Importing from the USA

[mm450exc]

Anybody imported a new car from the USA? Any contacts to sort the import?

Was looking at the Wrangle Gladiator Mojave. The UK pricing for a LHD is way off at £70k + VAT.

You can get that for £35k brand new in the USA. Then pay 10% import duty and 20% VAT which comes out to £45k. Am I missing something?

[Saleen836]

mm450exc said:

Anybody imported a new car from the USA? Any contacts to sort the import?

Was looking at the Wrangle Gladiator Mojave. The UK pricing for a LHD is way off at £70k + VAT.

You can get that for £35k brand new in the USA. Then pay 10% import duty and 20% VAT which comes out to £45k. Am I missing something?

A new 2023 model starts at $51k which is £45k, where are you getting £35k from?

You will have to register the new car in the USA as dealers are not allowed to sell for export, this will incur sales tax of whichever state you purchase the vehicle from, vehicle will need shipping to the port, say £1k, then shipping to the UK, say £1.5-2K plus insurance, 10$ import duty is added to prchase price plus shipping costs, 20% VAT is then added to that total

[mm450exc]

Just had a quick look at autotrader.com. Brand new 2023 4 door Rubicon USD 45k. Probably even cheaper in Canada.

How does warranty work with LHD US imports here like Dodge and Jeep when you buy from an importer?

[Saleen836]

mm450exc said:

Just had a quick look at autotrader.com. Brand new 2023 4 door Rubicon USD 45k. Probably even cheaper in Canada.

How does warranty work with LHD US imports here like Dodge and Jeep when you buy from an importer?

You will not have any warranty if you import yourself. if buying from an importer here you might get an inhouse warranty for a few months (if it is worth more than the paper it's written on is a different matter), you will however still have any safety recall work carried out for free ( I had both airbag recalls carried out on my imported Mustang)

[Fr0dders]

List of things you need to account for when importing:

1. Sales tax in your chosen state of purchase
2. Road shipping to your US port of choice
3. Trans Atlantic shipping to your UK port of choice
4. Import Duty
5. UK VAT
6. UK conversion costs for lights, indicators etc.
7. Registering the car in the UK including tax.

With the Pound being so poor against the dollar right now, this isn't something a lot of people are doing. Makes much more sense on "collector" cars that qualify for 5% VAT charge as opposed to 20%.

[Ewanph]

Dealers wont sell you a new car in the US for export. They will lose their dealership if caught. I, and many others have tried it in the past but to no avail. Better buying used over there and exporting it. Unless you can Find an Export Company who can purchase a new car on your behalf. United Exports can do this for you. He's a Brit based in Texas.

[kestral]

Fr0dders said:

List of things you need to account for when importing:

1. Sales tax in your chosen state of purchase
2. Road shipping to your US port of choice
3. Trans Atlantic shipping to your UK port of choice
4. Import Duty
5. UK VAT
6. UK conversion costs for lights, indicators etc.
7. Registering the car in the UK including tax.

With the Pound being so poor against the dollar right now, this isn't something a lot of people are doing. Makes much more sense on "collector" cars that qualify for 5% VAT charge as opposed to 20%.

What is a "collector" car?

[DodgyGeezer]

kestral said:

What is a "collector" car?

In this case anything over 30 (?) years old aka classic

[Emcojim]

You won’t pay sales tax in the US for a car that is being exported. When Americans buy a car they pay the sales tax for the State the car will be titled (registered) in. e.g. If an Indiana resident buys a car in Ohio, the dealer will charge Indiana sales tax which is then paid to the State of Indiana. Each state’s sales tax may not be the same as another State.

[Saleen836]

Emcojim said:

You won’t pay sales tax in the US for a car that is being exported. When Americans buy a car they pay the sales tax for the State the car will be titled (registered) in. e.g. If an Indiana resident buys a car in Ohio, the dealer will charge Indiana sales tax which is then paid to the State of Indiana. Each state’s sales tax may not be the same as another State.

Correct to a degree, but the OP is wanting a new vehicle so it will need to be registered in the US first which will incur sales tax, dealers are no longer allowed to sell directly for export and (as mentioned previously) they will lose their dealer licence if caught