Does anyone buy their new Porsches abroad?
Discussion
jjr1 said:If it's a hot model, such as GT3, sometimes they can't sell to a foreigner because the factory has rules intended to minimise flipping.
If so where and is it a reasonably simple process?
I feel that I might as well order direct from a German dealer as the Uk ones are shit
Normally what you must do is to arrange for temporary insurance cover (ADAC do it), then get someone from the dealer to go with you to a German licensing station. You will get temporary plates (normally 5- or 30-day). Then you drive back to UK, get a C of C from Porsche/Reading, get car modified for UK (headlamps, fog & reversing lights, speedo in mph) and apply to Vehicle Standards Agency.
When VSA send you document X, take it in person to nearest DVLA regional office and get tax disc.
Get reg plate made.
Drive.
It's something of a pain, but bearable, especially if it means that you can get the right car.
It will be an unofficial import, even if it is C16 spec.
Although UK OPCs and Porsche Cars GB will honour the worldwide warranty, don't rely on them for any 'goodwill' beyond that if you have other, or later, problems.
Under the Sale of Goods Act, if you have any post purchase issues you may need to resolve them with the dealer in Germany.
Non-UK OPC cars can be worth less at re-sale. Some OPCs won't retail unofficial imports.
Basically, it is only worthwhile if there is a significant cost saving, and you accept the associated risks.
Over a period of time, ie 5 years on, these disadvantages diminish.
Although UK OPCs and Porsche Cars GB will honour the worldwide warranty, don't rely on them for any 'goodwill' beyond that if you have other, or later, problems.
Under the Sale of Goods Act, if you have any post purchase issues you may need to resolve them with the dealer in Germany.
Non-UK OPC cars can be worth less at re-sale. Some OPCs won't retail unofficial imports.
Basically, it is only worthwhile if there is a significant cost saving, and you accept the associated risks.
Over a period of time, ie 5 years on, these disadvantages diminish.
Geneve said:Some of us believe that LHD Porsches are superior to RHD models. The lefties have bigger fuel tanks and their pedal layout is less compromised.
Basically, it is only worthwhile if there is a significant cost saving, and you accept the associated risks.
Over a period of time, ie 5 years on, these disadvantages diminish.
You can also argue that it is better to have the indicator stalk on the opposite side to the gearshift; it is not an accident that RHD Japanese cars have the indicator stalk on the right.
The superiority of LHD Porkers would be the biggest reason to source a car on the Continent.
The fact that you might be able to get a GT3 or Turbo a year earlier than what would be possible in the UK may also matter to you.
flemke said:The OPC might even do that for you before you pick up the car. They may only need a written procuration when the temp plates should be in your name.
Normally what you must do is to arrange for temporary insurance cover (ADAC do it), then get someone from the dealer to go with you to a German licensing station. You will get temporary plates (normally 5- or 30-day).
flemke said:
If so where and is it a reasonably simple process?
I feel that I might as well order direct from a German dealer as the Uk ones are shit
Normally what you must do is to arrange for temporary insurance cover (ADAC do it), then get someone from the dealer to go with you to a German licensing station. You will get temporary plates (normally 5- or 30-day). Then you drive back to UK, get a C of C from Porsche/Reading, get car modified for UK (headlamps, fog & reversing lights, speedo in mph) and apply to Vehicle Standards Agency.
When VSA send you document X, take it in person to nearest DVLA regional office and get tax disc.
Get reg plate made.
Drive.
It's something of a pain, but bearable, especially if it means that you can get the right car.
You don't have to do any of that if you buy from a German Porsche dealer. They arrange temporary plates, insurance for 1 month etc all inclused in the price. The CoC (Certificate of Conformity) comes with every new car that you buy in Germany, so no need to get one in the UK. There are NO MODIFICATIONS to be made to the car for the UK, since it will be a UK spec car (C16). They need your passport number to arrange the temp insurance and plates.
You just order the car, pay the money and drive it away. I did exactly that when I bought a new Boxster S.
Car has to be registered in the UK but it's a very simple process that takes about 30mins at a DVLA office.
It was a great experience compared to the 3rd world OPCs in the UK. I recommend you do it.
>> Edited by silver993tt on Tuesday 18th April 07:59
i have purchased 2 new porsches in the past both of them from belgium. no problem at all,registed them on my local opc computer then you get the same service as if you bought from them.good or bad depending on them!come resale i sold one privately and one to a dealer.one of them was for sale again in december at an opc. if you can do it.
silver993tt said:
If so where and is it a reasonably simple process?
I feel that I might as well order direct from a German dealer as the Uk ones are shit
Normally what you must do is to arrange for temporary insurance cover (ADAC do it), then get someone from the dealer to go with you to a German licensing station. You will get temporary plates (normally 5- or 30-day). Then you drive back to UK, get a C of C from Porsche/Reading, get car modified for UK (headlamps, fog & reversing lights, speedo in mph) and apply to Vehicle Standards Agency.
When VSA send you document X, take it in person to nearest DVLA regional office and get tax disc.
Get reg plate made.
Drive.
It's something of a pain, but bearable, especially if it means that you can get the right car.
You don't have to do any of that if you buy from a German Porsche dealer. They arrange temporary plates, insurance for 1 month etc all inclused in the price. The CoC (Certificate of Conformity) comes with every new car that you buy in Germany, so no need to get one in the UK. There are NO MODIFICATIONS to be made to the car for the UK, since it will be a UK spec car (C16). They need your passport number to arrange the temp insurance and plates.
You just order the car, pay the money and drive it away. I did exactly that when I bought a new Boxster S.
Car has to be registered in the UK but it's a very simple process that takes about 30mins at a DVLA office.
It was a great experience compared to the 3rd world OPCs in the UK. I recommend you do it.
>> Edited by silver993tt on Tuesday 18th April 07:59
How easy is it to sort the VAT/Import duty and reclaim any german taxes if any are paid?
silver993tt said:IINM, you're talking about buying a UK RHD model through a non-UK dealer, right?
You don't have to do any of that if you buy from a German Porsche dealer. They arrange temporary plates, insurance for 1 month etc all inclused in the price. The CoC (Certificate of Conformity) comes with every new car that you buy in Germany, so no need to get one in the UK. There are NO MODIFICATIONS to be made to the car for the UK, since it will be a UK spec car (C16). They need your passport number to arrange the temp insurance and plates.
You just order the car, pay the money and drive it away. I did exactly that when I bought a new Boxster S.
Car has to be registered in the UK but it's a very simple process that takes about 30mins at a DVLA office.
It was a great experience compared to the 3rd world OPCs in the UK. I recommend you do it.
Obviously that would require ordering in advance once RHD/UK are in production. Not sure what delivery times would be compared to UK.
That was commonly done when there was a big enough price difference between UK and Continental cars. Since the difference has narrowed there's little in it.
I thought that the reason for jjr1's question was that he preferred LHD. If he really wants a UK car to keep in the UK, it seems like a lot of effort to buy the car in Germany just to avoid having to deal with a UK OPC.
After all, once he's got the car, he presumably would still have to rely on UK companies for service.
I've done it both ways - bought in Germany for registration in UK and bought in UK for registration in Germany.
Unless you have a specific reason such as car availability or meaningful savings, I can't see the sense in buying away from home.
jjr1 said:You fill out a document at the OPC declaring that the car is going to country X. They don't charge you VAT. That document is forwarded to country X tax people.
How easy is it to sort the VAT/Import duty and reclaim any german taxes if any are paid?
When you go to register in UK you have to pay VAT through HMCE.
Again, jjr1, does it really make sense to go through the German (Belgian, Spanish, whatever) hassle just to avoid a bit of UK dealer mediocracy?
>> Edited by flemke on Tuesday 18th April 11:26
flemke said:
You don't have to do any of that if you buy from a German Porsche dealer. They arrange temporary plates, insurance for 1 month etc all inclused in the price. The CoC (Certificate of Conformity) comes with every new car that you buy in Germany, so no need to get one in the UK. There are NO MODIFICATIONS to be made to the car for the UK, since it will be a UK spec car (C16). They need your passport number to arrange the temp insurance and plates.
You just order the car, pay the money and drive it away. I did exactly that when I bought a new Boxster S.
Car has to be registered in the UK but it's a very simple process that takes about 30mins at a DVLA office.
It was a great experience compared to the 3rd world OPCs in the UK. I recommend you do it.
Obviously that would require ordering in advance once RHD/UK are in production. Not sure what delivery times would be compared to UK.
That was commonly done when there was a big enough price difference between UK and Continental cars. Since the difference has narrowed there's little in it.
I thought that the reason for jjr1's question was that he preferred LHD. If he really wants a UK car to keep in the UK, it seems like a lot of effort to buy the car in Germany just to avoid having to deal with a UK OPC.
After all, once he's got the car, he presumably would still have to rely on UK companies for service.
I've done it both ways - bought in Germany for registration in UK and bought in UK for registration in Germany.
Unless you have a specific reason such as car availability or meaningful savings, I can't see the sense in buying away from home.
Yes, I was referring to buying RHD in Germany. For my Boxster S, the waiting time was 9 months in Germany and 12 months in the UK.
I think the prices are about the same now but I would still source my car from Germany because you're treated as a real customer there instead of purely a money machine by the UK OPCs.
silver993tt said:As an alternative, a person could ring Andy Goss and just say, "I'm a serious guy, I am about to order X with Y spec. I can do it in Germany, but if you will give me a dealer that will handle my purchase the way that a £30/60 grand commitment should be handled, I'll stay in the UK.
I think the prices are about the same now but I would still source my car from Germany because you're treated as a real customer there instead of purely a money machine by the UK OPCs.
He would sort it.
Hi jjr1. I live in Germany and facilitate these kinds of deals daily. Some of what you've been told here is right, and some of it is wrong. If you want to have a chat about it, drop me a line and I'll give you a steer on what's involved. You can then decide if you think it's worth it or not. On a personal note, the last time I bought my own Porsche in the UK I had to visit 11 dealers to find a human being. If Mr. Goss isn't inundated with calls from frustrated buyers already, then his number must be a well kept secret.
colin5577 said:
Hi jjr1. I live in Germany and facilitate these kinds of deals daily. Some of what you've been told here is right, and some of it is wrong. If you want to have a chat about it, drop me a line and I'll give you a steer on what's involved. You can then decide if you think it's worth it or not. On a personal note, the last time I bought my own Porsche in the UK I had to visit 11 dealers to find a human being. If Mr. Goss isn't inundated with calls from frustrated buyers already, then his number must be a well kept secret.
A tour of 11 dealers in the UK is pretty committed... this would take a while!
It did - and I was. Oh, the horror stories I could tell..... One involved my driving 3 and a half hours (each way) to view a car on a Saturday. I made an appointment during the week, called before I set off to give an e.t.a. and to make sure everything was set for my viewing and a test drive. Once on the road, traffic was much heavier than anticipated, so I called again to say I'd probably be a little bit late. "No problem" I was told. An hour from the dealers I called again to say that traffic had eased, and I'd be there only 25 minutes or so later than initially planned "Fine" I heard. Gunning it, I managed to get to the OPC 20 minutes later than originally appointed, at 2.20pm.
The showroom doors were closed, and there was no-one there. As I was wandering around the lot and peering through the showroom glass for proof of life, a second-story window opened, and a security guard stuck his head out "Are you here to see the wed Powsh?". I explained that yes, I was. "They close here at 2 so everyone's gone home, but I was told to tell you that the car is over there and you can have a look at it." With that, he pointed in the direction of the parking lot, where the car I had come to see was parked in the middle of a gaggle of about 30 assorted Porsches. It would have taken at least half an hour's messing around to extricate the car for a test drive even if the salesman had been around, so perhaps he never intended to bother in the first place.
The salesman didn't call me to tell me that he had to leave. He didn't subsequently call me to apologise or explain his absence. In fact he never heard from me, nor I from him, again. I'd rather buy a car in China than have to deal with this sort of crap.
The showroom doors were closed, and there was no-one there. As I was wandering around the lot and peering through the showroom glass for proof of life, a second-story window opened, and a security guard stuck his head out "Are you here to see the wed Powsh?". I explained that yes, I was. "They close here at 2 so everyone's gone home, but I was told to tell you that the car is over there and you can have a look at it." With that, he pointed in the direction of the parking lot, where the car I had come to see was parked in the middle of a gaggle of about 30 assorted Porsches. It would have taken at least half an hour's messing around to extricate the car for a test drive even if the salesman had been around, so perhaps he never intended to bother in the first place.
The salesman didn't call me to tell me that he had to leave. He didn't subsequently call me to apologise or explain his absence. In fact he never heard from me, nor I from him, again. I'd rather buy a car in China than have to deal with this sort of crap.
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