Used and new car importers clash

The used Vehicles Importers Association yesterday hit back at what it described as a "concerted campaign" intended to convince the government to introduce harsh measures against second-hand car importers.

At a press conference held at the SAS Radisson and surrounded by Japanese second-hand vehicles, the association, which represents 28 importers, took exception to comments made by the Association of Car Importers and to a story carried in the Motoring magazine of The Sunday Times.

ACIM claimed that an environment-friendly new vehicle was taxed between Lm700 and Lm900 more than a second-hand car with full extras of the same class, engine and specifications.

But UVIA general secretary Emmanuel Mallia said this was incorrect information which was solely intended to put pressure on the government to introduce measures against second hand car importers.

Dr Mallia denied that cars imported by the UVIA had different specifications from those stipulated by the EU.

He shot down comments that the majority of second-hand cars on the road were being "dumped" from Japan, a country famed for its environmental efforts to contain urbanisation.

Suffice it to say that the Toyota Yariz, the car most imported by the UVIA, reached the highest environment standards recognised by the EU.

Besides, countries like the US and the UK were importing thousands of such cars from Japan.

Dr Mallia said it was worth noting that UVIA members had paid some Lm6 million in VAT and other taxes in the first eight months of this year.