Japanese Auto Locators Reviews 

We ordered a van from Phil and the JAL team back in Sept 2021 following research which confirmed JAL's vans and workmanship were excellent. It was delivered in 2022 and we had solar panels fitted this year in March.

Phil provided excellent advice on the choice of van and the conversion requirements. We went for a Nissan Elgrad and are very pleased with it. The conversion is done well and we have enjoyed using the van for short weekend trips. We have longer trips planned for later in the year!

As referenced by other reviews, it wasn't the smoothest process to finally get hold of the van. Supply chain delays and DLVA waiting lists meant that we received the keys a number of months after the original planned date. It also took me a while to work out how to best communicate with Phil (be brief and to the point!). However, it was definitely worth the wait. What's more, Phil provided access to an alternative van to cover for some trips we had planned last year, expecting we'd have our van. This really was above-and-beyond expectations, given the supply issues he was experiencing.

Phil loves what he does, is incredibly knowledgeable and very supportive. You can choose a van and conversion knowing you'll get something you'll love.

We found JAL online and went to visit Inkberrow October 2022, in order to view a specific vehicle (Nissan Elgrand) which we had seen on the website. Phil very patiently explained everything that we needed to know and provided email and phone contact details and was extremely helpful in answering queries via texts etc., and provided a video of something operational re the campervan for me, when I was worried about how something worked. The visit to Inkberrow was valuable to us, as you gain awareness of the factory and operation and some of the conversions staff spoke to us about the process also.

The process of picking interiors, features and add ons was very straightforward and comprehensive and we completed this smoothly.

After selecting our options and paying the deposit, things naturally go quiet for a little while, while the process unfolds. Phil and I kept up to date with one another, either by email or text, so I knew where things were upto and when to expect delivery.

On vehicle being ready, we went again to Inkberrow and were completely bowled over by the quality of the conversion, JAL are the best out there, we did our research. Phil does a very comprehensive handover and provides a document to explain and remind you re all the various aspects. As first timers to campervans, we naturally had questions after collection and Phil has always been most accommodating at clarifying issues with us. I have to say that he has also communicated with me during his own personal time, on one occasion early Sunday morning, when I was having a problem, which turned out to be to do with the campsite electricity supply. He was helpful in the extreme and he was also correct - I was really impressed with how he quickly diagnosed what the problem was, which was nothing to do with our vehicle, despite what we first thought.

So, in summary, the process was simple and smooth, with good communication. Phil helped guide us through the process with patience and humour. He’s a great fella and I’d be absolutely delighted to deal with him and JAL again in the future.

You might find cheaper vans out there, but you won’t find better conversions or higher quality vehicles than those that Phil and JAL locate and supply. All our friends are amazed at what a wonderful vehicle we have and how beautiful the conversion is. Thank you, Phil and JAL.

We collected our Nissan Elgrand yesterday and Wow - it is amazing!! Absolutely in love with this van. The workmanship is of an extremely high class and it really is a beautiful van. Cannot fault it.
We like most people have had to wait a bit longer due to shortages of raw materials and dvla but the wait is so so worth it. I would say to anyone waiting, be patient as you will love the end result.
Phil is a great guy who is incredibly knowledgeable and helped us at every step through the process. His emails and texts maybe short but they answer the questions and that’s what’s important. So so glad we chose this company and thank you so much to Phil and his team

Picked up my Nissan Elgrand camper from JAL on 5th May. It is a lovely conversion, with all of my first choices of colours etc and it is effortless to drive. I can't fault the workmanship and the van itself is in first class condition.
As was mentioned before be prepared that it most likely won't be ready when you were expecting it to be and even though this is frustrating, it is worth the wait!
I have tried it out on a couple of weekenders and everything works a treat. Being my first camper I could have done with a bit more explanation of the solar panel/leisure battery/control panels etc but have figured it out myself now.
All in all, a lovely camper. Thanks Phil!

The whole experience was extremely unpleasant and slightly traumatising.
I now have a van, which seems competently converted and is a pleasure to drive. However, I would never choose to encounter Phil or JAL Imports again.
I made an appointment to go to JAL towards the end of June 2022. Prior to my appointment I was asked to identify my top 3 van choices from the stockist for viewing. On arrival I was greeted by Phil with an accusatory "you're early". Despite intimations on the website, there is no showroom, only a workshop which one is not allowed to enter, and I had to follow him to a field a couple of miles away where I was shown my top choice van, although I was unable to see inside or drive it as Phil could not find the keys. He would not, or could not show me my other two choices. Despite this in early July I put down my deposit and was told that it would be ready September/October that year. I asked several times for a receipt for my deposit but got no response at all. In late September I got in touch to to try and find out about progress; it took several attempts via email, text and phone to get a response from Phil who could give no potential completion date or any reassurance that it would be done. Early in the New Year I got in touch again, and again had to try several times times before he responded. By this time, with such unresponsiveness, no receipt for my deposit and no potential delivery date I was feeling that I had been very foolish and naively trusting to order a van from JAL. At the beginning of March I had a couple of emails that suggested that some conversion work was happening to my van. Contacting Phil again I was told it would be ready by the end of the month. At the beginning of April, I was told 2 weeks. On the 24th April I received notification that it was ready. During this process Phil was unresponsive and unable to give any information or reassurance. His communication style in person, as well as by text, is snide, sarcastic and borderline rude. When I went to collect the van, no acknowledgement, explanation, or apology for the 9 month delay was forthcoming. I have asked several times for an invoice for the van and a receipt for my payment, but have had no response. It turns out that Phil is an old-fashioned misogynist; my brother drove me to Inkberrow to collect the van. During our time at the site, Phil addressed nearly all his comments to my brother despite me being the owner and user of the van. Finally, you should know that the warranty they offer is for 3 months, which is hardly useful or relevant given that it is quite possible that you may not have been able to plan a trip in your van during that period, especially if you had no prior idea when the van would be ready.

I picked up my Nissan Elgrand converted campervan and I’m loving it. It drives like a dream, which is fortunate as I’m using it for everyday driving as well as holidays.
The operation of the roof and r/r bed is simple, effective and easy to use. The interior design has been well thought of and the workmanship solid.
I did a lot of online research and can confirm the 4 hr journey to buy from JAL was worth it.
As others have said, there was a delay from expected completion date which is a little frustrating, although well worth the wait.
I would definitely recommend JAL.

After discussing our requirements and camping intentions Phil advised us to opt for a nissan elgrand conversion. The finished vehicle is superb. The bodywork is excellent, conversion absolutely first class and mechanically the vehicle is astounding. Phil is faultless in his knowledge and always gives the correct advice.
Well done J.A.L two very happy customers.
Due the aftermath of covid timescales were disrupted. Communication is when necessary.
Overall impression, excellent.
Thanks again Phil and team.
Mike and Val

Picked up my converted Bongo in Nov 2022, great conversion and a dream to drive. Phil gave me a comprehensive briefing when I picked it up and I spent the Christmas holidays getting familiar with how everything worked. Add a few months onto the delivery date, but you will get a fantastic van, Phil has a great reputation for stellar vehicles.

Customer service, transparency, integrity and passion are defining qualities shown by Phil at JAL
We flew down to pick up our vehicle and were patiently taken through a check list for looking after and maintaining our new purchase.
Upon his advice I took the vehicle to an undersealer to prep it for Scottish roads - they were blown away by how well maintained and clean the underside of the vehicle was. Best customer service I've encountered ever and I would urge anyone seeking an import to look these guys up first.

Love my bongo.
Phil was thorough with details and advice. Wouldn't hesitate to use again

Since our purchase in Sept 22 we have been thrilled with your wonderful Elgrand product, especially by the standard to which it has been lifted. Thank you for the time you have been able to give us, especially after my panic with my bank transfer. Please thank you guys for their efforts in making us happy bunnies.
We were recommended by one of your long standing customers, and we are now happy to pass on our recommendation for you and also your product.

Peter

After taking time to look around we decided on getting an Elgrand from Phil. It was delivered to us last November. The van has been our best purchase and was well worth the wait (about 5 months) as we bought it before it landed in the UK. After having lived with and camped in the van a couple of times we decided to go for a conversion and also to return the van to Phil to do the conversion. We live 2.5hrs away but having seen Phil's work and conversions we knew he would do a good job. We were not disappointed and absolutely love the van even more now (if that's possible!). We have just come back from a 2 608mile round trip to Scotland and the van did not miss a beat. Absolute pleasure to drive and 'live' in for 10 days. If you are looking for a camper, I highly recommend a JAL Elgrand - and the luxury that comes with it is second to none. Yes, as Ohers have noted Phil is not the best communicator, but he did answer all the questions before and after our purchase. After all its the quality of your purchase that's important and I'm so glad we chose JAL.

Despite taking 13 months instead of the estimated 6, I’m going to give Phil a 5* review anyway- clearly a combination of recent “factors” ( including the entire staff of DVLA apparently working from home) especially COVID were beyond anyones responsibility.
Phil is not the worlds greatest communicator for sure- but then I do respect a straight talker. He is courteous and prompt in his “famously brief” responses to queries.
Absolutely delighted with the Van I ordered, immaculate condition and everything I was promised.
I can highly recommend this company so long as you are patient.

Absolutely delighted with the new addition to our family, Bertie our Nissan Elgrand camper.
We visited various other companies before finding JAL. Straightaway speaking with Phil I felt that we had found the right place. He was very knowledgeable and incredibly keen to ensure that I found my perfect camper. He gave me lots of useful tips and information which helped me choose.
I picked Bertie up last week and again was super impressed with Phil's attention to detail at the handover.
Bertie was beautiful inside and exterior looked brand new!
I have already been on 2 trips and my new camper has surpassed my dreams. Fabulous vehicle and a dream to drive, beautifully converted interior with attention to detail.
Incredible use of space with a wide comfy bed, and big sleeping space up the top with the fab pop roof with a great view out of the little window also a good sized fridge.
Thank you again for an excellent service during a very challenging time!
From a very happy customer!

I did quite a lot of research before I bought a campervan, had never had one before, rented a VW last summer & realised the price was prohibitive for a 2nd vehicle. Went for a 2004 Bongo from JAL with a full conversion, was hoping that their reputation for finding the best ones was correct, looks like it so far. Looks newer under the bonnet/seats than my wife’s 2018 SEAT & a couple of people have been very surprised that it looks in a better state than their German & Japanese motors less than 5 years old!
I built in the potential expected delays, based on what I read, but to be fair, the DVLA were responsible for the majority of it. Had been quoted April/May but got in very early July, so maybe add a couple of months on to be realistic. I found Phil fine to deal with, just understand he won’t contact you unless there’s something to tell you, disregard the scare stories, keep in touch & you’ll be fine. But make sure EVERYTHING you want added is in the sheet.
The Bongo is fantastic, kids absolutely love it. I got a solar panel fitted, doesn’t say on the site, but it’s a flexible 150W so sits pretty much flush with the Mushroom roof I chose, with Bluetooth connectivity, so you can see how many watts it’s pulling & which battery it’s charging.
The roof is also no bother, likely I’ll get a spare bit of plywood half the width of the 3 supplied, to leave a gap with small kids up there, and have cut one of the mattresses for same reason, but you could get two adults up there & it goes up & down easy enough.
Altogether, I’m glad I used JAL, just expect the arrival of your vehicle to be just a little later than expected (factor that in), be nice, be specific. The vehicles are absolutely immaculate, it’s worth it, love it.

I’ve just taken possession of my long awaited Beatrice Bongo. She is perfect and drives like a dream. The conversion is gorgeous too and just what I imagined; it was fun seeing what I’d chosen looking so good. Phil has been exemplary throughout, very helpful and kind. The after sales support is excellent too. We did a lot of research before choosing who to buy from and JAL always came out at the top of our list. My partner and I can’t recommend Phil & JAL enough. Happy South Coast Bongolians 😊

Finally got our delayed Elgrand conversion. Nice machine, everything works though the numerous internal displays in Japanese are a bit disconcerting! We're now on the journey of discovery with awnings and add-ons, with some good advice from Phil on awning attachments. My rating would have been higher but for the delay in delivery.

We love our Alphard conversion - it was worth the wait. It's been a long journey, what with nearly a year of lockdowns, wave after wave of Covid, global logistical nighmares, etc. But if I were going to buy another one, I'd go back to Phil.

The sales experience was easy - I did my research, made an appointment, had a chat with Phil, and ordered my van. My wife chose the conversion colours, and then, we waited for the world to unwind enough for the conversion to get done.

The key positive, though, was the way Phil dealt with some unfortunate warning lights that appeared pretty early on. Long-story-short, Phil was faced with potentially having to replace the van's hybrid battery - which could have pretty much eaten his entire margin on the van. And he was prepared to do it without any quibbles. We both got lucky that the mechanics managed to piece together a few different related issues to discover a small coolant leak meant the high-voltage battery wasn't getting cooled. So, the repair was considerably simpler, and the Alphard was back on the road in short order.

As the other reviews say, Phil knows his stuff, and he works with cracking mechanics. The conversions are lovely and carried out with fantastic attention to detail. But the fact that you know you're dealing with someone who's going to honour his warranty is the icing on the cake.

I love the Bongo that JAL supplied, the base vehicle is great and the conversion even better. For the price you can't beat it in my opinion. The 47" bed is a must if you expect 2 adults to get a good night sleep and I couldn't find another bongo conversion that offered that.

A true test of the seller is when something goes wrong and on the way back from Oxford my alternator failed leaving me stranded but Phil had the vehicle towed and replaced the alternator with no quibbles,I'm just back from a trip to Somerset and the van drove perfectly.

I have read other reviews on JAL, yes the conversion took 6 months, the communication wasn't the best during those 6 months and the sales process isn't super slick but you get a great van and a great conversion and Phil really does no his stuff.

On balance I'd absolutely buy another off JAL.

JAL sourced an excellent Elgrand for us, with which we are very pleased. We were not so pleased with the conversion. Worst of all was the paint on the roof blistered within 18 months and it cost us a lot of money to get it resprayed. Phil's response was less than sympathetic.