FAGARO - do I buy or import?

paddy111199

Hi all,

Im looking to buy a beige Fagaro but dont know whether to buy in Dublin or import the car from Japan.

The car I'm looking for are going for about €12-13k on carzone. I think that is too expensive.

Anybody got any advice about the car or how to but it??

By the way I'm a 26 year old straight male, will I be laughed at!??

I just think the car is cool!!

Anan1

Have a look on www.ebay.co.uk, there tend to be quite a few on there at any given time. I wouldn't worry what anyone else thinks, you're paying for it so buy what you like. Have you considered the Nissan Pao? I think they're dead cool. www.nissanpao.com.

Dermo123

The missus saw two of these in Kinsale recently (one light green, one pink!!)and wants to get one too. However there are none near Cork for sale at the moment and she would love to see what they are like to drive. If anyone knows much about them in that regard it would be good to know your opinions.

3ps

the car is fine for what it is, but you will be laughed at

if you really want to go that route how about a beetle cabrio or morris minor, with a modern engine and uprated everything? They're not that expensive.

tmalmb

You could try import direct
http://www.idirect.co.jp/

or use a service like
http://www.japnuts.com/services.htm
or
http://www.figs4u.co.uk/

the use to be some folks on http://www.driver.ie/ that also provided this service.

Note: I've never used any of the above, I just did some research on it as I was going to by a figaro also but in the end decided not to due to the lack of a back seat

--amadeus--

If that's what floats your boat then fine, good luck and enjoy it.

I have a feeling it might be a repent at leasure thing though - you'll never shift it and the "cute" factor will wear off pretty soon. And 12K is a lot for a tarted up Micra.

mustang68

They are a really nice car, a modern classic, and as its a micra, quite reliable too. Go for it if you want one, it will make a good daily driver for traffic, great fuel economy and they seem to be holding price. Don't worry about image, Mister T drunk milk, some of the hardest men have the smallest dogs! its me who should be worried about image, driving a mustang!!

Anan1

mustang68 wrote:

Don't worry about image, Mister T drunk milk, some of the hardest men have the smallest dogs! its me who should be worried about image, driving a mustang!!

Very good!

PaulK_CCI

tmalmb wrote:

You could try import direct
http://www.idirect.co.jp/

or use a service like
http://www.japnuts.com/services.htm
or
http://www.figs4u.co.uk/

Just make sure Not to forget that cars that you bring in from Outside the EU union are liable for VAT!! and THEN op top of that there is ofcourse the VRT to consider since the car is younger than 30 years.

There's a couple of Figaro's for sale here on the continent (only in RHD, making for a refreshing change from the cars that are only available in LHD :rolleyes: !!!). Prices range between 8-10k, so after transport/vrt is accounted for, it makes the 12-13k that they are looking for the IRish car, not cheap but certainly not excessive.

corktina

personally i think you should buy and EXport....(please):D

Max_Damage

paddy111199 wrote:

By the way I'm a 26 year old straight male, will I be laughed at!??

Yes, and I will be the person laughing at you!

For what they are, they are far over priced (after all, it is a glorified Micra K10). The engine is more than less the same as that in the old Micra's (except they all have turbochargers on them, producing about 70 odd horsepower). All of them have auto boxes though, so they'll be as about as fast as a snail.

Dermo123

So has anyone actually driven one. Are they as sluggish as some people are assuming?

Do-more

paddy111199 wrote:

Hi all,

Im looking to buy a beige Fagaro

A freudian slip per chance?

kikel

I have driven one and was laughed at.

They are all automatic only. The combination of an automatic and a 1l engine is hilarious.

The Stereo's CD player is known to give trouble. Replacements can be hard to find. My friend uses an ipod and tape adapter for tunes.

The front seat are really cosy. Their is a back seat. Enough room for 2 small people or one large person. It helps to have the roof down if you are tall and in the back seat.

The foldable part of the roof has a tendancy to shrink, but does not let in water AFAIK.

Overly priced compared to a few years ago, They are already a classic IMO

paddy111199

Thanks for all your help guys, still undecided, would love to get info from people who have driven them.

Still think they are a cool and unique "noddy" car!! and i loved noddy.:D

kikel

Go for a testdrive. Decide for yourself. My friend she bought of this guy. no problems AFAIK. He has a good stock of them also. check the link

http://www.imperialcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=search

corktina

paddy111199 wrote:

Thanks for all your help guys, still undecided, would love to get info from people who have driven them.

Still think they are a cool and unique "noddy" car!! and i loved noddy.:D

if you think THEY are cool, then YOU definately are not....Spend your money on a real classic.....for the price of one of them things, you'll get a good, usable car.....and maybe cheap tax/insurance NCT free....

Blue850

paddy111199 wrote:

Thanks for all your help guys, still undecided, would love to get info from people who have driven them.

Still think they are a cool and unique "noddy" car!! and i loved noddy.:D

forget the Figaro, you need one of these...:D

FiSe

I love Figaros, I love Copens, I love Beetles - aulde ones, have '72.
Cars which you either love or hate. Cars with a charm, cars that are not yer usual MGB, Mini, Jag type o'thing.
With more imaginative paintwork those cars are head-turners, as we can see above. Lot's of reactions.

Point? If you have money to spend: Go for it!

paddy111199

According to my rough calc:

Cost price in Japan €4,000
VRT @ 22.5% of Irish retail price €2,205
VAT at 21% (is this 21% of costs?) €840
Duty at 10% (is this 10% of costs?) €400
Transport costs (is this realistic) €1,000

Total €8,445

Although I would like to drive before I buy, a car costing €4,000 in Japan would be a car under 20,000 km and there are no such cars that I can see for that in Ireland.

Has anyone imported any cars and what were the costs?, company they used? and would they recommend it??

Thanks all!

Anan1

corktina wrote:

if you think THEY are cool, then YOU definately are not....Spend your money on a real classic.....for the price of one of them things, you'll get a good, usable car.....and maybe cheap tax/insurance NCT free....

Come on, this is ridiculous! I would have absolutely zero interest in owning a Cortina, does this mean that you shouldn't either?;)

mustang68

Anan1 wrote:

Come on, this is ridiculous! I would have absolutely zero interest in owning a Cortina, does this mean that you shouldn't either?;)

here here!!

Some people look at classic cars in general and think: "what sad people drive those old cars", I look at classic jag drivers and think of tweed hats, veteran car owners look at me and think I'm a blow-in, because I don't forge my own pistons by hand. Some people look at me in the Mustang and laugh, others have chased me for miles to talk to me about it. My dad had a cortina, it made me vomit on long journeys, as a result it amazes me that people would get one!

I everyone liked the same type of car then we'd only have one car, a Figaro is a great car, always catches my eye, and most importantly its different to whats out there normally and isn't that what this whole thing is about, to be different, to have something unique?

(gets down off soapbox)

G Luxel

I have seen many figaros here, some of which have been imported from the U.K. as there were very few sold brand new there in I99I as a grey import when the car first became available.
My own opinion on the Figaro is that it was a retro 50s design built in the 90s. At least some large motor company decided to take a risk in building such a design, whether Nissan made any money from it is another story. The Japanese love their retro designs. It was because of the introduction of the Figaro that The Europeans followed a few years later with the Beetle and the Mini Cooper.

Esel

paddy111199 wrote:

Hi all,

Im looking to buy a beige Fagaro .....

Fagaros are ghey. Figaros....I'm still undecided.

alastair

Clearly Figaros bring out the sexual-confidence issues in some lads

Sure they're camp as christmas, but they're a practical(ish) alternative to bland contemporary boxes, or a genuine classic. They bring a smile to people's faces, and they hold their value. I'd drive one in a shot if they didn't have an auto box, and make no apology to anyone. As it is I opted to get a Nissan Pao - similar charms and oily bits, but a manual box and more utilitarian appeal. The styling isn't to everyone's tastes however.

If I was looking for a Figaro, I'd consider importing from Japan. There's more knackered ones floating about these islands now, and the mark-up from the commercial dealers here and the UK has steadily increased.

milod

OP, if you really have to buy one, make sure it's a turbo (76bhp as opposed to around 52bhp).

dublinfigman

all Figaros come with turbo engine

FYI they are all automatic, convertible, have leather, e/w, aircon, CD as standard.

despite all the adverse comments, they are actually very nippy notwithstanding the fact they are auto.

They are very light due to their small size (shorter than MX5) and also due to use of thermoplastic panels for front wings and front panel.

Figaros attract huge attention when parked; try out dragging every one else at the lights and watch the gawks!

the 12 " wheels are also a factor

RichyX

paddy111199 wrote: »

The car I'm looking for are going for about €12-13k on carzone. I think that is too expensive.

Bit expensive for a Micra alright.

London is filled with the silly little things, hope Ireland won't be the same soon.

Gary ITR

it's not cool to bump old threads just cos you have a vested interest


edit: quote from deleted post removed

RichyX

Onkle wrote: »

it's not cool to bump old threads just cos you have a vested interest

Gives everyone else another chance to bash the things though

dublinfigman

im thinking of bringing in a customised pink one complete with pink piping on the seats, pink horn push and pink dash - whats you super cool dudes got to say about that?



ps i have a lovely customised fire engine red one due here soon

Seth Brundle

@dublinfigman - consider this a first and final warning - if you want to advertise here then please contact the admins! Otherwise, I'll arrange a siteban.

unkel

I like the look of them even though most people know they're a bit of a fake. And tbh if I were a young single professional female, I'd take one over a 4 year old small bog standard supermini Micra / Yaris / Polo / Corsa etc. any day...

74merc

There's 4 on this site at the minute ranging from 4 to 6K sterling.

http://www.autoadvan.co.uk/stock.php