Australian looking for adice re sourcing EVO 7 in uk

[maelgwn41160]

Hi

I live in Western Australia and will be visiting the uk and europe in august for 4 months. Looking to buy an EVO 7 when I arrive drive it around and then import it into Australia. has to be a japanese import with import papers plus close to standard as possible and no major accident damage to meet australian licensing rules. My first thought is to source a car using a british japanese importer. Is this the best way to go? If so any recommendations of importers known to be reliable?

Thanks

[Viperz888]

They never sold 7s here afaik. So any you find would have been imported [from Japan?].
Would it not be easier getting one straight from Japan, rather than via UK?

[maelgwn41160]

Thanks good to know all EVO 7's are imports. Yes would be easier to get one straight from japan we have importers here. Only reason for getting one in England is I want to use it for 4 months as transport instead of hiring a car plus current exchange rates make UK EVO's cheap by australian standards back when the pound was worth more it just would have been crazy to get one from the uk. And i must admit i would not do it except that i save quite a bit on hiring a car plus i want to use the car for motorsport back in Australia. Plus i get a fun car to drive on holiday in europe

[Google [bot]]

I don't know how you'd bring it in unless you're not registering it for the street in Aus. It doesn't qualify for per-'89 regs, and if you do it as a personal import you have to have owned and used it over there for 12 months. There's loads of info on this in the Australia forum.

[maelgwn41160]

Correct. However you can bring in an EVO 7 under the SEVS scheme which stands for Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicle Scheme. This scheme caters for vehicles not sold in Australia pretty much every EVO up to EVO 10.

[Google [bot]]

Cool, didn't know the EVO qualified under SEVS. Enjoy.

[Panayiotis]

How much do you stand to save? The paperwork itself is a massive headache and it isn't cheap either.

Personally if I were you, Id buy something a bit more unique than a EVO....I wish I bought a Z3M Coupe with a S54 motor and sent it to Australia....

[james280779]

I import a few cars into Australia via various methods. I would do all your homework first and ensure that the car has emissions tests already done, I am pretty sure that they were not imported to Aus as a factory supplied car. just because its on the SEVS doesnt mean this is the case. If it hasnt then your hit straight up with a bill for about $100k. On top of that the vehicle cannot just be imported straight in, it needs to go to an approved REVS garage and have complete checks/ compliance done, this is about another $15-20K, I can reccomend some if you don't have one. On top of this you will be paying around 25% tax (10 gst, 10% duty, 5% stamp) plus shipping costs of proabably $3-4k. You will obviously need insurance too so factor another $400-600 for that. Whilst in the UK you will need insurance to drive it and I am pretty sure its a group 20 car, without UK address you wont be able to get this.

Also where will you store the vehicle whilst obtaining the import licence? If the car arrives without one/ doesnt come through in time its likely to be destroyed or exported at your own cost.
I am not trying to put you off but its just not as simple as buying a car and shipping it.
I currently have a 911 carrera and a Lotus esprit both waiting import licences and I will not arrange shipping until I have that. Not worth it!

[maelgwn41160]

Panayiotis said:

How much do you stand to save? The paperwork itself is a massive headache and it isn't cheap either.

Personally if I were you, Id buy something a bit more unique than a EVO....I wish I bought a Z3M Coupe with a S54 motor and sent it to Australia....

I agree but it all comes to how much you can afford. Not sure whether you can bring in the Z3M Coupe but they are expensive in the UK. Looked at 911 but would take to long to find a good car (only pre 1989 is eligible for import) plus spoken to a few people and rust on british cars of this vintage is an issue plus cost to get licensed can be high.

[maelgwn41160]

james280779 said:

I import a few cars into Australia via various methods. I would do all your homework first and ensure that the car has emissions tests already done, I am pretty sure that they were not imported to Aus as a factory supplied car. just because its on the SEVS doesnt mean this is the case. If it hasnt then your hit straight up with a bill for about $100k. On top of that the vehicle cannot just be imported straight in, it needs to go to an approved REVS garage and have complete checks/ compliance done, this is about another $15-20K, I can reccomend some if you don't have one. On top of this you will be paying around 25% tax (10 gst, 10% duty, 5% stamp) plus shipping costs of proabably $3-4k. You will obviously need insurance too so factor another $400-600 for that. Whilst in the UK you will need insurance to drive it and I am pretty sure its a group 20 car, without UK address you wont be able to get this.

Also where will you store the vehicle whilst obtaining the import licence? If the car arrives without one/ doesnt come through in time its likely to be destroyed or exported at your own cost.
I am not trying to put you off but its just not as simple as buying a car and shipping it.
I currently have a 911 carrera and a Lotus esprit both waiting import licences and I will not arrange shipping until I have that. Not worth it!

Two or three of the REVS approved garages in Perth regularly compliance EVO's because they have gone through the system before the cost is $2500. I looked at importing the mid-engined Vaxhuall VRX and it was subject to the costs you mention even though it is on the REVS list.

Insurance is the only thing I have not looked at yet but $400 to $600 sounds right. I have a UK address my Uncle's place. I need to look into this.

I will be driving the car around for 4 months and proposed to apply for the import license once purchased in the first week I get there. How long does it take to get one? I am aware of the danger in shipping without one would not do that.

Thanks for your comments particularly re insurance in UK

[james280779]

if its a type of car regularly imported then the costs are pro-rated down by the REVS garages so it would be cheaper.

I am originally from the UK and having owned a few performance cars I know how difficult it is for insurance, especially as you will only have an australian Licence, no driving history within the UK and the fact insurance is about 20 times more than Australia.
It will cost you the same as the car if not more to insure it, you must have insurance by law in the UK (unlike here) so you cant not have it.

only option might be to put it in your uncles name and insure yourself as second drive. This makes the import licence more difficult but with a statement from him explaining why it should be ok.
An import licence usually is turned around within 3 weeks but......... they can take substantially longer. Also the SEVS scheme only allows for a limited number of each vehicle to be imported so you might find it suddenly vanishes off the list after you bought yours. that being the case you cant import it.

One thing you probably havent considered but something I came across. In the UK over winter the roads are salted to stop them freezing. This causes the chassis to rust- substantially. upon arrival in Australia the car can be refused because of this. This doesnt happen on the japan sourced ones. be very careful of chassis condition. Also do a full history check- If its been involved in any accident you wont get an import licence.

[maelgwn41160]

james280779 said:

if its a type of car regularly imported then the costs are pro-rated down by the REVS garages so it would be cheaper.

I am originally from the UK and having owned a few performance cars I know how difficult it is for insurance, especially as you will only have an australian Licence, no driving history within the UK and the fact insurance is about 20 times more than Australia.
It will cost you the same as the car if not more to insure it, you must have insurance by law in the UK (unlike here) so you cant not have it.

only option might be to put it in your uncles name and insure yourself as second drive. This makes the import licence more difficult but with a statement from him explaining why it should be ok.
An import licence usually is turned around within 3 weeks but......... they can take substantially longer. Also the SEVS scheme only allows for a limited number of each vehicle to be imported so you might find it suddenly vanishes off the list after you bought yours. that being the case you cant import it.


One thing you probably havent considered but something I came across. In the UK over winter the roads are salted to stop them freezing. This causes the chassis to rust- substantially. upon arrival in Australia the car can be refused because of this. This doesnt happen on the japan sourced ones. be very careful of chassis condition. Also do a full history check- If its been involved in any accident you wont get an import licence.

Thanks for the heads up on insurance I will follow up. Are there any Australian insurance companies that will insure a car overseas? Luckily my Uncle worked in the insurance business for decades so he should be able to find out.

Not sure how you plan when a car can vanish off the list! Other than ask the department how many more can be imported before that happens. Or alternatively look at pre 1989 vehicles.

I have lived in UK so know about the salt on roads. And yes REVS garage informed me about accident damage

Thanks again for your useful comments