Importing - Prices must be on the up...

.... If you can make a profit when importing from Japan.

JAPANESE IMPORT

Japanese spec, so speedo in kilometers and the large oblong side indicators. Also the floor/centre console in blue looks yuk, and non-OE side skirts and front bumper means it's not an original unmolested example.

i was really just pointing out the fact that these cars must be seen as profit making at this point in time as it can't be cheap to bring them over. It must be a good indicator that things are on the up. However it is also good to see that the FCCUK tradition of finding flaws in every coupe advertised continues.

I would never advertise my car through this board :-(

Be an interesting base to put back to standard if little rust at all.

The wheels look great!

A bloke on AlfaOwner imported a GTV V6 low mileage from Japan to make a few quid and had awful problems trying to sell it once in Blighty as it was a Jap import.

That one looks in great condition and does seem to suggest a lot of 'dealers' are jumping on the bandwagon to obtain these cars and flip them to earn a few grand I guess that is a good thing for the Coupe, there are quite a few cars that have sold in the last 12+ months and are now once again for sale with a few thousand added to the asking price, market is though pretty much all over the shop with prices from a grand all the way through to £11K.

There also seems to be a fair few low mileage one's that perhaps owners are now willing to shift as they are actually worth something and worth selling it for after some year's in storage. Some of the prices suggest that near standard unmolested Coupe's are the one's for any of the editions that might well command the strong money rather than the highly modded engine and bodywork examples as is the case for many classic cars I guess.

I think someone assumed a car from Japan would be rust free a la California imports, I seem to remember reading a post not sure how accurate that they can have pretty cold Winter's and just like here salt the roads.

..........finding flaws, surely not

On the positive side there is a lot of good advice dispensed by forum members to newbies like me which all helps knowledge wise...

If they start importing from the Asian market, DaveG may not have a very rare Pearly Plus for long, they might trickle over here too, more the merrier in my book. A simple conversion of the various differing parts, a UK odometer and a good under seal should see a sorted car.

Australia and New Zealand have seen a number of vehicles (usually Japanese makes) imported from Japan as Japan imposes ever increasing taxes as a vehicle ages, hence the annual tax is often more that the value of the vehicle.

The "grey Imports" here are usually not supported by the local dealers as the specs often vary and they are not willing to import low volume parts.

I am happy to report that this is not the case with Fiat, as I have purchased parts through local dealers for my Coupe, which is a private import from UK, as Coupes were not sold "Downunder"

Don't be put off by a Km per hour speedo, I have the reverse with my mph one. Luckily I'm an old bloke and got my driver's licence when we still used the Imperial system.

Isn't that Zender kit, I seem to recall this was available OEM or perhaps the mist (make that fog) of time has caught up with me.

Great to see the imports starting to come in. Japanese cars have been imported for years. It's asking for decent money as well, which is great!

https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/?q=fiat+coupe

Just had a look and the site gives a rough working figure of Coupe's left in UK I guess; with circa 1200 in 2016 compared to 6800 in 2001, I know it's not totally accurate, with models and SORN etc but an indication that we have lost a good number and they are becoming increasingly rare. I used to regularly see 4 examples very local to me which have now all gone too in the last few years, well one is silently rotting on the owners driveway for the last 26 months a few roads from my home.

There is a Coupe listed on eBay as being on its way over here. I asked the seller if it was a turbo or non-turbo and he didn't know! It's sprint blue.

Is it the same one as this thread is discussing? Follow the link at start of thread.

That's odd, the listing has been removed.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IMPORTED-FIAT-COUPE-20-VALVE-TURBO-RHD-LEATHER-INTERIOR-ONLY-42000-MILES-/352027156897?hash=item51f67421a1:g:kC4AAOSwc-tY419I

It's on there (again). That said though prices may be on the up it appears from the higher priced one's on eBay/classifieds over say £5.5 they don't seem to be changing hands quickly.