Long wait is over!

 

 

Very pleased with it! Only odd thing is the chassis plate is missing....slightly concerning. Thought it looks like it's been gone for a while. I assume it had to go through various checks in Japan though so.....

 

Any thoughts?

 

Good question. If I can put the original vin back on then I'd be perfectly happy with say a 50% refund. But failing that then I would seriously consider the refund. Will have to see

 

I really cant see that happening Chris,If the Japanese for reasons unknown didnt re issue the same vin taking into account it was made and first registered there, how can the DVLA when all they have are papers passed on from a non EU Country.It has to be taken for an MOT and they will enter the visible vin number only on the vehicle.In theory you can get a test on it now.It does not have to be registered or have number plates to take it.

It needs to be MOTd and insured BEFORE you can register it. And I agree the MOT station will only use a visible number stamped on the vehicle.

 

Its all explained in the DVLA "Used Vehicle Import Pack" which Im assuming Chris has or has ordered???

Your MOT. Export certificate,insurance cover, Nova forms and registaction application all need to have the same matching number on them as far as I remember.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have posted a couple of times on this thread in an attempt to help you not to criticise or pass judgement on you or anyone else involved.

I have been thru the process myself with used cars from other countries so my comments are bsed on actual experience not what a mate once told me down the pub.

Edited September 6, 20169 yr by Slick Pete.

Yes I have got that pack and I think I have a good idea of what is involved, though I haven't started doing it yet for obvious reasons. And yes I am grateful for your advice!

 

I'm not so sure about them not letting me restore the vin. The dvla regularly issue vin numbers for cars that need them, and I have read stories from people that have requested the vin they want and so long as it's not in use they'll let you have it.

 

Besides, what do you think would happen if a car was stolen and recovered here with a ground off vin? They let you restamp it. Or what if it's stamped on the floor (like some old Ford's I believe) and you replace the floor? You can get it stamped.

 

From the anecdotes I have read they are not as strict as you might think, and their initial response to me asking was yea go ahead, though like I said I'm getting clarification on that as I'm not sure they fully grasped the situation. I'm not saying I will be successful in this, but it's worth a go!

 

I seem to be writing essays all the time in this thread!

Did you find the information I sent you useful?

Did you find the information I sent you useful?

Oh sorry I thought I'd responded to that, yes thanks the description does match the car

Oh sorry I thought I'd responded to that, yes thanks the description does match the car

 

Yes, it does rather.

So here's a question I think is worth asking:

 

Say this was mot'd, registered and up for sale (so you know it's all legit as the dvla check all that when it's registered). How much would it be worth?

 

Yes some purists will be put off, but some people won't be. Really curious what you guys think as I don't really know

the cars out there now and know so if and when it comes for sale in the future a thread will pop up on here about it and all this will come round again about vin number making in super hard to sell and the keeping the value very low and putting 90% of people off dont forget the 300zx community is very small in the uk so it would not just blend in

Oh I meant with being open about the vin, not trying to hide it. There will be people out there that don't care so long as it's legit and the price is right. Just wondering what that price would be.

 

But I suppose I am probably asking the wrong group of people here!

So here's a question I think is worth asking:

 

Say this was mot'd, registered and up for sale (so you know it's all legit as the dvla check all that when it's registered). How much would it be worth?

 

Yes some purists will be put off, but some people won't be. Really curious what you guys think as I don't really know

 

What was the price to buy and get it here? and what year is it?

£5.7k, 1995. TT lwb auto, 50k miles

£5.7k, 1995. TT lwb auto, 50k miles

 

Still worth that in my opinion.

£5.7k, 1995. TT lwb auto, 50k miles

 

That's a very low price. Did it not strike you as odd?

I agree with Gary, I think that's a fair price to pay for a clean 50k miler

From my point of view, I would not believe for one second that the cars mileage is legitimate when the VIN has been removed. That's my buyers point of view.

 

I would not even consider buying it. Sorry but that is my opinion.

 

I would chuck the car back at the importer or drag it through court if it was me

So here's a question I think is worth asking:

 

Say this was mot'd, registered and up for sale (so you know it's all legit as the dvla check all that when it's registered). How much would it be worth?

 

Yes some purists will be put off, but some people won't be. Really curious what you guys think as I don't really know

 

If I'm being totally honest, if I went to see a car that the chassis number had been sanded off and the vin plate removed alarm bells would be ringing. In fact even when you stood there and told me, "oh it's all legit, the DVLA sorted it" etc I'd need very compelling proof of this otherwise I'd be making my excuses and saying thanks but it's not the one for me. Whilst I can see what's occurred and don't doubt your telling the truth as an impartial buyer is be suspicious of the car and the story you were telling me.

Put it this way, imagine you were a young lad wanting to buy it and you'd taken your dad along. What would your dad be saying to you?

You asked for honesty, sorry.

So here's a question I think is worth asking:

 

Say this was mot'd, registered and up for sale (so you know it's all legit as the dvla check all that when it's registered). How much would it be worth?

 

Yes some purists will be put off, but some people won't be. Really curious what you guys think as I don't really know

Nobody really knows as nobody has said they have ever encountered this "situation"

There are some clues tho...

Look how difficult it is to sell Cat C and cat D cars in the UK. They are alway difficult to sell and sell well below market value.

 

Here is a question... why would anyone contemplate buying an imported car with an altered Vin number and an unknown and uncertain history when they can buy a similar car readily with a 100% provenance??

So far you havent told us what happened to it in Japan. Is it a rebuilt write off, stolen recovered etc etc? Or is there some other reason why the Japanese authorities sanctioned a new and non geniune Nissan number?? Was it seized for tax evasion? Was it marked "for export only" etc etc????

 

I would not even consider buying it. Sorry but that is my opinion.

Me neither.

Nobody really knows as nobody has said they have ever encountered this "situation"

There are some clues tho...

Look how difficult it is to sell Cat C and cat D cars in the UK. They are alway difficult to sell and sell well below market value.

 

Here is a question... why would anyone contemplate buying an imported car with an altered Vin number and an unknown and uncertain history when they can buy a similar car readily with a 100% provenance??

 

I think that's pretty fair and a comparable comparison. Esp when you can prove a lot more what's occurred with Cat c or d. My gut suspicion is this car is a stolen recovered. The original owner then probably had to reregister his own car.

 

Do you know the why's exactly Chris? The why and how you can prove it vastly effect the price tag IMO but it will never be worth full money just as a cat D isn't.

I would consider buying but it would have to be very very low money ime affraid...Seriously matey while you have the chance of a full refund dont even consider going through with the sale and trying to recoup by selling,its not going to happen without severe financial loss:sad:

Still waiting on the full history at the moment, but looks like it was changed back in 2003. Don't know why yet though. Hopefully the full history will confirm the mileage. The mileage seems believable anyway though considering how much better it runs than my other zed and the general condition of the interior etc.

 

I didn't think it was especially low when I won the auction. Garry had recently sold a few cars that I actually thought were in slightly better condition for 5 or 6k, there was a new silver import going for 6k that still hasn't sold for 5k. Think they had slightly higher mileage but not loads more as I remember. And looking at the selling prices of other auctions at the time my guess before the auction was pretty accurate. And Garry thought it would be in budget as well. Plus that doesn't include registration/mot that Garry's other cars did and he implied he would make less profit off of this one doing it this way. Seems to me that prices have risen a lot since then, can't judge it by today's standards.

 

I am looking for honest opinions! Still trying to decide how much I care about the vin IF the history is ok.

 

Got to consider what else I could get for the money. If the price I paid is considered low, is it still worth it? If I don't get as much in 5 or 10 years time, am I that bothered if I've had years of happy zedding in the mean time?

I would consider buying but it would have to be very very low money ime affraid...Seriously matey while you have the chance of a full refund dont even consider going through with the sale and trying to recoup by selling,its not going to happen without severe financial loss:sad:

If I do end up keeping it, wouldn't be selling for many years!!

Those are questions only you can answer mate.

I am looking for honest opinions! Still trying to decide how much I care about the vin IF the history is ok.

 

So where did the VIN you PM'd me come from? FAST gave a match in terms of date of manufacture, AT, colour and trim.

So where did the VIN you PM'd me come from? FAST gave a match in terms of date of manufacture, AT, colour and trim.

 

The original VIN is recorded in the export certificate.

 

^^

If I do end up keeping it, wouldn't be selling for many years!!

 

If you can confirm the car is safe, straight, true and in generally excellent order and you are very, very confident that if you will keep it for many years then I see no problem. As long as you get many years of enjoyment out of it that's all that matters. It will probably always be worth less than a car that has got this issue, but keep it long enough and I dare say you'd still get your money back.

If keeping it I'd get the grinded area repaired and forget about it.

I'll be honest I didn't pay any attention to vin numbers or engine numbers on my last 2 Zeds, any potential future buyer might not either. And at the end of the day, if you successfully get UK registration and develop say 10 years of UK MOT, service history and get it top notch, a future buyer might not give a stuff. :)