tokyolight

Cheers guys... much appreciated. I'll get in touch with Luke.

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???

Hello I finally got my Harrier Hybrid into the UK and it's all SVA'd and is awaiting registration. I'm looking for a one-stop shop to install Sat Nav, Bluetooth, FM expander, and iPod. Ideally I want everything integrated as far as possible (e.g. stereo mutes if a call comes in, 'phone' button on the steering wheel, hidden mics etc). I've seen a few shops on this site (Luke Soarer TV, Lextasy etc). Can anyone recommend someone in the South East or London that I can speak to who would be competent enough to do the whole job?

Hi Bugsy Just wondering if you ever managed to get the Sat Nav converted ??? Thanks Dan

Hi All Million and one questions follow... any assistance, as always, much appreciated. I couldn't find answers to these on the forums. - I will be shipping my car back to the UK in about 8 months under the 'personal import' rules, so it only has to undergo the less serious SVA. Will my little wing mirror be allowed or do I need to temporarily remove it? I don't think you can have the mirror under the ESVA rules, but not sure about SVA. - Does anyone know where to get Lexus badges, trims and mats? Can't seem to find anything on eBay as other people have suggested... maybe my search terms are too weird? . Also, do all badges fit all models and are they difficult to change? - After the shipping journey, there is a possibility that the traction battery will be discharged. The manual says that the car needs to be driven at least every fortnight to stop this happening (I can't see Capitan Birdseye letting me zoom around the deck!) Apparently, it may not start and you have to call the Lexus dealer to fix the discharged traction. What do they do differently and why can't I start the car some other way? - Finally, has anyone experienced SVA (UK) Ltd based near S'hampton port? Any good/bad reviews? BTW, I live in Tokyo so if anyone needs assistance in getting anything shipped or sourced, please let me know and I'll give it a shot. I get my Harrier Hybrid in a couple of weeks, so will have wheels to roam!! Many thanks Dan

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

Hi All I've been searching the forums for car insurance tips and found some very helpful info. I get a sense that Bell Direct, Tesco and Livingstone get good votes, although some of the threads were dated 2002, so this may have changed. Can anyone reccomend an insurer that will be able to help an ex-pat who is returning to the UK? I have 0 years no claims bonus and am bringing a Harrier Hybrid back from Japan under the 'personal import' rule. Generally speaking, what do "modifications" mean in insurance terms. If I've had the car prepped for the UK SVA (fuel hose restrictor, MPH speedo) would this be considered a modification? What if I changed the emblems to Lexus (sorry!)? Do I get a quote for a Lexus RX400h or a Toyota Harrier Hybrid? Thanks in advance, Dan p.s. For those interested, insurance in Japan is very simple - you pay based on the car and your age. Nothing else is taken into account and the rates are very low (my quote is approx. 400 pounds for 3 years). There's no insurance fraud or inflated claims here, so maybe that's a lesson for the rest of us. Crime really doesn't pay in the long run!!

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

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.

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

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.

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

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