Ship it or sell it?

We import cars for a living, so you might expect us to say ship everything. We would rather you made the right call. Some cars are absolutely worth bringing over. Some are not, and it is better to know that before you spend money on shipping.

Start with three numbers

1. What the car would sell for in Australia, realistically, in the time you have before you leave.
2. What the same car costs in the UK, if you can buy it here at all.
3. What the import costs, including any tax. Across our most common Australian enquiries the typical outlay is £3,000 to £5,000, but get a proper quote for your car.

If the UK price minus the Australian sale price is comfortably more than the import cost, shipping wins on money alone. If it is close, the other factors below decide it.

Run your own numbers

If you sold it in Australia, you would get about £ Converted to pounds at today’s rate. Buying the same car in the UK would cost about £ Or what you would pay for the nearest equivalent. The import would cost about £ Typically £3,000 to £5,000. Your quote gives the real figure.

Import tax

Moving here, Transfer of Residence: none Standard: 10% duty, then 20% VAT Over 30 years old, original condition: 5% VAT, no duty

Sell and buy again here

Ship it

What each option leaves you out of pocket for a car on your UK driveway. Tax here counts the whole import cost as transport, which slightly overstates it. A rough guide, not a quote.

Transfer of Residence changes the maths

If you are moving here, have lived outside the UK for more than 12 months and have owned the car for more than 6 months, you can usually bring it in with no import duty and no VAT. That takes the biggest variable off the bill, and it is why shipping often makes sense for people moving home.

Without that relief, a bought car pays 10% duty and then 20% VAT on top. On an expensive car, that alone can tip the decision. Our calculator shows the figures.

When shipping usually makes sense

• You qualify for Transfer of Residence
• The car is rare here, or was never sold here at all: a 70 Series, a Holden, a Falcon
• It is kitted out with accessories that would cost a lot to add again
• It is a classic over 30 years old, with the lower historic tax rate
• It means something to you, and that is worth paying for

When selling usually makes sense

• It is a common model that is easy and cheap to buy in the UK
• You bought it recently, so Transfer of Residence will not apply
• It is low in value, so the import cost is a big share of what it is worth
• It is a newer model likely to need a lot of work to get through IVA

The things that do not show up in a spreadsheet

Arriving in a new country with a car you know, already set up the way you like it, is worth something. So is not spending your first weeks here in a dealership. On the other side, you will be without the car for a few months while it is on its way, so you may need something in the meantime.

If you are on the fence, send us the details anyway. We will price it honestly, and if it does not stack up, we will tell you.

Quick answers