Importing a C6
Discussion
Ok.... I love my C5 but i'm thinking about the C6 and whilst I still need to see one in the flesh (going to Miami in August and may see if there's any for show) I like the sound of it and can't help but start working out the cost of importing one. Am I doing my sums right here?
Cost of vehicle: C6 Coupe - ~$53000 with the bits I want (Z51 etc). Equates to around £29,000 using current exchange rates.
Cost of import + registering + taxes: People on here quote around a third of the purchase price for this so we're talking £10k?
Therefore my rudimentary analysis works out to be about £40k for a brand new 400bhp C6 in the UK.
I reckon the American importers such as BM will charge nearer 50k for the equivalent car so if I run it for a couple of years it might still be worth 30ish when I come to sell?
What do you reckon? Am I living in a dream world or can I really get a brand new incredibly rare, well engineered super-car for 40k next summer?
Chris
ps - on the other hand, what kind of Viper could I get for 40k?
Cost of vehicle: C6 Coupe - ~$53000 with the bits I want (Z51 etc). Equates to around £29,000 using current exchange rates.
Cost of import + registering + taxes: People on here quote around a third of the purchase price for this so we're talking £10k?
Therefore my rudimentary analysis works out to be about £40k for a brand new 400bhp C6 in the UK.
I reckon the American importers such as BM will charge nearer 50k for the equivalent car so if I run it for a couple of years it might still be worth 30ish when I come to sell?
What do you reckon? Am I living in a dream world or can I really get a brand new incredibly rare, well engineered super-car for 40k next summer?
Chris
ps - on the other hand, what kind of Viper could I get for 40k?
Thanks for the replies! Even if it has dampened my enthusiasm for a C6 a little 
First gen car with no warranty - v. worrying. I (naively) assummed someone would honour it in this country I guess....
All the Euro conversion stuff - depends on when they are thinking of bringing it to Europe... anybody care to hazard a guess? Again I assumed I'd be able to get a euro conversion kit next year.
As for the Z06 - well if I could buy my C5 again i'd go down this route and import one of these bargains but whilst i've got my C5 now (black, 6 speed, stereo install, blackwing, performance clutch and fly, SLP loudmouth) I'd be reluctant to get another one, albeit better in some ways and obviously a lot newer.
Maybe if I change I should get a Viper for a year or so until the C6 Euro version is sorted? Those 35k Silverstone cars look great but there's no way I could feel comfortable with a car that's done 36k track miles in the hands of a million and one hot-hatch driving wannabes.
There look to be some clean snakes over in the US - maybe import one of them...although some of those guys seem to have them as show cars rather than anything else.
Really love the Vette thing though and might find a viper harder to live with (being my one and only car)....
First gen car with no warranty - v. worrying. I (naively) assummed someone would honour it in this country I guess....
All the Euro conversion stuff - depends on when they are thinking of bringing it to Europe... anybody care to hazard a guess? Again I assumed I'd be able to get a euro conversion kit next year.
As for the Z06 - well if I could buy my C5 again i'd go down this route and import one of these bargains but whilst i've got my C5 now (black, 6 speed, stereo install, blackwing, performance clutch and fly, SLP loudmouth) I'd be reluctant to get another one, albeit better in some ways and obviously a lot newer.
Maybe if I change I should get a Viper for a year or so until the C6 Euro version is sorted? Those 35k Silverstone cars look great but there's no way I could feel comfortable with a car that's done 36k track miles in the hands of a million and one hot-hatch driving wannabes.
There look to be some clean snakes over in the US - maybe import one of them...although some of those guys seem to have them as show cars rather than anything else.
Really love the Vette thing though and might find a viper harder to live with (being my one and only car)....
1984 syndrome? Remind my err.... lack of complete history of Corvette knowledge what happened then... 
I must admit when I first saw the C6 I was a bit unsure but it's grown on me. I need to see one in the flesh to see if it looks, well, cool enough! A fecelift would be incredibvle to see so early on in its lifecycle.
Viper - what do you mean by running costs? I heard they were quite reliable?
I must admit when I first saw the C6 I was a bit unsure but it's grown on me. I need to see one in the flesh to see if it looks, well, cool enough! A fecelift would be incredibvle to see so early on in its lifecycle.
Viper - what do you mean by running costs? I heard they were quite reliable?
hmmm... don't know what I think about those Euro lights... one thing I really like about the US version is the twin "afterburner" lights....
Definitely try and see one in the flesh and make my mind up then. Nothing's going to be happening until next spring-time anyway so I've got time to make my mind up..
Neil - course you can have a go if I get one. On one condition... you have to get yours back on the road first! And I don't mean slung over a 2 wheel trailer either LOL!
Cheers,
Chris
ps - 1984. 5.7 litre. 205bhp.
And I know they had less powerful ones too. They must have been bad times for the Vette owners. Got a car that looks like it's going a million miles and hour....but doesn't.
Definitely try and see one in the flesh and make my mind up then. Nothing's going to be happening until next spring-time anyway so I've got time to make my mind up..
Neil - course you can have a go if I get one. On one condition... you have to get yours back on the road first! And I don't mean slung over a 2 wheel trailer either LOL!
Cheers,
Chris
ps - 1984. 5.7 litre. 205bhp.
And I know they had less powerful ones too. They must have been bad times for the Vette owners. Got a car that looks like it's going a million miles and hour....but doesn't. Gassing Station | Corvettes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff