Importing a 1998 car from the UK?

[XB70]

I have dug around on the net without success and thought I would check here.

It seems that some cars can be imported from the UK without the need to have owned them there for 12 months (the personal import route).

Is a 1998 Mercedes S-Class eligible under this arrangement? Later Ferrari's seem to get in but I am not sure how.

Cheers

[Mattt]

Search for SEVS and RAWS.

Bear in mind if a car is on the list, doesn't mean it can be imported easily - from info I read here, the first importer of a car is liable for the emissions testing etc for that variant. Best to find a commonly imported car via the scheme.

Generally those cars on the scheme seem to be restricted to rare cars sold locally, and cars never sold here - not sure a Mercedes would count.

[XB70]

• sad face*

Though that may be the case. Oh well.

The prices being asked here for utter junk W140's is hilarious.

[james280779]

By the time you imported one it would probably have cost you more than a local one. Same with the Jag X-types. Had a conversation with a smug owner the other day at the filling stop. I was driving an old pug diesel at the time. I asked him how he found them going over here for parts etc. He said ok but the parts were so expensive but lucky he was able to afford it (looking straight at my car). I then pointed out most of the parts (about 80% IIRC) are from a ford mondeo which isnt as reliable as a pug 406 so he would likely need lots of parts, ring ford supplier and they would be half the price. He took great offence to this, me suggesting his car is a ford!! Made me chuckle for a couple of days

[SGOxon]

james280779 said:

By the time you imported one it would probably have cost you more than a local one. Same with the Jag X-types. Had a conversation with a smug owner the other day at the filling stop. I was driving an old pug diesel at the time. I asked him how he found them going over here for parts etc. He said ok but the parts were so expensive but lucky he was able to afford it (looking straight at my car). I then pointed out most of the parts (about 80% IIRC) are from a ford mondeo which isnt as reliable as a pug 406 so he would likely need lots of parts, ring ford supplier and they would be half the price. He took great offence to this, me suggesting his car is a ford!! Made me chuckle for a couple of days

Good on you! Serves him right for being so pompous. I would normally think of a reply like that about a day later and be gutted at the opportunity missed!