I bought a boring but unusual car

[JLv3.0]

How do they compare to an S-Class or a Stagea?

[NotoriousREV]

How do they compare to an S-Class or a Stagea?

Shorter.

[simon_g]

So close - last leg of the ship's journey to Southampton is underway.



Paid the taxes due, insured it, should be with me Tuesday, MOTed Wednesday, hopefully all registered and ready to go in a couple of weeks.

[Peterlplp]

Nice.
I had this Stepwgn 2nd gen badboy lined up for the spotted thread but I'll put it here. Some inspiration for you:

[Coaster1]

Yep, k20a - the generation after this (in late 2009) got the r20.

It’s (obviously) not the Type-R one but the economy unit - 155PS.

Send it to Dan for a proper K20 swap

[Jobbo]

So close - last leg of the ship's journey to Southampton is underway.



Paid the taxes due, insured it, should be with me Tuesday, MOTed Wednesday, hopefully all registered and ready to go in a couple of weeks.

Hope the ship makes it through that - looks a bit of a log-jam

[simon_g]

Arrived at Southampton Saturday, cleared by HMRC Monday, then transported to me. Needs a clean after months in docks and at sea and the battery is topping up on the optimate but should be all good for MOT.



Bike check: yep, it fits.

[drcarlos]

Puzzles me that Honda don't try and get into the other markets in the UK they have some good designs.

With a few minor tweaks this would probably sell well in the UK as would the Ridgeline truck (I might even buy one new).

Carl.

[Jobbo]

I was impressed with the new Honda Accord when I was in New York. It looked like a funkier Audi A7. Obviously they've always produced quite different Accords for different markets but I'm not sure there's still a great need to do that.

[simon_g]

Oh god yes, I'd have no need for one but I'd love a Ridgeline.

[Mito Man]

I was impressed with the new Honda Accord when I was in New York. It looked like a funkier Audi A7. Obviously they've always produced quite different Accords for different markets but I'm not sure there's still a great need to do that.

I wish more manufacturers would produce slightly different looking cars for different markets. The BMW big grill styling is to appease the Chinese market- you would think it would be worth them making a slightly more conventional design for the NA/EU market considering how it’s almost universally mocked here.
And FWIW I don’t think the Japanese cars sold in Europe look better than the American or JDM ones so perhaps the Japanese should stop letting the West design those particular cars.

[simon_g]

(once the MOT tester figured out how to test a car with no number plates on the computerised system)

[Richard]

Was it difficult importing a car? Did you use some sort of broker, or can it be done yourself - I guess they need VAT paying, an MOT, registration?

[simon_g]

I used japautoagent who've made the process very straightforward. They pick cars upcoming at auction (or you can look through the listings if you prefer), they have a guy in Japan who attends quite a few of them in person and inspects, sending dozens of photos of all the details. You give him a price to bid up to, you find out in the morning if you got it and then transfer the yen to pay for it. Missed out on a few before getting this one. He arranges all the Japan side (deregistration/export cert, shipping, conversion works, etc) and gets it on a ship. Documents and spare keys are posted over.

When it arrives there's a customs agent in the UK that deals with the tax stuff and just sent an invoice for shipping, import duty, VAT. It arrived on a Saturday, was cleared Monday morning. I insured it on the chassis number with Admiral - I was going to get the train down to Southampton and pick up (driving it to a pre-booked MOT then home) but work got busy so arranged for it to be trailered instead.

For cars over 10 years old, they just need an MOT and you fill out an intimidating V55/5 form (most of which you leave blank) along with a cheque for £55 registration fee and the first VED (£265pa as it doesn't have a CO2 rating). I'm hoping all that is OK and I'll get the registration number through soon so I can get plates made up and drive it. Will be about 4 months from starting to look to registered and able to drive it.

Having people do the tricky bits adds a bit to the cost but made it all very straightforward and I think I've got a really good condition car (minor front bumper scars excepted). MOT tester found it hard to believe it was 12 years old, couldn't find anything on it to fault at all. Fun process, in a couple of years I may be tempted by a newer Stepwagon (or some other oddball JDM thing) and I'd definitely go this route again.

[NotoriousREV]

Are you able to drive it to/from a pre-booked MOT without plates?

[simon_g]

Yes (and I did). Driving without numberplates is an offence, but:

(4)It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under subsection (1) to prove that—
(a)he had no reasonable opportunity to register the vehicle under this Act, and
(b)the vehicle was being driven for the purpose of being so registered.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1994/22/section/42

Driving without plates for any other reason is a no-no however.

[NotoriousREV]

Yes (and I did). Driving without numberplates is an offence, but:

(4)It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under subsection (1) to prove that—
(a)he had no reasonable opportunity to register the vehicle under this Act, and
(b)the vehicle was being driven for the purpose of being so registered.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1994/22/section/42

Driving without plates for any other reason is a no-no however.

Yeah, so driving from the docks to the MOT/inspection is probably fine, driving it 5 hours home probably not so much

[simon_g]

"reasonable distance" for MOT test isn't defined A couple of times I've moved house and the motorbike MOT had expired - pre-booked one in between and rode it to/from.

As it was, I got it trailered for £180 which didn't seem too bad given it saved me a £50 train ticket, some petrol and a day off work.

[mik]

Was it difficult importing a car? Did you use some sort of broker, or can it be done yourself - I guess they need VAT paying, an MOT, registration?

Bryn is probably a good person to also ask.

I drove my Leon back from Holland to Glasgow on its delivery Z-Plates when I imported it.

[Richard]

Seems straight forward enough. Is insurance especially expensive because it’s a scary foreign car?