Importing a Chimaera to "mainland-Belgium"

[Filos Hippos]

Hi there,

It is a pleasure to find a place where I can share my enthousiasme about TVR with people like you guys.

I am a fan off "the marque" since I read this article on an 2.8s about 15 years ago.

As there are not too many LHD TVR's on the market, I am considering to import a RHD example from the UK.

-->Is any of you familiar with this procedure and do you know if it is possible to keep it on the UK registration.(as taxes are pretty high on a 4.5 liter engined car)?

-->What are the things to look out for?

Now I've driven a few chims and heard and felt the V8 Roaaaar , I'm especially interested in a 98' onwards 4.5 in a silvery colour...

Thanks and keep on the good work!


Filip

[nawarne]

Filip,
I would reccommend joining the TVR Car club.
They produce a good quality monthly magazine. There is a list of model contacts for technical enquiries.
There is a club group in Belgium, Holland and France.

However, you can't beat PH for quick response to problems etc.
Nick

[tvrinbfg]

Try Marc Minnie (MF Cars) [phone] or Alain Vandriessche (Alvan Motors) [phone].

It's not totally legal to keep a UK registered car out of the Country, but people do. You'd have to bring it back here at least once a year for its MOT test.

[Filos Hippos]

Thank you guys for your quick replies!

I have contacted Marc Minne and Alain Vandendriessche already.

It was a car from Marc Minne I did a test drive in. He's an alright bloke indeed...

Registering a 4.5 would cost about 1750€ each year. What is the price-tag in tvr home country on an annual basis?

Your government as greedy?

[tvrinbfg]

£165 (circa Euros235) road tax, plus an annual MOT test at £42.50 (which is usually discounted).

[tvrinbfg]

Edited to add:

"Your government as greedy?" What we save on road tax, we more than make up for with higher priced petrol compared to you. And our roads are more conjested too!

[ChimBungee]

tvrinbfg said:

Edited to add: "Your government as greedy?" What we save on road tax, we more than make up for with higher priced petrol compared to you. And our roads are more conjested too!

No no no no....ehm, no

Back in Germany, I had 50% and less netto, PLUS those so called "hidden taxes". The petrol prices more or less are the same all over Europe.
Some other countries such as the Netherlands (I don't know about Belgium) raise a luxury tax on new cars which might top up to 25% of it's value.

Believe me, it's not that bad at all in the UK

[Ribol]

Filos Hippos said:

Registering a 4.5 would cost about 1750€ each year.

Well, Belgium is off my list of places to move to, thats for sure!