Alan, I don't believe it will work out to buy a nice U.K. LHD car and export it - to CN. My wife has a cousin in Montreal and I believe you can import a car to CN, if it is at least 15 years old. After a few years, it could be imported to the USA (a 25 year old car). At approx 70K+/- Pounds, it does not make any financial sense to purchase a euro market car. If you can find a nice LHD car to export from the U.K./EU and have the 20% VAT refunded, it may make some economic sense - long term. Most American buyers balk at the thought of a euro car. Nothing wrong with a euro car, if you get in and get out cheap. Long term, it really does not matter all that much. Thanks for the information you sent me.
It is not possible to have the VAT tax refunded if the car is not owned by a company that bought the car + VAT. These cars are so old so most all of them are privately owned. An euro version is the original. To have a US version in Europe is usually less attractive than the original.
I would not have an issue with a nice LHD euro spec car. Not looking at a modern car as an investment. This would only make sense, if I can find a nice car with the 20% VAT refunded, at the time of export.
Like I explained when you messaged me. Once VAT is paid on a car when it's new in the UK, that's it. It's no longer recoverable if the car is exported assuming the car has had at least one non business owner in the UK. If a new car is exported then VAT is not payable at point of export. I'm not sure what the arrangement is with other EU countries but I imagine it's similar.
If you go to www.mobile.de and look at det advertizements, some of the ads show: «Mwst. Ausweisbar». This means that the VAT (Value Added Tax / (Mehrwertsteuer in German)) is deductable. But you must first pay it, and then write to the German tax office and ask them to refund you if you are eligeable for it.
Thank you. I am familiar with the website (mobile.de) and I will gladly check. The euro-dollar exchange rate vs the Pound-dollar exchange rate may not be as favorable, to an export buyer. However, a 20% discount (up-front) is nothing, to sneeze at. I also have a friend who is a multi-exotic car owner in Italia, who is aware of the market prices. Cheers Ralph
Erik and Alan, I searched mobile.de and found five listings for the 550 Maranello which have potential for a 20% VAT refund, upon export. Two of the five cars were Barchetta's. It may be economically worthwhile if you can find a nice car. The euro-dollar exchange rate will be a huge consideration going forward. I would feel more comfortable finding a car from a franchised F dealer, due to the distance involved where it is not practical to physically look at every listing. In the past when I searched mobile.de I found some really neat 550 options - a factory installed rollbar behind the seats and F.H.P. Cheers Ralph
Life is about setting goals and targets, and the journey toward reaching them and making the accomplishment. If you want to buy a car overseas and maybe spend a week or two with it in Europe first and then bring it home, I believe you will have a very unique experience with the car that with follow you forever and within your ownership. I did this with my car, except I did not need to ship it, and it was a great achievement and brings good memories. Now I am looking to send my Jag from the US to Europe and probably keep the car there for many years. Not neccesarily the most economic thing, but for me that car has a lot of memories when driving it from Sacramento to Miami and everything in between. Good luck.
Erik, you bring back memories. In 1961 when living in Paris I bought a Porsche 356b Super 90 coupe through the U.S. importer, Max Hoffman, collecting it at the factory. Had an FIA competitor and driver license issues by the R.A.C. in London, and raced it at the Autodrome de Linas-Montlhery. Then brought it home to New York City. Four years later I bought a BMW 1800ti, again from importer Max Hoffman, for factory delivery, drove it from the factory south on the autobahn to put miles on it, back to the factory who arranged for US shipping. Five years later, for my voyage de noces, we ordered another BMW from Max, a 2800. I wanted the car with 4-speed manual but all U S cars were delivered with automatics, I wanted roll-down not electric windows with which all U S car came. I wanted no power steering, ditto. Max said he could do it but there would be an extra charge of $500. for manual transmission, $500. for non-power steering and $400. for roll-down windows. I said: Max, the price of the "standard" U S 2800 already has built in to the standard U.S. price: $500. surcharge for each of auto transmission and power steering and $200. for power windows! You mean you are going to charge me $2,600. to put the car back in Germany factory delivery condition? You need to find a different moron. I got the car at the correct price. And enjoyed that wonderful BMW for a wonderful honeymoon in Switzerland, Italy and France before shipping it home. Owned and enjoyed that car for fourteen years when it was stolen just before Easter weekend from my country home 200 miles north of New York. The police tracked ot to Montpelier, Vermont, where new title issued on a fraudulent license application - and the car disappeared, perhaps to be shipped to Venezuela, Colombia or Peru. Or parted out. Pity as it was a very rare car, built the way it was, in flawless condition and with ten thousand miles.
Hi Seth. Incredibe story!! I bet your Porsche was pretty damn hot in New York back then. The 2800 or «Bavaria» as you use to call it in the states is a very nice car. I can imagine how cool your maiden voyage was with it in perfect new condition.... One of my first cars was a 1975 3,0 Si. I still remember the smell and the sound of that car. 200 hp and Bosch D-Jetronic injection and manual transmission. That thing was FAST! That was back in the times were BMW was a real car with attitude and not just something similar to all other cars. Very sad it was stolen!! You can get another car, but not one with those memories in it. That is why I said that to do these adventures is a great thing, even if it cost time and money. I wish more people told stories like this. It always happen something special at trips like that. I have suggested that we get together for a trip through some good parts if Europe with our cars. That would be very cool! Shipping is 1.600 dollars from the states to Europe. About the same as a set of tires. Thanks for the story.
What a good idea Erik! But I'd like to know who does your shipping. I bought my 412 two years ago and shipping in container from Netherlands to my address was over US$9,000. Of course that included customs duty of over $2,000.
The better question is who the hell does your shipping? Did you air ship it or something? $9,000 is ridiculous, even including customs duties.
Cars r’us in Ft. Lauderdale is the company I am going to use to send the Jag from Florida to Gothenburg in a container which is the most convenient location for me. Ten years ago, I sent a similar Jag XK8 from Linden NJ all the way to Drammen, Norway with DAS, as a rolling cargo. It means that the car is driven on and off (ro-ro) the Cargo ship. I paid the same back then. 1600 bucks! My GMC Sierra 3500 big dually was sent from somewhere in the US to Oslo by a cargo plane to reach new year because just that time, the Norwegian government and tax authorities started to put tax on light trucks too after new year, so to reach the country in time, it was sent by a plane and that was 5.000 dollar!! It was around 8.000+ lbs. !!
Apparently it's Maranello week on BaT. Two 575Ms currently listed...a Nero Daytona F1 and Grigio Alloy manual; and an Argento Nurburgring 550: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2004-ferrari-575-maranello-3-2/ https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2002-ferrari-575m-maranello-6/ https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1997-ferrari-550-maranello-3/ The 550 is listed by a Volvo dealership and I think it's been on the market for quite awhile. Grigio Titanio 550 that sold yesterday: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2000-ferrari-550-maranello-7/
BAT sucks, they wouldn't let me list my 575 this week unless I put it RNM. They had some ignorant kid named zac tell me he thought it would be bid into the 90s and wasn't worth what I wanted which was a reserve a little north of $100k. I figured the stock market had a horrible week and i didn't want an $88k final bid + a red/tan car with shields + tubi + xpipe + luggage + $9,200 in recent service + timing belts done 14 months ago asking a reserve a little over $100k wasn't unreasonable. Young zac, he's in his 20's i saw his linkedin page, he kept sending me all these gray and black and champagne colored cars most without shields that were going for $65k-85k and when I showed him a gray one with more miles and no shields that sold for $108k a few weeks back, he said that was bc it had no reserve and people bid more bc there's no reserve and mine was still worth 90s. BAT has no interest in listing cool cars anymore, just cars that are guaranteed to sell which is funny bc that unrestored gullwing they had on the other day got $1.1M unrestored when plenty of restored ones can be had for that and they let that seller be unrealistic with the reserve. I posted it on fchat classifieds and in 1 day someone came and gave me a deposit for $20k more than young zac told me it was worth. I used them in the past but would never buy another car from bringatrailer again
I love it, its not the car, I recently had to move out of state bc my dad is sick and honestly I dont want to deal with another indy mechanic bc mine is so good and honest and even so I spent $9k last year. People see you as a gold mine when you come to them with a v12 ferrari and most arent honest as ive learned in the past with other exotics, so if/when i move back to fl ill get another, the 812 goes to the dealer so its not an issue.
That rusty Gullwing really surprice me. 1,1 million dollar for a car like that!! I rather have one rusty Maranello!
LHD Manual 575 HGTC 33,600km https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/ferrari/575/575-hgtc--lhd--33-250km--believed-1-of-just-9-manual-examples-dk1004/9325133 DK often have interesting stuff but their asking prices are always strong. Still, how many manual HGTC's are there? I guess if it's what someone wants specifically it could make the money.
I've had discussions with James Cottingham of DK Engineering. Their asks are always strong but they have a reputation for extraordinary cars. Too, asking prices can only remains firm or go down, they cannot increase.
£275k for a three pedal LHD HGTC, doesn't sound too crazy to me. But it depends on the car. The ad says nine manual HGTCs made but Taz will likely enlighten on whether that is correct.
Darius- No real numbers I have seen on total HGTC production or number with three pedals. Unless I get it from an official source, I do not trust dealer numbers. Especially considering all the other technical errors in the DK ad. Standard larger brakes on the 575M statement, along with others we know are incorrect.
