Should I bother bringing my UK car to Oz in October?
Discussion
Hi there,
I can take my 2005 Lexus GS430 in a 40ft container to Perth. I have owned it for more than 12 months and it would cost about £20-22K if I bought it again in the UK, and about £6500 to ship / import / register - so about £27K-ish or circa $AUD55K
To buy the same car in Australia from a Lexus dealer would cost about $AUD75K plus stamp, say $AUD5K total $AUD80K.
I expect my car would be worth less as an import, this info is difficult to come by if you ask a dealer - knowing how much less would really help. If I could sell at the Australian trade price, it looks like the car might be worth around $AUD20K more than I could buy it for in the UK.
However, I am told the Australian satnav DVDs won't work and the car will be worth a lot less - according to Lexus Perth.
I am wondering if it is worth all of the hassle of shipping and importing for the saving, which might not really be a saving if the car is worth $AUD20K less than an Australian version when I come to sell.
Any advice on what to do? It's a tough one!
Best regards,
Marcus.
I can take my 2005 Lexus GS430 in a 40ft container to Perth. I have owned it for more than 12 months and it would cost about £20-22K if I bought it again in the UK, and about £6500 to ship / import / register - so about £27K-ish or circa $AUD55K
To buy the same car in Australia from a Lexus dealer would cost about $AUD75K plus stamp, say $AUD5K total $AUD80K.
I expect my car would be worth less as an import, this info is difficult to come by if you ask a dealer - knowing how much less would really help. If I could sell at the Australian trade price, it looks like the car might be worth around $AUD20K more than I could buy it for in the UK.
However, I am told the Australian satnav DVDs won't work and the car will be worth a lot less - according to Lexus Perth.
I am wondering if it is worth all of the hassle of shipping and importing for the saving, which might not really be a saving if the car is worth $AUD20K less than an Australian version when I come to sell.
Any advice on what to do? It's a tough one!
Best regards,
Marcus.
Marcus,
It depends on how attached you are to the vehicle.. I've just imported my Elise 111R, I'd owned it from new and had the same questions on my mind initially, but now its here… It was well worth the effort.
If you are just bringing the vehicle over to sell then I would advise against it, its just not worth it. Lexus isn’t a rare brand out here and are quite established, a personal import will be worth less for sure and they are harder to insure as not every insurance company will cover you. If the Nav wont work then there really isn’t a point in having it here so sell it in the UK.
If you are brining it over to keep it and continue using it then yes, quite possibly worth doing.
Importing is actually very easy as long as you don’t mind lots of paperwork and have some patience. You aren’t far off with the costs for shipping etc but don’t forget that you'll have duty and GST, AQIS inspections and inspection costs at the RTA… it all adds up. When the vehicle arrives, it will need an inspection and approval to say its road worthy. If you haven’t got flat mirror glass on the door mirrors you'll need to change it, if the speedo has a KPH scale on it then you'll be okay.
Your first step has to be to gain import approval though as this will basically make the decision for you if they decline your application. The application costs $50 and takes 4 weeks… link attached.
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/safety/bull...
Have a look for vehicles on Drive or car sales to see what your car is worth and what your money gets you!
http://www.carsales.com.au/
Or Drive;
http://www.drive.com.au/
You can get an accurate figure on stamp duty from here:
http://www.mtawa.com.au/
If you buy a new vehicle out in Australia you pay Stamp duty, Luxury car tax on any vehicle over about $57,000, you'll have to pay compulsory third party insurance ($300approx which is in addition to your fully comprehensive) and dealers still charge dealer delivery out here which can be pretty painful… From memory, Lexus have a sale event on each year out here and its normally around October time I think…
Hope this helps.
It depends on how attached you are to the vehicle.. I've just imported my Elise 111R, I'd owned it from new and had the same questions on my mind initially, but now its here… It was well worth the effort.
If you are just bringing the vehicle over to sell then I would advise against it, its just not worth it. Lexus isn’t a rare brand out here and are quite established, a personal import will be worth less for sure and they are harder to insure as not every insurance company will cover you. If the Nav wont work then there really isn’t a point in having it here so sell it in the UK.
If you are brining it over to keep it and continue using it then yes, quite possibly worth doing.
Importing is actually very easy as long as you don’t mind lots of paperwork and have some patience. You aren’t far off with the costs for shipping etc but don’t forget that you'll have duty and GST, AQIS inspections and inspection costs at the RTA… it all adds up. When the vehicle arrives, it will need an inspection and approval to say its road worthy. If you haven’t got flat mirror glass on the door mirrors you'll need to change it, if the speedo has a KPH scale on it then you'll be okay.
Your first step has to be to gain import approval though as this will basically make the decision for you if they decline your application. The application costs $50 and takes 4 weeks… link attached.
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/safety/bull...
Have a look for vehicles on Drive or car sales to see what your car is worth and what your money gets you!
http://www.carsales.com.au/
Or Drive;
http://www.drive.com.au/
You can get an accurate figure on stamp duty from here:
http://www.mtawa.com.au/
If you buy a new vehicle out in Australia you pay Stamp duty, Luxury car tax on any vehicle over about $57,000, you'll have to pay compulsory third party insurance ($300approx which is in addition to your fully comprehensive) and dealers still charge dealer delivery out here which can be pretty painful… From memory, Lexus have a sale event on each year out here and its normally around October time I think…
Hope this helps.
I'd probably not bother bringing it to be honest, I would think your estimate of the cost might be a bit on the low side by the time the GST/Import duty/stamp duty etc are paid.
The other big factor is that $70-80k for a car here is heading into premium territory so I would suspect that anyone looking to buy something like a Lexus of that sort of age will be wanting it to be from a Lexus dealer, with warranty and all fully official so yours might need to be seriously cheap to tempt them away.
Having said that there's a huge divide between the cost of domestic/imported cars and what are seen as standard/premium vehicles. An absolute top of the range fully loaded locally built Holden Caprice brand new goes for about $80k, where as you will quite easily pay $120k for a new mid-range BMW 530i so the Lexus may sell ok at the right price.
If it was a BMW 540i i would say bring it in an instant, but as the Lexus won't fit with the Australian obcession with all things European being the height of style and quality it's a bit more of a risk unless you are really really attached to it.
The other big factor is that $70-80k for a car here is heading into premium territory so I would suspect that anyone looking to buy something like a Lexus of that sort of age will be wanting it to be from a Lexus dealer, with warranty and all fully official so yours might need to be seriously cheap to tempt them away.
Having said that there's a huge divide between the cost of domestic/imported cars and what are seen as standard/premium vehicles. An absolute top of the range fully loaded locally built Holden Caprice brand new goes for about $80k, where as you will quite easily pay $120k for a new mid-range BMW 530i so the Lexus may sell ok at the right price.
If it was a BMW 540i i would say bring it in an instant, but as the Lexus won't fit with the Australian obcession with all things European being the height of style and quality it's a bit more of a risk unless you are really really attached to it.
I live in Perth, and worked in the luxury car industry for many years. I would strongly advise against importing your Lexus. The industry is set up to protect itself, and even though you will go through all the processes of getting a personal import compliance, your car will never have the compliance plate that a new car entering the country gets. This will automatically make it worth far less than the equivalent complied vehicle, and provide you with a very limited market.
The only vehicles worth importing privately into Australia are either extremely rare ones, or ones that you never intend to sell. Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but in my time in the industry I saw many disappointed faces on people who did what you are thinking of doing.
On the upside however, if you end up in Perth and looking for a car, I do still have the contacts to be able to help you find what you are after. Or a new house, come to that, as that is my current field. All the best.
The only vehicles worth importing privately into Australia are either extremely rare ones, or ones that you never intend to sell. Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but in my time in the industry I saw many disappointed faces on people who did what you are thinking of doing.
On the upside however, if you end up in Perth and looking for a car, I do still have the contacts to be able to help you find what you are after. Or a new house, come to that, as that is my current field. All the best.
deviant said:
I think we have a VERY rare Perth PH spotted!!
I have seen your car twice (I think)....Once would have been in the High Wycombe area and again on Gt Eastern Hwy.
Yeah, Matt's come out of the woodwork, I've had a look and he's been around (although keeping quiet) for quite a while.I have seen your car twice (I think)....Once would have been in the High Wycombe area and again on Gt Eastern Hwy.
Matt we keep talking about a Perth PH mini meet sometime, want to be added to the list?O/T who's going to Wanneroo for the V8s this weekend? Might start a new thread for that...
Hello all - I have been a little quiet as I tend to reside in the Maserati/Ferrari/Lambo area of PH. And yes, that would have been me that you spotted - not too many black 3200s creating noise pollution in Perth. I would be up for a meet, although I work odd times, so almost any week day would be fine, or if it weekend can only do morning or evening, not afternoon.
It seems like there are a few more people on the Australian section of the forums, so I will be sharing my PHing time around a bit more evenly from now on.
It seems like there are a few more people on the Australian section of the forums, so I will be sharing my PHing time around a bit more evenly from now on.
Hi there, I realise this is an old thread, but I was looking for some advice. I am moving to Oz in Jan, and considering buying a 2006 BMW 530i and importing it to Australia, and then selling it for a profit. Dealer price here is £18k, which is about AUS$40k. The same Australian version has private price guide $75-82k (red book), with trade $67-73k). A rough guess of costs 10% custom duty (£2k) then 10% GST another £2k, plus shipping of say £3k, puts the cost to me no more than $55k.
Any advice on what I might expect to be able to sell it for as a grey import?
I have an open mind, and would consider other more desirable models, but the 5 series seems to be a good bet when comparing the new and residual prices between the 2 countries. If it worked out I would arrange for my wife too, or maybe send in same container.
Thanks in advance.
Any advice on what I might expect to be able to sell it for as a grey import?
I have an open mind, and would consider other more desirable models, but the 5 series seems to be a good bet when comparing the new and residual prices between the 2 countries. If it worked out I would arrange for my wife too, or maybe send in same container.
Thanks in advance.
As Tim said its impossible to do now. And like Mattserati said its not really going to be worth the same as an Aus car...if you were going to keep it for yourself then it would be worth it because of what they cost to buy here but even then I would rather have a local car and get full support from BMW.
Having owned a couple of imports than did not differ from the Aus cars it amazed me how quickly manufacturer spares departments dont want anything to do with you.
DO NOT even think about trying to play the system and doing something like leaving the car in the UK registered and insured in your name. DOTARS (the gumbyment department that approves imports) are very very thorough and WILL find out if your playing the system and will deny your application. If the car is aready here or on the boat then you will be faced with the choice of destroying it here or shipping it back and trying to dispose of it in the UK.
Having owned a couple of imports than did not differ from the Aus cars it amazed me how quickly manufacturer spares departments dont want anything to do with you.
DO NOT even think about trying to play the system and doing something like leaving the car in the UK registered and insured in your name. DOTARS (the gumbyment department that approves imports) are very very thorough and WILL find out if your playing the system and will deny your application. If the car is aready here or on the boat then you will be faced with the choice of destroying it here or shipping it back and trying to dispose of it in the UK.
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