Word to the wise, and please advise any other forums that you may be members of this:

 

http://www.autoadvan.co.uk are a vehicle importer, importing vehicle from America and Japan. I recently browsed their website and found 2 BMW 850i's, from 1990. There are priced at 6 and 8K. I started making enquiries. Then by chance on http://www.tradecarview.com/used_car/japan_car/honda/all/?ps=25.

 

I entered a search for a BMW 8 series from 1990, and low and behold, there were the same cars for 1.6K and 1.9K FOB. Even with taxes and shipping these cars come in at approx 2.5K and 3K respectively. Which is a 3.5 and 5K saving of the inflated prices on the Autoadvan site so I put in an offer of 3K for one of the cars and was told:

 

"Unfortunately the dealer is not willing to give that large a discount."

 

The dealer is "Japan Auto Direct" who are selling the cars for 1.6 and 1.9K already. It really makes my blood boil when companies blatantly rip or attempt to rip us off.

 

Therefore my advice, use the carview website and arrange to import a car yourself via barratt shipping to avoid being ripped off. I can provide contact details if required just PM me.

 

Regards

 

Paul

Thanks for the heads up bud!

lol Do you not know how business works dude, you buy low and sell as high as you can.

 

If the cars are worth 6k-8k over here, and in the condition for them to be that price then why should the garage who have done all the legwork getting them not get the maximum they can? Its not a rip off its just good business.

 

Dont see what there is to get the hump about?

 

Next you'll be lobbying us to stay away from new cars because the manufactures are making thousands on what it costs to build them! lol

looked at the two web sites and the 1990 850, the dealer well make between £1500 to £2000 imo and he will sort out all paper work mot tax and any issues with the car and 6k is what you would pay for a low mileage rust free 850 with extras so I think he not far away he will come done a bit on price as the car market is dead at the moment but if you want the best deal import it yourself and take the chance the dealer takes in importing a high performance car:)

I wouldn't call it a rip off.

 

If you can get it or do it yourself for cheaper then it's not a rip off.

 

If you can't and there is a massive proffit margin then it is.

 

Take Petrol for instance, we can't get it cheaper ourselves but the amount of tax put on it makes it a rip off. If we can import a car for less than the importers then why not do it yourself ?.

 

What you are aksing them to do is import it for you and sell it to you at almost cost price. I woudl refuse this also if I was a car dealer.

 

Any good importer will have someone on the other side. Someone that checks the cars out in Japan or US, this information is then passed back to the dealer to avoid the dealers buying and being stuck with Sheds. That's one of the advantages the dealer has over you. If you import the car yourself you may well be stuck with large repair bills down the line. You get what you pay for the majority of the time.

Edited January 22, 200916 yr by SMW1

AHhhh, but here's the kicker...if you contact Autoadvan they only charge £300 for importing the car you want. The simple fact remains that a car being advertised in Japan for 2K should not be 8K landed in the uk. However I think this thread has become a little jaded, as my point is: Look around and check as many web sites as you can before committing to buying from a uk based importer. In response to "Takemetothepub" these cars in the uk are circa 4K. I appreciate that business' have to make money, but when the take the p155 it's annoying. As for new car prices, where have you been for last 10 years... We constantly get nailed on new cars when the equivalent cars on the continent are several thousands of pounds less. This is why the 51, 02, 52, 03 plates where introduced to try and get prices down. This issue has been raging on and on and on, and probably always will.

I wouldn't call it a rip off.

 

If you can get it or do it yourself for cheaper then it's not a rip off.

 

If you can't and there is a massive proffit margin then it is.

 

Take Petrol for instance, we can't get it cheaper ourselves but the amount of tax put on it makes it a rip off. If we can import a car for less than the importers then why not do it yourself ?.

 

What you are aksing them to do is import it for you and sell it to you at almost cost price. I woudl refuse this also if I was a car dealer.

 

Any good importer will have someone on the other side. Someone that checks the cars out in Japan or US, this information is then passed back to the dealer to avoid the dealers buying and being stuck with Sheds. That's one of the advantages the dealer has over you. If you import the car yourself you may well be stuck with large repair bills down the line. You get what you pay for the majority of the time.

 

For some importers this is true, for autoadvan this isn't true. They have no physical access to the vehicle, and they take the word of their suppliers in Japan. Once you've paid you money, that's it...absolutely no comback on them. sold as seen. the end.

looked at the two web sites and the 1990 850, the dealer well make between £1500 to £2000 imo and he will sort out all paper work mot tax and any issues with the car and 6k is what you would pay for a low mileage rust free 850 with extras so I think he not far away he will come done a bit on price as the car market is dead at the moment but if you want the best deal import it yourself and take the chance the dealer takes in importing a high performance car:)

 

Here is a break down of the costs:

 

Fob costs £2000

shipping £600

duty 10 percent = £200

Vat 15 percent = £300

shipping agent fees £200 pounds

auto Advan Fees £300 pounds

 

(Shipping, duty, VAT, Autoavan fees supplied by Autoadvan)

 

Total for an BMW 850i = £3600. You've paid the importer. The end. Extra £200 for getting it on the road. £3800.

 

Autoadvan charge - £8300 Mmmm.... £4500 pounds profit with no comeback, which I think is a rip off. That puts it into perspective and is the reason why I'm saying to be weary, shop around, the carview website seems really reasonable.

 

These profit is somewhat higher that your 1500/2000 profit margin by quiet a long way. Does that go someway to altering your opinion on the if this is a rip off or not?

LOL! just dont buy it then!! :p

 

have found a telly i want for around £1100 on the net when RRP that shops are selling for is £1600

 

the whole of the high street is a rip off IMO!! ban all retailers!! :D

They are not ripping anyone off, they are simply overpriced. How much they pay for it does'nt really come into it.

 

Its anyones choice where they buy from, it would only be a rip-off if they had control of the market and you were forced to buy from them.

Edited January 22, 200916 yr by Yowser

I can see were you are comming from and it is good idea to be weary were you buy from but at the end of the day you shop around for the best car at the best price in what is a buyers market if a dealer has over priced a car he wont sell it

As Legrath said they're just overpriced and if people are stupid enough to not do their research and pay these prices then it's their own fault. Some people have obviously got money to burn and if this business can make a shit load of money then good luck to them.

I am weary , so I`d better go to bed :rofl:

I can see where someone could think there's a rip-off involved.

I can also see where advan are trying to make a profit.

Can also see why the price is not as inflated as it sounds.

The import process is straightforward, but not exactly easy for novices.

First obvious problem is - the guy you are sending your money to in Japan - is he reputable or are you never going to see your money again.

Even reputable companies in this financial climate cannot be 100%. Look at the bug names that have recently gone bust.

Then there's fob. What if the boat sinks. Happened before. Need insurance, which is available.

Many variables are being ironed out by the importer, so really, he has the right to charge.

Then there's warranty.

The supplier of the car can harp on as much as he likes about no warranty, sold as seen etc, but in reality, any car dealer has a load of legal obligations to his customers.

Sold as seen is a term from the dark ages.

If your recently supplied import, supplied by advan, was to fry an engine on the way home, are you going to buy yourself a new engine? Or are you going to look into the legalities and get advan to sort it?

Dealers must allow for repairs and rectifications in their sell price.

Taking all this into account, the sell price and buy price are closer than first appear.

Then there's advan...

We'll stick this on at 7 grand, buy price is 2k fob,somebody might bite.

Can't blame them for chancing it and trying to make a living.

Moght get somepne outthere looking for a 7 grand toy who knows nowt about the car market.

It happens.

:)