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TelMel
18-07-2004, 02:34 PM
I tried today to get a quote for a newer VR4 than my '97 model from
http://www.jap-link.co.uk/japanese_car_import.htm and I recieved a reply back saying..."Due to new laws we can not import such a car Sorry about that".
Does anyone know what these new laws are ?

Brind
18-07-2004, 02:39 PM
It's not that they can't (perhaps that's so with the company above) the SVA tests have become stricter and therefore the modifications that need doing to a VR-4 is much more hassle.

Try another company, you'll get one if you really want one.

richibass
18-07-2004, 07:40 PM
I saw this on Autotrader website & thought it might be relevant!

2000 V Reg MITSUBISHI LEGNUM VR4
5 Doors, Manual 5 speed, Estate, Petrol, 23,000 miles, Black. BIMTA APPROVED, Central Door Locking, airbag double, AN RAC APPROVED DEALER, AN RAC INSPECTED VEHICLE, British Type Approval Certificate, climate control, DIRECT FROM JAPAN, Electric Adjustable Mirror, japan auction photo with papers, One Owner, power steering, Rear Spoiler, Twin turbo, ABS, Alloy wheels, Electric windows. Government legislation to be introduced on 01/04/04 will make it difficult or even impossible for modified cars to be imported from many countries including Japan. Due to the small number here some may even increase in value. Act now and secure the car of your dreams. For more pictures of this car and others click on DEALER WEBSITE below or visit our web site www.magnummotor.co.uk £12,999.

Louis
18-07-2004, 09:24 PM
Hi guys,
I finally got my Legnum VR4, I saw this thread and am just adding the info that I have found out while trying to import one.

I was going to import one myself, but the laws on imports changed in April this year, and it makes it much more difficult to get one through, I spoke to a couple of trade importers who said they would not be bringing any Legnums in unless specifically asked for,(they used to pick up a selection of cars with cars they bought to order), the new SVA is much more hassle, e.g. the remote locking radio frequency has to be changed to a UK spec, which means taking out the factory one and replacing it with an aftermarket unit, also fitting a fog light was a pretty straight forward task for the SVA test, now according to the new SVA booklet you can't just run a wire from the dash switch to the fog lamp, the wire has to be, quote "part of the wiring loom" which would mean getting a UK spec wiring loom with a cable for a fog lamp on it, (if that exists for the car you are importing). One import dealer I spoke to said that they were going to cable tie the new fog light wire every 12 inches to the existing wiring loom ( to make it a part of the loom) but until they tried to put one through like this they wouldn't know if it was acceptable or not,and there are many other things to change now, just loads more hassle.
The old SVA was easy enough, it was just hassle getting things done when you wanted them.
What the dealers did say was that if you've got one now it should hold it's value pretty well as any that are brought in to the country now will be more expensive due to the higher cost of SVA ing the cars for this country, and again they will not be imported unless they have been asked for (and these will be more expensive due to the cost of getting one through the new SVA test), no more spec buying by dealers, so if you don't have one it's going to be harder to find one!.

If you really want one they will bring one in but be prepared for the cost. there are some newer Legnums already in the country that were brought in before April this year, so there are some here, the important bit is that as of April this year it is much more difficult to import a post 98 car to the UK, hope this helps, I will post more info if I find any, cheers Louis

Wodjno
18-07-2004, 10:24 PM
Sorry i should have posted this when i recieved it .. hope it helps .. Oh and this company is really great at finding you what you want .. obviously if at all possible that is ?
Thanks for your recent enquiry, six months ago bringing in a 2000/1 Legnum would have been no problem, but unfortunately there is a new law where all vehicles 1997+ must have a model report in order to pass the new E.S.V.A tests. Unfortunately a report does not exist for the VR4’s and therefore no more 97+ will be entering the country until a report is done.

This only leaves two options: 1, wait until a report becomes available or 2, bring a Legnum in and use this car in order to obtain a report (usually a wait of around 2 months!)

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news

Please let us know if you have any further questions

Thanks

Patrick, Group20

02380 234747

02380 236565

sales@group20.co.uk

www.import-japanese-cars.com

kaos13
18-07-2004, 10:47 PM
not sure if any of you know this but the main reason you wont get many of the new skyline legnums and such imported after the manufactur of 1998 is because this report they need to do involves a full crash test . and no dealer is willing to import a car over just to smash it up and pay for the report just so they can import some more :sad3:

strangebat
19-07-2004, 12:00 AM
i've posted on this issue before when I was looking for a fresh import, I've spoken to a couple of impoters in scotland and they've basically said the same, they will not import any more vr4's because they can't sva them due to a lack of test sheet that covers the model :(

Brind
19-07-2004, 12:10 AM
One things a bonus from this situation, they're gonna be worth more when it comes to selling them. :) from the sellers perspective.

TelMel
19-07-2004, 05:10 AM
Thanks guys for all your replies. It looks as if no more VR4's are going to be coming into the country for a while....if ever ! Making our cars even more rare.
I have had mine for 3 years and 50k miles and only seen one other.....

Louis
19-07-2004, 09:32 PM
Hi Guys,
I checked my ESVA handbook (guidelines and what is tested etc, comes with booklet P15, how to import a vehicle in to the UK from outside the EU).
The (1) front impact protection and (2) side impact protection only apply to vehicles manufactured after 1st Oct 2003.
As for Vehicles manufactured after this date, the manufacturer can provide a report stating the standards and requirements that the vehicle has had to meet in Japan, in some cases these will have been more strict than the sav specification, again, all is not lost if you want to import one, but you will have to look hard to find an importer here to bring one in for you, or you have to jump through the beauracratic hoops and do it yourself. There are still many exporters in Japan willing to send the vehicles here, they do all relevant paper work and deregistration etc in Japan and put vehicle on board a ship to a port of your choice in the UK. When I was looking at this 3 months ago their commission including all paper work and sending documents DHL to me in the UK was about £500, the shipping was about £950, and the car I was looking at was a 2000 Legnum and was £3,600, so about five grand all in.
BUT when it gets here you pay 10% customs and excise, then 17.5 vat on top of that then all the sva begins, which is a lot of too ing and fro ing for no aparent reason.

But it is possible, it's just that not many people will be doing it now due to the hassle factor, cheers Louis