Lexus Import From Japan

[ahmedali44]

Saw is250 se-l 2006 60,612km(38000 miles) white in Japan approx 7k delivered to uk need to know if odometer can be converted from km to miles from hidden settings or have to change dash and also would insurance be more expensive any help will be appreciated

[johnatg]

Not worth the effort at that price - you'll buy a similar car in UK for round about that. Does the price include duty and VAT?

Don't know if you can change the odometer electronically and you'll need to change the physical speedo too because it won't have mph markings. Or at least the dial face but where will you get that from? OK a scrapper but do they need electronically coding? Dunno.

And many insurance companies won't touch 'grey imports' so your choice of insurer will be limited and may cost more.

You may have problems proving it's emissions compliant. (For the inspection which you have to pay for)

And you'll get no help whatsoever from Lexus with things like part numbers - they'll just say they don't have it in their database.

And there's a very high probability that it's been damaged and repaired - such cars are unsaleable in Japan. I know the Shaken seriously depreciates a car of that sort of age in Japan, but it's often down to more than that that these cars are available for export.

I did once import a Jap-spec Eunos Roadster (aka MX-5) from Ireland and that wasn't much trouble. But Jap ones were effectively identical to UK ones and since so many were imported things like the speedo face were very easy - all mechanical too. (Even then the odometer stayed in Km.) Insurance companies and Mazda tried to be as obstructive as possible and that was when every other MX-5 was a Eunos. Imported IS250s will only be slightly more common than the proverbial rocking horse droppings.

[steve2006]

I run a JDM import model and as John mentions you are limited on insurance companies that deal with them, cost is around the same as UK spec models but mainstream insurers don't touch them.

Never had a problem with spares, I use Toyodiy for the part number and then cross reference the number to UK spec, did have a Toyota dealer try to add a surcharge once for import parts but never been there since.

Speedo conversion, IIRC it is not a legal requirement to have it converted to MPH for an MOT it just has to work but conversion is generally a 4 wire black box hardwired into the speed sensor. The speedo will only have one set of figures on it unlike UK spec which have both KMH/MPH but once converted a MPH sticker is put over the KMH.

JDM cars are generally limited to 180 KPH (112 MPH).

Bear in mind you will probably need a rear fog light conversion done as these are not required in Japan.

[ahmedali44]

Thanks guys for your help wont b getting it from Japan now I guess it's hassle UK spec is then going Tuesday to see is250 se-l white 2009 62000 miles in Hertfordshire for 9k it was a member who couldn't make it and was sold then saw it again for 3k more