Buying Mustangs direct from the US

Buying Mustangs direct from the US

Author
Discussion

tvrman123

Original Poster:

13 posts

202 months

Saturday 12th November 2011
quotequote all
Hi, I have just moved to the US and I am starting work for a dealership in January 2012. One of the things I am looking at doing is to sell Mustangs direct to the UK. I would be grateful of any advise or interest.

Thanks, Dan.

Roo

11,503 posts

214 months

Saturday 12th November 2011
quotequote all
Whereabouts in the US?

If it's West Coast forget it. Shipping takes ages and costs a fortune.

Is the dealer you're going to work for happy to do export? Most don't as it breaches their franchise agreement.

If it's one of the East Coast dealers who already exports to the UK most of them have already got contacts over here.

Good luck though. I'd be off like a shot if the opportunity arose.

tvrman123

Original Poster:

13 posts

202 months

Monday 14th November 2011
quotequote all
I live in Miami, so I know the shipping is still a lot, but cheaper from here. My Uncle used to ship Cobra a few years ago and I know shipping in bulk is a lot more cost effective.

Roo

11,503 posts

214 months

Monday 14th November 2011
quotequote all
Unfortuantely you won't get anyone buying in bulk.

We buy single units to order only. We also, along with a lot of dealers here, use a broker in Switzerland who buys so many cars they get factory discount which isn't available on single units purchased direct from a dealer.

However, next time we need one I'll let you know the spec and see what you can come up with.

tvrman123

Original Poster:

13 posts

202 months

Monday 14th November 2011
quotequote all
Thanks Rupert,
That would be very kind, I am actually in with the dealership today, as we have an order of 20 BMW's going to China of all places, so even if you have an example of a car you have already bought, I can gauge if this is worth investing my time and money.
Kind regards,
Daniel.

Harrysdad

22 posts

156 months

Monday 28th November 2011
quotequote all
Roo, do you know yet if you will have any trouble converting the 2013 rear LED clusters to UK spec? I would like really a 2013 GT500 or even a 2012 if they are going cheap early next year.

Roo

11,503 posts

214 months

Monday 28th November 2011
quotequote all
Harrysdad said:
Roo, do you know yet if you will have any trouble converting the 2013 rear LED clusters to UK spec? I would like really a 2013 GT500 or even a 2012 if they are going cheap early next year.
Without taking one apart it's difficult to know exactly what's involved, but everything is possible.

bobfredstinker

783 posts

157 months

Thursday 29th December 2011
quotequote all
Roo said:
Unfortuantely you won't get anyone buying in bulk.

We buy single units to order only. We also, along with a lot of dealers here, use a broker in Switzerland who buys so many cars they get factory discount which isn't available on single units purchased direct from a dealer.

However, next time we need one I'll let you know the spec and see what you can come up with.
You sound like a man in the know... Do you happen to know the total cost to import one of the new Boss 302 Mustangs when they're released? That's the standard one, not the Laguna Seca.

saleen836

11,432 posts

216 months

Thursday 29th December 2011
quotequote all
bobfredstinker said:
You sound like a man in the know... Do you happen to know the total cost to import one of the new Boss 302 Mustangs when they're released? That's the standard one, not the Laguna Seca.
Take the purchase price (no sales tax as it is direct for export)
add shipping + insurance
add 10% import tax
add 20% vat

example....

purchase price =$50,000
shipping/ins =$1800
total =$51,800

+ import duty 10%=$5180
total =$56980

+ VAT 20% =$11396
total =$68376

HTH


Roo

11,503 posts

214 months

Thursday 29th December 2011
quotequote all
saleen836 said:
bobfredstinker said:
You sound like a man in the know... Do you happen to know the total cost to import one of the new Boss 302 Mustangs when they're released? That's the standard one, not the Laguna Seca.
Take the purchase price (no sales tax as it is direct for export)
add shipping + insurance
add 10% import tax
add 20% vat

example....

purchase price =$50,000
shipping/ins =$1800
total =$51,800

+ import duty 10%=$5180
total =$56980

+ VAT 20% =$11396
total =$68376

HTH
Close.

A Boss is currently $42,000. By the time that's over here and registered it'll be just under £45,000. You can add £5,000 to that for the Laguna Seca edition.

bobfredstinker

783 posts

157 months

Thursday 29th December 2011
quotequote all
Am I right in thinking it also needs certain modifications to make it legal in the UK? Things like indicators etc.

Viper

10,005 posts

280 months

Thursday 29th December 2011
quotequote all
bobfredstinker said:
Am I right in thinking it also needs certain modifications to make it legal in the UK? Things like indicators etc.
of course there will be small list of work to be done


Is the dealer you're going to work for happy to do export? Most don't as it breaches their franchise agreement ~ Roo's right here most US manufacturers dont allow new cars to be exported direct, only used vehicles.

The mustang/import market has taken a battering over the last few years



Edited by Viper on Thursday 29th December 23:04

Roo

11,503 posts

214 months

Thursday 29th December 2011
quotequote all
Viper said:
bobfredstinker said:
Am I right in thinking it also needs certain modifications to make it legal in the UK? Things like indicators etc.
of course there will be small list of work to be done


Is the dealer you're going to work for happy to do export? Most don't as it breaches their franchise agreement ~ Roo's right here most US manufacturers dont allow new cars to be exported direct, only used vehicles.

The mustang import market has taken a battering over the last few years
The price I've mentioned, subject to verification when I'm back at work, is a UK drive away price with everything done including registration and road tax.

As Viper says though, most US dealers won't export new cars so you need to do your research about who you're buying through.

Viper

10,005 posts

280 months

Thursday 29th December 2011
quotequote all
one of the big Dodge dealerships i know of got fined heavily for exporting new vehicles into Europe several years ago, they still export 'newly new' vehicles into Europe

tvrman123

Original Poster:

13 posts

202 months

Thursday 29th December 2011
quotequote all
Viper is right, I live in the US and I was speaking with a Ford dealership and they get fined $5,000 per vehicle they export, so it is not worth them doing it. Some are able to export without getting fined, basically they have an agreement to sell over the internet and at the moment it does not restrict them from exporting vehicles. There is also a way round it which is quite simple which is registering the car in the US and then ship it. I have done this for cars to China and the dealerships are happy to do this as it does to go against their franchise agreement.

Viper

10,005 posts

280 months

Thursday 29th December 2011
quotequote all
one of my buddies in the viper forum brought a brand new ACR over this year, and did a personal import

didnt ask how he got it over, but i know its quite simple for a dealership to register a vehicle to a friend or employee first, before its moved on as several of my UK mates have done it that way







tvrman123

Original Poster:

13 posts

202 months

Friday 30th December 2011
quotequote all
Viper, you got it, that is exactly what we do. I just did 10 cars to China and we had to register all of them to friends and employees. The whole process is much easier than it seems, the hardest bit is when it lands in the UK and paying the duties etc.

bobfredstinker

783 posts

157 months

Friday 30th December 2011
quotequote all
tvrman123 said:
Viper, you got it, that is exactly what we do. I just did 10 cars to China and we had to register all of them to friends and employees. The whole process is much easier than it seems, the hardest bit is when it lands in the UK and paying the duties etc.
So have you done much importing into the UK then?

Roo

11,503 posts

214 months

Friday 30th December 2011
quotequote all
We bring everything in untitled, that way they show as brand new when registered here.

If you register a car in the US first you'd be liable for the sales tax, not payable on exports, but you MIGHT get some sales rebates that you can't get on untitled cars.

bobfredstinker

783 posts

157 months

Friday 30th December 2011
quotequote all
Roo said:
We bring everything in untitled, that way they show as brand new when registered here.

If you register a car in the US first you'd be liable for the sales tax, not payable on exports, but you MIGHT get some sales rebates that you can't get on untitled cars.
But what about the fines for exporting new cars?