Export used MB from UK

[zsmaster]

Hi all,

I want to buy Mercedes w124 here in UK and bring it to Poland. What is the procedure to buy a car in UK for non resident? (I am Ukrainian by the way). As I understand the idea must be the same as in Germany: seller de-registers the car , give me all the papers (what kind?), I pay the cash and must take temporary plates?

Thanks for help!

PS. Sorry if duplicating existed topic, but I didn't find any close to my problem.

 

[jamesfuller]

Hi, there are no temp plates here, apart from trade plates, but these can only be registered and used by a UK business.

As far as I know once the DVLA have been notified of export you will not be able to drive the car, it will need to be trailered.

Sure someone will be along soon that has done something similar!

 

[zsmaster]

It's not a problem with DVLA, I just need some time (day or two) to drive it to my garage

As I know UK is a part of EU but not member of Schengen Area. Is there any border between EU and UK? Or you just pass by the English Channel without stopping?

 

[Halcyon Days]

There are police & immigration control at all ports...

There's some odd law that a UK resident isn't allowed to drive a vehicle with foreign plates?! No idea about a non-resident driving a UK registered vehicle! lol
Just buy it, drive it home and worry about the paperwork later ;-)

(This might not be the best or most legal advice!!)

 

[zsmaster]

(This might not be the best or most legal advice!!)

I would have done it, BUT

There are police & immigration control at all ports...

The question - do they check all cars leaving UK?

 

[Sp!ke]

As long as you are insured to drive the vehicle and you have legal ownership of it, you should have no problems at all.

In the UK you do not have to even carry any paperwork in the car so frankly I wouldn't worry about it. Just buy it and drive it home like many other Polish people that are working here in the UK do.

 

[zsmaster]

You mean I just need some sell contract and registration docs for the car?

Yes, it seams easy at first, but if you think deeper...
-who will be the owner of the car, me or former owner?
-will the police allow me to cross the border on UK car?
-if the car is not being de-registered and wont come back to UK, will it cause some problems for me or former owner in the future?

or maybe it's just me who complicates thing...

 

[219]

From memory , the UK registration document has a section where you can declare the car has been scrapped or permanently exported .

You can buy the car ( with current road tax and MOT ) and insure it , with cover allowing it to be driven in EU .

Then just drive it home to Poland and , once you are there , post the document back to DVLA telling them you have permanently exported it .

If anyone asks you at the border , just tell them you are on a trip home and will be back in a couple of weeks - that way you avoid complications at the border .

 

[Sp!ke]

The only border being at Dover on the way out. Once you're through that there's no more borders.

When you buy the car, get a receipt (hand written is fine) and make sure you get given the section of the registration document for the new keeper - the rest the seller sends to the driver and vehicle licensing agency and you have the MOT certificate which shows that the car has passed its annual inspection. The car should also have a Tax disk displayed in its window. You dont need this outside of the UK but it would be a good thing if the tax disk was still valid or you could get stopped by the police on the way to Dover.

To be honest, there shouldn't be any problem at all as long as you can prove you are insured. If you get stopped with no insurance the police *will* impound the car.

 

[219]

The best idea , really is to keep the vehicle in the UK for the couple of weeks until the document comes through in your name , then take the car abroad and declare it exported from there .

You , of course , need a UK address to register it to , but this could be a friend's address , temporary address ( hotel ) , or place of employment - purely an address to which the document can be posted for you .

 

[grober]

Slightly puzzled why you want to buy a W124 in the UK. They will be RHD and then there's the cost of a ferry crossing after you buy. I would have thought you could buy LHD better/cheaper in Germany or France?----unless its a E500?

 

[cinek]

Out of curiosity, why would an Ukrainian wanted to buy a car in UK and bring it to Poland?

I am Polish myself, and all my cars were bought in UK and on occasion I drive to Poland for holidays, once every few years.
I was never asked to produce my V5 (vehicle registration) on any of the boarder check points, not in any country. But I always had it on me, as it is a requirement in most of European countries.
Same applies to valid insurance certificate and drivers licence, covering you for whatever country you are currently in.

My first question was based on the fact you cannot legally register a RHD car in Poland, hence why would you want to bring it over there for?


And re- not having to carry any documentation whilst in UK, well, you do. But police can exercise their discretion and allow you to produce them within 7 days at the nearest station.

 

[grober]

Out of curiosity, why would an Ukrainian wanted to buy a car in UK and bring it to Poland?

I am Polish myself, and all my cars were bought in UK and on occasion I drive to Poland for holidays, once every few years.


My first question was based on the fact you cannot legally register a RHD car in Poland, hence why would you want to bring it over there for?

Think that may have changed recently but still seems a bit strange unless it was for spares?
http://www.europeanvoice.com/articl...ia-to-accept-right-hand-drive-cars/80169.aspx
that link may require subscription so in case it doesn't come up.


Court tells Poland, Lithuania to accept right-hand-drive cars

Ban on registering cars bought in UK and Ireland breached free movement rules.
Poland and Lithuania broke European Union free-movement laws by refusing to register right-hand-drive cars purchased in the United Kingdom and Ireland, the European Court of Justice ruled today.
The ECJ said that the ban amounted to discrimination against foreign cars, rejecting claims that right-hand drive cars constituted a safety threat.
The issue came to a head in the aftermath of the financial crisis. As the economies of the UK and Ireland contracted, Poles and Lithuanians moved back to their countries of origin, taking their newly-acquired right-hand drive cars with them.
When Poland and Lithuania refused to register these cars, demanding that their owners convert them into left-hand-drive cars, the owners complained to the European Commission.
In several other cases, dating back as far as 1973, EU courts have told member states that they cannot prevent right-hand-drive cars from being bought and sold throughout the EU.
The ECJ accepted that right-hand-drive cars were more dangerous than left-hand-drive cars in countries where they drive on the right.
Poland and Lithuania have among the highest number of road fatalities per capita in the EU. Poland has 93 road fatalities per one million inhabitants while Lithuania has 100 fatalities. This compares to 28 road fatalities per million inhabitants in the UK and an EU average of 55.
The ECJ ruled that an outright ban on registering right-hand-drive cars was disproportionate.
In particular, the court said that the countries had failed to provide evidence that it was considerably more dangerous to allow right-hand-drive cars. Member states could take other measures, such as requiring owners of right-hand-drive cars to install mirrors to improve visibility.

 

[cinek]

There are number of cases, where Polish people took the government to European Court, raising the issue of not being able to register RHD vehicle.

As far as I am aware, that still hasn't changed despite various orders requesting the law to be updated.

 

[grober]

There are number of cases, where Polish people took the government to European Court, raising the issue of not being able to register RHD vehicle.

As far as I am aware, that still hasn't changed despite various orders requesting the law to be updated.

Fair enough- you are the man on the ground so to speak- just posted in case you hadn't heard of this latest ruling. I agree its one thing for the European Court to rule--- its another for countries to comply.

 

[cinek]

I have been living here for over 18 years now, so cant say I am too familiar with current legislation over there.
But if there is a pending legislation that possibly will benefit the common man, it will either never materialise or will take forever to come to force.

You will never see the true face of bureaucracy,until you had the pleasure of dealing with Polish officials :/

 

[219]

Potentially a happy ending to this story - there's a used car dealership near me ( in Paisley ) been trying to shift a high spec W124 300CE for a while , not much luck , I suspect because it is LHD .

I think it was up for £2500 , but sign on windscreen now something like open to offers .

Car has airbag , leather , aircon .....

 

[E270 Owner]

Some/most eastern europeans are cashing in on MB's for spares over there, I have sold quite a few old Mercs to them as for export only on e-Bay they always trailer them away as I only let the paperwork go as scrapped.

 

[zsmaster]

The best idea , really is to keep the vehicle in the UK for the couple of weeks until the document comes through in your name , then take the car abroad and declare it exported from there .

You , of course , need a UK address to register it to , but this could be a friend's address , temporary address ( hotel ) , or place of employment - purely an address to which the document can be posted for you .

This is what I definitely want to skip. Could seller give me some paper allowing me to drive the car to Poland? I drive home and send plates and docs back

 

[zsmaster]

cinek, Just to clarify things.
I'm very often in Poland, almost live there. I need parts for my cars, I have w124 500E and w124 320CE. Polish cars are crappy, German cars too expensive and lot of them don't have TUV (MOT). I don't believe there are a lot of good MBs in France. More than 50% of Italian cars are illegal. Therefore The only choice - is a UK Mercedes. Here you have good price, good condition and a lot of MBs packed with options.