Moving to Australia and wanting to take my car

doublexiao, Apr 20, 8:27pm
Before I embark on research around doing this, has anyone here had experience

Aussie loves their rules and red tape and if I hadn't just bought a new car which I love I wouldn't bother but I feel Itd be worth some hassle and expense to take it if possible

It's a vw Tiguan, about 30k worth

ratzos, Apr 20, 10:16pm
As it's nothing special, long story short - no. Sell it and buy the same model here, it's nothing special.

doggitt, Apr 20, 10:20pm
You will pay much. I looked into it for a motorbike. Was going to cost thousands all up. They charge GST on the value from memory besides all the on road costs.

brapbrap8, Apr 20, 11:04pm
Cars seem to be a bit cheaper in oz, so selling it here and buying another one over there really wouldn't lose you much money at all, and would certainly be less hassle.

thunderbolt, Apr 21, 12:19am
Wait 3 yrs and they will no longer need to protect local manufacture so will probably open up private imports.
Otherwise it simply isn't economic to relocate the car if you could buy the same vehicle in the west island.

kazbanz, Apr 21, 3:24am
Figure out what you can sell it for here then see what the same vehicle is selling for in auzzie. if theres several thousand difference then go for it. If not then sell and buy one there

msigg, Apr 21, 5:50am
Yes to thunderbolt, trouble is selling here you will loose lots anyway.

tiny15, Apr 21, 7:51am
depends how long you have had it for & which state you want to register it in, from memory you will need to prove you've owed it longer than 12 months. I looked into it a few yrs ago & it was going to cost me about $3500 to get the car shipped from NZ using an agent (they were going to clean it etc & do the export paper work) then your up for 10% gst on the value of it in australia (appeared you could keep the value fairly low) then around $1000 to get it on the road in queensland.
I never went thru with it as we decidied we would be heading back to nz within a few years so I'll just leave it in storage.
considering the NZ dollar is almost at parity with the AU dollar, it could just be easier to sell it & buy again over here

westwyn, Apr 21, 10:58am
I would strongly recommend you sell the Tiguan here, and buy another in Australia. Being a late-model vehicle that is also sold new there, you'll find a very complicated import process to undergo- and costly, too, even as a personal import. Getting it on the boat is, sadly, the easiest part!

franc123, Apr 21, 11:22am
The presence of an ADR plate or label under the bonnet is what I would be looking for before even contemplating it. I would doubt that its economic really even if it was compliant.

tgray, Apr 21, 8:32pm
As an importer of cars, if I were you I would simply sell it here.
It really wouldn't be worth the hassle and could easily turn into a giant headache.

urbanrefugee54, Apr 22, 7:50am
friends took his 800cc motorbike & they regretted it, not only the cost, but the rules, & at any step in the process, the bike could be forfeit for: non disclosure, or wrong information supplied. or what was worse was being told by one section the correct steps & going in & finding out your needed to fill in another 6 forms & pay yet more money. they always said that only if the vehicle was a classic & been in the family several generations would they consider it again.

doublexiao, Apr 24, 5:35am
Yeah, ok getting the general vibe that selling here and buying something there is the way to go. Fair enough.

And no a Tiguan is not that special, though it's an R-Line, and i really like the difference in appearance that brings. A quick search online revealed no similar year VW Tiguan R-line anywhere in NSW for sale.

ratherbefishin, Apr 25, 4:27am
The emission controls are huge there. so cost that in to the factor.

sw20, Apr 25, 8:01am

fishdoc, Apr 25, 8:33am
You can take a vehicle over temporarily but not permanently. I have done this but wouldnt bother again. The AA in Auckland have an "international division". They can give you all the info. Even to take a vehicle over for a year (as I did) there is a lot of issues. The cost of relocation is first of many costs. Lots of compliance/insurance/rego issues. I would strongly say do not even think about it!

sw20, Apr 25, 11:29am
The link I posted before you says otherwise.

fishdoc, Apr 25, 12:31pm
I used that page as a resource also. What it says in theory is different in practical terms. It is just a guide. As far as 2nd hand run of the mill imports go, they are pretty strict (read pedantic/difficult) in australia. Speaking from one who has done it and would not again unless it was a unique vehicle

doublexiao, Apr 28, 1:55am
Ok. Thanks all for the advice.

a.woodrow, Feb 22, 7:01am
On your link, click "import options", scroll to the bottom of the page. You can import a vehicle to stay in Australia for up to a year under Carnet de passage