Since April 2021 prices have gone up 16.6% with strong demand for used vehicles.

It is no surprise that we have seen an increase in people looking to get in on the action and find vehicles to sell to our buoyant UK market.

However, some markets such as the USA have seen a slowdown in used car prices with the Manheim wholesale index suggesting a slowdown in pricing. Therefore, purchasing a car abroad and importing it to the UK can give you a double-win on low purchasing costs and high resale.

So how do you get involved in buying, importing and selling cars from countries such as USA or Dubai here in the UK?

Firstly we need to find cars for sale. Checking Autotrader.com / eBay USA can be a great start. You also have the auction houses such as CoPart with depots across the world (we see a lot from USA and Dubai) which have some incredible prices on cars.

Obviously from these markets the cars will be LHD, luckily there is a strong market for LHD cars here in the UK especially with people who frequently visit Europe, also from European buyers seeking UK cars.

Alternatively you can look into RHD markets such as Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa etc. However, in order to test & register a RHD car in the UK it is much easier if over ten years of age (it can be impossible to import a newer RHD car unless you are bringing it back as a transfer of residence). This is to protect our UK market from newer grey imports.

So how do you price everything up? Well first get the best rate for your payment abroad. This is always best by using an FX broker such as SMCFX. They will beat the banks rates at over 4% which can make a big difference to your overall margins.

Next we need a price for all the shipping, testing, insurance, taxes and registration costs – where do we even start?!

Luckily Ship My Car offer a fully turnkey solution (if you wish, or they can just collect & ship your car). All you need to do is visit their website and try the instant car shipping calculator on the homepage. It prices everything from collection through to road tax costs and works for all years, makes and models of imported cars.

So there you are. Importing a car from abroad and shipping it to the UK for sale can be as straightforward as buying a car from UK auction. Perhaps not as quick, but the margins can be extremely interesting indeed.

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So how will this affect car shipping and UK car imports?

Car Import Duty / VAT

A trade agreement was reached meaning you will not have to pay any duty on importing a car into the UK. You will however have to pay VAT on the value of the car you are bringing here.

For example, you are buying a £10,000 Toyota from Germany, you will be liable for £2,000 worth of VAT @ 20%

However, if the vehicle is over thirty years of age, say a nice classic Porsche from Germany. Then there is a reduced rate of VAT at just 5%

It gets even better if you are relocating to the UK from Europe. If you can prove you lived outside the UK at least 12 months and owned the car at least 6 months, then it will be subject to zero VAT and zero duty. This is the HMRC Transfer of Residence scheme

Customs Clearance

Following Brexit customs clearance procedures have changed.

First, you need to ensure the vehicle has been correctly exported from the European country. You will ned the paperwork to prove this on import to the UK.

A proper customs entry must then be carried out (C384 / ToR) and submitted via a customs agent to HMRC

You will then receive confirmation all is good in the way of a NOVA letter, which can be used to register the car with the DVLA.

Car Imports by a Company

From 1st January 2021 (after the transition period), if you are importing the vehicle to the UK as a VAT registered company, you will need to have an EORI number that starts with GB

Vehicle Type Approval

During the Transition Period the EU type approval rules will still apply. In the UK up until 1 January 2021 the existing VCA rules will remain. Therefore, the VCA will continue to act as an EU Technical Service and EU Type Approval Authority. This means that the VCA can continue to issue EU approvals (‘e11’) and they will continue to be accepted in the EU.

UK and EU technical standards will be aligned immediately after 31 December 2020

IVA / MSVA Testing

Following the transition period it is likely type-approvals issued in the UK will no longer be valid for sales or registrations on the EU market.

We would imagine current IVA rules to be continued into 2021

Exchange Rates

A strong GBP will help all stages of purchasing and importing a car into the UK.

From the initial purchase of the vehicle to shipping costs which are billed in USD, the strength of UK currency will make an impact to your car shipping process.

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Even the base model C8 is going to be as fast as the current C7 ZR1 with 0-60 times expected to be under three seconds.

The C8 is not an improved C7 however, in fact it only carries over one single part from the previous model.

While there will be a UK right hand drive model it can still be advantageous to import one to the UK from the USA if the spec is not available or you expect to drive onto the continent.

The engine is an all-new build known as the LT2 and is now visible through the rear hatch window

The roof is fully retractable and hardtop which only ends up weighing 77lbs more than the coupe version.

The quality and finish of the interior from the images looks to be of exceptional quality

We are very excited to see what the interior looks like in the flesh, with the wrap-around driver’s panel catching our eye immediately

The 1LT has a starting price of $59,999 with the 3LT rising to $71,945

If you are looking to ship / import a Corvette C8 into the UK, please enter the details below and we will price everything up including car shipping, UK import costs, IVA testing, DVLA registration, import duty & VAT all in seconds:

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The guides can be viewed here: Shipping a Car to the UK Guides

Of course you can always use our unique car shipping calulator which gives you an instant breakdown of all costs to involve in regards to the shipping, testing and registration of your car here: Car shipping quote calculator

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Shipping a car from South Africa with ShipMyCar is a very straightforward process, out local agents in South Africa can assist getting the vehicle ready for export and then we ensure the car is shipped fully insured and containerised here to the UK.

Once you vehicle lands in the UK we can then also provide all the necessary IVA / MOT / DVLA processes as part of an all inclusive car import package meaning you can literally drive the vehicle away from our workshops once registered

Our instant quote system allows you to instantly price up everything including testing, import VAT / duty and more, plus it works for all makes & models of vehicles

One of the most popular cars to ship from South Africa are 1970’s Ford Escorts, which come under the BTI tariff so just 5% import VAT – so if you are looking at importing a classic car to the UK or any other car from South Africa please be sure to try our unique quote system here: car shipping quote or by calling us on 01908 887917

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Our Car Shipping Calculator gives instant prices not only for the car shipping costs of getting the vehicle from Australia to the UK but also the expected taxes / import duties (if applicable), IVA / MOT testing and DVLA Registration

For an instant cost for shipping a car from Australia to the UK, please enter the details here:

Importing a Car from Australia into the UK

If your vehicle is under ten years of age it will require an IVA test, this is a very strict test carried out by the DVSA (formally VOSA) to check the vehicle complies with UK regulations and European standards

From Australia this becomes a problem if you have only recently purchased the vehicle as you will also need to obtain a ‘Model Report’ from the manufacturer which can be very hard to obtain.

If you have owned the vehicle more than 6 months, lived outside of the EU for at least 12 months and are returning to the UK permanently, then a Model Report is not needed in order to test the vehicle and make things much more straight forward

Australian Car Ports

Our Car Shipping Calculator can price up the import from Melbourne, Sydney and Freemantle/Perth so if you have a requirement to export a vehicle from these areas please feel free to try the quote calculator at our website: Australia to UK Car Shipping Quote

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There is a good market here in the UK for left hand drive vehicles from both domestic buyers looking for a certain vehicle specification or from European buyers who are happy to buy a LHD vehicle.

The vehicles we notice performing very well at the moment include:

1) 1955-1963 Mercedes 190SL

2) 1963-1971 Mercedes Pagoda

3) 2008 Mustang Bullitt

4) 2012-2013 Boss 302 Mustang

Anybody can ship a car into the UK and sell or keep as an investment and we are here to help. Our unique car shipping calculator allows you to instantly cost up the entire purchase including all overseas transport, shipping, insurance, testing, registration and taxes. This enables you to quickly decide on which vehicle you can import within your budget.

If you are importing a car you have already owned abroad (for at least six months, and you have lived outside of the EU for at least 185 consecutive days out of the last 12 months plus you are moving back to the UK permanently) then you will not have to pay any tax / duty on import. This can make great financial sense as you can own the car for a year here and then sell without having to pay any duties, this can mean not only cost effective motoring but also makes shipping your car back to the UK a profitable experience.

For more information please visit www.shipmycar.co.uk

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Every car that we import through our fully inclusive import package will benefit.

Our valeting team only use the highest quality valeting products from Autosmart and your car will be made to look as good as new.

Some of the products used include a full traffic film removal solution which will remove all the oily grease from the car along with any mud or dirt accumulated in crevasses and wheel arches. A high wax solution is applied to give an as new shine to the paintwork.

We can also provide machine polishing, carnauba waxing, clay bar paint smoothing and much more. For information on all of our car shipping or valeting services please visit our website www.shipmycar.co.uk or call 01908 887917

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The hand crafted 6.2L supercharged aluminium V8 ranks among the foremost engines available anywhere in the world. Its tremendous power never fails and its accurate efficiency meets the toughest emissions requirements. EQUUS BASS770’s sound signature is characteristic of 1960’s and 1970’s muscle cars, easing from soft, elegant breathiness when cruising to a raging growl when the beast is unleashed.

EQUUS BASS770’s aluminium chassis is designed to perfectly balance lightness and agility with sharp handling. The central front positioning of the engine offers the ideal weight distribution for sporty handling. The long wheelbase and wide tracks provide for accurate stability at any speed.

EQUUS BASS770 is fully dressed with an innovative superformed aluminum body, entirely lined with carbon fiber inners. This leading edge solution guarantees uniquely solid structure as well as liveliness and pep. Treasured american style is back on the road charging forward with a roar that’ll be heard East or West of anywhere.

Your daily driving experience is heightened to a thrill backed up by the assurance that comes with dependable high-caliber components. Carbon ceramic brakes provide utmost performance, stopping distance and durability as you embark upon trips of your wildest fancy. The magnetic suspension system ensures your wheels will hug the ground. As your heart races, EQUUS BASS770’s shock absorbers are calculating in the thousandths to offer you ideal comfort and maximize tire grip according to track criteria and dynamic pressures on the car.

Supercharged 6.2L (8 x 770 cm3)
90 degree V8, aluminum block and heads, titanium valves, hydraulic lifter with dry-sump oil system
640 HP at 6500 rpm
605 lb.-ft. at 3800 rpm
200 mph
0-60 in 3.4 s
6 speeds manual rear-mounted dual clutch
Magnetic Selective Ride Control, Performance Traction Management, Active Handling System, Traction Control and variable-ratio power steering
Brembo® 4-wheel ventilated, cross-drilled carbon ceramic matrix rotors with 6-piston 15.5” front and 4-pist on 14” rear calipers with ABS
Frontal and side-impact, driver and front passenger with Passenger Sensing System.

For more information on buying an Equus please visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/EquusAutomotive

Shipping an Equus Bass 770 Mustang to the UK

If you have been lucky enough to order one of these fantastic cars, we can assist with shipping and making the vehicle road legal here in the UK.

Please enter the details on our quote system below for an instant price

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The system works for all makes/models thanks to years of shipping and modifying cars for UK road use experience

Shipping a car from Canada can be a more complicated and expensive process that nearby USA but we make the entire journey from start to finish a stress free experience as we handle all the shipping, testing and registration for you under one roof

For more information on Shipping a Car from Canada please call us on 01908 887 917

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