I put a deposit down on a UK Impreza (98/R std UK turbo saloon claiming 75k for £4000) a few weeks back and then found HPi records suggest it was clocked by >67k back in '02. I withdrew and the vendor gave back deposit, saying he didn't know which may be true. Gutting. Anyway, what do people think about how best to get a genuine mileage Impreza and do we believe in the mileages quoted on Japanese imports?

Do others have bad experiences about mileage and clocking on UK cars/Jap imports?

I am now looking for UK models with fsh AND MoTs to support mileage. But I was wondering about Jap imports. Esp if they come with a Jap service history which I can get translated. Does anyone have knowledge of translation of Jap service history and what to look for to investigate mileage?

 

Youll know whether the odometer reading by insisting on seeing the auction appraisal sheet. 'Clocking' happens after the cars have been sold, its non-existant in the Japanese car market.


Simon

 

Further to that; Japanese cars dotn have service histories. Less than one in one thousand cars goes through auction with any books, let alone a completed service history. Service records are computerised and a number of factors ensure that people service their cars as they should (think Germans x 100...).

Whenever I say this several people always reply that their car has a service history..... An extremely small minority may do, and more may have a paper service record completed by a servicing dealer, for the importers with a presence in Japan. Mostly theyre bobbins.


Simon

 

BIMTA can perform a mileage check for you, by confirming the odometer reading on the original Japanese auction appraisal sheet. If youre dealing with a proper importer selling proper cars then this wouldnt be necessary, as the appraisal sheet is a selling point of the car and you can expect them to show it to you.


Simon