I haven't owned an imported Impreza before,having stuck to a UK model previously but would like to buy a Type R later in the year when I retire as a weekend bit of fun.
My question is - Where have these typically 1998-2000 cars been for the last decade? I was under the impression that after 3 years cars were kept due to Japans stringent 'MOT' system.Have they been in some sort of storage? or am I barking up the wrong tree completely and they've been driven around Japan for the last few years.

I standby to be educated .....Thanks

 

As far as i know they all come from Japan as all other countries are left hand drive only Japan and malta are same as us i think.

 

Lots of people like the imports that have been kept over here as they have a full service history. Not foolproof but it made sense to me.

 

I'm happy they come from Japan ,I'm just in the dark as to where they've been and what they've been used for in Japan . I'm pretty ignorant of Japanese Vehicle regs but I thought that the vehicle inspections were so stringent that people discarded older cars .Does this mean that a 2000 car has been effectively laid up for a decade ?

 

Places like this.

http://www.findjapancars.com/search/...X+STI&keyword=

 

Its 10 yrs a car has to be took off the road in japan, your not finding many 93-2000 year impreza freshly imported, its the later models now

Most classics have been in the country some yrs or at the latest since 2010

 

Thanks very much .That's much clearer .

 

My 95 import didn't get imported intil 2006 when I bought it I got a lot of receipts and paperwork with it but all in Japanese so don't really mean anything if I ever sell it unless the buyer reads Japanese nice to keep with the car though also still have the flair under passenger side dash oh and found a random Japanese sweet under the seat lol

 

Did you eat it?

 

That tallies in with the 10 yrs rule, it was made in 1995, expired in 2005, what with it taking time to sell/ship over etc 2006 is the right time roundabout etc to be in this country

 

Tried to trick the missis into eating it but got rumbled lol

 

My car is a 94 and was imported in 2007. It must of been in storage due to the condition, a very clean car................ no flair tho what was/is the point of a flare in a car??

 

Yeah,you will get some with a yr or 2 out of the 10 yr rule,as you say,in storage for a yr or so then the sale/import time of a yr etc it all works out.

Flair,hmm,dunno, health n saftey gone mad over there LOL

 

Not sure about the flare apparantly they should be took out when they come in but mine is still there dyin to set it off but don't know how big it will be could be quite embarrassing outside my house and if I set it off in the country might get air ambulance tryin to rescue me lol

 

still got the flare in mine, went into a shop, and come out to find my mate mucking about with it, asking "what is this", nearly had a heart attack, so its taken out of the car now lol

 

Hahaha, i always wondered what that holder was for. A friend of mine has a 96 and his flare is still there too. Their not in the best location.

TBH most Import Impreza's are in better condition than uk, even if there's a few years between them.

 

Get a few through Cyprus as well. Right hand drive there and they get loads of cars through from japan. I brough a 3 seriesd back from there when i did a 3 year posting there but there were guys bringing back RX7's, Evo's, Impreza's...

 

from what i know the flare isn't a flare as such it's more like a torch they are to be put in the road behind the car if it breaks down like we have the reflective triangles.

 

my sti 2 wagon my95 came over in 2005 i collected it from the docks , i got a suprise with mine got the flare,got service history, got a jap news paper in door pocket and in the glove box was a rather large dead cicada trying find a pic i got but google it scary **** glad we dont get em



not my pic this one cant find my one yet

 

I've been tempted to set mine off.
Do you snap it or something else to set it off?
Anyone done it?



Danny.

 

Should arrange a mass flare setting off session never dared take the cap off to be honest and instructions in Japanese don't help. make a fire chuck them all on and run away god I need to grow up

 

My type r was impoted from new zealand originally from japan.

 

Still got the flare in mine, my 5 year old found it! and ask 'whats this daddy' oops close call!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Some nice looking cars on that site! Not that i'm looking mind but how much would the fees normally be to bring one over? Also, how much do the Blobs go for?

 

Not sure i agree with that statement as a whole. Ive seen some truly lovely classic jdm impreza's and some real sheds, same as for uk models.
I think this is more a case of beauty is in the eye of the beholder ;-)

 

I`d say JDM cars are more structually sound, you look under a uk classic and look at the diff/rear ARB area and its pretty rotten visually,maybe not integrity (if it hasnt been fettled with etc) yet the same aged JDM is usually a bit better

Id also say that most of the imports have had some repair work, yet the repairs are done to a much higher standard

 

How can that be when jdm cars are not undersealed until they hit our shores where as uk cars are sealed up at the factory from new?

I had my uk car waxoiled straight away just as a matter of course. Looking under it though it did not really need it.

 

Better weather conditions in Japan so no need for waxoil

 

The flares are rubbish i set 1 off as i took it from a previous Scoob that was written off
I was expecting a big missile or summat its just like a roman candle Gutted i let it off
But got another 1 in the Type R just leave this 1 though

 

that is true, ive seen quite a few uk rotboxes ,newer than mine, just cos they are undersealed doesnt mean the rest of the stuff under the car doesnt goes rusty, mine was in amazing condition underneath before i waxoiled it and it has been here a couple of years.

i think with the flares you wack the end on the road and it lights it, i reckon they are probably duds by now though