foreign reg'd cars

[jonnyboy]

Been offered a deal on one of my for-sale cars. He apparently has an lpg'd ML430 which is LHD.
Could be a way into a cheapish 4x4 and get one of my cars away. He has extensive good feedback, the car isn't on eBay although he has another on there, also a lefty. Lefty isn't ideal but for what I need it for, if the deal is "right" then everyone's happy. I would price it at the bottom of the bottom within my deal to preclude any losses later due to lefthookeryness

The other car he has for sale isn't yet in the uk, he has bought parts in UK eBay for the ML.

What are the potential pitfalls for me with this ML ? I don't know yet if it is UK registered.

Lithunia is the country I think.

 

[A140driver]

I'd be a bit wary about buying a car on foreign plates, unless there was extensive documentation. The other thing would be, I'd have thought a LHD car is worth more in a left hand drive country, so you could sell it abroad for more than here surely?

 

[A-AvantGarde]

Pitfall's would be:

LPG conversion - where was this done, is it certified does it meet UK standards.

Vehicle History - how extensive, how easy is this to verify (including whether it's reported as stolen / written off or on finance). Although the probability if finance outstanding is likely to be low assuming it's an older vehicle.

'Conversion' costs - you may need to get UK spec (RHD) headlights for the MOT over here. Ebay could be the source of replacements though!

 

[jonnyboy]

He's bought headlights etc over here already which I took as a good sign

 

[jonnyboy]

Out of interest, 5 seat silver ml430 1999 170k miles with huge bomb (lol) behind rear seats. LHD not uk reg'd although lights etc uk spec.

Worth how much?

 

[orientdude]

EU specced ML430 1999/2000

At that mileage you are looking at around 5k-7.5k EURO in Europe. However, in the Netherlands prices tend to be higher than the rest of western EU. So, in the UK I would look at around 3.5k pounds.

That said, you could sellit later on Pistonheads. There is a good section for LHD cars that has many punters looking.

Hope it helps....

 

[A-AvantGarde]

Out of interest, 5 seat silver ml430 1999 170k miles with huge bomb (lol) behind rear seats. LHD not uk reg'd although lights etc uk spec.

Worth how much?

Not sure about book value etc, I'd personally say 2.5k to 3k tops

Condition is important, also remember the earlier W163's are less desirable, throw in a potentially questionable LPG conversion, just 5 seats (as opposed to the family pack 7 seater) and the fact that it's a V8 with over 170k miles - I wouldn't think it's worth a lot over here.

 

[wheels1]

Would you have to pay import duty if its coming over here permanently? [ not reg. in the uk yet].
I would guess not, as its second hand and coming from the EU, but worth checking out!

 

[dinoy]

Would you have to pay import duty if its coming over here permanently? [ not reg. in the uk yet].
I would guess not, as its second hand and coming from the EU, but worth checking out!

u need to get cert of conformity and mot test for it, and small dvla fee for registration no import duties.

if u r interested i have a friend who ml 320 2001 which might be avail in str8 swap once registered and is RHD

 

[312 Sprinter]

One issue is figuring out who owns the thing. You can't HPI check it when it is on Lithuanian plates. Getting it registered isn't hard, but it should have the appreopriate headlights and MPH speedo.

 

[Smiley]

An ML from Lithuania is most likely going to have had an interesting history; more than likely starting its life in somewhere like Germany or Switzerland. Personally I would not touch it with your barge pole.

 

[ss201]

Before doing anything else, make sure your insurance company will cover it. Lots don't like imported cars, or set very high premiums to discourage. Years ago I bought a little Honda Civic that the owner bought new in South Africa and brought back with them when they moved back to the UK. Even though it was rhd and fully emissioned & documented to UK spec, the insurance company I was using didn't want to know.

Surely there's no shortage of cheap rhd 4 x 4s out there, given the price of fuel and the state of the economy?

 

[jonnyboy]

Surely there's no shortage of cheap rhd 4 x 4s out there, given the price of fuel and the state of the economy?

Look out of the window!

 

[jonnyboy]

Thanks all this will never happen at the figures being bandied about

 

[crockers]

Look out of the window!

???????? You're now interested in sheep??? B

 

[A-AvantGarde]

An ML from Lithuania is most likely going to have had an interesting history; more than likely starting its life in somewhere like Germany or Switzerland. Personally I would not touch it with your barge pole.

+1 no offence to Lithuania, but the history may well be interesting and difficult to trace. Remember, this would have originally been a high value car, we don't know how long it wss in Lithuania.

 

[jonnyboy]

???????? You're now interested in sheep??? B