Importing A Car Owned Elsewhere?

[soidoggy]

I have searched for the answer to this and expect it will be relegated to the "too dificult" or "too expensive" category of things to avoid.

I have a BMW in Singapore and have owned it for over a year. My company will move me to Thailand soon and I would like to take it with.

http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/individuals/importing+personal+vehicle/importingpersonalvehicle

I have reviewed this Thailand customs website link and searched this and other forums and I see mention or hint of Thai nationals being allowed to bring back a duty free car if they own it for at least 18 months when resident elsewhere.

Just a guess, but expect there is no way a falang would be given any duty free car allowance?

[Topcroc]

So much is on this forum regarding this subject, at least a months reading which will in the end bring you to the conclusion it is just too hard.

Believe it, I have an XKR in mothballs while I try and find a way that is legal to bring to Thailand.

Some how I do not think it will ever get there.

[arthurwait]

As said there is many threads on the matter already. If secondhand you pay tax on the cars value here, 3.07 times that value.

You can't bring a car in until you have lived here on continuous visas for a certain amount of time they time I thought it was about 1.5 years from my reading. Someone else says it's 5 years of continuous visas.

In short forget it.

BMW have factories here now producing 3 series and the 3 series chelsea tractor thingy.

I think they start about 3 MB.

From what I've heard of Singapore car prices, sell yours there and buy a new one here and pocket the difference.

[ThailandBert]

If the car is in Singapore and is registered there then simply drive it in. You will be given a temporary import license for it and will have to drive out and back in again every 6 months I think it is. My friend did this with his motorcycle. It worked out far cheaper and gives him the excuse to do a road trip every 6 months.

[Jitar]

Soidoggy, have another look at the site your link directs to. It deals with non residents under A Permanent Import of Personal Vehicles.

I.E "In case where the importer is a nonresident, he/she is required to stay in Thailand for at least ONE year and present a non-immigrant visa issued by the Immigration Bureau, the National Police Office together with a work permit issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare at the time of importation."

Personal imports may not be impossible but probably not wise. The real problem is the cost of the import duty and tax applied to the value the customs department tell you your car is worth (less a small discount for prior use). How much do you loose selling the Singapore BMW and buying another in Thailand?

[mogandave]

Depending on what company you work for, they may be able to bring it in for you.

If they are moving you, they should pay to move your vehicle as well.

[babykyo]

How old is your BMW in Singapore, If it is one year, sell it, and you can buy a brand new BMW in Thailand plus maybe a new PJS. It will be a waste to export a car from Singapore. Do you know a simple nissan march in Singapore cost around S$100,000 (B2.5 mil).

[soidoggy]

My car is a 4 year old M5 BMW. I don't see any of this particular model for sale at the BMW dealer in Bangkok.

Main reason I do not want to part with the car is that because of the high paper value, I can get the Singapore government to pay me about S$125,000 to export it (they call this scrap value). Then I effectively have a free car if I export it to myself.

Unfortunately, my company will not help me with my car and I will just need to drive something else.

[VocalNeal]

Put the car in a container and send it here. Pocket the 125,000 and let the Thais do whatever they want with the car.

[Jitar]

$125,000 to export the car from Singapore sounds good but the total tax to import it here will probably be more. The link in the OP says 328% (>3L engine) x Thai customs value. Hard to guess what customs value would be assigned but I doubt a four year old M5 would be cheap. BMW sold the M5 in Thailand for 9.5M baht in 2008. Maybe some grey market importers do so now. The car definitely would not be free if imported here.

Soidoggy, Can you export the car somewhere else more import friendly, collect the cash, sell the car, collect more cash and buy something else here?

Edited September 27, 2012 by Jitar

[Woodsie888]

$125,000 to export the car from Singapore sounds good but the total tax to import it here will probably be more. The link in the OP says 328% (>3L engine) x Thai customs value. Hard to guess what customs value would be assigned but I doubt a four year old M5 would be cheap. BMW sold the M5 in Thailand for 9.5M baht in 2008. Maybe some grey market importers do so now. The car definitely would not be free if imported here.

Soidoggy, Can you export the car somewhere else more import friendly, collect the cash, sell the car, collect more cash and buy something else here?

Export it to NZ.There is at least one NZ exporter in Sing.

Alternately, why don't you sell it in Sing. I'm sure a number of dealers would buy it, if it is a proper car.

Edited September 27, 2012 by Woodsie888

[soidoggy]

I will have to sell it here in Singapore. I can still get around S$220-230k locally for it so no need to export it yet.

[arthurwait]

If you do end up bringing it here you need some permission from the Thai government before you export it from the country. Someone else will have to explain it better for me.

[arthurwait]

My car is a 4 year old M5 BMW. I don't see any of this particular model for sale at the BMW dealer in Bangkok.

Main reason I do not want to part with the car is that because of the high paper value, I can get the Singapore government to pay me about S$125,000 to export it (they call this scrap value). Then I effectively have a free car if I export it to myself.

Unfortunately, my company will not help me with my car and I will just need to drive something else.

Do you mean you didn't see it in the showroom or you asked and they said no ?

If the former don't base too much on that as most dealers don't have most the cars they can order. Even standard hondas, toyotas and Mitsubishis.

Looking in the back of 'Car' magazine Thai Edition at the new car prices they've got the M3 Coupe listed at 10,299,000 B and Convertible 11,299,000 I think that's OTR price going on some of the other prices.

www.bmw.co.th There's a phone number if you want it. Not sure if you're allowed to put them up on here though.

No M5 listed though.

Z4 sdrive20i 3,799,000 to 4,799,000. Are they made here ?

[ThailandBert]

My car is a 4 year old M5 BMW. I don't see any of this particular model for sale at the BMW dealer in Bangkok.

Main reason I do not want to part with the car is that because of the high paper value, I can get the Singapore government to pay me about S$125,000 to export it (they call this scrap value). Then I effectively have a free car if I export it to myself.

Unfortunately, my company will not help me with my car and I will just need to drive something else.

In that case export the car to Malaysia, say Penang and then do what I posted before and you are on a winner.

[HardenedSoul]

I asked about the duty they'd levy on an old BMW Z1 - a model that was never sold in this country. 2.5m baht - completely at odds with the calculations I did using the guidelines and age discounts on the customs website.

Just can't take the risk

[Gweiloman]

If the car is in Singapore and is registered there then simply drive it in. You will be given a temporary import license for it and will have to drive out and back in again every 6 months I think it is. My friend did this with his motorcycle. It worked out far cheaper and gives him the excuse to do a road trip every 6 months.

Are you saying that you can drive the car into Thailand, keep it here for 6 months (or less), then drive in out and back in again the same day? Or do you have to wait another 6 months before driving it back in ?

[jmccarty]

If the car is in Singapore and is registered there then simply drive it in. You will be given a temporary import license for it and will have to drive out and back in again every 6 months I think it is. My friend did this with his motorcycle. It worked out far cheaper and gives him the excuse to do a road trip every 6 months.

Are you saying that you can drive the car into Thailand, keep it here for 6 months (or less), then drive in out and back in again the same day? Or do you have to wait another 6 months before driving it back in ?

Does anyone know if you can drive out to Cambodia and back in and get the same temporary import license with a Singapore registered car? If so, any known limit to the number of times you could do this?