News
LATEST SITUATION WITH JAPANESE IMPORTS
Not a lot of change really. We are still suffering from a weak exchange rate with the yen and although prices in Japan have come down a little, it's not eneough to compensate for the weak pound. There are still some very good buys to be had though. We have just located for a client in Holland, a top graded 1999 Legacy twin turbo B4 with just 14000 km's [8750 miles]. The car is like new! It's not going to be a bargain but think about it, this car would have been a 28k car when new and even at 6k represents superb value. We have pictures of it on our direct imports page. If you want us to find you that special vehicle in Japan, then please contact us to enquire about our personal import scheme.
HEARD THIS ONE?
Five Englishmen in an Audi Quattro arrive at the Italian border. The Italian Customs Officer stops them and tells them 'Itsa illegal to putta five people ina Quattro'. ''What do you mean its illegal?'' asked the Englishman. 'Quattro meansa four' replys the Italian official. ''Quattro is just the name of the vehicle'' the Englishman says disbelievingly. ''Look at the papers, this car is designed to carry 5 persons''. 'You canta pull thata one ona me' replies the Italian customs agent. 'Quattro meansa four, you hava fiva people ina your car and therefore breaking the law'. The Englishman replies angrily, ''You idiot! Call your supervisor over we want to speak with someone more intelligent''. 'Sorry' responds the Italian official, 'He canta come, he's a busy with two guys in a Uno'.
IF IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR US IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU.
This is our motto when retailing our vehicles. We have retailed cars and boats now for some 30 plus years and that includes exotic cars such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, so we do not impress easily. There are many average cars in Japan the same as any where else in the world. We leave them to the others to deal in. We only deal in the best.
IT'S A CRAZY WORLD.
Yea it's a crazy one. Here we have the Government offering 2 grand to scrap your 10 year old car [well half of that actually, the other bit coming from the motor manufacturers/dealers] and companies like mine, importing 10 year old cars to retail! It's crazy because these Jap imports have many years of good life in them most of them having covered very low mileage and being in 2 year old [UK comparison] condition. It doesn't seem very 'green' to me to scrap perfectly good 10 year old vehicles just to improve the sales figures for the motor industry. How much energy is used to manufacture a vehicle? Surely to make that vehicle last as long as possible is more 'green' than changing it on a regular basis. Unless heaven for bid, we are all forced to part exchange our petrol cars for electric ones! You can't help feeling that motoring as we know it, is not going to be with us for much longer. I think the motto should be , go and buy that exciting performance car whilst you are able to, and enjoy it. They may well be able to manufacture an electric car that can go 0 to 60 in 3 seconds and flat out at 150 mph but can they produce the sound of the engine and exhaust note as well? I don't think so some how and that's half the fun.
Our new personal import service is now up and running
Our new personal import web site page is now up and running, We are able to import your dream car direct from our first class contacts in Japan. We have made the process simple and risk free. Please see the new page.
All of our vehicles for sale are tested at speed
We are one of the few dealers that test our cars over a long distance at speed [legal Officer!]. Most of them are driven back from the docks over a distance of some 140 miles which includes motorway driving and stop/start in traffic. That way we know if there are any problems to sort out prior to the customer taking delivery. How many other dealers take this trouble? With performance cars in particular, this should be standard practice.
OBTAIN YOUR CAR DIRECT FROM JAPAN USING OUR EXPERTISE AND CONTACTS
WE ARE STARTING A NEW SERVICE WHICH WILL ENABLE CLIENTS TO OBTAIN ANY MAKE OF CAR INCLUDING NON JAPANESE, DIRECT FROM JAPAN. WE TAKE THE RISK FACTOR AWAY FROM IMPORTING YOUR CAR AND WITH OUR CONTACT IN JAPAN, YOU WILL BE ASSURED OF ONLY TOP GRADED VEHICLES [IF YOU WANT LOWER QUALITY WE CAN OBTAIN IT]. THE SERVICE WILL BE TWO TIERED--A BASIC SCOURCE CAR AND ARRANGE THE PAYMENT AND SHIPPING FOR YOU OR A FULL BACK UP WHICH WILL INCLUDE ALL OF THE ABOVE WITH COLLECTION FROM THE DOCK--SVA IF REQUIRED--PREPERATION--MOT--CLEANING--AND DELIVERY IF REQUIRED. OUR WEB SITE WILL INCLUDE SOME SAMPLE AUCTION SITES AND WEEKLY SPECIALS SO WATCH THIS SPACE. ANY VEHICLE CAN BE OBTAINED INCLUDING FERRARI--LAMBORGHINI--CORVETTE--HONDA NSX ETC. QUOTES NO OBLIGATION.
UPDATE ON IMPORTING SITUATION
Well it's going to be a funny old year for importers and retailers of Japanese cars. A lot of the larger importers are just not bothering because of the terrible exchange rates of the yen to the pound. It makes the Japanese cars very expensive and we feel there could be a shortage of good imported stock this year. The situation could be helped by either a drastic drop in prices in Japan or the pound shooting up in value, a prospect we do not see for some time to come. Oh to have a crystal ball! Smaller importers like ourselves are still managing to scource out good deals in Japan and we are determined to carry on importing top graded vehicles and supplying them to our customers at a reasonable amount.
Update early 2010 . Situation still similar to the above with a slightly better exchange rate.
EXCHANGE RATE PLAYS HAVOC WITH IMPORTING FROM JAPAN
The current exchange rate is playing havoc with importing cars from Japan and there could well be a shortage of good Japanese imported vehicles in the new year simply because a lot of UK importers are finding prices in Japan with a 150 yen/ pound exchange rate, just too expensive. For our part,are we are continuing to scource top graded cars in Japan and with our contacts and bargaining power, are able to import and offer them at reasonable prices. We will NOT like some importers, lower our standards to keep within a price range. We are hoping to still offer top graded vehicles at the sort of prices that we have maintained for the last few years.
USED LEGACY SPARES NOW AVAILABLE
WE ARE NOW BREAKING SEVERAL SUBARU LEGACY ESTATES BOTH GT AND GTB. MOST SPARES AVAILABLE INCLUDING ENGINES--GEARBOXES [BOTH MANUAL AND AUTO] --TRIM--WHEELS--TURBOS--AXLES--DIFFS-- ETC. PLEASE PHONE OR EMAIL YOUR REQUIREMENT ALWAYS QUOTING CHASSIS NUMBER. ALSO BREAKING RARE RS LEGACY SALOON TWIN TURBO--ALL BODY PARTS AND INTERIOR TRIM. POSSIBLE ENGINE AND MANUAL GEAR BOX.
NEW SHAPE LEGACYS NOW AVAILABLE WITHOUT IVA TEST
We now have the new shape Legacys coming in from Japan and the early ones [July 1998] do not require an IVA test. There are some suttle body and trim differences and also engine management changes which seems to result in better mpg. The new shape definately grows on you. The problem is going to be locating enough manuals because the trend is to auto / gear shift. We will do our best however and as ever, our cars will ONLY be top graded.
CUT YOUR MOTORING COSTS BY BUYING A FRESH JAPANESE IMPORT
IN THESE HARD ECONOMIC TIMES IT PAYS TO EXAMINE ALL UNECESSARY EXPENSES. ONE LARGE OUTGOING IS THE MOTOR CAR. IS IT REALLY ESSENTIAL TO BUY A NEW OR NEARLY NEW ONE? HAVE YOU CONSIDERED NOT JUST THE RUNNING COSTS BUT THE ACTUAL PURCHASE PRICE IN THE FIRST PLACE? THE MORE YOU PAY THE MORE YOU LOOSE IN DEPRECIATION AND THAT CAN SOME TIMES BE MORE THAN YOU CARE TO IMAGINE. IF YOU ADD TO THAT THE FINANCE INTEREST CHARGES, THE ACTUAL ANNUAL AMOUNT COULD WELL ADD UP TO MORE THAN THE PURCHASE PRICE OF ONE OF OUR IMPORTED VEHICLES. OK , YOU ARGUE, YOU WANT THE RELIABILITY OF A NEWER CAR, BUT DOES THAT ALWAYS FOLLOW? WE FIND WITH OUR TOP GRADED FRESH IMPORTS, A VERY HIGH RELIABILITY FACTOR. THIS IS DUE TO THEM HAVING A MUCH LOWER MILEAGE THAN THE EQUIVALENT UK CAR AND EXPERIENCED A MUCH KINDER ENVIRONMENT TO THE UK ONE. ADDED TO THIS IS THE FACT THAT THE JAPANESE MOT IS MORE STRINGENT . JAPANESE BUILD QUALITY AND ENGINEERING ARE SECOND TO NONE SO IF YOU ADD ALL OF THESE FACTORS TOGETHER, YOU GET A VERY GOOD REASON FOR CASHING IN ON THAT NEWISH CAR, PAYING OFF THE FINANCE COMPANY AND PURCHASING ONE OF OUR VEHICLES.' YOU MAY WORRY THAT IT WILL HAVE AN OLDER REGISTRATION PLATE'. WELL FOR ALL OF YOU NUMBER PLATE SNOBS , THERE IS ALWAYS THE PERSONAL REGISTRATION PLATE TO KEEP THE YEAR OFF. THESE START AT AROUND £100 PLUS THE TRANSFER FEE OF £80. WE NOW HAVE A RELIABLE WARRANTY COMPANY THAT FOR £150 PLUS VAT WILL COVER USED JAPANESE CARS FOR ONE YEAR ON MOST WORKING COMPONETS AND MULTIPLE CLAIMS ALSO CONSIDERED. WE HAVE JUST SOLD A FRESH IMPORTED 1997 LEGACY GTB ESTATE TO A CLIENT AND WE HAVE TAKEN IN HIS 1997 GTB ESTATE IN PART EXCHANGE. YOU MAY WONDER WHERE THE SENSE IS IN THAT DEAL. WELL THIS CLIENT PURCHASED HIS LEGACY 10 YEARS AGO WHEN IT WAS ONE YEAR OLD. HE HAS HAD 10 YEARS OF TROUBLE FREE MOTORING. HE LOVES THE CAR BUT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS IT HAS SUFFERED 10 YEARS OF ENGLISH WEATHER! IT IS STARTING TO RUST AND IT HAS ALSO COVERED THE AVERAGE UK MILEAGE OVER THAT TIME. HE KNOWS THAT THE SAME AGE CAR FROM JAPAN HAS NO RUST AND MUCH LESS MILEAGE SO THIS TRANSACTION IS NOT AS STUPID AS IT APPEARS TO BE. SIT DOWN AND EXAMINE YOUR TOTAL MOTORING COSTS INCLUDING ALL OF THE ABOVE FACTORS. IF YOU ARE SHOCKED, GIVE US A CALL AND WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN HELP YOU.
YOU CAN SAFELY PURCHASE ONE OF OUR VEHICLES FROM PHOTOS AND DESCRIPTION
WE PRIDE OURSELVES WITH SUPPLYING MANY VEHICLES UNSEEN. OUR POLICY IS IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT AS IT APPEARS IN THE PHOTO AND AS DESCRIBED, THE CUSTOMER DOES NOT HAVE TO PROCEED WITH THE PURCHASE. WE HAVE NEVER HAD THIS SITUATION AND OBVIOUSLY IT IS NOT IN OUR INTEREST TO MIS-DESCRIBE OR HAVE PICTURES GIVING A FALSE IMAGE. WE HAVE RECEIVED COMMENTS SUCH AS 'THANK GOODNESS I AM AT LAST VIEWING A DECENT CAR THAT IS AS DESCRIBED'. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF JAPANESE IMPORTS ARE TOP GRADED AND IT IS THAT SMALL PERCENTAGE THAT WE DEAL IN.
SVA TEST NOW BECOMES THE IVA TEST [INDIVIDUAL VEHICLE TEST]
A question we are often asked. The answer is any imported vehicle 10 years old and younger. This can increase the cost of the imported vehicle by up to £600. The biggest difference to the old SVA test is a model report is no longer required which does bring the cost down and makes it easier to test some of the more obscure cars. Take a less than 10 year old Skyline for an example. Any after market extras must be removed. The car has to be as the factory produced it. That means things like a/m spoilers--wheels--suspension--induction kits--exhaust--guages--turbo timers--you name it if its after market it has to be removed. The car can then be entered for the IVA test and when it passes all of those extras can be put back on! Stupid? Well yes but that's the ways of authority i'm afraid. A cat alarm has to be fitted and a few small mods made before the car can be submitted. It would pay to wait for a few more months so that they are 10 years old and an instant £400 to £600 would be saved.
SIGN OF THE TIMES?
Well it must be if we are starting to offer Hybrid cars! Fot the cost or green conscious motorist we are now offering the Toyota Hybrid Prius which has won several awards for its unique petrol/electric system. Up to 70mpg with low road tax and zero congestion charge think of the annual savings.
NEW REPAIR FACILITIES NOW OPEN
We are now able to service and repair most Japanese and all other makes of cars. New workshop and spray booth for mechanical repairs and body work. Insurance work undertaken.
STOCK LIST--LARGER PICTURES
PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURES IF YOU WANT LARGER ONES
OUR LINKED SITES.
You may like to visit our linked sites Thorpe Bay Marine and ZX Heaven. Thorpe Bay Marine is the leading UK Jet Ski dealer and in fact was the first Jet Ski dealer in the UK way back in 1980. It was set up by Roger Hutchison who holds the dubious title of the first person in the UK to be prosecuted for speeding on a Jet Ski! They have come a long way since then of course with 2 and 3 seater models now supercharged and the latest capable of 0 to 50 mph in 2.9 seconds! They are fun for all the family and are even capable of towing a water skier. Visit the site and find out more.
Subaru Legacy GT or GTB?
We have noticed some advertisers selling their Legacy as a GTB when it is a standard GT model. There are quite a few differences the most obvious being the Bilstein suspension. As the dealer that first introduced the GTB Legacy to the UK buying public, we have the experience with these vehicles to be able to advise any one about any aspect of purchasing or owning these superb cars.
UP TO DATE WEB SITE
ONE IMPORTANT FEATURE OF THIS WEB SITE IS THAT IT IS KEPT UP TO DATE SO
IF A CAR IS LISTED FOR SALE, IT WILL BE FOR SALE.
DELIVERY AT COST
DISTANCE NO PROBLEM--WE CAN DELIVER TO MOST PARTS OF THE UK AND EUROPE AT COST OF FUEL AND RETURN TRAIN OR AIR FARE.
OUR POLICY WITH PART EXCHANGES --- CARS--BOATS--BIKES ALL CONSIDERED
We will always consider a part exchange but Japanese makes are of more interest to us. We will also consider boats--jet skis and motor bikes.
