Importing a van from Germany...is it that difficult

[Judge Mental]

I have been personally importing vehicles from Europe for 20 years, at last count 9 considering another at the moment. Have never has a problem driving home on temp German export plates and fully comp on VIN till I get it registered.

just interested in other personal import stories? As there are bound to be a few on here.....for and against

 

[Jaws]

Same as you really.. Only did one but a total doddle and the savings were in the thousands

 

[ukbill]

is it also cheaper to get the van abroad when we change ours im looking at a lhd

 

[Jaws]

In all honesty I MUCH prefer LHD.
In the UK you are driving in a known environment so can easily compensate, and going abroad you have the advantage of at least being on the right side of the vehicle for conditions !

 

[ukbill]

the fact that we do most of ours abroad john a lhd would be better for us

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[Judge Mental]

have always had LHD and also prefer it, not only for the far better prices but ease of use in Europe...

 

[Snowbird]

Having imported from Germany, France, Holland, Spain, Belgium, Norway and the US have never had a problem. The only problems I ever had was on the odd occasion I exported back out from the UK. We in the UK are very lucky when it comes to importing vehicles from the EU, there are few requirements compared with other countries. Personally, I have found it much cheaper and generally better quality motorhomes are found in Germany than the UK.

 

[Sheddy]

Currently going through the process at the moment, there are a few possible pitfalls to be aware of especially if importing a second hand unit.
Make sure you have the Original COC from the converter. It will be needed to obtain the VCA certificate.
The German export plates provide only the minimum insurance, I and Darren from AIB could not find a UK insurer that will provide fully comp cover on the VIN number for the journey from Germany to the Ferry. There is a Dutch company that would provide the cover for £640!

My applications to both the VCA and the DVLA have been plagued by the incompetence of the people dealing with the paperwork.
The VCA returned my Mutual Recognition application on ' The lack of sufficient written evidence from the Garage' who checked the Headlights, Speedo and rear High Viz lights. They only looked at the receipt from the garage and not the detailed stamped and signed description STAPLED to the receipt. Application returned with no changes and certificate issued ( 1 week wasted ), Oh and they charge £100 for this service

Last week the DVLA rejected my registration application on there being no evidence of a NOVA application on the HMRC site, and in the rejection advised me to contact the nice folk at the PTU (part of the HMRC).
As advised I contacted them they looked up my VIN Number and confirmed all was correct and that also the DVLA had actually looked at the details last Tuesday, which was no surprise to me as I had a copy of the NOVA confirmation email, oh and so did the DVLA because I had put a copy of it with my original application
On contacting the DVLA customer service, they were a little confused by the rejection, put me on hold for 10 minutes and then advised me to resubmit the application with no changes (at least another week wasted)
I await the outcome, but am not holding my breath.
With luck we will be on our way to Benidorm soon (or not)
(To be continued)

 

[gus-lopez]

As advised I contacted them they looked up my VIN Number and confirmed all was correct and that also the DVLA had actually looked at the details last Tuesday, which was no surprise to me as I had a copy of the NOVA confirmation email, oh and so did the DVLA because I had put a copy of it with my original application
On contacting the DVLA customer service, they were a little confused by the rejection, put me on hold for 10 minutes and then advised me to resubmit the application with no changes (at least another week wasted)
I await the outcome, but am not holding my breath.
With luck we will be on our way to Benidorm soon (or not)
(To be continued)

I would also have been issuing them with a invoice +vat for all the time & labour expended for their inability to do there job correctly.
If you aren't self-employed or have own business then issue proceedings in small claims court.

 

[Snowbird]

I must admit that it was with some trepidation I imported the last van from Germany. My local DVLA office had closed down and I had to deal via snail mail with Swansea. My fears were completely unfounded and I was on the road in just over a week from when the wheels touched ground in Dover. The problem now is that you have no choice but to deal with Swansea and you cannot make a personal visit.

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[Judge Mental]

tremybach I had a similar experience back in Feb with DVLA. Swansea were dropped in it big time and completely out of their depth! previous years dead easy..

They gave mine a 2012 plate instead of 2013! I had to write to the director only, then got a result as bumped to a different tier of staff...the front of house staff were in most part bits of kids reading from scripts......clueless!lol

Hope the situation has improved and they have found their feet!

 

[gus-lopez]

What happens in the UK if you haven't got a CofC ?
Nightmare here without one.

 

[Jaws]

I must admit that it was with some trepidation I imported the last van from Germany. My local DVLA office had closed down and I had to deal via snail mail with Swansea. My fears were completely unfounded and I was on the road in just over a week from when the wheels touched ground in Dover. The problem now is that you have no choice but to deal with Swansea and you cannot make a personal visit.

And that is the reason I have not put a personal plate on our van.. Just do not trust them to get it right

 

[Sheddy]

And that is the reason I have not put a personal plate on our van.. Just do not trust them to get it right

We wanted to transfer a personal plate on to the import, the DVLA said they could do it at the same time as the registration, however I didn't want to complicate things, so didn't bother, good decision I think, they can't even get the registration right !!!!!!

 

[Judge Mental]

Many seem to get anxious if not downright hostile to the idea of driving home with 3rd party cover only. I'm amazed at the justifications thought up for not self importing ( not on here) anyone ever had a problem or been stopped by police? I have never, usually treat the return trip as a mini break, and stop off at a few places.....

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[Snowbird]

Many insurance companies will insure on the VIN number only if you explain what you are doing. I know AF and Comfort do, as I have used both for them for the job in the past. The only stipulation is that it is for one month only to give you time to register in the UK.

 

[ukbill]

question
is it true that a lhd is best bought in the uk as they are cheaper here due to rhd being the norm
and if bought abroad is there a inport tax on the van or any tax ?

 

[Judge Mental]

No duty! We are in the EU? If used and has covered 6000 miles no VAT to pay either. If new you pay the vat to hmrc here.

LHD are cheaper here or abroad, so yes I guess they are cheaper then RHD version of same vans.

 

[gus-lopez]

question
is it true that a lhd is best bought in the uk as they are cheaper here due to rhd being the norm
and if bought abroad is there a inport tax on the van or any tax ?

Don't know about Mhomes but lhd cars in UK are normally a fair % dearer than rhd comparable ones. Always have been. There are dealers I know from 40 years ago, up in the midlands, that still sell nothing but lhd.
Rhdrive will always be cheaper as the market ,apart from the UK, is far more limited.

 

[Judge Mental]

The £100 VCA charge is nothing short of extortion! have to be careful getting the compliance letter from local MOT station as well (5 minute check and a short letter confirming headlight change etc...to be sent to VCA) One wanted £100! but shopped about and a really nice guy did it for £20

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[DABurleigh]

HMRC - Incompetent with consistent advice totally wrong. For a new EU import a private individual cannot guarantee avoiding paying 2 lots of VAT and claiming the first back, which can take several weeks.
VCA - Bureaucratic & nitpicky. What should have been the simplest thing caused the biggest importing delay. Beware the pitfall of the garage certifying the VCA's signed self-declaration form of the details of the modifications.
DVLA - Very good (maybe a full covering letter and 13 attachments helped)!
Insurance - pain in the arse and even good companies employ idiots on customer service phone lines. Simultaneoulsy ineffably pleasant and unsurpassed at passing of utter crap with authority.

Dave

 

[Judge Mental]

well to avoid paying 2 sets of VAT upfront and having to reclaim it from the first.....choose your european dealer carefully. Some let you export VAT free and send proof after paying HMRC here and some do not.....Guess which I use

I imported a Possl branded van this year (Possl the parent brand that builds Globecar which are near identical) insurance adamant that they could not cover, called back again, explained to someone with half a brain and got covered. Someone else recently called them to cover his Possl and they refused to insure him! He has gone elsewhere.....

call center staff everywhere can be a real lottery!

 

[Sheddy]

call center staff everywhere can be a real lottery!

Especially the DVLA !!!!!

 

[Mr B]

Just done ours at the local mot shop. £100 sent to VCA. Fingers crossed for the next few days. Then it's on to the DVLA for the next bit!!!

 

[Lenny HB]

Both our vans our dealer supplied VAT free.

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[Emmit]

Currently going through the process at the moment, there are a few possible pitfalls to be aware of especially if importing a second hand unit.
Make sure you have the Original COC from the converter. It will be needed to obtain the VCA certificate.
The German export plates provide only the minimum insurance, I and Darren from AIB could not find a UK insurer that will provide fully comp cover on the VIN number for the journey from Germany to the Ferry. There is a Dutch company that would provide the cover for £640!

My applications to both the VCA and the DVLA have been plagued by the incompetence of the people dealing with the paperwork.
The VCA returned my Mutual Recognition application on ' The lack of sufficient written evidence from the Garage' who checked the Headlights, Speedo and rear High Viz lights. They only looked at the receipt from the garage and not the detailed stamped and signed description STAPLED to the receipt. Application returned with no changes and certificate issued ( 1 week wasted ), Oh and they charge £100 for this service

Last week the DVLA rejected my registration application on there being no evidence of a NOVA application on the HMRC site, and in the rejection advised me to contact the nice folk at the PTU (part of the HMRC).
As advised I contacted them they looked up my VIN Number and confirmed all was correct and that also the DVLA had actually looked at the details last Tuesday, which was no surprise to me as I had a copy of the NOVA confirmation email, oh and so did the DVLA because I had put a copy of it with my original application
On contacting the DVLA customer service, they were a little confused by the rejection, put me on hold for 10 minutes and then advised me to resubmit the application with no changes (at least another week wasted)
I await the outcome, but am not holding my breath.
With luck we will be on our way to Benidorm soon (or not)
(To be continued)

Could I respectfully ask that when posters use Acronyms (I'm not being smartar$e here when I explain that an acronym is a series of letters that stands for something ie. DVLA = Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority)
that they do not use acronyms without at least one explanation as to what the acronym stands for.
I would imagine that 99% of drivers know what DVLA means but I have to say, I haven't got a clue what;
VCA
NOVA and,
PTU are.
I could make a good guess but could we have a little clarity for the benefit of all.
I'm not getting at you 'tremybach'. It's a good post but not everyone can gain from it.

 

[Popeye]

Good point Emmit, another view-point is that whilst 99.9% of cars in the UK are RHD (Right Hand Drive) only about 65% of Motor Homes are RHD.

This is because many Motor Homers prefer to be driving LHD vehicles on the continent where the majority of their driving will be.

Another plus point is if you purchase a UK registered RHD motor home, when you come to sell it you will probably only be appealing to those of us who are prepared to drive RHD vehicles in Europe or only intend driving in the UK.

So selling a LHD Motor Home will be far easier when one considers the potential Market Place. i.e. those in the UK who want a LHD and ALL of Europe.

 

[Judge Mental]

Google your friend at times like this or ask for an export pack (free from DVLA)

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vca/

If you need an explanation just ask....but essentially they act for DVLA Pre registration, and there job is to check out all your application paperwork to ensure van complies..and relieve you of an extortionate £100 for the privilege, but no way round it I'm afraid since local DVLA offices were shut down

 

[Mr B]

VCA : Vehicle certification agency (£100 to say that you have mph(miles per hour) speedo).
Correct headlights for driving on the left.
Rear fog light on the correct side
Proper rip off ......
NOVA : Notification of vehicles arrival
It's so the government knows the vehicle is on English soil, and if you have any vat to pay...99% of the time it's been payed in the country you buy from.
Free....
PTU ??????. But I bet they want money off you......

In my opinion, it is a bit daunting when you do it for the first time, but once you get it on the ferry home, it's relatively plain sailing from there. And the savings that can be made make up for the little stress. If it was easy, we would all be doing it......

 

[Judge Mental]

Have said this many times....the process far more daunting when looking at it with all the ifs and buts, but once you have everything set up, the reality far more straight forward. And I can assure you all your concerns will pale into insignificance once you get the van home

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