Importing a car to Australia - All the facts... Hopefully!

[ukdennis]

I can't see why not .... the rules don't say that you have to have used it overseas in the 12 months immediately preceding the import, just that you have owned and used it overseas for a minimum of 12 months.

[Steve-B]

RobM3

1 car per person is the rule, and you have to have lived in the previous country for 12 months (or more) and owned the vehicle for 12 months (or more) is all that DOTARS is interested in, and your passport pages to prove it. I think that's patently clear, so if you don't want to keep all 3, let me know ;-) as we need to buy a 2nd car now we're back in Blighty. Hopefully our Caterham SV will make it back here in November, and we have purposely listed it off the road in Oz, and left the PI (Personal Import) decal in the engine bay so if we boomerang back to Oz, there will be -0- discussion next time.

The real morale here is: Follow THEIR rules, and things just work. Deviate, and prepare a can or 4rse lubricant, and probably to lose.

Now if you have a Boganmobile, or Boganmobile produced in Oz before you come there, you're probably eligible for a gubmnt grant, the way KevinO gives away money

Edited by Steve-B on Sunday 18th October 16:09

[robm3]

Steve-B said:

1 car per person is the rule, and you have to have lived in the previous country for 12 months (or more) and owned the vehicle for 12 months (or more) is all that DOTARS is interested in, and your passport pages to prove it.

Steve,
Just to be clear, the following is not workable:

Move back to NSW bringing one car (BMW) under my name. Store the Ultima for a year in UK. Bring the Ultima over to NSW a year later.

And it's not workable because in order to bring the Ultima over I would have needed to return to the UK for another year of residency?


I guess the rule is a little hazy because technically I'll have lived in the UK for 8 years and owned the GTR for 3 (4 at time of departure for NSW). What the rule really needs to say is that once you bring a car into Australia and move to Australia, all previous residency is cancelled OR it needs to read that you've used the car in the preceding year prior to emigration (which it doesn't).

Bugger if you're right but I'm still not sure.

[falkster]

Ive skipped a few bits but let me get this straight, if I want to take my E30 M3 and Boxster S its going to cost me around £15k and they must be in seperate containers?

[deviant]

As I understand it the cars can come in the same container as long as one is in your wifes name and has been for the last 12 months.

[Steve-B]

That is correct, or your partner, or able-to-drive child. no extra points for adopting eastern EU blonde airbag enhanced 19 year old nympho just to get the car in.

Doesn't matter 1 container or 2.

Edited by Steve-B on Tuesday 20th October 09:31

[gunsurgeon]

I'm considering bringing a BMW 04 330i sport sedan across to Oz. I read that bringing in parts dont attract customs duty. Is this parts free in the boot or the actually attached to the vehicle?

[deviant]

gunsurgeon said:

I'm considering bringing a BMW 04 330i sport sedan across to Oz. I read that bringing in parts dont attract customs duty. Is this parts free in the boot or the actually attached to the vehicle?

You cant bring in an entire car under the guise of it being a collection of parts....unless you want to cut it in half.

I believe you can fill your car with anything you like as long as it can be driven. There might not be much left when it arrives though!

[Steve-B]

Uhhh, I had a Kmh speedo, some head gaskets/bolts and a few odd cables when our Caterham went over. It was only via swift talking we didn't have to pay import duty on those as parts as well! Whether or not that's the law is immaterial, the thieving bar stewards involved in your bringing in your pride and joy know full well you want your car so desperately (after having driven the yobbo rubbish!) you'll pay whatever to get it back.

Thus I'd al edge they might make up rules. YMMV.

gunsurgeon said:

I'm considering bringing a BMW 04 330i sport sedan across to Oz. I read that bringing in parts dont attract customs duty. Is this parts free in the boot or the actually attached to the vehicle?

[zs]

Would a currently owned (in UK) LHD (yank) car be accepted on Oz soil....atleast as a temporary import [of less than 12mths]??

[deviant]

zs said:

Would a currently owned (in UK) LHD (yank) car be accepted on Oz soil....atleast as a temporary import [of less than 12mths]??

It would probably need to come in on a Carnet De Passage or whatever they call it.

LHD can only be road legal in some states if the car is over a certain age but I think if it comes in on a carnet you can do whatever you like...double check though.

[zs]

thumbup: kinda what i was thinking - thing's seem so much much quicker & easier if the car's there for under 12mths. Would be unusual seeing a brit plated yank car in Oz! A year there has just become even more appealing

[333pg333]

Nobody has mentioned bringing in a track car? A built race car in the US or UK can be much cheaper than here and I don't believe you have to go through quite the same rigmarole as bringing in road cars.
Just saying.

[ajg31]

333pg333 said:

Nobody has mentioned bringing in a track car? A built race car in the US or UK can be much cheaper than here and I don't believe you have to go through quite the same rigmarole as bringing in road cars.
Just saying.

Think you can bring a track car any time you like though, right? You don't have to own for a year or be in the country of origin etc. Deviant looked into this.

Edited by ajg31 on Sunday 31st January 01:43

[aussiebeano]

Have finally taken receipt of the my Elise 111R and the wife's Benz. It took some work and patient waiting, but they arrived safely and with only a couple of snags along the way. Note to self - get a new battery for the Lotus next time - it went dead flat at the Sydney port, the guys could not even get into her. It took Lee from Simply Sports Cars in Balmain to get out there, jump the battery, get her opened and started.

Richard at Karman Shipping (UK end), Steve at Cargon Online (Sydney importer) and Paul at Complete Car Care (compliance plates - Sydney) all did fantastic jobs and all I had to do was pay some money, go to the car and drive away.

It hasn't been posted for a while, but here are a breakdown of the costs it took to ship, import and get on the road in Sydney. The main variables are exchange rate on the UK costs, and the valuation of the cars which affects import duty, GST.

Apolgies in advance for the rubbish formatting fo the table below

cheers
antony

UK COSTS
Karman Shipping shipping £1,760 $3,297

AUSTRALIA COSTS
Cargo Online Port charges                       $333
Cargo Online Transport                          $270
Cargo Online Depot charges                      $340
Cargo Online AQIS fees       per vehicle Exempt GST $229
Cargo Online Customs/AQIS Clearance  per vehicle $275
Cargo Online Steam clean    per vehicle $275
Cargo Online Local Valuation       per vehicle $450
Cargo Online duty / gst $2,913
Cargo Online Tilt tray to the mechanic                $180

Complete Car Care admin, check car, secure storage $176
Complete Car Care blue slip imported vehicle $119
Complete Car Care personal import compliance plate $170
Complete Car Care transport car to weighbridge $154
Complete Car Care deliver papers to RTA for rego & get green slip $176
Complete Car Care fuel & additives $55
Complete Car Care wash, vacuum $30
Complete Car Care get number plates from RTA $80
Complete Car Care Compulsory Third Part Green Slip $500
Complete Car Care NSW government stamp duty $594
Complete Car Care obtain registration for car $231

TOTAL $10,846

[Captain Flashman]

was that $3200 per vehicle? If so that’s very acceptable…

[deviant]

ajg31 said:

333pg333 said:

Nobody has mentioned bringing in a track car? A built race car in the US or UK can be much cheaper than here and I don't believe you have to go through quite the same rigmarole as bringing in road cars.
Just saying.

Think you can bring a track car any time you like though, right? You don't have to own for a year or be in the country of origin etc. Deviant looked into this.

Edited by ajg31 on Sunday 31st January 01:43

Depends on what your intended use of the car is.

Basically you can do a 'race / rally' import but the requirements vary from state to state on what you can in regards to getting it road legal and how often you can use it.

Last time I looked in to it you needed a CAMS L3 race license or rally equivalent and there is no 12 month ownership period.

I believe the car can pretty much be any make model but you wont get anything like a Radical on the road.

Until recently a Race / Rally car meant open slather on modifications however abuse of the system has meant the RTA and CAMS have had a review of the system and are cracking down. As I understand it you now have to build the car to a series spec before being inspected and you have to prove your intent to enter that series, I know there was also talk of actually having to enter events to maintain your rego. They are now also going to be issuing rego plates that are clearly marked as being for race cars.

Remember this is a system that has been abused in the past, people used it as a way of getting road cars in that were not eligible for import normally or as a way of keeping a heavily modified car on the road...hence the tightening of the rules by RTA and CAMS.

[aussiebeano]

Captain Flashman said:

was that $3200 per vehicle? If so that’s very acceptable…

yep - approx £1800 or $3,200 per vehicle to ship. I got a bit of a price reduction since I shipped 2 cars and they were both packed into the same 40' container

[mgbond]

aussiebeano said:

Have finally taken receipt of the my Elise 111R and the wife's Benz. It took some work and patient waiting, but they arrived safely and with only a couple of snags along the way. Note to self - get a new battery for the Lotus next time - it went dead flat at the Sydney port, the guys could not even get into her. It took Lee from Simply Sports Cars in Balmain to get out there, jump the battery, get her opened and started.

Richard at Karman Shipping (UK end), Steve at Cargon Online (Sydney importer) and Paul at Complete Car Care (compliance plates - Sydney) all did fantastic jobs and all I had to do was pay some money, go to the car and drive away.

It hasn't been posted for a while, but here are a breakdown of the costs it took to ship, import and get on the road in Sydney. The main variables are exchange rate on the UK costs, and the valuation of the cars which affects import duty, GST.

Apolgies in advance for the rubbish formatting fo the table below

cheers
antony

UK COSTS
Karman Shipping shipping £1,760 $3,297

AUSTRALIA COSTS
Cargo Online Port charges                       $333
Cargo Online Transport                          $270
Cargo Online Depot charges                      $340
Cargo Online AQIS fees       per vehicle Exempt GST $229
Cargo Online Customs/AQIS Clearance  per vehicle $275
Cargo Online Steam clean    per vehicle $275
Cargo Online Local Valuation       per vehicle $450
Cargo Online duty / gst $2,913
Cargo Online Tilt tray to the mechanic                $180

Complete Car Care admin, check car, secure storage $176
Complete Car Care blue slip imported vehicle $119
Complete Car Care personal import compliance plate $170
Complete Car Care transport car to weighbridge $154
Complete Car Care deliver papers to RTA for rego & get green slip $176
Complete Car Care fuel & additives $55
Complete Car Care wash, vacuum $30
Complete Car Care get number plates from RTA $80
Complete Car Care Compulsory Third Part Green Slip $500
Complete Car Care NSW government stamp duty $594
Complete Car Care obtain registration for car $231

TOTAL $10,846

What was the valuation for the car?

Cheers

Bondy

[aussiebeano]

mgbond said:

aussiebeano said:

Have finally taken receipt of the my Elise 111R and the wife's Benz. It took some work and patient waiting, but they arrived safely and with only a couple of snags along the way. Note to self - get a new battery for the Lotus next time - it went dead flat at the Sydney port, the guys could not even get into her. It took Lee from Simply Sports Cars in Balmain to get out there, jump the battery, get her opened and started.

Richard at Karman Shipping (UK end), Steve at Cargon Online (Sydney importer) and Paul at Complete Car Care (compliance plates - Sydney) all did fantastic jobs and all I had to do was pay some money, go to the car and drive away.

It hasn't been posted for a while, but here are a breakdown of the costs it took to ship, import and get on the road in Sydney. The main variables are exchange rate on the UK costs, and the valuation of the cars which affects import duty, GST.

Apolgies in advance for the rubbish formatting fo the table below

cheers
antony

UK COSTS
Karman Shipping shipping £1,760 $3,297

AUSTRALIA COSTS
Cargo Online Port charges                       $333
Cargo Online Transport                          $270
Cargo Online Depot charges                      $340
Cargo Online AQIS fees       per vehicle Exempt GST $229
Cargo Online Customs/AQIS Clearance  per vehicle $275
Cargo Online Steam clean    per vehicle $275
Cargo Online Local Valuation       per vehicle $450
Cargo Online duty / gst $2,913
Cargo Online Tilt tray to the mechanic                $180

Complete Car Care admin, check car, secure storage $176
Complete Car Care blue slip imported vehicle $119
Complete Car Care personal import compliance plate $170
Complete Car Care transport car to weighbridge $154
Complete Car Care deliver papers to RTA for rego & get green slip $176
Complete Car Care fuel & additives $55
Complete Car Care wash, vacuum $30
Complete Car Care get number plates from RTA $80
Complete Car Care Compulsory Third Part Green Slip $500
Complete Car Care NSW government stamp duty $594
Complete Car Care obtain registration for car $231

TOTAL $10,846

What was the valuation for the car?

Cheers

Bondy

valuation of the Elise was approx $18,000, Wife's Benz was valued at $28,000. Don't know how customs come up with these valuations, but they are fantastic considering both cars would cost $50k in Aust. Guess it all comes down to the guys at Cargo Online who have ood relationships uilt up with the valuers.