Question about import Clios

[Alex_225]

I bought my car from a place called Jefferies Farm Trade Centre in Crawley.

Got my 53 plate Clio 172 for £12.5k brand new. It was imported but was registered as a British car and is completely British spec.

Does this mean it devalues the car so if I sold it, it would be below the average price. I would assume if it was a straight up import with the plates changed etc then it would but this was all registered as British.

Your thoughts please!!

 

[Gareth]

it is an import, being registered as a British car makes no difference.

 

[Griff]

Where was it imported from?

Did it come with an alarm, eteched windows, locking wheel nuts etc?

 

[mr sheep]

peeps say it does around £500 but the funny thing they are all imports in reality...

all sports are made in the same factory lol

wouldnt bother me (prob cos i got one) some people are fussy.

 

[Lee]

If it wasnt brought over here by Renault UK it will always be seen as an import and will always be worth less.

My 172 was an import from Motorpoint. Come trade in time I got a grand less than if it had been a Renault UK supplied car. Of course I paid a lot less for it so was quids in.

Imports from EU countries are worth a little more than those from none EU countries as they have more warranty.

 

[mr sheep]

its all relative u pay less u sell it for less, same loss difference either way..

 

[Alex_225]

Mine came from Belgium with no plates registered to it. They got put on when I said I was gonna buy the car and put down my deposit.

Its got the full spec, alarm, etched windows etc. I made sure it was all proper when I was buying it. Also Renault have not argued about covering it under warranty so Im assuming I can class it as full on British.

 

[Lee]

The alarm will most likely have been fitted by where you purchased it from though, and not the Import centre.

Renault never argued about warranty would on my 172.

 

[Alex_225]

I actually bought it directly from the import centre and according to them it is a standard alarm. They import and sell the cars apparently.

Renault even checked the alarm when I had it serviced so Im assuming its standard.

 

[Griff]

Nope. As Britain has a somewhat worse car crime reputation that other European countries our cars came with alarms while other countries didnt. It WILL have been fitted by the import company or their agents regardless of what they tell you.

The bottom line is you HAVE to declare it as an import regardless of how you feel about it.

 

[Pete]

Def an import, and pre registered to them as well going by the "new" cars on their site.

 

[Alex_225]

I would declare it if I sold it and to be honest its not a problem considering the ammount saved by buying it.

Would an aftermarket alarm be fitted using the standard keyfob?

Would Renault check a non standard alarm when they service the Car?

I would of thought that the import centre wouldnt bullsh!t me about the alarm. Im thinking that if this isnt a Renault fitted alarm and they tell me it is, Im gonna kick of at them if it goes wrong and Renault wont fix it under warranty?!?!? Im just thinking now

 

[Griff]

Quote: Originally posted by AlexJMills on 30 November 2004Would an aftermarket alarm be fitted using the standard keyfob?Would Renault check a non standard alarm when they service the Car?


Yes its still the standard key and yes Renault would "check" it. Its probably the same alarm that comes with genuine UK cars anyway.

 

[Lee]

If the import centre fitted the alarm its most likely the same Cobra unit they fit before the cars head off to the main dealers.

My old import had the alarm fitted by Motorpoint so had a Sigma one, which was better than the one I have now!

 

[Alex_225]

I just wondered that was all.

Im not disputing anyone but I would be surprised if the place I bought it from actually have the ability to install an alarm. The reason I say this is that they are simply a car supermarket and dont have mechanics onsite. Thats partly how they keep their costs down.

 

[Griff]

Alex what you have to appreciate is that this "place" didnt hire a lorry and go to Belgium themselves. They will have used a 3rd party import company and its this company that probably had the alarm installed.

 

[Alex_225]

Ok then!

 

[JillyB]

Quote: Originally posted by .Griff. on 30 November 2004


The bottom line is you HAVE to declare it as an import regardless of how you feel about it.

Only if the buyer asks if it is.

 

[Lee]

Quote: Originally posted by AlexJMills on 30 November 2004
I just wondered that was all. Im not disputing anyone but I would be surprised if the place I bought it from actually have the ability to install an alarm. The reason I say this is that they are simply a car supermarket and dont have mechanics onsite. Thats partly how they keep their costs down.


Motorpoint used to use a local registered fitter to add alarms to there imports which didnt have one as standard so Id imagine most places do something similar.

The alarm on my 182 is playing up the Renault garage have to keep getting in touch with Cobra to try and rectify the fault.

 

[Yugguy]

Mine was a parallel import, no alarm, no etching. But covered by 3 year Renault warranty. The dealers had a laserline cat 1 alarm fitted by the local car electric place ( a reputable one) that I paid 250quid for.



As to legality, well, it has only ever been registered in the UK, it has the certificate of conformity however, from France, so it could easily be traced as an import. I think if I was selling it privately I would tell the buyer, as hopefully I would be selling to another car enthusiast, but if trading in to a dealers I would not.

 

[Pete]

Quote: Originally posted by JillyB on 30 November 2004

Quote: Originally posted by .Griff. on 30 November 2004


The bottom line is you HAVE to declare it as an import regardless of how you feel about it.

Only if the buyer asks if it is.

You have to declare it as an import for insurance as well.

 

[JillyB]

Quote: Originally posted by Yugguy on 30 November 2004


I think if I was selling it privately I would tell the buyer, as hopefully I would be selling to another car enthusiast, but if trading in to a dealers I would not.

A dealer will always ask.

A private buyer might not.

 

[Griff]

Good point Pete ^^^

Alex if youve not told your insurers its an import Id do this asap.

 

[JillyB]

Quote: Originally posted by Pete on 30 November 2004

Quote: Originally posted by JillyB on 30 November 2004

Quote: Originally posted by .Griff. on 30 November 2004


The bottom line is you HAVE to declare it as an import regardless of how you feel about it.

Only if the buyer asks if it is.

You have to declare it as an import for insurance as well.

You dont. My insurance said it didnt matter to them unless it was a grey import.

 

[Lee]

Quote: Originally posted by Pete on 30 November 2004
Quote: Originally posted by JillyB on 30 November 2004Quote: Originally posted by .Griff. on 30 November 2004
The bottom line is you HAVE to declare it as an import regardless of how you feel about it. [/QUOTE]Only if the buyer asks if it is.[/QUOTE]You have to declare it as an import for insurance as well.


Most insurance companies dont care unless its a grey import. Parallel imports arent an issue. Neither the AA or Tesco cared that mine was as I did mention it.

 

[Griff]

Quote: Originally posted by JillyB on 30 November 2004Quote: Originally posted by Pete on 30 November 2004Quote: Originally posted by JillyB on 30 November 2004 Quote: Originally posted by .Griff. on 30 November 2004 The bottom line is you HAVE to declare it as an import regardless of how you feel about it. Only if the buyer asks if it is. You have to declare it as an import for insurance as well.You dont. My insurance said it didnt matter to them unless it was a grey import.


It wont make any difference to the premium but you still have to tell your insurers its an import. I certainly wouldnt run the risk of not mentioning it and regreting it in the event of a claim.

 

[Lee]

When I told me insurance company all they wanted to know was "is it right hand drive, and has it got an alarm fitted to the same rating as if it were a UK car". Tesco didnt even want to know those two things!

 

[Alex_225]

My insurers never asked about it so Ive never told them.

To be honest I wasnt buying it as an import I was simply buying from a car supermarket. The only way I knew it was brought over from Belgium is coz Im nosey and asked the salesman how they sell them so much cheaper.

I know it is effectively imported but as said before all of them come from the same factory so they are all effectively imports. If it has only ever been registered as British, is right hand drive and is British spec then me and most other people are gonna class it as a British car!!!

 

[Chili Red]

Yep ^^^ same here

Mine didnt have an alarm so I paid £200 to get one fitted - my insurance company didnt care that it was a parallel import.

 

[Pete]

Theyre still imports when it comes to trade in times, and if you check elephant/belldirect/admirals web site you select either 172 or 172 import.

 

[Griff]

Quote: Originally posted by Pete on 30 November 2004
Theyre still imports when it comes to trade in times, and if you check elephant/belldirect/admirals web site you select either 172 or 172 import.


That was my point. I wasnt trying to say insurance companies will care or penalise you but they will want to know none the less. If you fail to state it was an import and then write it off good luck to ya...

 

[JillyB]

Quote: Originally posted by AlexJMills on 30 November 2004


I know it is effectively imported but as said before all of them come from the same factory so they are all effectively imports. If it has only ever been registered as British, is right hand drive and is British spec then me and most other people are gonna class it as a British car!!!

You can class it whatever you like but unfortunately dealers will class it as an import and when trading in dealers use any excuse to knock money off, an import being one of them.

If you dont plan on trading in then youve got nothing to worry about.

 

[Lee]

I got a very good trade in for mine.

 

[JillyB]

Quote: Originally posted by Lee on 30 November 2004

I got a very good trade in for mine.

Dont start me on that!

Im sure there was something dodgy going on between you and that dealer his eyes lit up when i mentioned your name!

 

[Alex_225]

Im not too phased about trading it in and losing a bit of £££

I mean it was significantly cheaper than buying from Renault and if you stick with buying imports then the next car would be cheaper anyway!

 

[chris182]

Quote: Originally posted by Lee on 30 November 2004

Quote: Originally posted by Pete on 30 November 2004

Quote: Originally posted by JillyB on 30 November 2004

Quote: Originally posted by .Griff. on 30 November 2004



The bottom line is you HAVE to declare it as an import regardless of how you feel about it.

Only if the buyer asks if it is.

You have to declare it as an import for insurance as well.

Most insurance companies dont care unless its a grey import. Parallel imports arent an issue. Neither the AA or Tesco cared that mine was as I did mention it.

Mine still hasnt got an alarm and insurance company couldnt care less, as long as its got factory fitted imobiliser.