Import car resale value *ADVICE NEEDED*

Dabz410

I was looking at a Golf GTi Pirelli edition 2009 and I just found out its an import. It has mileage data from 2014 from japan and was registered in Septemeber 2019 on the DVLA database. So not much background data. If I buy this will the resale values when selling on be severely affected? Are buyers put off by imports? (as I myself am a bit sceptical)

AdrianC

It's pretty much the same car built in the same factory as if it'd been shipped from Germany to the UK back in 2009. There might be minor spec differences. There's zero warranty impact on a 10yo car. It's RHD. So... no, it shouldn't make much difference to the price as the car ages. Less in a few years than it makes now. So how much cheaper than an equiv UK-market car is it now?

Yes, there could be the potential of a write-off-type history, or shonky servicing... But that could apply to any 10yo car. That's why you look closely at a 10yo car before agreeing to buy it.

The fact it was imported used, as opposed to new, is obvious to anybody putting the plate into the DVLA Vehicle Enquiry, given there's two "first-reg" dates. https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/
(From one of mine... Date of first registration - May 2002, Date of first registration with DVLA - July 2010) - and the V5C states it was imported, and gives the date of it being SVAd)

facade

Some insurers don't like to cover imports. They always ask if it is a UK spec vehicle.

You will be able to insure it, but maybe not at the cheap prices you are expecting.

Watch that it has a UK speedo, and that the radio works- FM stations in Japan are on a different frequency to ours, also any SatNav will be in Japanese, and unlikely it will change to English.

Dabz410

AdrianC said:

It's pretty much the same car built in the same factory as if it'd been shipped from Germany to the UK back in 2009. There might be minor spec differences. There's zero warranty impact on a 10yo car. It's RHD. So... no, it shouldn't make much difference to the price as the car ages. Less in a few years than it makes now. So how much cheaper than an equiv UK-market car is it now?

Yes, there could be the potential of a write-off-type history, or shonky servicing... But that could apply to any 10yo car. That's why you look closely at a 10yo car before agreeing to buy it.

The fact it was imported used, as opposed to new, is obvious to anybody putting the plate into the DVLA Vehicle Enquiry, given there's two "first-reg" dates. https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/
(From one of mine... Date of first registration - May 2002, Date of first registration with DVLA - July 2010) - and the V5C states it was imported, and gives the date of it being SVAd)

Yeah but there's only one MOT since it was registered in late 2019. So apart from the mileage, there is no confirmation of whether it is a write-off or not. Whereas for a car registered in the UK you can do an HPI check to see if its been written off. So surely this would decrease the value/make it harder to sell privately?

Mercdriver

It would but whether that matters will depend on how long you intend to keep it.  After a certain period of time, it will be marginal

Dabz410

Mercdriver said:

It would but whether that matters will depend on how long you intend to keep it.  After a certain period of time, it will be marginal

I want to keep it for 2 years. It costs £9000 at 75k miles, if after 2 years it has 90k and I sell privately surely I'd take a huge hit in the price considering its an import registred in 2019? 

Mercdriver

Then you need to factor that into what you are prepared to pay for it at this point.  A decent price for it should take into consideration, so all other things being equal, you shouldn't be massively affected.  

Scrapit

Ive been told the Japanese don't use salt on their roads so could be good news for a mk4 golf, but I'm guessing yours is a mk5 and didn't have the rusting on the wheel arches as far as I'm aware. Any way, less rust is good.

[Deleted User]

Probably better to ask on a VW forum.
There can be surprising differences between a Japanese spec and UK spec.
My car has door impact beams the same car sold in Japan doesn't.

Grumpy_chap

Dabz410 said:

I was looking at a Golf GTi Pirelli edition 2009 and I just found out its an import. It has mileage data from 2014 from japan and was registered in Septemeber 2019 on the DVLA database. 

Dabz410 said:

I want to keep it for 2 years. It costs £9000 at 75k miles, 

Are these the same car?  £9k for a 2009 75k mile Golf.  Import.  Really?

Dabz410

Grumpy_chap said:

Dabz410 said:

I was looking at a Golf GTi Pirelli edition 2009 and I just found out its an import. It has mileage data from 2014 from japan and was registered in Septemeber 2019 on the DVLA database. 

Dabz410 said:

I want to keep it for 2 years. It costs £9000 at 75k miles, 

Are these the same car?  £9k for a 2009 75k mile Golf.  Import.  Really?

Yeah these are the same cars. I've come to my senses way too much money for the car.