I’m currently looking at a few Japan car imports and could do with some advice from those who’ve been through the process before.
One of the cars I’m considering is a 2018 Toyota Crown that’s recently arrived in the UK. It looks tidy in the photos, the mileage seems reasonable, and the MOT history is obviously limited because it’s only just been registered here. My concern is whether there’s a reliable way to tell if it’s had body repairs or a full repaint before export.
I know some auction grades mention repairs, but I’ve heard stories of cars being repaired after auction or having paintwork that looks fine at first glance. Apart from checking panel gaps, overspray, and paint thickness, what do you normally look for?
I’m also wondering if anyone has experience with Japan car imports where the auction sheet looked clean, but later inspection revealed previous damage repairs.
A few questions:
-
Can a UK body shop easily spot a resprayed panel?
-
Are there any common signs people miss?
-
Is it worth paying for an independent inspection before buying?
-
How much weight do you put on auction reports versus a physical inspection?
Interested to hear what other import owners, mechanics, or dealers have found. I feel like there’s probably a checklist or resource out there that experienced buyers use, but I’m not sure where to start.