So after many years of wanting one I have finally got a Scooby but like everybody on here I have a few questions.

It is, on the log book, a 1999 (V reg) Subaru Impreza GT. After much looking, I can't seem to find any other GT's anywhere so I'm a bit confused as to what it actually is. It has a 2L turbo engine. Unforunately the boot has been debadged too.

My main worry is that it is an import. When I rang my insurance company and gave them the reg number, it didn't come up with anything. Is there anyway I can tell if it is an import? I did a history check on it before I bought it and it came up with nothing unusual and I signed a UK log book V5C so I'm really confused.

Thanks for any comments, Steve.

 

should say on the front of the logbook when it was registered first it the country

 

Hi there,
try confused.com(my brother have its same problem with first car)its simple and easy...If you first time(register etc.), put car in search(if find without problem car its UK(sometimes find Import,but only sometimes),if you must put all details manually probably car its import).....

 

Does your car have a rear wiper ?

No UK car of that vintage had them.

Shaun

 

Has some one added a rear fog this is the usual case with a import but some do it properly and put it in rear lights

 

mines an import and on the buumper badge instead of the scooby swopp and stars it has a little i there, was told all imports have this type badge (unless changed by owner)

 

Post up the VIN plate's 7-digit Model code..

The 6th character will either be a 8 (for WRX), or E (for STi), if a JDM car.

For a UK car that character seems to be a K - and maybe the same, or a different letter, for the Eur/RoW cars(?)...

 

GT's were EU spec Turbo 2000's AFAIK, so it's probably an import, albeit not a Jap one

 

Agreed.

Chances are it will have the "Bright" button on the centre fascia (or was it only the phase 1 MY93-96 cars that had it, anyway?)...

 

the most useless button in the world

 

Totally! It makes me laugh. A lot.

It's even more pointless than a frigid bitch's "button".

 

LOL

 

lol

 

What was it then shippard

 

Hi guys, thanks for all your comments and making this newbie welcome. After some digging to day I found out it was originally bought in the Netherlands then driven here and registered in the UK. This is meant to be a way of not paying VAT on new vehicles.

Import/export cars
If one buys a new car in the Netherlands with the intention to register the car in the UK one does not pay VAT and BPM in the Netherlands but in the UK where the car will be registered.

A car bought in another member-state of the EU is considered to be new if it is less than six months old or has travelled less than 6000 km. If you purchase a second-hand car, VAT is payable in the country of purchase.

In the UK, the HM Revenue & Customs provides information on registration, VAT and Customs. Please visit the website of the HMRC

! ! Be aware of the fact that a car must be insured before driving it from the Netherlands to the UK.

It does have the 'Bright' button some of you mentioned which does seem to be a complete waste of time and no rear wiper. At least I know what it is now and tecnically it's not an import as far as insurance goes because it was first registered in the UK.

 

Easiest way I have found to origin a JDM import is which side the indicator stalk is. On the right, JDM, on the left UK (and probably Netherlands) spec.

Drives me nuts when I jump in my Mrs's Sport when I'm used to my RA. Turn right - fast wipe and smeared screen

 

the GT is basically the same spec as the UK Turbo 2000, but sold on mainland Europe, classed as a parallel import and shouldn't affect your insurance price

 

^ This. There may be minor differences in spec between it and the equivalent full UK car, but in every important respect it's a Turbo 2000 AWD.

 

A perk HM forces have based on mainland Europe and Cyprus is to purchase 1 car a year VAT free.

Your car may have come into the UK that way? Most would source a UK model though for resale purposes. A perk i only took advantage of once in 20 years over there.

And dare i say it , it was an Octavia VRs lol.

 

not completly true i've had 4 uk's and 2 had indicator on right other 2 on left
should say on front page of logbook