Hi, I'm thinking of bringing my 20v Coupé to Brisbane from the UK. I qualify for a personal import but can anyone give me a rough idea of the TOTAL cost of the import. I am finding all the various tax, customs, quarrantine, insurance, etc. etc. website somewhat difficult to grasp in getting a total overall figure. So far I've been quoted around £800 from the shipping company but I gather they don't get involved in the registration and localised processes and subsequent costs in Australia ....

I've had her since new and I really can't bear to let her go in the UK for a pittance hence the idea to take her with me ;o)

There's a few on here who have Coupes in Australia. I think one is even based in Brisbane too.

Just had a search, Wazza, Possum and Scuderia are the people you want to contact.

Hi Robski,

I've been doing quite a bit of research into this lately because I am planning on taking my coupe with me back to Australia in a couple of years, and also my brother in law is taking his Alfa 156GTA to Brisbane next March.

Here is a very basic guide of what's involved:

- You must apply for an approval to import a vehicle from the Aus government click here

- You then arrange for a shipping company to ship the car to Aus

Upon arrival you have to pay:

- Customs duty which is calculated at 10% of the customs value of the vehicle plus a further 10% GST. The value of the car is usually the average second hand value of an equivalent car in Australia, and they generally use www.redbook.com.au to calculate this. As the Coupe was never sold in Aus they might accept a valuation based on average UK second hand prices and then convert it to Aussie dollars (which would be excellent as this is cheap particularly with the current exchange rate!). Or they might make you pay for an independent evaluation.

- Handling fee at the depot to unload your container

- Quarantine entry fee + possibly a steam clean if your car has any trace of dirt on it (almost a certainty)

I think in QLD you then have to pay for the car to be complianced which involves welding child seat anchor points in the back of the car to make it road legal and maybe a few other things.

Check out this website which has some info and a handy calculator which gives you some idea of costs (the exchange rate is approx 1.6 at the moment, not 2.2 so change this before doing your calculation!) clicky

Also check out these websites:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=458572

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

Hope this helps. It's certainly not cheap, but when you consider how much second hand cars cost in Australia it may well work out to be cost effective. Plus you would be driving around in a very unique car that hardly anyone else would've seen before

I would also get in touch with Possum who is a member on here. He is the Fiat club president in Queensland and currently has a 16vt Coupe in Brisbane.

Keep us posted - I'd be really interested to hear how you get on

Many thanks for this informative reply mate. I have also been investigating further and it seems that hiring a dedicated container for the car has benefits since you can also pack the car full of personal belongings at no extra cost and can also add a further few m3 of boxes directly around the vehicle. I've been quoted £1,800 for the shipping in a dedicated crate and then around AUD$2500 to get it into Queensland using an import agent (in fact the import agent I found also does the shipping!).

I'm just waiting on a quote from the mechanics ( whom the impotr agent put me onto) regarding fixing of the compliance plate and any other regulations changes necessary (e.g. child seat anchors as you say) and then I should have a total cost. I've seen Coupés going for AUD$30k in Oz so I am really hoping this isn't the figure they will use for Duty/GST (i'm still waiting for quote for this).

Depending how much other stuff you're bringing over, putting the car into a dedicated crate which you are also using for personal stuff might be an option for you too!!

I'll try to remember to post here when it's all over (assuming I still go ahead with it) and will let you know how I got on.

I assume insurance and servicing costs in Oz won't be too bad as they have Fiat garages over there don't they?

Cheers

That's some good info. All I'll add is that you really have to know what you are doing. Don't leave tasks "for them to do" because you'll get shafted. Its never cost effective to bring in a car that is available locally. A friend bought in 2 cars from NZ and it cost $10K for the first one. The 2nd cost half that because he knew what to do and who to use.

Fiat garages? There are the dealers but they wont have seen a Coupe. Fiat was not sold in Aus from the early 80's up untill only a couple of years ago. Some parts, clutches and brakes etc are common with Alfa so easy to get but anything Coupe specific needs to come from NZ or the UK etc.

Well, just to update folks, I've taken the plunge and stuck my 20VT on a boat bound for Brisbane. I arrived myself a few weeks ago and she's due to arrive next month some time.

I've learned quite a few things about the process already and I expect I'll have learned a fair bit more by the time I actually get to collect her when she arrives.

Happy to share this with anyone contemplating bringing their car with them under the personal export scheme ...

Hi Robski, I'm very interested to hear how this turns out. I've sent you a PM.

Great!!! Another Coupe in our fine City.

One of the mechanics at the local Fiat dealership worked on Coupes in New Zealand. He is always good to discuss things with.

There will be more coupes in Brisbane than in Birmingham

There used to be a guy "OZTony" or was it "TonyOZ" on here who imported 20vt's (and other models) to Australia. Might want to track him down?

Kayjey you are correct, but unfortunately, we have not been able to contact him for a number of years.

G'day Robski,

Your car will be the 20th Coupe known to be in Oz, and the 4th red one (mine being one of them).

I might have to stop using the signature photo below taken on a trip to Brisbane 12 months ago (on Mt Cootha) as it might get confused with yours! Maybe one with the Harbour Bridge behind, eh?

Hope to meet up some time,