Private car import

Author
Discussion

smilerbaker

Original Poster:

4,071 posts

215 months

Friday 17th October 2008
quotequote all
Anyone done it? whats the procedure? I finally got round to buying a new set of LHD headlights so I can get the car legal here, so what next?

garlof

12 posts

184 months

Wednesday 3rd December 2008
quotequote all
I imported my car into Switzerland earlier this year

Heres what you need (forms may or may not be Kanton exclusive - Im not sure but if you want them I can send you copies)>

Form to register your vehicle
Insurance proof (Versicherungsnachweis)
Report from the customs
Paper or receipt from the duane/duty
Vehicle Papers
Emissions-test

Hope that helps if you need anything else drop me a pm


Edited by garlof on Wednesday 3rd December 17:22

Mrs Baby Huey

6 posts

191 months

Friday 2nd January 2009
quotequote all
The Volvo XC90 required new xenon lights as they couldn't adjust the UK spec ones. CHF1700 ...... EACH !! Managed to get them knocked down to CHF3000 but still nearly £2k for this.

They say the Chimaera will be not problem

GillyD

215 posts

282 months

Monday 26th January 2009
quotequote all
We are also looking into importing our Porsche GT3 to Switzerland - I've been speaking to a very helpful customs official in Luzern who has helped in terms of paperwork, duty etc, but I was also wondering whether anyone had had problems insuring a R/H drive car over here - is it more expensive etc? Any information would be gratefully received.

Thanks GillyD

RainerM

827 posts

231 months

Tuesday 27th January 2009
quotequote all
Hallo Gilly

As far as I know that should not be a problem, just ask your existing car-insurer in CH. And you can insure your "fast fleet" under one number-plate.
But of course you have to change the plate from one car to the other, every time you
take one out. There is a simple device for changing number-plates available
at your dealer.

Warmest regards, from Dot, too, both looking forward to doing a mountain-hoon
againsmiledriving

Rainer-CH

GillyD

215 posts

282 months

Tuesday 27th January 2009
quotequote all
Thanks Rainer
so far it's all looking positive - I've had an exciting day talking to customs officials! We're advertising it for sale for a couple of weeks in the UK, but if we don't get any realistic offers then we'll bring it on over (I'm hoping that it won't be necessary to have the dials changed as they register MPH but the digital display can be easily changed to KM's). Quite a lot to think about when importing a UK spec car, but on paper at least it seems reasonably straightforward (hope I don't regret that statement)! Anyway, we are also looking forward to some summer hoons.

Best to you both, Gilly

RainerM

827 posts

231 months

Thursday 29th January 2009
quotequote all
Hallo Gilly

as far as I know Porsche Switzerland is based around Zug, see here.
http://www.porsche-zentrum.com/pch-zug/de/

it is still an official Porsche outlet,but Porsche has as far as I know an officially and works-acknowledged
independent import agency with the various centres attached to them.
Just ask zug and company ;-)

PS: Dot still hears your V-12, me too of course :-)))))))

If you need german-speaking assistance give me a call or a PM.

Good luck, it should not be a problem, but do not run on UK plates toooooo
long, because you are avoiding local taxes, the Swiss do not like that....
tooooooo long ;-)

Regards from sunny Bavaria and Graubuenden to you and your family

Rainer and Dot

AndrewD

7,538 posts

284 months

Saturday 31st January 2009
quotequote all
Hi Rainer

Many thanks. It actually looks pretty straightforward to bring the car to CH. Get some papers at the border, headlight adjustment, etc. My insurer can add to the Lambo insurance and I can do the plate swapping thing you kindly pointed out. Porsche will continue to extend the warranty if I want to each year. And can take it back to the UK and put it back on UK plates fairly painlessly should that be necessary.

Hope to bring it to a spring/summer hoon!

We are looking very hard at the lovely rounds around Davos, Fluella, etc. We are definately going there when the snow disappears.

Andrew

RainerM

827 posts

231 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
:-)
Hi Gilly and Andrew

You are welcome, let me check the roads first, Fluela-pass is getting "bumpy" ;-)

Regards from Germany, from Dot, too.

Rainer-CH

smilerbaker

Original Poster:

4,071 posts

215 months

Friday 13th March 2009
quotequote all
garlof said:
I imported my car into Switzerland earlier this year

Heres what you need (forms may or may not be Kanton exclusive - Im not sure but if you want them I can send you copies)>

Form to register your vehicle
Insurance proof (Versicherungsnachweis)
Report from the customs
Paper or receipt from the duane/duty
Vehicle Papers
Emissions-test

Hope that helps if you need anything else drop me a pm


Edited by garlof on Wednesday 3rd December 17:22
this is turning into a nightmare, they couldn't find our MG on there system, so have told us is AMERICAN and charged us import duty, now we have to get a eur 1 cert for a UK tax office to prove its british made, also making us get a certificate of conformity, again from the uk, so far its cost us nearly 1k chf and its still not even booked in for the test or had the headlights changed over, then they wonder why so many people don't bother to register there cars here.

RossMac

856 posts

241 months

Saturday 21st March 2009
quotequote all
smilerbaker said:
garlof said:
I imported my car into Switzerland earlier this year

Heres what you need (forms may or may not be Kanton exclusive - Im not sure but if you want them I can send you copies)>

Form to register your vehicle
Insurance proof (Versicherungsnachweis)
Report from the customs
Paper or receipt from the duane/duty
Vehicle Papers
Emissions-test

Hope that helps if you need anything else drop me a pm


Edited by garlof on Wednesday 3rd December 17:22
this is turning into a nightmare, they couldn't find our MG on there system, so have told us is AMERICAN and charged us import duty, now we have to get a eur 1 cert for a UK tax office to prove its british made, also making us get a certificate of conformity, again from the uk, so far its cost us nearly 1k chf and its still not even booked in for the test or had the headlights changed over, then they wonder why so many people don't bother to register there cars here.
I have just got the Chimaera back after registration for CH. Only CHF5.8k ! Some work was needed (fix wing mirror, lambda sensor, new ECU chip, new light lenses/reflectors a number of brake components, rusted fog light, but the basic package to get it registered and the grunt work cost me CHF2.5k.

The only positive aspect is having the TVR as an additional car on the Range Rover insurance. Just another CHF200 with removable plates that you swap between the cars

garlof

12 posts

184 months

Sunday 22nd March 2009
quotequote all
Sounds like I had luck it "only" cost circa 1000 chf to import my car from Germany a standard z3.

One thing to mention is make sure that your car is clean - not just clean but "Swiss clean" including underneath, Engine Bay etc They failed mine beacuse the engine bay and underneath wasnt "Swiss clean" - well they had to find something

smilerbaker

Original Poster:

4,071 posts

215 months

Monday 23rd March 2009
quotequote all
RossMac said:
smilerbaker said:
garlof said:
I imported my car into Switzerland earlier this year

Heres what you need (forms may or may not be Kanton exclusive - Im not sure but if you want them I can send you copies)>

Form to register your vehicle
Insurance proof (Versicherungsnachweis)
Report from the customs
Paper or receipt from the duane/duty
Vehicle Papers
Emissions-test

Hope that helps if you need anything else drop me a pm


Edited by garlof on Wednesday 3rd December 17:22
this is turning into a nightmare, they couldn't find our MG on there system, so have told us is AMERICAN and charged us import duty, now we have to get a eur 1 cert for a UK tax office to prove its british made, also making us get a certificate of conformity, again from the uk, so far its cost us nearly 1k chf and its still not even booked in for the test or had the headlights changed over, then they wonder why so many people don't bother to register there cars here.
I have just got the Chimaera back after registration for CH. Only CHF5.8k ! Some work was needed (fix wing mirror, lambda sensor, new ECU chip, new light lenses/reflectors a number of brake components, rusted fog light, but the basic package to get it registered and the grunt work cost me CHF2.5k.

The only positive aspect is having the TVR as an additional car on the Range Rover insurance. Just another CHF200 with removable plates that you swap between the cars
arghhh!! hope ours needs no extra work! the new headlights cost over 1k chf, the paperwork etc so far 1k chf and the lights still are not fitted and the test still isn't booked. The garage recon it shouldn't cost more then 1k (from them) to sort now.

did you need the certificate of confirmity for the Chimaera? if so how did you get one? if not why not?????

RossMac

856 posts

241 months

Friday 27th March 2009
quotequote all
smilerbaker said:
RossMac said:
smilerbaker said:
garlof said:
I imported my car into Switzerland earlier this year

Heres what you need (forms may or may not be Kanton exclusive - Im not sure but if you want them I can send you copies)>

Form to register your vehicle
Insurance proof (Versicherungsnachweis)
Report from the customs
Paper or receipt from the duane/duty
Vehicle Papers
Emissions-test

Hope that helps if you need anything else drop me a pm


Edited by garlof on Wednesday 3rd December 17:22
this is turning into a nightmare, they couldn't find our MG on there system, so have told us is AMERICAN and charged us import duty, now we have to get a eur 1 cert for a UK tax office to prove its british made, also making us get a certificate of conformity, again from the uk, so far its cost us nearly 1k chf and its still not even booked in for the test or had the headlights changed over, then they wonder why so many people don't bother to register there cars here.
I have just got the Chimaera back after registration for CH. Only CHF5.8k ! Some work was needed (fix wing mirror, lambda sensor, new ECU chip, new light lenses/reflectors a number of brake components, rusted fog light, but the basic package to get it registered and the grunt work cost me CHF2.5k.

The only positive aspect is having the TVR as an additional car on the Range Rover insurance. Just another CHF200 with removable plates that you swap between the cars
arghhh!! hope ours needs no extra work! the new headlights cost over 1k chf, the paperwork etc so far 1k chf and the lights still are not fitted and the test still isn't booked. The garage recon it shouldn't cost more then 1k (from them) to sort now.

did you need the certificate of confirmity for the Chimaera? if so how did you get one? if not why not?????
Did it all through a TVR specialist near Zurich - must have the necessary documents.

He did show me a lovely 6 litre Cerbera !

Edited by RossMac on Friday 27th March 16:27

Roop

6,012 posts

284 months

Wednesday 15th April 2009
quotequote all
It took around 3 months to get the RS 500 imported. Time was mainly due to the fact that no-one had done it before as it's the first RS 500 registered in CH. Essentially had to use original workshop manuals, road tests in magazines and original sales brochures to prove it was an official Ford product and came from the factory with all the aero already on it. Grey card was a bit of a struggle with some adjustment required to the fuelling but got there in the end. Total cost was Chf5k which included some work on the car plus a service and such...

smilerbaker

Original Poster:

4,071 posts

215 months

Friday 15th May 2009
quotequote all
yay, it was in for its test yesterday and PASSED!!! so we now have the first and only legal RHD ZS180 in switzerland

UltimaCH

3,155 posts

189 months

Friday 15th May 2009
quotequote all
Great to hear that and well done! Now enjoy it.