Discussion
GC8 said:
European Porsches were bargains ten plus years ago - now our cars, particularly the LHD cars imported back then, are regarded as bargains by European buyers and the vehicles are heading out, not in.
It was along those lines I was thinking myself.Has anyone successfully found a buyer and exported their Porsche? I know the market maybe limited with our being RHD, but there are those who bought for the likes of their holiday homes on the Costa Del.
james280779 said:
I have shipped a few RHD porsches to Australia, one arriving next week actually.
I paid under 10k for it, I expect to make back nearly 35k. Recession is good business for an expat with contacts both ends.
Id be interested in doing this as i also have good contacts in Australia, how does it all work in terms of shipping, insurance, taxes and selling the car over in oz (do you sell to trade or wait out a private sale?)I paid under 10k for it, I expect to make back nearly 35k. Recession is good business for an expat with contacts both ends.
Edited by knightriderx on Tuesday 5th June 05:04
knightriderx said:
james280779 said:
I have shipped a few RHD porsches to Australia, one arriving next week actually.
I paid under 10k for it, I expect to make back nearly 35k. Recession is good business for an expat with contacts both ends.
Id be interested in doing this as i also have good contacts in Australia, how does it all work in terms of shipping, insurance, taxes and selling the car over in oz (do you sell to trade or wait out a private sale?)I paid under 10k for it, I expect to make back nearly 35k. Recession is good business for an expat with contacts both ends.
Edited by knightriderx on Tuesday 5th June 05:04
Upon arrival car is customs cleared and I have it shipped to me. I then run it for a few months as a daily driver to ensure all is good. I then sell as a private as technically I am.
I usually do a couple a year and its more for fun than anything else. I am working my way through the 80's supercar list. I am not worried if I dont make money as long as I break even. some cars make alot but its pointless shipping a few the same as it dilutes the market and reduces values.
i doubt you would be able to do it from the UK as I use mine when they get here as my own cars to avoid tax and then no need to register as a business. If I had to do that I would not make much at all. Its not worth it unless your going to do ALOT and as I said that will just dilute the market.
I also tend to aim for cars that need work such as a blown engine etc but otherwise great condition. I then have them repaired in the UK prior to shipping. the reason for this is that import tax is based purely on purchase price so less of it. I also don't have to pay VAT as the vehicle is exported. win/win
last one was a lotus esprit with rotten fuel tanks. Paid 6250, 2k to repair. I only pay import tax on the 6250 and stamp duty is the same. I expect around 30k for that one but I will be using that for longer as I love it.
I am planning on a 328 ferrari at xmas - ideally around mid december as that seems to be the cheapest time to buy one.
porschepoint said:
Has anyone successfully found a buyer and exported their Porsche?
I've done the other way round - I live in Dubai. I sold my 996 turbo to a French buyer. He saw the online ad, flew over, and bought the car. It was probably 10-15k Euros cheaper than buying in Europe and he bought a clean car.Recent drop in $/£ has meant this trade is becoming less attractive for UK buyers, plus you have the whole LHD issue, so it would have to be a v special car.
As it happens, I'm importing my GT3 and Lancia back to the UK when I return this summer. Although I don't intend to sell them, they are worth a lot more in Europe than here.
I am considering getting a LHD 911 over to the UK. Register on UK plates and run it. Anyone have experience what happens for the MOT? Obviously the car has speedo in kms not miles and the headlights. Do you need to swap them? Not sure if Xenon is adjustable from LHD to RHD.
I prefer LHD so I can keep it when I leave the UK to go back home.
I prefer LHD so I can keep it when I leave the UK to go back home.
Wudee said:
I am considering getting a LHD 911 over to the UK. Register on UK plates and run it. Anyone have experience what happens for the MOT? Obviously the car has speedo in kms not miles and the headlights. Do you need to swap them? Not sure if Xenon is adjustable from LHD to RHD.
I prefer LHD so I can keep it when I leave the UK to go back home.
I'm currently looking into this. The bureaucracy looks hellish. If the car is less than 10 years old and first registered in the EU, you will need an EU Certificate of Conformity which I think means you will not have to go through the Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA). If it was first registered outside the EU and less than 10 years old, you will need to do the IVA at one of the approved centres. If the car is more than 10 years old, then I think the vehicle is exempt from type approval but must pass an MOT before registration.I prefer LHD so I can keep it when I leave the UK to go back home.
As for the headlights, I think the 996 has a lever you can toggle within the headlamp module that switches over for driving on the other side of the road. Happy to be corrected on that if anyone knows better.
It would most probably be 997.2 vehicle. From within eu i agree on coc, something that is not so hard to get. No vat issues either from within eu. My main worry is that the car fails it's first mot and then i have to replace headlights etc. when coming to the uk i brought a 3-series bmw with me lhd. I enquired and it seemed that i would have to cnahge the clocks to get speed in miles or put markings on the clocks, which had to be clear and solid and blabla. New clock for the.bm was around 2k plus the fact you have a car with new clocks that is inevitably harder to sell. So ended up selling the car to a mate back home. Everybody happy. Then i found a lhd m3 e92 new here in the uk, first registration in uk. Like most modern cars it has digital readout of speed that you can switch from kmh to mph. I am assuming a 997 offers that functionality. The M3 also had xenons that swivelled round corners with a flick switch. I sold the car after 2,5yrs so never had the mot test done. Again it might be same on a modern porsche. I believe the eu stepped in forcing car manufacturers from 2006/7 onwards to produce cars for europe. Ie you should be able to drive on both sides of the road with no problems. As we are talking serious investments i want to get some certainty around the topic. Any views much appreciated.
I have done this a couple of times (for a private car) and whilst it is an administrative hassle it is actually quite easy. On a modern Porsche you need to change the rear light cluster due to the positioning of the rear fog light. The speedo is easy because you can change the digital read-out to miles on the on-board computer which is accepted. The headlights are also switchable (dipped beam) but you need all this to be documented to take it through the single vehicle approval scheme. Any Porsche garage will probably help you with an official letter of what they have done to make it UK compliant. Download the DVLA brochure (how to import a private vehicle into the UK and you will be wiser).
IIRC, flipping the switch in the headlights doesn't change the beam pattern around but only blocks the portion that is cast off centre (and so in the eyes of oncoming drivers in LHD countries). It's not a permanent fix and you'll actually see a reduction in beam intensity. I believe replacing them for the correct units is the only option.
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