Importing a very boring non-UK spec car from Australia
Discussion
Edit - Mods please don't move this to Aus as I need UK input. Thanks!
I am about to leave Australia and last night our car suffered light damage from large hail stones. Unfortunately this means that nobody will buy it (hail is an insurance issue here) and in the time we have we can't get it fixed and then sold.
The car is a 2008 Honda CRV in right hand drive and I've owned it for three years so I understand that I wouldn't have to pay duty or VAT. It is in good condition (apart from 30ish small dents!!) so I'd have no problem throwing it in the container with the rest of the stuff as my firm is paying expenses. I figured we could use it as a second car for a few years until it owes us less and then worry about what to do with it.
The issue I have is that it is a 2.4l petrol which is an engine not sold in this car in the UK. Seems Australia is the only RHD market for the 2.4. The engine was used in the Accord in the UK for a while so I know servicing and parts will not be a problem.
I know that people import all sorts of non-UK stuff but I hoped some more enlightened folk might be able to tell me on a scale of 1-10 how much of a pain in the arse this might be and point me in the direction of some useful information!
I am about to leave Australia and last night our car suffered light damage from large hail stones. Unfortunately this means that nobody will buy it (hail is an insurance issue here) and in the time we have we can't get it fixed and then sold.
The car is a 2008 Honda CRV in right hand drive and I've owned it for three years so I understand that I wouldn't have to pay duty or VAT. It is in good condition (apart from 30ish small dents!!) so I'd have no problem throwing it in the container with the rest of the stuff as my firm is paying expenses. I figured we could use it as a second car for a few years until it owes us less and then worry about what to do with it.
The issue I have is that it is a 2.4l petrol which is an engine not sold in this car in the UK. Seems Australia is the only RHD market for the 2.4. The engine was used in the Accord in the UK for a while so I know servicing and parts will not be a problem.
I know that people import all sorts of non-UK stuff but I hoped some more enlightened folk might be able to tell me on a scale of 1-10 how much of a pain in the arse this might be and point me in the direction of some useful information!
Thanks for the replies so far. Guess the CoC is the next step but I'm pretty sure euro markets only got the 2.0. Unfortunately the speedo is kmh only but I've found a replacement dial for GBP50.
I am trying to sell it at a big discount as I understand it would just be easier to get rid, but the hail is a huge issue here so we might have no takers and I'm not going to give the thing away. This is Plan B but it could easily happen.
I am trying to sell it at a big discount as I understand it would just be easier to get rid, but the hail is a huge issue here so we might have no takers and I'm not going to give the thing away. This is Plan B but it could easily happen.
Thanks for the responses.
The car is for sale at a very low price so this is all for Plan B. If you saw the damage you'd understand the issue with getting it fixed - there are perhaps 50/60 small (as in not visible unless 1m away and looking in direct sunlight) dents across the bonnet, roof, wings and door tops. I've spoken to three paintless dent guys and they all estimate 4-5 days work and because of that none can do it next week. The cost would also be significant because, well, everything is in Aus, so I'd rather sell it at a loss than pay to get it repaired and then not sell it because I run out of time.
Seems like getting it back and registered wouldn't be too expensive so if I can't get rid at least I can ship it and run it for another couple of years. I've had an insurance quote from Flux and its not too bad either.
It's only done 50k miles and is in good shape otherwise so it would make a great station car and I'll be in London 2/3 days a week anyway.
The car is for sale at a very low price so this is all for Plan B. If you saw the damage you'd understand the issue with getting it fixed - there are perhaps 50/60 small (as in not visible unless 1m away and looking in direct sunlight) dents across the bonnet, roof, wings and door tops. I've spoken to three paintless dent guys and they all estimate 4-5 days work and because of that none can do it next week. The cost would also be significant because, well, everything is in Aus, so I'd rather sell it at a loss than pay to get it repaired and then not sell it because I run out of time.
Seems like getting it back and registered wouldn't be too expensive so if I can't get rid at least I can ship it and run it for another couple of years. I've had an insurance quote from Flux and its not too bad either.
It's only done 50k miles and is in good shape otherwise so it would make a great station car and I'll be in London 2/3 days a week anyway.
Panic over - car sold.
Took a $2-3k hit on what I wanted before the hail so I'll chalk that down as one of those things and get back into deliberating what to buy in the UK.
Thanks for the input. I was genuinely surprised about the lack of duty and VAT and at how relatively simple the process of getting a car into the UK is compared to getting one into Aus.
Took a $2-3k hit on what I wanted before the hail so I'll chalk that down as one of those things and get back into deliberating what to buy in the UK.
Thanks for the input. I was genuinely surprised about the lack of duty and VAT and at how relatively simple the process of getting a car into the UK is compared to getting one into Aus.
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