Importing Car To Australia

[Dan1026]

Hi All

Could any one tell me if it is possible to import a car from Thailand to Australia?

What is an estimate price that it would cost say for a pick up?

Is there any companyies that import cars for you to Australia in Thailand?

Regards

Dan1026

[simple1]

The web site that details the process and requirements is at http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4371.asp I would think that it makes no financial sense as the cost of transportation and taxes would be prohibitive and you would need to ensure that emission controls comply to Australian regulations. Also second hand vehicles are a lot cheaper in Australia compared to Thailand.

[mogandave]

Yes, and uhh, no

[harrry]

Another thing is that you have to drain the airconditioning system as if it contains any cfcs your whoole car will have to be re-expoerted at your own cost. They will not refill it or empty it there. A very heavy fine also applies.

Edited December 7, 2012 by harrry

[Rancid]

Also looked at that, didn't do an accurate assessment but was looking way cheaper to sell my sedan car here and buy the same or similar car in Oz than the costs of exporing it home. Sold my car here already, will check out what's the best deal when I get there. Except maybe a ute, they are very expensive in Australia compared to here, might want to check into that if that is what you have in mind.

[harrry]

Another factor is that when it is licenced there you get an import VIN and it is very expensive to get insurance on a privately imported car.

Utes seem cheaper but they are much higher speced than the ones here. For example the extra cab has rear seatbelts and seats and I believe extra side streangth and a larger motor and the auto is a 5 speed not a 4 speed like here.

[BSJ]

Unless it's something exotic.....don't even bother.

As mentioned you have to drain the A/c. And possibly a fee will be required to pay....all A/c's are now under the gun.

You will need a certificate from customs to import.

Once in Oz you will probably be required to submit the car for an inspection at a RAWS workshop.

Will have to comply with ADR's for the year of manufacturer.

What you need is someone in Oz that can give you up to date info....if you think it's worth it.

[culicine]

The web site that details the process and requirements is at http://www.customs.g...te/page4371.asp I would think that it makes no financial sense as the cost of transportation and taxes would be prohibitive and you would need to ensure that emission controls comply to Australian regulations. Also second hand vehicles are a lot cheaper in Australia compared to Thailand.

Pickups are ,much more expensive in Australia than LoS; e.g. top ford ranger 35K AU in Thailand vs 60K AU in Australia. I just think importing it, you will get slugged with taxes anyway.

[Jitar]

Importing a pickup to Australia would be a lot of hassle and little benefit. The cheap models are similarly priced, the top models are a lot more expensive in Australia but IF one qualified as a personal import to Australia:

The importer must own it for 12 months here and relocate back to Australia.

Freight, duty and mods to meet Australian Design Rules etc would all need to be paid.

Pickups hold their value better than cars in Australia but a private import would be harder to resell / worth less than standard Australian delivery equivalents. A 2 or 3 year old private import 4x4 duel cab would probably be worth about the same as the new truck here, ~1M baht / A$30k.

I believe the kiwis are more friendly to foreign imports !

[Dan1026]

Hi All

Thanks for all your feedback i have looked around and like you all say it's not worth it we are better off selling the car in Thailand before we return to Oz, Then purchace new car when we get to Oz.

Regards

Dan1026

[BSJ]

I was looking for information and came across this at: http://trade.gov/static/autos_report_tradebarriers2011.pdf

OCEANIA

AUSTRALIA- New Motor Vehicle Sales (in units)

2006 2007 2008

Personal Use Vehicles 598,394 637,019 596,765

Commercial Use Vehicles 364,272 412,963 415,399

Total Motor Vehicles 926,666 1,049,982 1,012,164

Source: Auto Strategies International Inc.

Motor vehicle trade between the United States and Australia is bound by the terms of the

U.S./Australia Free Trade Agreement, which went into effect on January 1, 2005. The

agreement can be found on the web at:

http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Bilateral/Australia_FTA/Section_Index.html

The automotive terms are outlined below. The terms for goods not qualifying under the

agreement are also described in a following section.

Tariffs under the FTA:

For those motor vehicles that meet the necessary rule of origin to qualify for preferential

treatment under the FTA, the following tariff rates apply:

• Australian tariffs on U.S. vehicles in the light truck passenger segment –

including four-wheel drive, SUVs, minivans, and pickup trucks – were eliminated

immediately on implementation. This includes the vast majority of U.S. vehicle

exports to Australia.

• Australian tariffs on imported U.S.-built passenger cars were reduced from 15

percent to eight percent on implementation, and were phased down on a linear

basis to zero percent in 2010.

Rule of Origin under the FTA:

Details of the Rules of Origin can be found at the Australian Customs Website:

http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/resources/notices/ACN04039.pdf

• The agreement uses the “net cost” method of calculating origin, which does not

include most post-production costs, such as sales promotion, marketing, after

sales service costs, royalties, shipping and packing costs, and non-allowable

interest costs. The Agreement sets a minimum “net cost” regional value content

62of 50 percent for automotive products, (sourced from the United States and

Australia) in order to enjoy duty-free treatment.

Used cars under the FTA:

• To ensure that the agreement is not used to allow third-party used cars to be

transshipped through either party, in addition to meeting the automotive rule of

origin, passenger vehicles will be required to pass a ‘change in tariff

classification’ test – which ensures that the vehicle underwent manufacturing

processes in one of the two parties.

• All used vehicles must also obtain quarantine clearance from the Australian

Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) after the vehicle has arrived at the port

of entry. This is to prevent the entry of diseases, noxious weeds and insect pests

into Australia. Quarantine authorities inspect all vehicles on arrival and may

require them to be properly cleaned. This is usually done by steam cleaning. All

exporters should remove all soil and any other matter from the vehicle (including

the underside) prior to exportation to Australia. For more information visit the

AQIS website:

http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/import/vehicles-machinery/motor-vehicles

For vehicles not meeting the rule of origin under the FTA, the following terms apply:

The Australian government maintains web pages regarding motor vehicle import

procedures and requirements. The main link can be found at:

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4371.asp

Tariffs:

• New and used passenger motor vehicles, campervans/mobile homes, and their

components are presently subject to a five percent customs duty.

• New and used commercial and all-wheel drive vehicles and their components are duty

free.

• Used passenger vehicles more than 30 years old are exempt from customs duties.

• Import duty is collected on the vehicle’s “customs” value as determined by Australian

Customs Service (ACS). Generally, ACS includes all arms-length expenditures to

acquire ownership/title to the vehicle in a foreign country. However, international

shipping and related insurance costs are not included. Alternative valuation methods

may be employed at the discretion of ACS.

Import Tax:

• Used vehicles imports also are subject to a specific additional charge of $12,000

Australian, unless a wavier is granted for approved “specialty or enthusiast” vehicles

(a.k.a. “collector cars”). This tax is applicable to all used vehicles, even those

qualifying for preferential treatment under the FTA.

63• Used vehicles imported for personal use, or models that do not compete with locally

assembled vehicles, and for which fewer than 25 units are to be imported annually,

usually are exempt.

Taxes:

• A 10 percent federal goods and service tax (GST) is levied on the assessed value of

all imported new and used vehicles, inclusive both of applicable customs duties and

international freight and insurance charges.

• Passenger vehicles designed to carry a load of less than two metric tons and fewer

than nine passengers are subject to a federal luxury car tax (LCT). To establish the

taxable basis, compute the sum of the following: ACS derived value of the import,

international shipping and insurance charges, applicable Customs duties, and GST. A

tax of 10/11 * 33 percent is collected on any amount of that sum above the taxable

threshold, currently $57,446 Australian.

• For an illustrative example of Australian automotive taxes see:

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4371.asp#duty

• Note: Australian-assembled vehicles are also subject to the GST and LCT, but have

no Customs duty included in their taxable basis.

Other Measures:

Prior Approval:

• Importers must submit a formal request for “Import Approval” to the Department of

Transport’s Vehicle Safety Standards Branch prior to a vehicle’s entry into Australian

territory. Payment of $50 Australian fee must accompany each application, which

may include multiple vehicles of the same model.

Duty Wavier:

• Until 2005, local vehicle assemblers could claim an import duty credit equal to 25

percent of the value of their production of motor vehicles, engines and engine

components, multiplied by the relevant tariff rate, plus 10 percent of the value of new

investment in plant and equipment. Local component producers could claim a credit

equal to 25 percent of the value of their investment in plant and equipment and of 45

percent of the value of investment in R&D. The total value any firm may claim in any

year was limited to five percent of its total local sales. The credits could be applied

by the firm--or traded to other importers--as payment of customs duty on vehicles or

components they import. This program is to be reduced beginning in 2006 and

terminated in 2015.

Vehicle Safety and Emissions Requirements:

• All imported vehicles must be modified to comply with Australian Design Rules

(ADRs) regarding safety, emissions and anti-theft measures. Details can be found at:

http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/motor/design/adr_online.aspx.

If import volume exceeds 100 new vehicles per year, destructive testing (e.g., crash

test) may be required.

64• The ADRs require that with only a few exceptions, left-hand drive vehicles,

regardless of the scheme under which imported, must be converted to right-hand

drive prior to licensing for road use.

• Beginning May 3, 2003, up to 100 examples of specific vehicle models listed on the

“Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicles Scheme” (see:

http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/motor/sevs/index.aspx) may be imported by

Registered Automotive Workshops (RAWs) without being subject to the full

requirements of the ADR. Australian residents must contract with a RAW, or

become one in order to import registry-listed vehicles.

• Vehicles produced prior to July 1989 may be subject to earlier versions of ADRs,

subject to state enforcement. To be licensed for use on public roads, the vehicle must

meet the safety regulations of the state or territory in which it will be registered.

• A “Personal Import” program allows one vehicle per year to be imported by an

individual of legal driving age without proof that it meets the ADR, provided that the

vehicle has been owned and used abroad by the import applicant for a continuous

period of at least 12 months. The applicant must be either an Australian citizen or

permanent resident, or must have applied for either status.

[fire and ice]

Another thing is that you have to drain the air-conditioning system as if it contains any CFCs your whole car will have to be re-expoerted at your own cost. They will not refill it or empty it there. A very heavy fine also applies.

That sounds absurd! As if not having the CFCs dealt with properly in Australia is better for the Earth than sending it back o/s where it will (likely) eventually get released into the atmosphere. It makes no difference where in the world CFCs are released!!!

[Humbugged]

What about driving a car to australia for 3 months and then sending it back to Thailand....any news on that ?

[whybother]

I looked at importing a car ('97 BMW 316) from the UK to Australia about 12 years ago. The transport wasn't that expensive, but the import tax was about the same value as the car. It was cheaper to buy the same type of car in Aus.

[Rancid]

And here we all are moaning about the hassles about importig cars into Thailand, yet it seems the Aussie Nanny State is also a formidable opponent, line up and bend over if you please, give it up to the bureaucrats and just say cheese.

[Humbugged]

And here we all are moaning about the hassles about importig cars into Thailand, yet it seems the Aussie Nanny State is also a formidable opponent, line up and bend over if you please, give it up to the bureaucrats and just say cheese.

Really.....most say that it would end up costing what it would cost to buy the same car there, so no saving.

Unlike the 200/300% tax here in good ol Los.....

[Spoonman]

And here we all are moaning about the hassles about importig cars into Thailand, yet it seems the Aussie Nanny State is also a formidable opponent, line up and bend over if you please, give it up to the bureaucrats and just say cheese.

Importing into Australia is very straightforward if you follow the rules, importing into Thailand on the other hand.................

[BSJ]

And here we all are moaning about the hassles about importig cars into Thailand, yet it seems the Aussie Nanny State is also a formidable opponent, line up and bend over if you please, give it up to the bureaucrats and just say cheese.

Importing into Australia is very straightforward if you follow the rules, importing into Thailand on the other hand.................

But the point is there are to many rules and to much add on costs. If a car is considered safe by the government in America, Britain or Japan then it should be automatically considered safe in Oz.

[Spoonman]

And here we all are moaning about the hassles about importig cars into Thailand, yet it seems the Aussie Nanny State is also a formidable opponent, line up and bend over if you please, give it up to the bureaucrats and just say cheese.

Importing into Australia is very straightforward if you follow the rules, importing into Thailand on the other hand.................

But the point is there are to many rules and to much add on costs. If a car is considered safe by the government in America, Britain or Japan then it should be automatically considered safe in Oz.

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4371.asp

Seems pretty straight forward tome and I know many people who have imported vehicles without any nasty surprises, how many have you imported into OZ ?

[BSJ]

And here we all are moaning about the hassles about importig cars into Thailand, yet it seems the Aussie Nanny State is also a formidable opponent, line up and bend over if you please, give it up to the bureaucrats and just say cheese.

Importing into Australia is very straightforward if you follow the rules, importing into Thailand on the other hand.................

But the point is there are to many rules and to much add on costs. If a car is considered safe by the government in America, Britain or Japan then it should be automatically considered safe in Oz.

http://www.customs.g...te/page4371.asp

Seems pretty straight forward tome and I know many people who have imported vehicles without any nasty surprises, how many have you imported into OZ ?

Back in the 80's and 90's my brother and I imported a few American cars to resell, but the market changed, as did the regulations, and my brother and I moved on to other products. We all knew the new regulations were coming as the manufacturers saw what happened in NZ and didn't want Oz to go the same way, but the import game moved strongly to Japanese cars like Subaru WRX, Skyline GTR and Toyota Supras. So no, I haven't imported full cars of late, but I still think there is a lot of BS to deal with.....in all aspects of doing business in Oz.

[Spoonman]

Back in the 80's and 90's my brother and I imported a few American cars to resell, but the market changed, as did the regulations, and my brother and I moved on to other products. We all knew the new regulations were coming as the manufacturers saw what happened in NZ and didn't want Oz to go the same way, but the import game moved strongly to Japanese cars like Subaru WRX, Skyline GTR and Toyota Supras. So no, I haven't imported full cars of late, but I still think there is a lot of BS to deal with.....in all aspects of doing business in Oz.

So your knowledge is at best 20yrs old.

[BSJ]

Back in the 80's and 90's my brother and I imported a few American cars to resell, but the market changed, as did the regulations, and my brother and I moved on to other products. We all knew the new regulations were coming as the manufacturers saw what happened in NZ and didn't want Oz to go the same way, but the import game moved strongly to Japanese cars like Subaru WRX, Skyline GTR and Toyota Supras. So no, I haven't imported full cars of late, but I still think there is a lot of BS to deal with.....in all aspects of doing business in Oz.

So your knowledge is at best 20yrs old.

Does that make any difference? I posted a comprehensive outline of what is involved for all to read. People can make of it what they wish.

[Humbugged]

Back in the 80's and 90's my brother and I imported a few American cars to resell, but the market changed, as did the regulations, and my brother and I moved on to other products. We all knew the new regulations were coming as the manufacturers saw what happened in NZ and didn't want Oz to go the same way, but the import game moved strongly to Japanese cars like Subaru WRX, Skyline GTR and Toyota Supras. So no, I haven't imported full cars of late, but I still think there is a lot of BS to deal with.....in all aspects of doing business in Oz.

So your knowledge is at best 20yrs old.

Does that make any difference? I posted a comprehensive outline of what is involved for all to read. People can make of it what they wish.

A lot can change in 20 years.

Babies become adults for example.

[BSJ]

Back in the 80's and 90's my brother and I imported a few American cars to resell, but the market changed, as did the regulations, and my brother and I moved on to other products. We all knew the new regulations were coming as the manufacturers saw what happened in NZ and didn't want Oz to go the same way, but the import game moved strongly to Japanese cars like Subaru WRX, Skyline GTR and Toyota Supras. So no, I haven't imported full cars of late, but I still think there is a lot of BS to deal with.....in all aspects of doing business in Oz.

So your knowledge is at best 20yrs old.

Does that make any difference? I posted a comprehensive outline of what is involved for all to read. People can make of it what they wish.

A lot can change in 20 years.

Babies become adults for example.

And wives become ex.

Kids used to grow up and leave home.....2 of mine didn't. So I sold the home and moved to LOS! That fixed em!

[Spoonman]

A mate who is importing an XJR Jaguar from Switzerland to Aus.

$1688 shipping

$1500 Customs, Quarantine & Port Fees

$275 Customs Vehicle Valuation Fee

$806 Import Duty

$1791 GST

$750 ADR Compliance

$150 Roadworthy Requirements

$1018 for 12 months rego

$884 stamp duty (because it's looked upon as a new car)

$50 Import Application

Edited December 15, 2012 by Spoonman

[BSJ]

"A mate who is importing an XJR Jaguar from Switzerland to Aus."

What year is the car? Was it a personal import?

Did he have to pay a fee for the A/C and drain the system before the car left Swiss.

Edited December 15, 2012 by BSJ

[Spoonman]

2005 X350 4.2 L V8 supercharged, yes he paid to have the A/C drained.

Edited December 16, 2012 by Spoonman