ive always fancied a Evo, but after hearing all this (and its been going on for ages) it does unsettle me a bit.
the simple answer is, if youre newly bought import turns out to be stolen in japan or whatever, then you get NOTHING!! ZIP!!! unless you can get something back from the dealers (yeah right!!)
i cant remember if it was Quentin, but there was a program following that report a while ago that followed the police around, investigating into stolen cars. Yeah, it was TopGear report. Anyways, they showed you how they were stolen in japan, sold to cyprus then converted to UK spec and sold onto the UK. Tey even pulled some poor sod on one of the british motorways, told them his Skyline was stolen (R32 or 33 cant remember) then took it off him there and then. The poor guy had to ring for a taxi!!!. He was in tears watching them tow it onto the back of a tow truck. "He'll not get a penny back" or words to that effect was said. So be warned, even authorised legitamit dealer can get dooped. There is a way to check the vehicles VIN against a stolen cars list somewhere, but i can remember where it is you have to go, well the police would be a start.