Importing a Boxster S from US??

[Guest]

Hi Guys,

Looking for some advice, got the opportunity to import a 05 Boxster S from the US. Thinking of getting it converted to rhd, wondered if anyone knew anyone capable of undertaking this and costs involved.

Secondly, is there any difference between the specs of the US and UK models?

Thanks in advance

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

Aaron,

I'm no Boxster specialist but my gut feel is that it would be a complete waste of money. There are huge differences in spec between a ROW car and a US car, not only in the obvious LHD/RHD issue, but in the lighting, exhaust, engine management etc. etc. The cost of doing a conversion such that it's undetectable would be completely outrageous - if not impossible to do.

After doing a conversion - which will be obvious - the value of the car will then be LESS than the value of the LHD car you started with.

Every time I have seen mention of converting a car from LHD to RHD on this, or any other, forum the recommendation has always been the same - don't bother.

Best regards

Dave

 

[Mark_Bennett]

If you are going to buy it, buy it as a LHD - and keep it LHD.
It can be converted to RHD, but the cost and complexity will be horrendous.

 

[Guest]

Cheers Dave,

So its worth doing as long as I keep it LHD?

You mention differences in the exhaust and engine management, what are different about US cars?

I'm basically looking to import a pretty quick car as something to use as a weekend car, also looking at an 2005 c6 corvette and I know I can get this through the SVA and re-registered for under a £1000, is there a porsche specialisty who can do the same i.e lights, sva test etc?

Thanks

 

[JCB..]

ORIGINAL: zapbranny

Hi Guys,

Looking for some advice, got the opportunity to import a 05 Boxster S from the US. Thinking of getting it converted to rhd, wondered if anyone knew anyone capable of undertaking this and costs involved.

Secondly, is there any difference between the specs of the US and UK models?

Thanks in advance

Why?

 

[Guest]

why what?

Which particular part of that doesn't make sense? a) importing a boxster? b) converting it to rhd?

In ref to a) because it will give me a saving of approx £10k over buying it in the UK
b) because I would be willing to have it converted to RHD if the costs were reasonable and it didn't compromise the car, as its more enjoyable and easier to drive over here.

Any advice or knowledge about who can do it?

 

[Mark_Bennett]

Seriously, unless you have your own workshop and can do much of the work yourself, it's a no-no.
There was an article a year or so back in 911 & Porsche World about someone that converted a 996, but he had his own company that could do the bulk of the work.

On pre 2003 model cars, the stumbling point was the main loom. Each one is different - specced to the individual car's options. If you need a replacement it is made to the cars chassis number, and the factory will only make it in the same "hand" as the original (i.e. LHD). What you needed to do to get around this was find a RHD car with EXACTLY the same options, and get a spare loom made (which still cost a fortune).
The later cars have a "MOST" bus system, and I'm not sure if it is a similar problem - but I'd be willing to bet it is [:'(].
Sure get the LHD car, but no point converting it. There are loads of people driving LHD cars in this country - it's not a show stopper.

People here are trying to help and advise you - "Why" is a good question - please don't get annoyed with them for asking []

 

[Guest]

I wasn't annoyed, I just wanted to know in particular which part the "why" was reffering to.

Thanks for the advice. I think it might not be worth importing a european car on reflection. I can see a saving of around £8k on a 1 yr old Boxster S, but I'm willing to bet that this could be more than offset by the lack of interest or value in a LHD model if I decided to get rid of it later on, especially with people mentioning the residuals anyway.

Think it might have to be a C6 Corvette, there is a much bigger saving to be made, and they are only available in the UK in LHD, so shouldn't suffer too badly.

Many thanks for the advice

 

[tiskev]

Dont forget if you buy a left hooker in EEC and bring it over here you can always sell it back to Europe when you
decide it has to go .And the market is enormous there compared to our 60 odd millions .

 

[JCB..]

ORIGINAL: zapbranny

why what?

Which particular part of that doesn't make sense? a) importing a boxster? b) converting it to rhd?

In ref to a) because it will give me a saving of approx £10k over buying it in the UK
b) because I would be willing to have it converted to RHD if the costs were reasonable and it didn't compromise the car, as its more enjoyable and easier to drive over here.

Any advice or knowledge about who can do it?

None of it makes sense.

Shipping, importing/duty/DVLA and converting to RHD won't leave much change from £10K.

You would also find it very difficult to shift it come resale as it wont be C16.

If it made any sort of economic sense someone would be doing it commercially.

It would make much more sense to go for an earlier low mileage UK car. Even 05's seem to be taking a bit hit see thread from Delbox.

JCB..

 

[timhum2002]

The Corvette is great value for money and in my opinion a very good car but selling it won't easy, the market for these types in the UKof vehicles is very small. To use the Ford Mustang as an example, it looks a bargain at £26-28 but hunting around you will find cars arouns a year old at an asking price of £22k. Looking at all the other posts on the forum about rapidly depreciating cars if you eally want a Porsche why not buy a 1-2 year old model where somebody else has taken a bit hit on the initial depreciation?

Tim

 

[Guest]

ORIGINAL: JCB..

None of it makes sense.

Shipping, importing/duty/DVLA and converting to RHD won't leave much change from £10K.

You would also find it very difficult to shift it come resale as it wont be C16.

If it made any sort of economic sense someone would be doing it commercially.

It would make much more sense to go for an earlier low mileage UK car. Even 05's seem to be taking a bit hit see thread from Delbox.

JCB..

The whole point is that I won't have to pay duty on it. Owning the car in the US for 6 months, whilst to entitled to live there means you can import the car duty free.

The RHD idea, was just that, I was looking for some appreciation of whether it was feasible/expensive. If it was only a couple of grand it would be worth it.

I'm not neccessarily set on a Boxster, I'm still keeping my options open, and it seems there is a far greater saving on a Yank car, so the Corvette, whilst its not what I would buy over here for £39k, at £25 it looks good value.

Thanks for all your advice. If I was looking to buy in the UK, I probably would go for an early Boxster S.

 

[Guest]

ORIGINAL: timhum2002

The Corvette is great value for money and in my opinion a very good car but selling it won't easy, the market for these types in the UKof vehicles is very small. To use the Ford Mustang as an example, it looks a bargain at £26-28 but hunting around you will find cars arouns a year old at an asking price of £22k. Looking at all the other posts on the forum about rapidly depreciating cars if you eally want a Porsche why not buy a 1-2 year old model where somebody else has taken a bit hit on the initial depreciation?

Tim

I understand that, and that is my other concern, but if you check the prices in Autotrader, they're not going for stupid money. There are 9 year old cars still in the £16 - £19 bracket, the other point, is that most of the sellers are dealers trying to make a profit, I would always try to buy privately (i'm not sure everyone views it this way). Sorry, I'm not sure I understand what you are trying to say with the Mustang example. Do you mean that £22k is cheap for a Mustang? They only cost $20k in the US, so its hardly lost money?

Ultimately I think it just offers good value for money in terms of performance and price.

 

[911sse]

If you were going to do that, a top spec Mustang would be easy to sell on after, there is a good steady market for them.

 

[timhum2002]

Zapbranny

I agree that the Mustang is great value and pretty desirable and have recently considered aquiring one but even so it quickly loses value, at least 25% after one year. My personal view is that shifting secondhand recent model American cars in the UK is hard work. As you say there seems to be no shortage of cars being advertised.
Can you really get a new good spec V8 Mustang for $20k in the states?

Tim

 

[Guest]

No the V6 is $20k, the GT is more like $25k . Sorry guys, I think I've confused you; I'm not trying to do this as investment. I'm looking to get a car I would like to own at a good price, but still keeping an eye on resale if I want to change to something else. I like the Mustang, but I don't want to own one, regardless if I could make money on it. I don't mind losing money on a car, hey its reality, I just want to minimise the impact whilst still driving a car I want to own. Without buying in the US a C6 Corvette would be out of my reach.

 

[Mark_Bennett]

Found the solution - Just do it like this Jeep owner...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4610368636

(Click on the thumbnail images!) []