Buying an Imported Car Secondhand.

Silent_Bob_3

Post up what it is if you do (or dont) buy it then.

[Deleted User]

Make sure you you have the Certificate of Conformity. I imported my car myself a few years ago (from Belgium). The COC was the most important document and needs to be passed on.

Ted_Hutchinson

I bought the Honda Jazz CVT 2003 £5500 on Sunday and it really is a lovely car to drive.
There are a couple of disappointments which I feel honour bound to own up to.
Only one key. I naively thought I'd be able to get another at a sensible price from the local dealer so wasn't too upset about this but I've found out today the price for a spare key is at least £100 which is a bit a rip off.

But not some much as the other disappointment. The radio.
It works fine but when demonstrated the local radio, cassette player cd were all brilliant. I didn't ask the seller to retune it to the stations I use mainly. Radio 3 and 4 Totally useless. It will not pick them up at all. It's fine for Radio 2 and for Local Radio Lincolnshire but it's just hiss for radio 4 so no ARCHERS for my partner and it simply skips over radio 3 without catching it at all. I driven up to the highest point locally and can see the radio mast so it's not a poor signal it's something to do with the set up of the radio for Asian networks. My local radio specialist has had a look and isn't able to improve it.
I've checked with the Honda Dealers and nearly fainted at the price of a new radio/cd/cassette player.

£1000 at least plus fitting and VAT.

I've contacted the local scrappie and been offered a secondhand one for £130ish but wondered if anyone here had any other way round the problem.?

saintjanet

My mother in law paid over £100 for a key for her metro,seems to be the going rate when an immobiliser is fitted.

i am interested in the radio question,i thought all radios were the same and just received different signals in different places,there seems to be more to it than this going by what you say.

I know my radio has an annoying habit of changing stations,on local radio it seems to pick up what must be the strongest signal,which means i can only listen to this one and no others.

I hope someone comes up with the answer for you as i am intrigued!

ronnie_2

Ted_Hutchinson wrote:

I use mainly. Radio 3 and 4 Totally useless. It will not pick them up at all. It's fine for Radio 2 and for Local Radio Lincolnshire but it's just hiss for radio 4 so no ARCHERS for my partner and it simply skips over radio 3 without catching it at all. I driven up to the highest point locally and can see the radio mast so it's not a poor signal it's something to do with the set up of the radio for Asian networks. My local radio specialist has had a look and isn't able to improve it.
I've checked with the Honda Dealers and nearly fainted at the price of a new radio/cd/cassette player.

£1000 at least plus fitting and VAT.

I've contacted the local scrappie and been offered a secondhand one for £130ish but wondered if anyone here had any other way round the problem.?

this is a common feature on cars imported from asia, the tuning range for asian radios is normally between 76 to 90 mhz (fm) whereas we have loads of stations above 90 mhz.

sounds like this is the problem, i dont know what the station presets are for the stations you are talking about but go and turn your radio on and scan through the stations, how high does it let you scan? does it stop at 90?

if you go along to your nearest auto electricians place (apart from halfords) they might be able to install a radio band extender which should hopefully solve your problems and would be cheaper than you buying a headunit even one from the scrap yard. replacing the headunit on these cars would be not too easy with them being "built in"

Ted_Hutchinson

ronnie wrote:

if you go along to your nearest auto electricians place (apart from halfords) they might be able to install a radio band extender

Ive already checked that out and the local auto electrician says it's already got an extender so it's as good as it's going to get.
Suppose I could try a different one for a second opinion.

ronnie_2

Ted_Hutchinson wrote:

Ive already checked that out and the local auto electrician says it's already got an extender so it's as good as it's going to get.
Suppose I could try a different one for a second opinion.

i am pretty sure they are right, the asia market use these extenders as the reception they have is "narrow" - but 2nd opinion is worth seeking before your forced to shell out for a replacement.

Silent_Bob_3

Email/Phone https://www.funkystyling.co.uk as they sell one for Jap cars and they should be able to tell you with this one http://www.funkystyling.co.uk/item_detail.php?prodID=369 will work with your car - I'm pretty sure its universal.

http://www.funkystyling.co.uk/customer_support.php

Good reliable company as I've used them many times before.