Buying in the US
Discussion
I had planned to buy a C7 a few years ago, but then TVR announced a new car so I put a deposit on and waited, and waited, and....now I'm getting bored so I'm back on the Corvette trail, only now I;'looking at a Z06. I've read all the stuff I can about IVA etc., and no fears there - and up-to-speed with duty/VAT etc. But what I'm not sure/relaxed about is actually making the payment and getting the car.
I'm off to the US at the end of August and plan to pop into a few dealers where they've cars listed; right now there's the exact spec/colour I want about 80 miles from where I'm staying, but over priced. But it may be gone by the time I'm there, but then again something else might pop-up. Or it may all happen at arms length after I get home.
Anyway, if I buy a car in the UK I put a deposit down and then put final payment through when the car gets wheeled out in the flesh and drive it away. No problem with the deposit which I guess will be protected on a credit card, but how do I make sure that when I put the final payment through there's actually a car there? What's to say the dealer swallows the cash and doesn't come up with the car? Same with shipping - how do I ensure the car actually gets picked up and delivered? It's a lot of cash to risk at arms length.
Years ago I imported a car from Germany and did it through an importer. I recall they set up a joint bank account with me and the dealer and the cash was only released to the dealer when the cars was ready...although in fairness I picked it up in person so I saw the car and had keys and documents on the table before releasing the cash. So.... how do we do this safely?
I'm off to the US at the end of August and plan to pop into a few dealers where they've cars listed; right now there's the exact spec/colour I want about 80 miles from where I'm staying, but over priced. But it may be gone by the time I'm there, but then again something else might pop-up. Or it may all happen at arms length after I get home.
Anyway, if I buy a car in the UK I put a deposit down and then put final payment through when the car gets wheeled out in the flesh and drive it away. No problem with the deposit which I guess will be protected on a credit card, but how do I make sure that when I put the final payment through there's actually a car there? What's to say the dealer swallows the cash and doesn't come up with the car? Same with shipping - how do I ensure the car actually gets picked up and delivered? It's a lot of cash to risk at arms length.
Years ago I imported a car from Germany and did it through an importer. I recall they set up a joint bank account with me and the dealer and the cash was only released to the dealer when the cars was ready...although in fairness I picked it up in person so I saw the car and had keys and documents on the table before releasing the cash. So.... how do we do this safely?
tvrolet said:
No problem with the deposit which I guess will be protected on a credit card,
Your credit card deposit will only be protected by s.75 of the Consumer Credit Act if the TOTAL price of the car is under £30,000. In other words,
- a £5,000 deposit on a £29,999 car IS covered.
- a £5,000 deposit on a £30,001 cars is NOT covered.
rockin said:
tvrolet said:
No problem with the deposit which I guess will be protected on a credit card,
Your credit card deposit will only be protected by s.75 of the Consumer Credit Act if the TOTAL price of the car is under £30,000. In other words,
- a £5,000 deposit on a £29,999 car IS covered.
- a £5,000 deposit on a £30,001 cars is NOT covered.
I bought a C7 last year, new from Ian Allan motors. I can recommend them. The plus side of ordering from a dealer here is dealer support; if anything goes wrong it's easier to deal with someone in the UK. If you import the car yourself there's shipping and insurance to consider plus 20% import tax, then it will require an IVA and then registering. The Sat Nav will need upgrading to Uk/Europe as well not cheap. food for thought
VetteEd said:
I bought a C7 last year, new from Ian Allan motors. I can recommend them. The plus side of ordering from a dealer here is dealer support; if anything goes wrong it's easier to deal with someone in the UK. If you import the car yourself there's shipping and insurance to consider plus 20% import tax, then it will require an IVA and then registering. The Sat Nav will need upgrading to Uk/Europe as well not cheap. food for thought
Yup, but a used C7 Z06 is in my budget even taking shipping, duty and everything else into account. Used C7 Z06s are as rare as hen's teeth here, and even if one did pop-up I doubt it would be in budget either. I can afford a new UK supplied Stingray (or Grand Sport) but it's a Z06 I really want; if I didn't have the 650 hp under my right foot I think I'd always regret it.Plus Ian Allan are a 900 mile round-trip away from me, so while UK support would be nice they're not really a practical as a 'local' dealer foe service etc.
I used to get all the stuff I needed for the LS motor in the Tuscan sent over from the US and it only took a couple of days.
But thanks for the suggestion - as a consequence I did actually visit the Ian Allan web site and spec-up a Z06...but more than I am prepared to pay, and I just don't need the kudos/premium of a brand new car. Happy to drive someone's cast-offs and save a bob or two.
...so...anyone got a shipping company they have used and recommend?
rockin said:
Your credit card deposit will only be protected by s.75 of the Consumer Credit Act if the TOTAL price of the car is under £30,000.
In other words,
Now that I never knew. Will certainly upset a few deposit holders on the new 'TVR' as with the absence of any escrow arrangement a lot have placed deposits based on cc protection. In other words,
- a £5,000 deposit on a £29,999 car IS covered.
- a £5,000 deposit on a £30,001 cars is NOT covered.
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