Amazing imports from Japan

[Dino D]

https://www.thecarwarehouse.co.uk/vehicle/24/bmw-z3

Some amazing looking stock and not just the BMW’s - all sorts of weird and wonderful stuff. The a Japanese elite have brilliant taste in left field cars!

And they all seem mint underneath...feel the need for a holiday with some window shopping in Tokyo..

 

[Lazzzydog]

I visited the dealer in Bedworth that advertises Jap imports on eBay and his yard was basically a scrapper and the cars were disappointing compared to the photos. Mint underneath but ratty on top.

 

[Grumps]

When Jap stuff is imported into the UK they are graded by condition. I assume the likes of @Lazzzydog dealer at Bedworth is buying the lower graded stuff or stuff that's already been about in the UK for a while. Jue has had 3 Jap imports and they were great cars, well specced compared to the UK equivalents too.
There is an auction at Southampton docks where you can buy direct off the boat. That's the place to get yourself a bargain.

 

[Tfp]

That breadvan looks great, some of the Jap imports are so clean and tidy.

It's such a shame our British weather, and salty roads, ruin our cars.

 

[mrscalex]

When Jap stuff is imported into the UK they are graded by condition. I assume the likes of @Lazzzydog dealer at Bedworth is buying the lower graded stuff or stuff that's already been about in the UK for a while. Jue has had 3 Jap imports and they were great cars, well specced compared to the UK equivalents too.
There is an auction at Southampton docks where you can buy direct off the boat. That's the place to get yourself a bargain.

The grading system is apparently bullet-proof too. I would imagine the system is highly regulated and that the punishment for mis-grading is severe. So I agree. If the cars aren't all that then he must be buying lower grade.

 

[Delk]

I the grading system is just a guide and I wouldn't trust it. Spent years living on a little island and we bought quite a few of the cars off the Japanese sites. Some were great and others were a nightmare. They are just the same as any action site where they have a tick box to check the basics but at the end of the day you are buying blind.

Bought a Land Rover Discovery once. It was running but someone had been at the EFI wiring and made a mess of it. They never had the best wiring or fuel systems but after they had been finished it was a total disaster. Living where I did made it very hard to repair and get parts and in the end I bought a manifold and carb out of the States and bolted that on. Not idea but at least it ran ok.

The emissions rules in Japan are very strict so you get quite a few cars being sold off just to get them off the road and out of the country.

 

[Jack Ratt]

I visited a dealer in Middlesbro. when I was up there on a course last summer. It was very close to the Riverside Stadium. He had a couple of 2.8 Coupe's and a couple of 2.8 roadsters that were low mileage and very good condition. They were all autos though. The coupe's were around £12k and the roadsters were £7k.

 

[Tfp]

I used to buy only grade 4 or 4.5 cars.

I have to say, I never got a bad one.

But I did travel up to Newcastle docks to get a Delica once to find the wheels had been changed for 4 baldies.

We guessed that had happened in the UK docks.

Clocking used to be a big problem years ago, the Bimta checks helped a bit, but going back 15 years a high percentage of imports got clocked when they arrived.

The dealer I shared a forecourt with left Southampton because if it.

Dealers used to say "nah, you never get service histories"

I've picked up maybe a 100 imports from the docks, most of them had the jap history in the glove box ..

It's changed nowadays though, with the Bimta check able to give you the mileage of the car when it went through the auction in Japan, and most cars are sold at auction over there.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Jap import if it was the car/spec I wanted, ive seen some really nice ones over the years.

My friend still brings the odd bongo in, they are getting harder to get now in nice condition.

 

[Tfp]

This was one of my favourites, my fishing truck.



It would take four of us in comfort, luggage and a whole load of fishing gear.

And still happily go across fields.

Miss that motor.

 

[t-tony]

There was a guy at Welton near Lincoln who imported stacks of these a few years sgo. He had a lot of work done on them where I used to work.

Tony.

 

[Tfp]

There was a guy at Welton near Lincoln who imported stacks of these a few years sgo. He had a lot of work done on them where I used to work.

Tony.

I'd happily have another one but they seem to have suffered bad corrosion after being in the UK for a few years. And the struggle to get even 20mpg was hard to stomach.

 

[Grumps]

None of Jues cars ever did much more than 20-22mpg. She had a 2.8 Pajero (Shogun) a 2.2 Lucida (Previra) and a 3.0 Hi-lux surf. All autos as almost everything is in Japan.
As Tim says they usually start life here looking superb but the English bad habit of salt soon gets in and they turn very quickly.

 

[D R Oldfield]

I was once told jap imports were not undersealed to the same standard as European cars and best avoided at all costs

 

[Tfp]

I was once told jap imports were not undersealed to the same standard as European cars and best avoided at all costs

Many import dealers will offer to have them waxoiled.

Good idea if you're planning on keeping them a few years.

I've never actually directly compared the underseal on UK/import cars, maybe Tony has?

 

[t-tony]

I was once told jap imports were not undersealed to the same standard as European cars and best avoided at all costs

What you were probably told was don't buy a Japanese import unless it was treated at tbe point of import. Because afterwards is pointless.

Tony.

 

[stevie_a]

https://www.thecarwarehouse.co.uk/vehicle/874/toyota-hi-ace

 

[Sean d]

This was one of my favourites, my fishing truck.

View attachment 95644 View attachment 95645

It would take four of us in comfort, luggage and a whole load of fishing gear.

And still happily go across fields.

Miss that motor.

I had a Mitsubishi FTO imported from Japan, it was a cracking car and believe it or not I could get all my carp fishing gear in it, icluding ruck sack, micro cat bait boat, rod bag, bivvy and enough bait and food and clothes for 2-3 weeks fishing in France, every space was full including passenger seat,

 

[stevie_a]

I love this

https://www.thecarwarehouse.co.uk/vehicle/600/suzuki-carry

 

[Grumps]

I love this

https://www.thecarwarehouse.co.uk/vehicle/600/suzuki-carry

View attachment 95670

 

[Tom Martin]

Does it have a tonneau ?