wampa

Is a car from holland,Belgium an import or not, is there any difference from a uk car. do they keep there money as good as a uk car.

Sundance

Its classed as an EU import and your other question is answered in the FAQ

AquilaEagle

It will have been IMPORTED from Holland or Belgium etc. http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=import

They tend to sell for less. (But means you can buy for less too)

moff

Any car produced for a country outside the UK (and imported in) is a euro import or parallel import. Any car produced for a country outside the EC is a grey import.

Car Data Checks / HPI are not allowed to show euro imports as the DVLA won't let them. The DVLA will also not distinguish between UK and euro imports.

However it will be clear in the service history book, and from the PDI stamp. The VIN will also give it away.

I don't think there is a problem buying them and saving some cash (I did with an Audi) but just expect to lose a similar amount that you saved when you come to sell it.

There is a huge legal row at the moment with Subaru (IM Group) not honouring any Subaru warranties on cars that are not UK cars. Motorpoint are currently taking the IM Group through the EC courts. We don't have the same problem with Honda, but this case may prove a turning point depending on the outcome.

Quote from AM-Online:

[I]A row over warranties between car supermarket Motorpoint and International Motors could have serious repercussions for all resellers sourcing new cars from franchised dealers.

International Motors, the official UK supplier for Subaru, Isuzu and Daihatsu, has invoked the Block Exemption rule which states dealers are not allowed to sell new cars to resellers. Unlike some carmakers, which ignore such practices if it means selling more cars into the market, IM believes it damages the brand.

The row erupted after Motorpoint issued a statement claiming IM was refusing to honour warranties of new cars imported from the European Union to be sold by third parties.

In a statement to AM IM says:

Bassoctopus

The difference with the IM/Subaru case as opposed to Honda, is that IM is not owned by Subaru but is just franchised to sell the cars in the UK. IM are having to honour warranties on cars that they did not sell, at their expense.

You can see why they get a bit frustrated with the import situation.

Luckily Honda UK is owned by Honda, and consequently isn't that bothered about service, recall and warranties on imports

cheshire_carper

Subaru will ultimately fail here. Europe are hell bent on removing this sort of activity.

eSeM

Not always

From an insurance point of view a UK spec car sourced from another European country is treated in exactly the same way as a UK car.

Also pre 04 imports have the advantage of not having the POS alarm that Honda UK insisted on installing and the boot opens with the remote *every* time.

moff

I would check with the insurance company. Direct Line was my insurer when I had my S3 and they did not distinguish between euro imports and UK cars, but I heard lots of stories in my Audi days where insurers did.

Nick Graves

Insurers used to cause a fuss, but in the early days, it was in everyone's interest to create horror stories, to separate the confused form their bucks.

It worked too, for there were many who would pay more for a used car from a dealer than the cost of a brand-new EU import. Sometimes out of impatience, often out of superstition.

UK_S2000

My g/f got her car from Belguim as it saved her some $$$'s, but hers is still classed as an import even though it's a UK spec car.

She tried quite a few companies and they all told her the same.