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

[Guest Guest67761]

Hi i had my car over the pits today and then sent the paper work to Vic to get my plate, how long does it normally take to get this back??

 

Assuming there are no issues then it should take anything from around 3 to 10 days to get the compliance plate back.

 

Regards,

 

Craig Moor

Iron Lady Imports

[Brenda Bonner]

Perfect thanks they told me it would take a few weeks!!

[Gman972]

I have one major concern and if anyone could fill me in would be great. I am looking at important in gym car back to aus and after reading through the guidelines and protocols it states that permanent residency must be retaken. As I immigrated to uk from aus originally now go back the other way... If going back to aus doesn't not work out for me as hoped and I decide to come back to the uk is this going to forfeit any rights I have or make me illegible??

 

Any advice or opinions would be greatly appreciated guys

Thanks

[purplepiglets]

hi i am considering importing a 2008 mercedes benz cls 320 or bmw 520 both diesel i previously owned them back home but not here can i buy and import it for strictly personal use it will never be resold please so helpful if i got some info on how much it would cost

[Iron Chef]

Hi guys, sorry for the slow replies - a combo of summer holidays, houses being bought and sold, lots of new work and so on!

 

I have one major concern and if anyone could fill me in would be great. I am looking at important in gym car back to aus and after reading through the guidelines and protocols it states that permanent residency must be retaken. As I immigrated to uk from aus originally now go back the other way... If going back to aus doesn't not work out for me as hoped and I decide to come back to the uk is this going to forfeit any rights I have or make me illegible??

 

Any advice or opinions would be greatly appreciated guys

Thanks

 

As long as you're coming here on a visa that isn't temporary (ie tourist, student or working holiday) you should be fine to bring the car in. Once you have the import approval, it doesn't really matter if, for example, you decide to pack up and head back to the UK.

 

hi i am considering importing a 2008 mercedes benz cls 320 or bmw 520 both diesel i previously owned them back home but not here can i buy and import it for strictly personal use it will never be resold please so helpful if i got some info on how much it would cost

 

Hi there, I think I saw an email from you come in as well? If you're already living in Australia, you've missed your chance to bring something in as a personal import, sadly. You would have needed to do it when you were leaving the UK.

[pablo]

Just bumping the thread up for a girl called JTA,looking for advice on a merc

[Deviner]

Hi - first time poster here but very curious about something and I don't think it's been directly answered on this thread as of yet (there's been a few similar questions).

 

I arrived in Oz on a WHV and I went onto a 2nd WHV and now, after about 20 months, I have gotten PR.

 

I want to bring my car over but the 6 month thing is confusing me.

 

Applications may be made before you arrive in Australia if you have already met the qualifications of the option under which you are applying. Alternatively, applications may be made up to 6 months after you arrive in Australia.

.

 

Seeing as the first 20 months of my time here was on a temporary visa meant I wasn't eligible for the PIS (and the other temporary use of car method isn't really worth mentioning).

 

So, how does this 6 month criteria effect me? Am I ineligible? Or would that 6 months time limit only kick in once you're permanent?

It's a little ambiguous on the PIS website and I know of a friend who has brought over a car about 16 months after she first set foot in Oz - 12 months on a WHV and the rest on a 457 where she finally brought the car in.

[Iron Chef]

Hi - first time poster here but very curious about something and I don't think it's been directly answered on this thread as of yet (there's been a few similar questions).

 

I arrived in Oz on a WHV and I went onto a 2nd WHV and now, after about 20 months, I have gotten PR.

 

I want to bring my car over but the 6 month thing is confusing me.

 

.

 

Seeing as the first 20 months of my time here was on a temporary visa meant I wasn't eligible for the PIS (and the other temporary use of car method isn't really worth mentioning).

 

So, how does this 6 month criteria effect me? Am I ineligible? Or would that 6 months time limit only kick in once you're permanent?

It's a little ambiguous on the PIS website and I know of a friend who has brought over a car about 16 months after she first set foot in Oz - 12 months on a WHV and the rest on a 457 where she finally brought the car in.[/font][/color]

 

Hi and welcome to the forums

 

If you're here on a WHV, tourist or student visa, they don't count as permanent visa, so if you switch from that to a 457 or something similar, your six months would begin from that date.

[Guest Thebutler]

Hi guys I own a MAzda 6 year 2006 model.

 

The car is excellent condition however I need to convert it from left hand to right hand drive, I can do this fairly easily.

 

I live in Dubai at the moment and I owned the car for more than 2 years.

 

Can you guys please help me? I want to bring it over with me to Australia melbourne I am a PR holder.

 

My questions are:

1. A car converted from left hand to right hand is accepted as personal import on oz?

2. How can I get an accurate calc of the costs (other that. Shipping) in Dubai the car is valued at $8000. What are the approx total cost in terms of tax and fees in oz for my car?

 

I would like to know the opinions of people Here if its worth the hassle to import my car ? I love this car its so reliable but I'm willing to give it up and buy an older car in Australia with the $8000 I get for it in Dubai if its not worth importing in oz.

 

Thanks!

Edited March 26, 2014 by Thebutler

[Guest Thebutler]

Anyone here can reply to my query? Thanks

[Gbye grey sky]

Hi guys I own a MAzda 6 year 2006 model.

 

The car is excellent condition however I need to convert it from left hand to right hand drive, I can do this fairly easily.

 

I live in Dubai at the moment and I owned the car for more than 2 years.

 

Can you guys please help me? I want to bring it over with me to Australia melbourne I am a PR holder.

 

My questions are:

1. A car converted from left hand to right hand is accepted as personal import on oz?

2. How can I get an accurate calc of the costs (other that. Shipping) in Dubai the car is valued at $8000. What are the approx total cost in terms of tax and fees in oz for my car?

 

I would like to know the opinions of people Here if its worth the hassle to import my car ? I love this car its so reliable but I'm willing to give it up and buy an older car in Australia with the $8000 I get for it in Dubai if its not worth importing in oz.

 

Thanks!

 

Cannot help with the costs question. Someone else will doubtless answer that but I would add on the conversion costs and the import costs to your $8000 and then see what that would buy you in Oz as that would at least be an equal comparison.

[Iron Chef]

Hi guys I own a MAzda 6 year 2006 model.

 

The car is excellent condition however I need to convert it from left hand to right hand drive, I can do this fairly easily.

 

I live in Dubai at the moment and I owned the car for more than 2 years.

 

Can you guys please help me? I want to bring it over with me to Australia melbourne I am a PR holder.

 

My questions are:

1. A car converted from left hand to right hand is accepted as personal import on oz?

2. How can I get an accurate calc of the costs (other that. Shipping) in Dubai the car is valued at $8000. What are the approx total cost in terms of tax and fees in oz for my car?

 

I would like to know the opinions of people Here if its worth the hassle to import my car ? I love this car its so reliable but I'm willing to give it up and buy an older car in Australia with the $8000 I get for it in Dubai if its not worth importing in oz.

 

Thanks!

 

If it's left hand drive, then it's definitely not worth the expense to bring it over, sorry. The bill to convert it alone would probably run to more than $10,000.

[DKC]

Hi guys I own a MAzda 6 year 2006 model.

 

Even without the need to convert to RHD I doubt a 2006 Mazda6 is worth shipping over. The general principle is that the more expensive the car, the more worthwhile it is. A quick chech on carsales.com.au shows that a 2006 Mazda6 with less than 80,000km can be bought for less than $10,000.

 

So sell it and buy another car here.

[Wozziegirl]

Hi. Since 2011 I've been leasing my car on the Motability scheme. The lease ends in a couple of months and we're considering the option to buy the car - but that would depend on being able to take it home to Oz later this year. Whilst technically I don't own the car (I haven't got the V5 / rego papers - Motability keeps hold of them) we did have to pay a few thousand up front to cover the bits needed for my spinal injury and the insurance documents for the car have my name on them. We've had the car since new and it's in excellent condition with very low mileage.

 

The price we've been given to buy the car is pretty good and even with shipping it'd save us money compared with buying something similar from new. The best bit for me would be heaps less pain having to go around trying to find another car that is suitable all over again.

 

Does anyone know if I'd meet the criteria for the PIS?

 

Thanks

 

Thanks.

[Iron Chef]

Hi. Since 2011 I've been leasing my car on the Motability scheme. The lease ends in a couple of months and we're considering the option to buy the car - but that would depend on being able to take it home to Oz later this year. Whilst technically I don't own the car (I haven't got the V5 / rego papers - Motability keeps hold of them) we did have to pay a few thousand up front to cover the bits needed for my spinal injury and the insurance documents for the car have my name on them. We've had the car since new and it's in excellent condition with very low mileage.

 

The price we've been given to buy the car is pretty good and even with shipping it'd save us money compared with buying something similar from new. The best bit for me would be heaps less pain having to go around trying to find another car that is suitable all over again.

 

Does anyone know if I'd meet the criteria for the PIS?

 

Thanks

 

Thanks.

 

You caught me online!

 

I would definitely look into it, as similar vehicles in Australia seem to fetch crazy money. It shouldn't be a problem getting an import approval if Motability can supply a letter stating that you were the sole user of the vehicle from x/x/2011, and that it was registered in their name.

[Wozziegirl]

You caught me online!

 

I would definitely look into it, as similar vehicles in Australia seem to fetch crazy money. It shouldn't be a problem getting an import approval if Motability can supply a letter stating that you were the sole user of the vehicle from x/x/2011, and that it was registered in their name.

 

That's really encouraging to hear. Thanks Iron Chef!

[Guest Guest 47403]

That's really encouraging to hear. Thanks Iron Chef!

 

I think you may be in luck as long as it's a personal lease, that's the way our company car scheme works and at the end of the lease I wanted to buy it as it was to good a price to miss out on, when I got the V5 it came back with me as the registered keeper from new no other keepers.

 

Not taking it to Oz but that's my experience of personal leases.

[Wozziegirl]

I think you may be in luck as long as it's a personal lease, that's the way our company car scheme works and at the end of the lease I wanted to buy it as it was to good a price to miss out on, when I got the V5 it came back with me as the registered keeper from new no other keepers.

 

Not taking it to Oz but that's my experience of personal leases.

 

Thanks Baz.

[mijango]

I posted back in 2011 about importing my kit car that I left in the UK over to (where I'm now settled) in Sydney. It's a Dax Rush and is partially assembled with engine and transmission in place (although little else) so I would need to import body parts and some of the donor car also. My import efforts in 2011 got put on hold, though now life is more settled and I have a garage to continue the build, I've been investigating further.

I have been given a few options following an email to Infrastructure re the import, though I'm still unclear on how best to proceed (hence this post! :wink:).

 

Option 1: under the SEVS scheme I may be able to import the car using a RAW http://raws.infrastructure.gov.au/ According to the search a Dax Rush is there ;-)

Option 2: apply under the Personal Import Scheme. My worry here is that I moved to Australia in 2007 so clearly don't comply as I have been here more than 6 months. However, I could apply for leniency by explaining by situation (ie that I have only recently been approved as Perm Resident and decided to stay and bring over my part built kit car to complete)

 

I'm still a bit confused how to go about this, especially as I will want to register the car in NSW once I've imported it. Any ideas/help gratefully received!

[wallaby engineering]

Hi,

 

To import under the PIS you need to demonstrate you have owned the vehicle for at least 12 months (presuming it is an approved model that can be imported). Easiest way is via the V5 forms.

 

If the vehicle is a pre-1989 (which it isnt) then you would be exempt from the 12 months.

 

Allow for at least $3,000 in transport. Plus 15% (Duty and GST) on the value of the car in Australia, paid to customs. Plus a further up to $4,000 for quarantine, licensing etc.

 

Note recently importing anything into Western Australia the state government is scrutinizing the imports in a lot more detail!

Edited April 10, 2014 by The Pom Queen
Edited as per forum rules

[Abyss]

hi Iron Chef.

 

I am not sure to start a new thread or tag it onto this. well I will explain so here goes!

 

Me and better half are looking to come to Adelaide (will buy u a beer ) in a few months time. I own a few vehicles but really really want to bring just the one (money wise). This is my VW campervan I have owned since 2011. Its a 1998 VW T4 model and I have spent thousands on doing her up. I have used her every weekend, and sometimes in the week. I take her abroad with me and camp, and have done for the last 3 years,,I have loads of pictures of me and the van! Ive just spent a few grand on respray and few grand on a poptop so looks quite different. We are both emotionally attached to this van and want to keep her forever so will bring her over on the PIS scheme.

Few little issues I can see,shes been registered at my mums for years, not my address. I can change the log book asap if needed. Shes currently very clean so im not too worried about quarantine, but I am worried about the ADR, so I may have to change a few things inside to comply, again, im hands on and love to wield spanners etc, but dont want to modify her too much. I have no idea on how much its going to cost us in tax?? as values vary wildy in oz. Also we are currently only going to be awarded a 457 visa. BUT we are working towards a 186 visa, basically the employer is my partners, so not mine, and the vehicle is registered in my name but we both consider her ours! So being the defacto can I bring her over? Is it worth bringing her over on a temp entrance for 12 months then convert that later to permanent (seems to side track ADR a little it woudld seem)? Any specific advice to this kind of vehicle welcome....I wont sell her as there is no equivalent model really.,.though the base models do exist, but no customised version like mine! I also want to bring plenty of spare engine parts..

 

[Iron Chef]

I posted back in 2011 about importing my kit car that I left in the UK over to (where I'm now settled) in Sydney. It's a Dax Rush and is partially assembled with engine and transmission in place (although little else) so I would need to import body parts and some of the donor car also. My import efforts in 2011 got put on hold, though now life is more settled and I have a garage to continue the build, I've been investigating further.

I have been given a few options following an email to Infrastructure re the import, though I'm still unclear on how best to proceed (hence this post! :wink:).

 

Option 1: under the SEVS scheme I may be able to import the car using a RAW http://raws.infrastructure.gov.au/ According to the search a Dax Rush is there ;-)

Option 2: apply under the Personal Import Scheme. My worry here is that I moved to Australia in 2007 so clearly don't comply as I have been here more than 6 months. However, I could apply for leniency by explaining by situation (ie that I have only recently been approved as Perm Resident and decided to stay and bring over my part built kit car to complete)

 

I'm still a bit confused how to go about this, especially as I will want to register the car in NSW once I've imported it. Any ideas/help gratefully received!

 

My suggestion would be to import all the major bits in crates and send them over as parts in separate crates, that way avoiding the need for any import approval at all. The reason being that regardless of which scheme you do or don't use, you're still going to have to register the car as an individually constructed vehicle when the time comes. More info here:

 

http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/registration/downloads/vsccs_brochure.pdf

 

hi Iron Chef.

 

I am not sure to start a new thread or tag it onto this. well I will explain so here goes!

 

Me and better half are looking to come to Adelaide (will buy u a beer ) in a few months time. I own a few vehicles but really really want to bring just the one (money wise). This is my VW campervan I have owned since 2011. Its a 1998 VW T4 model and I have spent thousands on doing her up. I have used her every weekend, and sometimes in the week. I take her abroad with me and camp, and have done for the last 3 years,,I have loads of pictures of me and the van! Ive just spent a few grand on respray and few grand on a poptop so looks quite different. We are both emotionally attached to this van and want to keep her forever so will bring her over on the PIS scheme.

Few little issues I can see,shes been registered at my mums for years, not my address. I can change the log book asap if needed. Shes currently very clean so im not too worried about quarantine, but I am worried about the ADR, so I may have to change a few things inside to comply, again, im hands on and love to wield spanners etc, but dont want to modify her too much. I have no idea on how much its going to cost us in tax?? as values vary wildy in oz. Also we are currently only going to be awarded a 457 visa. BUT we are working towards a 186 visa, basically the employer is my partners, so not mine, and the vehicle is registered in my name but we both consider her ours! So being the defacto can I bring her over? Is it worth bringing her over on a temp entrance for 12 months then convert that later to permanent (seems to side track ADR a little it woudld seem)? Any specific advice to this kind of vehicle welcome....I wont sell her as there is no equivalent model really.,.though the base models do exist, but no customised version like mine! I also want to bring plenty of spare engine parts..

 

 

 

Hehehe you're mad, but in a good way

 

A 457 WILL allow you to import it under the PIS, so no dramas there. PM me if you want to pursue it further - I'm pretty sure I can get you over the line with it

[Guest Guest67761]

I think you may be in luck as long as it's a personal lease, that's the way our company car scheme works and at the end of the lease I wanted to buy it as it was to good a price to miss out on, when I got the V5 it came back with me as the registered keeper from new no other keepers.

 

Not taking it to Oz but that's my experience of personal leases.

 

Even if the car is not in your name for the full 12 months required as long as it was a company car for your exclusive use then we can still get import approval for them most of the time. Of course each case can be a little different so please let us know your exact circumstances if you wanted more specific information.

 

Regards,

 

Craig Moor

Iron Lady Imports

[Guest Guest67761]

Hi,

 

To import under the PIS you need to demonstrate you have owned the vehicle for at least 12 months (presuming it is an approved model that can be imported). Easiest way is via the V5 forms.

 

If the vehicle is a pre-1989 (which it isnt) then you would be exempt from the 12 months.

 

Allow for at least $3,000 in transport. Plus 15% (Duty and GST) on the value of the car in Australia, paid to customs. Plus a further up to $4,000 for quarantine, licensing etc.

 

Note recently importing anything into Western Australia the state government is scrutinizing the imports in a lot more detail!

 

 

Just to help correct this information to avoid misleading anyone reading:

 

The PIS (Personal Import Scheme) is an exemption to the normal importing laws so it will apply to ANY vehicle as long as you have owned and used it for at least 12 months or more. If you do not qualify for the PIS then you can only import a approved make/model from the restrictive SEVS compliance list or a pre-1989, vehicle neither of which have any previous ownership requirements.

 

Transport to Australia from the UK will be anything from around GBP £850 to £1,250 depending on the vehicle but most standard saloon/estate models will be GBP £900 or less. Import duty is 5% and GST is 10% of an Australian Customs valuation (not UK value or Australian value) so you will not be able to calculate these costs yourself. Customs clearance, port fees, Quarantine and other related costs can be around AUD $1,100 to $1,900 depending on the vehicle, which Australian port, etc. Please contact us for an accurate estimate of the Customs valuation and other costs involved for your specific vehicle.

 

Once landed in Australia the costs required to get the on-road will vary between states and vehicles, however as an example in Perth you should expect a car in good condition to cost around AUD $1,800 or less for the required inspections, certification and paperwork as well as the first 12 months road registration.

 

The above costs are accurate for cars imported through us (Iron Lady Imports) however the costs may easily be higher if imported by other means.

 

Regards,

 

Craig Moor

Iron Lady Imports

[DKC]

I know that we have to demonstrate that the car is owned and used for at least 12 months. My question is whether there is a minimum mileage limit?

 

My car is parked at my residential address, full Tax disc and comprehensively insured for domestic, social and pleasure (no commuting) usage. Annual mileage limit 2000 miles only. Would this low mileage be a problem? Do I need to increase it even though I don't use the car much?

 

Thanks!