Looking into importing a K11 from UK to Germany in 2017

[NLZW735]

Hey there, MSC!

Long story, not sure where to start, yet here we go:
I'm been driving a 2001 1.0 K11 that my father gave to me a little over a year. Always been a car and JDM guy, so i absolutely love my dad for this. However it's very very rusty and corroded, and so a few hundred bucks have gone into keeping it from falling apart and it's not going to get better. MOT, aka TÜV here is only every 2 years, so i have time until December 2017 to find myself a replacement car (and pray mine doesn't fall apart in the meantime).

The car is more fun to drive than the Polos and Corsas i've tried in search of a replacement, and i'd really like to stay japanese.
Mine was 1.350€ (1.140 GBP), most notably with rotten sills and rear quarterpanels, all bolts seized, dodgy engine sensors and an exploded AC.
One possible replacement that i looked at still had holes in the sills and it was 1.650€ (1.400 GBP).

After observing a few offers on the MSC facebook group, messaging a couple of guys and looking through sites like Autotrader i found myself confirmed in the idea that Micras are cheaper in the UK. If i find a friendly and trustworthy offer, with tons of pictures, a copy of the documentation to clarify tax and insurance beforehand, a flight, a place to stay for a couple of nights and a channel ferry ticket, then i might be in for quite an adventure and car worth keeping a couple of years ...

Though the first and most important question is: How little corrosion can i get in a K11 for around 1.000-1.500 GBP?
Should be as stock as possible due to German regulations, but we can get into that later. I'd just like an insight into what's possible to begin with.

Greetings and Regards

 

[davyboy]

New Zealand (?) For that money buddy you'll get a second facelift with no rust at all.
I'd go for the 1.4 ..... little pocket rockets, and cheap as chips to run.
Look after it and you wont have it for 2 years - you'll have it for life.

 

[NLZW735]

New Zealand (?) For that money buddy you'll get a second facelift with no rust at all.
I'd go for the 1.4 ..... little pocket rockets, and cheap as chips to run.
Look after it and you wont have it for 2 years - you'll have it for life.

Not sure what you're asking about New Zealand. Sorry if it's my username that confused you, it's actually my initials. I'm Nicholas, maybe i should point that out somwhere here, and i'm based in Germany.

1.4 is a coilpack one, right? Also i'm not too familiar with the trim levels, as they were not as differentiated around here. I get that SE+ is the top notch model with sunroof, AC, parking distance beepers etc.? - I'd like to have a few extras like that so i won't think "gah i wish i had a sunroof" some day.

 

[davyboy]

Not sure what you're asking about New Zealand. Sorry if it's my username that confused you, it's actually my initials. I'm Nicholas, maybe i should point that out somwhere here, and i'm based in Germany.

1.4 is a coilpack one, right? Also i'm not too familiar with the trim levels, as they were not as differentiated around here. I get that SE+ is the top notch model with sunroof, AC, parking distance beepers etc.? - I'd like to have a few extras like that so i won't think "gah i wish i had a sunroof" some day.

Ha, ha, me bad, yes I thought New Zealand. Never mind buddy, I thought that's a hell of a long way for a car - LOL
Yes the 1.4 is a coilpack, and a mighty fine engine it is, you won't go wrong with one of them.
Also the second facelifts seem to be pretty rust free, so not a lot to worry about there mate.
The SE is the top of the range, and the one to go for.
There maybe a 1.4 sport+ coming up for sale on here soon, a few little common issues, but worth a look at buddy.

 

[NLZW735]

Ha, ha, me bad, yes I thought New Zealand. Never mind buddy, I thought that's a hell of a long way for a car - LOL
Yes the 1.4 is a coilpack, and a mighty fine engine it is, you won't go wrong with one of them.
Also the second facelifts seem to be pretty rust free, so not a lot to worry about there mate.
The SE is the top of the range, and the one to go for.
There maybe a 1.4 sport+ coming up for sale on here soon, a few little common issues, but worth a look at buddy.

Bwahaha, true that!

1.4 is a good call aswell as i travel a lot of autobahn. The 1.0 is certainly not happy about that and i guess a 1.4 would get better fuel mileage out of it aswell.
I'll keep my eyes open and check out offers as they get posted here, as i mentioned rust is my main concern.

 

[Andy5077]

Hi mate welcome to the MSC Forum, like davyboy said a 2002 1.4SE or especially a 1.4SE+ if you want the top of the range model with the best Micra engine ever produced (1.4i), ABS, front ventilated disc brakes, driver/passenger and side airbags, front fog lights, alloy wheels, chrome door handles and bumper inserts, central remote locking, colour coded bumpers and door bumpers, electric heated mirrors, power windows, upgraded interior trim with leather steering wheel, heated seats on some examples! If you can afford £1000+ you will get a very good condition one without corrosion! I have had a 2003 1.4SE+ for many years and love it best smoothest, quickest pick-up and top end OEM Micra I have ever owned apart from my JDM March Cabriolet lol! B-)

 

[plmval]

Hey there, MSC!

Long story, not sure where to start, yet here we go:
I'm been driving a 2001 1.0 K11 that my father gave to me a little over a year. Always been a car and JDM guy, so i absolutely love my dad for this. However it's very very rusty and corroded, and so a few hundred bucks have gone into keeping it from falling apart and it's not going to get better. MOT, aka TÜV here is only every 2 years, so i have time until December 2017 to find myself a replacement car (and pray mine doesn't fall apart in the meantime).

The car is more fun to drive than the Polos and Corsas i've tried in search of a replacement, and i'd really like to stay japanese.
Mine was 1.350€ (1.140 GBP), most notably with rotten sills and rear quarterpanels, all bolts seized, dodgy engine sensors and an exploded AC.
One possible replacement that i looked at still had holes in the sills and it was 1.650€ (1.400 GBP).

After observing a few offers on the MSC facebook group, messaging a couple of guys and looking through sites like Autotrader i found myself confirmed in the idea that Micras are cheaper in the UK. If i find a friendly and trustworthy offer, with tons of pictures, a copy of the documentation to clarify tax and insurance beforehand, a flight, a place to stay for a couple of nights and a channel ferry ticket, then i might be in for quite an adventure and car worth keeping a couple of years ...

Though the first and most important question is: How little corrosion can i get in a K11 for around 1.000-1.500 GBP?
Should be as stock as possible due to German regulations, but we can get into that later. I'd just like an insight into what's possible to begin with.

Greetings and Regards

Right-hand drive UK specification vehicle not compatible with German and EU construction and use and TUV regulations!

Long-term German vehicle registration, use and motor insurance in Germany will require certified compliance to German and EU vehicle construction specification and use standards? This will take time and lots of money to get a UK specification vehicle compliant to German standards?
Good luck with that bureaucratic potential nightmare

 

[NLZW735]

Right-hand drive UK specification vehicle not compatible with German and EU construction and use and TUV regulations!

Long-term German vehicle registration, use and motor insurance in Germany will require certified compliance to German and EU vehicle construction specification and use standards? This will take time and lots of money to get a UK specification vehicle compliant to German standards?
Good luck with that bureaucratic potential nightmare

I'm in contact with people who have gotten UK cars and a guy i know who works at the DMV, as far as i know now it shouldn't be too hard.
The car is the same as continental european ones, so it complies with the regulations. Only exception so far: the headlights, easily fixed by replacing the entire headlight with correctly oriented ones.
To be exactly sure about the compatibility of VIN numbers and CoC, i will have to take a look at a full V5, maybe someone on here can show me his.

 

[davyboy]

If I can find it (!) I'll put it on PM to you buddy.
I'll ask the missus as I won't have a clue where it is.

 

[NLZW735]

Thanks to davyboy's help I've found out that registration should bear no formal problems as the Type Approval Numbers are conform.

I'll need to pay a bit to turn the british paperwork into german, but other than passing a regular MOT with replacement headlights there should be no further obstacles.

Next step now: 12 months to find a good offer, friendly seller
The further south the better i guess, to shorten the drive to the channel ferries. Guess I'll start calculating travel costs.
Thank you all for the help and advice so far!

 

[davyboy]

Thanks to davyboy's help I've found out that registration should bear no formal problems as the Type Approval Numbers are conform.

I'll need to pay a bit to turn the british paperwork into german, but other than passing a regular MOT with replacement headlights there should be no further obstacles.

Next step now: 12 months to find a good offer, friendly seller
The further south the better i guess, to shorten the drive to the channel ferries. Guess I'll start calculating travel costs.
Thank you all for the help and advice so far!

Happy days NLZ