how many of you guys Have shipped cars over to the uk?

I dont know if i put this in the right section but how does it work if you want to ship a car to the UK? I've been trying to find some sort of info here on it but no luck. Is it more expensive to mantain car insurance on an imported car?  I love my car to bits and am getting ready to pay it off its a 2006 KIA. I'm trying to find out what it costs to ship a car and what the costs of registering and getting plates for a private import. Is it just better to keep it at my moms house and not bother with it? I know you have to own the car for at least 6 months prior to shipment.  any info would be great!!! I know the uk has wonderful public transportation but i grew up in a small town where you cant survive without a car!!!

Was just forwarded this information, maybe it will help you:

If you permanently import a vehicle into Great Britain you must register and license it as soon as it arrives in this country. It is against the law for a British citizen to continue to drive in Great Britain on foreign registration plates. You should apply to register the vehicle at the nearest DVLA Local Office to where you live or the place you plan to stay. You must provide evidence of your name and address. Further details can be obtained via leaflet INF148 available at DVLA Local Offices or via the Import Pack available from DVLA.
For more detailed advice on how to import a vehicle into Great Britain, you can get leaflets 'How to Import a Vehicle into Great Britain' and 'The Single Vehicle Approval Scheme' from any DVLA Local Office.
Contact;
DVLA Local Office
Longman House,
28 Longman Road,
Inverness,
IV1 1SF
Telephone - 0870 850 0007


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

That seems to apply to British Citizens - would it be different for non-citizens?  I see plenty of foreign plates from the continent.

I looked into this years ago. I'm sorry I don't remember the details, but the bottom line was...it was going to cost a fortune to make my car street legal in the UK. I was advised that it's seldom worth it unless your car is something really special.

Yeah, I'm not entirely sure how this works for non-citizens- I just figured I would post the information I had at hand.  I have heard it costs a fortune though and isn't worth it. 

A couple that we know brought over their Jeep from Canada at the wife's insistence (she was really attached to the car and didnt want to give it up for anything)
It did cost a fortune, and they had to modify the headlights and some other features, but its what she wanted. Now, driving a left hand drive Jeep in Scotland (where they live now) is not a challenge I would want to take up but to each their own.
He is British and she is Canadian, I am sure the car is in the Brit's name but not sure what bearing this has.

Hi Legend 98,

There are a number of similar posts in this section regarding imports - have a look through the search function and I'm sure you'll come across them - I've posted in those as well.

Me and my brother imported an 2003 Harley Davidson Anniversary edition  Ford F150 in summer 04 - the truck was only 9 months old - so I beleive as it was over 6 months old it was deemed as a 'used' vehicle - which saved us an amount on import taxes.

I've posted in the other threads about this and stoatula puts what I'm about to say - Unless your vehicle is a 'special' car - in most cases it isn't really worth bringing over - without being rude - KIA car's are everyday bread and butter cars and no one bats an eyelid at them in terms of bringing them over/importing them here.

1. I'd estimate shipping charges in sealed container (security and less damage chances) for a small KIA would be around the £1000-1300 +VAT mark (we paid something like £1250+VAT for the much bigger F150 and we made the mistake of 'open transport' - luckily nothing was damaged but it arrived absolutley filthy)

2. You will pay Import tax - I 'think' this is currently around 10% of the value of the car.
3. You will pay VAT on that amount.
4. You will need to make the car UK road legal - changing headlamp beams/Units, indicator lenses (to orange) addition of a rear foglamp, you'll need to make sure the KIA engine can run on 95 Octane UK Unleaded fuel - so factor in a trip to the KIA dealers here-  and a few other tidbits.
5. You'll need the car to then be SVA approved (single vehicle approval) at a registered test centre where they'll make sure eveything is road legal. I remember that costing about £250 +VAT for the truck

Overall, I'd suggest you sell of the car there and put the money you get for it towards a car here in the UK.

Hope this helps
Cheers, Dennis, West London & Slough UK!