Various Shades of Grey with imports and Value

[au-yt]

The various markets around seem obsessed with country of origin affecting the value.
Now for me there can be issues like conversions left to RHD the UK with corrosion problems even post 77, but is this now a bit of nonsense.

IE Euro spec cars are at a higher spec and that in the US and that includes ex UK cars brought to Australia, so does it really matter, as some one quoted they all came from Germany in the first place so whats the big deal?

Whats every one think?

Cheers
Graeme

[Cooper911SC]

I hear what you're saying. To some degree I agree with your thoughts!

I think it depends on what market the potential U.S. buyer is in.

I am in CA and have worked on gray market cars titled here. Documentation, Smog equipment, and age of vehicle can be big challenges...

My feeling is the biggest concerns with gray market cars in the U.S. are,

1) How is the car currently titled?

2) Will it meet the smog/State inspection requirements for my state

3) How well was the car converted (federalized) when imported?

4) Being a European car are there any rust issues?

Just my off the cuff thoughts.

Cooper

[au-yt]

Interesting insight
What happens here in Australia we get cars from California LHD that have failed their smog tests sell cheap and finish up here, worth very little and hard to sell.
Here we can drive LHD cars once they are 30 years old but its a pain sitting on the wrong side.
There there are those and there is one in particular came from the US its an 89 Carrera converted after it was just three years old by the main Australian importer.
Gu cannot sell it even at 60% the average asking price of an Aussie delivered car.
Then the English are higher spec but they have to have intrusion bars seat belts etc before they are registered and then a Big plarque attached , imported vehicle.

In some ways the Grey cars age just as good and insome instances better higher spec and the sun isnt as harsh.

This grey import senerio seems most prevalant with Prosche other marques not so much so.
Cheers
Graeme

[group911@aol.co]

I think the ideal situation is a Euro market car that was brought to any state from Colorado west early in it's life.
Euro spec cars are more suited to things actual enthusiasts like- compression, cooling etc.
Europeans tend to drive their cars at 90% far more often than Americans so if you get a car brought here early in it's life, they have a lot left in them.
Western US cars often look like new underneath.