Importing a car from Germany

[A80Avant]

Hello,
i would like to know if there are any links to pages regarding taxes needed to be payed if one imports a 95 audi competition from germany to the UK.
I have a plan,or more like a dream but i would like to know if it is possible to achieve.

My plan is to get a hold of an audi competition in order to strip it of all it's components,paint it,put all the RS2 components from the avant in,and then after i bring the 2.0lt 16V engine of the competition in a good condition,use that on the avant for the misses in the future.This way i will have my actual dream car,the RS2 sedan version and also an avant which can easily be driven and worked without spending a fortune on gasoline.

The problem is that importing an old car to greece has so high taxes that you end up paying 3000euro for the car and then around 15000 euro to get the greek licence plates.
If importing it to the UK is easier,then since i will be working there,i may be able to get it to greece without import tax,so long as i have it there for 2 years at least.

The other way to do it,is find a UK quattro sedan(probably a V6 or something) and convert it to left hand drive.Im told that the only tricky part is to open a hole for the steering rack on the left side and close the one that is on the right side.Other than that it is a straight forward swap.

cheers
Vasilis

[Cullam3n]

You can try looking here

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/ImportingAndExportingAVehicle/index.htm

[andyg plym]

...

papvas, it cost me £50 to have my car put on UK plates,and usually this country is one of the worst for taxing people.
was a PINA though,had to have the car MOT'd and insurance was a nightmare!!

Good luck!

[A80Avant]

well if it is that cheap i can just have the car bought from germany and thoroughly serviced in order to be able to pass MOT in England when necessary,but the page didnt mention the laws or documents if the car is older than 10 years(cause the competitions are older than 10 years now or by the time i plan to do this).

On the other hand,i will try to insure it as less as possible,cause i dont plan to use it at all.Im only going to import it and hold it in a garage until it is time for me to return to Greece OR until i complete the 2 years of work i need in order to bring the car back home,and therefore i will drive it to greece and leave it there to make the change whenever it will be possible!

[Skull]

you dont want to have a 2.0 16v from the compi as a daily driver, believe me. 11L/100km if you drive it carefully. this is because of the mechanic injection.

[Rocco]

Vasilis, and import that car from Spain?? around 4 months ago i met one in sell here in spain,it cost around 4000€ i think and it was in VALENCIA, mediterranean city,maybe easy to transport by boat to greece
if you want i can look forthis car in ineternet here in spain and show you the images.but i am not sure because maybe it is not at the sell today


adios

[A80Avant]

i dont have a trouble finding a car,but importing it to Greece due to taxes.What i need is to see if the ability to import to the UK at some point of me being there) until the time i leave the UK(maybe 3-4 years later),if i can get it from the UK with english plates and import it then to greece.If i do that,i mean import to greece after 3-4 years working in the uk,then i can pay no taxes to greece(with greek plate) due to a different law

but for now im only looking into laws,not a car.thanks rocco!

[nikmay]

Hi mate I imported a golf last year from Germany to UK all i needed was the 414 form from your local dvla office, it cost me the price of an MOT and 6 months road fund license.

[Skull]

what are the taxes about there?

we have only 2 limitations: the car must be at least euro2, and must have neck rests where the 3 point safety belts are. in Germany you can upgrade the exhaust system to from euro1 to euro2 and for some engines also to euro3.

[A80Avant]

here in Greece taxes for older cars than 10 years add up to 15000euro to import from germany

[Skull]

brutal

[A80Avant]

if importing is not an option,then how difficult is to make a V6 quattro sedan to a LHD vehicle?

I mean,i will through away the V6 obviously and all parts that are not needed,i have all LHD interior equipment,also i have the steering rack from LHD,and all parts on my RS2 are LHD,so how hard can it be?

I believe that the only tricky part is to drill a hole at the left had side where the steering collumn is located and obviously close the one on the right.Besides that hole can be partially closed in order to accomodate the A/C lines,right?

[spink]

what about importing a v6 sedan from germany to england(when you come here) then doing the engine conversion here.Personally i dont like the idea of converting from rhd to lhd or vice versa,plus its extra work.

[LHD_Kid]

what about importing a v6 sedan from germany to england(when you come here) then doing the engine conversion here.Personally i dont like the idea of converting from rhd to lhd or vice versa,plus its extra work.

I agree, surely the way to go is to start with a LHD car, the prices will more than likely be less for the car, and certainly a huge amount less work... and much less hassle...
Chris

[A80Avant]

well if the import tax and availability is good,then i can do this.IM searching the greek laws at the moment to see what else is required,as there is a possibility that there may be a need to own the car for at least 2 years before i import it from the UK to Greece.we'll see...

the way i think of it it is either going to be a bigger turbo and VEMS,or a RS2 sedan !! hehe