macclad Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 hy any info buying from germany or belgium, thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 Hi Macclad Welcome to the forum. There are a number of members who have bought Motorhomes on the Continent, notably Judgemental & Brian Kirby. Sure either or both + other will be along soon & able to offer you some advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 You really need to flesh out your question a bit, with a bit more detail as to what you want exactly? if you expect reasonable on the mark help...... Just noticed its your first post...Welcome! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_C Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 I've bought privately in both Germany and Belgium, it's a similar procedure in both countries. Both sellers were very helpful, and with their assistance I had no problems. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 Your biggest problem, by far, will be getting insurance that covers that part of your journey home outside the UK, and possibly, also from your port of entry to UK, up until the vehicle is registered/re-registered in UK. Check very carefully, make sure you confirm exactly what you intend doing in writing, preferably not by e-mail, to the insurer and that he confirms back that your insurance covers the circumstances you have set out. Check with DVLA how long the registration process may take to complete, and ask for a copy of their information pack, and forms, for registering an imported vehicle in UK. The time for registration can be critical, as some insurers seek to apply unrealistic limitations for the formalities in issuing their policies. Be aware that driving a foreign registered, or unregistered vehicle on UK roads is a "grey" area legally, and the insurance conditions surrounding doing so have become more, rather than less, problematic over the past four years. You may find it a lot easier, and not much more expensive, to approach someone like Bundesvan to source and import the vehicle for you, especially if from Germany. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 I honestly dont see what the problem is with driving home on the export 3rd party insurance that dealers arrange. and if you buy from Belgium all I have spoken to will drive you to the port on their full trade insurance, and once in UK yiu are fully covered on your UK insurance. And I have checked with Safeguard and they still allow this with no plates....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John J Thompson Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 JudgeMental - 2010-09-16 6:40 PM I honestly dont see what the problem is with driving home on the export 3rd party insurance that dealers arrange. and if you buy from Belgium all I have spoken to will drive you to the port on their full trade insurance, and once in UK yiu are fully covered on your UK insurance. And I have checked with Safeguard and they still allow this with no plates....... The Third Party insurance comes with the export plate (7, 15 or 30 days I believe). I bought privately in Germany and the seller went with me to arrange the plate which involved a trip to the TUV station to verify the vehicle is the one on the paperwork. (I speek no German.) I got a 15 day plate. It took a morning to do this. The insurance works as I had a claim when we left the step out and clipped a parked car. Police filled in the international insurance form as I didn't have one and I heard nothing else. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 Cheers John! What Brian is worried about if you damage your own van on way home. Myself I believe this is unlikely, as you will be extra vigilant I would think, and it is not far..... Yes not ideal, fully comp would be far better, but many have done this without incident. dealers have drivers who drive all over the place, so if you paid to have someone drive you to port I doubt it would cost that much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 What I was really trying to draw attention to was that UK insurers - or at least their call centres, are not all that good at dotting the Is and crossing the Ts when buying insurance over the phone. The part of the trip from the port home may be covered by some companies but is not automatically covered by all, so it is important to make absolutely sure they know, and have recorded, that the vehicle is to be driven on public roads before it is registered. The law now requires continuous insurance, in the same way it requires continuous VED. An un-registered vehicle will stand out like a sore thumb on the road, so a "pull" is very likely if a police car spots you. Therefore, you do need at least to be able to prove the existence of insurance.The risk is a bit greater than just damaging your own van en route, so far as I know, all that is covered by the German third party insurance is damage to other people's property. The equivalent of UK Road Traffic Acts only insurance. Thus, no fire, no theft, and no insurance if damaged by an uninsured other, or by someone else on private property, or who does damage and disappears, or who simply denies the damage was their fault. If folk want to take on the risk that's fine, but I think it desirable to draw attention to the risk - just in case they haven't appreciated what is not covered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 is it raining Brian? :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macclad Posted September 17, 2010 Author Share Posted September 17, 2010 many thanks for your reply you mention bundesvan is there a web site many thanks macclad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 http://www.bundesvan.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 macclad - 2010-09-17 8:39 PM many thanks for your reply you mention bundesvan is there a web site many thanks macclad Can you give us an idea of what you want to buy? My van is up for sale at the moment as we are downsizing. You can save yourself all the hassle :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted September 20, 2010 Share Posted September 20, 2010 We brought in Belgium, dealer fitted a set of Belgium plates & drove the van to the port for. Our insurance covered us on the VIN plate once we were on UK soil for 28 days. Van was supplied VAT free & a very simple process to register it & pay UK VAT. As Brian says get yourself the import pack from DVLA you can order it online & it covers new & used imports and gives you all the info you need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 20, 2010 Share Posted September 20, 2010 If dealer is driving to port no need for number plates. I have passed numerous police cars the 3 times I have done this and not one has raised an eyebrow, pretty obvious you are driving a new vehicle. and like you say Lenny the UK insurance kicks in as soon as you return..... A UK reading MPH speedometer is USUALLY required for registration, along with fog light on off side I think? :-S I had to order a new speedo cluster for the Ford and this delayed registration a bit... Some DVLA offices dont even look, so this is a well known post code lottery *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Given how weak the Pound currently is relative to the Euro, I would have thought that buying a motorhome from Germany or Belgium nowadays woudn't be worth the hassle and potential risks involved. 'Whole trip' insurance continues to be an issue and, unless the motorhome is transported from its point of sale abroad to the UK buyer's home address, UK regulations will undoubtedly be broken somewhere down the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 When we ordered our van Euro was 1.45 when we took delivery & paid it was 1.25 and we still saved over 10 grand. With the Euro currently at 1.20 and UK price rises in the last couple of years there are still big savings to be had, probably more so on Hymer's than other makes due to B********s rip of pricing policy on Hymer's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Wrong Derek...even with a rate hovering around 1.20'ish still significant savings to be had if you do your homework. Over 8k and that is for a better specified panel van! *-) So it is still rip em oft Britain IMO *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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