Importing a firebird

Trinity

Hi

I have done a search and found a few threads regarding importing cars and it has been a great help.

However i am asking for practical tips/advice on how best to go about it. I got this website off here mobile.de and have emailed a couple of sellers.

Does anyone know what the next step is?

I have very little money to spend so it will more than likely be a restoration project so would it still need an inspection?

Also whats the cheapest shipping company?

Thanks in advance!

macplaxton

Golden rule - Always buy the best you can afford. Restoration projects will empty out your wallet far quicker and much deeper in the long run. Spend a bit more to start with and save it later.

Also more time to enjoy driving it rather than looking at it going nowhere!

carchaeologist

macplaxton wrote: »

Golden rule - Always buy the best you can afford. Restoration projects will empty out your wallet far quicker and much deeper in the long run. Spend a bit more to start with and save it later.

Also more time to enjoy driving it rather than looking at it going nowhere!

Agreed 100%,if you buy a resto project you will more than likely lose interest in it,its hard to keep interest in a car you cant drive while slogging over a welder and a grinder,plus a firebird would not be a very cheap car to restore or parts to find for.Cars nearly always cost more than they are worth to restore in my experience,if you are to do them properly.So as macplaxton said,save up for a bit longer,it really will do you favours.

Trinity

Thanks guys

Its actually a surprise for the OH so i was hoping to have it for christmas!

I doubt its gonna happen i am not having much luck

mustang68

Whats the difference between a 10,000 classic car and a 11,000 classic car?

About 3,000 in work.

Trinity

I'm looking for an 80's car (knightrider :eek:). I've seen some around the 2k mark. I doubt if this qualifies as a classic!

I answered a couple of ads on www.mobile.de (one for €1500 and one for 1800 ) but they never responded. I dunno if its a language barrier or they are not taking me seriously because I am in Ireland they probably think i am trying to scam them

Big Nasty

if the car is over 30 yrs you pay only nominal vrt and road tax is like €50. classic insurance available for cars over 20 yrs. it's gonna cost ya about €1k to fly over, inspect, collect and ferry car back over from the uk. good source is pistonheads: http://www.pistonheads.com/SALES/index.asp?c=40. Alternatively there are some really sweet T/A's for sale here in near perfect nic. Have a look at the 'cars for sale' section on www.americanmusclecarsireland.net - you may need to register as a user. lads on this forum have plenty of exp in importing so its the right place to ask. nice pressie by the way!

Dades

Trinity1 wrote: »

Its actually a surprise for the OH so i was hoping to have it for christmas!

I really, really admire the intention here!

But I have to say if he's the type of guy that would like to get his hands dirty on a rough 'yank tank', he should source it himself. And the process is so fraught with pitfalls that it's an epic undertaking for someone with an interest, never mind someone who is doing it for someone else.

Trinity

Dades wrote: »

I really, really admire the intention here!

But I have to say if he's the type of guy that would like to get his hands dirty on a rough 'yank tank', he should source it himself. And the process is so fraught with pitfalls that it's an epic undertaking.

No he cant even hang a picture

Hes a mad knightrider fan and i see him drooling over these cars all the time. And he just wont bite the bullet and buy one, its cos he hates spending money on himself not that he doesnt want one. But i think when your out working 60 hours a week and if you cant buy yourself something you really want then whats the point? So i know he wont mind throwing a few bob into it if i actually do the dirty work and get the bloody car

It would be the ultimate surprise especially if it was actually running but on my budget its not really proving very practical


But i plead complete ignorance regarding these things i.e cars and i saw one for 1500 in Germany and it looks ok! It even has the equivelant to NCT til 2010 (i think - i cant read german)

mustang68

Trinity1 wrote: »

I'm looking for an 80's car (knightrider :eek:).

Less then 30 and you pay the full vrt, its going to cost you a lot more then you think.

Big Nasty

i know a dude selling a mid seventies trans am, can't remember which year but i'll find out. totally more desireable car than the 80's T/A's. Car in very good nick mechanically, all she needs is a bit of cosmetic body work and probably a re-spray (it's blue at the moment). he's asking €8k for it but i'm sure it would go for less. this dude is big time into cars and bikes and is dead sound so you know for sure that you're getting a mechanically sound car. pm if interested. look something like this (body not this clean, but just to give you an idea of style):

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2944436390034158947jdCHId?vhost=rides

Trinity

MCMLXXV wrote: »

i know a dude selling a mid seventies trans am, can't remember which year but i'll find out. totally more desireable car than the 80's T/A's. Car in very good nick mechanically, all she needs is a bit of cosmetic body work and probably a re-spray (it's blue at the moment). he's asking €8k for it but i'm sure it would go for less. this dude is big time into cars and bikes and is dead sound so you know for sure that you're getting a mechanically sound car. pm if interested. look something like this (body not this clean, but just to give you an idea of style):

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2944436390034158947jdCHId?vhost=rides

Thats really nice!! Unfortuantely its way above my budget. I ended up having to tell him about it as its such a big decision and i didnt want to get the wrong one. I think he wants to wait til we have more money to get a 'proper' one.

Surprise now ruined and back to the drawing board

Anan1

Trinity1 wrote: »

Thats really nice!! Unfortuantely its way above my budget. I ended up having to tell him about it as its such a big decision and i didnt want to get the wrong one. I think he wants to wait til we have more money to get a 'proper' one.

Surprise now ruined and back to the drawing board

Ah well, it was a lovely idea all the same.:)

Trinity

Anan1 wrote: »

Ah well, it was a lovely idea all the same.:)

Thanks! I've implanted the idea in his head now, he wants to do up his integra. He has all the knightrider stuff from a previous car and i think its gonna look manky tbh so trying to talk him into just getting the trans am but he reckons too expensive to run. Lot more authentic though. I could still give him some money towards it at least he could get a better one if we both put money to it!

Big Nasty

Presuming its not going to be used as a daily it wont be that expensive to run as a daily. Tax €50, Insurance, €350, Fuel 10 - 14mpg. Not too bad for a weekend / show car.