Importing and Selling a TLC in South Africa
 

I'm off on (my first) overland trip in October with my Girlfriend - we're driving our TLC down to South Africa (via East Coast), where we hope to sell it and fly back. All sounded simple.

But, we are having problems with the 'selling it' big. A recent reply I had from SA DTI claims that it is impossible for us to import a vehicle into SA, and therefore impossible to sell it. Does anyone have any experience of selling vehicles down there? I have family out there which might help.

I guess we are flexible where exactly we sell it (a bordering country), and we will have a carnet (though seems irelevant for this). We are even starting to think about shipping it back to UK to sell, which seems crazy!!

Or perhaps someone could drive it back for us?? We'll be down there in April 2005

I cant give you much info from where i am now (addis ababa), but i know several people who have sold bikes in SA without any trouble. I see no reason why it should be different for a car. Possibly if its LH drive youll run into problems, but then just sell in Namibia where you will get a better price anyway. Changing SA or Namib currency into dollars or pounds is no problem in SA.
I will hopefully be back in SA in a few weeks, so can help more then if need be.

Your Carnet is there to stop the authorities charging you duty on your vehicle whilst it is temporarily in their country. So firstly you won't get your Carnet deposit back.

Secondly, the moment you want to permanently import the vehicle into SA the authorities will charge you duty (approx. 40% of the vehicle's value). So either you, or your potential buyer, will have to pay for the vehicle's SA registration papers.

If someone is prepared to take over the Carnet etc and make the return trip to the UK then that might be your best, although most difficult (to find someone), choice.

Another way is to bring it in on a UK Carnet and then sell it to someone who can then re-register it on an SA Carnet. You'll lose your UK deposit but you can sell it that way.

Anyroad, keep in touch and I may be able to help when you get to Bulawayo in Zimbabwe or Jo'burg in SA.

Go well,

hey, I'm looking at the opposite problem. I'm wanting to buy a motorbike in south africa and then drive it up to uganda to do some work there, and then attempt to sell it. Where do you start to look for duty costs, border costs, countris that required a carnet,and that type of info??

Trevor

Trevor, the important part of all of your questions is here, but you'll have to do a little searching. You will need a carnet, see the links page for how to contact the CAA person in charge.

Selling it is tricky - technically you can't, but in Uganda as in many places, anything ios possible. You will have to bone up on the legalities though. Check out the "Sub-Saharan Africa" forum, the "trip paperwork" forum etc.

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Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
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One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com