Am I missing something here?

I have been trawling Trading Post - Buying and Selling Goods Online Australia wide to price cars in Oz (I am moving over there in a couple of months), but have to keep my eyes from popping out my head every time I do the conversions - vehicles are a LOT more expensive than the equivalent ones in the UK. So much so that I may end up saving a few grand by buying a car here and sending it over to Oz (?).

I have read through the customs website and done the sums. On a car picked up in the UK for under £2000, even after customs duties and shipping, I could save myself over £1000 compared to buying an equivalent vehicle in Australia.

This doesn't seem right.
Added to this is the fact that, in most cases, the milage on a UK car will be a lot lower than the 100s of kms that are clocked up on Auzzie ones.

Another option that jumped out at me from the import documentation, is possibly sending over an Australian made car, which will make customs even less!! (let the researching begin - it's a long shot, but it will make work a lot easier these last few months)

What am I missing here?
Why are vehicles so expensive in Australia??! :confused1:

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I think what you are missing is the fact that unless you have owned and used the vehicle for at least 12 months before shipping it, you won't be able to import it into Australia. Vehicles are more expensive there because of protection given to the car industry by the government.In the last few years they have banned Japanese imports on the pretext that they were unsafe. The real reason is that the prices were much better than the local dealers could offer.

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Depends on what your after, I looked at the TTR250, in ausand ship to UK or but over there, at the time I was going to be $2,000 AUS in front to buy here and ship over, with insurance etc for 3 months in the UK.. (about 2 years ago),
The other side is Australia only has around 20 million people, with lots of land in between everyone, so the supply demand side is limited, and the cost of just getting stuff here, then aound to everyone is higher...
The pound is soooo much higher as well when your coming this way, also Carne etc, again it all depends on what you want to do.
another 2 site to google, Bikepoint and Bikesales, there ok as well.
cheers al

If you do decide to purchase a vehicle overseas and import it to Australia you should also make sure that it complies with ADR (Australian Design Rules, I think). Some vehicles, especially motorcycles, can be expensive, too difficult, or both, to modifiy and get that all important compliance plate.

I know a couple of guys who imported secondhand bikes from Japan and found that the cost of obtaining compliance was in excess of what they would have paid for an equivalent secondhand vehicle over here.

We thought exactly the same when we arrived here in Oz a couple of years ago, the prices are outrageous compared to the UK and worse if you are used to mainland European prices. All we could get for an ancient Fiesta was 100 euros, then had to part with $4000 for an aging Hyundi!!

Not sure I would go through the hassle of importing a car - was bad enough with 2 bikes, but if you do, make sure whatever you choose is available here. We nearly shipped a Ford Focus estate, they don't exist here, so would have been a bad idea!

Good luck with whatever you do,

Sian..

Instead of shipping the vehicle you want, why not ship something easier. I am thinking maybe a vintage model. It would be much easier to import a vintage vehicle into europe, maybe it is the same for australia. Then swap it there for what you want. So you need to choose something popular in OZ. You will have to research the numbers yourself to see if this could work.

Why not buy a bike there? The Suzi DR650 goes for about AUD 7,200. Including rego & licensing roundabout 7,800 AUD. Very reliable and exactly the right bike for the Oz Outback.
After a few months it'll still fetch a good price. Much cheaper than shipping a bike there and back.

Hans

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I can understand your dilema, having lived abroard several times including more than 5 years in the UK fairly recently. I have, since 84 imported 3 m/bikes into Australia. I will NEVER do it again. Just in case you missed it the first time. It's just not worth it!!!!! There are a number of factors at play here. Yes there is a duty on imported cars so as to protect the local manufacurers, although this is now quite low. For many years the European importers have beeen promoting their products as luxury vehicles and the Australian car buying public has taken the bait hook line and sinker. Mind you compared to the fairly ordinary stuff that the local manufacturers offerd say 10 to 30 years ago they might have had a point. Anyway this allowed them to hike their prices and there they have stayed. Tell a lie often enough and people will believe it I guess. But If you do your homework carefully you could POSSABLY make a quid by buying a desireable BMW or similar perhaps. Aussie spec models can be ordered and delivered in Germany. This plan is fraught with risk though. To minimise fees upon entry to Australia and there are many, trust me. You will have to have owned it abroard for at least 1 year as previously mentioned. Once here it has to be inspected by an aurthorised engineer to see that it meets local ADR's ( Australian Design Rules ) If it dosn't then it will have to be modified. All this is not necessary If It is an Australian model as previously mentioned of course. As long as the vehicle is essentially standard this is not a big problem, just another cost and beauacratic hurdle to jump through. Prior to shipping you must first write to the registering aurthority in the state in which you intend to land the bike/car and and inform them of you intention. Essentially asking for their permission. Once obtained then you can proceed. If you omit this step the vehicle will not be landed and will probably be sent back from where it came from. Don't for a second consider bringing something here that is uniquely European, ie, some little Fiat or similar. It will have next to Zero value here. Upon closer annalysis I think that you will find that prices at the bottom of the market are indeed more expensive than European counterparts. But as you move to newer models further up the price curve, they begin to merge. Still more expensive i suppose, but If you were to import, then the import will be more expensive.
It all seems a bit long winded, but I hope it this helps.

Cheers,
Graeme.

I travelled around oz for a while in a van that could get you to the moon and back. I left it so late, to sell it, that I almost gave it away!
Nothing cheaper than a low season van!! (Sydney experience)
Oz rules!

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Thank you all for your responses.
I think that living in London has really spoilt me. I have gotten used to the choice and price of cars and bikes here. And also mileages well under 100 000 (even in miles!)


It seems sensible to try to make the move to Oz as easy as possible... which means that shipping any more than some extra clothes is just going to be a massive headache.

My Dommie will be for sale soon
And I am just going to have to cough up (FAR too much) for a car and then bike when I get over. I'm thinking something cheap with low mileage, so maybe around AUS$8000 with 180 000kms
lol

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I don't know about the rest of the world, but in Oz you will pay a huge premium for a 4WD, just because it's a 4WD. If you look at a 2WD car with a similar age/engine/mileage, it will generally be much cheaper.
I know you like the Land Rovers, but don't underestimate the sex appeal of a ute. Utes are cool. You could pick up an old V8 Holden in good condition, on gas for a couple of grand. All you need then is a five-poster roo bar, some aerials and a pair of Blundstones and your new farm girl image is complete!
Sean

The other thing to remember is that the type of running in Aussie that vehicles get is different. I would expect that a 100,000 miles in the UK would be much harder on a vehicle there than in Aussie. There the speeds tend be less extreme (less stop/start and then 90mph M2 style driving) as speeding penalties are enforced heavily at over 65mph and city traffic seems to flow better. The roads are not salted, and rainfall is much lower. Suspensions might get a harder time in Aussie.
Of course the obvious answer is to come to New Zealand! You can import almost any car or bike here with very little hassle and much much less cost, and if you don't cars and bike are much cheaper too.

Regards

Nigel in NZ

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depends on what you want i imported my vespa back to australia and it was no problem you should not have to much trouble with a domonator ,but ehy are cheap second hand here as well ,an xr650 l second hand will not set you back to much and they hold there value pretty well ,buy one off a traveller or a new klr 650 in oz is pretty cheap as well