Clearance    Finance    Insurance    Warranties    Workshop  
  Buying Tips   Jap Info   Sales Policy   Links    What's New    Parts
 Home 

Copyright © Towertyre Limited t/a SMC
All rights reserved