Buying car from US eBay
Discussion
I think that there was a recent thread on this but I can't find it.
I have been idly thinking of getting a Crown Vic for a long time but they are as rocking horse doo doo over here and unless it's a real or pretend cop car or taxi, virtually non existent.
Quite a few bargains on the US eBay site so I looked at Shipmycar.com who do everything from collecting, shipping and all the stuff to get it on the UK roads.
Now the quote I have for a $5000 2005 car is around £3000 including VAT and import duty. Does that sound about right?
Cheers.
I have been idly thinking of getting a Crown Vic for a long time but they are as rocking horse doo doo over here and unless it's a real or pretend cop car or taxi, virtually non existent.
Quite a few bargains on the US eBay site so I looked at Shipmycar.com who do everything from collecting, shipping and all the stuff to get it on the UK roads.
Now the quote I have for a $5000 2005 car is around £3000 including VAT and import duty. Does that sound about right?
Cheers.
If anything I'd be worried its a little cheap for all inclusive on the road in the UK, but then there are many variables in the cost of shipping, such as how far it has to move in the US to the docks, the priority of the transit, what else its packed in with etc. There's also the quality of the IVA prep, they could quite cheaply drill holes, not protect the exposed metal and slap an ugly side light, indictor or fog light and pass IVA and your stuck with an ugly light you cant remove because there is a big hole behind it, or they could (possibly quite cheaply also) fit something that is discrete and in keeping with the car.
I'd shop around for some other quotes and try and get real feedback on the quality of the IVA work and whole experience.
For reference in 2010 I paid £1365.00 for shipping Houston to the UK port including US local pickup with Kingstown shipping, I collected from the UK port and did all the IVA and registration work myself. Duty and VAT is fixed but you want to be sure they have paid it properly as you wont want to be chased for it later.
I'd shop around for some other quotes and try and get real feedback on the quality of the IVA work and whole experience.
For reference in 2010 I paid £1365.00 for shipping Houston to the UK port including US local pickup with Kingstown shipping, I collected from the UK port and did all the IVA and registration work myself. Duty and VAT is fixed but you want to be sure they have paid it properly as you wont want to be chased for it later.
Worth while checking out their website, they seem to be pretty professional in what they do. Their video also shows they try their best to hide ugly fog lights and make everything look OEM
http://www.shipmycar.co.uk
http://www.shipmycar.co.uk
croyde said:
Cheers again.
When you say that you picked up the car and did the IVA yourself do you mean that you personally turned up with a trailer and sorted all the changes for UK law yourself?
Ta.
yep, minus the trailer. All the customs paperwork was already done so it was just a case of filling with fuel and jump starting, they are drained/run dry for shipping and the time in a container usually flattens the battery, and a nervous drive home as its a grey area as to if you are allowed to do it or not.When you say that you picked up the car and did the IVA yourself do you mean that you personally turned up with a trailer and sorted all the changes for UK law yourself?
Ta.
First experience with my new car was dismantling bits and drilling holes in it for switches and cables etc.
Its worth pointing out as your looking at 2005 models that cars over 10 years old only have to pass an MOT unless they have changed that rule recently so an early 2004 or 2003 model would save you a bunch of hassle and IVA cost.
Edited by ViperDave on Friday 14th March 11:44
My maths is bad 
Just looked at the quote again and it's £3200 for everything BAR imports duty and VAT.
So north of £4000 would be the final figure. Add the purchase cost for an unseen car and it's a £7k gamble in order to get a 10 year old Crown Vic.
There is a '94 Mercury Marguis on eBay for £2995. Maybe I should go for that as it's only 20 miles away.
Just looked at the quote again and it's £3200 for everything BAR imports duty and VAT.So north of £4000 would be the final figure. Add the purchase cost for an unseen car and it's a £7k gamble in order to get a 10 year old Crown Vic.
There is a '94 Mercury Marguis on eBay for £2995. Maybe I should go for that as it's only 20 miles away.
Crown Vic's are dirt cheap in all North America.
It might be worth it to take a trip to New Hampshire or Delaware (No sales tax) and pick one up.
Give it a full health check up while still in the states and then drive it to NY/NJ where there are tons of companies that will ship a vehicle to UK.
In Toronto, at city auction Ex-Police cars usually sell for $300-800. Keep in mind that they always have very high mileage.
It might be worth it to take a trip to New Hampshire or Delaware (No sales tax) and pick one up.
Give it a full health check up while still in the states and then drive it to NY/NJ where there are tons of companies that will ship a vehicle to UK.
In Toronto, at city auction Ex-Police cars usually sell for $300-800. Keep in mind that they always have very high mileage.
Thanks mate. I do spend (too) much time drooling over the cheap heavy metal over on the US eBay site but regardless of the mega low prices it looks like the whole caboodle to get the car over here, converted, tested, taxed etc is about £4k.
Tempting as it is when a 2007 model can be had for £2500 in the US, it's a big gamble when you can't actually see the car and then have to depend on someone else picking it up and taking it to the nearest port.
Was going to ask you but I see that you are over here
ETA The shipping cost is around £1.2k so the same as flying over and a couple of nights in a hotel, plus fuel, hire car etc.
Maybe I should just do that, rent a Vic and finally scratch that itch
Tempting as it is when a 2007 model can be had for £2500 in the US, it's a big gamble when you can't actually see the car and then have to depend on someone else picking it up and taking it to the nearest port.
Was going to ask you but I see that you are over here
ETA The shipping cost is around £1.2k so the same as flying over and a couple of nights in a hotel, plus fuel, hire car etc.
Maybe I should just do that, rent a Vic and finally scratch that itch
Edited by croyde on Monday 17th March 17:49
Crown Vic's have quite the aftermarket, I'm sure you could get it converted to UK while still in USA. I mean a few lights etc.. you can pick up at almost any aftermarket auto store. Only the very nice, or very bad Crown vic's will make it on Ebay. You'd be far better off buying one in person at dealer, because it's pretty pricey to keep updating ebay. So if it's either not good enough to put on the lot or too high a price to be competitive in a local market a lot of time it goes on Ebay. I find it's better to search for cool and odd cars on there and more "normal" cars just on autotrader, craigslist and forums. Also remember, cars in Florida can be really, really sketchy. Although if the dealer has a ton of cars listed on Ebay read the auction, a lot of them have no problem shipping straight from dealership to wherever you are. A lot of us Canadians buy US cars as well as Arabs etc... You'll find dealers that have high end stuff usually list how they ship. Might be worth a shot to send them a message. I mean a salesman I'm sure could source a Crown Vic easily and make a couple hundred bucks all said and done.
Don't worry we all do it. I'm on Ebay USA at least once a day. If you really want to torture yourself you can browse the salvage cars for auction:
http://www.copart.com/
http://erepairables.com/
Stuff is written off for pretty minor damage these days.
Don't worry we all do it. I'm on Ebay USA at least once a day. If you really want to torture yourself you can browse the salvage cars for auction:
http://www.copart.com/
http://erepairables.com/
Stuff is written off for pretty minor damage these days.
Worth noting that cars over 10 years old only need an MOT, before registering in the UK, wjereas cars under 10 years old have to pass the IVA. I would therefore be looking at a 2003 car rather than a 2005.
Be aware that in the US, a "2004 model year car" will have been sold from about September 2003 so you need to check when it was first registered, not what "model year" it is.
Be aware that in the US, a "2004 model year car" will have been sold from about September 2003 so you need to check when it was first registered, not what "model year" it is.
It still has to conform to UK roadworthiness which I would interpret as needing orange indicators, However the average MOT man is more lenient on these things than the man from VOSA, plus the detail of the inspection will be much less, so if you don't have E marks on various items, an MOT tester has no requirement to check whereas the IVA man will.
An example being whilst you may get indicator side repeaters through IVA test without E marks (you have to show they are equivalent and to specification) it is much easier if they have the marking, on the other hand the MOT tester will just look at the orange flashing light on the side and say yep, they work, he wont look for the markings, he wont check the visibility angles and if he is a friendly one he wont even notice if they are not even there!
Incorrect colour though is an MOT reason for failure, but with stick on LED strips it shouldn't be too hard to add orange indicators to anything these days.
An example being whilst you may get indicator side repeaters through IVA test without E marks (you have to show they are equivalent and to specification) it is much easier if they have the marking, on the other hand the MOT tester will just look at the orange flashing light on the side and say yep, they work, he wont look for the markings, he wont check the visibility angles and if he is a friendly one he wont even notice if they are not even there!
Incorrect colour though is an MOT reason for failure, but with stick on LED strips it shouldn't be too hard to add orange indicators to anything these days.
Yes, as Dave says, you will still need to fit side repeaters, orange rear indicators (some Yanks have them already) and modify the brakes so they don't flash as well. Rear fog light needed too. Headlamps are OK as US cars are flat beam and about as powerful as a glow worm in a jam jar.
IVA is a pain, a 2003 car will save you the pain. Older cars also don't have all this modern f*ckwittery by way of CANBUS electronics - a nightmare for DIY-ers. i did my 2002 Corvette myself but would never have dreamed of tackling the 2005 Mustang.
IVA is a pain, a 2003 car will save you the pain. Older cars also don't have all this modern f*ckwittery by way of CANBUS electronics - a nightmare for DIY-ers. i did my 2002 Corvette myself but would never have dreamed of tackling the 2005 Mustang.
I would probably avoid a Crown Vic police interceptor. The police don't baby their cars here and their cars typically have seven bells of snot beaten out of them before they're sold. The Mercury version of the same car is called a Grand Marquis and those are usually driven by 90 year olds. Try to find a one of those instead and you'll probably get a really nice car.
But I've got to ask the question...Have you actually driven one? The novelty wears out pretty quickly.
But I've got to ask the question...Have you actually driven one? The novelty wears out pretty quickly.
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