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Found The Model, Colour And Spec E51 Elgrand That I Want But It Is R Grade Should I Still Go For It

kfgas

Active Member
Premium Member
South West
E51 Owner
Messages
376
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1,063
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313
Location
Bridgwater
First Name
Kevin
Elgrand
E51
Region
South West
I have been looking for another Elgrand for my wife as well as keeping hold of my rear camper converted Elgrand which I have had for the last 3 1/2 years as she is finding her current soft top 2+2 a bit restrictive size wise as she now needs to have a bit more room due to grandkids getting bigger and the need to have more luggage space.

She fancies something a bit different but in pretty much standard spec and I have been told that it has to stay that way.

We decided on a 09/10 black 3.5 High Performance Spec Rider with black leather interior.

This is quite a rare car but after quite a few months of searching on Japan auctions and also Japan dealer sites I have found the model and spec that we want at a Nissan Main dealer in Japan.

The main problem quite apart from the logistics of arranging to get it here if he is willing to sell it to me which is by no means certain as this dealer does not export and it would likely be a lot less hassle and more profitable for them to sell to a japanese based customer.

It looks likely that this car has never gone to auction as I can find no trace of it on TS Exports although it could have gone through USS but I think that it is most likely a trade in.

The car has a V-Con JAAI vehicle check sheet which I think is most probably a more thorough and better indication of condition than an auction grading sheet bearing in mind that since I have been looking for this car I have seen some car's go through multiple auctions and the same car been given grade's R 3.5 and 4 by different auction houses.

They have given the car a R grade for Left center pillar replacement trace, the map also shows W1's on the front and back door so looks to me like it has had a bump on the passenger side that has been pretty well repaired but other than than that the map is very good with just a few A1's and 1 A2 although it also shows a T3 on the front bumper which I have never come across before which I think is probably a JAAI abbreviation.

The car was registered in April 2010 and has had just 1 owner and has a full service history book with a mileage of just over 76000 kilometres so about 47000 miles The car also has the standard upgrades for the High Performance Spec model of Power increased to 250BHP and an increase in Torque, Front Cross bar, Front Tower bar, Yamaha performance Front Dampers, Step Bars, Rear Cross Bar, Performance Suspension, Tuned for Iridium Plugs, Fujitsubo Muffler, Gear Shift Ratios modified for improved performance.

It also has some decent options of Twin Sunroofs, Manufacturer HDD navigation, Rear seat monitor, Back & side camera's, Auto sliding doors on both sides, Electric curtains, AFS Xenon headlights, heated driver and passenger seats, bigger rear spoiler and aftermarket 19 inch alloys and front and rear dash cams

I have not yet got a CarVX report as still trying to decide whether to go any further due to the R grade but having looked at my copy from when I bought my existing Elgrand I don't think that it will give me that much more info other than if it went through auction and whether there are any recalls outstanding. Part of the checks that are made for the JAAI report is checking the oldometer for any tampering so miles should be correct.

Vine Place has a High Performance Spec Elgrand https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394177035989?hash=item5bc6c83ed5:g:ndEAAOSwEGFjT2-L&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAAoFOORPsZtlVSrUCxxgUVD/SHUfyG1Ha2InuxVGsQl4/efefLVl/6FEAxs7S3725YuDh1BlRw3IR+OAnyh+utJ2a4lejibjDU78nK9z91UKdBokjMFRSixNjU1Nrb2RFJRcuoakXKUqmJ6DlmMiQo7LJD/nlaT+ncmAWlV3MbllpUJkKOWbbLLb0j1oIl74G49aE57rmXC5VaaCNKFyS4gPc=|tkp:Bk9SR9a588WTYQ for sale at present which is a 2008 model and less well specced and being a Rider S does not have the leather interior although it is 4 wheel drive and slightly less miles. It does not say what grade it is but with the reputation that Vine Place have I would expect it to be at least a grade 31/2 and most likely a 4.

I could most likely get the car in Japan imported to the UK for about £2500 less than Vine are asking after paying the VAT and Import Tax and it would be the spec that I want but would either then have to pay for or do all the prep myself that Vine and a lot of other importers do and also get it through MOT etc

Anyway the whole point of this is what would you do if you were me, heart tells me go for it but I am concerned that should I decide to sell in future it would have the same sort of stigma that a cat N or S would have and I would struggle to sell.

If it was a standard Elgrand I would most likely walk away but these do not come up very often and apart from the R grade seems a good quality car so might be the only chance of getting one.
 
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If it was me I would walk away and not bother with the import. Anything with R would not be for me. May not be structural but do you really know that???

The spec you have specified is not that rare and tuned to 250bhp is no big deal. All the other non standard things can be obtained overtime by importing yourself. Plus remember age even though low mileage will have effect on the parts.

My advice buy from dealer on here, then modify to what you want using new parts.
 
If it was me I would walk away and not bother with the import. Anything with R would not be for me. May not be structural but do you really know that???

The spec you have specified is not that rare and tuned to 250bhp is no big deal. All the other non standard things can be obtained overtime by importing yourself. Plus remember age even though low mileage will have effect on the parts.

My advice buy from dealer on here, then modify to what you want using new parts.
That's pretty much what I thought and my first thought was to walk away but I think that the High Performance Spec is rarer than you think especially as my wife want's a particular colour and interior.

This is the only one that I have seen since I have been searching in the last 5 or 6 months,

Also get what you are saying on parts wearing and totally agree but the option to buy and then modify and upgrade myself which is what I am doing on my existing Elgrand is not going to happen as this will be my wife's daily driver and can't be off the road.

She has told me that there is no way will I be allowed to touch it apart from maintenance and cleaning.
 
Kevin I think you have already talked yourself in to it (or rather The Boss has lol)
You'll get people saying 'go for it if the price is right' you'll get people saying 'walk away at any cost'
Do what you (or The Boss) feel is right for you.
 
And of course the good thing is, if it goes tits up you can blame her.
 
Personally I'd want to walk away. But if the boss really had her heart set on it my life wouldn't be worth living. So on balance my advice would be go for it 😇
Not sure if this might help
I go from thinking to carry on looking and hope that a better one will turn up to thinking that if I can get this one for a decent price it would be worth going for.
The thing that sways me towards going for it is that apart from the R grade it looks to be in really good condition with some nice add on's and would most likely be a minimum of a auction grade 4b from the pictures on the dealers website and the JAAI report and map.
Trying to read between the lines it seems to me that the repair work was carried out to a high standard and most likely done by a Nissan dealer.
Also the seller is a Nissan Main dealer and looking at the rest of there stock they do not deal in rubbish.
 
I go from thinking to carry on looking and hope that a better one will turn up to thinking that if I can get this one for a decent price it would be worth going for.
The thing that sways me towards going for it is that apart from the R grade it looks to be in really good condition with some nice add on's and would most likely be a minimum of a auction grade 4b from the pictures on the dealers website and the JAAI report and map.
Trying to read between the lines it seems to me that the repair work was carried out to a high standard and most likely done by a Nissan dealer.
Also the seller is a Nissan Main dealer and looking at the rest of there stock they do not deal in rubbish.
That last bit of info re being Nissan main dealer changes everything imo. Go for it!
 
That last bit of info re being Nissan main dealer changes everything imo. Go for it!

Forgot to mention that I have checked the recall history and there are no recalls outstanding along with the rare full service history book to me points towards the owner having looked after the car
A few pictures from the dealers website.
 

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Stop whining and just get it bought.*
😂




*I take no responsibility if the doors fall off as you are driving.
 
Have you asked the importers on here to sniff about for a high performance spec one for you?
 
Have you asked the importers on here to sniff about for a high performance spec one for you?
Not asked any to keep a look out for me but one of the importers on here will help get this one imported for me if I decide to go with it.:)
 
Not asked any to keep a look out for me but one of the importers on here will help get this one imported for me if I decide to go with it.:)
I think the next step is to ask if he will sell it to you then, he may say 'Nooooooo' Father Ted style making this thread pointless 😂
 
I think the next step is to ask if he will sell it to you then, he may say 'Nooooooo' Father Ted style making this thread pointless 😂
Yes, will have to speak to my wife when she gets home and make the decision whether to talk further with the dealer in Japan to see if he will sell to us as like you say if not all a bit pointless although it has put my mind to rest a bit on the R grading.
I suspect that it will all come down to what price I am prepared to pay as I think that the dealer makes a higher profit due to add on's if sold to a customer in Japan as opposed to going for export.
 
Well fingers crossed either way it all works out well for you and your wife.
 
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