FADE TO GREY

THE arguments of Tony Weber against grey importation in your last issue ran completely counter to my experiences.

I’ve owned two grey imports in my time, brought in under the old rules. It gave me access to a quality of car that, at that time, I couldn’t otherwise afford. They were ‘special’ cars in my assessment and highly equipped. They were also the two most reliable cars I’ve owned, irrespective of the fact they were engineered for Japanese conditions and not those in Australia.

I concede that there were sat-nav and infotainment inconveniences, but I worked around that, as does most of Asia, the Pacific and much of the former Soviet Union, who simply accept the grey automotive market as a way of life. The notion that we have a unique environment requiring unique specifications is overplayed, I’m afraid.

Despite his protestations to the contrary, I see Mr Weber’s arguments as a mere continuation of an old, weak and scared mentality. Fortress Australia is done with. Let’s move on.

No matter what, there’s no choice now anyway.