Why imports need a closer look
Plenty of imported cars are perfectly good, from performance cars imported from Japan to cars brought back by people moving home. The issue is the history. Records from before the car arrived in the UK may be incomplete, so the MOT history, mileage and accident history can start part way through its life. Ask whether the car was built for the UK market, as lights, speedometers and some equipment may differ.
For an import, ask for paperwork from its life abroad: service records, any foreign registration documents and evidence of the mileage when it arrived. A car with a gap in its story should cost less than one with a full record. An import costs 3 points on the Vettly Score, as information.
Check insurance before you buy, as some insurers treat imports differently, and check that parts and servicing are easy to get for the model.
Export markers
An export marker means the car was recorded as leaving the UK. There are two versions in our reports. The free check shows the DVLA's marked for export flag, set when the keeper tells the DVLA the vehicle is going abroad. The full check shows whether the car has been recorded as exported at some point.
If a car marked for export is being sold in the UK, ask why. It costs 15 points on the free Vettly Score. A car recorded as exported that has since come back costs 10 points in the full check, and its history abroad may be missing, just like an import.
The marked-for-export flag is in every free check, so you can spot it before you pay for anything. The import marker and the exported record come with the full history check.
Mileage and MOTs on imported cars
Some imported cars have speedometers in kilometres. MOT records note the unit, and we convert kilometre readings to miles so the timeline makes sense. If a reading seems to jump or fall, check whether the unit changed. Our mileage check explains the clocking alert.
Imported cars also have a shorter MOT history, because UK tests only start once the car is here. A car imported at five years old will only have UK tests from then on. Ask for any inspection certificates from abroad to fill the gap.
Part of the full history check
Imported and exported markers are included in every full history check, along with finance, write-off, stolen and keeper checks. It costs £4.49, or £3.00 a check in a pack of 10. The free check covers MOT, tax and mileage. Run it before you pay a deposit, and read our used car buying checklist before any viewing.