apples24

iTrader: (1)

ok seing more and more cars being imported, so there must be money to be made, not lookin to do loads just maybe a couple here and there, i have lots of spare cash so wonderin if anyone can tell me what to do where to do etc, charges? what sort of profits can be made? how ya go bout getting one and bringing it over etc? basicly i know fek all so any help apreciated.

Not lookin at just scoobs, any models to avoid?
up to £20k to start with

chrisp

Its all about contacts in the import business and doing all the paperwork and running round, you need good guys in Japan to buy the right cars or fly out there and select them at the right price and finding transporters to bring them across and then guys over here to get them through the SVAs/MOTs and dealing wioth customs and at the end of the day you may end up with a car you cant sell at a profit . You may have to offer a warranty/service/books etc etc. Not worth the effort unless you want to set up a full time import company (of which a few have gone out of business due to bigger players) but there are few about and the bigger they are the more they can probably under cut you.

I know its not a very positive post but IMHO dabbling at it aint gonna make you much money and get the wrong car and could end up costing you.

Euro imports as you can see from the TV/Net there are loads and these guys buy in bulk and get discounts so their cars cost less than you can buy them for and they have bigger selections and colours/specs.

Cheers

ChrisP

dhorwich

Here is some info i got from a site about an MR2 turbo, but the info relates to most imports..

Importing from Dublin

An increasingly popular way of saving money when buying an imported car is to travel to Dublin, and buy a car there direct from an Auction, and then importing the car personally back into the UK. This has the big disadvantage of 'buying before trying' 'sight unseen' is that you do not know the mechanical state of the car before you arrive to drive it back to the UK, and some cars arriving at Dublin docks are in a poor state.

The following information has come from Tony Goose who bought his own car via this route :



I am looking at buying a MR2 turbo from Ireland but was thinking about just going across on the ferry and looking around Dublin for one. Can you help me by giving me any info on what I need to do to register the car? I have been told that if I don't have all the correct documents when I try to register it in the UK they will refuse and I don't want to be stuck with a car I cant register.

OK. You'll need...

1) Japanese de-registration form showing the original reg date etc.
2) English translation of above.
3) Customs C88 (SAD) form to prove car is in free EU circulation and duty / tax is paid.
4) Invoice from wherever you buy it.
5) Proof you owned / used it abroad - Hotel bill, credit card slips etc.
Basically some dated receipt with your signature.
Think that's about it. Probably the best help i can give is to tell you what i did ...
Chose a car.
Dealer got temporary reg (ZZ plate) to cover me driving it in Ireland. Takes a few days and i had to send him my drivers licence. This costs about 150 quid for the month including 3rd party insurance. Contrary to popular belief this ZZ reg ISN'T valid in the UK - Not even temporarily.

Got a cover note from my insurance co. using chassis no. Then went and got it. Flew out to Dublin, stayed overnight and drove down through Ireland and used the fishguard/rosslare ferry.
When you arrive in the UK, you're driving unregistered but the law allows you to travel home. Technically you should keep the car off road until registered but i have no driveway so worked on the assumption a local traffic warden would think they were just foreign plates and leave alone.
Seemed to work )

Now the tricky bit. Assuming the car is over 3 years old, you just need an mot to be able to get registered. Rear fog light + clear front sidelights
should take care of that. Don't need to change kph speedo at the moment but that might change in the future.

Under 3 years old and the car needs an SVA (type approval) test which costs 160quid and is pretty thorough. Only available at certain Ministry of Transport test centres and they check tons of stuff - i have a copy of the testers manual ..

Once over this hurdle, take all your paperwork (and the car) to your local registration office. They'll give you some forms - can't recall the official nos. but one is a declaration that you won't be reclaiming VAT paid when the car was imported into the EU (in Ireland), another is a 'personal import' declaration and finally the actual reg form. To qualify as a 'personal import' you have to satisfy them that (a) you owned and used the car abroad, (b) are importing it for your / your dependents personal use and (c) you're not planning on quitting the country in the next 12 months.

Item (a) is the tricky bit. I had ferry/plane tickets, petrol receipts (paid cash) but this wasn't enough. Fortunately I'd picked up some guinness, ketchup and crisps at a supermarket and paid with a card. My signed visa receipt was what swung it for me ) I'd advise buying everything with a card while there for this reason.

Hand all this paperwork over along with payment for roadtax (6 or 12 month) plus reg fee (35quid if memory serves) and they SHOULD dish out your reg no. May (or may not) want to check the VIN plate on your car to confirm details on paperwork.

There's a leaflet your local reg office should have called 'PI3' . It's quite a good description of all this process. Also look at the D.O.T. web site ... http://www.roads.detr.gov.uk/vehicle/index.htm I haven't checked this lately so may have to trawl back a few months ...
Similar info was at ... http://www.detr.gov.uk/vehicle.htm
also how much does it cost to change the side lights add a fog lamp etc?? I did all this myself. Just bought new front lenses which were about 25quid a side and rewired the rear clusters to incorporate fog lamps the same as uk cars. Most imports just have one of those tacky rectangular fog lamps bolted under the bumper and that's sufficient. A small point but you MUST have a warning lamp visible while driving when the fog lamp is on - it's in the MOT ... Having said that, i've seen imports with no warning lamp for the fog lamp and even cars still with the orange side lights at the front.

Dan

MattN

that info is a bit out of date.

Basically buying from Ireland is a mugs game. Why? Well if I wanted a Japanese import I'd go to Japan not Ireland. Also most cars (not all) that go that way aren't too good anyway.

Find a buyer in Japan, who has a set fee. Make sure than can send you auction details and details of the cars you want.

What it's sometimes worth doing though is getting thm to pick the cars as they know how much interest there is in a certain car. It may not be what you want but it could be a bargain.

For example I was after an RX7 but couldn't find a good one in budget, my buyer said there was a really good FTO kicking about that was highish miles for the year but looked smart enough, got it for a good couple thousand less. Once it was here it was considered avergae miles, good condition.

There are too many people importing 'a few' cars as a way of making a bit of extra cash to make it a really worth while business and without massive investment it won't make you a great deal of money.

I see you sell a few casr anyway so you've probably got a few contacts here anyway to sort the servicing conversions etc.

I can help with the japan side of things if you so wish.

Mail me for more info.

Matt