Tapajen Testimonials

Hello Mark,

Just wanted to let you know how things are a year on.

Our Lucida is running perfectly after one year, and has not given us any problems. It has just gone straight through the MOT (just needed some new wiper blades). We are very happy with our purchase. If you need a good Lucida or Estima then I can recommend Mark very highly, Mark is very helpful and offers a service second to none!

Many Thanks and God Bless

Jeremy Westwick

Dear Mark, Greetings.

Thank you very much for your patience and understanding while sourcing for me the vehicle of my choice namely a Toyota Estima
Emina, diesel, 4X4 manual, that you achieved with expectation and more, since its general condition, inside and out for a1997 vehicle is second to none.

Since its collection, I have been busy putting it through its paces here and abroad, whizzing effortlesly on continental motorways and comfortably as if floating on air, it has responded with gatso in any overtaking scenario dispite heavily loaded with tools and spares for building renovation plus some liquid on the way back. A very enjoyable eight hundred mile trip to the delight of my wife and I thank you very much.

Regards

John Stride.

Hi Mark,

Got home safe and sound last night, the car is fantastic, everyone loves it, Lis is amazed at the condition it is in and how nice it is to drive. The kids have been playing in it since 6 o'clock this morning... Look Dad the seats all go round.

Thanks very much, I've never felt happier buying a car.

Best wishes
Ged

We bought our 7 seater L reg Estima from Mark Allen at Tapajen and I can thoroughly recommend him.

Mark was incredibly helpful from the first time I called him with a vague enquiry about Estimas and has been efficient and responsive since. Buying a second hand car, feeling confident about its history (and buying a veteran vehicle in such great nick) made a great departure from the usual experience. Buying a second hand car from someone that takes time to answer half baked questions and with a rounded knowledge of what they're selling was also a pleasure.

Thanks a lot Mark and good luck with your continued Estima agency!

Oliver Lazarus

18 months on and going strong.

Mark,

I have just taxed MA98 one year on from speaking to you last - we have now had her for 18 months and I've got to say - what a great car.
It does what it says on the tin and does it well. Thanks.

We have done a few trips to Brussels to see the wife's folks and we have toured around England a fair bit. This Easter we are going over to Holland and in the summer we are striking out to France to see what adventures befall us there.

All the best

Doug

Hi Mark,

After owning my Estima for about 8 months now, I thought I'd let you know how things have gone.....

It's been a REAL pleasure! And every bit as good as I could possibly have hoped for from a vehicle thats coming up to 12 years old.... The condition is exceptional, and better than a lot of 2-3 year old UK cars I looked at!

The only downside was a sticking NS front brake caliper, which got so hot on one occassion (my fault for not stopping sooner), that it welded all the wheelnuts onto the studs. The result was that all 5 wheelstuds snapped when removed and had to be replaced. This was outside the 6 month warranty period that you provided, so I could hardly blame you for that! Total cost to repair was £106 - Which included replacing 5 wheelstuds and nuts, a front flexihose that had collapsed (again probably due to the excessive heat), and freeing off the front brake caliper. So I think that just shows that imports aren't necessarily expensive to have work done on them!

It's just coming up to 10,000 miles done in the time I've owned it, and it still gives me a big grin on my face every time I jump in and go for a drive - Okay, it's no sportscar, but it really is a delight to drive.

Having a wife who suffers from epilepsy, and a mentally and physically handicapped daughter, we often have to haul around large amounts of stuff, wheelchair, changes of clothing, incontinence pads etc etc, and the Estima swallows them with ease and still gives us 8 seats to play with! Name another vehicle that does that for the sort of money I paid for the Estima!

So after 8 months of use, the question is would I buy from you again in the future? And the answer is a resounding YES, without hesitation!

My sincere thanks
Eddy

Dear Mark,

It is now a year since I bought our Estima from you and we have found it 100% reliable. We have had it serviced by Buffalo Bob and it went through the MOT without a problem. I would like to thank you for supplying this vehicle. Your reputation and good name is second to none. As you know, we spent 3 months looking for an Estima on the internet and locally without feeling we would be getting a good buy. But finding you at the Estima Club recommendations site, we have been more than satisfied and happy to sing your praises. As you can see, we have a new dog which makes 4, so the Estima copes very well, plus my weekend camping in it, it has been a very enjoyable year.

Thankyou very much.

Wish you and your family all the best.

Colin, Carole and the dogs.

Dear Mark,

We needed a people carrier for my work as a registered childminder and taking out the every expanding family. After much research by hubby we came
across Tapajencars. We liked the fact that that all the cars had had a full check over and that all the import documentation appeared to be in order (a
Japanese sister-in-law helps!). Mark was very patient during our test drives which included our two small children and their assorted car seats!

We finally settled on a 7-seater 1993 Lucida G spec with low mileage which we brought in August 07 and so far touch wood we've had no problems and are
really enjoying driving it. For anyone looking for this type of car I would happily recommend Mark and Tapajencars, a real pleasure to do business with him.

Kind Regards,

Sue & Tommy O'Neill

Mark

I trust this is finding you and your family well and your business doing well.

Not quite one year on, but close. As normal I decided to MOT the car at the earliest opportunity to give me time to rectify all the faults, the MOT inspector assumed I had scrapped my Cavalier and replaced it with “another tatty import” (quote). In it went and out it came with another 13 months fit for use, and a comment that there are some good imports around.

I can now become another ‘Tapajen experience’ referee. How did the warrantee work?

Faults one minor steering joint, put into my mechanic and parts supplied without question by yourself together with an offer to pay for labour. What more could I ask for, as it was a simple repair I did not give you the option to put it right. Expectations exceeded.

Successfully made 2 trips to the Loire valley fully loaded; not quite as low mileage anymore.

What would I do different? The only thing is the next Tapajen car I buy will have a UK spec radio fitted, the band expander option I chose worked but we never got use to the incorrect channel being displayed.

Repair costs so far little more than a bottle of scotch for a years motoring; and this would have been covered if I left it to you.

Happy? Exceeding expectations.

A happy Tapajen man. P.S. the new number plate even has your web address on, I guess this means I am happy.

Mike Caroline and Family

I have had my Estima for about 2 months now with no problems at all. Tapajen was recommended by my Boss, excellent service, excellent Estima.

I have recommended another two work colleagues to Mark at Tapajen, at this rate I think we will all end up with an Estima at work.

I have been thinking about buying a Toyota Estima for quit a while, but for the last three years I had a VW TOURAN 1.9TDI on a contract hire arrangement. Although the diesel engine was frugal and nippy like a petrol one, the interior was a joke. It was not flexible for load carrying and could not take 5 adults and two children in comfort.

I am based near Newcastle-on-Tyne and I looked at various Toyota Estimas for sale in my area, but found those I saw not to be very good visually and I had no idea how reliable they were mechanically. Earlier this year I discovered a number of web sites dealing with Toyota Estimas, but Mark's was the most professional of the lot; also what I liked was the fact that there was full transparency with all procedures, such as de-registration in Japan and re-registration in the U.K; also the fact that the vehicles were serviced (e.g. timing belt changed) and with a professional valet before sale. This Easter my partner and I visited Mark at his home in Welwyn Garden City and I got to know him and his family and see some of his mpvs for sale. I did not do anything for a few months as I was still stuck with the VW TOURAN. The one day I checked Mark's web site and saw MA130, a low mileage (c. 35,500 miles) face-lifted (1996) blue Toyota Estima Lucida, which I liked and the eventually bought with some optional extras, such as alarm, remote locking and immobiliser. On the 13th August (not unlucky) I went down to Welwyn Garden City, where Mark showed me how to drive the Toyota with automatic transmission (I am used to manual gearboxes) and pointed out various features. He then gave me most of the necessary documentation, except for the UK Registration Certificate, which came later, as well as Toyota Estima user guide (on cd). After settling up, I made my way, without haste, back to the North-East of England.

Since then I have done nearly 2500 Kms (c. 1550 miles), most of it travelling about on holiday in Northamptonshire, the Lake District and the Glasgow area, without a hitch. The car feels like a three year old British/European vehicle, but is more comfortable and adaptable. My partner, who is disabled, was able to make her self very comfortable in the back of the Toyota with the middle and back row of seats facing each other, and there was still plenty of space behind the back row of seats for luggage.

I also use the car for business - I am a mobile locksmith - and I find it perfect for the task.

So once again, Mark, thanks for everything, including the wonderful Toyota Estima Lucida. I will certainly recommend you as a dealer in these vehicles.

Thought I'd let you know how the car got on with its 2nd MOT since we bought it from you.

After covering another 15,000 hard miles this year, I was a little apprehensive, especially as my usual MOT station has closed down and I had to send the car to a new garage.

The result?
Passed with flying colours again!!. So in two years I've spent the grand total of £120 on some front brake pads and two tyres whilst covering 35,000 miles!. We're driving to Holland next week and will go in confidence.

Hope you're all well, Rosie and the kids send their best wishes.

Best Regards,

Dave Norwood

I purchased my bus from mark one year ago now and nervously put her in for MOT today( Mot's always worry me). The bloke in the garage was well impressed with her condition and she passed with only two minor advisories.
Anyone thinking of buying from Mark STOP THINKING AND GO BUY ONE! Marks service from my 1st contact to after sales care is second to none! MANY THANKS MARK...Regards Stuart Ramsden

Just to say we are very pleased with our new Lucida and enjoy driving it very much. Going out with all the children is so much easier and less stressful, there is room for shopping, the double buggy and some friends. We were very impressed with the service and level of care you provided, I will definitely do business again. People can’t believe the condition of our vehicle as it looks as good as a car which is only a few years old when it is actually 10 years old! It should last along time as it has obviously been looked after well and has low genuine mileage. It was lovely to be invited into your home for a drink and my daughter Emily enjoyed playing with your children too.

Well off we go, new car required, Audi or Saab. What a selection but not enough seats. A discussion with my mechanic who said get another Previa or one of the imports. So the search began, trawling the Internet; was I suffering RSI! The name that was mentioned was Mark Allen, the mechanical god Bob (sorry Mark).
After a look at some other cars (how much bling can you fit in these beasts) and some further discussions with my mechanic the family went off to Welwyn Garden. My wife commented that looked a good car as we arrived. This was Marks transport to show us the rest. The biggest problem, which one to choose. I believe every option was better than anything seen before. MA109 was chosen, sorry to every one after, you had to make do..........

Delivered to St Neots to my mechanic for a once over before money changed hands. Is this man a fool or exceedingly confident in the quality? All will be revealed. Mark even went off, so that I could talk frankly with my mechanic! The verdict. Buy it! the best import I have ever seen! The warning was 'Mike you need to look after this car it is good and deserves better than you!' Paid and returned Mark to his home, we even met the elusive BuffaloBob, yes he does exist.

Mark Allen, Tapajen Cars, Honest and honourable, car was as promised 10 years old and looks 2.

Wheels in Motion, St Neots. Mark Bundy a bl**dy good mechanic and
honourable; and he has maintained my Previa for the past 3 years (and previous cars for longer). I don't even get a quote before he works on my car; maybe I am the fool but he has never let me (or the numerous people that I have recommended) down.

A big thank you to all those who had provided references on the forum; www.estimaownersclub.org they are read

Just call Mark at Tapajen Cars: www.tapajencars.co.uk

My wife's car was written off during the recent storm...

Mark gave us insurance advise to make sure we got the most money back possible (he even offered to speak to the insurance company to aid our case). He talked us through all the options to replace (I had managed to confuse myself royally until I spoke to Mark). He had the patience of a saint as we dithered over colour, spec and price etc, answering every concern I brought up after visiting other dealers. He lent us a vehicle (FREE) whilst we where still faffing about with insurance payments. He then found exactly what we wanted at the right price. Fitted an immobiliser, a new quality CD/Radio, Remote Central locking and converted the speedometer face from KPH to MPH.

I have just picked it up, and it is immaculate... Fully serviced, timing belt changed, donuts sorted, wax/grease under seal and even door hinges greased... and there are probably many other bits tweaked to... Great job BOB!!! (www.rcmvr.co.uk)

I am even looking forward to the next service, because all I have to do is call Mark and his service technician (BOB) will come out to me!!!!

I can not imagine there is anybody out there that provides this level of excellent service and expertise. I know every other dealer I have dealt with doesn't

We are delighted... Thank you very much Mark!!!

Having decided the Estima was the car for me I found this site and was impressed with the recommendations for Mark. I phoned him up and luckily he had a suitable car almost ready (My Peugeot had just developed a problem). After a few emails & conversations he delivered my new car to Gosport. We checked it over & it was absolutely as Mark had described it. As I was going on holiday the next day I didn't get chance to drive it for a couple of weeks. On my return & after driving it for a week it started overheating, I phoned Mark on Tues morning when it had seriously overheated on my way to work. He liaised with Bob and arranged that Bob of www.rcmvr.co.uk would come out to me. As I live in Somerset & Bob is in London it was an early start for him. Bob was with me before 8am and the car had a brand new radiator and thermostat fitted and the cooling system bled by 10, Bob took it for a test drive & pronounced it fixed. I used it yesterday to tow my trailer & horse which gave it a good work out and everything is fine now.

I can't recommend Mark more highly as the service and help he has given me has been exceptional and I couldn't have asked for more. It is unfortunate that it developed the problem especially as Bob had already fitted a new radiator before I got it but to have phoned Mark from Somerset on Tues morn & have Bob come out and have it fixed before lunch the next day shows how committed Mark is to looking after his customers.

I'm looking forward to loads of trouble free motoring in my new car. I love it already as do the kids.

Buying a second hand car is always a nervous experience, buying an imported car can be an even worse one.
.
We spent almost a year visiting all the dealers in our area in our quest to find a good Estima, none quite measured up to our requirements or the standard of quality we were looking for. After months of reading our way through the TEOC site we finally decided to follow everyone’s advice and contacted Mark at Tapajen. We e-mailed him asking if he had an Estima in stock with the specs we were looking for.

Unfortunately he had none in stock, but said he would keep a lookout at the Japanese auctions for us. A short while later he informed us that had found one that not only matched our specs but exceeded them.
Mark kept us informed through out by e-mail as to the progress from Japan to the UK and then through its SVA till it was ready for viewing.

We then faced a 400 mile round trip with two kids on one of the hottest days of the year. Arriving at Marks he re-hydrated us, and then showed us round the car and took us for a test drive. We purchased the car and then drove it the 200 miles home. The car even came with enough fuel to get us home, and still leave us with1/4 of a tank of fuel left.

We have now had the car over a month now and no faults have appeared at all. Every button, switch and item works as new. The car bodywork is in excellent shape, as is the interior. The biggest shock I got was when I got underneath the car. I have seen 3 month old cars with worse under bodies that this, no rust at all just pristine paintwork covered in clear Wax oil.

Purchasing from Mark has been a pleasure, and a safe one at that. Our car far exceeds the standard offered by our local dealers in both quality and price. It was worth the 400 mile round trip in a day to get a car of this excellent standard, and the honest personal service offered by Mark.

We've got three kids aged within 20 months of each other and the dear old Mitsubishi 2.4 V6 Estate wasn't really doing the job any more. As much as we loved it we realised that we needed something bigger to make traveling that bit less stressful.

Looked at quite a few alternatives in the Sharan/Alhambra/Galaxy (sorry for swearing), Previa size and frankly for the money they all looked rubbish. For £15k you can get a reasonable one but even then the UK spec' is not that impressive - and we didn't have anything like £15k to throw at a car. Saw an Estima, thought "What's that?". Definitely better looking than all those alternatives, less overweight and from a manufacturer that we were happier with.

Found this site (www.estimaownersclub.org or.com), lurked a while, then contacted Mark Allen at Tapajen. Having never driven an Estima before, Mark invited us over to Welwyn to drive his loan car - which we did and we liked it and instantly trusted Mark. Then, with Mark's help, we chose a car from his site, paid the deposit and waited patiently while the car took a cruise.

Mark kept us informed all the way and very kindly lent us his loan Estima for a few weeks while we sold the Mitsi (needing the funds to put into the Esty project).

To cut a long story short, I picked up our P-Reg, 2.2TD, Dark Blue Lucida with 74,000 km on the clock from Mark last Wednesday (4th). We absolutely love it and it has by far exceeded all of our expectations for a 9 year old car. The level of preparation both inside and out was superb and mechanically it appears as sound as a pound. We also have a nice cosey feeling knowing that Bob has cast his eye over our Lucie and done all the necessaries (see Tapajen website for list of items on the pre-delivery service - very impressive). Original Toyota Mats, retracting mirrors and a CD/minidisc (whatever that is) player are all items that came with the vehicle that we did not expect.

I cannot recommend Tapajen highly enough if you are thinking of buying an Estima. Mark is a good man who has done everything possible for us to make this a dream purchase. Thanks Mark.

Thanks also to you all at the TEOC for all the advice and for the recommendation which has led to this recommendation.

Just got to save up for a digital camera now so we can post some pictures. You'll be so jealous........

Hello Mark,

Just thought I'd let you know how the Granvia was enjoying life in France. The journey home was uneventful once we got past the lorry park that was once known as the M20. Yes, we chose the day when all the ferries has cancelled their sailing's, luckily we had booked a slot on the Tunnel but the M20 was closed in 2 places to provide lorry parks. So we had an hour and a half drive around Kent following the diversion signs before we got to the tunnel. Anyway the 950 kilometer journey home was a pleasure after that. The Granvia never missed a beat, and cruised happily along the auto routes at 130 kph and returned around 30mpg for the trip.

So, am I pleased with the Granvia? Most definitely yes and I would be more than happy to provide a testimonial for the service you provided and the way you carry out your business. I wouldn't hesitate to do business with you again and I would have no hesitation in recommending anyone else to do business with you.

By the way the television is in full working order, but of course it will not provide a picture here in France but the sound works fine. Having used the Granvia a little more now I am even more pleased with it especially its ability to cruise along the auto routes at the limit (130 kHz) and sometimes a little more, in a great deal of comfort.

Regards,

Mike Shanahan

I wish to tell all about the wonderful buying experience with Mark Allen of Tapajen Cars.

We knew next to nothing about these vehicles except that we wanted one, and after help and testimonials from fellow members of the Toyota Estima owners club ( www.estimaownersclub.org ) we decided to look at the stock on the Tapajen Cars website, we found the bus that best suited our needs, and emailed Mark, who was genuine and courteous with his replies to my many questions, we sent off the deposit and yesterday picked up our Lucida, which was better than we expected despite the numerous photo's Mark supplied us with. The whole experience was pleasing, we are over the moon with the vehicle, and even got a bacon sarnie thrown in too!!! Thanks Mark for restoring the pleasure in the buying and owning experience, we will be visiting Tapajen Cars website again when we decide to upgrade

It was with some trepidation that I ventured into the world of Japanese imports. I did my research - a lot of it - and in doing so found both the vehicle I wanted and a highly recommended firm with a seemingly unblemished record. That firm was Tapajen Cars.

I pelted them with emails. Questions about all aspects of owning a Toyota Estima, from overheating heads to radio frequency band expanders - they came back with the answers straight away, always more than happy to help.

So I finally placed my order, waited a couple of days for my Estima to be ready, and picked it up. Wow! Talk about looking like new! The "professional valeting service" was at least that. Everything was spot on, shiny and worked like a charm.

That was all 6 months ago now. Since then I've continued to pelt Tapajen with emails about various things - and they've continued to be quick to reply and more than happy to help.

It's rare these days to find a firm that puts its customers first and Tapajen is one such firm. If this Estima I have now ever wears out on me (which I doubt it will ha ha), I'll definitely be going back to Tapajen for my next set of wheels.

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

Jeff

The Isuzu bighorn is going great. I looked at some others who said they were good but after seeing them I did not rate them at all good!!!! So I said to Shirley I would ring you after buying a Lucida from you which was like new. I rang you on the Wednesday and you said you would look to see what you could find. You promptly sent me a list with all prices clearly marked, so no hidden costs. By Friday you had bought a bighorn in Japan which I knew would be up to your excellent standards. The car arrived when you said it would you even sorted out a private plate I had bought and put it on bighorn for me. When Shirley and I came to pick the car up we were over the moon it was excellent I would recommend you to anyone, the service was excellent and you and your wife and family were very friendly thanks again for another low mileage like new car.

Just wanted to say thanks for the car you got for us. We had viewed hundreds of Estimas Lucidas in the North West and never found one that we really took to. You managed to find for us not only a vehicle that fulfilled all the basic specifications we had requested, but you managed to supply a vehicle of a higher specification in trim, and also quality than expected. It also looks good on the road and gets lots of heads turning as we pass by, an added bonus.

On the subject of buying an Estima, I looked at plenty of them but none with all the relevant history (something that Tapajen cars will provide), and confidence of correct mechanical preparation (Bob Murphy of www.rcmvr.co.uk sets up Marks cars), add to this they are both members of the www.estimaownersclub.org club and have a passion for these motors, you really can't go wrong. Mark gave excellent communication during the whole process, and for piece of mind I would recommend Tapajen for anyone who wants to avoid the pitfalls that can occur during the ownership of these cars.

I hope this helps any potential buyers that have concerns with buying these wonderful MPV's.

I say mark Allen rather than Tapajen Cars as it really is Mark that delivers the excellent service.

- Only ever driven "reps cars" due to the job
- Needed a vehicle to take me and 4 mates to Germany for the world cup
- All Fords and Vauxhalls looked extremely boring
- Stumbled across the www.estimaownersclub.org web site and found marks name
- Called Mark and he had a car ready for me to see the next day (I had to go to Germany the following Thursday)

Mark spent an hour with me talking after a very comprehensive test drive. I have to say I loved the car (the set up, the interior and the drive) from minute 1. The body work and interior looked new. I called Mark the next day to confirm and he got the car ready for the following Wednesday.

Picked it up, managed all the paperwork at his place whilst enjoying tea and biscuits with (the wife and kids!) and promptly drove it back to Essex and then on to Frankfurt the following morning. It drove like a dream. We had one minor problem with a flashing oil level light, so I rang Mark from the Autobahn. He informed me that this was because the oil had been completely replaced during the set up and Bob had filled it with a full 5 and a half litres meaning that in the first few days the sensor may indicate that there was slightly too much oil in the engine! Needless to say the light stopped flashing just after I spoke to Mark!

Over the next three and a half weeks we drove it all over Germany without a hitch. It was a pleasure to drive as was Mark to deal with.

If you live in the south of England and you are considering buying one of these you MUST go and see or talk to Mark first before you make your decision.

Just wanted to share my experience of dealing with Tapajen - Last August I called Mark at 8.00pm after finding his website via Ebay. I had been looking for an Estima locally for months, and was getting despondent at the quality of the bad ones and the price of the good ones! Nothing unusual so far, but I was going on holiday to France 2 days later with a lot of traveling to do. So the following morning off I set to see Mark, and like many people I do not usually trust car dealers one little bit, but I do get quite a reliable 'gut feeling' about people, and upon meeting Mark, I felt very comfortable dealing with him. When I saw the car I could hardly believe it was 10 years old and I made the decision to buy without even a test drive. Completing the deal was easy and Mark certainly 'went the extra mile' to make the whole thing simple and straightforward (not to mention providing welcome refreshments for the three of us and the dog at his home!). So after a 100 mile trip back home I loaded up the car with camping gear and set off to France where the car covered nearly 2000 miles in two and a half weeks without missing a beat. Now the interesting part: The car has just had its MOT test, and to be honest I was very apprehensive because the car is now 11 years old, I have put 20,000 miles on the clock in 12 months, and it has been very heavily used during that time. (Amazing how popular you become when you've got 8 seats!) The result of the MOT? Passed with nothing whatsoever to be done on it! Buying a good used car is never easy and is full of risks, add to that an imported car that's quite old and costs a few grand and it adds up to one hell of a gamble. Would I buy from Tapajen again? Yes, every time, Mark is a 100% genuine bloke and dealers like him are rarer than hen’s teeth and should be supported whenever possible.

I just wanted to say how impressed we were with the level of service we got from Mark Allen, as many have done so before us.

I found out about Mark from the www.estimaownersclub.org website, and after a bit of research, contacted him in late June. With 3 kids, lots of bikes and luggage, and a planned holiday in mid-July, I knew time was tight.

Mark was simply fantastic, so please bear with me while I list some of the things that impressed us so much:

1. Mark replied promptly to all email/phone calls, with clear and detailed explanations of the whole buying process

3. When my bank failed to make the payment into his account, he offered to let me drive the car away even before the transfer of funds had been completed

4. He collected us from the station (in our new car!!_), explained everything we needed to know clearly and simply, and then made us a cup of tea how nice is that??)

Now, I don't know much about cars, but we certainly had a comfortable, hassle-free (and air-conditioned, hurray!) drive down to the West Country last week. I think this must have been one of the most pleasant purchases we have ever made, and I think Mark is a really nice, honest person. I have been evangelical in recommending him to friends and colleagues in the last week.

I bought a ‘97’ 2.2 TD Estima from Mark a couple of months ago & found the customer service part of the deal hard to beat.

I trawled around my local importers (in the North East) & although there were cheaper cars than the one I’ve bought, I felt more comfortable buying from the other side of the country & using TAPAJEN.

So far I’m very happy, the car was immaculate as described & faultless to drive.

I was given a loan car while I waited for the new one to be prepared (Free of charge) & Mark even met me half way to deliver my new car to me.

Having decided we needed a bigger car after the birth of our third son, my friend suggested I try an Estima. Having looked on the web for information, we decided to try one out.

We found a local dealer and had a test drive. I was impressed and wanted to buy it there and then. My husband was not so keen and so we waited.

I'm so glad we did.

The day after we had the test drive, I found this site and I also found Mark Allen of Tapajen cars. My first impression of his website was that this was someone I could trust. The ethos of his company was one of openness and honesty - not something car dealers are renowned for!

We made an appointment to go and see Mark as he was only about 20 minutes from where we live. He showed us an Estima he had just sold.

I was blown away by the quality of this ten year old car - it seemed more like a couple of years old. The interior was immaculate as was the bodywork. Compared to the Estima we had seen previously (which was a newer model), there was no competition as to the better car - Tapajen won hands down.

We spent a very nice hour or so with Mark over a cup of tea, as well as having a drive in his Estima. Then we went home and decided which of the ten or so Estimas on his website would become our car.

We were further reassured of the quality of Marks cars by the fact that the mechanical preparation was done by Bob Murphy, the south east specialist in Estimas.

Mark made the whole buying experience very easy. He answered our emails very promptly, had all the extras fitted as requested and has provided us with a car which we are confident will last us for a good number of years.

I can wholeheartedly recommend this dealer.

Regards

Keith and Clare Macpherson

Dear Mark,

Just a little note of thanks to say I was very impressed with the overall sales service and that personal touch that is so rare these days.

The new Toyota Estima is running like a brand new vehicle. My friends cannot believe it is a "P" Reg as it is in such an immaculate condition. I went out for a quick 10 minute test run and came back over an hour later as it was such an enjoyable vehicle to drive.

I was already well impressed with the loan of the courtesy car, another Estima, for several weeks, following my previous Lucida breaking down (not bought from you!) and I was even more delighted when you took the time in a very busy day to travel all the way from Welwyn Garden City over to Norwich late last night to deliver my "new" Estima.

I must have bought dozens of expensive cars over the years and I have never come across such a genuine and honest deal as the one I have got from you.
So, thanks from myself and Linda for your top class service, something that the big manufacturer's would do well to emulate!

Liam Nolan
Technical Director UK Racket Stringers Association
www.ukrsa.com
Master Racket Technician USRSA
Mobile 07861 380981

I bought a Toyota Estima from Mark Allen (Tapajen Cars) and have been very pleased with it. I took a bit of a risk by buying it 'blind' - I chose one from his web site and he delivered it to my home in Cumbria - but it was everything he said it was so there was no problem at all. The service Mark gave to get the car to me promptly and to pay attention to details like a roof rack and remote locking made it a very trouble free experience.

Richard in Cockermouth, Cumbria.

"The need for extra seats in our family car was the inspiration to look for a larger vehicle and I'm thankful that we came across TAPAJEN. Mark was incredibly helpful from the beginning and inspired a sense of confidence in his service as well as his product. The Estima has lived up to and exceeded expectations and I trust and hope these few words help others to enjoy the benefits of Marks help and TAPAJENS selection principles! on quality imports.

Andrew Wearing
Estima Owner

Yes, we're all safely back home again from Brittany - that was certainly a good "test drive" for the car, and it proved itself more than capable of zooming down the French motorways and back.
The engine is still just as smooth as it was when I first got it, no problems despite it going for a total of 11 hours solid driving in one day with only a few short breaks.

With 3 adults, 2 children and the dog it was a much more comfortable way of getting to France than our previous car! The only problem being the kids arguing about who sits in which seat......

Another important point for that journey is that despite the space inside, it's still regarded as a standard sized car by the ferries.
After a few miles wondering what to do with my left foot it's been a pleasure to drive.

Despite being the same age as our last car, it feels a lot younger - and is in much better condition - and it arrived shiny & clean inside and out - even the engine looked good as new.

Many thanks for the helpful, honest and friendly service - plus I don't believe anyone could offer better value. Little things like the CD-ROM manual ( and the air freshener :) ) make all the difference!

I realize people might be wary of buying something so expensive just on the basis of pictures on the Internet, but I would not hesitate to recommend you to others. Of course if it weren't for the 700 mile round-trip to Hertfordshire, I would have had a test drive as well before buying.

I would definitely get another Lucida from you, but I suspect that will be some years ahead yet! I guess (for you) that's the down-side of selling reliable cars.

I'll let you know how I get on when I finally try out that towbar....

Thanks again,

David Strawbridge

Hi Mark,

'I am delighted with the Estima I bought!! It was exactly as described and Mark made the payment and transfer process simple and pleasant!. - thanks Mark!'.

Regards

Jane Bromfield

A big thank you from all of us in Cambridge for the excellent service you gave us in respect of the purchase of our Estima. She drove home like a new car and there is no comparison with the last one we owned. Its nice to know that there are genuine people out there even car traders, although I guess they are few and far between !!. You have a customer for life, never in a million years will I ever buy an Estima from anywhere else after my experience last time around. It is without a doubt you have to know what your doing when buying an imported Estima, it really is a mine field, thank God we found you as we love these cars and we can at last enjoy our trips out with peace of mind. Again a big thank you, and it is without a doubt your business will be a success, I would have no hesitation in recommending you to anyone,

Well, I have bought my second Estima. It was such a pleasure to do business with Mark Allen; from the day I emailed Mark regarding Estima on his site http://www.tapajencars.co.uk Mark was prompt to answer all my questions. I bought a Toyota Estima from him and I have never experienced such a smooth and fantastic transaction. The additional accessories which were requested were installed very neatly and professionally, not forgetting with minimum cost!

Along with my daughter, I traveled to Herts. Mark picked us up in the Estima I was due to buy. Mark took us to his home and let us inspect the vehicle thoroughly and explained all the details etc and not to forget the wonderful hospitality!

I highly recommend going to Mark if you ever are interested in buying a car as he is extremely honest, hard worker and he works with Bob http://www.rcmvr.co.uk which very reassuring as together they make a fantastic team, like hand in glove!

I would just like to thank Mark and also I cannot praise him enough for his credibility and trustworthy! If anyone is ever interested in Estimas’, Mark is the person!

Just a short note to say I bought my Lucida from Mark about a year ago , Mark has been in touch with me on a regular basis to make sure everything has been going fine, and to my knowledge, that's not the action of someone trying to do me out of cash, so do I think he is trust worthy? oh yes do!! I think he sells very good cars, any way, if you have any queries Mark will give you my email address as I live in Worcester and Mark lives in the London area, we didn't know each other before me buying my Lucida.

Thanks for the inquiry.

Yes we have enjoyed the vehicle and so far have had no problems what so ever with it. We were very happy with your service and would deal with you again no hesitation.

Thanks Tony & Lisa

"We've had an Estima for 6 months now and are delighted with it. The extra space is fantastic. Great personal customer service too from Tapajen."

Nick & Linda

Tapajen cars looked after me very well, Mark even lent me an Estima while mine was on its way from Japan. I feel that the Estima and the price was a fantastic deal, the Estima has not stopped since I bought it 10 months ago and it has completed 30,000 faultless miles. Good deal, good man.

Dear Mark,

Sue is very pleased with her new Estima, it looks very smart and drives like a much newer car. I have also been extremely happy with your customer service and would highly recommend your dealership to any potential customer. I know from experience that there are a huge number of "clocked" Estimas currently for sale from dodgy dealers in the UK and your policy of complete transparency for all of the original Japanese paperwork is the benchmark standard that all other honest dealers should adopt.

Thanks and we'll be in touch again when it's time to buy another.

Kind Regards,

Laurence Felton

Just thought it was about time I got back to you to say how happy I am with the Lucida so far. I have just done my first oil change having now completed around 5000 klm, which included a trip to France last month. I can honestly say that I have had no problems so far and it's amazing how much car you get for your money with these Lucidas even though they are around 10 years old.
This is now my 2nd Lucida and I must say that even though this one is one year older than my other, it's got less mileage and feels much nicer to drive, so you really know how to pick them.

Dear Mark

Many thanks for the smooth sale of the Estima which we collected on Saturday.

Just to let you know that we are all delighted with the vehicle. The finish you managed to achieve inside and out was superb everywhere was clean and shiny, as close as you can get to a new vehicle. I have now taught Fiona how to drive the Estima, which she found very easy, so I will probably have a job getting hold of the keys from now on! Our son Jonathan loves riding high in the Estima and gets quite excited about traveling in what he calls "the bus".

I am very pleased that we were put in touch with you.

My very best wishes for the future success of Tapajen.

Just to let you know that the Lucida is running very well, very good service, excellent Lucida like brand new. Excellent couple to do business with, we would recommend Tapajen to anyone. We are very pleased we decided to purchase our Lucida from Mark, the condition is outstanding just like out of a showroom.

Shirley and Adrian.
Bicester Oxon

P.S The only thing is Shirley will not let me drive Regards Adrian

Hi, Mark, just got back from France, having covered nearly 2,000 miles in the two weeks since we bought the Lucida from you. You will be pleased (but not surprised!) that the car has behaved perfectly and has not missed a beat despite being driven for the best part of a whole day at slightly illegal speeds in order to catch the ferry back to Dover!

We are really pleased with the car and the superb service you provided and would certainly recommend you to others. In fact, I gave your name and phone number to a chap called Mick (from London) who we got chatting to in the Supermarket in La Tourballe in Southern Brittany, and who ended up having a test drive of our Lucida around the car park! He was suitably impressed, needless to say and hopefully he has been in touch.

Anyway, I hope you had a good holiday too, and Rosie and I would like to say a big thanks for the car and the service, and we wish you every success in your business. We will be in touch when the time comes to upgrade our Lucy (and if we forget where the dipstick is again!!)

Just a quick note to thank you for the super motor Mark, we took it out for a spin down the coast on Sunday and very nice it was too. The kids really loved it - all that space to swing cats (well, Teddy bears really).

I should have offered to pay your expenses for delivering the beast. Can I sort that out now?

In all respects - superb. Thanks again Mark - and good luck with the business. I've already been recommending your services round here and folks were certainly impressed with my beast. I'll direct them to your web-site when it's up.

We purchased a Toyota Estima from Mark Allen (Tapajen Motors) in March 2005 and are thoroughly satisfied both with the vehicle and the service provided by Mark himself.

Having searched for some considerable time for a suitable Estima, we were put in touch with Tapajen Motors by recommendation. We had a particular specification in mind and Mark very quickly located the perfect car for us. We were kept well informed every step of the way and received prompt and courteous responses to all our questions and a willingness to meet our needs where possible.

The vehicle was shipped, serviced and registered within the timescale we had agreed, and on collection the vehicle was in excellent condition and exactly as described.

Since purchase, we have used the vehicle extensively and it has been an excellent runner even with a full load of 8 passengers. The aftercare provided by Tapajen Motors has been second to none and we have always felt able to come back to Mark for advice when necessary.

We have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Tapajen Motors and Mark Allen to anyone wishing to purchase a vehicle.

Mark Allen is a very honest and friendly person to deal with. From the beginning he kept me informed about progress of the Estima which I ordered through him, arrival date, etc.? Price was fully transparent with no hidden extras and as agreed. The car itself was valeted to a high standard and serviced with new tyres. Mark met me at the rail station and he drove back the Estima to his flat (which gave me a good chance to get the feel of it before I drove it myself) to complete the paperwork. He was very courteous throughout the whole process. I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone interested in buying an imported Estima-he is very trustworthy and you get what you ask and pay for.

Hi all, from personal experience I would definitely recommend Mark, bought my Lucy from him back in Feb ( looks just like the one on his site) and to date she hasn't missed a single beat (touch wood), very pleasant and easy transaction and reassuring to know it had been serviced etc properly before we picked it up.

I would like to say I bought my Lucida from Mark, sight unseen, cash up front via Ebay without EVER having test driven one before. I am in Bristol, Mark is in Herts AND I also collected the vehicle in the rain!! Foolish, or Trusting?

I would have to say that the vehicle was absolutely as described by Mark, and I would have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending his services to anyone thinking of buying a vehicle. I consider myself extremely fortunate in having been able to do business with someone of such high moral standards. Having spent 6 months looking for a Lucida, even paying a deposit on an import, before being fobbed off on delivery day buy another 'respected' trader, Mark charges fair prices for excellent products. I would most certainly look to purchasing through him again. (And no, I am not on his payrole!)He also provided me with a CD of the Lucida handbook, and useful website information to assist in ownership. Thanks again Mark!