Did you buy abroad?

[tresrikay]

Just been looking here http://motorhome-discount.de/ and was wondering if any of our posters had got there new or used van from abroad, the models seem pretty good value until you add on the V.A.T. and all the goodies. Then what is involved registering it back here, who does the warranty work. I started to look a little into it before my last change but it was a bit like buying the suitcase sat system........ by the time I had looked at all the bits and realised I didn't watch much telly........ I packed it all up and offered it for sale here ( still available £45 o.n.o ), some things are just too much hassle.

 

[terry1956]

Hi

Hi, I don,t think buying new from germany is the best bet, But buying a good second hand motorhome is, Then you can forget the vat, and so on, as for the service well get it done in france or germany on your visits. My hymer goes into the fiat dealer in caen, labour cost £27.50 ph. And they don,t pad the bills.
But for new best stick with the UK and pay the prices, But is buying new the best bet anyway.
terry

 

[Hazy-thoughts]

To be honest I have been looking at secondhand Hymers both here and abroad, best prices appear to be Germany, and possibly Belgium,
There doesnt appear to be a massive difference in price, a grand or two is about the average I suppose from what I have seen so far, but certainly enough to warrant the costs of importing and travelling over there.

 

[terry1956]

Hi

Hi, I got my 2nd hymer from germany and after spending hours pouring over the web sites, did wonder if it was worth the time to import, So I did go and look, what I find was that the models had low mileage, air/com in the main and in very good clean condition, the dealers all had very good english and would cut a deal. I found them to be a lot better then english dealers who on the most part think that they are god and you should thank them just for being there.
Do check the history etc, get the names in german for cam belt, service history etc in your note book and go for it.
getting the plates for export was all dealer work, getting Uk paperwork easy.
I did save a lot of money, even with the time, fuel, hotel etc, and it was a bit of fun.
terry

 

[walkers]

Just been looking here http://motorhome-discount.de/ and was wondering if any of our posters had got there new or used van from abroad, the models seem pretty good value until you add on the V.A.T. and all the goodies. Then what is involved registering it back here, who does the warranty work. I started to look a little into it before my last change but it was a bit like buying the suitcase sat system........ by the time I had looked at all the bits and realised I didn't watch much telly........ I packed it all up and offered it for sale here ( still available £45 o.n.o ), some things are just too much hassle.

got mine from germany secondhand and yes i did save a good bit and there was the adventure of going over and finding one then going back and bringing her home. got mine from wohnmobile-galerie carsten is the man to see he speaks excellent english.

 

[Belgian]

To be honest I have been looking at secondhand Hymers both here and abroad, best prices appear to be Germany, and possibly Belgium,
There doesnt appear to be a massive difference in price, a grand or two is about the average I suppose from what I have seen so far, but certainly enough to warrant the costs of importing and travelling over there.

If you buy a second-hand in Belgium you don't have to pay VAT if the seller is a non-commercial individual. Even if you buy in the commercial circuit it is generally made up that it is the former owner who sells to you. This could safe you 24%. The only thing is you have to go back to the UK for registration and the UK licence plate; you have to fix it on when you collect the van. For in Belgium the licence plate doesn't follow the vehicle; it remains the property of the former owner and goes on from one car to the next one.

 

[G4GMO]

Buying in Germany

Bought my Hymer S670 from Germany. Saved well over £3k (conservatively) on UK s/h dealer prices. Similar models over here were priced £5k higher. Flew over and drove it back home all in 48 hours. Procedures for plates, insurance and road tax in Germany are straighforward and our dealer was only too pleased to help us. Took us 40 minutes and we were on our way. Took us 2 days to get it plated in the uk but wasn't difficult. You need to take care and not park it up and leave it because insurance is only third party. Easy to drive on rhs and motorways all the way to Calais. Had a great time. Thorougly recommend it but do plan it properly. I spent a week planning it.

 

[terry1956]

In answer

Hi, only a week, God I was pouring over the web sites for months, and my phone bill hit the roof with all the calls to germany, must say that they did call back more then once with information on service history, cam belts etc.
I just wonder what their mark up must be on these things,
beats dealing with uk dealers any time.
terry

 

[G4GMO]

Germany

I have to agree with you about dealing with German dealers, this was a car dealer selling the occasional m/h and he was one of the most helpful people I've come across and he was willing to haggle too.

It's an automatic and a joy to drive. Not bad for a fourteen year old vehicle.

 

[walkers]

Bought my Hymer S670 from Germany. Saved well over £3k (conservatively) on UK s/h dealer prices. Similar models over here were priced £5k higher. Flew over and drove it back home all in 48 hours. Procedures for plates, insurance and road tax in Germany are straighforward and our dealer was only too pleased to help us. Took us 40 minutes and we were on our way. Took us 2 days to get it plated in the uk but wasn't difficult. You need to take care and not park it up and leave it because insurance is only third party. Easy to drive on rhs and motorways all the way to Calais. Had a great time. Thorougly recommend it but do plan it properly. I spent a week planning it.

we went over three times twice to look we found what we wanted within a couple of hours the second time and then went back to bring it home, as you say motorway all the way to calais aand for us all the way to within 5 miles of home so an easy trip home the registering over here is easier than most people think and cheaper too £50 to register mot test and get your insurance sorted on the chassis number take this all in with enough money for 6 or 12 months tax and within a few days its all over and done with, unless they want to inspect the vehicle which they can ask to do that i suppose would delay things a little but i have only spoken to one person that had to do that

 

[walkers]

If you buy a second-hand in Belgium you don't have to pay VAT if the seller is a non-commercial individual. Even if you buy in the commercial circuit it is generally made up that it is the former owner who sells to you. This could safe you 24%. The only thing is you have to go back to the UK for registration and the UK licence plate; you have to fix it on when you collect the van. For in Belgium the licence plate doesn't follow the vehicle; it remains the property of the former owner and goes on from one car to the next one.

that could make things difficult because unless the vehicle is under three years old it needs a british mot to enable ou to register it in this country which means it needs to be over here before it can be registered on the british system.

 

[Belgian]

that could make things difficult because unless the vehicle is under three years old it needs a british mot to enable ou to register it in this country which means it needs to be over here before it can be registered on the british system.

Yes it is a bureaucratic mess.
The problem is that when you buy in Belgium, the van does not have a licence-plate.
In Belgium the seller goes to the MOT (autokeuring). He gets then a (pink)application-form for licence-plate with which the buyer hands over to his insurance. The insurance makes the green leaflet, and sends the application to the administration for the licence-plate. The plate is send to your adress (or you can collect it yourself). (It is only the official rear plate, you have to make a copy for the front). You can also ask for a temporary plate (a red one). Belgian MOT applies also for the Netherlands, Luxemburg but I don't know about the UK
The best thing you can do is to contact your insurance company and see if they have branches in Belgium. Also the big dealers (all of them sell also second-hand) certainly will help; I suppose they know what to do.

 

[Julie798]

Belguim

I bought in Belguim, no problem. Used plates from dealer to uk, then sent them back to him, and insurance was done on the chasis number

 

[clarkson]

I imported my 1968 Westfalia from Iowa in the USA.

 

[t&s]

Yes it is a bureaucratic mess.
The problem is that when you buy in Belgium, the van does not have a licence-plate.
In Belgium the seller goes to the MOT (autokeuring). He gets then a (pink)application-form for licence-plate with which the buyer hands over to his insurance. The insurance makes the green leaflet, and sends the application to the administration for the licence-plate. The plate is send to your adress (or you can collect it yourself). (It is only the official rear plate, you have to make a copy for the front). You can also ask for a temporary plate (a red one). Belgian MOT applies also for the Netherlands, Luxemburg but I don't know about the UK
The best thing you can do is to contact your insurance company and see if they have branches in Belgium. Also the big dealers (all of them sell also second-hand) certainly will help; I suppose they know what to do.

if you buy new is is no problem three years ago i got my last transit van not a camper.
( just one for work ) a right hand drive from garage canada in bruges they were willing to register it in uk for me so i just had to collect it from them
i saved £4000 on the price and seeing it was made only thirty miles from me
what a nonsence it is that i should have to drive 600 miles to save 4k on a vehicle made localy .uk tax again!or a con .
second hand vehicles might well be a problem.

secondly i have tried to purchace a right hand drive motorhome of any make from various dealers in europe many dealers said they would love to suply to me but the converters will not allow them to sell right hand drive motorhomes
seems that a cartel exists between supliers and manufactures to make us pay at least £10000 more than our european motorhome owners do
what do you think ?