I'm looking to buy a second-hand car from a car dealer in Sydney, but I've heard that a lot of the cars are grey imports which can have odometer tampering. Do dealers have to tell us when the car is an import?
Has anyone had any experience with this?
Thanks all!
Not sure yet, just been hearing a bit around about car dealers importing mass cars and winding the car odometers back. did a bit of research and they don't actually check if the odometer has been wound back when it goes through customs.
Do you know if car dealers are supposed to tell you?
Look for compliance plate, usually a good indication of greyness
or pinkness.
and look at the colour of the car, usually a good indication of greyness
How many shades of grey are there?
If you have an affinity for sadomasochism and bad writing, fifty.
What if you were an interior designer with an affinity for sadomasochism and bad writing?
I wouldn't think a LOT of cars are grey imports. Thee isn't much reason to grey import something you can get here. It's usually just specialist models, or something we can't buy locally. Nissan Elgrand, Toyota Soarer are a couple but there are plenty more.
Look at the compliance plate as well though.
Thanks! Do dealers have to disclose if it is a grey import though?
Do your own research. Check the compliance plate, check the model you are looking at. Don't expect or trust that a car ealer will tell you the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Typically the grey import market is for specialist models and specialist buyers who know what they are on about.
I think it would be patently obvious to anyone a car is a grey import. If you dont know then you shouldnt be buying 2nd hand!
i once purchased a grey import holden commodore.
Were you un NZ bro?
Was it through a car dealer or direct from importer? Would rather go through a car yard so I can see it myself.
from the holden importer
Did you know it was a grey import? Any issues?
If the car is a grey import from Japan then it having very low kms would be very normal. I lived there for 4 years and would often go to wreckers and see totally intact cars that were <8 years old with <40,000kms. The 6 year old celica I bought over there only had 55,000kms on it (paid $4000).
Do dealers have to disclose if it is a grey import though?
I dont think dealers have to disclose this as grey import is still legal.
Thank you!
If you know what you are looking at, grey imports are usually the best models. Local dealers use fear tactics because they know grey models have superior spec's relative to local models - usually for less money. Hence why there is interest in them.
Also, Odometer tampering can happen on any vehicle - including local models.
but they can be harder to get parts for and more expensive to insure.
It sounds like you're looking for a jap made six to eight minivans or mpv.
Do t worry too much about grey imports.
It all comes down to what car you want to purchase and if there iz a big markwt to import them like for ezample a nissan skyline or mitsubishi evo.
Worry about the cars that are written off in other states then purchased and hauled to nsw then repaired and put back on the road.
Odometer tampering is a known big thing but very hard to track unless you do some research on thw car itself but that will be hard to do if you dont have any contacts with the rms in nsw.
Id say look around first and see what you want then go feom there, dont go to a shady car dealer go for some more respectful if that ever is the case dealers
Thanks Hotkolbas. How does the RMS track down the odometer tampering if they are state by state? How do you check if it was written off in another state?
Well thats going to be hard and costly.
Revs check helps a bit and maybe a quick chat to rms could help but you have to do some research.
Dont be put off by this, this is the worse case possible.
Worry about the cars that are written off in other states then purchased and hauled to nsw then repaired and put back on the road.
http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/registration/get-nsw-registr…
Written off vehicles cannot be re-registered in NSW, except in limited circumstances, and can only be used for parts or scrap metal.
Thats talking abiut re regiatering a car in the same state but from one state to another is a different story.
Thats talking abiut re regiatering a car in the same state but from one state to another is a different story
https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/registration/vehicle-modific…
A vehicle that is recorded as a statutory write-off after 1 May 2002 cannot be re-registered and the vehicle identification number (VIN) cannot be re-used in any State or Territory.
http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/licensing/write-off-a-vehicle…
The national Written-Off Vehicle Register (WOVR) has been developed to reduce the problem of re-birthing stolen vehicles.
The register records the written-off vehicle's identifiers and specific information about the damage to the vehicle. The WOVR records whether the vehicle is a:
Statutory write-off: These vehicles cannot be re-licensed.
https://nt.gov.au/driving/registration/nt-written-off-vehicl…
Statutory write off
This is a vehicle that is assessed as a total loss and meets any of the five statutory write off definitions, or has been assessed and recorded as a statutory write off in another state or territory.
These vehicles must have their compliance plate and vehicle identification number permanently marked with a diagonal chisel line. This must be carried out by the person or organisation that has assessed the vehicle as a total loss.
If the vehicle is offered for auction or sale, it must have a label with the following message:
'Statutory write off. Warning. This vehicle cannot be registered. Suitable for parts/dismantling only. The vehicle identification number (VIN) has been cancelled.'
http://www.transport.tas.gov.au/registration/information/wri…
A Statutory Write-Off will have its registration cancelled and the cancellation recorded against its VIN on the Register. A Statutory Write-Off will never be permitted to be re-registered in any State or Territory.
There was this car yard in bankstown that was stealing cars from vic and rebirthing in nsw.
Vin numbers didnt exist at the birth of a motor vehicle and as such its easier for older cars that do not have a vin to be rebirthed.
The cars will generally have model names different to the equivalent cars here in Australia and that is the easiest way to tell. They also have "Used Import Plate" on the compliance plate instead of the regular plates. If you do decide on purchasing an import, I can't stress enough checking the auction sheets (Grade R is usually fine and means a minor non-structural accident at some point in the car's life, Grade *** is to be avoided at all costs since it is usually major repaired or unrepaired structural damage) and check Japanese Deregistration certificates and if in doubt of what the dealer is giving you, call the compliance shop for a copy of the cert since they hold the originals. If you find something that ticks all of the above boxes, I say go for it since they are generally better value than the Australian market equivalents.
What year are you looking at? I didn't know car importation was a common thing, as supported by this website: https://infrastructure.gov.au/vehicles/imports/