Campervan Import China to Ireland

marie2000

Does anyone have any expertise importing a campervan from China to Ireland and then reselling it in Ireland. I live in the UK. does anyone work in the motortrade and would be happy to provide advice on where it can go wrong.

Fabio

Could be pretty tough I'd imagine. Lots of different homologation laws I would think but I really don't know for sure...

spaceHopper

Not current and not China, in 2009 I imported a camper from Japan. I'm guessing you are looking at a China clone of a Toyota. Personally I wouldn't buy one, the VRT here will drive up the price and I'd be taking a risk on getting parts. Would they be the same as a Toyota? If I get parts from a motor factors will they fit are the right? As the van gets older the problem gets bigger and would you be able to sell it of if you wanted to.

Mine is a 1991 van so I'm well used of making more than one trip for parts and checking Toyota part numbers online. I also got new indicators from China and the wire loom it came with was crap quality had luckily I'd kept the old one.

The process was this

Buy at auction in Japan via UK agent, their fee was £500, well worth it. Shipping arranged by them or their contact in Japan

Arrived in Dublin, got a customs clearance agent and paid 10% customs + 23% vat + 23% vat on customs

Took van to VRT center and paid VRT Tax 13% of open market value. There is NOX charge now too and you got to the NCT test center as well or CVRT center for a van.

Mefistofelino

The first question should be - who is going to pay a high enough price for a privately-imported camper from China with no enforceable warranty, questionable spares availability, potential issues around insurance & testing and sold by someone with no background in the motor trade, that will justify the cost and headaches of you importing it in the first place, particularly with all the taxes and duties involved? If you can't identify a potential customer base, this could just be a very good way of losing a lot of money.

If it is, for example, an EU- manufactured camper such as a VW California that was manufactured for export to China on the first place, you might have some chance. Even a unit manufactured in China by the likes of a VW or a Toyota or one of the big-name Chinese makes might work. But if it is some locally-manufactured conversion with no certification of the componentry or conversion, I'd imagine there is no chance of making this work

spaceHopper

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121491276#Comment_121491276

I wouldn't worry to much about the camper side of more the mechanical part of it.

Mefistofelino

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121491632#Comment_121491632

Gas installation? 230v system? Water-tightness? Plenty to be concerned about on the camper side too.

spaceHopper

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121493802#Comment_121493802

Yep my 32 year old camper has a leak on window seal, but I can easily get the parts it's sealed with silicone for now. The fridge has a 110V element. I can replace it or as I've done bought a 230 to 110V transformer. It's all doable or replaceable because the camper parts are common here. My worry would be if something mechanical breaks and there is no alternative then it's a static caravan.

Over the years on my van I've had to get

Top ball joints, raindeerparts.de for about 200 toyota wanted 700 euros

Pulley wheel,mechanic sorted it

Timing belt, mechanic sorted it

Radiator, mechanic got it re-cored

Bottom ball joints, two trips to motor factors for the correct one.

Rear break cylinders, mechanic wasn't happy with ones he got from blueprint so he asked me to got them from toyota

Window seals, from toyota

Boot catch, ebay

Speed sensor right angle adaptor, ebay

Front indicator light, eventually found them on a chineses site, quality of lense only ok. Wiring, crimps all failed.