Importing a classic car from UK

[NOKYAI]

I live and work 40 % of my time in the UK. I'm 50 yrs old and see myself as semiretired, I plan to pack in working in about 4 yrs, depending on how much I need to support my old mum.
I have for many years been a big a Porsche fan, particularly those with the engine in the front, at one time I had 5 on the drive plus my modern car. My favourite and the one I have kept the longest is a very rare 924 Cabriolet. It's the only one in the UK and I have owned it for over 10 years and have driven it all over Europe and it's been exhibited in many UK shows ( if you google 924 cab it's the red one). As it's rare it's value is difficult to put a finger on! This is one of my problems.

When I fianally decide to leave the UK for good I'd like to bring it here. I know it will cost a lot, but I think that would be outweighed by the fun I would have in it ( I hope )

How would I go about getting a value on it that the thai customs would accept. I believe the longer you have owned a car the less tax you pay on it.

Has anyone done something like this? Or looked into it?

[dundrillin]

That's a coincidence as I have 1991 911targa and I have been thinking the same. Will be interesting to hear forum members opinions. I also have concerns about the effect of the Sun on the paint work, servicing etc.

[NOKYAI]

I love the Targa, my favourite 911!
I stuck to the front engined Porks as part of the fun for me was fiddling with the mechanics.

[Nereus]

This question comes up from time to time on here. I have done it with a Range Rover, albeit many years ago.
The simple answer is: do not even think about it!

The value of the car will depend on just which custom official takes a shine to it, and the more rare the car, the higher the valuation will go. NOT WILL BE, but will GO TO!

Read all the rules, discuss it with customs, but it will all mean nothing once the car arrives on the docks in Thailand.

In the motoring thread I think there is a post from somebody that ended up just walking away and leaving the car with customs.

It is possible to bring in parts as spares, even body work, but after the last most recent "customs bust", I would not even try it this way.

edit: here is one thread: viewtopic.php?f=44&t=26292&start=0

edit: this one, with a couple of links inside it: viewtopic.php?f=44&t=16871

[GLCQuantum]

You will have to pay 200% on what the customs guys value the car at. They could value it, blindly, at ten million baht. In which case you'd have to stump up twenty million baht just to bring it in.

Edit: saying that there is a way around the 200% tax. If you dismantle the car, get it shipped over as a box of parts, have a Thai mechanic put it back together (snigger) you no longer have to pay tax on it, or pay a largely reduced tax, as it was 'built' in Thailand.

The wheels may fall off, and the wing mirrors may be binned, but...

[migrant]

Curious how the tax on a car works if it's your Thai wife's, and she is a returning citizen? Not sure if OP is married, and don't want to hijack, just curious

[Nereus]

Curious how the tax on a car works if it's your Thai wife's, and she is a returning citizen? Not sure if OP is married, and don't want to hijack, just curious

Yes, but there are some conditions with it. It used to be that she had to have owned the car for two years, and I think make an undertaking not sell it in Thailand within a certain period.

If she has a car that has the same model here, it MAY be worth checking what the current proceedure requires.

[GLCQuantum]

Doesn't matter if it's imported by a Thai, Brit or Mongolian. It's about importing a foreign car (racist, I tell ya ). A little while back some Rich Thai's used the loophole that, if it's built here (imported in parts) they don't need to pay the horrendous tax, just the cost of building it. They imported it (the flash super car) saying it was just parts when in reality it was the whole car. A lot of them got found out and cars were confiscated.

The tax is ridiculous. A 50,000 pound Porsche will cost you 150,000 pounds here.

[GLCQuantum]

Ferrari 458 Italia spider



Price in the uk - 198,000 pounds.

Price in Thailand - 562,000 pounds (29 million baht)

You may get stung even more with a 'classic' car.

[JamesWest]

the reason you never see nice cars in Thailand like a you do in California is because it just is not worth bring anything into the country. I just wanted to bring in a funky old Jeep, forget it.

You only see new late model boring cars here and super bling gangster cars. I had a 1957 Porsche Speedster and a 1975 CJ5 Jeep. Both in perfect like new condition. NO WAY. If you go to the customs web page you will see the sliding scale they use to value a car. After the car is 10 years old, they can just assign any value to the car they want.

The roads here are shit, and the sun will melt your cars paint job and interior.

[HHTel]

Forget it. I looked into it some years back with a view to bringing my Jag here. Yes, the wife could get an import licence easier than I could. However, that didn't alter the tax situation. They won't give you a value until the car is here then whatever value they place on it, you can pay up to 240 percent. It's crazy but TIT.

[Hobiecat]

Taxes like that are probably a good thing anyway because there is nothing worse than a Farang showing off his wealth here in the LOS. It only brings more resentment towards the expat community trying to live a normal low profile life here in Hua Hin. Have a 1956 Chev Sedan Delivery at home I wouldn't even consider importing for that reason.

[GLCQuantum]

Taxes like that are probably a good thing anyway because there is nothing worse than a Farang showing off his wealth here in the LOS. It only brings more resentment towards the expat community trying to live a normal low profile life here in Hua Hin. Have a 1956 Chev Sedan Delivery at home I wouldn't even consider importing for that reason.

I have to disagree there. Generally, (what I've observed) is if you are driving around in a nice car, the Thai community will recognize that you're not some dropout runaway that's rolled up on their shores, and humour you with a little more respect than usual.



Edit: Should mention, I have never had a car in Thailand. Just an observation.

[Ginjaninja]

Edit: Should mention, I have never had a car in Thailand. Just an observation.

Why would you even want to drive four wheels in Thailand? Two wheels yeah but four???

GN.

[dozer]

25 or so years ago I brought in a couple of big bikes in parts, can't ever imagine doing that with a car.