Thread: Personal imports

You can bring over one vehicle per person, but you can bring others so long as they were owned by you for similiar time periods prior to emigration. It may be 18 months or two years.

Each vehicle needs to have an engineering certification to check if it complied with Australian Design Rules applicable at the time of manufacture. So long as the modifications are well done and meet emissions at that time there should be no problem with the auto 110.

The second one may be more problem and will require a significant engineering report of welding etc. The question would need to be asked whether it is worth the cot of bringing it over. However the rules for pre-1989 vehicles are less restrictive.

Which ever way they come over, you need the import authority before the vehicle arrives on Aussie shores.

Diana

The one engineer in Adelaide I know personally who has done engineering submisssions for a few major vehicle mods on both my own and friends vehicles is Graeme Burton. He is well respected by the local vehicle engineering branch of motor reg (dept of transport). I'm sure he would be worth contacting for comment.

His email is graeme.burton(at)tonkin.com.au

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

You can bring over one vehicle per person, but you can bring others so long as they were owned by you for similiar time periods prior to emigration. It may be 18 months or two years.

Each vehicle needs to have an engineering certification to check if it complied with Australian Design Rules applicable at the time of manufacture. So long as the modifications are well done and meet emissions at that time there should be no problem with the auto 110.

The second one may be more problem and will require a significant engineering report of welding etc. The question would need to be asked whether it is worth the cot of bringing it over. However the rules for pre-1989 vehicles are less restrictive.

Which ever way they come over, you need the import authority before the vehicle arrives on Aussie shores.

Diana

Diana, most shippers will not touch the vehicle until the customer has the import permit. Also the phrase is "owned and used overseas" for the specified period of time. Not a problem for a resident of the exporting country, I would think. Oz citizens have to prove they were with and using the vehicle. I agree with you that it is probably better economic sense to sell them over there and buy here upon arrival. The second vehicle could indeed be a problem. Extensive mods done by who where? Got drawings, photos, trade certificates, welding tickets?

Unfortunately Brian that is rarely the case, i have lost count of how many vehicles we have had to clear customs without the owner/importer submitting a permit approval to DOTARS.
There is no law that says you cannot ship a vehicle without an import permit for the country of entry.

Most engine swap/ transmission changes etc can be approved by a Road Authority approved engineer. As long as the upgrade is with a more recent engine.
E.G I have an '85 County with a '95 Chev motor, upgraded brakes ( Discs on Rear & Holden V8 Master cyl) upgraded suspension, cooling system etc etc.
The engineer looked it over during the process & again when completed & certified it. I then took it to the motor reg dept who simply checked the chassis number & engine against the paperwork & approved it for registration. Once you get on to extreme modifications, the engineer has the final say and it would be fair to say if the vehicle has been previously registered in England, that goes a long way towards not needing extensive inspection here. Cost on todays value would be around $700- $850 as mine was $650 5 years ago.

I know how attached one can get to vehicles but consider an alternative.

If you have the cash to buy premium vehicles, German high end cars are a good example, or if you are really cashed up an Astin Martin. Register and import when you come over, then sell for a profit - the luxury car tax on imports to Aus. means if you buy wisely you'll make money easy. Then buy landies here.

As a pretty straigh forward example a couple of G Wagons would net you a fair profit. There are others and if you fo your homewaork, I think you'd be surprised at how much you stand to make. Buy the right vehicle and you would be able to shift them quick smart. Fewer problems engineering a new vehicle.

New land, new oppertunitys.

Ian.

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

Diana, most shippers will not touch the vehicle until the customer has the import permit. Also the phrase is "owned and used overseas" for the specified period of time. Not a problem for a resident of the exporting country, I would think. Oz citizens have to prove they were with and using the vehicle. I agree with you that it is probably better economic sense to sell them over there and buy here upon arrival. The second vehicle could indeed be a problem. Extensive mods done by who where? Got drawings, photos, trade certificates, welding tickets?

There have been numerous imports that arrived without the paperwork, the Land Rover lightweights in Darwin for ages were one group and a FV432 in Perth about 18 months ago another.

Yes people emigrating can brng cars these are Personal Imports (same as for Aussie ex-pats) and don't suffer the pre 1989 restrictions that apply to the rest of us, but only 1 at a time with a delay between vehicles. Ask Marco T owner of pre-production L40, he had another early 1948 that was sitting in Zimbabwe waiting till he could bring it over.

Once they've emigrated subsequent vehicles have to have been owned prior to emigration to Au, otherwise they fall under the same restrictions as apply to the rest of us.

Thanks for the replies so far people. Interesting reading.

Sounds like it might be worth consulting Mr Burton for his thoughts on things.