To import or to sell? What should I do?

[Dirk832]

Hello!

This is my first post on here and would appreciate some common sense advice:

I just moved back to the UK from the Continent and brought along my beloved Rover 75. The six-month grace period is slowly drawing to a close and I need to make a decision what to do with my car: Import or sell.

The car is in very good shape, has just been serviced (timing belt change) and also had LPG installed last year. For me, it is the perfect car! I hardly drive during the week and walk to work, so strictly speaking don't need a car during the week. Some left-hand drive specialist offered me £300 for the car, even though I probably invested around £2,000 on top of the purchase price of £2,000.

I just wonder:

• What would be the costs associated with importing the car?
• Are there import agents who could take care of the formalities of importing the car?
• Would the fact that the LPG installation was installed on the Continent constitute a problem?
• What about insurance premiums for a left-hand drive?
• Is it at all sensible to drive a left-hand drive vehicle in the long term?
• Should I sell the car or should I even go and hire a car for the weekend?

Thanks!

[andrewcliffe]

Importing it

no taxes as you're within the EU
modifications - to pass an MoT, so headlamps and possibly fog lamp.

registration - get mot. get insurance based on chassis number. register it yourself - form filling exercise.
LPG shouldn't make any difference.

[TooMany2cvs]

Dirk832 said:

* What would be the costs associated with importing the car?

Minimal. About £50 on top of the cost of MOTing, taxing and insuring it. You will probably want to swap headlights for RHD ones, but tape will get you through the MOT. I think the rear fog lights are paired anyway? No need to swap to MPH speedo for MOT. It's over 10yo, so no need for a CoC, just MOT.

There can't be many countries easier to import into than the UK, honestly.

Get going on the NOVA customs certificate asap, and get a V55/5 ordered from DVLA.

Dirk832 said:

* Are there import agents who could take care of the formalities of importing the car?

You don't need them.

Dirk832 said:

* Would the fact that the LPG installation was installed on the Continent constitute a problem?

Very unlikely. Some insurers might require you to get it certified, but not all will. There's no other regs around it.

Dirk832 said:

* What about insurance premiums for a left-hand drive?

It'll make a bit of a difference, compared to RHD, but not much.

Dirk832 said:

* Is it at all sensible to drive a left-hand drive vehicle in the long term?

You've been driving it over here 6 months, right? Not been a problem on your old (NL, at a guess?) plates, so why would it be any different on UK plates...?

dirk832 said:

* Should I sell the car or should I even go and hire a car for the weekend?

Your call, of course...


Thanks!

[Dirk832]

Thanks for the replies!

Is there a way of adjusting the headlights without going to a garage, e.g. by adjusting the settings of the 75? Should that not be possible, will I be able to use the (right-hand drive?) beam converters sold by Halfords for a left-hand drive vehicle?

[TooMany2cvs]

Dirk832 said:

Is there a way of adjusting the headlights without going to a garage, e.g. by adjusting the settings of the 75? Should that not be possible, will I be able to use the (right-hand drive?) beam converters sold by Halfords for a left-hand drive vehicle?

Yep, beam converters are MOT-acceptable. But you'd need ones intended to blank off the surplus bit of LHD lights. Mirror-image of RHD ones.

[zcacogp]

TooMany2cvs said:

Dirk832 said:

Is there a way of adjusting the headlights without going to a garage, e.g. by adjusting the settings of the 75? Should that not be possible, will I be able to use the (right-hand drive?) beam converters sold by Halfords for a left-hand drive vehicle?

Yep, beam converters are MOT-acceptable. But you'd need ones intended to blank off the surplus bit of LHD lights. Mirror-image of RHD ones.

... or buy some RHD headlights (must be dirt cheap off a scrapper) and do the job properly.

I'm a little surprised that you would consider a botch solution here on a car you have sunk £4k into and which sounds like your P&J.


Oli.

[Dirk832]

The first scrap yard I rang solved all my problems: The set of RHD head lights is going to cost me £30. A local garage initially quoted me £200, which is why I went to investigate the beam converters/tape.

Still a little unsure about when to insure the car: I managed to find LHD insurance and the lady from DVLA said the vehicle only had to be insured once DVLA had completed the registration, whereas the DVLA's guidance notes "How to import a vehicle into the United Kingdom" seem to suggest that the car needs to be insured using the VIN number. I am almost minded to insure the car on a chassis number so to avoid any problems with DVLA..

[Dirk832]

Thanks for the replies thus far!

Anyone know how to find out whether my 75 is a Classic, Club or Connoisseur?

[TooMany2cvs]

Dirk832 said:

Anyone know how to find out whether my 75 is a Classic, Club or Connoisseur?

...or even if those trim levels were in use in the country your car was sold new in...?

Have a google for local brochures, compare the spec lists. Does your paperwork not say?

[itcaptainslow]

Dirk832 said:

Thanks for the replies thus far!

Anyone know how to find out whether my 75 is a Classic, Club or Connoisseur?

Post a picture of the interior and exterior and I should be able to tell (sad as I am!).

[NNH]

Dirk832 said:

Hello!

<snip>

• What about insurance premiums for a left-hand drive?
• Is it at all sensible to drive a left-hand drive vehicle in the long term?

<snip>
Thanks!

I brought my LHD car with me to Britain in 2010. Driving a LHD has been very little trouble, and insurance doesn't seem different.

[Dirk832]

itcaptainslow said:

Post a picture of the interior and exterior and I should be able to tell (sad as I am!).

This one is nearly identical: http://i.auto-bild.de/ir_img/5/0/7/1/3/7/Rover-75-...

[itcaptainslow]

Dirk832 said:

itcaptainslow said:

Post a picture of the interior and exterior and I should be able to tell (sad as I am!).

This one is nearly identical: http://i.auto-bild.de/ir_img/5/0/7/1/3/7/Rover-75-...

If that has full leather (can't be 100%) then it looks like a Connie (non SE model).

[TooMany2cvs]

Dirk832 said:

This one is nearly identical:

SUNGLASSES!

[johnnnnnnyy]

For your insurance I'd try someone like Adrian J Flux or Brentacre who specialist is all forms of vehicles, imports, LHD, modified etc

https://www.adrianflux.co.uk/car-insurance/

http://www.brentacre.co.uk