Importing Current Cars from UK

[spitfire]

This is not strictly an alfa question, but we're looking to import a current Abarth into Australia.

I've a quote for a punto ss from a UK dealer which is 10,987 pounds without VAT. Shipping is about 1900 pounds.

Once the car is in the Australia we pay taxes which work out to roughly 15%. BUT what more do we have to do? Do we have to convert the UK spec-ed car to Australian regulations? and if so would anyone know somebody that might be able to do that for us?

[Backto105]

...first question is why would you want to spend close to $30,000 and all that trouble for that car?

...secondly... NO... you can't do it if the car is less than 15 years old... it must have an Australian Compliance Plate

which is attached:
1) From the factory when sold in Australia
2) Low volume compliance... as long as that model was never sold here by the factory
3) Personal import where you have owned it overseas (while you were living there) for more than 3 months.... in which case, it needs to be engineered and certified and a Personal Import Compliance plate attached before you can register it in Aust.

Again WHY??

[flighty]

No need to SHOUT Backto105; its a reasonable question, second-hand Italian cars are twice the price here compared to the UK.  That's WHY!!

Anyway spitfire,

Backto105 is right on the compliance plates, and it's actually 12 months ownership needed for a personal import, which is really the only way cars get in.  European cars are generally the same as the Australian versions, and are compliant, with the exception of the child restraint fittings which need to be fitted here.

Then it's 10% customs duty and 10% GST on personal imports.

Move to the UK for a couple of years if you want one that bad; its the only way to own it for a year and then bring it in!

http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/importing_vehicles/general/pdf/VSB10_09.pdf

[Fast Eddie]

check first if you can secure an import permit www.dotars.gov.au

if it enters the country without an import permit it will be returned to origin at your expense or scrapped. 

Importing a car into Oz is not a lightweight task but ya gotta get the permit first!
And insure it door to door. 

Speaking from experience