New car, turns out to be an import. HELP

[Morgen]

Hi guys

My Mum's just purchased a 57 reg Gti in black and was supposed to pick the car up today... The finance is all paid out so that's all good and grand but her insurance company were having a hard time finding the car under the reg.. It also shows on the V5 and Hpi checks as a "Volkswagen Golf" - no model, nothing! The cc's are correct and it does state it's a petrol though.. The engine number shows "NOT KNOWN" and it can't display any additional information such as bhp, torque, valves etc.

So, she phoned Volkswagen and found out it's an import from the netherlands and this is why, although it was never registered over there. It was registered as brand new in Surrey.

Are there any differences between EU spec mk5s and UK spec ones? The distance shows in miles and everything, rather than km and it looks the part but I don't want her committing to this car now that there's an obvious issue! Not being able to insure it without going to a specialised company is highly irritating but I was wonder if there's going to be any other issues or if anybody else has encountered this same issue?

If there are no more issues I think she'll try get some money back as a goodwill gesture, as her insurance is going to cost a bit more and this whole process has been a TOTAL pain in the arse! 


Also, will parts be an issue? The reg doesn't appear on glass's guide, parts websites, tyre websites or insurance comparison websites.. Urgh

[r5gtt]

Hello,

If your moms not happy her with her purchase she can cancel the finance agreement I'm sure of this. as she wasn't aware of the car being an mport?.

[Shoduchi]

If it's a RHD car the rest should be the same as any UK registered car. I don't see any specs difference between EU or UK GTIs.

How come the car was never registered in the Holland? It's an used car, right?

[skard]

Does it have manual aircon dials and have you checked whether it has an alarm? Generally, imports are valued a bit less.

There have been some threads on this over the years, if you search the forum.

[Chedburn]

 My last two golfs have been imports, don't see a problem with them at all. Quite often they are better equipped than the UK's. My GTI i was called a Golf GLS originally when I tried to get insurance , but it is a GTI (something wrong with the translation) and they changed it for me.
Insurance, tax, parts are all the same price for me.
Although I did get my car a bit cheaper because it's an import, so you may want to request a bit of money back, other than that I think she'll be perfectly happy!

[irish_ram]

There may not be any issues with it being an import but by the sounds of the hassle already I would say unless this car has specific things she wants the return it.

If the dealer did not mention it was an import then it was sold under false pretences even if the dealer did not know. Plus under consumer rights you have a right to return within a certain amount of days.

[4ndy]

My last two golfs have been imports, don't see a problem with them at all. Quite often they are better equipped than the UK's. My GTI i was called a Golf GLS originally when I tried to get insurance , but it is a GTI (something wrong with the translation) and they changed it for me.
Insurance, tax, parts are all the same price for me.
Although I did get my car a bit cheaper because it's an import, so you may want to request a bit of money back, other than that I think she'll be perfectly happy!

exactly  

[Morgen]

Update..

She likes the car enough to take it! It's not got any exciting options at all but it's clean and she really loved it when we viewed it. She's managed to insure it with no bother now - her current insurance company had just spat the dummy out at the mention of the word "import" without asking any more about it. Probably assumed it was LHD or something.

I think she's going to request a full tank of fuel as a goodwill gesture because of the hassle, and the fact the car is ultimately worth a little less being an import!  I think that should be 100% do-able and if the dealer doesn't comply there'll be words had 

[zayd]

I've found that UK spec cars are usually highest spec in their standard forms. The U.K. market has the highest equipment demands in Europe. I had a Maltese Import Subaru a couple of years ago and the Driver Centre Controlled Diff was an option on the car. It was standard fitment for Uk cars though. To clarify the cars the UK version even had the rear Badge, STI Type UK, on the back!

[Shoduchi]

I've found that UK spec cars are usually highest spec in their standard forms. The U.K. market has the highest equipment demands in Europe. I had a Maltese Import Subaru a couple of years ago and the Driver Centre Controlled Diff was an option on the car. It was standard fitment for Uk cars though. To clarify the cars the UK version even had the rear Badge, STI Type UK, on the back!

Not at all. Tell me the UK standard GTI spec and I'll tell you the Portuguese GTI standard spec. Or any other car that I know well...

[r5gtt]

I've found that UK spec cars are usually highest spec in their standard forms. The U.K. market has the highest equipment demands in Europe. I had a Maltese Import Subaru a couple of years ago and the Driver Centre Controlled Diff was an option on the car. It was standard fitment for Uk cars though. To clarify the cars the UK version even had the rear Badge, STI Type UK, on the back!

You're wrong there mate.

[Shoduchi]

Any Portuguese GTI has this base equipment that I've seen some UK GTIs without:
-Leather flatbottom MFSW
-Front under seat drawers
-Front footwell lighting
-Front and rear armrest
-Front cup holder and bottle opener
-Rear cup holder
-Right rear door ashtray
-Highline cluster
-Cruise control
-Aux-in outside the armrest
-Aluminium pedals
-Light and rain sensor
-Follow me home
-Electrochromatic rear-view mirror
-Climatronic dual-zone climate control
-Monza's II 18'' wheels

Any GT Sport has almost the same level of equipment too (they miss the flatbottom SW, the aluminium pedals and the 18'' wheels).

[r5gtt]

Any Portuguese GTI has this base equipment that I've seen some UK GTIs without:
-Leather flatbottom MFSW
-Front under seat drawers
-Front footwell lighting
-Front and rear armrest
-Front cup holder and bottle opener
-Rear cup holder
-Right rear door ashtray
-Highline cluster
-Cruise control
-Aux-in outside the armrest
-Aluminium pedals
-Light and rain sensor
-Follow me home
-Electrochromatic rear-view mirror
-Climatronic dual-zone climate control
-Monza's II 18'' wheels

Any GT Sport has almost the same level of equipment too (they miss the flatbottom SW, the aluminium pedals and the 18'' wheels).

I'm missing a few things off that list now have CC  . no rear door ashtray. no Aux as I took the aftermarket one out. no under seat tray/draw.

[oisinc]

I think the fear of an import is an irrational one..
Helped by the domestic motor trade fear mongering.
In a lot of cases, imported cars are better specced, better maintained and driven in environments less harsh and destructive than our own.

It was always in the interest of the local motor trade to dumb down imports ;)

If the car was manufactured in Europe to European standards I cannot see your mum having any sort of issues.
Hope she enjoys it and best of luck with it. 

[doylebros]

My only question would be to the insurance company.

What affect will it have on the settlement value if the vehicle becomes a total loss for whatever reason?

I'm not a lover of insurance company's so would request a reply in writing for your file.