Importing New Cars from UK - Has anybody done it.
Discussion
Hi. I moved to Perth form UK in August v2007. Plan to be here 4 - 5 years on a 457 visa. I was about to buy myself a new Porsche Cayman in the UK, but put on hold . I arrive here and God the prices are 50% more than UK.
I was wonedring if possible to buy in UK for export, ship here and register locally. Im based in Perth anybody done this or know where to start.
Cheers
Mark
I was wonedring if possible to buy in UK for export, ship here and register locally. Im based in Perth anybody done this or know where to start.
Cheers
Mark
I'm in the final stages of importing an Aston Martin DB7 into Perth, using this UK shipper who I was impressed with :
http://www.karmanshipping.co.uk/australia/australi...
Your first problem is that you need to have owned and used the car for at least 12 months in the UK before you can get it into Australia as a personal import.
Since you are aready here in Perth, you are not going to be able to comply with this regulation. In theory though, for someone buying a car new in the UK with the intention of exporting it from the EU within 12 months of purchase, they are entitled to buy it VAT-free.
At this end, they'll be paying the Australian Government a big wedge for the privilege of importing their own car here. This is worked out on the "Australian Customs" valuation of the car "as landed", which is around half the retail value of the car (in my case it was even a bit less than this). They'll pay 10% of the "as landed valuation" in Customs Duty, another 10% of this subtotal in GST (= OZ VAT) then 25% of any amount of this total in excess of approx AU$57,000 in Luxury Car Tax.
Dennis
http://www.karmanshipping.co.uk/australia/australi...
Your first problem is that you need to have owned and used the car for at least 12 months in the UK before you can get it into Australia as a personal import.
Since you are aready here in Perth, you are not going to be able to comply with this regulation. In theory though, for someone buying a car new in the UK with the intention of exporting it from the EU within 12 months of purchase, they are entitled to buy it VAT-free.
At this end, they'll be paying the Australian Government a big wedge for the privilege of importing their own car here. This is worked out on the "Australian Customs" valuation of the car "as landed", which is around half the retail value of the car (in my case it was even a bit less than this). They'll pay 10% of the "as landed valuation" in Customs Duty, another 10% of this subtotal in GST (= OZ VAT) then 25% of any amount of this total in excess of approx AU$57,000 in Luxury Car Tax.
Dennis
Edited by ukdennis on Friday 4th January 06:58
Unfortunately you won;t be able to do it. Read the "Importing Vehicles" Section on this link:
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/motor/index...
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/motor/index...
Fraid not, only route for getting something like that is through the manufacturer unless you're bringing it in as a personal import having owned it in the UK for 12mths+ and able to prove continuous personal usage.
Only exceptions are:
1: The specialist workshop scheme, which is a nightmare of rules requiring a workshop to get approval for each specific model and only seems to be currently used for places to bring in large numbers of a single type such as Skylines/Galant VR4s/Lancer Evos etc from Japan.
2: Cars made before 1989 - still a bit of a nightmare having to prove that they met the Australian Design Rules at time of manufacture to get a VASS certificate (in Vic at least), but possible.
Only exceptions are:
1: The specialist workshop scheme, which is a nightmare of rules requiring a workshop to get approval for each specific model and only seems to be currently used for places to bring in large numbers of a single type such as Skylines/Galant VR4s/Lancer Evos etc from Japan.
2: Cars made before 1989 - still a bit of a nightmare having to prove that they met the Australian Design Rules at time of manufacture to get a VASS certificate (in Vic at least), but possible.
Edited by ariddell on Sunday 6th January 12:36
I think the SEVS scheme is your best bet. The problem you will run in to is finding a workshop that comply your chosen car...expecially one so new as the investment on the workshops part to be able to do it is massive hence why they all do Skylines and Evo's 'cos they can churn them out to kids to recoup the costs.
As an example the Mac F1 is on the SEVS list...doesnt mean you will find a workshop to comply it to Aus standards though!
You could do an Elise...I think someone on here found a workshop who comply them. Thing is though they are likely the only place in Aus who do them so you are stuck if they turn out to be shoddy or expensive!
I wish cars depreciated here like they do in the UK...not so good for the new car buyer but great for people like me
As an example the Mac F1 is on the SEVS list...doesnt mean you will find a workshop to comply it to Aus standards though!
You could do an Elise...I think someone on here found a workshop who comply them. Thing is though they are likely the only place in Aus who do them so you are stuck if they turn out to be shoddy or expensive!
I wish cars depreciated here like they do in the UK...not so good for the new car buyer but great for people like me
Mark i've done it 2 years ago with a Caterham SV we'd owned for 4 + years. You get to meet the nice folks at DOTARS, who will require that you have owned the car for more than 12 months at source country. If you get past that hurdle, then you get to pay the man to re-steam-clean your car on arrival, GST, if over AU$50K luxury tax, landing tax. From there on you go through more hurdles.
Frankly as you're already here, get an Elise, an Exige, a PRB, a Birkin, etc that is already in country. The PI (Personal Import) SCHEME that DOTARS runs will allow you on 457 to bring a car as we did, we're on 457. But you will have a hard test with them when your passport shows Oz-only for the 12 months you own your car.
You can't just buy something in the UK, put it in a container, and ship it over if you're already here unless you want to play with RAWS or SEVS. You run the risk of either having your pride-n-joy impounded or sent back...
be careful mate...
Frankly as you're already here, get an Elise, an Exige, a PRB, a Birkin, etc that is already in country. The PI (Personal Import) SCHEME that DOTARS runs will allow you on 457 to bring a car as we did, we're on 457. But you will have a hard test with them when your passport shows Oz-only for the 12 months you own your car.
You can't just buy something in the UK, put it in a container, and ship it over if you're already here unless you want to play with RAWS or SEVS. You run the risk of either having your pride-n-joy impounded or sent back...
be careful mate...
Its worse than having it impounded. The car will have to be destroyed at your cost...no ifs no buts. You can send it back but then you have to dispose of it somehow in the UK...
I'll echo what I have said in other threads..
DO NOT try and trick the system or find loopholes. There are no loopholes anymore and DOTARS are very thorough in their work so you WILL get found out.
One of the reason DOTARS have got the belts so tight on imports is because up until a few years back you could pretty much bring anything in...this was supposedly affecting local manufacturers but worse than that was the number of dodgy cars coming in.
I'll echo what I have said in other threads..
DO NOT try and trick the system or find loopholes. There are no loopholes anymore and DOTARS are very thorough in their work so you WILL get found out.
One of the reason DOTARS have got the belts so tight on imports is because up until a few years back you could pretty much bring anything in...this was supposedly affecting local manufacturers but worse than that was the number of dodgy cars coming in.
you also need to show photocopies of every page of your passport, a copy of your Visa (either Perm Res or 457), tenency agreement, and about 4 other things.... DOTARS is just making sure you're not grey-marketing cars into the country for profit.....
this is a case where paperwork WINS.....i think my submission to DOTARS was around 90 pages of stuff.
this is a case where paperwork WINS.....i think my submission to DOTARS was around 90 pages of stuff.
Steve-B said:
you also need to show photocopies of every page of your passport, a copy of your Visa (either Perm Res or 457), tenency agreement, and about 4 other things.... DOTARS is just making sure you're not grey-marketing cars into the country for profit.....
this is a case where paperwork WINS.....i think my submission to DOTARS was around 90 pages of stuff.
I have been told by a friend that his daughter brought a car back with her after living in England for 18 months. Because her passport showed that she had left England for a few weeks during that time they would not accept it, she ended up having to send the car back to England. this is a case where paperwork WINS.....i think my submission to DOTARS was around 90 pages of stuff.
They probably rejected her application (She shouldnt of shipped the car without approval).. the guidelines do state that any time away from the country (including holidays) will be deducted from the 12 months..for example, if you live in the UK for 12 months and spend a month holidaying overseas without the car, they calculate that you only have 11 months of continuous usage...its strange I know but its how they work it all out.
It's a bit unfair really. How would that be any different to someone having something like a Westfield as a 2nd car and it going for a month...or most of the winter as is often the case...without being driven.
If they are going to say that a holiday is deducted from the 12months and it should be continuous use then surely they should be investigating how many miles the car has done V your daily commute/shopping/buggerising around.
The import/modification/registration process is full of inconsistencies!!
If they are going to say that a holiday is deducted from the 12months and it should be continuous use then surely they should be investigating how many miles the car has done V your daily commute/shopping/buggerising around.
The import/modification/registration process is full of inconsistencies!!
I had to prove 12 months ownership, which was a bit tricky as I travelled pretty much every second week into Europe and the Middle East from London. But in the end I did not put the paperwork (some 50 pages) in until I knew I had a least 365 days of ownership. I sent the Personal Import papers from London to Canberra and they approved the import within 7 days. Pretty dang quick and efficient.
If I had the opportunity again, I would definately give it another go. Quite a simple process.
If I had the opportunity again, I would definately give it another go. Quite a simple process.
As S4Simon has said, as long as you dont try to 'buck the system' you'll be okay. I sent a huge file of information detailing ownership of the vehicle and lots of evidence to prove it (I had some ferry tickets etc from trips to Europe and copied things like that for evidence)... its a simple form to fill out and providing you can demonstrate you have used it and not just purchased for import then its all good. My Elise was a second car, my paperwork took 2 weeks to go through no problems at all.
Incidentally - Simon, who do you use for car insurance over here??
Incidentally - Simon, who do you use for car insurance over here??
S4simon said:
Shannons. Was pretty cheap ($500), with agreed value for a round 75k.
Amazingly it's the same price as I was paying in London (£198).
'Kin ell!! $500!! My modified MK1 MR2 is $900 with a value of $11K!Amazingly it's the same price as I was paying in London (£198).
Shannons is the most accepting of modded/imported cars in my experience and are still cheaper than they others.
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