Guernsey and imported car..Insurance Q ?

[fastbikes76]

Evening Gents,

My son has just bought his first car and everything was going dandy until we found the first few service stamps were done in Guernsey. Then on closer inspection it appears the car is showing as first registered in 2007 rather than 2002 . I guess this is because it spent its first 5 years in Guernsey before coming to the UK mainland.

So is the car technically an import when insuring it ? Its 100% identical to UK polo's in every way and im guessing it would have been ordered from the UK to be supplied in Guernsey initailly anyways.

Do we insure it as a UK car or an import is the question.

Regards
Elton

[R8Steve]

Does it say import anywhere on the registration certificate?

[fastbikes76]

R8Steve said:

Does it say import anywhere on the registration certificate?

Well this is the reason Im asking..Its all a bit ambiguous too me.

The actual word 'Import' doesnt appear anywhere on the V5 from memory (waiting for it too come back from DVLA), although both the logbook and HPI check say 'Date of first registration in the UK 03/11/2007' rather than 2002 which the car is. Its also on a 2002 plate and not an 07

[TooMany2cvs]

fastbikes76 said:

So is the car technically an import when insuring it ?

Of course. It wasn't sold new in the UK, so it's been imported here as a used car.

The V5C doesn't say "Import" in quite so many words, but it tells you all you need to know with those two entries - First reg 2002, first reg in UK 2007. Import. I can't remember the exact wording that you'll see in the notes on the cover, but it will say something about having been registered elsewhere, and doesn't say the usual line about registered new in UK.

[singlecoil]

I expect the insurance company will be able to get all the information it needs from the registration number.

[Roo]

On the bottom of the front page it'll say something along the lines of previously registered overseas/abroad.

Yes it is classed as an import, albeit probably UK spec.

A lot of Fords get sent there that haven't sold, get registered as hire cars and then end up coming back again as very low mileage used cars.

[fastbikes76]

Thanks for clearing that up. I wasnt sure given the car most likely originally came from here anyways, rather than somewhere with different spec cars altogether.

Many thanks.

[R8Steve]

fastbikes76 said:

both the logbook and HPI check say 'Date of first registration in the UK 03/11/2007' rather than 2002 which the car is. Its also on a 2002 plate and not an 07

In that case it will be regarded as an import. As that car model was available in the UK however it will be a parallel import instead of a 'grey' import and in my experience there is little or no difference in insurance prices for parallel imports.

[Collectingbrass]

I once had a car which was an "import" from Jersey. I never had an insurance problem as a result of it's status, but it was a diamond white XR3i which tells you how long ago that was, and things may have changed since so it might be worth a call to your insurance.

Two things I would be looking at is whether the seller accurately described the age of the car. Did the advert say it was a 2002 car, or did it imply it was a 07/57 plate? Fortunately mine had only spent 6 months abroad and was priced for it's age. Secondly given the age question I would want confidence in the service history & number on the odometer...

[coopedup]

My Grandparents bought a Clio for me from Guernsey, where they live, and I had no problems at all with getting it re-registered with new plates and sorting insurance, mind you this was many moons ago and my memory is not as good as it once was

[TooMany2cvs]

Collectingbrass said:

Two things I would be looking at is whether the seller accurately described the age of the car. Did the advert say it was a 2002 car, or did it imply it was a 07/57 plate?

He did say it was on an 02 plate, which it would be - age-related plates are assigned to used imports, not then-new ones. They used to be, back in the '70s, but not since.

[fastbikes76]

Its all registered and on UK plates, Has been since 2007. Seller didnt say it was an import and rather embarassingly I didnt pick up on the different reg date on the V5 until now as it was a one owner from new car.

His test is tomorrow so should he pass we will proceed with insuring it and declare it as an Import. I will probably have to speak to someone rather than online though. If we say its an import online they will not quote. If i get too speak to someone I can explain its a UK car that started life in Guernsey and as now back in the UK which shouldnt really make any odds given all the parts are cheap and freely available from VW.

[Cooperman]

It may not be classed as an import as it's a UK spec car from the Channel islands.
AFAIK the Channel Islands are treated as part of the EU in respect of the free movement of goods and services and have a formal association with the UK as a Crown Dependency.

[TooMany2cvs]

Cooperman said:

It may not be classed as an import as it's a UK spec car from the Channel islands.
AFAIK the Channel Islands are treated as part of the EU in respect of the free movement of goods and services

Kinda - that was why SevenDayShop and Play.com based their mail order in the CI - it gave 'em VAT/duty advantages, because it was all a bit of a grey area.

But that's a question about whether the importer was charged VAT and duty on import, not whether it's imported.

Cooperman said:

and have a formal association with the UK as a Crown Dependency.

Jersey, Guernsey and IoM are crown dependencies, but that doesn't mean they're part of the UK.

[coopedup]

TooMany2cvs said:

Jersey, Guernsey and IoM are crown dependencies, but that doesn't mean they're part of the UK.

Sorry to derail but what about Sark and Herm, are they governed by Guernsey's Parliament?
Still seems weird using their pound notes over there, even after going there for nearly 30 years!

[Roo]

Get off the ferry in Jersey in a slightly unusual UK plated car and one of the first questions you get asked is if you're leaving the car there or removing from the island when you leave.

[TooMany2cvs]

coopedup said:

Sorry to derail but what about Sark and Herm, are they governed by Guernsey's Parliament?

Yep, part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, along with Alderney, Brecqhou, Jethou and Lihou. Sark's sort-of semi-independent, though. Jersey has some uninhabited rocks.

[coopedup]

TooMany2cvs said:

coopedup said:

Sorry to derail but what about Sark and Herm, are they governed by Guernsey's Parliament?

Yep, part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, along with Alderney, Brecqhou, Jethou and Lihou. Sark's sort-of semi-independent, though. Jersey has some uninhabited rocks.

Ahh Lihou, have not walked over to there in a long time, happy memories!

[fastbikes76]

Just to put this one to bed as I hate threads that dont conclude...

I rang the insurers and explained about it being a UK car that went to Guernsey for 5 years and then came back. Their criteria was 'If the car was originally registered in the UK and then sent abroad its not an import'. I used to work for VW so contacted a mate who is still there and found the car was registered in the UK at dealer 874 as new, and then sold by the same dealer 6 months later (presumably when it went to Guernsey). It appears to have been a dealer demo for its first 6 months.

The log book also states under special notes "Was registered and/or used elsewhere in the UK. Declared manufactured 2002"

We and Insurance are both happy it is a UK car and subsequently insured as such.

Cheers