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Question of import

A puzzling conversation with SAGA Insurance (which insured my previous Daihatsu Fourtrak) culminated in a refusal to insure my current VW Caddy Maxi on the grounds that it was a 'grey import'. Saga's definition of 'grey import' is any car that is built in unspecified countries outside the E.U. I made the point that the Fourtrak was to my knowledge only made in Japan but Saga was adamant. Both vehicles were supplied by UK main dealers to UK specifications. Has the definition of the term 'grey import' been widened with, according to Saga, not only VW but other manufacturers and their customers being treated in this baffling way? (It certainly baffled me.) Or are main dealers now sourcing vehicles through dubious channels and passing them off as legitimately supplied?

Asked on 8 August 2009 by

Answered by Honest John
It's either because it wasn't on their database, so their clerks were just feeding you the stock excuse that “it must be an independent import”. Or that the VW dealer imported it independently of VW UK, which would be taken very seriously by VW UK.
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