Car import duty £20,000

captainjohn


Joined: 08/06/2008
Posts: 201

Message Posted:
26/10/2010 13:29

Can anyone advise on the following issue, our neighbour recently had his 10 year old 3 lt Merc recently shipped from the UK to the TRNC and although he asked for advice from the shipping agent as to what procedure he would need to follow to avoid any complications, he was assured that everything would be OK he was quite happy for them ship his beloved car to the TRNC, however he was not informed or given any indication of how much duty he was required to pay,



The car is 10 years old is valued at approx £1,500, he went to pay the import duty to the customs in Famagusta were he was informed that he would need to pay £7,000 in cash !, of coures all expats carry that sort of money in their pockets for everyday expenses.

Our neighbour was due to return to the UK but would be back in 3 weeks with the cash.



As promised he returned 3 weeks later to pay the import duty of £7,000 only to be told that it had increased to £20,000.



contined...

negativenick


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 6023

Message Posted:
26/10/2010 13:32

and we moved here because it was cheap.....................

captainjohn


Joined: 08/06/2008
Posts: 201

Message Posted:
26/10/2010 13:34

Sadly today he took his car to Famagusta for shipment back to the UK.

Chegwin


Joined: 24/03/2009
Posts: 775

Message Posted:
26/10/2010 13:37

If it was insured couldn’t he have had a mysterious fire? Or had it "nicked"?

letty


Joined: 04/12/2008
Posts: 360

Message Posted:
26/10/2010 13:55

It has happened to many.

And will happen to many more.

Until people realise that it will happen,

before they do it.

flowerfairy


Joined: 17/09/2008
Posts: 1277

Message Posted:
26/10/2010 14:13

Captainjohn, we had a very similar situation three years ago. The car was worth 2.5K, but as we're living here, it was pointless paying to ship it back, by the time we paid 1.5K for shipment back, we'd have still been out of pocket.

I feel for your neighbour but I did post my story on the boards to inform others, your neighbour obviously missed it.

baxi7


Joined: 23/09/2008
Posts: 130

Message Posted:
26/10/2010 14:19

beware custom,s can not be trusted , that is why they will not put anything in writing , .

Elliecy


Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 153

Message Posted:
26/10/2010 15:32

Do they not do a temporary import anymore? My friend brought theirs in, kept it here for a year, then took it out again and then repeated the process. I know it is not ideal but better than paying 20k. That is just mad!

girne


Joined: 14/01/2009
Posts: 438

Message Posted:
26/10/2010 16:05

This is no longer aloud!!! be warned

Stonehousepub


Joined: 21/05/2009
Posts: 755

Message Posted:
26/10/2010 16:21

message 9



Are you sure ? Providing you have not lived here for more than one consecutive year you would normally be given one years permission for your car to stay on the island.



20k is a ridiculous amount and does not sound right to me... in theory 5-7k would be acceptable. In saying this the approx tax payable is now 60% of the book value or 6-7 stg per cc on older vehicles plus all sorts of other taxes if the vehicle is diesel.



Not worth the hassle

malsancak


Joined: 23/08/2009
Posts: 2874

Message Posted:
26/10/2010 16:25

stonehouse, £6/cc = £18,000 for a 3000cc car!

Stonehousepub


Joined: 21/05/2009
Posts: 755

Message Posted:
26/10/2010 16:33

I know, just wondering if thats how they calculated the tax for captainjohns Friend... Would be interested to know how they actually did calculate the tax in this instance...



Obviously no use to Captainjohn & his mate now but still curious..

breezyboy


Joined: 14/05/2007
Posts: 1179

Message Posted:
26/10/2010 18:45

These people in the government agencies are completely bloody mad.

This car's owner is also a neighbour of mine and a few weeks ago the customs officers turned up on a Sunday afternoon to impound it despite the arrangement the owner had made to pay when he returned form the UK with the dosh! They were talked out of it but doesn't look as if it was any use.

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
26/10/2010 19:00

messege 4 .

Not a very law abiding suggestion is it . It is hardly surprising why Expats get reputations when folk like you post these sorts of suggestions 'tut tut''

zerochlor


Joined: 03/04/2009
Posts: 4024

Message Posted:
26/10/2010 19:11

message 1



In the 3 weeks that your friend was in the UK,it could of been that customs tarrifs changed on cars,from $5 per CC to $7 per cc and from 26% to i think now %40 or 60%. plus other taxes.



That is maybe why it went from 7k to maybe nearly 20k.



There really is no way out,ive tried slithering under ever rule to not pay it or to at least delay it,in the end you just got to pay up or ship it out.

I dont think customs where trying to have your pants down,reckon it up and youll come to almost 20grand.

LOvegod


Joined: 22/03/2009
Posts: 161

Message Posted:
26/10/2010 19:18

thought as long as you were not resident here you could bring your car here for up to 12 months as long as it is uk taxed and motd

WAZ-24-7



Joined: 18/10/2008
Posts: 695

Message Posted:
26/10/2010 23:42

What indeed is the reasoning behind such import duties. Should not the TRNC take a leaf out of the Thiai system.

I believe new foreign residents are able to get new vehicles at discount prices. This strategy seems well founded in order to incourage foreighn settlers.



What is the TRNC administration strategy in attracting new and foreign residents? Does the administration and the economy not benefit from foreign resident spending. Surely there is a basic principle of encouragement towards the hands that feed.

Stonehousepub


Joined: 21/05/2009
Posts: 755

Message Posted:
26/10/2010 23:48

message 17



Years ago thats the way it was, 1 car per non trnc passport & no tax. Then people started abusing the system and selling there 1 car right to others, so they got clever and phased out the old system...

karakum5c



Joined: 18/03/2008
Posts: 1021

Message Posted:
27/10/2010 00:09

have a friend who has another friend who stays in the south, his car is registered with friend in the south and he drives it in the north.



they cant touch him problem solved

Stonehousepub


Joined: 21/05/2009
Posts: 755

Message Posted:
27/10/2010 00:14

Is there no vehicle import tax in the South ? I thought it was just as expensive..

newscoop


Joined: 23/12/2007
Posts: 2197

Message Posted:
27/10/2010 01:23

Mitsi Lancer €14,000 in south



Mitsi Lancer €24,000 in north



New from showroom.

apc2010


Joined: 28/07/2010
Posts: 1689

Message Posted:
27/10/2010 02:41

msg 20 the south are in the eu ,, but they still charge import duty ,,,but mininal charge, they have to obey by international/european regulations ...

fiendishpaul


Joined: 18/05/2008
Posts: 1720

Message Posted:
27/10/2010 07:21

I have no problem with paying an import tax on a vehicle but the rates charged in the TRNC are ridiculous. Whilst taxes are so high, you will never see any real improvement in the standard of the vehicles being driven on TRNC roads, locals will be priced out of the market and will continue to drive the 30 year old, left hand drive death traps that are so common here. It would be in the governments interest to drop the rates, thus allowing more 'decent' cars to be imported. More cars imported equals more tax collected and would maybe kickstart the second hand car market, which would appear to be as dead as the construction industry.



As ever, it would seem that the government is looking at short term gain rather than long term 'investment'.



Paul

HNComputers


Joined: 23/08/2009
Posts: 472

Message Posted:
27/10/2010 17:12

Hmm very strange! What has this country come to....I thought that imported cars should not be no less than 5 years old.

breezyboy


Joined: 14/05/2007
Posts: 1179

Message Posted:
27/10/2010 17:31

HN

Unless you owned it from new.

breezyboy


Joined: 14/05/2007
Posts: 1179

Message Posted:
27/10/2010 17:32

Or it is a classic car over 25 years old.

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
27/10/2010 18:30

If it is a classic import I thought that was tax exempted !!

cockneydave


Joined: 04/06/2009
Posts: 55

Message Posted:
27/10/2010 20:51

my renault espace is still here covered up i will not give in .they want 4500 sterling plus fine

johndp


Joined: 08/09/2009
Posts: 497

Message Posted:
27/10/2010 22:53

Apologies first - sorry all

But

Scrolling thru the posts i am shocked, nay astounded at the way pipsqueak comes in with sh1te on so many posts

She puts an apartment in her daughters name to avoid duties tut tut indeed

And she knows damn all about classic cars by her last effort ))))))

Pipie alert !!!!

yorgozlu



Joined: 16/06/2009
Posts: 4437

Message Posted:
27/10/2010 23:00

msg 28;



"my renault espace is still here covered up i will not give in .they want 4500 sterling plus fine"



It'll cost you more in long run.Cut your loses,pay the fine and take it out before you lose the vehicle.

joandjelly


Joined: 24/02/2008
Posts: 2953

Message Posted:
27/10/2010 23:04

Pipie classic cars are not tax exempted. If you import a classic via the club (which necessitates you being a member) then you can get paperwork that entitles you to a 65% discount on the annual car tax.

johndp


Joined: 08/09/2009
Posts: 497

Message Posted:
27/10/2010 23:07

jO

cAN YOU ALSO PLEASE CONFIRM THAT THERE ARE FEW (IF ANY) CLASSICS AT TEN YEARS OLD

yorgozlu



Joined: 16/06/2009
Posts: 4437

Message Posted:
27/10/2010 23:10

msg 19;

My neighbour (moved now) did the same (clever),got his car taken off him once,paid 300tl fine to get it back to take it to south.Didnt listen.Second time it happened,he had to pay 3000tl fine,drove the car to Metehan with a custom officer,crossed over,left the car in south and walked back.



He got touched,stung very badly......





I hear cars are very cheap in Bulgaria..............

joandjelly


Joined: 24/02/2008
Posts: 2953

Message Posted:
27/10/2010 23:15

John there are none, they have to be over 25 years and it has to be a car that the club wants in the club, so to speak.

billybob


Joined: 29/03/2008
Posts: 576

Message Posted:
27/10/2010 23:21

yeah i can confirm that as well thanx joandjelly

Love the nom-de-plume

DeaconB


Joined: 13/07/2010
Posts: 120

Message Posted:
27/10/2010 23:21

RE message 19 karakum5c.

Would this work?

Getting a resident in the South to register a car in their name and then loan it to you to drive in the North, obviously with regular trips South?



I am not dishonest and don’t mind paying a fair price but the customs vehicle import tax is unarmed robbery.

pg2464


Joined: 18/07/2010
Posts: 42

Message Posted:
28/10/2010 00:16

There is no way to estimate import taxes when bringing a vehicle into the TRNC, if you read the official website, it gives you a guide for your vehicle, yet, standing in front of the Customs Officer, he appears to charge what ever the customer can bear, it is a shame that the TRNC continues to operate in this manner, the beauty of the country is rapidly being out weighed by the officials,tradesmen and the like.



Common sense dictates, that a vehicle worth 4.000.00 GBP is not worth paying an import tax of 8,000.00GBP, and how can you charge a fee in United States Currency? Wake up TRNC people are going to sell off and leave.

yorgozlu



Joined: 16/06/2009
Posts: 4437

Message Posted:
28/10/2010 00:27

msg 37;



Sell off to who???

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
28/10/2010 00:42

my friend south side has had his car impounded as he traveled via turkey, then trnc across. they want 4000 euros to release it.

LOvegod


Joined: 22/03/2009
Posts: 161

Message Posted:
28/10/2010 11:50

best buy a 20 yr old banger here and drive it into the ground. maybe that will keep the authorities happy ?

barnaclebill


Joined: 12/12/2008
Posts: 303

Message Posted:
28/10/2010 12:16

msgs 19/26

It works for a while until you are clocked by the local constabulary/shopped by a jealous Brit/shopped by a local .I got away with it for 11 months before getting the chineese whisper to get back to the other side before loosing it.There have been similar stories on here concerning this ,one way to look at it is if it were legal dont you think you would see a lot more brits driving around in Greek registered cars.BB

breezyboy


Joined: 14/05/2007
Posts: 1179

Message Posted:
28/10/2010 12:42

There is a confusion here Jo and Jelly.

You refer to the annual car tax, we are talking about import duty.

The duty when importing a classic car over 25 yeras old is based on an agreed value. The classic car club will help to establish what this should be but you do need this otherwise they will make up a figure. As far as I know you could use a UK club and/or the club in TRNC, both would obviously help the case.

I understand from a gentleman who has done this that it cost £2000 in total in 2007/8 to import a Triumph Stag. Based on the current value of that car it isnt a bad price. So find yourself a very nice sorted classic and bring it over. Nice sedate drive or the new ro-ro ferry to Famagusta

Lazy days


Joined: 24/07/2008
Posts: 847

Message Posted:
28/10/2010 12:50

Hi Erwin,

Just a point

The point is there was a point (full stop) after the first sentence of Jo's post

lol



PS see youve got a gardener now

wink

plumber



Joined: 27/08/2008
Posts: 85

Message Posted:
28/10/2010 19:42

theres enough cars on the roads here for me , thats one of the reasons Im here no flood gates open yet.

joandjelly


Joined: 24/02/2008
Posts: 2953

Message Posted:
28/10/2010 19:50

Hi Breezyboy, yes you are absolutely right. If you are thinking of importing a classic then it is very important that you know the original price of the make and model of the vehicle and you do need to have this confirmed in writing. As an example, our Mercedes SLC was originally priced between £15-20k and this is what the import tax is calculated on.

Chelpet


Joined: 10/03/2010
Posts: 253

Message Posted:
29/10/2010 19:35

Just a thought if car import tax is measured by CC how are they going to calculate an electric car that are now coming onto the market, not a hybrid but full electically powered?

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
29/10/2010 19:43

Would an electric powered car be cost effective in TRNC as electricity charges cost more than Uk .

Just a thought !!

breezyboy


Joined: 14/05/2007
Posts: 1179

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 00:02

Hi Joandjelly

There must be 2 ways of doing tis as when I was thinking of bringing my beloved Stag over I got a load of info from a great guy who had done this. His car was the one I quoted earlier. The Stag cost roughly between £2500 and £3500 between 1971 and 1977. But he got help from a car club to ratify the price which should be used then. Mine has an agreed value of £15k but I would hope to be nearer to his £2000 but this must have incresed by now.

joandjelly


Joined: 24/02/2008
Posts: 2953

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 12:23

Hi breezyboy, sorry I'm a little confused. Are you saying that your Stag has an agreed value today of £15k but would have cost between £2.5-3.5k when new? If so, then the tax will be based on that original price. If not, then can you please explain a bit more.

Jo