Importing ML63
Discussion
Hi all, finally got the approval for permanent residency and I'm keen to ensure that there will be no issues in importing a few cars that we own. I understand that in order not to be liable for import taxes that the vehicles have to be owned for one year prior to importing and then be owned for a further 2 years should we need to sell them. After evaluating this time period (the ML would be some 6/7 years old by the time I could sell) I'm keen not to own a car with generally high mileage and for this reason am contemplating px'ing the 2007 ML for a 2010 model within the next few weeks based on the fact that we intend to move out there pre Christmas 2011. Doing this will then comply with 12 month ownership rule but it occurred to me that before going ahead with such a purchase that I should first check that there are no rules concerning this particular model. I saw one ML63 on the roads of Auckland whilst our there in 2008 but don't want to make an expensive purchase only to find that NZ have changed anything concerning emissions, etc. on imported cars.
Any pointers would be most welcome.
Cheers
Any pointers would be most welcome.
Cheers
No worries with that model, it's sold new here. So long as you own/use for 12 months prior to importing and own for 24 months after emigrating you should not have to pay any tax on importing.
Other than that, the only reason it would be rejected is on the grounds of individual condition so make sure it's got no dodgy repairs and no evident rust... obviously if you're buying new, that won't be an issue but if you do have an accident in it in the next year in the UK, ensure the repair is to a very high standard or else a compliance engineer over here might reject it if he thinks the repair is not to an acceptable standard.
Other than that, the only reason it would be rejected is on the grounds of individual condition so make sure it's got no dodgy repairs and no evident rust... obviously if you're buying new, that won't be an issue but if you do have an accident in it in the next year in the UK, ensure the repair is to a very high standard or else a compliance engineer over here might reject it if he thinks the repair is not to an acceptable standard.
Also worth doing your sums with exchange rate etc in case its cheaper to just buy one when you get here.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/CategoryAttributeS...
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/CategoryAttributeS...
George/Ben, thanks for the replies.
With reference to the exchange rate, the British pound has already lost the best part of thirty percent of it's value over the last 12/18 months and could even be the one thing that prevents us from moving. I'm hoping for some upside to the GBP over the next 12 months.
Even when the rate was more favourable I carried out an exercise to see what it would cost to source the exact same cars over there, i.e. same age, year, etc. The result of that exercise clearly showed that I'd be looking at an additional $100,000, to buy like for like, so I dread to think what it would be now with such a strong NZD.
With reference to the exchange rate, the British pound has already lost the best part of thirty percent of it's value over the last 12/18 months and could even be the one thing that prevents us from moving. I'm hoping for some upside to the GBP over the next 12 months.
Even when the rate was more favourable I carried out an exercise to see what it would cost to source the exact same cars over there, i.e. same age, year, etc. The result of that exercise clearly showed that I'd be looking at an additional $100,000, to buy like for like, so I dread to think what it would be now with such a strong NZD.
I priced it up the other day... a brand new base level Porsche Carrera with no fruit at all in NZ is $220,000. The exact same car in the UK is £63,000... which directly translates to $138,000 in Kiwi..... those prices include taxes for both.
Sure motoring (running a car) in the UK is expensive, but if you buy new, that's an $82k head start, and you have to do a LOT of miles to make up the deficit.
The automotive market here is a joke unless you're looking at buying a ten year old Mazda Familia.
Sure motoring (running a car) in the UK is expensive, but if you buy new, that's an $82k head start, and you have to do a LOT of miles to make up the deficit.
The automotive market here is a joke unless you're looking at buying a ten year old Mazda Familia.
Sorry -guys I accidentally posted this to the wrong thread!
As a Kiwi expat (15 years in the UK) I'd say the NZ market for high performance european cars is very small. They're not easy to sell & there's a very small community of motoring enthusiasts. They're extortionately expensive, the speed limit is strictly enforced & they're impractical in a country where many of the finer sights are at the ends of gravel roads where ground clearance is at a premium.
Years ago my parents used to run high performance european cars but they became a liability which didn't fit very well with the lifestyle - too high in maintenance, couldn't go just anywhere you wanted when you wanted, had to order parts from abroad to avoid being ripped off by the franchised dealers etc.
If you're really into the kiwi lifestyle,(skiing, boating, mountaineering, tramping, flying, diving etc) an SUV is the most practical option. Preferrably one which is rugged enough to handle abrasive foliage, capable at river crossings, has centre & rear diff locks for snow (preferrably three diff locks), slimey river-bottom boulders & mud. Electronic aids like ESP are no substitute for decent lockers. In all honesty, the Japanese SUVs seem to be the best , especially Toyata Landcruisers & Nissan Patrols - they're extremely reliable & built for the backcountry rather than for posing in suburbia.
As a Kiwi expat (15 years in the UK) I'd say the NZ market for high performance european cars is very small. They're not easy to sell & there's a very small community of motoring enthusiasts. They're extortionately expensive, the speed limit is strictly enforced & they're impractical in a country where many of the finer sights are at the ends of gravel roads where ground clearance is at a premium.
Years ago my parents used to run high performance european cars but they became a liability which didn't fit very well with the lifestyle - too high in maintenance, couldn't go just anywhere you wanted when you wanted, had to order parts from abroad to avoid being ripped off by the franchised dealers etc.
If you're really into the kiwi lifestyle,(skiing, boating, mountaineering, tramping, flying, diving etc) an SUV is the most practical option. Preferrably one which is rugged enough to handle abrasive foliage, capable at river crossings, has centre & rear diff locks for snow (preferrably three diff locks), slimey river-bottom boulders & mud. Electronic aids like ESP are no substitute for decent lockers. In all honesty, the Japanese SUVs seem to be the best , especially Toyata Landcruisers & Nissan Patrols - they're extremely reliable & built for the backcountry rather than for posing in suburbia.
I can accept that the market is 'small' based purely on the size of the population but there must be enough sales to support some of the exotica dealerships that I visited whilst there in 2008? The Aston Martin dealership in Auckland for example was also the dealership for Lamborghini. Perhaps things have changed over 15 years?
There's no question that the bulk of the market is in Auckland. It's when a buyer comes to trade-in or re-sell that shiney Porsche, Aston, Fezza etc that they learn how small the market is. My advice to any car enthusiast emigrating from Blighty to Kiwiland is to purchase a car which is unavailable in NZ. Any NZ-new exotic car will never have seen a salted road & will be very likely to have a fractional of the mileage of it's UK equivalent - so it's better purchased on arrival. But if it's something very rare or non-existent in NZ - then the UK purchase makes sense. You'll find the racing scene very eclectic with mixtures of muscle cars, ricers, old British & European stuff going toe-to-toe with newer Porsches & Exotic stuff. It's amazing how much difference is in the driver rather than in the car. In the UK I've noticed there are a vast number of "cheque book warriors" - GT3 drivers on trackdays who are thin on talent, bravery or both. There are less of this type in the NZ scene because there's simply not as much money about, less participants & highend stuff is stratispherically expensive.
I've read that three times now but I still don't get the conclusion that it's better to buy over in NZ rather than in the UK. The fact is that the cars are more expensive hence why I'm considering my options before I go. If the exchange rate was somewhere like $4 to the £ then it may be different but current exchange rates of $2.09 to the pound just exacerbates the cost differential.
In Ben's link above it demonstrates that I'd be $25k dollars worse off on just replacing a like for like ML in NZ with more miles on it than are on mine. It just doesn't make any financial sense to sell over here, particularly in the current climate, and then buy at a premium over there. FWIW, the ML63 is pretty rare anywhere with only 8 used available on a national search with Mercedes UK.
In Ben's link above it demonstrates that I'd be $25k dollars worse off on just replacing a like for like ML in NZ with more miles on it than are on mine. It just doesn't make any financial sense to sell over here, particularly in the current climate, and then buy at a premium over there. FWIW, the ML63 is pretty rare anywhere with only 8 used available on a national search with Mercedes UK.
There will be particular models for which buying in UK & importing makes economic sense & your ML63 may just be such a case. For certain sports cars, especially older ones i.e. Porsche 964s, certain late 80's early 90's Ferraris etc the stock of NZ cars are generally lower mileage & better condition - more so if they were NZ-new (NZ-new prestige cars carry a premuim in the second-hand market). Some of the Hong Kong & Japanese used european sports cars have particularly low mileages compared to their UK counterparts.
For reasonably young ultra high-end stuff, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Astons, Bentley's etc there's often a good case for importing from the UK. As is the situation of older rare sports cars (which need to be 20+ years old to be exempt from the frontal impact compliance rules).
In NZ 60,000+ miles (100,000+ km) is considered high mileage & will impact used values accordingly.
For reasonably young ultra high-end stuff, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Astons, Bentley's etc there's often a good case for importing from the UK. As is the situation of older rare sports cars (which need to be 20+ years old to be exempt from the frontal impact compliance rules).
In NZ 60,000+ miles (100,000+ km) is considered high mileage & will impact used values accordingly.
Esprit said:
I priced it up the other day... a brand new base level Porsche Carrera with no fruit at all in NZ is $220,000. The exact same car in the UK is £63,000... which directly translates to $138,000 in Kiwi..... those prices include taxes for both.
Sure motoring (running a car) in the UK is expensive, but if you buy new, that's an $82k head start, and you have to do a LOT of miles to make up the deficit.
The automotive market here is a joke unless you're looking at buying a ten year old Mazda Familia.
Its even worse when you factor in incomes. A quick google suggests uk median weekly income of gbp489 so the porsche is 129 weeks pay. NZ is $529 so the porsche is 416 weeks.Sure motoring (running a car) in the UK is expensive, but if you buy new, that's an $82k head start, and you have to do a LOT of miles to make up the deficit.
The automotive market here is a joke unless you're looking at buying a ten year old Mazda Familia.
The figures wernt for identical periods so wont be 100% accurate but close enough to make my point.
Don't affect people entering the country but explains why we dont see many of such cars and why the depreciation is so bad.
Edited by Bull1t on Friday 29th October 22:50
Penguinracer said:
If you're really into the kiwi lifestyle,(skiing, boating, mountaineering, tramping, flying, diving etc) an SUV is the most practical option. Preferrably one which is rugged enough to handle abrasive foliage, capable at river crossings, has centre & rear diff locks for snow (preferrably three diff locks), slimey river-bottom boulders & mud. Electronic aids like ESP are no substitute for decent lockers. In all honesty, the Japanese SUVs seem to be the best , especially Toyata Landcruisers & Nissan Patrols - they're extremely reliable & built for the backcountry rather than for posing in suburbia.
Depends if you're heading for serious offroad stuff or just general outdoor lifestyle - there is a reason so many of us own Subarus!Steve*B said:
FWIW, the ML63 is pretty rare anywhere with only 8 used available on a national search with Mercedes UK.
From what I just saw in a quick search it's a 6.3L 510HP 17MPG SUV that has 4WD but is not really an off-road vehicle. Most Kiwis would assume on that information that it is no more than a heavy gas guzzling Remuera tractor with not a lot going for it. Rare or not I could not see a lot of people lining up to own one. Sorry if that is too honest but if you are bringing something to sell at a later date there a lot better choices that could be made.Atom Johnny said:
Rare or not I could not see a lot of people lining up to own one. Sorry if that is too honest but if you are bringing something to sell at a later date there a lot better choices that could be made.
I think that you're missing the point Johnny, I am NOT looking to sell it and far from being offended by 'honesty' there isn't a second car that exists, atm, that I'd rather have. Of course if you can suggest a car that can carry everything, including the kitchen sink, do sub 5 seconds to 100km and be as comfortable as the ML on long journeys then I'm all ears.Steve*B said:
Atom Johnny said:
Rare or not I could not see a lot of people lining up to own one. Sorry if that is too honest but if you are bringing something to sell at a later date there a lot better choices that could be made.
I think that you're missing the point Johnny, I am NOT looking to sell it and far from being offended by 'honesty' there isn't a second car that exists, atm, that I'd rather have. Of course if you can suggest a car that can carry everything, including the kitchen sink, do sub 5 seconds to 100km and be as comfortable as the ML on long journeys then I'm all ears.If I were to pick from something local to meet the requirements you mentioned I'd say HSV ClubSport R8 Tourer as one option. A brand new one is cheaper than a secondhand ML63.
Atom Johnny said:
Steve*B said:
Atom Johnny said:
A lot of people that come to work here for a set period look to cash up the vehicle they imported before returning. If you love it that much and plan on staying then bring it.
I'm staying for the long term as in forever Johnny which is why I'm considering changing the 2007 model to a 2010. The issue concerns the fact that I will have to retain the vehicle for a total of 3 years from now to avoid paying any import tax and that will make the car six years old with potentially high mileage. Anyway, cheers for the input
Interesting reading...currently plan on moving to either ChCh or Auk in just over a year with the family (kiwi wife) and currently plan onm bringing a 2005 Red Rose TVR Tamora.
Realise that servicing will be tricky although having spoken to Jim @ KW Historics he seems to be the man for that job. I also am not looking to bring her to make money although given my track record know I won't keep her forever and would liek to be able to at least get my money back.
Any thoughts?
Stevo
Realise that servicing will be tricky although having spoken to Jim @ KW Historics he seems to be the man for that job. I also am not looking to bring her to make money although given my track record know I won't keep her forever and would liek to be able to at least get my money back.
Any thoughts?
Stevo
As long as you're aware of and prepared to deal with the potential issues of maintaining the Speed 6 here (which you obviously are) then you've just got some paperwork and probably certifier niggles to deal with.
Regarding resale value - provided you're prepared to wait for a buyer you shouldn't end up too much out of pocket compared to UK prices, particularly at current exchange rates, but the market is so small for TVRs here it's hard to put a value on it.
Looks a very nice Tam - I knew the London owner of a black red rose Tam that would have been built about 2005, maybe a bit earlier. Can't remember his name but he was working for Microsoft/MSN at the time. Don't suppose that could be yours...?
Regarding resale value - provided you're prepared to wait for a buyer you shouldn't end up too much out of pocket compared to UK prices, particularly at current exchange rates, but the market is so small for TVRs here it's hard to put a value on it.
Looks a very nice Tam - I knew the London owner of a black red rose Tam that would have been built about 2005, maybe a bit earlier. Can't remember his name but he was working for Microsoft/MSN at the time. Don't suppose that could be yours...?
Cheers for the thoughts and it could well be the same car although the 1st (and only other real owner) sold her to a dealer so I am not sure what his name is...think he went my the nick name on luminox or similar??
I have a hankering for an old C10/C110 Skyline too but will wait and get one direct from Japan when in NZ as the rate to the UK is shocking.
KR's
Stevo
I have a hankering for an old C10/C110 Skyline too but will wait and get one direct from Japan when in NZ as the rate to the UK is shocking.
KR's
Stevo
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