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'08 Parallel Import Ford Focus
A friend who works at a local car dealership has offered me first refusal on a part-ex he's just taken in.
It's an 18 month old 1.6 Style 5-door Focus which is just what I'm looking for. It's only done 8,000 miles and is in perfect condition. He can let me have it he says for £7k if I chuck in my 10 year old Saxo VTR which is worth very little I guess.
The only slight issue is that it's a Cypriot parallel import. He says that means the car came from the same factory etc and the car would have come here on the same ship; simply with paperwork going via Cyprus.
The warranty is only 2 years so hence only 6 months less but on a car with so few miles I'm not concerned.
Similar cars seems to be for sale over £10k so it's a very decent saving unless anyone can point out why I may decide not to buy.
It's an 18 month old 1.6 Style 5-door Focus which is just what I'm looking for. It's only done 8,000 miles and is in perfect condition. He can let me have it he says for £7k if I chuck in my 10 year old Saxo VTR which is worth very little I guess.
The only slight issue is that it's a Cypriot parallel import. He says that means the car came from the same factory etc and the car would have come here on the same ship; simply with paperwork going via Cyprus.
The warranty is only 2 years so hence only 6 months less but on a car with so few miles I'm not concerned.
Similar cars seems to be for sale over £10k so it's a very decent saving unless anyone can point out why I may decide not to buy.
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Comments
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I would have no issue with it being an import, but why from Cyprus.....Expensive place to buy a car so no cost reasons - If it has paperwork relating to Cyprus then I would think it has been used there - not just bought straight here as your mate says. Most EU imports came from mainland europe like Belguim.
Check the spec as it may be different to UK Spec, and forget the warranty - reality is that most Ford dealers here will not want to undetake warranty work on an EU car (yes, I know the warranty is pan european, but whats right and what actualy happens are two different things)
Price looks OK depending on the value of your part ex0 -
plane_boy2000 wrote: »I would have no issue with it being an import, but why from Cyprus.....Expensive place to buy a car so no cost reasons - If it has paperwork relating to Cyprus then I would think it has been used there - not just bought straight here as your mate says. Most EU imports came from mainland europe like Belguim.
Check the spec as it may be different to UK Spec, and forget the warranty - reality is that most Ford dealers here will not want to undetake warranty work on an EU car (yes, I know the warranty is pan european, but whats right and what actualy happens are two different things)
Price looks OK depending on the value of your part ex
Webuyanycar.com (not the oracle of prices I appreciate) would give me £640 for my VTR. I guess I'd hope for £1000-1200 privately so giving me £1000 off for it seems fair enough. The Focus was for sale at £8995 and the dealership in question (a main dealer for another marque) want it off their pitch. He admits that the dealership will make only about £100 on the deal and he'll nip with his fuel card to fill up too.0 -
plane_boy2000 wrote: »I would have no issue with it being an import, but why from Cyprus.....Expensive place to buy a car so no cost reasons - If it has paperwork relating to Cyprus then I would think it has been used there - not just bought straight here as your mate says. Most EU imports came from mainland europe like Belguim.
It could have something to do with the fact that it is RHD, most of mainland Europe is LHD.
Remember that when you come to sell it, it will still be classed as an import and be worth less.
Also your insurers may charge more, have you asked them?0 -
...He says that means the car came from the same factory etc and the car would have come here on the same ship; simply with paperwork going via Cyprus....
How does he know that?
I smell Bovine Excrement.
The Focus for UK & European markets is made in plants in both Spain & Germany. A Cypriot spec car might even be shipped from their plant in Russia (but I'm not sure about that)
What is important is is the car UK spec ... and I don't just mean RHD.
If it's not a genuine UK spec'd vehicle it could have any number of variations such as possibly a different calibation on the EEC to suit local fuel quality, different suspension setting, etc."Now to trolling as a concept. .... Personally, I've always found it a little sad that people choose to spend such a large proportion of their lives in this way but they do, and we have to deal with it." - MSE Forum Manager 6th July 20100 -
A friend of mine bought a car that had originated in Cyprus - it had been bought new by someone serving in the Army, posted in Cyprus. Apparently they can buy them exempt of tax(?) and can then bring them back when posting finishes.Everything will be alright in the end so, if it’s not yet alright, it means it’s not yet the endQuidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur0
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How does he know that? I smell Bovine Excrement.
The Focus for UK & European markets is made in plants in both Spain & Germany. A Cypriot spec car might even be shipped from their plant in Russia (but I'm not sure about that)
What is important is is the car UK spec ... and I don't just mean RHD.
If it's not a genuine UK spec'd vehicle it could have any number of variations such as possibly a different calibation on the EEC to suit local fuel quality, different suspension setting, etc.
I've took it out for a spin this afternoon. It's not got a badge on the back ie Zetec or Style. However it has 4 x electric windows, cruise control and air con which seems to place it pretty well spec. wise.
I really am in two minds with this.0 -
jackieblack wrote: »A friend of mine bought a car that had originated in Cyprus - it had been bought new by someone serving in the Army, posted in Cyprus. Apparently they can buy them exempt of tax(?) and can then bring them back when posting finishes.
On the car's registration document 8th March 2008 shows it was registered to a local independent car dealership. That is also the date it is shown as being imported. The last registered owner was someone else in my town who had the vehicle serviced for the first time at the local Ford dealership in April.0 -
I think you misunderstand.I've took it out for a spin this afternoon. It's not got a badge on the back ie Zetec or Style. However it has 4 x electric windows, cruise control and air con which seems to place it pretty well spec. wise.
I really am in two minds with this.
Ford, like nearly all manufacturers, make cars to sell throughout the world.
They may all look the same (except for LHD & RHD), but for various reasons (e.g. legal, local conditions, etc) each car is specifically built for a destination.
This is nothing to do with what options the car is fitted with such as air con, crusie control etc (save for local marketing requirements), but it could affect a number of 'hidden' characteristics such as I mentioned earlier.
As a clearer example, vehicles destined for Scandinavia will always have daylight running lights fitted. These will be Scandinavian spec'd vehicles.
Unless you are sure the vehicle you are planning to buy is a UK spec vehicle, I would think very carefully before agreeing to buy it.
e.g. if the vehicle has a different calibration, you may find it fails an MOT on emissions when the time comes.
That means you'll need a new EEC (which isn't cheap) and assumes all other necessary components are the same, which they might not be."Now to trolling as a concept. .... Personally, I've always found it a little sad that people choose to spend such a large proportion of their lives in this way but they do, and we have to deal with it." - MSE Forum Manager 6th July 20100 -
On the car's registration document 8th March 2008 shows it was registered to a local independent car dealership. That is also the date it is shown as being imported. The last registered owner was someone else in my town who had the vehicle serviced for the first time at the local Ford dealership in April.
So the date on the logbook is the date it arrived / was registered in the UK. Could it be older then?
Wonder if you could give the VIN to a local ford parts department and ask them for its spec?0 -
I think you misunderstand.
Ford, like nearly all manufacturers, make cars to sell throughout the world.
They may all look the same (except for LHD & RHD), but for various reasons (e.g. legal, local conditions, etc) each car is specifically built for a destination.
This is nothing to do with what options the car is fitted with such as air con, crusie control etc (save for local marketing requirements), but it could affect a number of 'hidden' characteristics such as I mentioned earlier.
As a clearer example, vehicles destined for Scandinavia will always have daylight running lights fitted. These will be Scandinavian spec'd vehicles.
Unless you are sure the vehicle you are planning to buy is a UK spec vehicle, I would think very carefully before agreeing to buy it.
e.g. if the vehicle has a different calibration, you may find it fails an MOT on emissions when the time comes.
That means you'll need a new EEC (which isn't cheap) and assumes all other necessary components are the same, which they might not be.
No I understand. I was just trying to show that it's clearly not UK spec. as no badge and the things it comes with coupled with engine confirm it.0
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