Some imports are obvious the moment you turn the key; others only reveal themselves once you are on the road. Here are the five signs owners most often mention.
1. The navigation talks to you in Japanese
If your turn-by-turn guidance is in Japanese — or the map labels are — the system is still set to its factory region. This is the single most common reason owners come to us.
2. Warning messages you cannot read
A dashboard warning is only useful if you understand it. If alerts pop up in Japanese characters, you are guessing at what your car is trying to tell you.
3. Climate and audio menus in Japanese
Adjusting the air conditioning or the stereo shouldn’t require memorising which button does what. Converted menus make daily driving far less of a puzzle.
4. The trip computer is a mystery
Fuel economy, range, service reminders — all handy, all useless if you can’t read them.
5. You are about to sell or hand it on
An English dashboard makes a used import noticeably easier to sell and more pleasant for the next owner. It is a small change that lifts the whole car.
Recognise a few of these? Book a conversion — most are done the same day.