Import kit car from USA
Discussion
Hi,
i am looking at importing a RHD finished complete kit car from USA. Either new unregistered in USA or 2nd hand registered.
I have many questions and have tried "search" and looking at the SVA website but have become lost and confused
my questions are as detailed
1. Import tax - any ideas of how this works. The new car can either be sent complete or engine/gearbox taken out and sent seperatley to re-install in uk. Hence i suppose then only classed as parts not a complete car?
2. SVA - New unregistered. I assume when the car (or parts) is eventually in the UK and re assembled it is then classed as a UK home build?
what are the main areas of concern to meet an approval. (i.e that would be extremely costly or impossible to get around i.e engine, emissions, cat convertor, body design etc etc etc
3. If a USA registered car is bought, what are the implications to convert this to UK plates? does it need an SVA?
4. Can the car be registered eventually with a private plate that i have or will it require a Q plate? The car is made of completely new components, chassis etc etc apart from Engine and gearbox
thanks in anticipation
i am looking at importing a RHD finished complete kit car from USA. Either new unregistered in USA or 2nd hand registered.
I have many questions and have tried "search" and looking at the SVA website but have become lost and confused
my questions are as detailed
1. Import tax - any ideas of how this works. The new car can either be sent complete or engine/gearbox taken out and sent seperatley to re-install in uk. Hence i suppose then only classed as parts not a complete car?
2. SVA - New unregistered. I assume when the car (or parts) is eventually in the UK and re assembled it is then classed as a UK home build?
what are the main areas of concern to meet an approval. (i.e that would be extremely costly or impossible to get around i.e engine, emissions, cat convertor, body design etc etc etc
3. If a USA registered car is bought, what are the implications to convert this to UK plates? does it need an SVA?
4. Can the car be registered eventually with a private plate that i have or will it require a Q plate? The car is made of completely new components, chassis etc etc apart from Engine and gearbox
thanks in anticipation
Edited by craig7l on Friday 16th May 12:11
craig7l said:
Hi,
i am looking at importing a RHD finished complete kit car from USA. Either new unregistered in USA or 2nd hand registered.
I have many questions and have tried "search" and looking at the SVA website but have become lost and confused
my questions are as detailed
1. Import tax - any ideas of how this works. The new car can either be sent complete or engine/gearbox taken out and sent seperatley to re-install in uk. Hence i suppose then only classed as parts not a complete car?
2. SVA - New unregistered. I assume when the car (or parts) is eventually in the UK and re assembled it is then classed as a UK home build?
what are the main areas of concern to meet an approval. (i.e that would be extremely costly or impossible to get around i.e engine, emissions, cat convertor, body design etc etc etc
3. If a USA registered car is bought, what are the implications to convert this to UK plates? does it need an SVA?
4. Can the car be registered eventually with a private plate that i have or will it require a Q plate? The car is made of completely new components, chassis etc etc apart from Engine and gearbox
thanks in anticipation
1. If the car is in bits then you are looking at 4.2% duty for the car and engine and 4.5% for the gearbox. And then VAT on everything including the shipping.i am looking at importing a RHD finished complete kit car from USA. Either new unregistered in USA or 2nd hand registered.
I have many questions and have tried "search" and looking at the SVA website but have become lost and confused
my questions are as detailed
1. Import tax - any ideas of how this works. The new car can either be sent complete or engine/gearbox taken out and sent seperatley to re-install in uk. Hence i suppose then only classed as parts not a complete car?
2. SVA - New unregistered. I assume when the car (or parts) is eventually in the UK and re assembled it is then classed as a UK home build?
what are the main areas of concern to meet an approval. (i.e that would be extremely costly or impossible to get around i.e engine, emissions, cat convertor, body design etc etc etc
3. If a USA registered car is bought, what are the implications to convert this to UK plates? does it need an SVA?
4. Can the car be registered eventually with a private plate that i have or will it require a Q plate? The car is made of completely new components, chassis etc etc apart from Engine and gearbox
thanks in anticipation
Edited by craig7l on Friday 16th May 12:11
2.It will only be classed as an amateur build if a significant proportion of the car is built by a person or persons who are not employed in the business of building vehicles .(So, if it is a factory "Turnkey minus" you will have to put the car through SVA as a catagory "C" (professionally built car). If this is the case the engine and one other major mechanical component must come from a vehicle that was previously registered in the UK and on a UK V5).
The alternative then is catagory "L" (Low volume), for this the car will have to pass a CAT test.
3. If the car is showing as over 10 years old it does not need an SVA test in order to obtain a UK registration.
4. Officially the car will get a "Q" plate. To get a new plate the following items must be all brand new except 1 which must be reconditioned to an "As new" standard:-
chassis/body
Axles
steering
suspension
Transmission
Engine (If this is the recon part of an amateur build and is a Pre cat engine you can still get a new reg without having to fit Cats andf injection).
VOSA (SVA) will take a dim view if the car being amateur built if more than 2 of the above listed items have been assembled by the factory.
HTH.
P.S. Is this a Kirkham?
Edited by Dave Dax builder on Friday 16th May 21:01
Hi dave
thanks for the detailed reply.
with the pound vs dollar at the moment still makes good value for money for anything yank... :-)
The engine in question is a crate GM 7litre corvette LS7 producing 500bhp as standard, Ricardo trans (could be the recon part) on a SLC chassis.
whats the chances of getting that SVAd on a private plate (not Q)
answers between 0 to 100% please hehehehehe
thanks for the detailed reply.
with the pound vs dollar at the moment still makes good value for money for anything yank... :-)
The engine in question is a crate GM 7litre corvette LS7 producing 500bhp as standard, Ricardo trans (could be the recon part) on a SLC chassis.
whats the chances of getting that SVAd on a private plate (not Q)
answers between 0 to 100% please hehehehehe
Edited by craig7l on Friday 16th May 23:19
craig7l said:
hi dave,
thanks for the info.
Does anybody have any info on where i can get hold of a FULL SVA rules and regs book or online guide.
i.e indicator height, noise regulations, ride height....etc etc etc
cheers
Here you go:-thanks for the info.
Does anybody have any info on where i can get hold of a FULL SVA rules and regs book or online guide.
i.e indicator height, noise regulations, ride height....etc etc etc
cheers
http://www.westfield-world.com/sva_manual_draft.pd...
Enjoy ;o)
Edited by Dave Dax builder on Monday 19th May 11:19
Hi dave, as you seemed pretty clued on all this malarky.... i read on a "forum" that if a car chassis / suspension / etc has been designed in the US it cant be classed as a new plate.?? cant find design in SVA guide manual?
Here is the scenario, i purchase all the kit bits in the US that are new (chassis suspension etc), all the items are UK compliant (glass standards/tyres etc). I purchase a new crate world compliant engine in the US. I purchase a used recond gearbox in UK. I assemble all the bits to meet UK SVA build quality / standards.
what design aspect/paperwork will SVA want to see...if any?
what plate will it be assigned if after all this it passed?
cheers again.
Here is the scenario, i purchase all the kit bits in the US that are new (chassis suspension etc), all the items are UK compliant (glass standards/tyres etc). I purchase a new crate world compliant engine in the US. I purchase a used recond gearbox in UK. I assemble all the bits to meet UK SVA build quality / standards.
what design aspect/paperwork will SVA want to see...if any?
what plate will it be assigned if after all this it passed?
cheers again.
Dave Dax builder said:
Hi Craig.
If the rest of the car is new and only the trans. being the recon part a new ( Currently "08" ) registration will be allocated. Once you have this you can transfetr whatever plate you like onto the car. ;o)
If the rest of the car is new and only the trans. being the recon part a new ( Currently "08" ) registration will be allocated. Once you have this you can transfetr whatever plate you like onto the car. ;o)
Edited by Dave Dax builder on Sunday 18th May 12:34
Hi Craig.
The only thing you have to supply that you should be able to get from the kit manufacturer is the design weights for the brake tests. These can be calculated anyway.
If you submit the application as a catagory "L" (Low volume) you should be fine.
The SVA examiners might want to see evidence that the seat belt anchorage points are up to scratch. All you have to do for this (If they can't see them at the test because they are covered in some way) is supply some photos of them.
No biggie really.
P.S. Careful what info you take on board from internet forums, quite often the info is posted by someone who just happened to "Get away with it" and think that it is OK for everyone else to pass with the same feature/bodge/etc.
If, as you say, you can be sure that the glass etc is up to UK standards then go for it. Dig out my number off my website (Through my user name)and feel free to give me a call regarding any of the issues you may/come up against.
You should be able to gewt a new plate for the car.
The only thing you have to supply that you should be able to get from the kit manufacturer is the design weights for the brake tests. These can be calculated anyway.
If you submit the application as a catagory "L" (Low volume) you should be fine.
The SVA examiners might want to see evidence that the seat belt anchorage points are up to scratch. All you have to do for this (If they can't see them at the test because they are covered in some way) is supply some photos of them.
No biggie really.
P.S. Careful what info you take on board from internet forums, quite often the info is posted by someone who just happened to "Get away with it" and think that it is OK for everyone else to pass with the same feature/bodge/etc.
If, as you say, you can be sure that the glass etc is up to UK standards then go for it. Dig out my number off my website (Through my user name)and feel free to give me a call regarding any of the issues you may/come up against.
You should be able to gewt a new plate for the car.
Edited by Dave Dax builder on Wednesday 21st May 23:51
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