Advice on Importing a GT350 Mustang

[Son of Quatto]

Hello,
Not been on here for ages but looking at selling my EvoX FQ400 and wanting an American Muscle car. Thinking about going the Import route. Got a budget to buy of about 60000 US Dollars. I know about the VAT 20% costs plus Customs 10%. Shipping and IVA etc... But even then it works out cheaper than buying 1 over here for 70-80 grand.
But i'd like to know how I can buy a car from a dealer in the states etc. Do they allow me to buy in UK and get a company to pick it up??? Are they funny about this? any help appreciated thanks...(even best company to do it all)

[Saleen836]

No, US dealers are not allowed to sell for export, you could go over and buy one if you have somewhere to register the vehicle,of course this will mean paying sales tax but once it is registered you can export it back here

[Son of Quatto]

Right ok I need to go over there fair enough ..so where exactly can I register it ? Might have to look up a few old distant relatives if there’s no easy loophole to do it ?

[ChocolateFrog]

Is there not an equivalent to Torque GT but for US imports?

[zxttfan]

Saleen836 said:

No, US dealers are not allowed to sell for export, you could go over and buy one if you have somewhere to register the vehicle,of course this will mean paying sales tax but once it is registered you can export it back here

US dealers are prohibited to sell new cars for export, but used cars have no restrictions. In the unique case of a GT350, many of which were bought for immediate resale in mind, you could probably find a used current model year car that has a couple of hundred miles on it. Since it has already been sold and registered in the US, exporting it wouldn’t be a problem, even if bought through a Ford dealer.

[Son of Quatto]

zxttfan said:

US dealers are prohibited to sell new cars for export, but used cars have no restrictions. In the unique case of a GT350, many of which were bought for immediate resale in mind, you could probably find a used current model year car that has a couple of hundred miles on it. Since it has already been sold and registered in the US, exporting it wouldn’t be a problem, even if bought through a Ford dealer.

Right ok I didn’t want to buy new but used through a ford dealer . So I need to ring said dealer , do the deal then let the shipping company take care of the rest ?

[zxttfan]

Son of Quatto said:

Right ok I didn’t want to buy new but used through a ford dealer . So I need to ring said dealer , do the deal then let the shipping company take care of the rest ?

Yes. Some of larger Ford dealers along the East Coast are familiar with the export regulations and maybe able to recommend a transport company for shipping to the port.

The bast sites for searching include: autotrader.com, cars.com, eBay and auto tempest.com

[Saleen836]

Son of Quatto said:

zxttfan said:

US dealers are prohibited to sell new cars for export, but used cars have no restrictions. In the unique case of a GT350, many of which were bought for immediate resale in mind, you could probably find a used current model year car that has a couple of hundred miles on it. Since it has already been sold and registered in the US, exporting it wouldn’t be a problem, even if bought through a Ford dealer.

Right ok I didn’t want to buy new but used through a ford dealer . So I need to ring said dealer , do the deal then let the shipping company take care of the rest ?

But you are wanting a Shelby GT350, any used model even one with a few hundred miles will have a premium attatched to it, a quick look on Autotrader and the cheapest I found was this one...
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehiclede...
By time you have added on relevant costs to get it here and legal you are not too far off the cost of buying a RHD one (which will have a higer resale value)

[Son of Quatto]

Saleen836 said:

Son of Quatto said:

zxttfan said:

But you are wanting a Shelby GT350, any used model even one with a few hundred miles will have a premium attatched to it, a quick look on Autotrader and the cheapest I found was this one...
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehiclede...
By time you have added on relevant costs to get it here and legal you are not too far off the cost of buying a RHD one (which will have a higer resale value)

Where can u buy a rhd gt350 in the uk? Only the super snakes
Are right hookers and they command 80 grand plus. There are 2 gt350 on sale here for 80 grand. Let’s say I buy a gt350 in the USA for 60000 dollars . That’s 43 grand. Then ship it here including taxes around an extra 15 grand plus Iva cost extra 2 grand . So total would be around 60 grand. That’s 20k cheaper than the ones on uk trader

[Saleen836]

Son of Quatto said:

Saleen836 said:

Son of Quatto said:

zxttfan said:

But you are wanting a Shelby GT350, any used model even one with a few hundred miles will have a premium attatched to it, a quick look on Autotrader and the cheapest I found was this one...
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehiclede...
By time you have added on relevant costs to get it here and legal you are not too far off the cost of buying a RHD one (which will have a higer resale value)

Where can u buy a rhd gt350 in the uk? Only the super snakes
Are right hookers and they command 80 grand plus. There are 2 gt350 on sale here for 80 grand. Let’s say I buy a gt350 in the USA for 60000 dollars . That’s 43 grand. Then ship it here including taxes around an extra 15 grand plus Iva cost extra 2 grand . So total would be around 60 grand. That’s 20k cheaper than the ones on uk trader

I'm not up to date with which models are available in RHD, I thought the GT350 was one of them

[Son of Quatto]

Been looking awhile. The only RHD Mustangs are the UK specs and the Supersnakes. Be great to own a RHD GT350 but the cost of changing would be huge i fear...
There's been a UBB(Ultimate Bad Boy) Mustang quite awhile on autotrader. Down to 53 grand. Pulls out 900bhp which is insane... I checked insurance on that and it was around 3-4 grand... I'm 48 with 12 years no claims and not paying that...Plus 900bhp Simon sideways is going to appear every other corner and i wish to see my grandkids

[Bearintown]

I looked at getting a GT350 in the summer of 2018, lowest price then was about $49000. Lowest price now is still around that so a good deal -back then! At that price you would be looking at about £55000 but exchange has improved since then.
I couldnt stretch that far and found a brand new Roush RS2 old stock 2017 model, that the dealer had reduced from $49000 to $35500/
Because it was new I couldnt buy it so I had to use Colin Ledsom to do the deal so that increased the price -understandably -to $38500 delivered to the docks.
Time I got the car on the road it cost £40500 with a bit of vat help.......

[Son of Quatto]

Bearintown said:

I looked at getting a GT350 in the summer of 2018, lowest price then was about $49000. Lowest price now is still around that so a good deal -back then! At that price you would be looking at about £55000 but exchange has improved since then.
I couldnt stretch that far and found a brand new Roush RS2 old stock 2017 model, that the dealer had reduced from $49000 to $35500/
Because it was new I couldnt buy it so I had to use Colin Ledsom to do the deal so that increased the price -understandably -to $38500 delivered to the docks.
Time I got the car on the road it cost £40500 with a bit of vat help.......

Ok thanks that gives me something to think about... I am sold now on a Mustang 350R. Found a few used for 50-60000 dollars so looking at on road price in UK of about 55-60 grand over budgeting for taxes etc..... That's still 20 grand under what stealers Sorry dealers are offering... It might be a pain in arse getting it over but to even save 10-20k it's worth it surely...

Edited by Son of Quatto on Sunday 11th April 13:42

[Bearintown]

Son of Quatto said:

Ok thanks that gives me something to think about... I am sold now on a Mustang 350R. Found a few used for 50-60000 dollars so looking at on road price in UK of about 55-60 grand over budgeting for taxes etc..... That's still 20 grand under what stealers Sorry dealers are offering... It might be a pain in arse getting it over but to even save 10-20k it's worth it surely...

Edited by Son of Quatto on Sunday 11th April 13:42

Dont worry about the importing part. There are many specialists who will do all or part of the process for you depending on what you want to do yourself.
Colin Ledsom now trading as Prestige imports did mine
Others with good reps are
STS Imports
Hill Shipping
Golden Chariots
Dean Inskip
Paul Draycott

Go for it!

[Son of Quatto]

Bearintown said:

Dont worry about the importing part. There are many specialists who will do all or part of the process for you depending on what you want to do yourself.
Colin Ledsom now trading as Prestige imports did mine
Others with good reps are
STS Imports
Hill Shipping
Golden Chariots
Dean Inskip
Paul Draycott

Go for it!

Thanks for the Information.. It's pretty daunting. I want to source the car myself and then let the experts do the rest i think....

[Darren390]

As has previously said, importing it is the easy bit. I purchased a 2011 GT500 2 years ago from a main Dodge dealer and got Ron @ STS Imports to do the import for me. He's well known in the Mustang world and will look after you.

[Son of Quatto]

Darren390 said:

As has previously said, importing it is the easy bit. I purchased a 2011 GT500 2 years ago from a main Dodge dealer and got Ron @ STS Imports to do the import for me. He's well known in the Mustang world and will look after you.

Again gratz and I'll ask Big Ron when the time is nearer and i'm ready to bite....
Just out of interest what were the maths on that GT500 ? Importing and IVA test etc....

[NMNeil]

Be careful where you buy it from.
Desert States such as Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and inland California don't suffer from rust. No salt on the roads in winter.
East coast. If it's more than 30 minutes old, it has rust.

[Lawrence5]

I'd look at a rhd Mach 1 and the Ford Performance catalog.... Best of both worlds

[Register1]

Saleen836 said:

No, US dealers are not allowed to sell for export, you could go over and buy one if you have somewhere to register the vehicle,of course this will mean paying sales tax but once it is registered you can export it back here

Really?
I bought direct from a dealer in New York.
We both arranged shipping.
It arrived in UK, and I paid the required taxes.