Importing New Vehicle from UK

[powerdesal]

[quote user="Chezstevens"]Renault Modus would suit as second car plus gift to eldest when passed test.

[/quote]

No doubt, but my eldest is 39 yrs old and has two children of her own. I paid for her first car some (many) years ago. [:(]

[Chezstevens]

Hopefully Bank of "Mum and Dad" is closed!!

[Pierre ZFP]

I've got one of the Tucsons and have been extremely pleased with it in the 2.5 years /95,000Km since I've had it.  Very comfortable to drive, plenty of power, will cruise down the motorway at 130km/hour all day and overall I have got 7.3l/100km out of it

I would recommend it to you except I don't know its towing abilities.

I don't/have never towed but I just suspect it may be a little light at the front end for towing. 

Perhaps someone with more experiance could comment.

[powerdesal]

[quote user="Chezstevens"]Hopefully Bank of "Mum and Dad" is closed!!

[/quote]

Its now 'Bank of Grandma & Grandad'    [:(]

[merlin]

Just got back from the prefecture with my carte grise for the Skoda Octavia I bought last week in England. So my story may interest some of you.

After some research we decided the best option for us was to buy a new RHD car in England and import it. I estimate the saving on our Skoda Octavia estate to be £4000-£4500 on a LHD model bought in France. After deciding on the model I contacted a car broker and agreed the price, paid £500 deposit and agreed a collection date. I told the dealer exactly what I was doing and that I needed a certificate of conformity (not standard as I thought) and the headlights set for driving on the right.

Next problem was the insurance. I contacted my french insurance company who issued me with a cover for a month warning me that they must have the carte grise by the end of this period. I emailed the cover note to the garage who were unable to register the car in England with french insurance. However this was no problem because Skoda were offering free 7 day insurance on new models.

I booked a cheap flight and allowed myself a week in England just in case there was any delay. The car was in fact a day late. I paid VAT in England and took the bill of sale to the Hotel des Impots immediately I got back. They asked about the VAT rate in England, did a calculation and then issued me with the certificate. I expected to have to pay the difference between the two VAT rates but no.

Then I took all the documentation to the prefecture and paid 178 euros for the carte grise. Now I just need to claim back the road tax from the DVLA which will cover most of this.

All in all rather involved but a considerable saving.

[powerdesal]

Thanks for the info Merlin, and welcome to the forum.

[AnOther]

[quote user="merlin"]They asked about the VAT rate in England, did a calculation and then issued me with the certificate. I expected to have to pay the difference between the two VAT rates but no.[/quote]Did you tell them 15% or 17.5% I wonder [Www] and full marks for your insurance company telling you like it is. If they all did the same we'd quickly see an end to you know what - probably in little more than a month actually [:'(]

Well done anyway and enjoy your Skoda. I have the same, as does J R I believe, and damned fine cars they are too. Any particular reason you didn't opt for LHD ?

And it wasn't really SO involved now was it [;-)]

[Chancer]

Yeah me too, 234000 miles and counting with no repairs, the original battery, exhaust, even cam belt [:-))], I have only ever done routine servicing and brake pads, I even stopped replacing the air filter elements several years ago and am waiting (and waiting..........) for the fuel economy to drop before changing it.

I dread to think what owners who religously hand over their cars to the concessionaire would have paid in servicing and (unnecessary?) repair bills over that mileage.

So it would appear that you can order a LHD car from a UK dealer but you will be charged in Euros converted to sterling so no benefit that I can see, personally I would just hop over the border to Belgium and negotiate.

What about UK manufactured cars, I know we no longer have Rover but Honda, Nissan etc? in these troubled times do the LHD ones still have to be exported to Belgium before being reimported by the traders? which of course mens once again paying (effectively) in Euros.

A pal who has a lifelong discount with Ford (his father worked there) is not able to get LHD for himself.

[AnOther]

[quote user="J.Rs gone native"]no repairs - even cam belt [:-))][/quote]PLEASE PLEASE TELL ME YOU ARE JOKING [:-))]

[Chezstevens]

Reference LHD

"Morning,

I have had a look for you, we can

supply Honda, VW, Citroen and Renault in LHD, these will be to UK specification

only. Unfortunately we can not supply any EU specification cars. Also with LHD’s,

they are made to order and can take between 3-6months to be ready for

collection.

Many Thanks

Claire Firth

Web Site: www.fo**escarsdirect.com"

[powerdesal]

JR, the LHD cars quoted for me were by a Broker, not a UK dealer and they are bought at trade in Belgium. They will deliver anywhere in Europe or you can collect from Belgium. The prices quoted were in euros except the VW which would be supplied by VW UK

[peter@pons]

 I have obtained several left hand drive cars for clients over the past ten years and in my experience Holland is the best place to go. The Dutch have a luxury tax on cars(as do the Spanish) as well as tva and so the manufacturers supply the dealers at a price that tax inclusive brings them into line with the neighbouring EEC countries,eg Belgium, so their tax free price is lower. Be aware that specifications vary from country to country, for example Hyundais that we know as 4wd are not necessarily so in Belgium or Holland or France, and so on. The other advantage with dealing in Holland is that most car dealers have at least one person that speaks perfect English which can be very useful regards strange specifications, extras,insurance,temporary registration plates and paperwork for re registering. They are also in my experience very polite and helpful!

I have made some very good contacts over the years so if anyone wants advice(no charge) please feel free to contact me. I am about to arrange collection of a new Ford from Holland for a friend. This car has to be registered in Jersey, which entails an inspection of lights, speedo and rear fogs to ensure that they comply with RHD legislation, and then are to be changed back to LHD regulations. The Dutch dealer has been as helpful as normal and makes everything so simple that it is a pleasure to deal with him.

 

Peter

   

[cooperlola]

On the subject of Skodas though, before you all euolgise too much...  Our Fabia had to be completely re-sprayed as the paint was faulty.  The passenger window and rear screen washer both failed; the fuel line leaked and the rear parking sensors can't make up their minds whether or not to work.  Most of these faults happily developed during the guarantee period so were fixed for free but still, a bit of a bore.  Over more miles (but less time) my Nissan ran completely fault free and its servicing interval was double that of the Skoda.

Having said that, although the driving position doesn't suit me, my o/h loves it and it does have a good chassis.

[powerdesal]

Peter@pons, I have e mailed you.

[powerdesal]

[quote user="powerdesal"]Peter@pons, I have e mailed you.

[/quote]

but it bounced !!!!!!!!!!![:(]

[Chancer]

[quote user="ErnieY"][quote user="J.Rs gone native"]no repairs - even cam belt [:-))][/quote]PLEASE PLEASE TELL ME YOU ARE JOKING [:-))]

[/quote]

I think it really still does have the original Ernie.

I bought her at exactly 3 years old and 182,000 miles from a "good" friend who used it as a chauffeur car, it was like new with a soi disant full main dealer service history, he was at great pains to tell me that the cam belt had already been changed twice but would need doing again soon. So of course I bided my time thinking that it could only have been done at worse 18 months before.

I got a bit suspicious when he kept nervously badgering me "have you changed that belt yet?" so I checked the dates in the handbook, it turned out that uniquely both the services where the cam belt was changed were done by his brothers garage, unfortunately I know that his brother doesnt have a garage but like me is a jack of all trades and uses the same  universal rubber stamp where you can change the letters.

Last summer I decided to bite the bullet and change it but as always time was short so I removed the covers and checked the belt throughout its length and where it bends backwards, it was still in good nick and I reckon it will do me for another couple of years (famous last words) I could just make out the VAG markings and reckon it is the original.

Knowing the results of original testing regime of the pre and post production cars and the MTBF (mean time between failure) of the belts and tensioner bearings I have some confidence, more so with the original equipment than what may have been fitted since.

236,000 miles now and counting.......... [:-))] I still enjoy teasing my mate when he asks whether I have changed it yet.

[AnOther]

Moody stamps or not I can't believe it's the original belt after all this time and those miles.

It's not just the belt you have to worry about of course, you've got the tensioner and water pump to consider too and the latter have a bit of a reputation for siezure with obvious consequences.

I think you should ask yourself 'is the car worth more to you that the cost of replacing the belt' because when something lets go, (note that's WHEN, not IF), the cost of repairs will likely make the car a write off.

[Chancer]

I'm not the worrying type Ernie but I appreciate what you are saying and have of course asked myself the question.

Everything in life is a risk, some try to avoid all risks others like to flirt with them. It would never be a write off due to cost of repairs because I have always done my own and will continue to do so.

I paid very little for it and it has already paid for itself in fuel savings, I have also been paid out well in excess of the purchase price by a 3rd party insurer after someone ran into the back of me a couple of years ago, no repairs were necessary after a chaining the towbar to a mini digger and doing a couple of snatch pulls, just a couple of scratches remain visible on the bumper.

In truth I didnt think it would last this long and I would really like to buy his current VW Touran from him for a similar sum as it too now stratopheric mileage, but the darn Skoda is running so well that I cant justify it. The Touran has already overhauled the mileage of the Skoda and is probably now approaching the 300k mark.

So if it does let go, every cloud has a silver lining [:)]

[peter@pons]

Sorry Powerdesal, can't understand that!

Try me at

[email protected]

as well as

[email protected]

hope one of them works.

 

Peter.