Yaris T-sport

[KarenB]

After a bit of help if poss! Bought my T Sport in March from a large UK dealer (not Toyota). After seeing the MR2 and wanting one i took it into Toyota to see what they would give me on the Yaris as part-ex. They looked and came back and said it was an import!!!!

There is no note of this on the V5 and i'm not really sure how to check. I would like to know where its come from. Any help???

[vmail]

try the manual, it will have the suppliers stamp on it

how many previous owners ate on the V5?

[KarenB]

Thanks, i'll look at the manual. There is one other owner on the V5 who had it new from registration (09/02). I was going to get it HPI'd myself but am trying to avoid paying the £30 (tight i know!)

I am really interested to see exactly what i have bought. Umm, would have probably been a good idea to do that before i bought the car!

[vmail]

sorry not the manual, it the service record on the first page, you will see the dealers stamp

[SuperRetard]

The Toyota dealers have access to HPI and the DVLA... unless they're fibbing, it's probably an import. Not that it matters, 'cos it's still got to be a UK-spec car if it's right-hand drive!!

[KarenB]

As i know nothing about imports, is there a difference between one that perhaps come from Japan and one from say, Europe?

I have no experience in this whatsoever!

Also, would i need to tell my insurance about it?

[SuperRetard]

The only thing 'import' status could mean in your case is that the original buyer didn't pay Toyota UK's inflated RRP. This discount at source in turn de-values your car compared to a same-age, same-model, UK-bought example.

If your car was imported from Japan it would have lots of changes and bump up your insurance because of the increased cost of repair. For a start it'd be called a Vitz RS, and secondly it'd have different bumpers and a square-ish number plate.

[Robie]

Some models are made in Japan and others are made in Europe (France). Generally Jap built Yari' are better build quality than French.

I think T-Sports are all Jap and my CDX, imported from Holland is Jap built aswell.

[Kenno]

Replied on the other post, but I'd better stick it here....

Not sure if this is the sort of help you're after, but my girlfriend bought a car from a local dealers. It was supposed to be a UK car, with 1 previous owner. When she got the V5 though, it said that the original owner was overseas so it's an import, and that it's had 2 other owners too (she would be the 4th!). When she checked with the insurance company, they said that technically she's never been covered to drive it cos she didn't tell them that it's an import - the premium went up to nearly double, so she took it back to the garage and got her money back (after a LOT of arguing and tears etc.).

[vmail]

what was the address of the dealer, did you find it in the service record?

dont tell the insurace people, play dumb, you may have to pay more

[KarenB]

The car looks the same as any other Sport i've seen and i dont think it has different bumpers. I bought it from Ian Shipton Cars, its a massive place. When i look back i should have checked the cars details more, i would have normally done. I had just been looking for a Sport for so long and it was exactly what i wanted.

I got it at a good price so i'm not too bothered about it, i just feel the need to know where its come from!

Would an HPI tell me all of these details or is the info sketchy?

[vmail]

in my service record it says

Autocentrum Costendorp

Oude Udenseweg 25

5405 PD UDEN

but the V5 has a UK address (shefield)

the service record shows you where the first owner got the car from

[KarenB]

I will look at all my docs tonight and see what they say. If i post it on here tomorrow and chance you can see what you think?

Thanks

[Kenno]

dont tell the insurace people, play dumb, you may have to pay more

My girlfriend's insurance company basically said that she wasn't covered to drive, so if she'd have been involved in an accident they wouldn't have to pay out. Even though she genuinely thought it was a UK car. You should check with Blue84 about it though - she works in insurance so she'll be able to tell you what usually happens probably.

[vmail]

but if you buy the car from a UK dealer and the dealer does not tell you its an import, then what can you do?

[SuperRetard]

It depends what TYPE of import the car is.

If it's a parallel (UK model, imported from another country) the insurance will still be there, but if they do payout they'll knock a bit off the value.

If it's a grey (non-UK model, imported typically from Japan) then they just plain won't cover it.

This car is NOT a grey import tho'!! It can't be if it says 'Yaris' on it! The right-hand drive Yaris Tsport is ONLY made for the UK.

[Kenno]

but if you buy the car from a UK dealer and the dealer does not tell you its an import, then what can you do?

My thoughts exactly, but some insurance companies will use any excuse they can to avoid paying for something. Not sure what this one was (might have been Elephant but not sure). The car she had was full UK spec, which is how the garage had got away with saying it was a UK car, so I don't know why it would cost more for the insurance anyway.

[Viper_7]

Insurance wise I think your fine...import or no import...as said..it's a UK spec Car.

Imports are usually more expensive to ensure...as the parts are hard to come by in this country....not exactly true with the Yaris!

Mine's an import...regestered new in the UK to me.

I saved 2K on the dealer price. Basically I bought the same car abroad ( via a dealership who deals in this) before Toyota delaers over here bought it..and inflated the price to pay for their swish showrooms.

The only difference...is that I didn't get a Tsport Badge on the back..and the Toyota logo is red. That's it...got air-con alarm as standanrd...some imports you don't get air-con.

But...the dealers here know it's an import and thus give you a naff trade in price...as they know you got it a damn sight cheaper.....totally unfair!!

So if you buy an import....idea is not to trade it in..but to sell it privately...otherwise you'll lose what you saved.

Vipes

[yaristpot]

List your spec level... imports tend not to have rear spoilers/sunroof and a/c plus a few other small differances <_<

[T V O R]

I saved 2K on the dealer price. Basically I bought the same car abroad ( via a dealership who deals in this) before Toyota delaers over here bought it..and inflated the price to pay for their swish showrooms.

The only difference...is that I didn't get a Tsport badge on the back..and the Toyota logo is red. That's it...

In that case then are all T-Sports imports?!

My Toyota logo is Red as well.

If the dealers buy it abroad instead of you then what’s the difference? They stick a Badge and spoiler on and charge more so why isn’t it classed as an import.

You have me confused!

[Viper_7]

Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!

Toyota's are NOT made in this country...so it's an import...no matter what!!

I had that out with my dealer...as they insist on stamping IMPORT all over my service documents...they ever crossed out in massive big red pens Kilomteres and wrote in miles etc... just takes the mick.

I just point around their showroom..going import..import..import... and I ask em...can you show me a car that's not imported....

Another customer started clapping!...dealer fella was just dumbstruck.

Oh..I did get the spolier...all that weas different was the lack of T-sport Badge on the back..and the colour of the logo..everything else is like any other bought in the UK.

My wife's 1L came from Ireland...saved around a grand on that too....and there is no difference whatso ever in the spec or the build.... actually imported from Ireland...but it was delivered there from Japan!

It's actually cheaper to import a Ford from Abroad...that started out life in this country...go figure.

UK motorist is ripped off...especially in the dealerships.

Vipes

[Blue84]

a lot of cars arent made in england anymore, so tjhey are imported here when they are new which makes them english registered. Some cars are first registered abroad and then imported - which changes things (I think). If you have fully comp insurance and crash then your insurance for your car will be void if the car is found to be an import, there is a possibility that the third parties claim will be covered but you could have to pay for the third party claim when its all been sorted..if you dont then court cases can start etc. Karens case is a bit diffferent as she had no proof of her car being an import..if she could prove that to her insurance then the might, and I emphasize MIGHT be ok.

[KarenB]

Thanks for all your replies everyone. My car also has a red Toyoto Badge on the back and NO T-Sport Badge on the back. It has everything else spec wise e.g sun roof, air con.

I looked through my docs at home and i have a ECC Certificate of Conformity showing the name and address of manufacturer as "NVToyota Motor Europe, Belgium"

Also, the dealer stamp in the guarantee book is "Autocentrum Oostendorp in Uden"!!!

The V5 shows a lady in Birmingham as "new at first registration" owner.

Now i'm really confused. Is it safe to say this an import from Europe? I'm a bit weary of not telling my insurance as they have already shafted me about a man that hit into me!

[vmail]

Ive told them jack, where is Uden?

[KarenB]

No idea where it is, is the same as yours tho? I know as much about geography than i do buying imports ha!