UK Car Prices and Importing

I experienced real problems trying to insure an imported car – a Mitsubishi Pajero - from Southern Ireland. As soon as I told an insurer the car was still on an Irish number plate and that I would need a covernote with a chassis number for the DVLA they couldn’t help me. I was recommended to a company called A J Insurance Service (0870) 444 3511 who specialise in imported cars, chassis number covernotes etc. The guy I spoke to was really helpful and explained the registration process to me clearly – in plain English. The cost of the insurance compared well with quotes I’d had from other 4x4 and import specialists. If you are getting knocked back by the red phone or the ...  Read the complete review

Write or Right ? On or Off? Buying any second hand car can be a dodgy and desperate business. Speaking as someone who has only ever bought used cars, ( despite having what may be seen as a 'good' job, this being a senior academic lecturer, no matter what you do in the public sector you are never going to make a fortune, hence the need to buy used cars), I think I am able to voice an opinion from a position of knowledge. I have bought and sold a variety of cars from the 'lower' end of the used car market, from £200 nails from shady auctions, through 'modern' classic to renovate & rejuvenate into a more 'street cred' motor, ...  Read the complete review

Ok, i'm not religous. But when i first drove up to a backstreet garage in Manchester and saw my first ever import I knelt down and kissed the earth. T'was a fine sunny day 4 years ago during the height of Import fever, I borrowed the keys of a 1990 MR2 Turbo Mk2(toyota). With a cheery "you bend it you mend it" quote from the nice chap at the garage, i started her up and pulled away for a test drive. Now as i say i'm not into religion, but I'm afraid i took the lords name in vain when the revs hit the turbo. You can probably guess that I bought the car. My points about imports are : Contrary to what my Car God Clarkson ...  Read the complete review

I just now imported a left hand drive Mercedes 280E 4Matic Elegance Estate with sun roof and special Designo edition. This car is not sold here (4 wheel drive is possibly too small a market for the UK). I wish I had been given tips (similar to those which follow by someone prior to undertaking this adventure). By chance I came across a good website (www.autohit.co.uk) which give fundametal importing tips. Here you find prices of new cars (to compare) and phone numbers of HM Customs and DVLA and information on which documentation to get from them. They actually produce some good booklets. Get these booklets before making a purchase. I then was ...  Read the complete review

Now here's a topic that gets me annoyed every time. Car prices, like so much over here, are very high compared to the rest of Europe. Well, so is booze, cigarettes, CDs, food, etc. I could go on and on. The question everyone is asking is why? The media and consumer groups are quick to point out that it is due to some kind of "mafia" techniqes where the car manufacturers make sure that their prices remain reasonably high. We have recently seen prices being reduced on all fronts in a response to the huge pressures car manufacturers and dealers were being faced with. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about the ...  Read the complete review