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darren_mk

Cost for importing a UK car

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Hi,

I own a B3S back in the UK, http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/bmw/alpina/2003-bmw-alpina-b3s-touring/2662050?isexperiment=true and if it dosent sell before the uk winter i will consider bringing it over here. Has anyone done this recently to give me some idea of costs involved with shipping and import duty? I have heard the car needs to be totally drained of every fluid etc... to be imported, is this true?

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Drained of fluids? Maybe if you are airfreighting it.... Most people use roll on roll off car freighters - have a search of the site, this question has been raised a couple of times recently.

In your situation, you may not need to pay GST and the frontal crash & emissions regulations might not be applicable - but i'm not sure.

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no idea of cost sorry but cool car!!!!!!

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I have just brought both of my cars from the UK. I know eveything you need to know. pm me.

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The petrol tank needs to be completely drained. Not all fluids. If you have owned the car for 12 months or more in the UK then you don't need to pay GST. Expect around £1,500 for shipping via container (recommended if you want to minimise chances of damage) plus £300-£400 agents' fees in the UK and NZ. Compliance is $500 plus any repairs required. Take those costs and add on around 10% for miscellaneous costs which I guarantee you will arise! Oh and marine insurance which depends on value of course but bargain on around £250.

Edited by RobD

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The petrol tank needs to be completely drained. Not all fluids. If you have owned the car for 12 months or more in the UK then you don't need to pay GST. Expect around £1,500 for shipping via container (recommended if you want to minimise chances of damage) plus £300-£400 agents' fees in the UK and NZ. Compliance is $500 plus any repairs required. Take those costs and add on around 10% for miscellaneous costs which I guarantee you will arise! Oh and marine insurance which depends on value of course but bargain on around £250.

No...no and no. This is all not true.

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I just imported a car from the UK in October. It is entirely accurate. What is your basis for claiming it isn't true?

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We need more cars like this in NZ! Bring it over man, even if you end up selling it I'd be fairly confident you'll make back the cost of importing it.

Mmmmmm, Alpina

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I was not asked to drain any of my fluids (petrol had to be below 1/4). Insurance was included to the NZ agent depot. NZD3k per car - two in one 40ft container. No UK agents fees. GST was prorata to 8% as I had owned one of them for only 6 months. NZD500 compliance plus first rego costs. No other costs.

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Darren, the first thing you need to find out is whether your car can be complied when it arrives in NZ. Being a 2003 Alpina I think it might struggle to meet the emissions requirements.

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Darren, the first thing you need to find out is whether your car can be complied when it arrives in NZ. Being a 2003 Alpina I think it might struggle to meet the emissions requirements.

Would the rare or collectible rule apply? Doesn't that get around some of the emissions requirements?

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That would definetley get a 2nd, 4th, 8th look as it drove past.

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might be able to get it in under SIV if it doesnt comply, but you'd be lucky.

Needs to meet this criteria


To have a vehicle identified as a special interest vehicle, the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) must deem it to have historic value or it must meet three of the following four requirements:

  • The vehicle (or its make, model and submodel) is identified as being a collector's item in one of the following magazines or their respective websites – Australian classic car, Car and driver (US), Automobile (US), Motor (Australia), Motor trend (US), New Zealand autocar, New Zealand classic car, Road and track (US), Top gear (UK), Top gear NZ,Unique cars (Australia) or Wheels (Australia).
  • The vehicle's make and model has been (or was) manufactured in annual volumes of 20,000 units or less.
  • The vehicle is, and was manufactured as, a two-door coupe or a convertible.
  • The vehicle is, and was manufactured as, a high-performance vehicle.
Edited by KwS

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Plus all the SIV permits have been issued since ages ago, only so many cars per year...

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Flip - what a load of hassle its going to be as its 2003.

Lets hope it sells back in the UK......

Thanks for the replies.

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Plus all the SIV permits have been issued since ages ago, only so many cars per year...

Where do you find this info from as a mate is trying to bring something in? He was told it is only 200 cars per year but they won't tell him anything until you pay the application fee? Anyone know when the new allocation of 200 comes due again - day / month ?

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I work closely with the NZTA / LTSA, or whatever they are called this week, often around compliance issues and bringing cars into the country. Conversations often wander a little off topic.

The figure of 200 is exactly what I was told, but I'm not sure when the quota is reset, however I did hear that all the SIVs were "used up for this year" which would suggest there will be a queue of people into next year.

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Correct if I am wrong but if it is a personal car that you have owned for longer than 12 months it doesn't have to meet emissions, impact laws and GST. Id give these guys are call as they could tell you http://www.mmnz.biz

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The petrol tank needs to be completely drained. Not all fluids. If you have owned the car for 12 months or more in the UK then you don't need to pay GST. Expect around £1,500 for shipping via container (recommended if you want to minimise chances of damage) plus £300-£400 agents' fees in the UK and NZ. Compliance is $500 plus any repairs required. Take those costs and add on around 10% for miscellaneous costs which I guarantee you will arise! Oh and marine insurance which depends on value of course but bargain on around £250.

Costs are a pretty high there mate. That might be what hes referring to.

If you are immigrating here, its pretty straight forward, there's separate rules around immigrant vehicles.

No to draining it, just make sure its low on fuel, Just have to pay GST on purchase price plus shipping.

Depending on how they calculate a GST rate on immigrant vehicles, you would be looking around 5200 NZD to get it here inc GST.

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Where do you find this info from as a mate is trying to bring something in? He was told it is only 200 cars per year but they won't tell him anything until you pay the application fee? Anyone know when the new allocation of 200 comes due again - day / month ?

They have gone, there is a number you can call on the top of the application form they will tell you the same, they went in March.

Good news is another 200 will be up at the start of the 15 year. You do need to OWN the car, and really have to have it in NZ for the process to work, as the SIV is pretty particular to the car, and there are tight time frames around getting them on the road. If you don't comply with the time frames your SIV goes back into the pool.

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Correct if I am wrong but if it is a personal car that you have owned for longer than 12 months it doesn't have to meet emissions, impact laws and GST. Id give these guys are call as they could tell you http://www.mmnz.biz

It's all on the NZTA web-site if you can work out how to find things on there. The only trouble with going down that route is that the car has to be flagged as an "Immigrant Vehicle" on the register and it will stay listed as such forever - not sure what that would do for the resale value could put off potential buyers, which is why I avoided it. Not sure of the full process to go down that channel either.

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Chris Harris ( the motoring journalist ) has just tweeted about your car, saying it was a honey when he had it as a long term press car. Should drive a few views to your sale ad.

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Check out the guy in the twitter comments wanking on about how much the headgasket will cost to do when it "inevitably fails".... O_o

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Check out the guy in the twitter comments wanking on about how much the headgasket will cost to do when it "inevitably fails".... O_o

Much like youtube comments, I tend to stay away from twitter commentary.

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