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How to Import a Used Car from Germany to the UK

A summary of the steps you'll need to go through to import a used 1998 Porsche 996 from Germany to the UK in May 2005. Many of these steps would apply to any car, as well as remember, procedures may have changed by the time you read this.

1. Find your car. http://uk.mobile.de is a great resource. It's got a lot of dealers listed as well as much of the info can be seen in English. Choose the ones you want to have a look at, as well as try contacting the dealers to determine whether they speak your language or can answer any questions immediately.
2. Buy it. Whenever you're ready, take a trip to Germany to check out the cars. Pick a dealer which can offer you a guarantee, will arrange the transit plates, which speaks English as well as which you think is being honest with you.
3. Pay for it. You should be able to pay the deposit with a credit card, as well as wire the rest from your bank once you get home. Also, shop around for insurance - Direct Line ( as well as probably others) can insure the car based on the Chassis number (make sure you get that before you leave). Also get them to post you a green card for the trip back from Germany, as well as remember to take it with you when you leave. Alternatively, you can usually arrange temporary insurance with the dealer, but it will be 3rd party only.
4. Collect it. Sign about 30 pieces of paper, all in German, get the keys as well as a pile of paper including the Fahrzeugbrief, which is your ownership document. Make sure all the bits that you paid for are in the car. Drive like the clappers back to Engl as well as .
5. Get it registered. This is the fun bit. Different steps may apply for RHD vehicles, vehicles that are less than 3 years old ( as well as so don't require an MOT) or older than 10 ( as well as so require SVA rather than Type approval), or vehicle from outside the EC. New vehicles are definitely different.
6. Call the DVLA as well as get them to send out a pack for importing a vehicle. The form you want is a V55/5.
7. Call Porsche UK in Reading (head office) as well as ask them for a Certificate of Conformity. They will, in turn, ask you for a letter containing your chassis number as well as a cheque for £60 or so, as well as will send one through in the post 10 days or so later (they have to send to germany to get it). This is to get the vehicle "Type approved", which means the model you have is in general approved for use in the UK. The certificate is in German as well as has info about the length, weight, emission levels etc. of the car.
8. Get the lights adjusted. You need to modify the headlights to point the other way (on a Porsche 996 they can be adjusted as well as don't need replacing). You also need the fog light on the other side, which is, at least on the 1998 model, not as simple as moving the bulb over. Get the receipt showing you had the work done. You also need to put the speedo into MPH, although with a digital speedo this is easily done. Total cost will vary.
9. Send your Certificate of Confirmity as well as something to prove you've got the lights adjusted (the receipt) as well as the speedo converted off to the Vehicle Certification Authority. Ask them for a Mutual Recognition Certificate. More info is here: http://www.vca.gov.uk/downloads/files/PUBTA050.pdf. This lot want £65 or so, but a week later will send you back your original documents as well as your all important certificate.
10. Fill out the V55/5. Most of the info you need is on the Certificate of Conformity, but it's in German. You can use Googles translation tool, which copes fairly well even with phrases like "Unladen rear axle load". Some fields you can safely skip (max permissable trailer weight was left blank) as well as some you might be able to skip (a 1998 model doesn't need it's CO2 emmisions checked, as well as it seems there's no engine number on a 996). If in doubt, call the DVLA as well as ask them.
11. Fill out the VAT414 form. At the end it says "Did you pay VAT?". Tick no as well as leave the rest, which according to a nice chap at customs, you only need to complete if you are a VAT registered entity.
12. Checklist - you should now have the following:
    • Complete V55/5
    • Completed VAT414
    • MOT certificate
    • Certificate of Insurance
    • Mutual Recognition Certificate
    • Fahrzeugbrief as well as green booklet (registration documents - If in doubt take all the paper your dealer gave you)
    • Photocard License
    • Chequebook
13. Make your way down to the DVLA local office as well as st as well as in a queue, as well as pay over your last cheque for £38, plus whatever it costs for a year's registration - £170 or so. A week or so later you should receive your papers back in the post, including your tax disc as well as a piece of paper you need to get a license plate made up. The V5 will follow a few weeks later from head office. Then you just need to get a plate made up as well as you're away.
14. Smile as you reflect on what you've saved.

• Occasionally second h as well as cars in Germany will have VAT applied to them - this applies if the previous owner was a company. Make sure the price you're quoted includes VAT
• Porsche dealers can offer a 1 year worldwide warranty on approved used cars (ie any that have had their regular 20000km service with an approved dealer). No-one else seemed to be able to do this.
• You will need to get transit plates issued. Ask the dealer to do it, because the government department that does this closes midday on friday - which means you have to be there friday morning. Get them for as long as you can, as while you have German plates on it's difficult to pay the congestion charge as well as /or speeding fines. Plus the whichle process takes ages so the longer the better.
• Make sure your bank doesn't put a stop on your visa card when you suddenly pop up in Germany as well as try to put €3000 through. Calling your bank while roaming is expensive.
• See if you can get the manual for the car in English. Also see if you can get them to supply a UK CD for the satellite navigation if you have it installed, rather than the german one.
• Make sure you get the PIN code for the stereo as well as check as well as double check all accessories are there. Then check again (getting these once you've paid is a nightmare).

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Added: Thu Feb 02 2006

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