Buyer's Guides
Top ten grey imports
If you import a car that is available on sale in the UK, it's known as a 'parallel import'. The main advantage to doing this is the potential for a decent saving over the UK showroom list price.
There are, however, also a number of cars sold abroad that are not available over here - especially in right-hand-drive Japan. These are known as 'grey imports'.
Here are some of the best non-UK buys if you fancy something a bit different:
Mazda Eunos (MX5) From: Japan
Mazda's brilliant small roadster is every bit as good to drive when imported from Japan but comes loaded with luxury kit as standard.
Mitsubishi Pajero From: Japan
A Mitsubishi Shogun in everything but name, but Japanese spec cars tend to come with all the goodies, including extra wing-mounted mirrors for easier parking.
Nissan Skyline From: Japan
You love it, they love it, we all love it. Big, lairy and fast, look out for special editions that have more power.
Honda Integra From: Japan
Why Honda didn't officially import this we will never know, but it's a superb coupe-cum-sportscar with screaming engine and fine handling.
Subaru Impreza From: Japan
One of the most popular cars to import from Japan and it's easy to see why thanks to superb four-wheel drive performance and handling.
Holden Commodore SV8 From: Australia
Big, brash and likes a drink. A typical Aussie then, but this one doesn't work behind your local's bar but delivers Monaro-esque performance with four-door practicality.
Ford Mustang From: USA
It's a legend and the latest version is the best looking since Steve McQueen took one for a spin around San Francisco. Hard to resist.
Chevrolet Corvette From: USA
If you've never dreamed of owning a Corvette, even for a split second, you need help. More compact latest version is great to drive and it handles.
Cadillac EXT From: USA
Buy a Caddy EXT and pretend you're a Premiership footballer. Why you'd want to do that is beyond us, but the EXT is oddly desirable for marrying pick-up with luxury car.
Hummer H2 From: USA
The baby Hummer may be based on the Chevy Blazer, but it's got more attitude than a car full of teenagers and still gets looks on every high street.
There are, however, also a number of cars sold abroad that are not available over here - especially in right-hand-drive Japan. These are known as 'grey imports'.
Here are some of the best non-UK buys if you fancy something a bit different:
Mazda Eunos (MX5) From: Japan
Mazda's brilliant small roadster is every bit as good to drive when imported from Japan but comes loaded with luxury kit as standard.
Mitsubishi Pajero From: Japan
A Mitsubishi Shogun in everything but name, but Japanese spec cars tend to come with all the goodies, including extra wing-mounted mirrors for easier parking.
Nissan Skyline From: Japan
You love it, they love it, we all love it. Big, lairy and fast, look out for special editions that have more power.
Honda Integra From: Japan
Why Honda didn't officially import this we will never know, but it's a superb coupe-cum-sportscar with screaming engine and fine handling.
Subaru Impreza From: Japan
One of the most popular cars to import from Japan and it's easy to see why thanks to superb four-wheel drive performance and handling.
Holden Commodore SV8 From: Australia
Big, brash and likes a drink. A typical Aussie then, but this one doesn't work behind your local's bar but delivers Monaro-esque performance with four-door practicality.
Ford Mustang From: USA
It's a legend and the latest version is the best looking since Steve McQueen took one for a spin around San Francisco. Hard to resist.
Chevrolet Corvette From: USA
If you've never dreamed of owning a Corvette, even for a split second, you need help. More compact latest version is great to drive and it handles.
Cadillac EXT From: USA
Buy a Caddy EXT and pretend you're a Premiership footballer. Why you'd want to do that is beyond us, but the EXT is oddly desirable for marrying pick-up with luxury car.
Hummer H2 From: USA
The baby Hummer may be based on the Chevy Blazer, but it's got more attitude than a car full of teenagers and still gets looks on every high street.
Before you shop, though, consider the following points:
- Grey imports can cost more to insure
- You may have to carry out work on the car to conform to UK legislation (for example, fit orange indicators, change speedo from KPH to MPH)
- Parts availability may be a problem for some vehicles
- Some garages may be reluctant to carry out work on a grey import car