What You Need to Know about Car Imports
Lots of people are looking beyond the borders of their country to find cars. Some do it because they really have their heart set on a car but it isn't available in the country they live in. Other car buyers are looking to save money and others are under the impression that they can get a better quality car if they import it. For more information about the different categories of imported cars in the United Kingdom, read the article below.
The phrase 'grey import' is used to describe cars that are imported into the UK from another country. The majority of grey imports are sold with the help of specialist import companies and not through dealers. Many different types of grey cars get imported for some of the reasons mentioned above but the vast majority are imported by car collectors.
There are both pros and cons associated with grey cars. The pros are that they can be cheaper. And if the imports are coming from Florida, or some other warm U.S state, the car will be in better condition than cars that sit out in harsh UK weather. Some of the drawbacks include: the cars are left-side driver, insurance is higher, service records may be impossible to get and the cars had to have several test to make sure it is roadworthy.
When a car is imported from another European country it is called a parallel import. These cars are often easier to get on the road because they are similar in specification to other cars bought and sold in the UK. Other than that, however, have the same pluses and minuses that grey imports do.
Another type of import is called a personal import and it can come from anywhere. They are called personal imports because the arrangement to sell and buy the car is between two individuals instead of an import specialist company. The good thing about a personal import is that they are even cheaper because you don't have to pay fees to a company. One drawback is that you will be working with an individual and some people find that a little less trustworthy arrangement. Read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_dealership to find out more about car dealerships.
Unless you have visited the car, you don't really know what you're getting until it arrives in your country. But just because you are in another country, that doesn't mean you have to go blindly into car deal. You can hire an agency in the country where the cars is to make sure the car is as it is being advertise. A ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure since it would be nearly impossible to get a resolution if you are sold a lemon. Go here to view imported cars.
