[jimmy Carter]

Hi all,

I’m looking at buying a freshly imported Japanese car and trying to make sure I do my homework before handing over any money. One thing I’ve seen mentioned a lot is the need to verify auction sheet details, but I’m not entirely sure what else I should be checking beyond that.

I’m based in Kent and have a budget of around £9-12k. I’ve been looking at a few imports including a Toyota Prius, Honda Fit Hybrid, and possibly a Suzuki Alto Works if the right one comes up. Most of the cars I’m seeing have only recently arrived in the UK, so they don’t seem to have much history here yet.

A few things I’m wondering about:

* How important is it to check the Japanese service history?
* Should I be concerned if the car has only just passed its first UK MOT?
* What DVLA paperwork should already be sorted before purchase?
* Any insurance issues with Japanese imports that caught you out?
* Are there any common rust or underbody checks worth doing on fresh imports?

I’ve also heard it’s worth taking steps to verify auction sheet information independently, especially on cars with low mileage claims. Has anyone had experience with that?

Interested to hear what people look for when buying an import for the first time, and whether there are any checks or resources that helped you avoid expensive mistakes.

Thanks!

• This topic was modified 1 hour, 21 minutes ago by jimmy Carter.

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