Dave225 Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Just wondering if importing a motorhome from Europe is now back on the agenda seeing as the exchange rate has become a lot better. Looking at some of my choices I note the prices in Germany in euros are the same numbers as here in Pounds, so a 20-25% difference. I am also not too bothered about LHD as we spend all our time in Europe anyway. Anyone given it any thought and come up with 'do's and don'ts'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I reckon this has been done to death many times here..........you can use the "search" button above to find plenty of earlier threads/information........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave225 Posted June 2, 2012 Author Share Posted June 2, 2012 I know that it has been a topic many times but things have changed quite a lot in recent years both here in the UK and in Europe so was looking more for up to date thoughts. When the pound was virtually the same as the euro it was pointless but I note that even booze cruises have re-appeared on the agenda again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave225 Posted June 2, 2012 Author Share Posted June 2, 2012 I know that it has been a topic many times but things have changed quite a lot in recent years both here in the UK and in Europe so was looking more for up to date thoughts. When the pound was virtually the same as the euro it was pointless but I note that even booze cruises have re-appeared on the agenda again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 No better time then now with exchange rate it is a no brainer. Has never been pointless IMO have always been good savings to be had......., I have done it twice in last 5 years and saved over 20K over RHD models Like Bruce says lots of info using search facility. Call DVLA also and they will send you import pack.... What do yo want to know, come up with specific questions and I will try and help.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Dave225 - 2012-06-02 1:15 PM I know that it has been a topic many times but things have changed quite a lot in recent years both here in the UK and in Europe so was looking more for up to date thoughts. When the pound was virtually the same as the euro it was pointless but I note that even booze cruises have re-appeared on the agenda again. What you buy in France/Germany will be a continental made van. So, if sold in the UK, it will always have been imported into the UK. So, all such are made in Euros, and bought in Sterling. Whatever the £/€ exchange rate, therefore, the UK selling price, in Sterling, will reflect the exchange rate at the time the decision to buy - yours or the UK dealer's - is made. Therefore, there is little practical difference in the price differential between prices in UK showrooms and prices in European showrooms, whatever the exchange rate. When the rate falls, the Sterling price for goods imported from Europe rises, and when the rate rises, the Sterling price falls again. What is almost universally true, is that the UK prices for imported vans are consistently higher that the prices charged in mainland Europe. The exceptions are when UK dealers already have stock vans bought at favourable rates, but when you start looking the rate has fallen, and you subsequently compare prices, at the new, lower, exchange rate, with the prices of those stock vans. Otherwise, a rise in Sterling vis a vis the Euro makes all continental made vans cheaper to buy in Sterling, whether as a personal import or via a UK dealer, and vice versa. All I would add, if intending to import personally, is to research very carefully what insurance you can get for your journey home from the continental dealer. AFAIK, this is limited to the most basic "Road Traffic Acts" third party only from German dealers, with none available at all from France. Can't answer for Belgium. You cannot now insure your vehicle in UK before it is registered, so cannot generally obtain insurance (except possibly that German third party insurance, or maybe from a few insurers on its chassis number) to drive it from the UK port to your home. You may be able to obtain UK insurance against a foreign registration number from some UK insurers, in which case France may be the best place to buy, as the van would be supplied with temporary French plates and a temporary export registration document. For Germany, the temporary vehicle registration, AFAIK, comes with the third party included, which precludes obtaining UK insurance even on the German plate, as you cannot insure the same item twice with different insurers. If buying used, Belgium or France will probably be best, as the registration number transfers with the vehicle in (I think) both countries, and should be accepted temporarily for UK insurers (usually time limited before it must be UK registered). Buying used in Germany will present the same problem as buying new, because German registration numbers belong to the driver and not the vehicle, so all used vehicles sold in Germany will be minus plates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Before Brian frightens you to death:-D If buying new you can insure van here fully comp on VIN number, normally valid for a month which gives you the time to register vehicle. it kicks in when you return to UK. German temp export plates get you to the UK. Yes they are 3rd party, some will lend you trade plates as long as you post back immediately. Some will deliver to port for you so no risk whatsoever. I have no problem with temp export plates, you are talking about a 2-6 hour drive depending on where you buy vehicle. last year we spent about 6 days touring around on our way back.....no big deal Fly over - drive back - can all easily be done with in 24 hour if you need to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 JudgeMental - 2012-06-03 3:33 PM Before Brian frightens you to death:-D If buying new you can insure van here fully comp on VIN number, normally valid for a month which gives you the time to register vehicle. it kicks in when you return to UK. German temp export plates get you to the UK. Yes they are 3rd party, some will lend you trade plates as long as you post back immediately. Some will deliver to port for you so no risk whatsoever. I have no problem with temp export plates, you are talking about a 2-6 hour drive depending on where you buy vehicle. last year we spent about 6 days touring around on our way back.....no big deal Fly over - drive back - can all easily be done with in 24 hour if you need to But......................not all UK insurers will insure on VIN, and not everyone will necessarily complete the registration process, including the DVLA inspection and the necessary mods to speedo and lights for UK registration, within a month. Therefore, there is a risk, and that is all I'm pointing out. Better by far, IMO, to point out the downsides so folk know what to look for, than to leave people in the position of the chap who hadn't done his homework and couldn't understand why he had no reg plates on his German bought second hand van. I seem to remember you gave him fairly short shrift for not having prepared - so I'm only protecting the OP from your subsequent wrath, not trying to put him off!! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retread24800 Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 I bought my Van in Germany two years ago, the dealer arranged and paid for the temporary export plates, part of his selling cost, so that the van could be driven out of Germany, the plates came with basic 3rd party insurance too. I arranged with my insurance co. to cover me fully comp quoting the VIN no before I travelled to Germany and once We had the plates on the van I phoned the insurance co with the registration no. I notice that Brian says that some insurance co's will not do this, OK so that's their loss. Use another company! How do U.K Dealers justify their mark up over the German SP on a like for like basis? And don't tell me that three 13A electric sockets are the reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Dear Brian, you do tend to get bogged down in detail, while your motive may not be to put people of it does seem to make things appear more difficult then they practically are.... Like retread, have never have had a problem insuring on VIn, and have done this at least 4 times.. Safeguard one of main insurers for one, are happy to do this. Anyone who cant get van ready for registration inspection within a week (lights/speedo/fog light) I mean come on... In my case I had to wait 2 weeks for inspection appointment last year, but was on the road well within the month. A member on here in last week or so, had a short list of a few vans among them one costing 60K here and 36k in Germany for identical LHD camper with better spec... *-) I can now by a car for same price here more or less as in Germany..this was not the case years ago! I remember the days when everyone started buying imported ford cars....that stopped eventually when UK franchise started feeling the pain and lowered prices *-) I can buy a top range German e bike for same price here as in Germany from SOME reputable companies..others ramp the price up and continue this "rip of Britain" culture where we are duped into paying more then other Europeans for identical goods.. It needs to stop! 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomag Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Hi have brought last three vans from Germany could not be easier last one drove from Germany to England on temp German plates then registered with DVLA and then drove to Portugal on German temp plates and a friend posted plates and documents to me when they arrived to him from DVLA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 tomag - 2012-06-04 7:25 AM "...could not be easier..." Buying a motorhome abroad, rather than acquiring it in the UK, carries additional risks that should be obvious to the purchaser. Those risks may be considered worth taking, but it would be foolish for anyone considering this method of obtaining a motorhome to ignore them. I'm not sure what the present position is regarding insurance, but it's something that needs careful consideration. I'm certain that many 'self importers' have, in the past, bought motorhomes abroad and driven them back to the home oblivious to the fact that their insurance coverage was very restriicted or non-existent. This thread dealt with the situation in 2006 http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=4146&posts=21 (Mel Eastburn sadly died in 2009, so his guide to buying a motorhome abroad is no longer available.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 But this is really not an issue. If nervous about driving a few hours to port on 3rd party insurance just get the dealer to use one of his drivers to deliver van to port for you. You may have to pay extra, you may not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Calm down Eddie! :-) No-one is saying the problems cannot be solved, just that they exist and need to be recognised so that they can be solved. Everyone's circumstances and comfort zones vary, so each has to make their own, hopefully informed, decisions. That's all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retread24800 Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 It amazes me how pessimistic the tone is from some 'Experts' I would have expected these sort of comments from an importer trying to justify his mark up but really.....I agree that there are pitfalls but they are easily overcome with a modicum of common sense, and it is depressing to hear a continuous negative drone in ones ear without any attempt to offer a solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 probably worth noting the two experts you refer to (God bless them!) both drive imported LHD Hobby vans! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Retread24800 - 2012-06-04 4:47 PM It amazes me how pessimistic the tone is from some 'Experts' I would have expected these sort of comments from an importer trying to justify his mark up but really.....I agree that there are pitfalls but they are easily overcome with a modicum of common sense, and it is depressing to hear a continuous negative drone in ones ear without any attempt to offer a solution. The OP is aware of the price advantage, and asked for "do"s and "don't"s. The price advantage is the obvious main do. Insurance is the main stumbling block (not a don't, and not actually presented as such), yet you seem, based only on your own fortunate experience, to see setting out some of the possible complications as mere pessimism. It is not, it is advice intended to help him through the maze. Others have had differing experiences with this over time, and a few have encountered genuine difficulties. In practise, it is impossible to propose solutions to a total stranger whose age, degree of risk aversion, driving experience, health circumstances, insurance history, and home location, one does not know. I assume this will be understood by the OP. Stating that the pitfalls are easily overcome with a modicum of common sense is fair comment, but the point of the original query was to tease out those pitfalls. I then assume the OP will have the common sense to find solutions that suit his circumstances and preferences, rather than relying on what worked for someone else two years ago. As the OP wisely said, things change. For example, did your van have to be inspected by VOSA before you could register it in UK? Did you change the headlights for left hand traffic, or did you merely apply masks, and was the speedo changed to read MPH? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 I asked Dave for specific questions, as I did not want to get bogged down in detail if he was not serious...nor did I know how much knowledge he already has...and still don't I have imported on VIN 4 times. twice with NFU Mutual. twice with Safeguard. never had a problem with the one month period. last year I was delayed by DVLA inspection, but if it had gone over the 30 days. all that would have happened is policy would be cancelled and new policy issued *-) when you go to DVLA to register a imported van you will probably be asked to make an appointment to bring it in for an inspection. A to see that it is a NEW vehicle (if new) and B the headlights are RHD dipping ,speedo reads MPH not KPH. and fog light on our side. I paid some one to change the Fiat headlights, after watching it I will do it myself next time as very easy once you know how..20 minutes tops.ditto the speedo.my van has fogs both sides but before I either added anothr fog myself or got dealer to do it.... I know its not intentional and your aim is to be helpful, but getting bogged down in negativity is really not helpful to someone who may be nervous about the process Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retread24800 Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 The three Vehicles that I've re registered have each gone through with hardly a glitch, in my case each was a second hand vehicle, two from the UK to France and the third From Germany to France. At no time have I had a problem with insurance, I always seek competitive quotes and if they fail to come back to me that's their loss :-) In each case where it has been necessary to change headlights I have done so myself rear fog and reversing lights have been handled by installing after market ones on the correct side where necessary (so giving extra security) but I have to admit that I have never changed a speedo for export only when my Scudo let me down :-( my electronic digital display has a switch MPH to KPH useful during tours. But if it was necessary these little jobs can be completed in under a mornings work and you could include changing the tails for the gas cylinders in this from German to calor or whatever it is you use and the Schuko electric sockets to 13A switched square pins. Your DVLA Check seems to me to be similar to our MINES system and as the vehicles were more than 4 years old I had to have an CT (MOT) which was carried out using the temporary German registration documentation. Sounds a lot easier now but it was quite daunting the first time, new country, strange language and a national obsession with documentation. I was lucky in that on another forum (now French Entrée) the experts were clued up and provided positive guidance perhaps because when setting up a new life in a strange land you need all the encouragement you can get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 JudgeMental - 2012-06-05 9:47 AM ...I know its not intentional and your aim is to be helpful, but getting bogged down in negativity is really not helpful to someone who may be nervous about the process Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 Derek Uzzell - 2012-06-05 6:36 PM JudgeMental - 2012-06-05 9:47 AM ...I know its not intentional and your aim is to be helpful, but getting bogged down in negativity is really not helpful to someone who may be nervous about the process Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. So your the wise man are you....Lord give me strength. Seeing problems when there are none that cannot be easily overcome...Pathetic *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 Procrastination is the thief of time.............. Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 LordThornber - 2012-06-05 7:41 PM Procrastination is the thief of time.............. Martyn Lovely Martyn:-D ....... Meanwhile the exchange rate that is based on no strong economic foundations crumbles :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave225 Posted June 5, 2012 Author Share Posted June 5, 2012 Oh my goodness. I seem to have opened a can of worms, without intending to do so I may add. May I explain that I am currently a tugger and quite happy to do so, however as the caravan is getting on, as am I, we are considering leaving it in Spain and just driving down to use it for summers. We of course have a car but as it is a 2000 mile drive a few overnight stops will be required. I am also looking at involving my grown up children who now have their own kids as adults, and they have expressed nterest in possibky using the van for quick 2 weekers as they all work. That way I can tap them for contributions to the cost. All that gave me thoughts about getting a camper instead of the car so I could use it for overnight stops on the way, have a vehicle for shopping trips and maybe even use it for weekends outwith the summer. The kids could also use it for their trips and in time no doubt one of them would inherit it totally. The new Fiat campervans, Adria Twin type, look reasonable as a compromise between smallish size and enough room to use sensibly. There are also a few Ford models of similar size. VW campers are so atrociously expensive as to be out of the scale and although car size, are too small to do much with. My wife and I lie a duble bed that is a double. So browsing the ads in the mags and internet it seems a suitable camper will cost from £34000 up to any level depending on the goodies you want and I was quite interested in the Possl range, which start at these prices. Looking at the German website shows the same vans from 34000 euros which is quite a saving. Having LHD and Schoko plugs is not a problem as half of our gear had been bought in Carrefour anyway. However, although I had looked at this many years ago I also know that recent changes in EU laws have made changes Plus as mentioned the exchange rate recently has not made it worth looking at. I did look at the Gov website on importing but it mainly looks at cars or commercial vehicles and lists motorcaravans as dare I say 'oddballs' . I need to dig into it more. I also of course would like to avoid VAT but then I need to keep the vehicle outside the UK for 6 months and of course the insurance issue crops up. Did wonder if I left it on a site in Spain for 6 months whether I could skid that one, but I accept that is still just wine talk. Plus I may end up paying as much VAT there as here. Anyway, the bottom line was that I was interested to know if anyone had done it recently and whether there were still advantages to be gained. So my thanks appreciation to all who have responded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 Perfect example of why I wanted to hold fire before answering *-) Cloud cuckoo land springs to mind........ Who is going to sell you a van free of VAT in the EU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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