Importing a new Corvette?

[TyGrr]

Hello all, I am highly interested in either ordering a customized 2018/19 z06 or a 2019 ZR1. I understand they will come from Australia and will take at least 6 months. In the last 6 months I have had a heck of a time trying to find a company that has the import papers for this year, no one seems to be able to help me. Anyone know of a company that can do this?

 

I'm just about to break down and buy a Lambo from Niche as I can't seem to sort this out no matter how many phone calls or people I ask.

 

If there really is such an issue importing cars now, why? How will that get resolved down the line?

 

Thanks

 

 

[Henryford]

Read the many posts on this topic. It seems importing a car is impossible unless you have money to burn.

[TyGrr]

I'm willing to spend 38 million on a Hurican if I can't get my Vette. I have the cash, what I can't find is someone with the import papers for this year. I know this is not easy but in the past it could be done with time and money. It seems something changed this year and no one got their documents sorted.

[JAS21]

It was May the first yesterday and not ...

[TyGrr]

I did not have high hopes for this forum either but it is the last place I know to turn to after trying for so long. Thought I might get lucky.

[transam]

1 hour ago, TyGrr said:

I'm willing to spend 38 million on a Hurican if I can't get my Vette. I have the cash, what I can't find is someone with the import papers for this year. I know this is not easy but in the past it could be done with time and money. It seems something changed this year and no one got their documents sorted.

38,000,000bht for a USA Corvette....

 

I must ask why.....

[TyGrr]

No, the z06 new is around 12,000,000 the Lambo is 38,000,000. You can see why I'm putting in the effort to try and get what I really want. I can't get a price on the ZR1 but I'm going to guess it would be around 20,000,000.

[canthai55]

I would try the grey market importers in BKK. Guys that get in the V8 Range Rovers, etc. If they do not have the ability to do it themselves, I am sure they know people who can. Maybe offer a fee for the heads up - money talks, and you are looking to pay.

Nice car you are looking at. Good luck

Edited May 2, 2018 by canthai55

[TyGrr]

@canthai55  Thank you and that is more or less what we have been trying to do. (we have done it before) No one can get their import papers this year and I'm not sure why. We have tried several operations who are known to import different sort of cars. They just keep telling us to wait.

[canthai55]

The goal posts keep moving here. Even for those connected it seems.

 I would have an Aston Martin in a heartbeat. Beautiful cars.

 

[Rdrokit]

These guys have one and say they can get more.

 

https://www.one2car.com/en/for-sale/chevrolet-corvette-stingray-bangkok-metropolitan-pattanakarn-rama-ix/3979749

[Woodsie888]

On 5/2/2018 at 11:54 AM, TyGrr said:

I'm willing to spend 38 million on a Hurican if I can't get my Vette. I have the cash, what I can't find is someone with the import papers for this year. I know this is not easy but in the past it could be done with time and money. It seems something changed this year and no one got their documents sorted.

You may wish to recheck the Huracan price as I think you might find it is more like 22 -25 million.

[Rdrokit]

The roads are so bad in Thailand I don't know where you could open up a supercar and enjoy the ride. If I had the money I'd buy something like this Bentley. Very luxurious and fast with 500hp.

 

https://www.one2car.com/en/for-sale/bentley-continental-gt-bangkok-metropolitan-liab-duan-ram-inthra-kasetnawamin/3892697

[TyGrr]

@rdokit, Yes I was off on the price, new starts at 30M the one I put a desposit down today on is 33M. That was a happy mistake.

 

@woodsi888 I have worked with them, they can't get the type I want or at least nothing more than telling me to wiat for the last 6 months. But thank you for trying to help me.

[TyGrr]

@woodsi888 after looking again, some media sites are reporting the huracan being listed for 25M on the low end. I did not even know they made something less powerful than the 610. 

[Woodsie888]

3 hours ago, TyGrr said:

@woodsi888 after looking again, some media sites are reporting the huracan being listed for 25M on the low end. I did not even know they made something less powerful than the 610. 

580-2 about 22,000,000

610-4 about 25,000,000

Used 610-4 around 20,000,000

 

[TyGrr]

Niche did not have any of the entry level 610-4s on show, and had none of the 580-2s. I'm going to assume most people want the fun options on a car like that. I ended up getting everything they had.

 

If you are able however to find someone who can get my a z6 in my colour I'd be a happy guy.

 

Thanks

 

 

[Just Weird]

On ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018 at 9:11 PM, Rdrokit said:

The roads are so bad in Thailand I don't know where you could open up a supercar and enjoy the ride. 

Why do some posters keep saying this?  It's just nonsense.  What is so wrong with the majority of roads in Thailand that you would be driving this sort of car on?

[transam]

3 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Why do some posters keep saying this?  It's just nonsense.  What is so wrong with the majority of roads in Thailand that you would be driving this sort of car on?

Have you ever been to LOS....?

[Fruit Trader]

33 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Why do some posters keep saying this?  It's just nonsense.  What is so wrong with the majority of roads in Thailand that you would be driving this sort of car on?

I agree with you but don't these American sport jobs fall apart on anything but the smoothest of roads.

[transam]

2 minutes ago, Fruit Trader said:

I agree with you but don't these American sport jobs fall apart on anything but the smoothest of roads.

You have info....?

[Fruit Trader]

8 minutes ago, transam said:

You have info....?

Only verbal sorry. A French Canadian guy who told me that all American made sports car owners carry heavy duty tie wraps and a roll of duct tape when making journeys likely to include poor roads. 

[transam]

3 minutes ago, Fruit Trader said:

Only verbal sorry. A French Canadian guy who told me that all American made sports car owners carry heavy duty tie wraps and a roll of duct tape when making journeys likely to include poor roads. 

He lied.....

[Rdrokit]

1 hour ago, Just Weird said:

Why do some posters keep saying this?  It's just nonsense.  What is so wrong with the majority of roads in Thailand that you would be driving this sort of car on?

I don't know where you live in Thailand that you can open up a supercar with a ground clearance of a couple inches. I live in the Nakhon Ratchasima area and the post holes would kill a supercar doing over 90kph. Every year they repave highway 2 and it's beat to hell after rainy season. You'd be scraping the undercarriage and blowing out those low profile tires all the time.

Edited May 6, 2018 by Rdrokit

[Enoon]

16 minutes ago, Rdrokit said:

I don't know where you live in Thailand that you can open up a supercar with a ground clearance of a couple inches. I live in the Nakhon Ratchasima area and the post holes would kill a supercar doing over 90kph. Every year they repave highway 2 and it's beat to hell after rainy season. You'd be scraping the undercarriage and blowing out those low profile tires all the time.

 

It's Ok, it's not for driving in Thailand, it's for "owning" and "wearing around town" in Bangkok.

 

 

[mogandave]

Isn’t there a shop on Petchiburi that has a couple ‘vettes in the window?

Importing it yourself would be a big PITA.

[NanLaew]

The OP doesn't have issues with the costs and associated paperwork. However, he has questions about the pretty universal 'wait' requests being dolled out by all the grey market importers, at least one of which he has worked successfully with already.

 

I can't recall the exact date last year but wasn't there a significant amount of army and police activity after that Laotian drug lord was banged up? The one with the FB presence that showed his fleet of expensive imports both in Laos and on this side of the Mekhong? At least one Thai celebrity with a ride well above his pay grade was caught up in the subsequent (ongoing?) investigation of how come foreign criminals and lagorn stars had all these very expensive sports cars in Thailand? We all know why; they have the dosh... or they borrow them from those that have the dosh in exchange for favors. It's the 'how' that is being investigated. This is probably causing a whole lot of niche market importers to keep their heads well below the parapet. They are probably getting a lot of 'the subscriber has disconnected' tones when they try and call their contacts in Customs. 

 

This being Thailand, I am pretty confident that given time, there will be a new, approved way for the OP to get the 'vette legally imported, possibly with a slight mark-up on the premiums, but not right now.

[Airalee]

For those complaining about the quality of the roads here in Thailand, I for one would absolutely LOVE to be able to drive (or even afford) a supercar around the Maehongson loop.  The times I have ridden it on a motorbike, it was much, much better maintained than Mulholland drive in the Hollywood Hills.

[mogandave]

The roads here don’t seem that bad to me...

[Just Weird]

On ‎5‎/‎6‎/‎2018 at 12:36 PM, transam said:

Have you ever been to LOS....?

 

On ‎5‎/‎6‎/‎2018 at 1:42 PM, Rdrokit said:

I don't know where you live in Thailand that you can open up a supercar with a ground clearance of a couple inches. I live in the Nakhon Ratchasima area and the post holes would kill a supercar doing over 90kph. Every year they repave highway 2 and it's beat to hell after rainy season. You'd be scraping the undercarriage and blowing out those low profile tires all the time.

 

Yes, I live here and have been driving here for 24 years in Bangkok, Khon Kaen, Pattaya and Hua Hin, that's why I know what I'm talking about as opposed to those making unfounded assertions that supercars can hardly be driven here because of "ground clearance of a couple of inches" and "low profile tyres being blown out all the time" as Rdrokit put it. 

 

These cars do not have such miniscule ground clearance, they are manufactured to be used on normal roads, that's how they manage to sell them and low profile tyres which are used by thousands of drivers on normal cars, not only supercars,  are not particularly prone to blowing out any more than 40/45/50/55/60 etc series profile tyres are.