Cars and tax

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Bristolblue
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Cars and tax

Post by Bristolblue » Wed Mar 08, 2006 8:32 pm

Hi there. I have a question or two regarding bringing a brand new car to Finland from a EU State. I have lived in Finland on/of for some time now, but the only paperwork i have ever done in Finland was at the Maistraatti in 2002. I dont spend to much time here, 3-4 months a year due to working overseas. But now i will move here full time. My move will be from England, but for some silly reason :D the steering wheel is on the wrong side. So no point shipping my UK car. But what i wanted to know is, if i use one of those internet car buying sites (they will ship a new car direct to Finland from somewhere in the EU) will i be able to claim it as my moving goods and pay no tax or reduced tax. Or will i get a big fat tax bill :(
Thanks for any info
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Cars and tax

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dave071061
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Post by dave071061 » Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:04 pm

You will get a big fat ta bill!

You must have owned the car and driven it for 6 months before you can ship it as removal goods.

JuliaB
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Post by JuliaB » Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:08 pm

Bring the Brithish one. I have see people here with Fnnnish plates driving cars with the stearing wheel on the other side. And you won't get the big tax bill if you have owned that car for more than 6 months.
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Cod
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Post by Cod » Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:48 pm

..but the upside is that you can get away with driving on foreign plates in uk for many many years...(but you'll get targetted by parking attendants as they'll tow you rather than just leave a ticket on the screen)..

..last time I checked...when we bought our car tax free in Finland...cars were still expensive in Finland and it was worth the effort...especially as buying tax free out of Finland means you get a Finnish spec car..so no need to add bits and pieces for the Finnish MOT...

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sinikala
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Post by sinikala » Wed Mar 08, 2006 10:24 pm

Bristolblue wrote:I dont spend too much time here, 3-4 months a year due to working overseas
JuliaB wrote:Bring the Brithish one. I have see people here with Fnnnish plates driving cars with the stearing wheel on the other side. And you won't get the big tax bill if you have owned that car for more than 6 months.
I'm sure you won't be able to do what you wanted on the buying a new car front.

If I remember correctly, JuliaB has it half right, for it to be a removals vehicle, you need to have owned it for at least 6 months and been resident / working outside of Finland for the last 12 months. Not sure if you qualify on the residency score... you should look into it, perhaps you will.

If you don't qualify, cheapest option is probably (IMHO) to ship your UK car here, pay the import tax, get new headlamps fitted, have winter heating kit fitted, pay for the Autokatsastus (MOT), purchase plates. And after all that expense 99% of the time you'll still be better off than buying a car here. NB

NB The part in italics about headlamps is the only thing different from importing a car from Germany, which a lot of Finns do to save money as used cars are so dear here. I also bought / imported a car from Germany for the missus & believe you me, the UK prices are better.

I imported my own car from the UK and had to pay tax as I owned it for only three months before moving here :evil: unavoidable as the previous car's engine died. Driving a RHD on the right is no problem, I've been doing it for most of the last six years.... bonuses are you get out on the pavement & you can see speed cameras coming up :twisted: not that I speed of course.
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Rosamunda
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Post by Rosamunda » Wed Mar 08, 2006 11:00 pm

But if you signed on at the Magistratti in 2002 then you are resident since 2002..... I believe personal goods have to be shipped in within 12 months of registration as a resident.... or did I just make that rule up???? Do you actually have official residency since 2002?

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sinikala
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Post by sinikala » Wed Mar 08, 2006 11:06 pm

penelope wrote:But if you signed on at the Magistratti in 2002 then you are resident since 2002..... I believe personal goods have to be shipped in within 12 months of registration as a resident.... or did I just make that rule up???? Do you actually have official residency since 2002?
No, that sounds familiar also, if he can get away with the 3/4 months a year he's here as being "visits to finland" then he might get away with being normally resident outside of finland.

From the top of my head I think if you are a tax exile from the UK you can spend up to 90 days p.a. in the country without having to pay tax...

there was a case donkey's years ago of someone famous in the UK (I forget who) a disgruntled fan proved that the exile had been in the UK for more days than he should have ... so the Inland Revenue went after him :twisted:
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Hank W.
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Post by Hank W. » Thu Mar 09, 2006 4:37 am

Get a bus pass.
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.

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sinikala
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Post by sinikala » Thu Mar 09, 2006 11:10 am

For anyone who thought you got hammered for tax when importing a used car into Finland (like me!) take a look at these nightmares from Greece... Beeb story 1 & Beeb story 2
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Hank W.
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Post by Hank W. » Thu Mar 09, 2006 11:44 am

Denmark has 180% car tax, +25 VAT. Finland is not even up to "Nordic standards" :lol:
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.

Bristolblue
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Post by Bristolblue » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:05 pm

Thanks for all the advice. Seems like i will have to buy a car in Finland or maybe Germany. But all that tax, where does it all go. I hope it goes to a good use. Maybe it pays for the bus pass :lol:


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