Importing Cars from the UK.

[steeldog 0]

Does anyone have any experience of bringing their own cars to Thailand, any idea of pitfalls or costs.

I have a good low milage Jaguar and a classic triumph tr6 which I dont really want to sell when I finally make the permanent move. I already own a property and am married to a Thai who now has British Citizenship.

I dont really fancy a Jap car, and I would never buy a secod hand ca in Thailand.

Are there any good repair service facilities around Pattaya.

Cheers.

[laffnliv 78]

The import duty on a car brought into the country is so high you will abandon the idea.

 

The fact you are married to a Thai and have property here won't matter.

 

You won't buy a "Jap" car? Big mistake on your part.

 

Repair shops can be OK, but shop around. And they specialize on "Jap" cars, especially as most here are made in Thailand.

 

Sorry I have sounded negative, but....it's the truth.

 

Little Roy

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Roy has pretty much said it all (other than you can only import one vehicle) but here is an indication of the taxes/duty that you would need to pay (notwithstanding the shipping costs) ....

 

 

Example Calculation of Taxes and Duties

 

 

 

The following example shows a breakdown of the liable taxes and duties assessed on the vehicles less than 2400 c.c. cylinder capacity with a CIF value of 1,000,000 Baht. CIF value of the imported vehicle and applicable taxes and duties are as follows:

 

CIF value of the import= 1,000,000 Baht

Import duty= 80 % Excise tax= 35 % Interior tax= 10 % of excise tax + VAT 7%

 

The total import duties and taxes imposed on this import are calculated as follows:

 

1. Import duty = (CIF value * Rate of import duty)=(1,000,000 * 0.8)= 800,000 Baht

 

2. Excise tax = (CIF value + import duty) * {Rate of excise tax/1-(1.1 * Rate of excise tax)} = (1,000,000+800,000) * {0.35/1-(1.1*0.35)} =

 

1,800,000 * 0.5691057 = 1,024,390.20 Baht

 

3. Interior tax = Excise tax * Rate of interior tax = 1,024,390.20 * 0.1 = 102,439.02 Baht

 

4. Base VAT = (CIF value+ Import duty+ Excise tax + Interior tax) = (1,000,000 + 800,000 + 1,024,390.20 + 102,439.02)= 2,926,829.20 Baht

 

5. VAT= Base VAT * VAT Rate = 2,926,829.20 *0.07 = 204,878.04 Baht

 

Total taxes and duties = 1+2+3+5 = 2,131,707.20 Baht

[otherway 5]

I have a Jag now and its OK but its not as good as all the Jap cars I have had (or the Audi's) your reluctance to buy the best and most reliable cars in the world is hard to understand.

 

I looked into importing my own car into LOS about 5 years ago as I had just bought it and didn't want to sell. It was Japanese as it was, but the costs and more importantly the uncertainty put me off.

 

As with many things Thai you will never know if you have been ripped off or not. At least that was the impression I got.

 

I sold it in the end but didn't make the move after all..

 

My advice get rid of your hang ups about manufacturers, these days they are all pretty much the same at the middle to top end.

 

Many cars in LOS by Japanese manufactureres are made for the market and are better by far than the european version they even look better particularly In my view the Nissans and Hondas......

In the UK they all look like vans.

 

Only thing is they nearly all Thai cars have automatic gearboxes and I hate that.

[jacko 8,766]

Sell these old 'transport boxes' at home and have lots of cash for a good life over here. Find a new hobby, or might I say 'fetish' . For getting about, buy a nice pickup with 4 seats in Thailand, under 1,000,000 baht, and perhaps a little motorcycle for nipping to the 7-11 (50,000 baht). You might be able to buy a Jag here, but luxury imported cars are silly money and really an indicator of 'more money than sense' or pretentiousness..

Edited January 3, 2008 by jacko

[fi33er 1]

my parents are planning to retire out here in the next year and my dad enquired about importing his jag from the uk over here to los, is was that expensive he is leaving it at home now i have included a picture his jag, it is the one on the left.

 

 

[Gary 4,100]

Thai customs has car auctions. They get those cars from people who had no idea what the custom duties were and simply abandoned the car because the duties were a lot more than the car was worth.

[arbiez 0]

Thanks for this info. I learned two things:

 

1) The guy driving around Patts in a recent model Hemi Dodge Ram pick-up truck (American spec left hand drive) is either really stupid with his money or so loaded that he doesn't care about taxes and duty. I have no idea about the guy who owns the elephant sanctuary with the vintage 67 Camaro. (Bad paint but the inside looked clean)

 

2) Sell just about everything and use the cash.

 

What I don't know is this?

 

The last time I was in BKK, I saw a Volvo dealer. How much does it cost to sell the Jag and buy a new MBZ, Saab, Volvo or Alfa? I've seen all those makes in BKK. (Don't remember seeing a Jag, but I assume if Ford and Volvo are there, then certainly one can find a Jag.)

 

Also, how easy is it to find reliable a mechanic to fix a old Triumph? I can't imagine that would be easy.

 

Certainly makes one rethink the car thing and I am a real car junkie -- Detroit bred through and through.

 

Sorry about the hijack

Edited January 27, 2008 by arbiez

[benny27 3]

I'm the same as some of you guys, got attached to my old mini, don't drive it much here in UK as roads too dangerous for a small car but it would be ideal in 'up country' parts of Thailand. Would cost a small fortune to ship it over and pay the duty so will have to abandon the idea. But the auctions look a good idea.

[Gary 4,100]

Some of the western imported cars you see in Thailand have been imported by Thai people who worked overseas and providing that they meet certain requirements such as owning the car a certain period of time, they are able to bring their personal vehicle home with little or no duty.

[rightsaid 44]

Thanks for this info. I learned two things:

 

1) The guy driving around Patts in a recent model Hemi Dodge Ram pick-up truck (American spec left hand drive) is either really stupid with his money or so loaded that he doesn't care about taxes and duty. I have no idea about the guy who owns the elephant sanctuary with the vintage 67 Camaro. (Bad paint but the inside looked clean)

 

2) Sell just about everything and use the cash.

 

What I don't know is this?

 

The last time I was in BKK, I saw a Volvo dealer. How much does it cost to sell the Jag and buy a new MBZ, Saab, Volvo or Alfa? I've seen all those makes in BKK. (Don't remember seeing a Jag, but I assume if Ford and Volvo are there, then certainly one can find a Jag.)

Also, how easy is it to find reliable a mechanic to fix a old Triumph? I can't imagine that would be easy.

 

Certainly makes one rethink the car thing and I am a real car junkie -- Detroit bred through and through.

 

Sorry about the hijack

 

Buy yourself a copy of the Bangkok Post and read the car classifieds.

[aussiedoug 0]

You mention that your wife has Brit citizenship, so presumably she has been there a while, so look into whether she can import the car duty free as a returning resident. Your circumstances are a little different from the farang retiree etc. Also look at pissing both of them off, you can buy a Jag in Thaialnd, and repairing a Triumph will be a hand in pocket experience if you can find a good mechanic who doesn't retire off your hobby. And Jap cars are better built than a Triumph anyhow, and possibly the Jag, depends on the vintage.

Edited January 28, 2008 by aussiedoug