Worth bringing my 993 back to the UK?

[Schnellmann]

It is likely that I'll be moving back to the UK from Switzerland.

I have a very good 993. 1994, C2, Iris Blue, Grey Leather with a host of options. Only 43'000 km (i.e. 27'000 miles). I bought it from a Swiss OPC about 18 months ago. Drives like new. Looks pretty much the same (when clean).

Only downside (from a UK perspective) is that in the Swiss market they don't keep and pass on documentation with the car. So the service book is fully stamped but I don't have a file to support the work done (which given the mileage was only servicing).

I had assumed I would sell here, rather than bring it back as a personal import as LHD not so good in the UK and as Swiss Franc so strong I'd get more for it here. However, I looked on PH and there don't appear to be any comparable 964s or 993s to buy in the UK so perhaps I should consider importing.

(I'm also looking at 996 Mk2 GT3 that belongs to a good friend that is in perfect condition...but he isn't sure he wants to sell).

Has anyone personally imported a 993? What work needed to be done to get it registered? What is easy/expensive?

Would anyone recommend I bring it back?

And what sort of value would my car have in the UK?

I think with this link you can see photos of my car.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Edited by Schnellmann on Monday 18th March 11:51

[GC8]

It may well be worth more in Germany, but Id still bring it back as you wont have to pay any duty or VAT (providing that youve met the residency and the car use stipulations, which I presume that you have).

When it is in free circulation in the EU you can then sell it into any member state. Im presuming that its left hand drive - if not then the no VAT or duty rule still applies, but ze Germans probably wont want to buy it...

[GC8]

To register the car you will need your HMC&E C386/389 (or whatever they give you if you didnt have to pay anything) and an MOT on the VIN, your Swiss registration documents, along with an insurance certificate and money.

Hurry along to your local VRO before they all close and they will probably register it on the spot. Dont be surprised if they mention Interpol and you have to wait for a week or two. This never happened to me, but they look at some cars harder than others.

[GC8]

Youll have to own and run the 996 in Switzerland (for the prescribed time) in order to avoid duty and VAT, so that is less of a financial certainty than the 993.

[Paracetamol]

I have bought 2 LHD USA Spec cars a 95 and 96 with 90k miles for 28k USD. A low km one would be 36k USD. Many of these get exported to EU. An EU supplied car should be more desireable as it doesnt have all the SAI gubbings that came on 96 onward cars ..total PITA

[Schnellmann]

GC8 said:

Youll have to own and run the 996 in Switzerland (for the prescribed time) in order to avoid duty and VAT, so that is less of a financial certainty than the 993.

The GT3 is RHD UK car - would be buying from friend in London.

[hornbaek]

Go on the DVLA website and download the brochure (How to import a used vehicle into the UK) and off you go. Personally I wouldn't bother. You have to change a couple of things such as headlights, fog light etc but before long you will end up having spent more than you saved and it is still a lhd car in the UK which will be difficult to shift if that is your ultimate intention.

[andy102]

If it's LHD your get more for it in the surrounding countries, especially Germany. Its probably not worth the hassle of registering it in the UK.

[GC8]

Erm... What about the fortune is saved duties? Sell it to a German and he has to pay import duty and VAT in Germany. Bring it here for free and you pay noting, making the car far more attractive a proposition to a buyer and making more for the vendor.

With regards to registration: it needs an MOT and nothing more. The cost will be a pair of headlamps and any labour. Cars over ten years old dont have to pass SVA, IVA or anything else other than an MOT.

[nick_968]

I seem to recall when we had our LHD 993 a few years back, the headlights have a switch inside that you can move to change the beam from LHD to RHD.

[theRossatron]

Why not bring in back on a temporary basis until you legally need to register it. At that point you can either sell it back in Switzerland or make the decision to permanently import it.

[yachtie]

When I imported my 968 from Germany in 2009, in addition to the correct headlights for MOT, local DVLA office in Manchester wanted proof of mph indication on the speedometer, which was originally kph only.

[GC8]

Stickers should suffice. I dont believe that they can insist that the speedometer is changed, particularly seeing that stickers were good enough for E-SVA.

[phelix]

nick_968 said:

I seem to recall when we had our LHD 993 a few years back, the headlights have a switch inside that you can move to change the beam from LHD to RHD.

It doesn't actually convert from LHD to RHD, it just stops the light from flaring up on the original nearside. That said the lever was enough to pass a series of MOTs on my LHD 993tt from 2004 to 2010. Never installed an mph speedo face either.

Edited by phelix on Monday 18th March 22:18

[erics]

To OP, geting the right 911 is a tricky game cue the number of flippers / serial owners on this forum.

You will not replicate this car once sold. So keep it. Take it to the uk.

I did the mistake a few times.... Regreted it..

I would buy a car like yours any time of the day!

[blackmamba]

erics said:

I would buy a car like yours any time of the day!

At what price though? I think the OP is interested in resale as well should the need arise.

[DiscoColin]

blackmamba said:

At what price though? I think the OP is interested in resale as well should the need arise.

Which brings back the tax argument and sell to Germany if there isn't a UK buyer. This happens a lot - a significant number of LHD cars that ended up in the UK in the 90s seem to have been repatriated over the last few years. This is why there are very few LHD cars for sale and if anything they can command a premium. An extreme example of that is that a few left hook high mileage 2.5 Boxsters have fleabayed over the last few months at upwards of £6k while RHD equivalents can often be had for 3-4. The discount for LHD very much does seem to be a thing of the past on pork with a like for like condition. Personally I find the arguments in favour of bringing it back to be pretty compelling and if in the OP's position I wouldn't even blink before making that call. You end up with the car that has the better driving position too.

Edited by DiscoColin on Tuesday 19th March 20:07

[ttdan]

LHD cars repatriating back across the channel is down to our relatively high spec/ high volume market, ie prices are generally softer here added to a pi55 poor weak pound sterling. UK was a bargain hunters paradise for a while while there were cars about.

[Schnellmann]

Thanks for the comments.

If I sell here in Switzerland I would get around £35000 at current exchange rates.

If I bring it back as a personal belonging, do I have to keep it for a certain length of time (to avoid the import VAT being raised retrospectively)?

The £35k is almost exactly what my friend wants for his GT3. So would be a neat swap.

[ttdan]

Not totally up to speed on 993 prices but i think you should sell it if you can get 35, cant see that happening in the UK? More advice will come im sure :-)