Transporting your car to Oz - everything you need to know!

[Iron Chef]

Hi.

Does anyone know if I can get a Subscription for my Cobra Tracker in Perth or should I remove it in the UK and have a Aus one fitted in Perth.

Thanks in advance

 

I'd be erring on the side of selling it. Corbratrak aren't in Oz (not that I can see from a 10 sec Google at least), and chances are the unit may not be compatible with Australian GSM frequencies either. Aussie units (and phones for that matter) tend to run stronger transmission outputs to cope with greater distances between towers.

[Guest shaunoss]

It was true but unfortunately the "15 year old rule" was replaced quite a few years ago with a "Pre-1989 Scheme" so now this exemption only applies to vehicles built in 1988 or earlier. The only way you will import either this M3 or that Aston Martin will be if you have owned and used it yourself in the UK before moving to live in Australia.

 

Sorry for the bad news!

 

Craig Moor

Iron Lady Imports

 

Ok. Thats a bit depressing as i dont think i can stay in the uk until Oct 26th 2013.

 

So if thats the case, can I buy ant pre '89 registered car any time now, for export in May 2013?

 

Also, I have a collectible and extremely rare 1982 Kawasaki LTD1000 motorcycle, which i have owned for over a year, which i only use on sunny days. Consequently, i've ridden it for a grand total of 12 miles since I bought it! Sunny days in the UK are rarer than my Bike. Can I bring both the Bike and a pre '89 car as well?

[Iron Chef]

Ok. Thats a bit depressing as i dont think i can stay in the uk until Oct 26th 2013.

 

So if thats the case, can I buy ant pre '89 registered car any time now, for export in May 2013?

 

Also, I have a collectible and extremely rare 1982 Kawasaki LTD1000 motorcycle, which i have owned for over a year, which i only use on sunny days. Consequently, i've ridden it for a grand total of 12 miles since I bought it! Sunny days in the UK are rarer than my Bike. Can I bring both the Bike and a pre '89 car as well?

 

I'm drooooooooooling over the bike! Yes you can bring it and still bring another pre-1989 car in. For more info, clicky...

 

http://ironladyimports.com/otherschemes/

[Guest Guest67761]

Ok. Thats a bit depressing as i dont think i can stay in the uk until Oct 26th 2013.

 

So if thats the case, can I buy ant pre '89 registered car any time now, for export in May 2013?

 

Also, I have a collectible and extremely rare 1982 Kawasaki LTD1000 motorcycle, which i have owned for over a year, which i only use on sunny days. Consequently, i've ridden it for a grand total of 12 miles since I bought it! Sunny days in the UK are rarer than my Bike. Can I bring both the Bike and a pre '89 car as well?

 

Anything built in 1988 or earlier can be imported to Australia almost without restriction including motorcycles. The only limits on these older models is for vehicles which have been extensively modified in ways that are not in keeping with the era of the vehicle. Basically most vehicles will be fine unless you have a 1970's car with all new 2010 running gear fitted or something like that. If you are unsure then please feel free to send us details and photos and I will be able to advise further.

 

There are no limits on the number of Pre-1989 vehicles that you can import, so in theory you could bring 50 vehicle with you under this scheme.

[paulr4189]

Hi, my wife and i are coming down to Oz (Sydney) as soon as the 457 visa is completed and she wants to bring her 2010 VW Beetle cabriolet. She's owned it since new and it's top of the range with every possible option added at manufacture and is in perfect condition with less than 15,000km so seems a wise choice to bring down and maybe we'll get to go topless. can you elaborate on the taxes payable etc.

 

Reading page 1 of this thread it sounds like they will calculate taxes on the customs value and not the original purchase price - is this correct? and is the 22% depreciation plus 20% import reduction a good ball park to get rough costs or has it changed since you posted that?

 

Trying to find out all info is a bloody nightmare as we have to deal with different Aussie government departments so any help/advice/likely costs so in no particular order

1) Speaking to quarentine department they say approx $300 for quarentine/biosecurity check - is this correct?

2) Regards vehicle compliance is there much to be done (it does not have air-con) as the steering wheel is on the same side and has had no modification? any idea on costs?

3) Looking at NSW registration department i see $461 for registration for it's weight - is this a one off charge or annual? and is there any other costs for registration ignoring need to change our UK licences within 3 months

4) Do we have to pay stamp duty and if so how much?

 

Ignoring transport costs, import application costs and customs & GST am I missing anything out?

 

Thanks for any help you can give

[Hazelcrest]

I have shipped my car with my container of household goods. Not sure if this was a wise move as the shipper PPS though seemed to know what they were doing the agent used to deal with the car clearance have been no help & I now have missing documents request by my shipper (Approval to Import a Vehicle in the UK now are req hereto get it over the pits for approval. The car is now at my house & I cannot use it - unlicenced untested & no plates. Everyone of my Australian Agents I thought would give me guidance know nothing (only customs clearance taking a big cut in fees etc). I thought they would be taking me through the process - instead I have missing documents (Originals needed) . I wasted a 48 hour permit because of this & its likely I will waste alot more. You can see the steps about importing on the internet & I am upt step 7 out of 8. I paid tax via the shipping company then additional fees of $844 for the agent dealing with custom clearance of the car - not sure what for. Then I paid $550 for steam cleaning & $138 fees . They have done nothing in sorting ot testing movement pit inspections etc I am stuck until either Canberra can produce some originals again or PSS.

[Hazelcrest]

Oh you have to pay a valuer to value your car when it arrives the you pay import tax on the value. You may not have to pay stampduty when you have paid for inspection & passed if you have you proof of ownership logbook from the UK. If not you have to pay stamp duty & you need to have owned it longer that 2years I think otherwise you will be taxed again. I have not got that far yet. My advise to you is if you can sell it without much loss dont even think about it - sell it.

[Iron Chef]

Hi, my wife and i are coming down to Oz (Sydney) as soon as the 457 visa is completed and she wants to bring her 2010 VW Beetle cabriolet. She's owned it since new and it's top of the range with every possible option added at manufacture and is in perfect condition with less than 15,000km so seems a wise choice to bring down and maybe we'll get to go topless. can you elaborate on the taxes payable etc.

 

Reading page 1 of this thread it sounds like they will calculate taxes on the customs value and not the original purchase price - is this correct? and is the 22% depreciation plus 20% import reduction a good ball park to get rough costs or has it changed since you posted that?

 

Trying to find out all info is a bloody nightmare as we have to deal with different Aussie government departments so any help/advice/likely costs so in no particular order

1) Speaking to quarentine department they say approx $300 for quarentine/biosecurity check - is this correct?

2) Regards vehicle compliance is there much to be done (it does not have air-con) as the steering wheel is on the same side and has had no modification? any idea on costs?

3) Looking at NSW registration department i see $461 for registration for it's weight - is this a one off charge or annual? and is there any other costs for registration ignoring need to change our UK licences within 3 months

4) Do we have to pay stamp duty and if so how much?

 

Ignoring transport costs, import application costs and customs & GST am I missing anything out?

 

Thanks for any help you can give

 

Hi Paul, most of the questions you've asked are all in here in the first post, but also check our website (in my signature below) for more information, explained as simply as possible. If you send us through the details of your car via the contact form we can give you a full breakdown of the costs you can expect. Definitely looking into getting aircon fitted in the UK, you'd be mad not to have it over here, and it will undoubtedly cost much more to fit in Oz.

 

I have shipped my car with my container of household goods. Not sure if this was a wise move as the shipper PPS though seemed to know what they were doing the agent used to deal with the car clearance have been no help & I now have missing documents request by my shipper (Approval to Import a Vehicle in the UK now are req hereto get it over the pits for approval. The car is now at my house & I cannot use it - unlicenced untested & no plates. Everyone of my Australian Agents I thought would give me guidance know nothing (only customs clearance taking a big cut in fees etc). I thought they would be taking me through the process - instead I have missing documents (Originals needed) . I wasted a 48 hour permit because of this & its likely I will waste alot more. You can see the steps about importing on the internet & I am upt step 7 out of 8. I paid tax via the shipping company then additional fees of $844 for the agent dealing with custom clearance of the car - not sure what for. Then I paid $550 for steam cleaning & $138 fees . They have done nothing in sorting ot testing movement pit inspections etc I am stuck until either Canberra can produce some originals again or PSS.

 

Ok you need to be clear on what you've paid for, and what you get for your money. You've paid PSS to ship the car and your personal effects. You've paid the customs agent at this end to clear the vehicle (and your personal effects) off the wharf. In amongst your charges, you would've paid the customs broker something like $250 to do this job (sometimes less) which is very little in the scheme of things. The rest of your $844 would probably have been in various dock charges which are applied to every car and container arriving in Australia.

 

Either way, their job is to clear it off the wharf, after that their work is done and you're expected to do everything else on your own. Sorry if it sounds like I'm being blunt, but if it was an easy process to get your car registered, our company wouldn't exist.

 

Did you apply for your import approval using an overseas address? If so, you will have only got copies of your import approval rather than originals. You will need to contact Vehicle Imports to ask for your original import approvals to be sent to an Australian address. I should warn you that you will probably be waiting until somewhere around the second week of January before you see them in your post box.

 

Oh you have to pay a valuer to value your car when it arrives the you pay import tax on the value. You may not have to pay stampduty when you have paid for inspection & passed if you have you proof of ownership logbook from the UK. If not you have to pay stamp duty & you need to have owned it longer that 2years I think otherwise you will be taxed again. I have not got that far yet. My advise to you is if you can sell it without much loss dont even think about it - sell it.

 

Valuations are generally worth the money because they will save you a whole lot more than they cost. Unless the car is particularly cheap, we advise getting valuations done on all our vehicles. You have to pay stamp duty on anything valued at more than AUD1000, regardless of how long you've owned it.

 

The process is relatively straightforward if you really know your stuff (or get help from us or someone else), but there are many traps for young players, that can be both costly and frustrating.

 

I was considering taking my range rover, but having had this quote, i have changed my mind.

 

Importing isn't always a cheap exercise (especially for more expensive late-model 4WDs) but in most cases if you take those costs and add it to the expected value of selling the car in the UK, it still works out cheaper than buying the equivalent car in Australia. We often have people come back to us, having initially been turned away by the costs, after trying to sell their cars in the UK and finding they don't get the price they expected. Also remember that many of the on-road costs (like state stamp duty and registration costs) are paid on any car you buy, imported or locally sourced.

[macduff mike]

 

Hi there, looking at moving to Brisbane and have the following vehicles i would like to take accross.

1/ Audi a4 1.9tdi (130bhp) 2001 with 140,000 miles # UK value £2000

2/ Ford Focus RS 2002 model with 15,000 miles # UK value £9000

3/ Honda CRV 2.2 EX (Deisel) 2012 with 5000 miles # UK value £22,000

4/ Motor bike = BMW K1300S with 8000 miles,2011 model ~UK value £8000

I would hopefully at least take the bike,audi and focus but would appreciate all help

Thanks in advance

 

Mike

 

[Iron Chef]

Hi there, looking at moving to Brisbane and have the following vehicles i would like to take accross.

1/ Audi a4 1.9tdi (130bhp) 2001 with 140,000 miles # UK value £2000

2/ Ford Focus RS 2002 model with 15,000 miles # UK value £9000

3/ Honda CRV 2.2 EX (Deisel) 2012 with 5000 miles # UK value £22,000

4/ Motor bike = BMW K1300S with 8000 miles,2011 model ~UK value £8000

I would hopefully at least take the bike,audi and focus but would appreciate all help

Thanks in advance

 

Mike

 

 

 

Hi Mike,

 

Bearing in mind that you can only import one vehicle under the personal import scheme, I would choose the Focus RS from a financial perspective. The bike may possibly be allowed to come in under a different scheme, but it would be hard work.

[Guest shaunoss]

 

 

Sorry for not getting back to you, Christmas got in the way!

 

Thanks for your help so far, even though you've not given me much good news! I would like a quote for getting the M3 into Perth at the end of October, which is the earliest I can export, as we have to work out whether it is worth me staying in the Uk for the extra 4 months for the car to qualify. You are already quoting my partner (Sheryl 2007 BMW 325d tourer), and we may decide to sell one of them. My car is a 2003 BMW M3 e46 convertible in black with black leather and climate control. If you need further info on either car please let me know.

 

Also, I need info on the 1982 Kawasaki Z1000, like: do we crate that and put it in with the furniture? We haven't appointed a shipping company yet, but we are having meetings with companies over the next 2 weeks. Will the shipping company handle the import paperwork, or just transport it, and hand it over to you?

 

Thanks for your help, Shaun.

 

[macduff mike]

Hi Mike,

 

Bearing in mind that you can only import one vehicle under the personal import scheme, I would choose the Focus RS from a financial perspective. The bike may possibly be allowed to come in under a different scheme, but it would be hard work.

 

Thanks for the reply bud,

Based on answer would you be able to quote on the focus and the bike to help me make my mind up,

Looks like it will be an April move to Brisbane

 

Thanks again for the help

Mike

[Iron Chef]

 

Sorry for not getting back to you, Christmas got in the way!

 

Thanks for your help so far, even though you've not given me much good news! I would like a quote for getting the M3 into Perth at the end of October, which is the earliest I can export, as we have to work out whether it is worth me staying in the Uk for the extra 4 months for the car to qualify. You are already quoting my partner (Sheryl 2007 BMW 325d tourer), and we may decide to sell one of them. My car is a 2003 BMW M3 e46 convertible in black with black leather and climate control. If you need further info on either car please let me know.

 

Also, I need info on the 1982 Kawasaki Z1000, like: do we crate that and put it in with the furniture? We haven't appointed a shipping company yet, but we are having meetings with companies over the next 2 weeks. Will the shipping company handle the import paperwork, or just transport it, and hand it over to you?

 

Thanks for your help, Shaun.

 

 

 

Hi Shaun, yeah the Christmas/NY break has slowed things down a little bit here too! Mind you, we've had 14 cars land in Australia over the break, so there's not much rest for the wicked!

 

If you shoot through the details via the form on the website I'll have a look so you can compare the two. It probably depends on the mileage on the M3 more than anything.

 

Putting the bike in with your personal effects should be fairly straightforward. We can do the import approval or you can do it yourself, but either way we can pick it up once your removal company has cleared the container with all your gear at this end. It's less dramas if they handle the clearance side of things if personal effects are involved.

 

 

Thanks for the reply bud,

Based on answer would you be able to quote on the focus and the bike to help me make my mind up,

Looks like it will be an April move to Brisbane

 

Thanks again for the help

Mike

 

Hi Mike, just jump on the website and shoot through all your details on the quote form, we'll get you sorted.

[Dreamers]

Hi,

does anyone know what an, "Entry for Home Consumption" form is, and do we need this to take our van?

Thank You.

[macduff mike]

Thanks again, just one more question before i go through your website(please dont laugh)

Would it be viable to import a caravan to Aus(2009 fixed bed Bailley Wyoming)

Cheers

 

Mike

[Iron Chef]

Hi,

does anyone know what an, "Entry for Home Consumption" form is, and do we need this to take our van?

Thank You.

 

It's a form that is filled out when bringing taxable good into Australia - in most cases, the customs broker will handle that side of things.

 

See here for more info:

 

http://www.ato.gov.au/businesses/content.aspx?doc=/content/57709.htm&page=14&H14

 

Thanks again, just one more question before i go through your website(please dont laugh)

Would it be viable to import a caravan to Aus(2009 fixed bed Bailley Wyoming)

Cheers

 

Mike

 

Hi Mike, bear in mind that shipping is calculated on volume, so don't be surprised if you end up with a GBP4-5000 shipping bill for it, which kid of dents the appeal. If the door is on the right side of the vehicle, then it's not worth it as you would need to get a rear or left side opening door fitted.

[Redrover]

Hi, firstly great thread! Secondly I know you need to have owned your car for a year before importing to avoid commercial charges, but for a car bought from new would that be measured from when you first ordered it or when it was delivered and registered in your name? Unfortunately I suspect the latter...

[Guest Guest67761]

Hi, firstly great thread! Secondly I know you need to have owned your car for a year before importing to avoid commercial charges, but for a car bought from new would that be measured from when you first ordered it or when it was delivered and registered in your name? Unfortunately I suspect the latter...

 

The qualifying period of ownership should start from the date that the vehicle is first registered in your name and available for you to legally drive.

 

It's worth noting that if you don't meet these criteria for the Personal Import Scheme then you are not just subject to extra costs, it's more likely that the car would simply not be allowed for import to Australia unless if happens to meet the criteria under other laws which is unlikely for most models. If you do meet the criteria and import a car under the Personal Import Scheme then you will need to pay the same import duty and taxes as if you were importing a car any other way, the main different in cost is that the value of the vehicle is done by independent valuation rather than purchase price and there are slightly less Australian compliance regulations to meet prior to road registration.

 

Regards,

 

Craig Moor

Iron Lady Imports

[greido]

Hi,

 

This is an excellent thread, I've been looking for some of this info for a while, so thanks very much for all your posts.

My girlfriend is an Aussie and we plan to move to Oz within the next year or two and we'll both be taking our cars across, I have a 2008 BMW X5 and my girlfriend is about to buy another car so I wondered what sort of thing you thought might be good to make the most of the opportunity to make some cash? - I get the impression that the more she spends on a car, the more she'll gain when the time comes to sell in a few years back in Brisbane or Sydney.

We're thinking of something along the lines of a Nissan 370z or do you think it'd be more beneficial to spend some more cash and maybe get a BMW M3, Porsche 911 or Nissan GT-R? - All would be second hand.

We basically want to make some cash on re-sale, whilst having a good car to have a bit of fun with over the next few years. A classic may be an option too, is there anything you can think of that may be in high demand in Oz?

 

 

Thanks in advance,

 

G

[Guest Guest67761]

Hi,

 

This is an excellent thread, I've been looking for some of this info for a while, so thanks very much for all your posts.

My girlfriend is an Aussie and we plan to move to Oz within the next year or two and we'll both be taking our cars across, I have a 2008 BMW X5 and my girlfriend is about to buy another car so I wondered what sort of thing you thought might be good to make the most of the opportunity to make some cash? - I get the impression that the more she spends on a car, the more she'll gain when the time comes to sell in a few years back in Brisbane or Sydney.

We're thinking of something along the lines of a Nissan 370z or do you think it'd be more beneficial to spend some more cash and maybe get a BMW M3, Porsche 911 or Nissan GT-R? - All would be second hand.

We basically want to make some cash on re-sale, whilst having a good car to have a bit of fun with over the next few years. A classic may be an option too, is there anything you can think of that may be in high demand in Oz?

 

 

Thanks in advance,

 

G

 

Classic cars can always be imported to Australia under the 'Pre-1989' laws which allow anything built in 1988 or older to be imported regardless of make or model. By having the ability to own the car for 12 months before moving to Australia you can take advantage of the Personal Import Scheme which allows newer model to be imported which would otherwise not normally be allowed. The models you have suggested would all be excellent options and you are correct to a point that the more you spend the more you get back.

There are a few general rules I would stick to when considering vehicles although there are always exceptions to these rules too. If you are looking for an easy resale in Australia I would look at cars which are between 3 and 10 years old and of the same specification to what was available in Australia at the same time. Generally speaking European sports and luxury models are the best options but some Japanese vehicles are also worth considering.

Try looking at the UK purchase price compared to the Australian market value. Of course you need to allow for the importing and on-road costs in Australia which will differ for each vehicle and unfortunately there is no easy way to calculate this but as a basic starting point you could look at the simple ratio between purchase and possible resale values to get an idea of the better options.

 

I hope this helps give you a little bit of an idea to get started. We are happy to help with more information when you narrow the search to a couple of models. Just send us links to the website where the car is for sale and/or all of the vehicle details and we will let you know what we think.

 

Cheers,

 

Craig Moor

Iron Lady Imports

[greido]

Classic cars can always be imported to Australia under the 'Pre-1989' laws which allow anything built in 1988 or older to be imported regardless of make or model. By having the ability to own the car for 12 months before moving to Australia you can take advantage of the Personal Import Scheme which allows newer model to be imported which would otherwise not normally be allowed. The models you have suggested would all be excellent options and you are correct to a point that the more you spend the more you get back.

There are a few general rules I would stick to when considering vehicles although there are always exceptions to these rules too. If you are looking for an easy resale in Australia I would look at cars which are between 3 and 10 years old and of the same specification to what was available in Australia at the same time. Generally speaking European sports and luxury models are the best options but some Japanese vehicles are also worth considering.

Try looking at the UK purchase price compared to the Australian market value. Of course you need to allow for the importing and on-road costs in Australia which will differ for each vehicle and unfortunately there is no easy way to calculate this but as a basic starting point you could look at the simple ratio between purchase and possible resale values to get an idea of the better options.

 

I hope this helps give you a little bit of an idea to get started. We are happy to help with more information when you narrow the search to a couple of models. Just send us links to the website where the car is for sale and/or all of the vehicle details and we will let you know what we think.

 

Cheers,

 

Craig Moor

Iron Lady Imports

 

 

Thanks very much a Craig, it's much appreciated.

 

G

[peter bull]

Hi

 

Ive recently had a quote from yourselves regarding our mitsubishi warrior, ill be coming over in july with my partner and kids to follow 3 months later the vehicle is registered in the missuss name and will qualify for the 12 month period in june. When can we ship it over when the visa is granted, when i leave or do i have to wait for the missus to come over ?

 

Regards

 

 

Pete

[Guest shaunoss]

Hi Shaun, yeah the Christmas/NY break has slowed things down a little bit here too! Mind you, we've had 14 cars land in Australia over the break, so there's not much rest for the wicked!

 

If you shoot through the details via the form on the website I'll have a look so you can compare the two. It probably depends on the mileage on the M3 more than anything.

 

Putting the bike in with your personal effects should be fairly straightforward. We can do the import approval or you can do it yourself, but either way we can pick it up once your removal company has cleared the container with all your gear at this end. It's less dramas if they handle the clearance side of things if personal effects are involved.

 

Hi Craig, I did as you requested, and sent you the details for the M3 on your website. I think! Could you confirm whether or not you have the details. If not, i'll try again.

 

We have had the removal companies in for quotes this week, and think we will be putting the Bike in the container, but will confirm later, and it will be going around june or july.

 

Regards, Shaun.

[Guest Guest67761]

Hi

 

Ive recently had a quote from yourselves regarding our mitsubishi warrior, ill be coming over in july with my partner and kids to follow 3 months later the vehicle is registered in the missuss name and will qualify for the 12 month period in june. When can we ship it over when the visa is granted, when i leave or do i have to wait for the missus to come over ?

 

Regards

 

 

Pete

 

Hi Pete,

 

You can ship the vehicle as soon as you have the Australian vehicle import approval. This usually takes around 3 weeks to get however in order for that to be processed they will need verification of your Australian visa, so in reality you should be able to look at booking the shipping for the vehicle around 3-4 weeks after getting your visa confirmation.

 

If you wanted to get started with the process of preparing the Australian vehicle import approval application so it's ready to go as soon as the visa comes through then feel free to email me at craig@ironladyimports.com and I will reply with information and paperwork required to get started.

 

Regards,

 

Craig Moor

Iron Lady Imports

[Craig Davis]

Hi Iron Chef

 

I have a year 2000 Renault Sport Clio 172 in Yellow, only 31 registered in the uk, however ive modified it. It's now supercharged, forged engine, exhaust, coilovers, brembo 4pot calipers etc & 320bhp. Me & my fiancé are looking into moving out to Sydney, id want to bring my car as its my pride & joy & I've spent that much on it I couldn't bring myself to sell it. However where do I stand with it being modified? & what would the cost entail?

 

We also have a 2007 Renault Sport Clio 197 with only 30k miles on it, would it be worth bringing that as I've heard off a few lads from Sydney via cliosport forum (uk based) that renault sports are expensive 2nd hand?

 

If its worth while bringing the 197 is there an option to bring them both together in one container? Or other options? The cheapest option ideally.

 

Any help would be great.

 

Kind regards

 

Craig