Few Questions from newbie

[Buckers30]

I may have mentioned some of these in my last post

1. Who do you pay your tax to when you buy a new one from the US/Can
I am entitled to tax free cars by living in Germany by working for the MOD.

2. Have you all got UK lights ie pointing to the left if so how much were they because I suppose they would get here with with right facing lights.

3. Also what about the indicator lights do they not flash red

4. If anyone can point out any other problems I could come across in either importing or road testing MOT/BFG I would really appreciate it

Thanks in advance.

Edited by Buckers30 on Saturday 26th January 07:30

[LuS1fer]

Buckers30 said:

I may have mentioned some of these in my last post

1. Who do you pay your tax to when you buy a new one from the US/Can
I am entitled to tax free cars by living in Germany but working for the MOD.

2. Have you all got UK lights ie pointing to the left if so how much were they because I suppose they would get here with with right facing lights.

3. Also what about the indicator lights do they not flash red

4. If anyone can point out any other problems I could come across in either importing or road testing MOT/BFG I would really appreciate it

Thanks in advance.

1. If you import the car as a private individual, you have to pay the import duty when it arrives on European shores through Customs. This is 10% in the UK. They also collect the VAT tax which in the UK is 17.5%. You get a form saying the taxes have been paid which you use when registering the car on British or European plates (I assume the system is the same). In the UK, the car has to be put through an SVA test to get it to comply to UK construction and use regulations which are pretty much the same across Europe. If you own the car in the US and move here permanently and don't sell the car for, i think it's 6 or 12 months, you don't pay the duty IIRC. Anyway, you need the SVA test certificate to register the car too. I think in Germany it's similar. I think if you sell the car, you become liable for the taxes which is designed to stop you importing loads of cars and making a living from it.
2. US lights are flat beam pattern with so will pass the SVA test without modification. The dip patterns in Europe and the UK spred light up to illuminate the nearside but cut off the offside so as not to dazzle people. US beams are flat all the way across and generally this is why they're as useful as two candles in a jar - but they should pass the test.
3. You have to have orange flashers on the rear. This means disabling the brake lights on certain bulbs and the flasher on all the red bulbs as the brake lights are not allowed to flash (or be sequential). It's complicated so you need someone who knows what they're doing. If you look on www.ebay.co.uk, you'll find Euro-Mustang lights which light up red/brake on the outside, flasher and reverser in the middle and foglight on the inner section. Alternatively, you can graft orange LEDs onto the rear units or some companies graft in an orange pane on one of the sections. You have to have a rear fog light which can be suspended at a particular (low) height under the rear bumper to avoid dazzling people - but where they're included in the rear cluster, it's OK to have them there (stupid but true). The foglight has to be wired to an illuminated interior switch.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FORD-MUSTANG-2005-REAR-TAIL-...
4. This is my guide to the UK SVA - it's actually for my Corvette which I did myself and tells you what you need to alter. the side repeaters can be mounted anywhere where they can be seen from about 5 degrees from the side of the car looking forward so in the door mirror is also OK. I did not do my Mustang because the electrics are very sensitive and incorrect wiring can burn out a junction box that costs about £500 to replace.

[Buckers30]

Wow thats brilliant thanks thats answered all of my concerns great I spoke to a guy from work who voiced his concerns as how to get away without paying the tax as you rightly said that the US tax is lower than our so our counrty bumps it up a little to make the difference its the tax I was concerned about but as you know your colleagues in the south of Germany get tax free cars and so do we in the North ie a New Ford Galaxy Ghia is £13,995 rather than £21,000.

Once again thanks very much Neil