Is it cheaper to import cars?
Discussion
Or buy from a dealer and they can sell VAT free. I dont pay VAT on all the parts I bring in from the UK. But you would need to pay GST at this end. Also if you make a profit I would say that is considered earnings and so the IRD would get involved.
This is an area I have been looking into for some time as a small side line. Start cheap and not be greedy and I reckon you could soon work up to a nice car for yourself for free!
This is an area I have been looking into for some time as a small side line. Start cheap and not be greedy and I reckon you could soon work up to a nice car for yourself for free!
N1CERB said:
Or buy from a dealer and they can sell VAT free. I dont pay VAT on all the parts I bring in from the UK. But you would need to pay GST at this end.
Only a 'VAT Qualifying' car can be sold VAT free by a dealer in the UK. The only VAT paid when a dealer sells a used car is on the profit (ie the difference between purchase price and sale price, iirc repairs/servicing can not be taken off that difference).Also remember that there's a very small market for high-end sports cars in NZ. This is a country built around lifestyle rather than status objects, so most people would rather have an SUV to take them skiing, tow their boat/jet ski/horse float and perhaps spend time and money sailing, flying, climbing, skiing, diving etc. The petrol head demographic is both small and active, but you should never lose sight of the former when it comes time to flog your Pork, Fezza or Lambo.
N1CERB said:
mm, let me look into the Clio side of things. Its on a list of a few to be honest. Probably a Z3 Coupe before the V6. I will do my research.
Glad to see I'm not the only one being faced with this 'dilemma'... did you get around to conducting your research? 
Phase 1 V6s can be had for as little as 10k (GBP) with Phase 2s in the region of 12 - 15k (typically). I can't help but feel they'd be a potential minefield in terms of getting import clearance?
Hi,I'm from NZ and I notice there is plenty of info about price differences etc between your country and ours, but what is not made clear enough is that our border inspectors are trueblue "Rust Nazis" and they will fail your car readily if there is any structural rust at all, and they know where to look.
You need to do a really perfect job of steam cleaning the underneath of your vehicle, get it up on a hoist, use a good light and look EVERYWHERE, poke around and be picky. Be very picky. Any oily or greasy areas should be cleaned with kerosene and a stiff brush.
Get it right back to as clean as the day it was born! No joke.
Do your very best to find fault at your end, don't leave it till it's here and find you can't get it on the road. Remember our inspectors are used to cars from Japan which have never been driven on salty roads, and our roads don't have salt either so cars with rust are few and far between.
Our Warrant Of Fitness men are getting pretty tough too, you will need a Warrant every six months for pre 2000 cars, after that it's once a year. That entails more rust checks, so a car with hidden rust that sneaked past our border men will eventually have problems.
When it comes to selling it, you could get buyer resistance over a UK import, too.
Really it's probably worth importing only classic or older cars, the common cars are maybe not worth the effort. Eg bring Mk2 3.8 Jaguar, leave the Corolla behind.
Check out www.trademe.co.nz, for an up to date idea of your car's value in NZ.
You need to do a really perfect job of steam cleaning the underneath of your vehicle, get it up on a hoist, use a good light and look EVERYWHERE, poke around and be picky. Be very picky. Any oily or greasy areas should be cleaned with kerosene and a stiff brush.
Get it right back to as clean as the day it was born! No joke.
Do your very best to find fault at your end, don't leave it till it's here and find you can't get it on the road. Remember our inspectors are used to cars from Japan which have never been driven on salty roads, and our roads don't have salt either so cars with rust are few and far between.
Our Warrant Of Fitness men are getting pretty tough too, you will need a Warrant every six months for pre 2000 cars, after that it's once a year. That entails more rust checks, so a car with hidden rust that sneaked past our border men will eventually have problems.
When it comes to selling it, you could get buyer resistance over a UK import, too.
Really it's probably worth importing only classic or older cars, the common cars are maybe not worth the effort. Eg bring Mk2 3.8 Jaguar, leave the Corolla behind.
Check out www.trademe.co.nz, for an up to date idea of your car's value in NZ.
JoeyX said:
Our Warrant Of Fitness men are getting pretty tough too
where abouts are you? here in New Plymouth I've been shocked how relaxed they are. My old 92 Corolla was rear ended and still passed it's WOF.And it wasn't a tickle either, the rear was caved in, but as it was drivable I got the WOF as it was due whilst I was waiting for the insurance company to decide on repair or write off.
And a lot of minor things I knew it would fail on in the UK were passed here.
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