Importing a Frankia Motorhome (1 Viewer)

[Violet1]

Having just completed our purchase from Germany , you would end up paying vat twice, once at 19% in Germany and again in UK at 20%
Negating any savings. Best to find a dealer willing to either hold a cheque for the vat and then pay UK duty and send fax confirmation.
Definitely worth the hassle as we saved upwards of £14,000, plus the layout we wanted wasn't available here.

 

[peterc10]

Not the amount it's the principle.

 

[Wildman]

Stickers just won't get passed VCA inspection. Unless you know a bent mot station. Anyway just because it got through an MOT don't make it legal as has to comply with uk construction and use regs

Eddie

Stick on beam benders are perfectly legal.

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[Popeye]

They also do the speedo/headlight and foglight, making it quicker once you get it home.

My Frankia came with twin High Density rears / twin reversing and Zenon vertical dip so nothing to change.

or at current rates an extra £20,000

Or shades over £30,000 would you believe.

Stick on beam benders are perfectly legal.

They might be legal but they look naff and with Vertical dip Zenons they are unnecessary.

 

[Lenny HB]

Stick on beam benders are perfectly legal.

No they are not, any vehicle less than 10 years old to pass vehicle mutual recognition and obtain a VCA certificate to allow you to register is it must have either the correct headlamps for the UK or lamps that are adjustable to flat beam as part of the original specification.

 

[Judge Mental]

Stick on beam benders are perfectly legal.

Unhelpful...

Importing now you have the VCA to deal with. Perhaps you can explain where in the VCA process it allows this please....

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[Judge Mental]

We imported a Frankia I 740, new from Germany, for the second time in 7 years.

This time the rules and regulations had changed, and the process is a bit more complicated, but don’t let it put you off. Just follow a step by step approach and be patient. The steps you need to take may vary if you are importing from a different country or if it is second-hand.
The steps we took were:
1. Find a dealer convenient to the UK, Munich is a long way, Aachen is about 4 hours from the channel ports.
2. Negotiate a Euro price net of VAT. (The Caravan Salon at Düsseldorf is best for good discounts).
3. Insure the vehicle on a VIN – Vehicle ID Number (Safeguard, Saga and Comfort will do this in theory, but see below) from arrival at the UK channel port.
4. Book a ferry advising that you will let them know the registration number on arrival.
When the motorhome is ready for collection at the dealer:
5. Fly or take a train/coach to the dealer.
6. Register the motorhome for export, obtain insurance and obtain an export plate. Export plates ("Ausfuhrkennzeichen") are for vehicles being exported. The month/year on the right side indicates their maximum validity in Germany. Insurance is a separate matter - you can simply sign up for a short term insurance with the company of your choice, or have the dealer arrange it for you as most do. You do need the insurance cover and certificate before you can get the plates. As the insurance is 3rd party only we obtained 15 day insurance cover, enough to get us home.
7. Pay for the motorhome without VAT. The dealer may require you to deposit the VAT amount in their bank or in our case provide them with a Euro cheque, which they will return when you provide proof that you have paid the VAT to HM Customs and Excise in the UK (see below). Our bank would provide a Euro cheque but the amount would have been taken from our sterling bank account and credited back when the cheque is cancelled. It proved cheaper to open a Euro account, with a cheque book, depositing a nominal amount and close it again when the transaction was finished. This account also came in handy for buying Euros when the rate was good and using them to pay for the van by bank transfer.
8. Drive the motorhome or arrange for the motorhome to be transported back to the UK.
When the vehicle is home:
9. Modify the speedometer to show MPH. Our Mercedes had the ability to show a digital output in MPH but the Fiat did not so we obtained a replacement dial from Lockwood (www.lockwoodinternational.co.uk) and had it fitted by a local MOT garage.
10. Modify or replace the headlights to dip to the left. Ours are Hella low beam lights that can be adjusted by releasing 3 bolts, twisting the assembly and screwing bolts back, one in a different hole. Temporary solutions such as beam benders are not acceptable.
11. Modify the rear light clusters so that rear fog light is on the right. If not possible add an extra fog light in the centre or on the right and run a wire from the fog light on left. We had the dealer switch the position of the reversing and fog lights, rewiring appropriately.
12. A local MOT station needs to check that the work has been done and write a statement or an invoice (on headed paper giving their full contact details including their MOT test station number and VAT number and registered address or Companies House number and registered address. It needs to quote the 17 digit vehicle chassis (VIN) number, be dated and make clear the garage has worked on, or inspected the vehicle for conformity.
13. It is necessary to obtain a ‘proof of ‘Mutual Recognition’ certificate from the VCA/Department of Transport (http://www.direct.gov.uk/pdfs/apply-commission-notice-motorhomes.pdf) this will require you to complete a self certification form and send it with the Original European Certificate of Conformity (with 52 numbered items confirming that the vehicle is a motorhome), the above garage evidence that the vehicle meets the United Kingdom national requirements (UK specification headlights, dual marked speedometer, suitable rear fog-light(s)) and £100 payment.
14. While waiting for the VCA to send you a certificate you can deal with the VAT payment. You must send a Notification of Vehicle Arrivals (NOVA) form to HMCE within 14 days of the import or you may be fined.
You can do this online or ask the VAT helpline for a VAT NOVA1 form. You’ll need a Government Gateway account to use the online service. Vehicles can only be registered with the DVLA after you have confirmation that HMCE has processed the NOVA form. All notifications on progress are found online by checking the Nova progress periodically. The VAT receipt, sent by post, takes some time to arrive although an acknowledgement of payment received will be posted online immediately.
15. Send a copy of the confirmation to the dealer to return cheque or funds.
16. Now you can process the registration:
17. You will need to send the following by special delivery to DVLA Swansea SA99 1BE.
• completed form V55/5(registering a used vehicle for the 1st time, not V55/4 (new vehicle)as the vehicle was 1st registered in Germany)
• proof of ‘Mutual Recognition’
• foreign registration documents or any papers relating to the vehicle
• evidence showing the date the vehicle was collected (normally the invoice from the supplier)
• the appropriate HM Revenue and Customs forms, showing you’ve paid VAT and/or duty (if applicable)
• a copy of driving license (photocard and paper)
• a current British motor insurance certificate
• the cost of the vehicle tax
• the new registration fee of £55.00.
• an addressed special delivery envelope

All being well you should receive a Vehicle Registration Certificate (V5C), commonly known as a logbook, the vehicle tax disc and your identity documents by post without too much delay.
18. Get your plates made up and away you go. Easy wasn’t it.
Now for the problems:
Some Insurance companies that insure on a VIN will not provide cover for driving the vehicle from the port; they will only cover whilst the vehicle is at your home. Only Safeguard would provide cover for us, others may on cheaper motorhomes.
All insurers want a Thatcham approved alarm system, German dealer fitted systems are usually not approved. All insurers want the alarm fitted within 14 days but no insurer was initially prepared to cover us to drive to have an alarm fitted (safeguard eventually did agree to cover this after Vanbitz intervened with a telephone call to their contact) We had to drive on the German plates to Vanbitz as registration takes longer than 14 days.
All insurers require a registration number within 30 days even though the VCA quote 5 days and the DVLA quote 4-6 weeks. Safeguard allowed us an extension but it proved unnecessary as the registration finally occurred 32 days after the German registration and 26 days into the UK insurance. The process may have been quicker, but thinking we were registering a new vehicle, we first used form V55/4. This was returned to us with a form V55/5 which we completed and resent. Our registration when it arrived, logged the vehicle as new with no previous owners!
We found out that the German 3rd party insurance was good for the entire EU (including the UK) and allowed us to drive from Germany to home and to the local MOT station and back.

Further details on request, Frankia or other German manufacturers.

This is the post @MGMotorhome would have found helpful if read before venturing into importing

Eddie

 

[tonyl]

First post here, though I've been a lurker, off and on, for over a year. Anyway, after a route march round the Messe for two days, it's possible we may have put our signature at the bottom of a piece of paper (in other words, we did sign but I can't quite believe it!), so this guide should prove invaluable next spring, should we, the dealer and Rapido all survive!

I was particularly interested to read that the DVLA 'used' application form V55/5 should be used even for a new motorhome.

I'm assuming I'll do the speedo and headlight mods for the VCA myself (the dealer says he will swap the fog light over) and get all three inspected by our local MoT chap. I can see Lockwoods are a good source of speedo overlays. Does the instrument panel come apart reasonably easily to fit these?

I'm hoping that by the time it arrives headlights (not the overpriced LED DRL ones!) for the latest Fiat front end will be more commonly available. Our plan is to use whichever set is appropriate and retain the UK ones.

Tony

 

[sallylillian]

First post here, though I've been a lurker, off and on, for over a year. Anyway, after a route march round the Messe for two days, it's possible we may have put our signature at the bottom of a piece of paper (in other words, we did sign but I can't quite believe it!), so this guide should prove invaluable next spring, should we, the dealer and Rapido all survive!

I was particularly interested to read that the DVLA 'used' application form V55/5 should be used even for a new motorhome.

I'm assuming I'll do the speedo and headlight mods for the VCA myself (the dealer says he will swap the fog light over) and get all three inspected by our local MoT chap. I can see Lockwoods are a good source of speedo overlays. Does the instrument panel come apart reasonably easily to fit these?

I'm hoping that by the time it arrives headlights (not the overpriced LED DRL ones!) for the latest Fiat front end will be more commonly available. Our plan is to use whichever set is appropriate and retain the UK ones.

Tony

I used V55/4 on my new imported by me Flair in July. As per advice from the DVLA. The advice to use V55/5 is incorrect for a new MH.

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[Judge Mental]

First post here, though I've been a lurker, off and on, for over a year. Anyway, after a route march round the Messe for two days, it's possible we may have put our signature at the bottom of a piece of paper (in other words, we did sign but I can't quite believe it!), so this guide should prove invaluable next spring, should we, the dealer and Rapido all survive!

I was particularly interested to read that the DVLA 'used' application form V55/5 should be used even for a new motorhome.

I'm assuming I'll do the speedo and headlight mods for the VCA myself (the dealer says he will swap the fog light over) and get all three inspected by our local MoT chap. I can see Lockwoods are a good source of speedo overlays. Does the instrument panel come apart reasonably easily to fit these?

I'm hoping that by the time it arrives headlights (not the overpriced LED DRL ones!) for the latest Fiat front end will be more commonly available. Our plan is to use whichever set is appropriate and retain the UK ones.

Tony

get an import pack from DVLA it contains all the forms

always found headlights (along with everything else!) cheaper in Europe

Hope you have choses a dealer familiar with exporting and they will not require VAT paid in Germany.... as Violet says you will pay twice and have to.claim back from Germany once paid here.

 

[bellabee]

We used V55/4 too.

 

[Lenny HB]

I can see Lockwoods are a good source of speedo overlays. Does the instrument panel come apart reasonably easily to fit these?
Tony

Could take as long as 10 min if you are a slow worker - yes it's a very easy job.

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[tonyl]

Thanks for the responses. Just got to wait until spring now!

Tony

 

[sue b]

get an import pack from DVLA it contains all the forms

always found headlights (along with everything else!) cheaper in Europe

Hope you have choses a dealer familiar with exporting and they will not require VAT paid in Germany.... as Violet says you will pay twice and have to.claim back from Germany once paid here.

They are not Frankia dealers if that's what your after.....drop me a PM

 

[Judge Mental]

@sue b I will get back to you honestly...just a bit busy at the moment

No easy way of saying this ..the OP's post makes it look far more complicated then it actually is as long as you use the right dealer..so do not worry! I dont know any Frankia dealer but let me know what model and your budget. new or used..

Eddie

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[sue b]

get an import pack from DVLA it contains all the forms

always found headlights (along with everything else!) cheaper in Europe

Hope you have choses a dealer familiar with exporting and they will not require VAT paid in Germany.... as Violet says you will pay twice and have to.claim back from Germany once paid here.

@sue b I will get back to you honestly...just a bit busy at the moment

No easy way of saying this ..the OP's post makes it look far more complicated then it actually is as long as you use the right dealer..so do not worry! I dont know any Frankia dealer but let me know what model and your budget. new or used..

Eddie

 

[sue b]

Hi it is not a frankia i am looking for either a Rimor or similar about 6 metre long 2/3
berth only basic I have seen one at Bielefeld but they say I have to pay vat in Germany and also in uk and then apply for a refund. I am looking for a new one LHD
any information useful thanks

 

[Judge Mental]

Hi it is not a frankia i am looking for either a Rimor or similar about 6 metre long 2/3
berth only basic I have seen one at Bielefeld but they say I have to pay vat in Germany and also in uk and then apply for a refund. I am looking for a new one LHD
any information useful thanks

At the risk of upsetting someone.....Why Rimor may I ask, pretty average old tech aren't they? And where would you get the Rimor serviced/yearly checks done in the UK.

I have a general rule.. I will buy a panel van camper either in Germany or Belgium as they are relatively problem free, but if it's a potentially troublesome coachbuilt only in Belgium as it's easier to get to for warranty work/yearly checks when going on holiday. I will risk Germany if your buying a quality brand as less risk of problems

Its all about picking the right dealer as they can make the process so easy. do all the changes, let you have it VAT free etc...

whats the budget?

Eddie

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[2657]

I understand that the speedo must show mph and kph but is it necessary for the distance recorder to be altered to show miles. LGV tachographs all record distances in km.

 

[Lenny HB]

I understand that the speedo must show mph and kph but is it necessary for the distance recorder to be altered to show miles. LGV tachographs all record distances in km.

No the odometer can be in kilometers, most vehicles these days have a digital odometer that can be set to km or miles.

 

[Rodneyplonker]

I was interested to read about the import process as I am just about to do the same myself.
The only thing I can't glean from all the comments is, if you purchase from a private individual - not a dealer, and if that person is say, the second owner of the vehicle, what is the process regarding VAT?
How do you prove that the VAT was paid initially when new? Or, is it a foregone conclusion that it was paid anyway. Is there a need to contact customs/NOVA in this situation?
Comments would be most appreciated?

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[Violet1]

If the vehicle is used vat is assumed paid when vehicle exceeds 6000k/m or 6 months in age. For a vehicle on 2/3rd owner not to to have paid vat is a scam

 

[Rodneyplonker]

Thank you Violet.
The vehicle I am interested in has done 18000km and is as new condition. However, I know that the current owner is the second owner and that, he purchased it cash from the previous owner. I have no real doubt that vat was paid by the original purchaser but my question is, do I need to notify customs at all that I have imported a used vehicle for them to tell me either that there is no requirement for me to do so. Or that, i need to fill a form in to state that I purchased from an individual who was the second owner who, i assume, would not have needed to pay vat as he purchased it second hand?
In essence then, is there a need to notify customs when importing a used motorhome bought privately?

 

[sallylillian]

Telephone HMRC and ask you will feel better no matter what you read on here. Also here is the Gov instructions, you still have to report on the NOVA scheme.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...n-sheet-0613-notification-of-vehicle-arrivals

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[Rodneyplonker]

Update to my last post:
Having read again the NOVA website, i guess my question should be:
'Do I need to notify NOVA that I have imported a vehicle - irrespective of whether I have first hand knowledge that vat has been paid?'

 

[sallylillian]

OK
And I quote
"
How does NOVA work?
A notification must be made to HMRC using NOVA, when any new or used land vehicle (including those which are not intended for road use) is brought into the UK permanently."

 

[Rodneyplonker]

Ahhh...thank you Sallylillian! I posted again just after your reply but you have answered my question...should I report to NOVA anyway? I guess in a roundabout way, that is what I needed to know.
Many thanks all.

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[sallylillian]

Its an easy process, if you have HMRC personal gateway credentials login on complete the online forms. Its all online have as many documents you can and scan them as PDF ready to email to them if they ask you to. Mine was new and they wanted a PDF of the invoice, fortunately I had that scanned in any event so within 30 minutes of completing the initial application I had my NOVA approval, then had to go online to pay and it was sorted by end of play that day. If you have a paper trail from new to each owner I would say you are gold plated. There are others on here who have done exactly what you are asking, and they may pop up.

 

[Rodneyplonker]

Thanks Sallylillian...i have now registered.
Just have to go and get the motorhome now!
Many thanks all.

 

[Violet1]

Good luck and enjoy!

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