Owning an imported car

[PeteB]

My lad has a one off Subaru Legacy with 285 at the wheels,  only an use best quality fuel and oils. Some parts can be awkward or expensive but, as Rich says, Internet is your friend. He insures this with a special company and everything is declared.  It is expensive, but, in my experience, if it has tits or tyres, it will cost and break your heart!

[Baldbloke]

Have an imported Mercedes that apart from the import, taxation and registration hassle doesn’t appear to be much dearer to insure. Maybe cause I’m an old fart.[emoji848]

[Con]

Bought a mitsubishi pajero from a dealer, over 25 yrs ago. Great car. It was 15 yrs old when I got it. I kept it for 10 yrs. Not a single problem with it. Everything worked on it when I sold it. Only sold it cos it was thirsty. I don't even remember the insurance being particularly bad. 

[Squaredy]

Back in the early 2000s I had a grey import Toyota.  Great car, utterly reliable.  Generally no bother at all getting parts - Toyota actually had a special department for supplying their grey imports.  I can imagine some makes may be less organised however.  At the time there were a lot of grey import Toyotas coming into the country; not sure if this is still the case.

 

I currently own a 1990 LHD Ford F250 pickup and I wouldn't even dream of contacting a Ford dealer for spares.  Luckily their are specialist independent dealers who are generally very helpful.

[Moose McAlpine]

3 hours ago, IronMike said:

Volvo V60. Its a bit of a sleeper 😎

 

Is it a special Japanese spec? Can't see it being that much of a problem as V60s are available here. Some of the grey imports can be a nightmare when nothing close to them is sold here.

[harvey b davison]

I've often thought about getting a little Suzuki super carry pick up, just for pottering around in.

[AHPP]

12 minutes ago, harvey b davison said:

I've often thought about getting a little Suzuki super carry pick up, just for pottering around in.

 

[Jack.P]

road tax rates could be high on motors like that .like nearly 600 quid on some estates I was just looking at

[Stubby]

The only "grey " imports I have has experience of were bikes . Honda VFR 400 etc etc. The head light dipped to the wrong side and that was it really . On some you could change the lens others you had to get a U.K. spec head light unit but that was tricky as there wern't any official imports . 

[trigger_andy]

Back in the early 2000s I had a grey import Toyota.  Great car, utterly reliable.  Generally no bother at all getting parts - Toyota actually had a special department for supplying their grey imports.  I can imagine some makes may be less organised however.  At the time there were a lot of grey import Toyotas coming into the country; not sure if this is still the case.
 
I currently own a 1990 LHD Ford F250 pickup and I wouldn't even dream of contacting a Ford dealer for spares.  Luckily their are specialist independent dealers who are generally very helpful.

Cracking Truck! My mates selling a M880. An ex-US Forces converted W200. Wish I had the spare cash right now but don’t. I’ll get one next summer.

I assume you use Rockauto for spares?