Importing an Old Jeep cheaply, (Advice Needed)

ste2006

Hi All,

I am thinking of going over to the UK to pick up an old Jeep (SJ413) cheap as I can not get one here. I have never done anything like this before so am looking for some advice.

I will probably buy one on E-Bay for under a 1000 pounds and pay cash when I go over.

How do I sign over the jeep to a different country??? Do I just fill out an Irish address on the UK Form???

Should I drive over or fly and drive it back???

How can I get insurance on it if I want to drive it for a day???

Any advice would be much appreciated,

Thanks,

Stephen

corktina

you bring with you the registration document (V5C).Dont listen to the seller if he tells you he has to send it off, he will be wrong, you need it to re-register the jeep.I think there is a tear off bit for the seller to declare it exported.

Take the document to the VRO at the local Customs and Excise and they will assess the VRT, you pay it, they give you a new number and log book.

How old is old? if over 30 yrs special terms apply.

To drive it in the UK its needs MoT and Tax not to mention Insurance. Be careful they WILL take it off you if they catch you without..

Ask your regular Insurance Co if they will swap over your regular policy for a day or two...TAKE WRITEN PROOF WITH YOU.

alias no.9

You can get temporary insurance in the UK which will cover you for your journey home, but the journey must begin in the UK, i.e. once you're home, I don't think you can continue to drive around on the temporary UK policy. Norwich Union (now called Aviva) used to be the main company that did this. You'll need a UK address, if you're staying over night in a hotel on the trip, then that will do fine, otherwise ask the seller if it is ok to use their address as your temporary location in the UK.

ste2006

Thanks for the advice,

I assume the V5C is like our VRC???

Is the Customs at the boat when i land or can i take it home and pop down to customs anytime???

A trailer is probably the best option so to bring it back, Can i bring a trialer on the boat??

Yes it could be nearly 30 years old, over 20 anyway

I also am reluctant to drive over with a trailer due to cost and then if it turns out to have some big issue that i was not told about etc

ste2006

Is the tempoary insurance expensive???

Never heard of it before but sounds interesting

alias no.9

ste2006 wrote: »

Is the tempoary insurance expensive???

Never heard of it before but sounds interesting

No, if it's just for a day or two, it costs very little, it's used a lot in the UK to cover test drives or borrowing a friends car for the weekend, etc...
If your current insurer will do a temporary transfer of your current policy for free, then that's the best route but if it costs money then temporary insurance could be the way to go.

ste2006

Any idea when i get it back can i get classic insurance on it or is that a different thread??

How old does something have to be to get classic insurance on it and if i can do is tax expensive and do classic cars need an NCT??

Thanks again,

corktina

In theory you need to declare the vehicle a the port of entry, in practice everyone seems to go along the next day (or later still!)

You can probably get classic insurance from 20 years old. Classic tax from 30 years old and NCT exempt if first registered before 1980.

V5C is the equiv of the VRC .

ste2006

Last question,

Is there any way to determine the VRT before i actually see about buying it??

Any way to make sure everything is legit before i head over for one???

corktina

phone the VRO at the customs...give them the details , they will give you a figure that holds for a short period.

you can do an HPI check which will give you details of the cars history and tell you if any HP is O/S on it. I got no link, you could google it i guess.

bonzodog2

corktina wrote: »

In theory you need to declare the vehicle a the port of entry, in practice everyone seems to go along the next day (or later still!)

You can probably get classic insurance from 20 years old. Classic tax from 30 years old and NCT exempt if first registered before 1980.

V5C is the equiv of the VRC .

first reg here, or anywhere? i.e does that apply to a UK import reg'd there before 1980 ?

zilog_jones

Not sure if this is any help but a facelifted SJ413 was sold in Japan up until 1998 as the Jimny Sierra (all SJ and related were badged Jimnys there, though most are <660cc kei cars), though I doubt you'd be able to import one that cheap.

corktina

bonzodog2 wrote: »

first reg here, or anywhere? i.e does that apply to a UK import reg'd there before 1980 ?

first registered whereever it was first registered