Importing from germany ... anything changed?

[Northernraider]

It is completely legal to drive it from the port to home or a place of testing providing it is insured. To be legal you should drive it without any number plates. However, our Belgium dealer fits a set of false plates as there is far less chance of getting stopped.

Thats what i was led to believe from the posts ive read on other motor groups etc.

But in germany apparently export/transit plates are required to get it from seller to the point of export which would be calais in my case ....the plates are apparently valid for 3 days and include insurance but unsure of the cost of these

 

[Lenny HB]

But in germany apparently export/transit plates are required to get it from seller to the point of export which would be calais in my case ....the plates are apparently valid for 3 days and include insurance but unsure of the cost of these

Can get them for up to a month depending on time I think between €350-€550

 

[Ken Hall]

Many thanks. I think I need to chat with my friend in the HMRC VAT office. It was him who advised me previously and I'll check through my correspondence with DVLA (although trying get sense out of them is not easy, given the changing situation). After all, it's what is legal and appropriate now that counts, not what we could do a year or so ago. I'll also have a word with my German mate from Derrwang, who is a motohome salesman and the chap I've bought from previously.
I'll get back if and when I have any further news. Thanks.

 

[Northernraider]

Many thanks. I think I need to chat with my friend in the HMRC VAT office. It was him who advised me previously and I'll check through my correspondence with DVLA (although trying get sense out of them is not easy, given the changing situation). After all, it's what is legal and appropriate now that counts, not what we could do a year or so ago. I'll also have a word with my German mate from Derrwang, who is a motohome salesman and the chap I've bought from previously.
I'll get back if and when I have any further news. Thanks.

Yes that would be handy as you're right its the situation now i need to know

 

[Ken Hall]

I'll get in touch tomorrow and report back. Ken

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[nicholsong]

This website suggests you pay duty in uk for vehicles fom the eu, unless you are in northern ireland.

Importing vehicles into the UK

Importing vehicles into the UK - register imported vehicles, GB conversion IVA scheme, type approval, vehicle excise duty and VAT

www.gov.uk

NOTE IN THE DOCUMENT ON THAT LINK IN THE SECTION HEADED "TELLING HMRC"

IT SAYS THAT THE PAGE IS OUT OF DATE FOLLOWING CHANGES MADE AFTER THE TRANSITION PERIOD.

 

[Rob Turner]

Thats what i was led to believe from the posts ive read on other motor groups etc.

But in germany apparently export/transit plates are required to get it from seller to the point of export which would be calais in my case ....the plates are apparently valid for 3 days and include insurance but unsure of the cost of these

German export plates when I imported my last van were €50 and that included 3rd party insurance and valid for 1 month.
That was June 2019 so not sure if still the same now.

If the Euro keeps going the same way as it has been I might have a new one this year so I’ll do some research.

 

[Ditcha]

The van in germany has a side sliding door which in truth i didn't want

The uk panel van has no side doors you enter through a sliding front passenger door and a tilting front seat
I like this idea as id also be blanking off the rear doors and fitting a boot hatch like the minibus . Or this pic for an example ....View attachment 463558

The minibus itself has a barndoor behind the drivers door which is the type i wanted originally and it has no rear doors just a half height hatch like the van pictured above



But it also has the highest miles at nearly 274k



Basically my ideal is to have a panel van ....barn door entrance or like the uk panel van just cab door entrance. Ill be blanking rear doors as ill be carrying a motorbike on the rear and the bed will be accross there anyway.

Looks nice that

 

[Northernraider]

NOTE IN THE DOCUMENT ON THAT LINK IN THE SECTION HEADED "TELLING HMRC"

IT SAYS THAT THE PAGE IS OUT OF DATE FOLLOWING CHANGES MADE AFTER THE TRANSITION PERIOD.

Yes thats what i found last night hence me asking on here incase anyone was in the process of doing it


I guess at present its too close to the end of the transition period so neither dvla or hmrc have updated their info.

From my point of view id like to decide what im doing fairly soon as if its going to be too expensive to buy from Germany theres no point in me delaying my return home past the end of march .....if i buy one of the ones from uk ill just get home and start building the bugger

 

[Northernraider]

Looks nice that

Yes its a cracking van hes building.

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[Ditcha]

Thats what i was led to believe from the posts ive read on other motor groups etc.

But in germany apparently export/transit plates are required to get it from seller to the point of export which would be calais in my case ....the plates are apparently valid for 3 days and include insurance but unsure of the cost of these

Not easier to do Ijmuiden to North Shields safe a fortune in fuel.

 

[Northernraider]

Not easier to do Ijmuiden to North Shields safe a fortune in fuel.

Possibly ....to be honest i hadnt got that far yet .

I was planning to view a couple on my way home and then if i bought one return home with current van fly back to Germany and bring drive it home.
Hadn't really decided on route yet.

But now given the additional costs of importing etc i need to weigh everything up ....the panel van in the uk is becoming more appealing even if it is older.

Its down in the south west of england and if my negotiation works out it will be half the price of the german van plus import costs etc

 

[Clipgate]

Looks like I was wrong and you now have to pay vat on used vehicles but no duty on vehicles from the EU.
DVLA have only just updated their website it was unchanged when I looked a couple of weeks ago.
If importing a newish vehicle it would now be cheaper to buy a brand new one.

Goodness I used to run these old models, reliable yes. But rust like mad.

 

[martin2603]

No IVA just an MOT , if over 10 years old, but VAT, Dut if applicable , plus Agents Fees. If you are Vat registered you can reclaim the VAT . You will need a very strong pound to make it worthwhile.

 

[gus-lopez]

the plates are apparently valid for 3 days and include insurance but unsure of the cost of these

There are export plates and there are transit plates. Once a vehicle has export plates they can be extended to allow you to travel the country on holiday for up to a year I believe, before you export the vehicle home. The insurance is also extended at a cost.
I posted the links to both on a recent thread.
Many people have been given transit plates, which are meant only for inter country movements of trade vehicles, rather than export plates which are actually dearer.l will see whether I Can find links I posted before when the lap top internet Works.

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[gus-lopez]

This is info re; export plates. as you will see from the section " procedure" it states you can have the export plates for the length of the insurance up to a maximum of 1 year.

https://www.service-bw.de/en_US/web...+an+export+registration+number-436-leistung-0

Here is a company supplying insurance.It opens on the FAQ page but
you click on "licence plate export" & it shows the sort of prices for periods up to 360 days t,p F&t . There is also 2 x full comp but for either 30 or 60 days.

https://deckungskarten.eu/epages/33...1-9050125999a8/Categories/Haeufige_Fragen_FAQ


here this shows you what 5 day plates are for .Moving vehicles in /around Germany.It also states they aren't meant to be used for export but if you do it is at your risk
https://www.service-bw.de/en/web/guest/leistung/-/sb/Applying+for+temporary+vehicle+registration-399-leistung-0

There are other links on this site & you can usually type in english what you want in the search bar & it will find it.

 

[Northernraider]

This is info re; export plates. as you will see from the section " procedure" it states you can have the export plates for the length of the insurance up to a maximum of 1 year.

https://www.service-bw.de/en_US/web...+an+export+registration+number-436-leistung-0

Here is a company supplying insurance.It opens on the FAQ page but
you click on "licence plate export" & it shows the sort of prices for periods up to 360 days t,p F&t . There is also 2 x full comp but for either 30 or 60 days.

https://deckungskarten.eu/epages/33...1-9050125999a8/Categories/Haeufige_Fragen_FAQ


here this shows you what 5 day plates are for .Moving vehicles in /around Germany.It also states they aren't meant to be used for export but if you do it is at your risk
https://www.service-bw.de/en/web/guest/leistung/-/sb/Applying+for+temporary+vehicle+registration-399-leistung-0

There are other links on this site & you can usually type in english what you want in the search bar & it will find it.

Thanks

Im communicating with the owner of the uk one just now as it might be my best option at present but its good info to have just in case.

Uk lockdown is a pain as I'd have felt better about making an offer on a van if id been able to get someone to have a wee gander at it first .

Its being MOT'd at the minute so that's something at least

 

[Manic]

Seen these

 

[Northernraider]

Seen these
View attachment 463640View attachment 463641

No where are those ? Have you a link to that yellow one

 

[CazPaul]

No where are those ? Have you a link to that yellow one

Just go onto the website theparking-cars.co.uk type in Vario and they come straight up

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[Northernraider]

Seen these
View attachment 463640View attachment 463641

Never mind i found the site

These were listed in june 2020 and are sold

 

[Northernraider]

Just go onto the website theparking-cars.co.uk type in Vario and they come straight up

Yeah i did

But posted june last year ... found a few sites like that but all old adds

 

[Northernraider]

Goodness I used to run these old models, reliable yes. But rust like mad.

Not as bad as sprinters etc for rust ...mainly the bottom 6 inches which are all replaceable non structure sills ...£162 for the full set to replace them.

No metal floor either its just steel chassis with wooden floor on top and from many ive seen stripped out they seem to be pretty solid.

But of course any 10 year old plus van will have rust especially ex work vans .

But once repaired rust proofed and painted they should last years ...
Ive seen ones advertised with 700k to a million miles and still going strong

 

[Bustup15]

If buying used in Germany is vat not charged or included? If so do you not reclaim it on import when paying UK VAT?

That was what happened on a new vehicle purchase last year (2019).

 

[Lenny HB]

If buying used in Germany is vat not charged or included? If so do you not reclaim it on import when paying UK VAT?

That was what happened on a new vehicle purchase last year (2019).

The German vat would only be on the dealers margin so not a lot. It now looks like you pay UK vat on the full value.

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