The Seer

I currently own a STi v5 Type-R. Will be selling shortly as I'm not happy with it's rear biased driving characteristics.

I feel I'd like to try another Impreza, probably a v5 or v6 STi, but would prefer the usual 4 door as of the 50:50 torque split.

It would seem a clean example can be bought from Japan and arrive at my on driveway for circa 6K which is a damn sight cheaper than buying one off a trader who specialises in importing. I'm aware of the procedures and costs involved.

Has anybody chosen this route for buying a car. If so, any pitfalls I should avoid? A good and well worth it route or not? All replies appreciated. Thank you.

Alan MaC

Speak to Ivan @ Foresters Subaru.

He's brought in a couple himself & is a dead helpful guy, I'm sure he'd give you some pointers & which sites to look on and the Pitfalls.

Forester Subaru - Subaru Parts, Subaru Spares, Subaru Breakers

Good Luck.

Regards


Alan MaC

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Do bear in mind that a newly imported car will get stung for the £400 road tax band - it's based on the date the car is registered in the UK, not the date of manufacture. It might be worth bearing this extra cost in mind when comparing against a car that's been in the UK for a couple of years already.

The Seer

£400 road tax? What's all this? I heard about some sort of dubious price increase in our road fund licences but unaware of the increase in price. Are Impreza's soon or already subject to £400?

bgood

iTrader: (2)

Seems to be £300 not £400 for the top rate - http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum...&Rendition=Web

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Wait til next year, it's going up.

Not all Imprezas will be hit - just those registered in the last year or so.

L33_WRX

make sure a model report is available for the car too as I understand this causes issues come SVA time

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

I believe there is one for the STI V, but not the VI - even though they're mechanically almost identical.

jasonius

iTrader: (1)

If it's purely the handling characteristics of your Type R wouldn't it be wise to try and eliminate that..?

Sounds silly, but has the geometry been checked..?

May be a lot easier and cheaper than trying to import one..!

Just a thought..

L33_WRX

Model Reports for Subaru, rent a Model Report online here.

The Seer

It would but they're torque split is designed in such a way that elimination of those characterstics would be impossible. O.K. the bonus is that the Type-R an RA won't suffer understeer like the usual impreza with the 50:50 split. Oversteer is great but on public roads when involved in high speed duels it loses time and can easily lead to accidents.

Nobody on here personally imported themselves?

rossi_p

iTrader: (26)

Hi fella,

Have you considered taking a trip to Southampton docks (not too far for you if you're in Essex)? I hear that they have regular ships coming in and you can buy a freshly imported car from auction without the need to pay another company to do it. A friend of mine brought an S2000 this way and saved a bundle.

Or you could try someone like Bonsaicars.com - Car Importers - Auction Car Specialists who may or may not be any good as I haven't tried them.

Good luck!

The Seer

Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware that it was possible to purchase directly from an auction at the docks. Cheers!

Simon 69

If theres no type approval for a car then it will use the old tax bands based soley on swept volume.

Simon 69

And NEVER buy the spammed up crap sold at docks auctions.

Cyberevo

iTrader: (1)

I have a version 6 RA and mine is not 50:50, clearly I can adjust the diff to put more power to the front wheels, but why in the hell would I want to do that unless it was peeing it down with rain, imo rear bias is more more fun

Alan MaC

ANDY C,

Is that deffo on the BIG CAR TAX, it is definitely when it is imported and not when manufactured?

My pal brings in some stunning JAP Stuff At awesome specs, and cracking prices!!

If this so (not suggesting otherwise) the Brown th "Porrige Gobbler" has siffed us again in the rear passage!!

No wonder his nick Name is "Gay Gordon!!"

WTF do these Plonkers hate us so much??

I keep on saying, " My Grandad said to me, in your lifetime, there will be a conspiricy to price the ordinary man off the road. It will be like in my youth, only the rich & the privelleged will be able to take to the roads."

My Grandad was spot on.

Regards

Alan MaC

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Well... I thought so, but Simon seems to think otherwise - best check with DVLA to be sure, I just didn't want anyone getting a nasty surprise.

The cost of vehicle tax for cars, motorcycles, light goods vehicles and trade licences : Directgov - Motoring

Simon 69

Its far from clear, but 'first registration' refers to first use. CO2 emmissions are measured/recorded during type-approval testing. If you import a 1997 Skyline GTR, which churns out as much CO2 as a small Chinese power station, you cant be taxed using the higher bands because the vehicle model hasnt ever been assessed by the ministry.....

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Don't tempt me any further, I've been looking at them in Pistonheads this evening already...

DazW

iTrader: (1)

A few options,

Firstly, you could just run with the dccd a couple of notches fwd ...most do this in the wet anyway

Secondly, you could probably get an STi 5 for around £6K that's already over here

Third option would be to source a s/h box & diff & possibly the drive shafts/hubs & keep your Type R transmission & swap back come sale time ...so the only real cost is fitting

& finally, you could wait a few months & bring in your own '98 Sti 5 without bothering with model reports or SVA's

Cyberevo

iTrader: (1)

So will model reports and SVA become a thing of the past? What year cars will this apply to?

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Sadly what Daz is referring to is that cars over 10 years old don't currently need ESVA with model reports and stuff - they just need an MOT and off you go.

I was told recently, though, that this exemption is itself being withdrawn