Chris

Thanks for pointing it out though, I hadn't realised

Well as the title of the box is written in Japanese I had no idea that box is supposed to show the chassis number. But you think someone else would have noticed...

Thanks for the info, yes I'm well aware of that my agent won the auction for me!

Yep he's been really good so far, no complaints there

Yes he is currently chasing up trying to get some more information on the history so will have to decide what to do once he gets the history. That's the question though isn't it, right now no I don't feel I've got what I've paid for and feel like I've been royally mugged. From what I have read, the DVLA may give you permission to stamp the vin if you can prove it. But yes I don't know whether they will take the Japanese governments word for it as I have it on the export certificate. As far as I know that is a government issued document so I assume we can trust it. I have asked where this number has come from. Just looking at the options, though I imagine it will be a real hassle and possibly expensive to go down this route. From what we know at the moment, it was issued with a new identification number by the government. It appears as though it is not an unknown car, and that it's history has been checked when it was exported. I have been told this number, it matches the export certificate and is engraved in the chassis. So that's the point, supposedly we do know the history of the car and it cannot be stolen or illegal. But as I have said, waiting for confirmation. Imported with gazwoz, he handled/is handling everything (and has been good so far) and I have only ever paid him, no one else. Just trying to stay calm and think rationally at the moment to be honest!

If I can get permission to revert to the original vin, there won't be a scratched off vin and it will all be legal and above board. I seriously doubt I could get a full refunding for everything I've paid, so what would you have me do? What's the alternative? If the choice is break it for a few pennies or get it on the road, the choice to me is obvious, regardless of what any future buyer might think as at least I can still enjoy it. And like I said another will will cost a fortune I think. I don't see what issue there is if I can legally revert everything to original. If I can't, that's a different story. That's not to say I won't try and get a full refund. I certainly don't want it on a Q plate. I've got to wait until we get a report on the cars history from Japan before I do anything anyway, and none of what I'm hoping may be possible. Just thinking about my options

Yea I had just read that Ali, the export certificate has what is supposedly the original chassis number on it so I'm wondering whether it would be enough for the dvla to allow me to stamp it back on. I did get sent a translation of the sheet and it doesn't say anything about it. So I'm wondering what the auction house would do if I said the car wasn't described properly. If I can get a partial refund and the dvla let me re-stamp the number (big if at this stave of course), then have I lost out? Possibly not. The exchange rate has plummeted and prices are rising all the time so if I can get it sorted then it might be worth it. It is going to cost me a lot more to get a car of similar condition I think, even if I could get a full refund.

Yes and this number is written in it as the identification number. Was won through one of the auction houses so I suppose that counts as public

Was in reference to the "new number" having "fuku" in it

I know it's almost like it's on purpose isn't it!

An update on this, gazwoz has been very timely in trying to get some information on this. Seems it was issued a number by the Japanese government, and it is engraved on the strut in the engine bay. It's a short number with a Japanese character "fuku" either end. Which explains how it was exported. Wondering whether anyone has seen anything like this before? Can anyone else confirm that the chassis number is not stamped anywhere else?

Well gazwoz has done it so I assume so, will have to check

Thanks guys. Yes literally just came in, delivered straight from the docks Friday. So yea gutting doesn't really begin to cover it. I can't exactly spare the £6k this has cost me. Yes got a number on the export certificate, god knows where that has come from. What's the Nova system?

I just hope it hasn't been exported illegally

Long gone. Something dodgy has obviously happened at some point. Just my luck, of all the cars that come over. Have sent gazwoz a message to try and find out whats going on

I guess it's stamped right about here

I think it's just a service sticker. But yea I can't really think why

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?

How many wheels have you got?!?

Oh yea I'd be furious if it was me. Just trying to say it's maybe not worth the rest of us getting the pitchforks out as most of the time people seem happy with them

Thought you'd just bought a new one? Is this just for research/spare purposes?

I know it must be a sore wound at the moment, but at the end of the day no company is perfect and someone somewhere will always have a bad experience with every company out there. If you've had 10 years of good service from them with only one incident, that's not a bad track record really. I can't say I found CZP overly helpful when I ordered from them, didn't even read my emails properly. Not going to stop me ordering from them in the future though, you can't win them all!

What are the meister r rates? Their website has an extreme shortage of details for their new range, unless I'm just blind

Oh yea I didn't realise at first, I didn't really look properly and assumed it was a hand brake like a rally car. I assume it's to change gear quicker, but will it really make that much difference? Closer to your hand, but the travel must be huge. I suppose if it's got a short throw shifter it might be bearable

Love the analogy!