I've searched here for some advice and the last post was back in 2003!

What happened? I've been out of the car game since I imported mine back in 1999 but I'm surprised it's not a viable alternative anyway.

• Isn't the first two years of warranty from Skoda euro wide?
  
• Isn't it against Euro law for Skoda not to supply RHD cars to any dealer in Europe?
  

When I bought my Ford Focus, RHD UK-spec, it came from a Ford dealer in Belgium. My registration documents says I'm the original owner/sole importer (or something like). I paid about £11k for it, £3 less than the UK price at the time.

I'm sure it still exists, however the exchange rate is not helping, and prices have come down within the UK as well so the difference (bearing in mind all the taxes and the likes), is probably not as big as it once was.

The obvious first step is check the list prices of the model you're interested in, on the web, in different countries. Then try to find dealers discounts beyond that, although, unless you find a European dealer near a UK Army / RAF base they'll be reluctant to discount a RHD car, as they'll struggle to shift it if you drop out.

There's so many ex-fleet cars, pre-reg deals etc or nearly new in the UK that it seems to no longer be worth bringing a brand new one in, unless the model isn't available here.

cheers ... Darren

Comapanies like Motorpoint still bring cars in from places like Gibralter and Malta - but as others have said the saving seems to be marginal these days

The obvious first step is check the list prices of the model you're interested in, on the web, in different countries.

I tried the belgium website and I failed badly. :(

Then try to find dealers discounts beyond that, although, unless you find a European dealer near a UK Army / RAF base they'll be reluctant to discount a RHD car, as they'll struggle to shift it if you drop out.

Round my way the UK dealers aren't interested in discounting new cars neither!

I tried the belgium website and I failed badly. :(

Round my way the UK dealers aren't interested in discounting new cars neither!

Try drive the deal as they usually have good discounts for UK sourced cars.

As stated - the current exchange rate is the problem.

I imported a top spec diesel Zafira from Holland in 2001 when the exchange rate was 1.63 Eu to the pound. Current exchange rate is about 1.03 Eu to the pound, so savings are minimal, and consequently not worth the hassle.

Thanks to the exchange rate it's now the other way round rather than minimal savings. For the most part it is now cheaper for people on the continent to come over to the UK to buy a lhd car and export it back to Germany or wherever.

weakness of sterling against the Euro as basically scr*wed the price of any imports from Euroland.

You can pick up cars much cheaper currently, especially new.

Seen many corker deals on Mondeo's, vectras etc at as much as 50% of list for a new car! You just have to look.

I have a friend in Italy currently looking at importing a Lotus FROM the UK.

Thanks Euro:rolleyes:

The weak pound has made it pointless trying to import a car as it will probably cost too much. It does work both ways though, exporting motorbikes is big business at the moment. A lot of Germans are buying up UK bikes and changing the clocks to KM/H and getting the papers changed in German are fairly easy.

You can probably get a car cheaper here than you could in Belgium/Holland/Germany such like nowadays. Plus it will hurt it's resale value if it's an import as it scares many people off buying it used for some reason. I once had a Jaguar S-Type that I encountered epic fail with because it was a German import and I didn't realise when I got it in!

Surely it was down to the owner to declare?