Whenever you take a drive on UK roads in today’s day and age, it is quite likely that you will see at least one interesting car pass you by. Many UK motorists import unique automobiles to the UK that turn heads everywhere they go, including hot rods, cool trucks, Mustangs and all kinds of other brilliant automobiles.
How to Import a Vehicle
This is because the process of importing a car to the UK can actually be quite simple and straightforward. It simply involves having the automobile shipped over (there are companies that can arrange all of this for you), and then notifying HM Revenue and Customs within 14 days (you will incur a £5 fee for every day that you are late). If you are importing a car from the EU, you can simply do this online and if it is from outside the EU then you inform HMRC by filling in a customs form when the vehicle arrives.
Once this is done, you may be required to pay VAT and duty if instructed by HMRC, before getting approval to show that the vehicle meets safety and environmental standards. Next, you need to register and tax the vehicle with the DVLA where you will then be given a registration number so that you can obtain number plates. Once you have these and have the vehicle insured, you can legally drive the automobile on UK roads.
Public Demand
Whilst this is a relatively easy process, there are companies that can do all of this for you. This is often what motorists do and why there are so many importing vehicles on the roads in this country. There is always a demand for hot rod cars and other unique automobiles in the UK, with more and more people seemingly becoming interested in cool cars in recent times. This can be attributed to TV shows like Top Gear and popular car publications where you often see cars from different countries, as well as films which always influence people.
Vehicle History Checks
With so many different cars on the roads, it is important for people to understand the history of a vehicle and just how many owners it has had before purchasing it. Unfortunately, the used car market is filled with dangerous, unreliable and even illegal automobiles and fraudulent sellers. When shopping in the used car market, it is vital that a car check is carried out with a company like HPI. This will uncover the automobile’s past and reveal whether it has any hidden secrets, which could include if it was stolen, if there is outstanding finance or if it has previously been written off. HPI find that 1 in 3 cars has a hidden past, so it is important for motorists to use these checks when shopping in the used car market.
The UK is filled with all kinds of interesting cars that have been imported from overseas, and it can actually be relatively straightforward to do this. However, this influx of vehicles means that you must also be careful in the used car market and always check to uncover a car’s past.
Want to see more Cool Cars? Check out this selection of cars from Slamology 2017.
