Importing car into the UK

[bm50]

Anyone know the pros and cons of importing a car into the UK? Costs, customs tax etc? The car is a 1987 so vehicle condition etc? I have checked finlandforum search but cannot find anything!

[riku2]

pros and cons of importing a car into the UK?

Into the UK from Finland ?

cons:
steering wheel on the wrong side
UK used car prices are ridiculously lower than prices in finland. why would you bother.
insurance in the UK might be higher. again why bother

I doubt you'll find many 1987 cars on the road in the UK. are you hoping to take it there and get the scrappage fee ? it must have been registered in the UK before 1999 to qualify.

you can check uk prices here to see if it's worth importing a car into the UK compared to buying one there http://www.parkers.co.uk

[bm50]

I just wanted some idea of the costs customs tax etc and would I have to replace the headlights with new ones and speedometer? I wouldn't be able to afford another car when I arrive there.

[Richard]

I just wanted some idea of the costs customs tax etc and would I have to replace the headlights with new ones and speedometer? I wouldn't be able to afford another car when I arrive there.

Secondhand cars are much cheaper in the UK.

[Kai]

No idea about the tax but you would need to change the headlights and speedo if it has no MPH markings. With the price difference on cars between here and UK i´m pretty sure whatever car you have if you sold it here and replaced it with the same in the UK you would make a profit.

P.S. If you happen to have a Opel Vectra i have a set of R/H drive headlights in the shed.

[riku2]

have you checked how much the insurance will cost for a LHD car in the UK ? the extra might make the whole process even less viable

http://www.lhdvehicle.com/html/lhd_left ... rance.html

>>Some insurance companies will no longer accept left hand drive cars, or if they do, the policy cost can be expensive, certainly more than you would pay for an equivalent right hand drive car. It is also difficult to find insurance cover for vehicle use during an extended part time residency abroad if the car, whether rhd or lhd, is registered in another country. It appears that there has been an increase in the number of claims involving left hand drive cars especially in the UK.<<

[sinikala]

Anyone know the pros and cons of importing a car into the UK? Costs, customs tax etc? The car is a 1987 so vehicle condition etc? I have checked finlandforum search but cannot find anything!

If you have owned the vehicle for a while it will probably be classed as removals goods or chattels and exempt from import tax. Do as this page says and contact HM Revenue and Customs Advice Service on 0845 010 9000 and get more details from them
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Bu ... G_10014606

The documentation you will need seems to be listed here...
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Bu ... DG_4022583

Unless you are particularly attached to it, or the car is a future classic, I'd try and get what you can for it here then buy a newer car in the UK. It will save you the cost of driving or shipping it back to England €200-€500, the conversion £250+, registration £55, new plates etc.

I just wanted some idea of the costs customs tax etc and would I have to replace the headlights with new ones and speedometer? I wouldn't be able to afford another car when I arrive there.

Some of the things required are listed here ... http://www.quickconversions.co.uk/services.asp

Depends on the car, a few older cars have headlights which can be adjusted from LHD to RHD, but for most (like mine) it involves replacing the headlight unit. If you are lucky on an older car this is pretty cheap as you'll probably pick up replacements from a scrappy. I paid a couple of hundred euros as my car was only a couple of years old at the time.

Speedo, if it's a car with just kmph, then yes, you'll need to get the dial changed over, though not the whole speedo, the parts are probably going to be under £50...

http://www.lockwoodinternational.co.uk/ ... l-c51.html

but the labour to get it done will probably be the same again. Much easier moving abroad from the UK, UK speedo dials generally have both Mph and kmph so I avoided that one.

IIRC you'll also need to get one of the rear lights changed over, or have a second added... might have been the a fog light, I just got a second added.