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!
Hitch78 said:
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!
It's under 10yo, so you'd need it to be IVA tested. Shouldn't be a big problem, though. Headlights will be RHD, at least, but Aus is KM - is the speedo dual-marked? Rear fog light? You'll need to get a NOVA certification from HMRC to show there's no duty or VAT, then it's just MOT it on the Aussie plates or VIN, insure it, V55/5 from DVLA, money, wait.vtecyo said:
Shirley it's the same as importing non UK spec Jap stuff?
Yep. Importing is as simple as age and whether it has a CoC or not.<10yo, CoC - no more needed.
<10yo, no CoC - IVA needed.
10yo+ - no more needed.
>30yo* - NOVA needed. EU origin or not is the most likely way to determine if VAT/duty are payable, but not foolproof.
Then it's just down to all the usual UK requirements - insure, MOT (3yo+), pay tax - and V55/5 + first reg fee.
- - I think that's the case now - there didn't used to be a cut-off, but apparently it's recently changed.
Aren't car prices much higher in Australia?
If so surely it would be better just to sell it to a dealer there or someone willing to get the work done, as even at the distressed sale price, it's still be worth more out there in Oz than when it reaches UK shores and becomes a British car subject to our car market pricing?
Plus it's just another bit of hassle & admin on a big move, surely worth a few quid to avoid?
If so surely it would be better just to sell it to a dealer there or someone willing to get the work done, as even at the distressed sale price, it's still be worth more out there in Oz than when it reaches UK shores and becomes a British car subject to our car market pricing?
Plus it's just another bit of hassle & admin on a big move, surely worth a few quid to avoid?
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.
was8v said:
CoC = certificate of conformity. If the model was ever sold in an EU market you should be able to get this from Honda.
It's not EU-spec, so there won't be a CoC for it.was8v said:
If not then it will need an IVA test, but there is a fee associated with this test, think its about £600.
£199.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/individ...
Hitch78 said:
We leave in two weeks and given the hail storm the dent guys are booked out.
Get a self-employed sole trader and offer him AUS$500 (or so) on top of what he'll usually charge. He might suddenly become unbooked.Might sound counter-intuitive to pay well over the odds to get it done but that'll be much less cost/hassle/wasted effort than trying to ship your car to the UK and then fart around with speedos/import paperwork.
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.
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