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Jul 29, 2016 18:47:01 GMT
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Does anybody know anything about importing a car from America.
To put it into context, i'm thinking......
Buy a circa year 2000 Chevrolet Suburban on USA ebay, get it collected, shipped and delivered to my address.
What do I need to know?
Import duty? Registration hassles? General paperwork? Dodgy import companies etc??
Cheers, Ian
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Vauxhall Omega V6 Estate
Landrover Defender 300Tdi
Ford Puma (winter smoker)
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Jul 29, 2016 18:56:21 GMT
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Unless you're going to go out to the USA and hand pick a car, I'd stick with buying a car from the UK, as the last thing you want, is to pay all this money importing the car, then find you've bought someone elses problems.
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1993 Fiat Panda Selecta 2003 Vauxhall Combo 1.7DI van 2006 Mercedes Kompressor Evolution-S AMG SportCoupé
"You think you hate it now, wait til you drive it"
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Jul 29, 2016 19:22:33 GMT
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I bought this back from the states a few years ago. It's not all that hard to do as long as you get the right paperwork! There's lots of companies around offering just shipping all the way through to a full service from the sellers door to your door including registration, MOT etc etc. One big tip, do not buy a car without a current 'Title' document (sometimes called a pink slip or certificate of title) I did exactly this with my car and it became a right ball ache as the shippers wouldn't allow the car to leave the US without one. My car is proof that this isn't an impossible situation to resolve but I would certainly save yourself the hassle and time by just getting a car with the Title instead. There will be tax and import duty to pay when it arrives, this varies depending on the cars age and value. You will receive a letter request for this once the car is unloaded and inspected at this end. The car will not be released from the docks until this is payed. Once the car is here it will need it's lights etc converting over to UK spec and then an MOT. Once it has an MOT you can insure it (usually temporarily on it's VIN number) then it can be registered and given it's V5 and number plates. Then you have to change the insurance from the VIN to the new registration number. Once this is done it's ready to go. It's really not that difficult, and if your paperwork is all present and correct it should go easily and fairly quickly. Other things to consider, Which US port your using. This largely depends on where your car came from, but the US is a very big place. Shipping from the west coast takes a fair bit longer than the east coast. Also consider any overland transport, this costs too and can take time. Mine came from Illinois, had to be transported on a truck to New York then shipped here. Sounds obvious but worth considering! Consider your car carefully. Some states don't have MOT type checks, and those that do aren't necessarily as in depth as ours. So once your car arrives and goes for it's first MOT don't be surprised if it fails and needs various repairs first. My car is a very good condition car but still needed a full set of brake hoses, a few suspension bushes and other bits and bobs to get MOT'd. Again, it sounds obvious but repairs and parts all start adding up. Like I say, it's not that difficult if you plan it well and get a decent car. If your not going over to personally buy the car then there's always going to be an element of risk involved as you can't inspect it yourself or drive it to the port. But it's worth doing in my opinion and I'd gladly do it again now I've done it once!
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1985 Ford Granada 2.8 ghia x
1984 Ford Transit 100L
1974 Ford Capri 1.6L
1973 Mercury Marquis 429 V8
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Jul 29, 2016 19:37:40 GMT
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For the sort of vehicle i'm looking at it appears to be 10% import duty and then 20% vat. Ouch.
Dan, may i ask how what method you used to ship your Mercury and what it cost so I can gauge some quotes?
Thanks
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Vauxhall Omega V6 Estate
Landrover Defender 300Tdi
Ford Puma (winter smoker)
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Jul 29, 2016 20:09:59 GMT
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For the sort of vehicle i'm looking at it appears to be 10% import duty and then 20% vat. Ouch. Dan, may i ask how what method you used to ship your Mercury and what it cost so I can gauge some quotes? Thanks I used this place www.shipmycar.co.uk there's a quick quote thingy on the site too. They are one of the more expensive but I went for an 'all in' service. All I had to do was tell them where the car was to be collected from, and pay the duty etc when asked. Literally everything else they handled start to finish and I just went to collect it when they said it was finished. The only thing they didn't handle was the lack of title issue! But this was my screw up so I had to sort it myself. There's also this place that I've heard good things about www.hillshipping.comNo experience of this place myself though. You might of considered this already, but what about getting a car from Europe? Yanks are popular in certain European countries and this is a lot closer to the UK and also has the added benefits of being cheaper and easier to go and pick the car up then drive it back here and also if the car is already inside the EU there's no tax etc to pay when it arrives here. Just so you can see what's around here's a Europe wide car sales site with results for Chevy Suburbans! suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/search.html?isSearchRequest=true&vc=Car&dam=0&con=USED&ms=5600%3B37
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1985 Ford Granada 2.8 ghia x
1984 Ford Transit 100L
1974 Ford Capri 1.6L
1973 Mercury Marquis 429 V8
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v8ian
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,824
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Another place to ask is on Rods n Sods, there are a few people offering services, and a multitude of advice from people who have imported cars.... www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/
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Last Edit: Jul 30, 2016 6:36:20 GMT by v8ian
Atmo V8 Power . No slicks , No gas + No bits missing . Doing it in style. Austin A35van, very different------- but still doing it in style, going to be a funmoble
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diff
South East
Posts: 1,169
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Hi , I have just shipped this retrorides.proboards.com/thread/190355/1964-chevrolet-belair-station-wagon from the USA . I used shipmycar.com as well and used them previously as well and recommend them as they keep an eye on paperwork etc (if they feel you have filled out a form incorrectly they will return it to you rather than letting you deal with HMRC or DVLA later). As said by others make sure it has a clear title and you get a bill of sale showing the Vin number . Also a recent change of requirements that we did not have to do with the Ford we shipped as few years ago is a Certificate from the manufacturer or a recognised car club verifying the vehicle is what you say it is . We also had to get Power of Attorney to enable the shipping company put it through the US docks as it was our name on the title , this is not required at all US docks . It is a lot of jumping through hoops but if the car looks good and when you add it up it makes economical sense go for it .
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Paul Y
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,948
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Jul 31, 2016 16:44:32 GMT
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I have used Ray at rays classics.com Really good guy, can help you source, ship and store for a very reasonable fee. Take it you have driven a suburban in the uk? It is a little...large.... P.
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Mr S
Posted a lot
10-4 Good buddy.
Posts: 2,654
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Jul 31, 2016 19:51:58 GMT
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I've recently bought a 1997 Suburban - they are huge, and hugely awesome Not much help for shipping from the states tho, as I bought mine from Birmingham way, sorry! I do however believe that certain vehicles don't attract the full duty/vat rate - pickups over 10 years old (IIRC) certainly fall into that category. Not sure if a Suburban would be classified that way, as in America I believe it is classed in the 'Chevy Truck' range, it would certainly be worth asking. I was looking at importing a powerstroke Ford F250/350/Excursion but bought this and a Jag XKR instead!
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Suzuki GSXR1000 K2 BMW R1150GS BMW K1200RS Chevy K5 Blazer Chevy Suburban LT Jaguar XKR
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Mr S
Posted a lot
10-4 Good buddy.
Posts: 2,654
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Jul 31, 2016 19:53:38 GMT
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Oh, and check Craigslist too - often a wider selection, and I found stuff was generally much cheaper than eBay!
EDIT: Where in the country are you? There's a guy I know in Derby who brings a container over every couple of months, I suspect he may be a useful person to chat to about it all.
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Last Edit: Jul 31, 2016 19:55:35 GMT by Mr S
Suzuki GSXR1000 K2 BMW R1150GS BMW K1200RS Chevy K5 Blazer Chevy Suburban LT Jaguar XKR
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I've had a quote from Shipmycar.
Transport from any USA state (not Alaska or Hawaii), handling costs at both sides, boat, conversion to UK legal requirement, MOT and delivery to my home address for £1700ish. That seems incredibly reasonable.
I had completely failed to take into consideration import duties though and this is the killer. I've seen an 8.1 Vortec Suburban for $16,000 that looks totally mint with carfax report and all paperwork.
I've not driven one in the UK, have driven one in the states but it was 15 years ago and it was a 1990 model 454. I'm sure its a totally ridiculous car for the UK but i want one and thats it.
Choice in the UK for the big block versions is slim/non existent.
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Vauxhall Omega V6 Estate
Landrover Defender 300Tdi
Ford Puma (winter smoker)
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1993 Fiat Panda Selecta 2003 Vauxhall Combo 1.7DI van 2006 Mercedes Kompressor Evolution-S AMG SportCoupé
"You think you hate it now, wait til you drive it"
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I would deffo look at the already imported (UK based) or EU hunt and you will save yourself thousands plus can check it out easily (if UK, not so bad in EU and could drive it back). What the Merc guy said sounds like a total ball-ache unless what you're importing is a real rarity.
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richr
Part of things
Posts: 119
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I have heard nothing but good things about Hillshipping
They know all the ins and outs I was going to import a car from the States but didn't in the en. Having said that I spoke to a guy called Kevin there and he was really helpful
Also as said go on rods and sods plenty of helpful people on there
Good luck with your purchase
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This is without doubt the 'sensible' choice BUT if I'm going to shell out 10+ grand I'd rather wait for a nice big block already in the UK or push the boat out and get a big block imported. Thanks for all the info, there's more than enough leads here should the right thing come up. Also thinking a holiday out there would be a good idea.
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Vauxhall Omega V6 Estate
Landrover Defender 300Tdi
Ford Puma (winter smoker)
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