Right I have just been informed by 3 separate people that the German laws are different and dealers do charge VAT on used cars 99% of the time there are some exceptions but this is complex and a rarity.. one guy sent me to this link http://richterimpex.de/VAT_-_tax_ref...ax_refund.html
the duty still wasn't that much to be honest, so if you really wanted to import loads of cars to sell it wouldn't really put you off, what might is getting them through the mfk etc, and the fact rhd's are worth nothing here.
Lhd cars in the uk have gone through the roof, so long gone are the days of buying up cheap left hookers in the uk and exporting them.
Very true, took a look at a couple of LHD's in UK and they weren't cheap.
Talking about RHD's in Switzerland though, have you seen that a lot of TVR's here are RHD and on Autoscout and they're about 3 times the price of UK's
Ever thought about bringing one over?
This whole process confuses me some what.
About how much would it cost for me to import an old Clio which wouldn't be worth more than £1000 in the UK?
there are a couple of guys on here and on pistonheads who imported a tvr, getting them through the mfk's is eye wateringly expensive, the noise and emissions are a huge issue.
I'm not sure how this applies but according to http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_pri...x.html?lang=en
Rates of duty
Rates of duty are the same for new and used cars and range from CHF 12.- to CHF 15.- per 100 kg gross weight depending on cubic capacity and individual weight. For mo-tor cycles, the rate is CHF 37.- per 100 kg gross weight.
Cars and motor cycles from Europe (EU and EFTA countries and certain Central and Eastern European countries) are duty free if proof of origin is provided (e.g. a EUR. 1 form).
Clear as mud
You can get the VAT back in Germany from the German seller (firm) after you've presented a special invoice (request this from the seller) to the German customs officers and received the special stamp. You need to prove however prove to the German customs officers that the car will indeed be exported from the EU! i.e. with a local Swiss B or C (L not sufficient) residency permits.
Thought this might help, this is how we did it (bought a second hand car in Germany and imported it to Geneva). We're still waiting for the German VAT to get back to us, I'll add that to the post as soon as it's done. Hope it helps.
You say 'easy' but that sounds like a lot of work to me! lol. How much did you end up saving in the end after all your expenses?
around CHF 7000 totally worth our time (I'm working part time so that made it easier... and even more worthwile )
Yeah, 7k is a nice amount of cash. I think it very much depends on the car you want. Will keep it in mind. Maybe we should just hire you to do it for us!
Yes as the other user said, if you saved around 7000chf it means that the cost of the car was above 36 842 CHF, if we are based on 19% for the german vat.
Then more because you had to pay minimum 8% + 4% vat import= 12% more in Switzerland.
Then not counting the inspection fee, etc, etc, etc...
So yes it's worthy for price y vehicle.
Yes as you said it takes time and efforts.
But no, not worthy for medium price vehicle.
I have a question with regards to the importation of a classic car (in UK terms).
I am looking at importing a classic UK car circa early 1970's. I have been in the country for 18 months and did not previously own the car so I assume I will have to pay customs duty and VAT, i.e. I assume there is no exemption for classic cars as they are readily sold by car dealers here.
I am not too bothered about this given the likely UK cost of the car. I will probably spend £10k to £12k. However, I do have two questions:
1) I notice from an earlier post in this thread it is not what you pay for it but the perceived value of the car here in Switzerland.
Given classic cars are much more expensive here than in the UK (presumably because not so many were sold here and not many people imported them) I am concerned about the valuation it would get. I have searched a number of times for the car here and have never seen one for sale. Also it was only ever made in RHD so I would argue value here should not be significantly different.
Does anyone know if you can get an estimated valuation prior to trying to import? As this could make a difference as to whether or not I buy.
2) What is the deal as regards emissions test and other checks? Presumably a slightly different set of rules apply for classic cars? If so, what is the Swiss definition of a classic?
Thanks
Chris
There are very few questions that haven't been asked before -- you just need to know the magic words you're looking for to make Google do it's magic. The word you're looking for in Switzerland is Oldtimer or Voiture de collection . Here's the (very comprehensive) response I got when I asked the same question a while ago:
Good luck -- let us know how you get on!
We bought a 3 yr old BMW 118, and this is our net gain, after paying all those fees. As I said I had the time... Still, this is around what I would earn working 8 hours a day for a month. So I say it's worth it.
Is this information valid? Are you saying i have to pay full price (with vat) and then go to customs office for a document, then go back to dealer and reclaim vat from him? Or this is some way to pay a price without vat to a dealer first off? I'm saving for a car right now and REALLY i would like to get a car for a price with excluded vat straghtaway and pay just swiss vat at the border.
Ref paying the MWST and claiming it back or buying netto - in my experience , it depends but I don't know if there is a rule or not.
I've just ordered a new VW, the dealer made a copy of my B Permit and I will pay the net price excluding MWST.
On the other hand, was talking to a dealer for a horse trailer yesterday and they will only quote me net if I have a registered MWST number (i.e. from a company). They will however, give me an Ausfurhschein with which to claim back VAT once it's been exported and stamped up at the border.
The difference is that the car dealer will ship it to the nearest Zoll, arrange all the paperwork and just leave me to pay the Swiss import/MWST. Perhaps that's how they can and are allowed to make an exception and not charge MWST.
Or it might just depend on the dealers knowledge of the MWST regime - what is/isn't possible and willingness to satisfy the needs of export clients...perhaps someone else knows the letter of the law.
Stu
In addition, if you do enough business with a company such that they trust you to return the correct paperwork, they will forgo the payment of the original VAT.
It is THEIR risk, all companies are free NOT to charge VAT to customers who will export the merchandise, but they will get screwed by heavy fines if they don't charge it and then don't get back the exportation paperwork!
Tom
Hi all,
I'm importing my car from Holland and tomorrow I'm going to MFK to get (I hope) Swiss registration plates.
Today I passed MFP tests and called to an insurance company for the compulsory liability coverage.
My question is: what should I do with Dutch plates and registration? Will Swiss authority send some notification to Dutch authority to deregister my car there?
Or should I do it myself?
Thanks a lot!
for our uk car the swiss took the plates and all the uk docs and sent them back to the uk