I see a lot of threads about bringing in cars from out of country but what about something like this where the investment is not so high it is worth not only loosing but likely getting in ok with little fan fair or cost...

VW Jetta

I guess you bought it for 200 Euro and what you want to do with this?

1. Steering on wrong side

2. No air con

3. manual gear (most of peaple want automatic in LOS)

U can swap registration doc from a current car in LOS, but if they know, it would be trouble and not worth it.

IF you could get it brought in, you would likely shell out way more than the car is actually worth. Fugget about it!

IF you could get it brought in, you would likely shell out way more than the car is actually worth. Fugget about it!

We not sure for what reason the topic starter want use it. If you need it as a "part car" you can import it easly, but it must be cut in half (front and rear end).

Well not for what I plan to do with it or actually something else similar, I plan to put it on the track so starting with this is preferable as I need to go through what ever I get entirely anyway and most of it will be discarded.. Yes, $500US worth the risk to loose but worth far more in the grand scheme of things if it goes through ok, and the left drive is exactly what I want it's worth about 2 seconds or more on the track depending on length and turns over right drive and shift..

As I see it with my intention to convert a car to left drive anyway and factor in the cost of the absolute junk cars here I see a real possibility to have a pretty fair window of difference, as well I can ship in a used engine as the engines back home are better performance to begin with such as the fuel injection and ECU etc. for example...

IF you could get it brought in, you would likely shell out way more than the car is actually worth. Fugget about it!

We not sure for what reason the topic starter want use it. If you need it as a "part car" you can import it easly, but it must be cut in half (front and rear end).

So if I wanted to ship in a parts car that way it would be ok but it just needs to be cut in half?

IF you could get it brought in, you would likely shell out way more than the car is actually worth. Fugget about it!

We not sure for what reason the topic starter want use it. If you need it as a "part car" you can import it easly, but it must be cut in half (front and rear end).

So if I wanted to ship in a parts car that way it would be ok but it just needs to be cut in half?

To escape the taxsheme the car must be cut in half. I know some Guy imported a couple old US Classic Cars (not cut in half) for restaration purposes to send it back after. There are maby other ways possible, if you don't register the car in LOS, but i don't know exactly how he doo. But i can PM you the phone number from that guy if you are interested.

But in the end i think it's not worht it anyway, because you can buy a VW vento about a 100'k if it's not in so good condition, but stil drivable. U haveto consider the fright charge for your car in Europe to send it here cost also money, unless you takt 3 cars to fill the container, then you can divide the expenses to 3 cars.

Thanx for the info Stinger, I will get with you on that PM also a bit later, my circumstances are a bit different so it does sound possible and plausible as I don't intend to register it here and if I buy it cheap enough the savings will far offset the shipping cost. As well, as I said the Jetta shown was just an example but the car I want to ship is even more difficult to locate here and what is here is foolishly expensive IF you could find it but common place for this price back home, it's more about uniqueness and competitive edge but within a reasonable budget..

I intend to bring in a MarkII 3 door VW Golf and locate a GTI 2.0l 16 V engine and fuel system to tweak and install so this along with the left drive conversion required makes it all very worth while and the shipping I feel I may have worked out most likely.

You know you want a toyota! Stop pulling our legs!

You could cut it in half easy enough, but welding the 2 rusty halves together again could be a problem.

You know you want a toyota! Stop pulling our legs!

No f'inng way!! I wanna beat up Toyota's and distinguish myself and VW's from the riff raff since no one here does anything like that..

You could cut it in half easy enough, but welding the 2 rusty halves together again could be a problem.

I don't intend to cut anything in half nor weld anything back together those 2 are completely different considerations.. Parts cars and one good frame for the track..

IF you could get it brought in, you would likely shell out way more than the car is actually worth. Fugget about it!

Yes. May I appeal yet again to the Mods (I hope one of them reads this section sometime soon) to Pin the advice from the highest quotable source (Vice Pres of the Classic Car Assoc of Thailand) that under the current Customs regime, individual imports are practically speaking IMPOSSIBLE.

A Pinned notice would save much bandwith, time and false optimism!

The problem with that line of generalization is that not ALL instances nor policies are the same unlike other countries where there is some consistency to fall back on..

"individual imports are practically speaking IMPOSSIBLE"

Anything is possible here with the right connections and enough money.

Warpspeed,

Could you not use a Mk 1 Golf, there are a few around cheap (30-50K), usually 5 doors though. Don't recall ever seeing a Mk2 here.

http://www.thaiscooter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=330992

http://www.zlicker.com/product/t2h/z6sP/

Maybe you could weld up the back doors like they do with the old escorts now

Cheers

Yeah well that's the trick... Given their age and extra weight being 5 doors they are too expensive and heavy to add my tricks including making it left drive it is going to cost nearly as much for a local car without the competitive edge as it would to take a chance importing a junker and taking the chance of getting it through... If it works, well it's unique and ultra competitive if not I haven't gotten in so deep in the end.. But thanks for your input..

Some of the differences between a Mark I and Mark II are that the Mark II comes with 4 wheel disks though it is 100lbs more weight approx. and it has better aerodynamics as well as the GTI version which I plan to scoff the engine from has a much larger throttle body 10.1 compression and more adjustable fuel injection and can get a 2.0 16 valve which keeps the front end weight down but looses very little in the way of HP if built properly so that equals much better handling and braking so there is an actual increase in total performance over say a V6 Mark III on a tight Thai track and it also keeps it in classes where it is far more likely not to be outclassed by larger displacement cars..

VW's offerings here in performance are quite a bit watered down to make them affordable for the market but as such they don't have the performance edge of the Jap cars so they're the best kept secret with the right package combination, which is what I want to produce and few people here know about as all of the info available is either in English or German..

See I've seen the dark one already but both of those examples have had the engines and trannies changed out to Toyota and Nissan and gives me no spares to work with which includes little things taken for granted such as nuts and bolts, as well the fuel injection and ECU is gone too so have to acquire all of that to go forward and that drives up the cost considerably. The green one has had the bumpers removed and for that model year the bumper actually acts as a splitter for the air and reduces the flat front area from being basically a brick, that's a common mistake people make thinking they gain performance by lightening when they actually loose it and now the front is also exposed to potential damage for minor contact, and you no longer have a horn to use when you want someone to move over if you know what I mean?

I really don't want to deal with something here that has been bastardized most especially electrically and both of these show that potential...Unless it's a real steal for example I wouldn't mind a blown VW engine or even no engine or tranny problems I'd rather that then paying for a Jap engine/transmission with potential electrical problems due monkey riggin I don't need..

What you really need is a rolling shell, probably one been sitting in the back of a bodyshop somewhere for years with no engine, unclaimed by the owner - but I think even then you would pay 30K+ if it was a reasonable body. Then you can build everything yourself and be satisfied as to the quality of materials/parts/workmanship. All of these old Thai cars are hacks, and I understand the logic in wanting something original, also the geometry will be correct which is crucial for motorsport..

I just found this but the price is more than its worth IMO

http://www.vwwatercoolerclub.com/webboard/...hp?topic=9470.0

But it shows there are some here

I for one am so sick of the naysayers about importing on this forum, always harking back to tuktuk mike 5 years ago.........I am currently organising to bring in a BMW M62 (4.4 V8) engine with 6 speed manual gearbox for an E34 conversion, mainly just to see if it is possible.

Cheers

The guy in Sri Racha with the TR6 picked up his plates yesterday.

Here is a picture of his 35 YO classic - nut and bolt fully restored.

Picture from a well known blog site

The guy in Sri Racha with the TR6 picked up his plates yesterday.

Here is a picture of his 35 YO classic - nut and bolt fully restored.

Picture from a well known blog site

If its fully restored, who nicked the convertible roof?

(very nice car BTW)

The guy in Sri Racha with the TR6 picked up his plates yesterday.

Here is a picture of his 35 YO classic - nut and bolt fully restored.

Picture from a well known blog site

If its fully restored, who nicked the convertible roof?

(very nice car BTW)

He is running with the tonnue cover - also has soft and hard tops - both factory originals. Soft top to re-do in matching trim with the interior.

UK have valued the car at 30K GBP (This is a UK value) for insurance purpose.

He admits that in the current condition it would never get past customs - but then he could never afford the 280% duty in its current condition.

apperently there is another six in Phuket??? - according to Thai commerce - imported in 2008.

Indeed a nice car - he takes it to pattaya today for the re-trim and sound system.

Here is the classic restored TR6 with plates - proof it can be done.

He states all costs for license, import duty and blue book = 490K THB - tea money included.

Shipping from UK inc insurance and internal shipping = 60K THB

Value of the car in Thailand - who knows - its not for sale !!!

What you really need is a rolling shell, probably one been sitting in the back of a bodyshop somewhere for years with no engine, unclaimed by the owner - but I think even then you would pay 30K+ if it was a reasonable body. Then you can build everything yourself and be satisfied as to the quality of materials/parts/workmanship. All of these old Thai cars are hacks, and I understand the logic in wanting something original, also the geometry will be correct which is crucial for motorsport..

I just found this but the price is more than its worth IMO

http://www.vwwatercoolerclub.com/webboard/...hp?topic=9470.0

But it shows there are some here

I for one am so sick of the naysayers about importing on this forum, always harking back to tuktuk mike 5 years ago.........I am currently organising to bring in a BMW M62 (4.4 V8) engine with 6 speed manual gearbox for an E34 conversion, mainly just to see if it is possible.

Cheers

Thanks, yeah that Golf is too much dosh for my purposes, I'd be paying for a bunch of Thai mods that'll just be taking off anyway and would rather save that money to purchase good parts. I can't read it but it probably has an auto too and it's 5 doors so weight's an issue.. But we have similar thinking about importing only I'm thinking that just like old used parts, what looks to be a piece of junk and technically is, and in this case isn't intended to be street driven is more likely to get past the customs without much fan fair...

Here is the classic restored TR6 with plates - proof it can be done.

He states all costs for license, import duty and blue book = 490K THB - tea money included.

Shipping from UK inc insurance and internal shipping = 60K THB

Value of the car in Thailand - who knows - its not for sale !!!

Very encouraging and he went a lot further then I intend to in that I don't intend to license it for road use and will actually strip mine.. Thanks for that...

60k b for shipping?? Well worth the risk..

If I'd spent all that money I'd want a BKK plate to make sure it was in the main system.

Is this a legit registration or is it like a 60K under-the-table imported bike reg ? .....Rayong and Prachinburi are known for dodgy (motorbike) regos,

Still well done to whoever for getting it here and registered, whatever the route, show it can be done

Cheers

If I'd spent all that money I'd want a BKK plate to make sure it was in the main system.

Is this a legit registration or is it like a 60K under-the-table imported bike reg ? .....Rayong and Prachinburi are known for dodgy (motorbike) regos,

Still well done to whoever for getting it here and registered, whatever the route, show it can be done

Cheers

Once you have a book - you may register in any province you want - BKK included.

Nothing at all dodgy - the plates are issued by central goverment - end of story.

Saraburi is the other "Easy" province BTW.

The book could not be with held - import licence and import duty paid doc's are all present.

As the car is "As new" or better and was re-built by a proffesional engineer (Report to hand) along with the car being driven from Sri Racha to Rayong without incident, the licence department only weighed the car (900 Kg) stating it must be OK as it was driven 60 k and arrived safely.

Yes - it can be done and also well done to him !!!

If I'd spent all that money I'd want a BKK plate to make sure it was in the main system.

Is this a legit registration or is it like a 60K under-the-table imported bike reg ? .....Rayong and Prachinburi are known for dodgy (motorbike) regos,

Still well done to whoever for getting it here and registered, whatever the route, show it can be done

Cheers

Once you have a book - you may register in any province you want - BKK included.

Nothing at all dodgy - the plates are issued by central goverment - end of story.

Saraburi is the other "Easy" province BTW.

The book could not be with held - import licence and import duty paid doc's are all present.

As the car is "As new" or better and was re-built by a proffesional engineer (Report to hand) along with the car being driven from Sri Racha to Rayong without incident, the licence department only weighed the car (900 Kg) stating it must be OK as it was driven 60 k and arrived safely.

Yes - it can be done and also well done to him !!!

What is considered a "Professional Engineer" in terms of a car restoration?? I plan to do the work myself and I'm far more professional in that regard then any locals, so how does that work?

What is considered a "Professional Engineer" in terms of a car restoration?? I plan to do the work myself and I'm far more professional in that regard then any locals, so how does that work?

I'm sure the OP means an engineer with legally recognizable credentials here in Thailand - which unfortunately exlcudes yourself, no matter how well endowed your credentials may be..

What is considered a "Professional Engineer" in terms of a car restoration?? I plan to do the work myself and I'm far more professional in that regard then any locals, so how does that work?

I'm sure the OP means an engineer with legally recognizable credentials here in Thailand - which unfortunately exlcudes yourself, no matter how well endowed your credentials may be..

Sorry you're so misinformed, you know me?? I have a certification and credentials to match to go with soon with a work permit for exactly my specialty in this field, so sorry for you...JFYI I am the OP....