Imprting IS200

[Risky3301]

Hi People, I am new member and very pleased I've stumbled on your web site as I am interested in buying a IS200, I have recently looked into importing, but I don't know where from or where to start. I heard all sorts of stories, Insurance costs higher, No Thatchem Cert 1 certificate, poor trade in values etc etc. I hope that some people out there have imported a IS200 and can advise the best way to it. Any information and advice would much appreciated.

[Steve]

are you looking for Euro Import or Japanese Import?

[Zee007]

Welcome to the club mate... :tumble:

[Risky3301]

Sorry Euro Import

[Ezzer]

Personally, I wouldn't bothed. I looked at doing it myself. But in the process of save a grand or a bit more, it means 4-5 months more waiting! I just don't understand how anyone could wait that long for their pride and joy to come. I instead went to a dealer to look for a nearly new car, and found a BRAND NEW demonstrator to my liking. Got a bit of price off and was in my garage after 4 days of car shopping. But what I have now is fully proper UK spec, and first name terms with dealer. Very helpful and all. And hopefully much better residuals.

[vic]

Yep I did the same on two occasions...went to my local dealer bought an ex demonstrator with 4K on the clock six months old & saved about £4000. I did look into importing but you just dont get much off the IS200 for some reason, it just wasnt worth the hassle.

[javadude]

I've a UK car and have had 4 shocks and the rear discs replaced under warranty with no problems and excellent customer service - to me it's worth buying a UK car for the lexus warranty.

[jenners]

I imported an IS200 Sport from Denmark. OK. - it took eight months to arrive - instead of the 4 months quoted but saved over 7.5 on list price in the uk. That's worth waiting 8months for.

The warranty is pan-european so the warranty doesn't matter where you buy the car from. I've had work done under warranty with no problems so far.

The only down side is, what had been mentioned by Ezzer, the relationship with the dealer - if you don't mind not being a 'mate' of the dealer (more because they don't want to be your mate !) then it's not a problem.

The car is full UK spec (apart from the lip spoiler and the chrome exhaust which get fitted upon entering the UK). I also got sat nav included which was a bonus.

If you are only likely to save a few K then I probably would go for one from a UK dealer.

(Denmark seems the cheapest place to go because the tax is something crazy like 200% - which of course you don't pay because you bring it to the uk and pay 17.5%)

Can't comment on the trade in price because I haven't traded it in but why would anyone want to sell an IS200 !

Let me know if you have any questions - more than happy to share my experience about importing.

(There were a quite a few other importing at the same time as me so there are lots more out there).

[TonyGoose]

My 2001 SE (satnav) also came from Denmark - ordered March, arrived May.

Only difference from uk supplied is wheel locks and etched glass. Hardly worth the extra 7.5k :)

Breakdown cover is better than uk supplied cars ... Includes business class air fare / 1st class rail etc (your choice) to continue journey while car is fixed .. not that we should need it !! Nicer leather document / user guide binder than uk one too ... now we're being really picky :smilegrin:

Same 3 yr pan european warranty as uk supplied - clutch replaced last week (slight judder at crawling speed).

1st service a month ago = 85quid.

Might also be worth looking at Trade Sales and Motorpoint - they sometimes have IS200 in stock at prices similar to mainland europe.

When i was buying, the most clued up dealer for british buyers was the Dutch distributor. They have a seperate phone line for their British customers and supply some uk dealers and numerous fleets.

At the end of the day, Denmark was cheapest for me and the salesman i dealt with very helpful. He's since moved to an Audi dealer though.

[Risky3301]

Thanks guys for your comments,

Jenners, I am very interested to know more about your import, I have looked it importing from Denmark, but all I can find are LHD, I am assumeing yours is a full UK spec, with dead locks etc, have you had problems with higher insurance because of being imported.

My local dealer at Hadleigh has already imformed me that If import I won't get the same treatment as customer who buys direct from him, which I think is very bad but no more than already get from my local 'FORD' Dealers who always mention I never bought the car from them and then have to wait 4 weeks for service etc, not having good relationship or being on first name terms with the local dealer doesn't bother me.

Couple of other things can you advise what broker or dealer did you use and how did you get the car back to the UK.

The 7.5 you mention is that 'Percentage' or 'Grand', Off If it's Grand than I don't mind waiting as I know it will worth wait.

Thanks again for all the comments if anybody else has information or comments, all will be gratefully received.

[Risky3301]

Sorry, my last post is also directed to Tony Goose as well. Being as you have both imported from Denmark.

[TonyGoose]

There are only 3 Lexus dealers in Denmark - Copenhagen, Arhus and Vejle.

Spoke to all 3 and bought from Vejle but i think they're the least experienced in RHD sales - odd since they're the best located for the Esbjerg ferry to Harwich and the German border for a drive back via Holland / France or whatever.

Best thing is just phone them and see what they can offer ... It was over a year ago but I spoke to Martin in Copenhagen (tel +45 44 94 92 00), Henrik in Arhus (tel +45 86 29 25 00) and Key Kristiansen in Vejle (tel +45 75 85 78 88). He's now left but his brother Tonni Kristiansen is still there - say hi from me :)

Also worth a look are Louwman in Den Haag (Hague) - the Dutch distributor.

Contact Mike or Chris (tel +31 (0)70 349 1888).

I sorted a pug 106 quiksilver from Belguim for my (now X) g/f too saving her 2.5k - Huh, lot of good that did me

I think collecting in person gives that extra sense of adventure and satisfaction at saving thousands :P

[Risky3301]

Tony, Thanks for dealer information I will follow up and let you how I get on. I have already contacted the Haag dealer, his prices only saved approx £1500, and that didn't seem worth the effort. I think the Euro dealers have wised up to Brits buying and they are charging a little more.

Do you know for certain if there is any truth in the comment the Hadleigh dealer made 'All Lexus RHD Euro Imports have Unique Chassis no's'

[jenners]

Sorry, the 7.5 was referring to thousands not percentage. I got mine through a place called dkcarimporting (based in Scotland and they simply sourced the best price. I tried contacting them a few months back but didn't get a reply so don't know whether they are just too busy or are not doing this anymore !.

I dealt with the dealer after placing the initial order. It is full UK spec car. I also collected myself and drove it from Copenhagen to the port at Esbjerg. Sorted out the paper work in the week I got back and was riding around init after that !.

Only way of checking out the chasis number thing is to compare our chassis numbers to the onces bought in the UK.

[TonyGoose]

Well my vin is exactly the same format as uk supplied cars ... I've checked ...

No doubt Lexus GB keep a record of the VIN's they supply. They also etch a serial no. in the glass on arrival in uk and keep on a database which you probably won't have on mainland euro cars.

Basically, they're all ordered to identical specs. Even the spoiler and chrome exhaust on the sport are fited in Japan now where they used to be ftted by Lexus GB on arrival in UK.

At the end of the day, ALL IS200 are made in Japan and therefore ALL are imports ... uk supplied or not. They've ALL been imported whether it be by an individual or a distributor.

Also, because mainland EU dealers rarely keep RHD stock, cars are generally ordered factory fresh and won't have been sitting rotting in a field in Kent or somewhere for 6 months b4 selling to a customer.

[jenners]

In answer to your insurance question - Doesn't seem to make a difference as far as I can see - there was a time when I phoned for quotes and went through the hundreds of questions before telling them it was a euro import only for them to say 'we don't insure imports...":flaming:

Now it's more common I haven't had any problems insuring - I am currently with Direct Line who gave a very competitive price but obviously depends on personal circumstances as well.

Lexus GB won't insure an import the last time I phoned them for a quote, but that's their loss not mine.:D

[lexicon]

Originally posted by jenners

Sorry, the 7.5 was referring to thousands not percentage. I got mine through a place called dkcarimporting (based in Scotland and they simply sourced the best price. I tried contacting them a few months back but didn't get a reply so don't know whether they are just too busy or are not doing this anymore !.

They probably went bust offering discounts like that :smilegrin:

[Risky3301]

Hi people, Looks like I've got to wait until Monday, the only thing I could understand on there answer machine was 'open Mon to Fri', As for going bust, not sure on that, the information did lead to me finding a brooker based in Denmark. Link below

http://autobroker.dk/

Thanks again guys for the information