Today, my new V70 arrived at the Dutch dealership I am importing from, but I won't be able to collect it until March.
Some time between now and then, it will, of course, be registered on Dutch export plates.
Question: Does the date of this registration matter with respect to the UK plate I will be issued with, given that the next range of UK numbers is also issued on March 1st? If this could affect resale value in the future, as I expect, I would like to be wary of it. I am hoping that export plate registration does not matter, and that given that it is a new car, it is the date of physical import, or paying of VAT, that matters.
Many thanks.
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My experience has been that they register it in the country of supply ie Holland or Belgium a few days before collection or delivery. You drive it home or collect from the dockside displaying the plates which have only a matter of weeks from issue date. Also they insure it abroad and that is also only a week or so. Ideally the invoice is dated to be dated 1st March or later - but no earlier than a month before. You can bring the car in to the UK up to a month prior to 1st March and still get the new reg. but the mileage must remain negligible. (This is a concession by the DVLA due to the volume of imports registered at the time of the new reg. in March / September). The VAT invoice date is irrelevant - you get the bill within a couple of weeks and then get another month to pay it. Presumably you have the import pack from your local vehicle registration office - this has all the forms you need. On top of those forms you then need the invoice, C.O.C.,Insurance cert issued in UK quoting the chassis number and additionally some people include the ferry ticket and petrol receipt from abroad - but these are not mandatory. Not all insurance companies issue certs as described above and you may have to change to one that does.
KB.
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As a matter of interest, did you buy your currency when it was at a respectable rate or have you recently exhanged? If the latter, how much dearer was the car over and above what you was hoping for when it was ordered?
They calculate the VAT at the rate which applies on the day they invoice you. You can't get round that. I have heard of someone who didn't get a bill at all - so live in hope.
KB.
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I have registered a couple of cars that we bought new in Europe b4 bringing them back to the UK.If you get your supplying dealer to send you the documentation(he will want the car paid up)you can the register it with your local VRO,tell them you want it registered from March,get your plates made,take them with you and drive the car back on UK plates,saving all the temperary registration nonsense.
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Thanks all for your help and advice. Looks like I will be okay for an 03 registration.
KB - On the subject of currency, yes I have paid for the car already, because of worries about the Euro becoming ever stronger against the pound. I priced the car when I ordered it in December at 1.58 : 1, paid the deposit in January at 1.54 :1, and when I say the slide getting down to 1.50 :1, paid the balance. Of course, it's now back up to 1:52 : 1!
I therefore have a mix of two exchange rates already, and of course a third one will apply in March. I was informed however that I can CHOOSE which of the three exchange rates to use when I pay the VAT, so long as I can prove that it was genuine. Is this incorrect information? Could have quite an impact.
To give other backroomers an idea, a standard Volvo V70 2.4T SE in the UK lists at £27,660. Mine has many extras and from a quick tot up, would list at something over £31,000. If I end up paying VAT at the sort of rate it is today, the OTR price in the UK, including my trip to The Netherlands to collect it, UK VAT, and registration fee, is within a few quid of £26,750.
BTW, delivery was quoted as eight to ten weeks, but in the end was just four: The car was ordered in the first week of January, and delivered to the dealer yesterday as stated in the start of this thread.
Cheers for now, and thanks again for the help.
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Posted too soon.
I also wanted to add that I'm currently abroad without access to the exact figures to do the mathematics properly, but when I'm back home, and have the car registered in the UK in a few weeks time, I will post a final exact calculation for the benefit of other Backroomers who may be on the brink of plucking up the courage (not much is needed, actually!) to personally import.
The exchange rate is of course a big factor, and although it looks like I will still make a huge saving, it has already wiped out a fair chunk of what I hoped to save.
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The date of first registration no matter in what country is the date used by DVLA to register your vehicle Speak to your delaer urgently to stop him from registering the vehicle. Regards Peter
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Sjb - At no point during the registration of half a dozen Toyotas since 1999 did I ever get the option to choose the rate of VAT. You complete form 413 at the same time as you do the V55, Certificate of Newness etc. etc.at submit to the DVLA Local Office (as they are now called) and they then pass the form on to HM Cust/Excise National Unit for Personal Transport at Dover who in turn send you the bill calculated at current rates. Nowhere in that process is there any suggestion of volunteering your own rate..........however if there is - then do it and save some money. Ring them to find out.
Sorry that the rate is so much lower than it has been - still a good saving but not as great as was. UK brokers now seem too get quite close on some models (eg Citroen) and saves the small amount of hassle and delay involved in importing. I'd do it again if the rate was better (saved £2800 on current Yaris diesel) but will not be ordering anything for now.
KB.
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