Have you ever thought about importing a motor home into this country? Some people have even gone ahead and done it. It can be a little tricky but if you know what you are doing it can be done and the results worthwhile.
However there are a few questions you need to ask first.
Will it save me money? Yes it can but you will need to be aware of the hidden costs. You need to allow for at least 2 visits to your country of choice as well as items like the cost of transferring money overseas through your bank, Vat and import duties if applicable and registration and insurance costs. There may also be adaptation costs to ensure your motor home is legal for UK roads. All in all you might need to budget £2000 in addition to the cost of the motor home, so check out the real savings closely.
How do I go about finding the vehicle I want? The internet is the obvious place to start but remember that it is likely that most overseas sites offering new or second hand motor homes may not be in English and when you make contact the person you are dealing with may not speak English. Be prepared for this and be patient.
Are there any differences between an imported motor home and one I may buy here? A few. The most obvious will be electrical equipment, sockets and gas fittings. These will be finished to the continental standard. The use of adaptors which are available here will overcome these issues.
Is it legal? Mostly yes but always worth checking this out. If you are importing from America for example, many will be well over the legal limit for UK roads and even license. Otherwise the key items to look out for are speedometers must read mph and the lights may need modification to comply with British law.
What about motorhome insurance? This should not be a problem but there may be extra costs involved in insuring a vehicle that has been imported. In many instances this will be due to higher cost of repair should you be involved in an accident. Best to check this out before you part with any money. You will also require temporary insurance if you are driving the vehicle back into the UK.
What about tax and vehicle registration? You have up to 10 days to register your new motor home and if importing from Europe you will need to pay any difference in VAT if VAT is payable. There will be no import duty to pay unless you are importing from outside the EU.
How do I pay for it? Talk to your bank who will be well versed in transferring money between UK and overseas accounts. It is not cheap and you may incur hefty bank charges at both ends of the transaction which in all likelihood you will need to pay. You might also be able to do it more cheaply direct on the internet but you might not have as much security. Also don’t forget that the exchange rate quoted in newspapers is unlikely to be the rate available to you.
Is it worth it? Yes. But only if you know what you are doing and always compare prices before you buy.
