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Toyota - Buying a used imported car? (£3000) - bodd
Hello all, I’m going to look at a fairly low mileage Toyota Yaris auto at a dealer. The dealer isn’t sure where the car originated from although I’m sure the VIN will tell me this. It’s right-hand drive and mileage is in Km. The usual internet checks for MOT, etc, only go back two years (the car is 11 years old). The V5 is available.

I’m just wary that the history can’t be seen. Any other pitfalls to be wary of, please?
Toyota - Buying a used imported car? (£3000) - barney100

If in doubt, leave it, golden rule.

Toyota - Buying a used imported car? (£3000) - gordonbennet

I can't imagine a dealer not knowing where a car came from.

If its a Japanese direct grey import, especially such a small car then its most likely to have a genuine low mileage, sliding underneath should reveal an underbody that looks like a 1 year old UK supplied car in that it should be perfect incl exhaust, note Japanese rear number plates are squarish so the number plate holder (unless its been replaced) should be shaped to fit a rectangular plate, this is more obvious on cars where the tailgate itself is a completely different pressing to a UK car.

If its isn't from Japan then take no notice whatsoever what the odometer says and judge the car only on its own merits after a very thorough examination, suggest you get the chassis number and any details and see what the insurers have to say before going anywhere near the thing, might prove really difficult to insure, might not, it might also not qualify for the likely £30 a year VED a UK supplied Yaris might (i don't know if they do), grey imports often win the VED fight when it comes to importing high VED vehicles but unsure if you might get stung the other way here, lots of research needed.

If its an automated manual Yaris with the MMT box just don't, even Toyota can't make these things reliable,

Edited by gordonbennet on 14/12/2019 at 12:30

Toyota - Buying a used imported car? (£3000) - madf

Almost certainly a MMT.. DO NOT BUY - as GB above.

36 year 2008 cars for sale on Autotrader £1900to £4980.

Why bother?

(Dealer is a lying toerag - he will have history)

Toyota - Buying a used imported car? (£3000) - nellyjak

Not worth the risk...and if it's MMT definitely not worth the risk..there are plenty of Yaris models about....very reliable car too.

Toyota - Buying a used imported car? (£3000) - badbusdriver

This car seems a little suspect to me, i mean why would someone import a Yaris when you get them here anyway?. Japanese imports tend to just be stuff not sold in the UK, and while i have seen 'fancy' Yaris's (Yarii?) as grey imports, i have not come across a 'normal' one. As madf points out, the price is not partcularly competitive, and even if the mileage on the Autotrader cars isn't as low, so what?, it is a Toyota!.

Also, as others have said, you really don't want the MMT automated manual. If you must have an auto, make sure it is either a torque converter (TC) auto, or a CVT, both of which are generally very reliable*. Similarly priced options could include a Ford Fusion or Fiesta 1.6 (avoid the 1.4 as it's an automated manual), Mazda 2, Suzuki Swift, Kia Rio, Hyundai i20, and Nissan Note*.

*Nissan CVT's don't have a great reputation for reliability but the Note has a TC auto.

Toyota - Buying a used imported car? (£3000) - Ian_SW

It could have been imported from somewhere much nearer to home, like Ireland. If someone Irish moved to the UK, they would need to re-register the car after six months.

Other than there being a few models over there we don't get, Irish cars are pretty much a UK spec car, bit with metric speeds and distance.

Japanese imports, even of a model available in the UK tend to not look quite right with the wrong size mouldings in the bumper for the numberplate, different mirrors etc.

Toyota - Buying a used imported car? (£3000) - bathtub tom

If the odometer's in Km, wouldn't the speedo be as well and is that legal?

Toyota - Buying a used imported car? (£3000) - Falkirk Bairn

Take speedo binnacle off.

Speedo hand off.

Affix a new paper disc in pm & fix on speedo hand.

Regarding odometer I know Hondas a a switch to change distance from km to mls

Toyota - Buying a used imported car? (£3000) - bodd
Thanks for all the replies everyone. I didn’t get to see the car in the end as I would’ve been able to see the VIN and at least know the country or origin. It’s odd the dealer hadn’t done so as it’s an obvious question from any potential buyer. Yes, the price is nothing special. It’s easy now to get basic free checks online showing previous MOTs along with advisories abs mileages, and it concerned me this only went back two years with this model. That and the mystery country of origin, no thanks.

But I really appreciate you taking the time to reply, so thanks again.