There are many reasons why only some cars are allowed to be officially sold in the UK. The bad news for car collectors or enthusiasts is that it can be hard to find certain cars in the UK. This is where the grey market vehicle steps in.
Imported Cars and Grey Markets
Before we talk about the grey markets, there are two types of imported cars – Parallel Imports & Grey Imports.
We know there are various reasons why car enthusiasts might be interested in purchasing an import regardless of the importing method. When you’re browsing imported cars, you’ll likely find unique models that you might not find in the UK.
They can be high-quality cars that are rare and sought after, and many car enthusiasts aim to add these exotics to their collections. Yet, before you plan to purchase one, let’s dive deeper into grey market vs parallel import.
Parallel Imports
Parallel imports are vehicles purchased inside the UK from either a broker or a car supermarket. They’re known to be a safe and easy purchasing process where you can finalise a car deal swiftly.
When you’re buying a parallel import, however, we highly recommend you be very thorough with the paperwork to ensure what you’re buying is completely legit and comes with all the documents you need. Learn about the warranty conditions, and compare them to cars supplied officially by the UK.
You might have to do a relatively lengthy research before finalising your purchase. If you have a professional dealer whom you can trust, it’s also a great idea to consult with them and ask for assistance. If you can’t trust where or who you’re buying from, asking a professional will also ensure you’re being safe and free of concerns.
Another popular way we know that car enthusiast often use when buying parallel imports is consulting their automobile insurance agent. They’re well informed, so you can gain insight into the pros and cons of your purchase on your insurance premiums. They can also advise you of which type of imports would least affect your premium.
Grey Imports
What is a grey market car? A grey market car or grey imports are vehicles imported into the UK from unauthorized channels outside of the official manufacturer or distributor. Imported Japanese cars used to be highly sought after by UK car enthusiasts, so it’s easy to find used grey imports or Japanese vehicles to purchase.
The models of these grey imports are typically similar to those officially sold in the UK. Yet, some may come with a unique style that’s highly noticeable as a grey market vehicle.
What Comes with a Grey Market Vehicle?
Buying a grey market supercar is an option, but how to check if a car is a grey import? There are a few things that stand out from the grey market vehicle.
Following the UK Vehicle Standards
Once you receive your new car, you’ll likely have to make a few changes to meet the UK vehicle standards. This may include light adjustment or making part replacements.
These changes must be done as quickly as you can if you want your new grey market vehicle to quickly hit the road. Go to professional services like Scuderia Car Parts to ensure you’re purchasing legitimate replacements that will support your vehicle’s performance.
Obtaining the Vehicle History
When you buy from an official vehicle store, you’ll usually receive the vehicle history alongside its servicing records. However, grey imports tend to be a bit unclear on this part. You can try asking for the history or the records, but it can be difficult to obtain them.
If you’ve pressed and tried to obtain the documentation you need but can’t receive it, we suggest you be wary of the car’s condition. There might be some damage that isn’t so obvious, and the seller is trying to cover it. This is why, no matter where you’re purchasing your vehicle, asking for the complete papers is a must.
Differences in Specifications
Grey imports have many differences when compared to UK model vehicles, so you, as the buyer, need to understand the specification differences between the two. These may be the equipment inside the car or things under the hood.
To follow the UK’s vehicle requirements, you likely need to make multiple changes to the grey import you bought. You might need to take some time browsing genuine parts that will suit your new car while still following the requirements.
However, with the unique models of grey imports, sometimes it can be challenging to find fitting replacement parts. You can expect to have your car inside the repair shop for days or weeks until the servicing company find the right replacement parts.
Design Differences
Grey imports have significantly different designs from official UK models. Most of them don’t come with an under-seal attached, which is something you’ll need to fix before putting your new car on the UK roads.
Before buying a grey market vehicle, make sure you’ve done enough research on the model you’re planning to buy. Then, compare it to the UK’s vehicle standards and requirements so you know which parts aren’t original and were modified. This will determine the legality of your car, so we advise you to be thorough with your research.
The Pros of Grey Market Cars
More supercar enthusiasts are now turning their attention to the grey market to get their dream vehicle. There are a few good reasons for that, as a grey market vehicle may provide a bit of advantage for supercar enthusiasts.
Access to Unique Models
Unique models are attractive to many car collectors. The Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) is known to produce cars that don’t exist in the UK. These include iconic lineups like quirky Kei cars, the Nissan Skyline and Silvia, and the luxurious Toyota Alphard. The grey market, in short, is a way for you to own a unique model that none of your UK friends have.
Higher Specifications
When we study Japan’s market, it’s clear that Japanese buyers love their gadgets. This is why grey imports from Japan tend to come with features that would be expensive to get in the UK. Some of these features are also often unavailable on similar or equivalent UK models.
Some of these grey imports can come with advanced climate control, unique interior trims, a better sound system, and many more. So, not only does it offer a unique model, but you’ll also get extra functional features that you can’t get on local models.
Potentially Cheaper
Supercars are known for their steep pricetag, which is why the grey market is even more attractive. Sometimes, a grey market vehicle can still be cheaper than a UK official car with similar specifications, even after modifications, taxes and shipping costs.
Prices can vary significantly, so you can’t expect all grey imports to be cheaper than their UK equivalents. However, for some models, the price difference can be highly significant.
Impressive Condition
Japanese imports would usually come in incredible condition due to the country’s strict vehicle inspection system. This is why many classic models tend to enter auctions in fantastic condition and low mileage. In addition, Japan doesn’t salt their roads as frequently as the UK, so there’s significantly less rust on its vehicles.
The Cons of Grey Market Cars
Although grey imports offer a bunch of advantages that you may not be able to get in official UK cars, there are also a few risks of buying grey market cars to consider.
No Manufacturer Warranty
As the cars won’t be sold through official UK channels, you won’t have any UK manufacturers that are obligated to honour the car’s warranty. You won’t have anyone backing you up during repairs, so all the repair costs would be completely your burden to tackle.
Depreciation and Resale
Selling grey imports can be tricky. You’ll only find a small market you can target, as many car enthusiasts are aware of the complications that come with grey imports.
Because of this, grey imports tend to depreciate much faster. However, if the model you buy is a popular and rare model, depreciation might not be a future problem you need to think about. Still, it’ll be tough to determine the future value of a grey market vehicle.
Insurance Complication
Insurers must be able to determine the insurance cost based on the car’s data. Therefore, they can calculate theft rates, repair costs and the full risk. Most mainstream insurers usually turn down grey imports as there’s little to no past information about the vehicle.
If you somehow damage your grey import in the future, the insurance company would rather not go out of its way to find the possibly nonexistent replacement parts. Considering grey imports are mostly high-performance, theft risk is also on the higher side, which is another consideration for insurers.
Please wait...