Buyer's Guides
Is it worth it?
So, is importing a car really worth the hassle? Are you better off sticking with a normal UK dealer? Here are a few key points to help make up your mind:
- Importing a car from abroad, especially one from outside of Europe, can be a great way to drive an individual machine that no one else will have
- There are substantial savings to made on certain makes and models, but you must do your homework beforehand and get busy with conversion tables and a calculator to make sure the imported car works out cheaper
- Some imported cars have such kudos that they will hang on to their value tenaciously. Have you seen how much American pick-up trucks command on the used market?
- There's a good chance that many imported cars will be to a higher specification than European or UK cars, so not only do you save money, you're more pampered into the bargain
- Getting parts for some imported cars can be difficult, especially the rarer and more exotic the car is
- Servicing can be a problem and you may have to seek out a specialist even for routine jobs. Insurance can also present problems for unusual models
- Cars from outside of the EU are unlikely to have a warranty, so be prepared to pay extra for warranty cover
- Many buyers will shy away from an imported car, so the resale value of your imported dream could become a nightmare when it's time to sell
- Not all imported cars will have the same level of safety or anti-theft equipment as European-spec cars, so check this out and budget for adding some security kit
- UK prices have dropped considerably in recent years, so compare prices here very carefully with those abroad, and also compare car specifications closely to make sure they match your expectations. Haggling a good deal on a UK car could make importing a car pointless