Hello everyone at this Forum!

As some of you might know from the "Introduce yourself" section, I come from Latvia. As I seriously have my eyes set on getting a new Fabia, I have also looked at Škoda - just out of curiousity, what the prices are in England... And you know what? They are through the roof!

I have come down to a dealer here in Riga (Latvia's capital), asked for a quote for a Fabia 1,9TDi Elegance (equivalent to your "Level 3"), tarted it up with all available options except for a white roof and turning fog and headlamps, and ended up with an equivalent of 13300 UK Pounds! Then, when I went on to squeeze the dealer (as a past salesman at TOYOTA, I know what buttons to push ;-)), we ended up with 12400 pounds... Amazing, isn't it?

Is the price difference that big because the delivery? Or something else?

And yes, since relocating to England is also looming for working purposes, I am seriously considering bringing a left-hand drive there...

Any ideas on that?

The reason we pay more is because the UK is a cr4p country, run by a money grabbing government who overtax us on virtually everything.We pay through the nose for everything and have the worst transport, schools, road networks, health service and hospitals in Europe.And most of the population is made up of dope smokers, junkies or criminals anyway.

Believe me, stay in Latvia, you'll regret relocating to this hellhole.

Haha, Skorob, but working in the UK still pays more, and trust me, a lot more... Another thing, that given the severity of the economic crisis (and in particular, the way it is felt in here), I don't seem to have much of a choice. As a young man of 24 years, I have my ambitions to fulfill, so I just don't see myself here, in a country I pay my taxes to, but which gives nothing in return...

We can take our homeland-bashing thing to a different topic, if you will, as I would be happy to expand on it. ;-)

If you're definitely coming to England why not get an RHD car in latvia and then when you come here have it re-registered on UK plates?

A right-hand-drive car? Where am I supposed to get it apart from England? I thought about just taking my Latvian car to England, and actually never register it on the Isles... I have no problem driving it all the way back to mainland for passing my MOT...

The prices you have been quoted are not that far off the money. You could beat the dealers down quite a few hundred quid on the RRP as you have done but it's not that bad.

A right-hand-drive car? Where am I supposed to get it apart from England? I thought about just taking my Latvian car to England, and actually never register it on the Isles... I have no problem driving it all the way back to mainland for passing my MOT...

Anywhere in europe.

Speak to your dealer and they can order you a right hooker. It might take longer but under EU regs (not sure if these apply to latvia) they have to sell you one.

We have bought a car (non VAG) with RHD from a LHD country before and it wasn't an issue.

If nothing else it's worth asking as you could have a right hooker "as you will be probably spending a couple of years in the UK" then you could sell it here if you had it on UK plates as a private import when you decided to leave.

Hi

Bought my car in the UK,New (Pre reg july 2008) 25miles on clock, Fabia 1.9Tdi, metallic bright silver, on the road price from Motor Depot in Hull £8095!. They also had 1.2 petrols ( 70bhp) in all colours, most with sport pack (alloys, leather gear knob,leather steering wheel. leather gear gaiter) for the same price. I was lucky, only 1 Tdi.

Haha, Skorob, but working in the UK still pays more, and trust me, a lot more...

Yes, but the cost of living over here is also a lot more than it is in Latvia. There are many who have come from Eastern Europe lured by the high wages only to discover that the only way of getting anything out of it is to live six people in a two bedroomed flat. Not much fun, and added to that the unemployment is rocketing up over here at present so you will probably find it very hard to get a job unless you have a quite unique skill.

The grass may seem greener, but judging by the experience of many who have trodden your path, it isn't so in reality.

Also, and you may not see it this way, society in the UK is nowadays totally driven by money, and everyone's attitude is "me first". You see this everywhere, not least on our way over-crowded roads where courtesy and consideration are regarded by many as only for the stupid. Some of the aspects of your society that you may take for granted in Latvia have long gone in this ever more populated country.

I thought about just taking my Latvian car to England, and actually never register it on the Isles

That'll be illegal, and could mean inpounding of the vehicle, maybe even crushing.

After 6 months, unless you go back home for 3 months solid (IIRC), then you must register it in the UK.

Whilst money may be better in the UK, prices are also higher so it's all relative. You wont actually be any better off, as you'll likely only get min wage. It's why so many from eastern europe are heading home.

That'll be illegal, and could mean inpounding of the vehicle, maybe even crushing.

After 6 months, unless you go back home for 3 months solid (IIRC), then you must register it in the UK.

Whilst money may be better in the UK, prices are also higher so it's all relative. You wont actually be any better off, as you'll likely only get min wage. It's why so many from eastern europe are heading home.

You sure I thought it was fine for any EU car.

You sure I thought it was fine for any EU car.

Temporarily importing a vehicle : Directgov - Motoring

Temporarily importing a vehicle : Directgov - Motoring

Can't help but think that since ferry tickets are good enough for proving when you got here and it's 6 months in a year you could just buy some ferry tickets to GB and have them delivered to a mate at home, then get them posted over. Assuming you've not been pulled inside of the forst 6 months it doesn't seem hard to get around.

Either way a very useful doc indeed.

Can't help but think that since ferry tickets are good enough for proving when you got here and it's 6 months in a year you could just buy some ferry tickets to GB and have them delivered to a mate at home, then get them posted over. Assuming you've not been pulled inside of the forst 6 months it doesn't seem hard to get around.

Either way a very useful doc indeed.

Pretty sure the docks and eurotunnel have had good ANPR systems, so not that easy

Wonder if it's linked to alert the police of cars that vanish?