Importing 2nd hand Cars from USA

[timmyjt]

Looking at the cars available and the superb prices they are available at...in comparison to what we get here...

I feel this maybe a good option to look at, if one were looking into buying a used car...

Any advice / warnings ? are welcome.
Perhaps anyone who has already imported on their own or bought from a overseas dealer are welcome to relate their experiences to me...how was the process? hassles involved? getting local insurance? registration? problems of not being Gulf Spec? is it worth the trouble?

Im looking at importing a luxury car not older than 2007. I thought BMW was a good option especially if it comes with the 5 year international warranty.

Thanks

[root]

Its a good option!
The hassle is not really that much. You buy the car and get it shipped in a container to Jebel Ali port. Over here you get it cleared and pay the custom duty. You get a green import paper which you take to the car registration.

They will do a car test (like the yearly renewal test) and you can then simply register it as any other car (need insurance, etc).

The warnings is that be careful buying a car without seeing it. Also, a lot of online scams are on the net, so be sure about who you send money. Best is to have some friend check it up for you and even get an independent evaluation done before you purchase the car.

On the gulf specs, the issue is over-rated by local dealers. Only difference between US and UAE spec is normally the speedometer says mph instead of km/h and sometimes Fahrenheit instead of Celsius. Some US models may not come standard with dual-ACs but have seat warmers instead.
GPS maps may be different, but again you need just a new CD with maps.

You will definitely lose some money while selling because the buyer also has the same psychological barrier on non-gulf-spec as you do, and knows you bought it cheaper. But then you paid less as well, so the overall loss in price is comparable.

[timmyjt]

thanx a lot...Sounds gr8....any idea what the custom duty is like...is it a fixed value?
The speedometer maybe an issue especially with so many speed radars coming up, but i have a feeling it may display both in mph n km.

The luxurymotors.com option looks interesting, while the other option was a friend of mine who imports as well, and he said he buys them over auctions....
i believe as long the car as done relatively less mileage and is certified by a reliable independent body...then u shd be safe with your purchase?


Yeh i thought that buying in this manner, one of the things i need to worry less is about warranty of the car...and so the BMW international warranty helps, plus i was told that no matter how many owners change, the warranty simply continues onto the next user unlike other brands..u reckon this is true?

[root]

Well, for BMW, I hear you can also get the Service Package to continue in UAE, as the Service Package is sold by BMW AG and is valid internationally. But re-check that.

Speedometer..has both, but mph is bigger on the dial.

Actually, the cost of a return ticket to the US is about $1000 these days. It is probably money well spent if you are buying something big. There is CARFAX that will provide you info about the cars history.

But what a friend did when buying a Porsche, was that he got the car checked up by their Porsche dealer and got a full report before buying. The full check up cost him a few hundred but then there is some risk-minimization there. He did this all online and on the phone - I personally would not buy something and get it shipped over just like that. I would try to involve someone I know in the picture. But that's me.

Duty is about 5% of the value. But for used cars, sometimes customs values the car as new and sometimes at a much lower price if you are lucky.

[Brembo]

how do you get financing for US imports? will uae banks give you finance?
my one and only question.

[root]

No! Financing is not possible unless you buy it through some local dealer who imports it for you. He'll obviously take his cut!

But, its about a loan - you can get personal loans maybe. Just remember when a dealer says 4.5% interest rate, this is on fixed monthly payments and not on reducing balance (like all other loans), so it is actually much higher! Check the loan calculator on this site!

[Brembo]

yes root i know its not on reducing rate. so a 4.5% loan over 5yrs will be around 9% effective rate approx.
are personal loans also non reducing? and no way im buying a us import from a dealer here or for that matter from any used car dealer, i dont bend over to get a stick showed up my rear end lol.
ive purchased/helped others purchase cars in brand new condition from individual owners at much better rates

[T.N.T]

and no way im buying a us import from a dealer here or for that matter from any used car dealer, i dont bend over to get a stick showed up my rear end lol.

LOL! So true!

[root]

personal loans should be reducing balance, but you need to be just careful of how the bank markets it! They are very deceiving and unfortunately we don't have a strong consumer protection body in UAE who can start fining the banks for their malpractices.

Sometimes, you might get a low 'rate' but there is a high fixed admin fee, which eats up all the discount you got plus more.

To me a loan is always reducing balance, and I know that my bank pays me a puny 3-4% on my fixed deposits, so they should not make more than 2-3 points on top of that.

[890]

Hi there! My name is Steve. I am a licensed independent car dealer on the East coast of the United States. If there is a particular American specs automobile you are interested in, with my contacts I can source for you just about anything you can dream of. Also because of my contacts I can get them for the best prices and I can arrange for shipping by ocean freight directly to you. If there is anything I might be able to do for you please give us a try!

Steve Martin
SUN CONSULTING LLC
steve@smoothsayer.com
1.804.216.3414

[exportautos]

Hello everyone,

My name is Will Gibson and I also specialize in the worldwide export of luxury automobiles. Having been to Dubai last year, and meeting many of the local car dealers who are importing cars from Canada and USA, I have a great understanding of the business. I have recently shipped a new Bugatti Grand Sport by airplane to Abu Dhabi and also 25 new Porsche Cayenne by ocean freight to Dubai FZE. I can offer you the finest cars available across North America at a great price and delivered safe and fast to you! If you like, please do contact me with your requests. I will help you get the car of your dreams!

William Gibson
D.E.I. - Owner
distinctiventerprisesintl@gmail.com

[dijav81]

Hi All
My name is Vajid Shethwala and I buy and sell cars in USA. My dealership lot and office is located in Chicago, IL USA. With experience and my contacts I can help you find any car you can dream off. Currently I'm seeking car agent or business partner in UAE to handle all my export car business. However if you are interested in buying car(s) from USA for private or business purpose please ask for my service. I have access to all the private dealer auction through the United State and can help you get a good deal. Contact me if you need my assistance or would like to become UAE car agent?

Pristine Auto Sales Inc
Vajid Shethwala
pasinc08@gmail.com

[totemo]

Export cars http://www.totemo.biz
Type of Service

— Dealer registration on Manheim and Copart auctions
— Used automobiles from North American auctions
— New automobiles from the USA
— Wrecked and salvage vehicles
— Motor boats, cutters, personal watercraft and yachts
About us

Totemo Corp. is a registered dealer of Manheim, the largest auto auction in the world, as well as Copart, the largest damaged vehicle auction.

We offer a full range of services for purchase and delivery of automobiles and other vehicles throughout the world. Our accumulated experience enables us to resolve difficult and complex issues.

Well-organized work layouts and supply channels provide highly-reliable and rapid delivery, and a variety of additional services and conveniences.

Cutting out additional middlemen means lower final cost and transparent pricing.

The following services are available:

* Land transport
* Ocean shipping
* Extra vehicle reports (Car Check and condition reports)
* Insurance placement
* Export Documents
* Title document transfers

[totemo]

— Prices at auctions (Manheim, Copart) in the USA are 10–20% lower than at dealer lots, and are among the lowest in the entire world.
— The auction has strict requirements of sellers and buyers, and guarantees integrity on the part of both.

[mc_brave]

Hi everyone, this is Khalid Alshehhi, am from UAE currently in the US I do car exports from the US to the UAE and other countries. if anyone has any questions about price differences between UAE and US please contact me anytime. I do deal with a lot of varieties of cars, and after the price comparison, I really think it's cheaper to get it from here wouldn't you want to save at least AED 30,000 on a car? I would!
this is my email address please contact me and I will get back to you with the info you need as soon as I can.
Mc.brave@gmail.com
mc_brave@hotmail.com

Khalid Alshehhi