TVR in Australia

Author
Discussion

maverick dave

Original Poster:

58 posts

269 months

Monday 10th December 2001
quotequote all
Can someone help me.
I want to buy a TVR, drive it round the UK and Europe for 12 - 18 months and then export it to Australia when I return.
I know TVR's don't like the cold, but what about the heat? I will live in Melbourne where it gets up to 35 -40 degrees in summer, will it overheat etc.
What about servicing and repairs, anyone help.
Cheers.

philshort

8,293 posts

278 months

Monday 10th December 2001
quotequote all
Best have a word with the factory over in Malaysia I'd have thought, see if there are any mods they make to the cars to cope with the heat.

Phil

tvrinbfg

1,457 posts

285 months

Monday 10th December 2001
quotequote all
The car can be supplied with two aircon units. One in the normal position and one to replace the heater. This means you will not have a heater & two TVR aircon units are twice as expensive. TVR-MADS.co.uk have customers in Spain & Cyprus where it also gets very hot and they report that the cars are okay.

maverick dave

Original Poster:

58 posts

269 months

Monday 10th December 2001
quotequote all
Thanks for that.
Not too worried about me getting hot, as I will need the heater cos it does get cold there too, just worried about the car getting overheated.
Got 306 GTI-6 now which always seems to run hot in the UK, and it pisses me off.
Anyway, really want to spend the money on the TVR but just a bit nervous on reliability, pockets aren't too deep.

leehodges

399 posts

284 months

Tuesday 11th December 2001
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You say your pockets are not too deep - have you checked out the tax situation for getting a TVR into Aus? I have! I have moved to Sydney for a couple of years and due to the stupid import restrictions I have had to leave my Griff in the UK until I return.

They want 10% of the cars value in GST and then 15% in customs tax (simply put) and the cars value is where the problem lies. Because there are no book prices for these vehicles over here (Aus) you have to pay an "expert" in Australia to value your car so that they can work out the tax. Problem is that people have got their cars over here and have had such over the top valuations that they have had to ship it straight back due to the resulting taxation!! But you probably have looked into this - if you know of any ways around it let me know!



Lee

maverick dave

Original Poster:

58 posts

269 months

Wednesday 12th December 2001
quotequote all
Lee,
Thanks for that.
I have checked that all out, and if you buy the car and have a proper receipt, then after exchange rate conversion, that's the value of the car in $A.
Have to add freight, insurance and there is a luxury car tax if the car goes over 55K.
Not easy, but if you have a proper the invoice then there should be no need for an expert.
Do you agree?
Dave.

leehodges

399 posts

284 months

Thursday 13th December 2001
quotequote all
The problem I found was that they will only except the invoice for the car as the customs value IF you can prove that you purchased the car with the intent to import it into Aus. You can do this if the date on the invoice is after the date you applied for your visa (I assume that you are not an Australian citizen cos that makes it different).

They also have some rules stating that you must have been the owner and driver of that vehicle in the country you are buying it from for at least 12 months prior to bringing it into Aus - don't know to whom this applies and how you would tie this and the invoice date thing together.

Basically it is a total mine field and you really have to be ready to pay out both in money and sleepless nights to get your beloved car into the country.

If you do (and I am still here!) I would love to come down and drool over it!

It looks like you have already done your research into it but if you have missed these web sites then they are a must see:

Australian Customs car import pages -

www.customs.gov.au/bizlink/imports/motor/index.htm#top

A paper on the costing model and rules –

www.customs.gov.au/bizlink/acrobat/Mvguide3.pdf

Good luck pal!



Lee

maverick dave

Original Poster:

58 posts

269 months

Friday 14th December 2001
quotequote all
Lee,

Thanks mate, I am an Aussie citizen living in the UK, been in and out of that website for virtually the last year.

Emailed customs at one stage because if you buy a new car in the UK you get VAT off if you export within 12 months, but OZ need you to own it for 12 months plus, too hard.