Info about importing new cars

[DirtyDawg]

Gents ,
Since we can't get the new Def90 here I want to import one from the UK..can you special order them from LR Aus or straight from UK..point me in the right direction. TIA.

[Disco_owner]

Dawg;

I found this info on Web;

importing a motor vehicle (http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=4371)

[jik22]

As a private import, forget it. You need to have owned and used the vehicle regularly for a year before you can bring in anything remotely new.

My last chat with the DOTARS people didn't find any way round this when I explained the circumstances - i.e. Not available here here through LRA.

Info is here (http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/importing_vehicles/general/index.aspx).

From my last chat with a dealer here when the new Defender came out in the UK, he was trying to get LRA interested in the 90 with no success. I think (Hopefully someone will know for sure) that for LRA or a dealer to do it, the car would have to be put through the approval process, which they're not going to do a one off. A private import gets round this requirement, but as I said, for anything new, you need to own it a year in the country outside of Aus where you live.

If only I'd checked how rare 90's were before we moved here, I'd have bought a couple to bring over!

[Disco300Tdi]

Gents ,
Since we can't get the new Def90 here I want to import one from the UK..can you special order them from LR Aus or straight from UK..point me in the right direction. TIA.

Send a PM to Ladas, he can tell it as it is.....;)

[jimbo110]

Come over here and buy one! I'll drive it around for a year for ya............;)

[jimbo110]

Can you buy one as a CKD kit from UK, build it yourself and register it as a kit car?

[Psimpson7]

as above, you have no chance as a personal import unless you can prove ownership, and use for 12 months.

Unless you can persuade your dealer to get you one, you will be struggling.

Having brought mine over, its a bit of a paperchase, even if you meet the requirements it is still at DOTARS discretion.

Cheers
Pete.

[jik22]

Having brought mine over, its a bit of a paperchase, even if you meet the requirements it is still at DOTARS discretion.


I got the impression from talking to them that they are really only interested in stopping the p*** takers though - a genuine reason like not being able to buy one here shouldn't present an issue. If I ever have to go back to the UK for a bit, I know what I'll be buying two of the day after I land! ;)

[Bigbjorn]

As I understand the rules, you have to own and use the vehicle overseas for a specific period. I thought it was 18 months but will stand corrected if this has been changed. So you have to be overseas for the period of "own and use". You also have to get DOTARS permission to import that specific vehicle, meaning you have to supply identifying numbers when applying. This adds a bit of difficulty if you are going overseas hoping to find a vehicle whilst there. I am thinking of a vintage, veteran, or classic vehicle, not a new or near new one.

Importing kit cars can be a PIA unless type approval already exists in Oz. If not, then you car will classed as an "Individually Constructed Vehicle", an ICV. It will have to comply with the ADR's in force at date of presenting for registration which is considered the build date. You will need engineer's reports, and according to Qld. Transport you may have to take it to Victoria for brake testing, and may have to have emission testing done. QT say the only people who can do this are Ford and GM-H.

[dullbird]

dont you have family in t he uk or else where that could keep it and put a few miles on it for yeh??...

i guess you would actually need to leave the country to buy one though..

people have holiday homes why cant we have holiday cars:D..


failing that is it worth speaking to an importer of rare and exotic cars?? might cost you a bomb but they may be able to get one in, unless thats just because of the age of cars they bring in

even if you did get one though from what i can gather the taxes you will incurr from importing a new car would be horrific!!!! the newer the car the bigger the taxes.....and i dont know whether you would also now hit the luxury car tax?

unless you brought a base model as you need to remember you get alot more for your buck over here than the uk for instance....to get the model we all get over here would cost you a fair bit in the uk

[ariddell]

I've been through the personal import process myself too when i brought the TVR in and as mentioned even this is far from easy.

Had to supply a mountain of supporting evidence, including details for any time out of the UK on holiday etc even to show i had been continuously using the vehicle personally for at least the 12mths. As such i would fear any plans to get someone else to drive the vehicle, family to run it etc would be completely out the window if you couldn't prove you were in the UK yourself and personally driving the car for that time.

It only becomes easier when the vehicle was made prior to 1st Jan 1989 as these can be brought in with a much looser set of requirements.

There is also another option called the "Specialist and Enthusiast vehicle scheme" where you can apply for a particular vehicle to be added to the SEVS list should the manufacturer not be bringing it in. This is likely your best bet but from what i gather you need to get a SEVS authorised workshop to become authorised testers for that particular type of vehicle and they basically need to go through a slightly cut down version of what LR would have to do to get compliance to sell the vehicle themselves.

As such although it's do-able it's only really economically viable if there is a good market for selling a lot of vehicles of that exact type/model.

This is how a lot of places are bringing in Skylines etc, they get them on SEVS and it's worth there while doing the testing as they can sell loads of them.

Hope this helps.

Al

[Reads90]

dont you have family in t he uk or else where that could keep it and put a few miles on it for yeh??...

i guess you would actually need to leave the country to buy one though..

people have holiday homes why cant we have holiday cars:D..





The problem with this is you have to have lived with the car for 12 months. When i imported the 90 we had to photocopy every page of our passport and send it off to prove we had been in the same country as the car for 12 months .

Surely you must have done this when you imported your 90

[Psimpson7]

Ali's Right. I had to do the same..... Every page. You also have to declare that you havent been away from the car, and I guess if your decleration doesnt tie up with your passport you're in trouble!!

[Sleepy]

Since we can't get the new Def90.....

I wouldn't be too definite about that. I have twice been given the wink/nod by LR people. Maybe LRA are waiting til after the SVX. If enough of us ask.....

I take it your after a new one?

[Reads90]

I wouldn't be too definite about that. I have twice been given the wink/nod by LR people. Maybe LRA are waiting til after the SVX. If enough of us ask.....

I take it your after a new one?

Ok LRA was sort of asked to sell the 90 so they did from about 2003 But the sales of new cars were very disapointing so in 2005 they stopped importing them.

Do you really think they will start again you have got to be joking

90's are very poplular here but not at $55,000. For up to £30,000 then may be . but no call for a 2 seater car with no boot and not much room in it for $55,000
Pure and basic economics

[dullbird]

The problem with this is you have to have lived with the car for 12 months. When i imported the 90 we had to photocopy every page of our passport and send it off to prove we had been in the same country as the car for 12 months .

Surely you must have done this when you imported your 90

mmm ok i guess the sarcasim/idealistic didn't really shine through on that part of the post:angel:...i was trying to be a little more realistic on the comments below the holiday home holiday car line:p

yes i think we did do something along those lines with the passport cant remember now...i dont remember the importing being particualy hard but then we had owned the car for 5 years:D......

[Bigbjorn]

The key words in the rules applying to personal imports of late model cars are "own and use" and the authorities mean this to be that you must own and use the vehicle on a regular basis for the specific period of the legislation whilst you yourself are overseas. You MUST have DOTARS permission to import THAT vehicle or you are in big trouble if you import wthout permission and if you can even find a shipping company who will ship it without DOTARS permission.

The other thing is do not even think about being half-smart and trying to touch Customs on valuation. They are not stupid, are dealing with crooks and dudders on a daily basis and have access to an enormous data base. They are in the position of strength and you will not get the car off the wharf if they think anything is not kosher. You can even have it seized and sold at auction or shredded on their say-so, and face fines and/or imprisonment.

[dullbird]

The key words in the rules applying to personal imports of late model cars are "own and use" and the authorities mean this to be that you must own and use the vehicle on a regular basis for the specific period of the legislation whilst you yourself are overseas.

You MUST have DOTARS permission to import THAT vehicle or you are in big trouble if you import wthout permission and if you can even find a shipping company who will ship it without DOTARS permission.

The other thing is do not even think about being half-smart and trying to touch Customs on valuation. They are not stupid, are dealing with crooks and dudders on a daily basis and have access to an enormous data base. They are in the position of strength and you will not get the car off the wharf if they think anything is not kosher. You can even have it seized and sold at auction or shredded on their say-so, and face fines and/or imprisonment.


if i remember rightly if you were to turn up without permision then the car gets turned around and sent back at your cost!!!

[Reads90]

if i remember rightly if you were to turn up without permision then the car gets turned around and sent back at your cost!!!

mmm customs told me they would crush them on the dock side :o:o

[Sleepy]

you have got to be joking


Nah just a rumour mate, you don't have to believe it - just passing on what I have heard. I am not convinced they wouldn't sell a few!

P.S. Mine has heaps of "boot space" - Just not a lot of passenger space ;).

[dullbird]

mmm customs told me they would crush them on the dock side :o:o

yes thats worst case senario......but we were also told it could get sent back at our cost..