The new car personal imports market is smaller than it was three or years ago. In 2001, manufacturers started to cut UK new car prices. Then the Eurozone helped to bring European car prices closer to our own.
That said, you can still save money on some cars if you make the effort. Going abroad in search of personal imports brings the best savings, with Holland and Belgium usually the best places to look for dealers able to supply right-hand drive UK-specification cars. Try an internet search using searchwords like "car imports UK spec".
Personal import brokers advertise in magazines like CarBuyer. They're more expensive but take care of the complicated paperwork, import duty and VAT.
INSIDER INSIGHT: NEW CAR IMPORTS:
- Get quotations, agreed specifications and delivery dates in writing.
- Check equipment and spec match UK cars.
- Check that deposits are refundable if dealer fails to deliver car as agreed.
- Don't buy non-UK spec cars unless you're prepared to take a big hit when you resell.
- Ask for a Certificate of Conformity before parting with big money.
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'GREY IMPORTS' are exotic used cars, usually right-hand drive models from Japan. They're often high-spec or high-power versions of models already popular in the UK, such as Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Shogun (Pajero). Import rules are complex and these vehicles may need Single Vehicle Approval (SVA) certification and modifications to meet EU law.
Buying a 'grey' import requires research plus the assistance of a reputable specialist dealer. There may be insurance and servicing problems, too.
