Imports - costs/process once its in this country

[77West]

Folks,

any of you able to talk me through the process of what happens when my import gets to Southampton? Its a 91 so it'll need an MOT, but how much am I looking at Tax wise and for getting it registered? Bit of a novice at this game and the car arrives at the end of January.

Also if anyone's got a set of half decent 15 inch wheels (rev 3? 5 spokes? South west) with a bit of rubber left on them I might be interested as a stop gap until I can sort my finances out and get some 17's.

cheers

[Hedgehog Dodger]

Once it comes across you will need to pay for the following.

Custom TAX = £300 (ish, depending if the invoice has been lowed by the chap you bought it off to reduce the costs of this. )
Shipping = £350 (ish, depending on how you have shipped it across)
Clearance = £100 (ish)

I always say once you have paid for the car in Japan, add on another £1000 to get it road legal in the UK if it is 10 years or old and doesnt need an SVA

MOT = 30
Registration fee = £36
TAX = 6 months £96

Thats all you need to pay for to get it legal to drive in the UK. Now depending on how strict the MOT is you will need.

If MOT strict

A: Decent Tyres
B: Clear front Sidelights (if yours has got the all amber front ones)
C: MPH to show in writing on the speedo face

Hope this helps fella

[JUIC'IN]

Shipping = £350 (ish, depending on how you have shipped it across)

Who the hell ships from japan @ £350 a car???????????????????

Do you row it back yourself?????

[Jayng]

MR2 sized car is 8.668 m3 and the shipping is about 68US dollars per cubic metre equating to 590 US dollars. Convert this into Sterling and you get 321UK Pounds. But you have to pay Southampton dock handling fees and the Marine insurance which`ll bump it up to a around 380-400quid.

Taxes, depends on what you`re being invoiced for and how they invoice you.

You will get taxed for the cost that vehicle "FOB" ( Total JPN costs) and your shipping costs but not the purchase commission if they have stated it in the invoice separately.

Tax/Duty is 10% for above (car + shipping)
Then VAT 17.5% (yes they charge VAT on the 10% duty!!)

Clearing agent fees vary but 100 quid should easily cover it.

Then the same as what Hedgehog has said already about MOT etc but don`t forget the rear foglight.

[Hedgehog Dodger]

Shipping = £350 (ish, depending on how you have shipped it across)

Who the hell ships from japan @ £350 a car???????????????????

Do you row it back yourself?????

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

How much does it cost you? Most I have paid was 375....i think, I will check

[JUIC'IN]

I should have re-worded that better.

F.A.O. Danny Boy: I was meant to say:

"How the hell did you get shipping of £350 when the Ro/Ro service had been stopped."

F.A.O. Jayng: Thanks for the information, but i am aware of it. I've been importing cars for the past 9 years. I should have worded my question better.

The most i've ever paid for the RO/RO service for an MR2 was through Yuwautotrade to Liverpool which was:

Shipping: £364.13
Handling: £ 40.00
Insurance: £10.00
Bunker Adjustment: £16.81

Total: £430.94

After customs clearence + Duty + VAT it come to a total of: £781.20.

Now compare that to the container shipping price:

(For all of you that don't know, there was a shipping crash in Japan in January 2004, which meant there was a backlog of cars waiting to be exported so they stopped the RO/RO service and just used container shipping to the UK)

Cheapest MR2 container shipping invoice to Liverpool was:

Container shipment: £640.00
Clearence at port: £80.00
Duty: £134.66
VAT: £284.70

Total: £1,139.56

So I was just interest how thats the minimum you've paid. Surely your first white MR2 was container shipped as the RO/RO service has just not been long put back into operation!