Importing a Honda S660 from Japan

Overview

• Purchased Honda S660 from Japan auction for £6,600
• Price may seem like a bargain but there are additional costs involved
• Uncertainties about the condition of the car bought at auction

Auction and Purchase Process

• Contacted Aman from Autocom Japan to assist with the purchase
• Auction included transportation to port and shipping to the UK
• Autocom Japan handled the entire process, eliminating the need for a physical visit to Japan

Car Condition Assessment

• Took the car to My Car Import in Derbyshire for road readiness assessment
• Gavin Huard, workshop manager, inspected the car
  • Initial assessment showed the car in almost new condition despite being 60,000 km used
  • Good servicing noted with no visible rust or extensive wear
  • Minor issue found: starting corrosion on underbody due to UK winter conditions

MOT and IVA Process

• MOT (Ministry of Transport) test is essential for UK road legality
• No MOT history available for imported vehicles; similar Japanese test called "Shaken" occurs every 2 years
• At My Car Import, they use automated equipment for suspension and steering checks
• The car initially passed most MOT components but failed due to no fog light present
• UK regulations require fog lights for road legality, which are not standard in Japan

Modifications Required for IVA

• IVA (Individual Vehicle Approval) focuses on compliance with UK laws
• Required modifications include:
  • Fitting a fog lamp
  • Ensuring tire compliance marks (E mark, DOT mark) are present
• A fog lamp was installed, with the wiring connected through the headlamp system

Speedometer Conversion

• Original speedometer in km/h needed conversion to mph for UK roads
• Options:
  • Digital display for speed
  • More integrated solution requiring conversion box and recalibrating the clock
• Chose the latter for full mph and odometer conversion

Final Checks

• Oil and filter change performed as a precautionary measure
• Additional underseal applied to prevent corrosion
• Fog lamp and speedometer modifications completed, ready for IVA test

Total Costs Overview

• Purchase Price: £6,358
• Autocom Japan Fee: £44
• Shipping Cost: £700
• Import Duty: £1,542
• My Car Import Fees: £1,833
• Total Cost: £10,837

Conclusion

• The S660 is rare and offers more choice when importing directly
• The decision to import personally saved money and provided better options
• Future plans include tuning and further reviews of the S660

Next Steps

• Await registration paperwork to legally drive in the UK
• Upcoming videos will include detailed review and driving tests