Difficulty of importing/insuring/registering a car from the US?

I am relocating to Brighton on a 5-year work-permit in a couple weeks and was wondering if it is worth the effort to ship my vehicle (US 2001 VW Golf) or just get a used car when I arrive.   It basically amounts to a financial decision for me as this is not a brand new car and I am just trying to save time/money.

Here are the issues I am hoping to get some information on:

1. Shipping -- I am planning on bringing the car over in a shipping container with my household goods.  The additional cost is nominal (around $400 more).

2. Insurance -- I talked with my current insurance carrier in the states (Geico) and the rates they quoted me were comparable to my current premiums.  Also, my carrier said they would provide me with a 'green-card' that I would need for registration.  Is this acceptable coverage or am I missing something, as every other post I have read seemed to indicate that insurance would be more expensive.

3. Registration -- I am wondering approximately how much it would cost to convert the car to be compliant with the SVA.  I have read about the modifications on newcomer link: http://www.import-car.info/modifications.shtml [nonactive] and am wondering if somebody could recommend an experienced garage in the Brighton area.  Will I also need an MOT test or is that unnecessary after the SVA.  I also keep reading about an enhanced-SVA; is this a new test? 

4. Left-hand drive -- clearly this is legal, but does this put me at a disadvantage?

Are there any other issues I should be aware of (besides learning to drive on the other side of the road of course  )?

I have a left hand drive vehicle in the UK. There are some small disadvantages but its not that difficult to drive here. Someone else will have to walk you thru the other questions but I do not think it is difficult to register and insure your car here.

I've dealt mostly with older cars to which the SVA doesn't apply, so I can't be specific on that one. 

2. Insurance -- I talked with my current insurance carrier in the states (Geico) and the rates they quoted me were comparable to my current premiums.  Also, my carrier said they would provide me with a 'green-card' that I would need for registration. 

The "green card" has been around here for many years, issued by insurers in one country to show to another that the required coverage is in place.  British tourists used to have to get one to go across to mainland Europe with their cars.

I think to be valid the insurance underwriter has to have some sort of registered office in the U.K. when the vehicle is U.K.-registered.

Will I also need an MOT test or is that unnecessary after the SVA. 

Yes.  The MoT certificate is required for all U.K. registered cars over 3 years old.   The things which are typically queried by inspectors on U.S. spec vehicles are lights.  As this is a VW do you already have independent (amber) turn signals on the rear?   

The regulations on private imports are a bit of a gray area, and some inspectors will grumble about combined red brake/turn signals while others don't worry about it.

The same goes for needing a rear fog light.

Left-hand drive -- clearly this is legal, but does this put me at a disadvantage?

Personally, I would say no.  I've had LHD vehicles in Britain for years and never found it to be a problem.  Yes, it can make seeing to pass harder sometimes, but there are other occasions when being on the left of the car actually makes some maneuvers easier.    I think it's very much a subjective issue.

Hi there!

I'd say for a VW Golf it's not worth bringing it over here - best bet would be to sell it off in the US and then find a similar car once yer over here. I've imported a 2003 Ford F150 Harley Davidson (which is now for sale after enjoying it for the last 16 months) and generally speaking its the more 'interesting' US cars that get imported here. A good friend of mine is a vehicle imprter, I can pass you details of how to get a hold of him if you message me if you'd like - he knows the in's and out's better than I, all the SVA testing, VAT, import duty, shipping and insurance handling etc etc. Becuase my and my bro's F150 is less than 3 years old, we don't need an MOT nor have we converted the lights as yet, hopefully it'll sell quite soon and so the new owner can look after all that stuff.

I can't remember the exact figures for our shipping but it was more than $400 worth that you mention, for that price it'll probably be 'open' shipped, this is more risky as the car is not enclosed in it's own container and sealed (which is the best way and more expensive of course!) we were lucky, the F150 arrived very filthy and dirty on the outside but no scrapes or bangs, nicks or dents which apparently is 'very' common with non enclosed container shipping. From memory we paid something like $1200 US for the shipping with the enlosed recommended way being a fair wedge more (i may be wrong now as pricing may have changed)

the SVA test was £250 or therabouts- not sure if the fee varies for different cars/trucks/vehicles etc.

LHD is very common in the UK, the truck was particularly easy becuase you sit high up and can see 'over' other cars to 'see' the road ahead for overtaking. Sports cars which are the main type of LHD car's you'll see here suffer from that vision , but apparently once your used to it it gets easier.

The downside is that any drive throughs, car parks , ticket barriers are on the right and you'll be sitting on the left meaning you have to lean over. A particularly excellent item i used was one of those 'grabbers' you sometimes see disabled/street cleaners carrying! just drop the electric window, pick up the grabber and reach across with it and pull the ticket at the barrier you're at!

Hope some of this helps!

Cheers! Dennis! West London UK!!

LHD is very common in the UK, the truck was particularly easy becuase you sit high up and can see 'over' other cars to 'see' the road ahead for overtaking.

That's definitely an advantage of being high up.  I have the same effect in the camper, which is based on a Chevy P30 van, so you're able to see right over the top of many other vehicles.

Sports cars which are the main type of LHD car's you'll see here suffer from that vision , but apparently once your used to it it gets easier.

I've been more the family sedan/station wagon type, but I've never found having LHD to be anything like the "problem" that many people seem to think it is.    I have to admit that 've been living in rural areas where parking barriers and such things aren't a problem though, so it might be a little different for city dwellers.

The downside is that any drive throughs, car parks , ticket barriers are on the right and you'll be sitting on the left meaning you have to lean over.

That's where the older models with a nice big bench seat across the front make it easier.   You can just slide right across!  

The short answer is no, because it's more cost and hassle than it's worth, particularly for that type of car. Keep in mind that used cars are one of only two or three things that are actually slightly cheaper here than in the U.S. (at least judging by prices around London)..everything else is more expensive, unfortunately.

I own an LHD car but find that when I'm forced to drive RHD from time to time, it's easier than you'd imagine to get accustomed to.