Buying a car in Switzerland
Discussion
We're new here and so I'm just trying to work out how some pretty basic stuff works.
We've picked up a 5 series estate for family duties (bought through an agency called Autociel in Lausanne who did a decent enough job). And now I want to find a runabout for me. I'm thinking small, nippy and petrol engined. Ideas currently include a new MX5, a new-shape Mini Cooper S, an Elise, older BMWs (e36 / e46 M3, Z3 / Z4 etc), a Porsche 928 / 944 / Boxster, etc etc. So there's a broad pool of new and old that I'm currently contemplating.
In relation to new stuff, how amenable to discounting are dealers generally? Are there good websites to find the sort of cheep lease deals that pop up in the UK? Or the Drivethedeal outfits that are useful in finding good discounts on headline prices?
And for older stuff... I've been looking at the Comparis website, which seems to bring together results from a number of others. But am I missing any great sources of interesting cars? Ebay over here seems to be very seldom used for car sales - is there a Swiss equivalent to the burgeoning ebay market place back home?
Any pointers would be most gratefully received.
We've picked up a 5 series estate for family duties (bought through an agency called Autociel in Lausanne who did a decent enough job). And now I want to find a runabout for me. I'm thinking small, nippy and petrol engined. Ideas currently include a new MX5, a new-shape Mini Cooper S, an Elise, older BMWs (e36 / e46 M3, Z3 / Z4 etc), a Porsche 928 / 944 / Boxster, etc etc. So there's a broad pool of new and old that I'm currently contemplating.
In relation to new stuff, how amenable to discounting are dealers generally? Are there good websites to find the sort of cheep lease deals that pop up in the UK? Or the Drivethedeal outfits that are useful in finding good discounts on headline prices?
And for older stuff... I've been looking at the Comparis website, which seems to bring together results from a number of others. But am I missing any great sources of interesting cars? Ebay over here seems to be very seldom used for car sales - is there a Swiss equivalent to the burgeoning ebay market place back home?
Any pointers would be most gratefully received.
Thanks! We'll look into work discounts next week. Sounds promising!One more question... how big a ballache is it to import a car from back home?
My Defender is in limbo in a friend's barn In Guildford while I decide whether to sell it or bring it over.
The process of "immatriculation" looks like a bit of a PITA and our experience of Swiss "efficiency" (read "bureaucracy") to date doesn't fill me with excitement. Added to which, getting a COC is going to be complicated by the fact that LR messed up the VIN thing when they built it, so DVLA had to issue a new VIN - so the number LR has is different from the number on the car / V5 etc. There may well be a solution to this, but it just feels like it is adding to the palava.
I'm really tempted to bring it over for winter (and declare it at customs etc) and then take it back to the UK to sell it in the spring without doing anything more to register it. I appreciate the market is stronger this side of winter than the other, but I'm happy to forego a few quid to enjoy another few months with the car... and then pick up something sportier for the Springtime.
Any thoughts? The insurance angle is covered through a special policy with Stuart Collins.
My Defender is in limbo in a friend's barn In Guildford while I decide whether to sell it or bring it over.
The process of "immatriculation" looks like a bit of a PITA and our experience of Swiss "efficiency" (read "bureaucracy") to date doesn't fill me with excitement. Added to which, getting a COC is going to be complicated by the fact that LR messed up the VIN thing when they built it, so DVLA had to issue a new VIN - so the number LR has is different from the number on the car / V5 etc. There may well be a solution to this, but it just feels like it is adding to the palava.
I'm really tempted to bring it over for winter (and declare it at customs etc) and then take it back to the UK to sell it in the spring without doing anything more to register it. I appreciate the market is stronger this side of winter than the other, but I'm happy to forego a few quid to enjoy another few months with the car... and then pick up something sportier for the Springtime.
Any thoughts? The insurance angle is covered through a special policy with Stuart Collins.
Gassing Station | Switzerland | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff