Hi mate, SVA test isnt expensive. But im pretty sure any car under 10 years old needs the SVA test before it can be registered and put on the road. Was the car you went to see a fresh import?
V5 or V6 Sti type R, theres a few for sale at the moment.
Speak to Stewart Chapman on here, he imports cars and will prob get what your after, he has 2 V6 type R's at the moment but i dont what price there goin for.
Happy hunting
Fair enough its a high in the miles, but if everything else is sound on the car its cheap as chips and ripe for a rebuilt or new engine with plenty horesepower for a lot less than a lot of P1's out ther.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/186900.htm