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See RV8 Reimport Trends

Colin Shea has sent in a brief report on RV8 reimport trends which highlights some of the factors influencing the number of RV8s coming to auction in Japan and hence the flow of reimports to the UK and vehicles going into Australia. Colin is close to the market as he runs a business in Tokyo, Tokyo Auto Trading, which specialises in buying cars at auction and exporting them to the UK and other countries. This note should be read in conjunction with the RV8 Price Trends report from Chris Watkins of HS Imports in June 2002 and an earlier note, What to Pay for an RV8.

Woodcote Green 0297, an early RV8 looking slightly forlorn waiting to be sold at an auction in Japan in May 2002. We are not sure where it went after the auction as it has yet to be registered with the V8 Register. (Photo: Colin Shea)

Since July 2002 there have not been many target RV8s available for sale in Japan - only one or two a week nationwide. But like the UK, it is a seasonal car. In Japan we have four seasons but more on the temperate side than the UK. The holidays here do affect prices. They are really public holidays and are a time when the whole nation is scrambling around trying to find a car to take them out of Tokyo and other big cities even for just a few days. Trying to rent a car then or even get a flight or a bullet train out of town during these times is extremely difficult and prices often double. The times of the year when you can see this pattern are the Golden Week in the first week in May, Obon during the second and third week in August and the first week in January.

On the supply side, I think the flow of RV8s coming to auction will remain in the region of 20 cars a month. Some of these will be in pristine condition with low mileages and some will be rough with higher use. On the demand side the overseas end buyer is the key factor and it really depends on what they want in terms of quality and what their pocket is prepared to accept. There is no doubt that the more demand there is for RV8s from enthusiasts in countries outside Japan, the more prices will rise at auction here. I am certainly having to pay more for good RV8s this year than last.

Regarding the "Shaken" test, a rigorous and expensive periodic test of the vehicle, I do not believe it is only the cost of this test that is causing Japanese RV8 owners to sell. It could be the cost of parking the car and the fact that there are no longer Rover dealers in Japan to service and support the model. To park my car in Tokyo costs JPY50,000 a month (that is nearly £300 in real money) so if I owned an RV8 as a second car as many are here, I would be very concerned over the combined parking cost. Equally I would be very concerned that if anything went wrong with the RV8, or even for routine servicing and maintenance, there is now the serious question of where will I go for help? So when it is time for the Shaken test, it could be "the last straw" for many Japanese owners and sadly the time when they decide to give their RV8 up and send it to auction.