Relocating From Japan To Uk. Need Your Expert Advice Please!

[tokyolight]

Hi All

I need your help!

I've just joined this club as I'm relocating (back) to the UK after a couple of years in Japan. I've almost decided to buy a new Harrier RX400h AIRS 4WD S package (similar to the Lexus SE-L, I think).

Considering I've been away from the UK for the last 5 years and will have had the car for 6 months, it make sense as I don't pay any tax/vat in the UK and I'm happy driving an import.

However, after reading the posts on this website, it seems that there are a few 'import' issues:

1. I'm buying my car through a Toyota dealer. Does anyone know a good alternative in Tokyo?

2. Has anyone used a good (and cheap!) shipping company that they can recommend? Is it better to go for the full service or just get them to do the shipping and sort out customs myself?

3. The Sat Nav / Control Panel is an optional extra. The dealership says that this will NOT work in the UK and CANNOT be converted (something about a hard drive) but they're offering it to me anyway! Details were sketchy. Does anyone have a definitive answer on what options will/won't work on the Sat Nav / Control Panel and the rough costs to convert? Is it better to go for the option or is it just too much trouble to convert? I think the option costs around GBP1400 extra.

4. I realise the FM radio will need to be fixed and the MPH added to the speedo. Any ideas on rough cost? Also, I read on the DVLA website that if I'm importing the vehicle for my personal use, I have to have a SVA test. Is this a documentation procedure or does something need to be done on the car itself? Their website wasn't too clear but I'm going to try and call them today.

5. Finally, I know white is not big in the UK, but they do look damn good in real life!

BTW, I'm going to the Harrier dealer's row again in a week or so, so if I can help you in return, please let me know.

Thanks in advance for any help on any of the above points.

Dan

[Mr Morse]

Personally I would leave everything to one of the professional Jap car importers. A couple of the guys here have got their fingers burned recently with imports due to the SVA requirements and unless you are 100% up to speed I'd say it's worth paying a bit extra for peace of mind.

Here's a few importers you could try. They all have good reputations. Last year I went through Tom Solan of NVI who imported a first class MR2 Turbo for me, all went incredibly smoothly!

www.nvicars.co.uk

www.japanese-direct-imports.co.uk

www.neweraimports.com

www.jm-imports.co.uk

[IanF]

As one of the people who has just been shafted by a suposedly professional importer, I would agree - you wont gain very much financially, and could end up with an unregisterable car.

The only exception would be if you are not leaving Japan for a few months - there is a loophole in the import laws that means if you live in the country of export, and have owned the car for more than 6 months, you can import it to the UK as a "personal import" without the need for ESVA and (I think) no tax. This is well worth it, as the tax is an extra 30% on top of the purchase price - and if you want you can get a car that wouldn't pass ESVA requirements.

There are more details on the VOSA website (www.vosa.gov.uk).

Ian

[hopeful]

I relocated from the US to the UK a few years back, I did not bring my motor with me only household goods. I used Robbins of Swansea on both trips, both many years apart and they were first class. If you just want to ship the car I am sure they could do it for you. We had a few unusual requests that they dealt with no hassle.

[LennyLexus]

As one of the people who has just been shafted by a suposedly professional importer, I would agree - you wont gain very much financially, and could end up with an unregisterable car.

The only exception would be if you are not leaving Japan for a few months - there is a loophole in the import laws that means if you live in the country of export, and have owned the car for more than 6 months, you can import it to the UK as a "personal import" without the need for ESVA and (I think) no tax. This is well worth it, as the tax is an extra 30% on top of the purchase price - and if you want you can get a car that wouldn't pass ESVA requirements.

There are more details on the VOSA website (www.vosa.gov.uk).

Ian

Hmm maybe one should look at getting a years contract out in japan? Something different and back with a tax free ride

does the same apply to the middle east?

[IanF]

Has anyone used a good (and cheap!) shipping company that they can recommend? Is it better to go for the full service or just get them to do the shipping and sort out customs myself?

I can't recommend any specific companies, but there are regular car transports from Japan to Europe - it takes about 6 weeks and cost about £600

3. The Sat Nav / Control Panel is an optional extra. The dealership says that this will NOT work in the UK and CANNOT be converted (something about a hard drive) but they're offering it to me anyway! Details were sketchy. Does anyone have a definitive answer on what options will/won't work on the Sat Nav / Control Panel and the rough costs to convert? Is it better to go for the option or is it just too much trouble to convert? I think the option costs around GBP1400 extra.

Jap sat nav will not work here. The best you can do is find a converter that will allow you to add additional video feeds to the built-in screen, and fit an aftermarket sat nav system to this. The original sat nav hard drive will be useless. Maybe you can get a good deal on having a screen fitted but no hard drive.

Maybe you could get a UK spec sat nav installed (they all come out of the same factory - so they must be available)

4.I realise the FM radio will need to be fixed and the MPH added to the speedo. Any ideas on rough cost?

Not too expensive - speedo convertor about £50. FM band expander about £20, but reception quality is usually pretty poor - most people dump the jap radios when they import.

Also, I read on the DVLA website that if I'm importing the vehicle for my personal use, I have to have a SVA test. Is this a documentation procedure or does something need to be done on the car itself? Their website wasn't too clear but I'm going to try and call them today.

SVA is the biggest problem with importing cars - in principle it is a check to demonstrate that an import complies with UK safety laws. However the paperwork required is very specific, and if you get anything wrong you could end up with a car that cannot be registered. I would highly recommend you leave this to an expert - a mistake can very easily cost thousands.

I think the DVLA definition of 'personal use' assumes you are resident in the UK, but have bought a car from overseas. 'Personal import' is a different classification, and assumes you have owned the car for a period of time whilst living in the country of import. Personal import avoids most of the red tape and pitfalls, but there are restictions on how long you have owned the car before import, and how long you must keep it once in the UK. However, I'm only writing this from memory, and as you say, the website isn't very clear, so best check with the people in the know.

Ian

does the same apply to the middle east?

I believe so - if you have owned the car for (I think) more than 6 months in any country, you can bring it into the UK without too much hassle. It's still got to pass an MOT, but I think it doesn't need to go through ESVA.

However there are lots of restrictions to prevent it being used as a loophole for importers - you have to have been resident in the country for a period of time, owned and used the car for this time, and you have to keep it for a minimum period once in the UK. I can't remember the exact time periods, but they are on the DVLA website somewhere.

Ian

[tokyolight]

Thanks for the answers, guys. I made some progress with customs and DVLA...

As long as one meet the requirements (relocating back to the UK AND have been away from the UK for 12 consecutive months AND have used the car abroad for at least 6 months AND intend to keep the car for personal use in the UK for at least 12 months), there is no import tax, no VAT and no requirement for the EVSA. Only the SVA is required and this can apparently be signed off at an Official SVA Centre by an "engineer's visual inspection" and is nowhere near as complicated as an EVSA as there are no extensive lab tests etc required.

Having found that out, it seems like a no-brainer to import a new RX400h as I will meet the above requirements. My Firm is also willing to pay for the shipping/transport/insurance, so it sounds like too good a deal to miss.

I also called the Toyota dealer and they said the only modifications they have made in the past for expats going back to the UK is an adjustment to the rear brake light (some spec difference between Japan and UK) and replaced the rubber seals on the back door (power door) and they haven't had any complaints about cars not being registerable. They are the main RX dealer in Tokyo, although I know once a salesman always a salesman....

I also asked about the Sat Nav and they said this is the one sticking point they always have with UK expats (he got a bit nasty (Japanese style nasty) when I asked him this). The ONLY option Toyota will offer in Japan is the Sat Nav with Japanese hard drive system. They will not fit a screen without the hard drive and if you decline the option, the screen space is replaced by a plastic panel (nice!). But from what I read below, it's probably better to go for the Sat Nav and then try and get some sort of conversion done in the UK.

Also, is it true that most people dump the radio's when importing from Japan? I thought the Levinson system was supposed to be one of the best car audio systems around? What do people do...rip out the audio system panel and replace it with something else? It looks like it's all fitted into the console. I listen to the radio a lot whilst driving, so if someone could answer this, I would be very grateful.

Thanks

Dan

[Ullevi]

Hey Dan,this is totally OT,but out of curiosity,what is "Japanese style nasty"?

I am intrigued.....

[IanF]

Do plenty of research on sat nav converters before buying - I'm sure other folks will have posted what does and doesn't work and the costs. I would estimate £300 for a converter, and another £800 for an aftermarket sat nav system.

The downside is that it will never be as well integrated or elegant as the factory one - you will probably be left with redundant controls on the dash, and will need an extra remote control. It may also be harder to integrate properly with the stereo. You may also run into problems if the sat nav screen is also a touch screen for controlling other systems.

I've personally never tried a radio band expander, but I've heard they cause a noticable degradation in the quality of the radio signal. If you listen to the radio a lot, this may be a problem.

When I said most people dump the jap radio, I hadn't considered all singing built in systems - the options are probably to either live with the band expander, or find an identical system from a scrapped UK car and swap them over.

You shouldn't have too much problem with an SVA - the things that need doing are speedo conveted to mph, rear fog light fitted, fuel neck restricator adding and if you have HID lights they must be self leveling. It's worth getting the car undersealed to protect against UK road salt, but this isn't a legal requirement.

Ian

[tokyolight]

Hey Dan,this is totally OT,but out of curiosity,what is "Japanese style nasty"?

I am intrigued.....

Well, it all started off with a slight bow of the head and he rests his chin on his chest. It went on for quite a while and I thought he'd had a cardiac. I thought I'd killed a man over my new RX400 Sat Nav. Another of his colleagues wanders over and she asked if I'd like a drink and Cardiac turned around and was foaming at the mouth. "No," he says, "he wants one of those foreign DVD things in the car with a big map of Europe, like they did in the Roman times." (!) He walked off in a huff then and came back dragging some poor girl behind him and said I could have her instead (this is no joke). She looked like she was on the YTS or something, and I declined his offer. Then he went away again and came back as if nothing happened at all. It all goes back to the Noh (stage drama) where characters are allowed to have more than one 'face' so they can save one while they totally wreck the other one. He even showed me his RX400h on the way out. Crafty guy... he's had the Toyota badges replaced with Lexus. And he's the manager of the main Toyota Harrier dealer in Tokyo!! Now do you understand why I really have to leave 6 months after I get my car... to the day? Hence, the rush to join up on this board yesterday and get your expertise. It's a bit like dealing with those Warwickshire farmers.... you never know where you stand.

[greenbal]

A friend of mine did one of these a few years back. He bought a car which was converted to european specs. He had "Japanese"satnav, but he replaced it with a European spec one just before he left Japan. He bought the kit (ordered it a few month before!) and got the dealers to exchange the whole satnav. It can be done. You probably need to tell the dealers about it before ordering and judge their reaction. from what he says he went to several dealership before he could find one who would play ball!.

Hope its not tooo bad as an experience.

Cheers

[Noel]

Hey Dan,this is totally OT,but out of curiosity,what is "Japanese style nasty"?

I am intrigued.....

Well, it all started off with a slight bow of the head and he rests his chin on his chest. It went on for quite a while and I thought he'd had a cardiac. I thought I'd killed a man over my new RX400 Sat Nav. Another of his colleagues wanders over and she asked if I'd like a drink and Cardiac turned around and was foaming at the mouth. "No," he says, "he wants one of those foreign DVD things in the car with a big map of Europe, like they did in the Roman times." (!) He walked off in a huff then and came back dragging some poor girl behind him and said I could have her instead (this is no joke). She looked like she was on the YTS or something, and I declined his offer. Then he went away again and came back as if nothing happened at all. It all goes back to the Noh (stage drama) where characters are allowed to have more than one 'face' so they can save one while they totally wreck the other one. He even showed me his RX400h on the way out. Crafty guy... he's had the Toyota badges replaced with Lexus. And he's the manager of the main Toyota Harrier dealer in Tokyo!! Now do you understand why I really have to leave 6 months after I get my car... to the day? Hence, the rush to join up on this board yesterday and get your expertise. It's a bit like dealing with those Warwickshire farmers.... you never know where you stand.

Sorry no advice...... but that is a very funny story

[Ullevi]

Hey Dan,this is totally OT,but out of curiosity,what is "Japanese style nasty"?

I am intrigued.....

Well, it all started off with a slight bow of the head and he rests his chin on his chest. It went on for quite a while and I thought he'd had a cardiac. I thought I'd killed a man over my new RX400 Sat Nav. Another of his colleagues wanders over and she asked if I'd like a drink and Cardiac turned around and was foaming at the mouth. "No," he says, "he wants one of those foreign DVD things in the car with a big map of Europe, like they did in the Roman times." (!) He walked off in a huff then and came back dragging some poor girl behind him and said I could have her instead (this is no joke). She looked like she was on the YTS or something, and I declined his offer. Then he went away again and came back as if nothing happened at all. It all goes back to the Noh (stage drama) where characters are allowed to have more than one 'face' so they can save one while they totally wreck the other one. He even showed me his RX400h on the way out. Crafty guy... he's had the Toyota badges replaced with Lexus. And he's the manager of the main Toyota Harrier dealer in Tokyo!! Now do you understand why I really have to leave 6 months after I get my car... to the day? Hence, the rush to join up on this board yesterday and get your expertise. It's a bit like dealing with those Warwickshire farmers.... you never know where you stand.

Wow,thanks for the reply,Dan.

Sounds extraordinary and fascinating to those of us unfamiliar with the ways of the Land of the Rising Sun!

[tokyolight]

A friend of mine did one of these a few years back. He bought a car which was converted to european specs. He had "Japanese"satnav, but he replaced it with a European spec one just before he left Japan. He bought the kit (ordered it a few month before!) and got the dealers to exchange the whole satnav. It can be done. You probably need to tell the dealers about it before ordering and judge their reaction. from what he says he went to several dealership before he could find one who would play ball!.

Hope its not tooo bad as an experience.

Cheers

Hi Greenbal - Thanks... that's interesting to know. Any chance of finding out which dealer he used??!!

Thanks

Dan

[tokyolight]

OK, the saga continues. 'Cardiac' called today and asked if I was definitely taking the car back to the UK. Yes, I said. He THINKS there is a possibility of problems with the RX400h running on UK petrol. This is not official Toyota information, just his hunch. He thinks the computers are hard-wired for the Japan octane system and he doesn't know if the UK petrol is different or if there will be any issues. He doesn't think the computer setting can be changed.

Basically, is there anyone who's reading this who is actually driving an Japanese imported RX400h that was originally built for the Japan domestic market. If you are, I assume there are no problems driving with UK petrol (and how different can petrol be??).

Thanks guys, and hopefully I'll shut up after this post.

Dan

p.s. Cardiac also thinks the moonroof is "the best thing since white rice", which I think is his way of getting into my good books again after his nasty episode.

[IanF]

I can't speak specifically for the RX400, but in general Japanese domenstic cars are tuned to run on 100 RON fuel, which I understand is standard over there.

UK standard unleaded is 95 RON, which is where the problem lies. However UK super unleaded is 98 RON, and Jap imports run fine on this. I would be 90% sure that the ECU is capable of detecting the lower RON fuel, and adjusting the ingition timing to compensate - I've never heard of a modern car that wasn't capable of this, so I don't see why the RX should be any different.

Ian

[Ullevi]

I can't speak specifically for the RX400, but in general Japanese domenstic cars are tuned to run on 100 RON fuel, which I understand is standard over there.

UK standard unleaded is 95 RON, which is where the problem lies. However UK super unleaded is 98 RON, and Jap imports run fine on this. I would be 90% sure that the ECU is capable of detecting the lower RON fuel, and adjusting the ingition timing to compensate - I've never heard of a modern car that wasn't capable of this, so I don't see why the RX should be any different.

Ian

Yep,BP Ultimate 97 RON,Shell Optimax 98 RON,and Tesco superunleaded 99 RON.

No-one goes higher than 99RON in UK retail.

[gazwalker]

I just had to add, that was hilarious

[tokyolight]

Just in case anyone's interested... Toyota confirmed that the domestically-made RX400h is capable of detecting/adjusting for different RON of fuels. The ECU or whatever can re-calibrate itself when the RON is lower than the domestic 100.

Thanks

Dan

[Bob King]

Sorry to say i'm also no help to you on this thread, but find the japanese customs very strange :) .

[tokyolight]

Order for the Harrier Hybrid is in! 1 month for delivery.

[greenbal]

A friend of mine did one of these a few years back. He bought a car which was converted to european specs. He had "Japanese"satnav, but he replaced it with a European spec one just before he left Japan. He bought the kit (ordered it a few month before!) and got the dealers to exchange the whole satnav. It can be done. You probably need to tell the dealers about it before ordering and judge their reaction. from what he says he went to several dealership before he could find one who would play ball!.

Hope its not tooo bad as an experience.

Cheers

Hi Greenbal - Thanks... that's interesting to know. Any chance of finding out which dealer he used??!!

Thanks

Dan

I have emailes my mate as he lives now in Seattle but his email has bounced back twice. I'll try to locate him or his new email via some American friends and let you know ASAP.

Cheers

[tokyolight]

It's been a while but I've moved back to the UK and I pick up my car from Southampton tomorrow! I got it shipped back, no tax or VAT, passed the SVA and had the badges changed to Lexus (the Toyota dealer in Tokyo gave me a gift when I told him I was taking the car back to the UK. It was a box of Lexus emblems, complete with hubcaps and an English Lexus manual... nice touch!).

Now I just have to find someone to convert the TV, add a FM expander and fit a stand-alone Sat Nav. Anyone know someone who can do all this???

[aido]

I think the guys on here recommend the guy over at www.soarer.tv - he's done a few of the guys on here and they're all really happy with the TV conversions :)

That was a nice touch from the dealer in Tokyo :D

[Dave-Ellen]

I think the guys on here recommend the guy over at www.soarer.tv - he's done a few of the guys on here and they're all really happy with the TV conversions :)

That was a nice touch from the dealer in Tokyo :D

Lukes a nice guy with a good rep