In UK, want to buy in Europe. Best country to buy?

[Clare 748]

I'm looking to buy a camper, factory built RHD. I need at least 5 seats with seatbelts.
I see our exchange rate is good at the moment and vans are better priced abroad. If anyone can direct me to which county had best prices for campers please.
TIA

 

[Hotel California]

Hi and welcome on your first post
Q is asked before here , try to read the forum and doors will open....
Then use "search" function , more doors will open.
Have fun!

 

[GrannyJen]

I'm looking to buy a camper, factory built RHD. I need at least 5 seats with seatbelts.
I see our exchange rate is good at the moment and vans are better priced abroad. If anyone can direct me to which county had best prices for campers please.
TIA

I'm not sure that you will find that many RHD campers on sale in Europe outside of the UK.

 

[WelshGas]

I think you will find that VW only sell LHD abroad and RHD in UK.

 

[Clare 748]

I know someone who years ago bought an Opal (Vauxhall) from new in Belgium and oredered RHD.

 

[Clare 748]

Hi and welcome on your first post
Q is asked before here , try to read the forum and doors will open....
Then use "search" function , more doors will open.
Have fun!

Thx I did have a look but didn't find anything. I just need to get to grips with how to use the forum

 

[Hotel California]

Thx I did have a look but didn't find anything. I just need to get to grips with how to use the forum

Did it for you....

http://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/buying-a-cali-from-belgium.11936/#post-116158

 

[CYCLOPATH]

Hi, not sure about RHD, but following search in here, and a bit of Google, Switzerland seemed very good prices

 

[Hotel California]

And some comments here....

http://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/whos-ordered-a-t6.11161/page-9#post-114662

 

[Clare 748]

Thanks for everyone's help. I will start looking at the dealer in Switzerland. Fingers crossed I can order a RHD. Love it over there, would be a nice place to pick up a new van to start a holiday.

 

[jts46]

If I was buying new or second hand, I would go for a LHD a nicer cabin than we get in UK.

John

 

[Clare 748]

If I was buying new or second hand, I would go for a LHD a nicer cabin than we get in UK.

John

I want the van to be an everyday car as well that why I would like the RHD. I have thought about the LHD but jus worried it would annoy me as I would be driving in uk mostly.

 

[jts46]

I want the van to be an everyday car as well that why I would like the RHD. I have thought about the LHD but jus worried it would annoy me as I would be driving in uk mostly.

I drive mostly in europe with my RHD and no problems at all.

John

 

[richard dixon]

I live in Spain with my 92 AAB, the statistics never lie and they say the RHD brits living here cause 25% MORE TRAFFIK ACCIDENTS THAN EVERYONE ELSE DOes, but you are "no problem with that" type, well, nice to know your confident; another thing more relavent is Switzerland does sell at a low niveau for car-prices compared with rest of europe but I would not plan holidaying after picking up, evt., a new car there, it is the most expensive land to Holiday in in all of europe. I am Scandinavian and have travelled extensively in europe in over 50 years now and their prices even beat the danes and norwegian prices.
By the way, why a new wagon? You can buy in Germany a year old model with a Price duck og 30% if you look hard enough. Don't ask me to Refer you. Invest your own time.
Good luck.

 

[WelshGas]

I live in Spain with my 92 AAB, the statistics never lie and they say the RHD brits living here cause 25% MORE TRAFFIK ACCIDENTS THAN EVERYONE ELSE DOes, but you are "no problem with that" type, well, nice to know your confident; another thing more relavent is Switzerland does sell at a low niveau for car-prices compared with rest of europe but I would not plan holidaying after picking up, evt., a new car there, it is the most expensive land to Holiday in in all of europe. I am Scandinavian and have travelled extensively in europe in over 50 years now and their prices even beat the danes and norwegian prices.
By the way, why a new wagon? You can buy in Germany a year old model with a Price duck og 30% if you look hard enough. Don't ask me to Refer you. Invest your own time.
Good luck.

I think if you wish to quote such statistics then they should be evidence based. I would suggest that those "Brits" driving RHD vehicles in Spain who account for all these accidents are not exactly a representative group.
I too have visited extensively in Europe , but it must be me, as I tend to find most tourist areas on a par with Central London or cheaper.

 

[SusiBus]

Personal imports


We used to import NEW vehicles from Europe when pound euro was very much in our favour, Belgium usually been the cheapest country in which to buy, followed by Holland, I know the Pound Euro rate is quite good at the moment but whether it's good enough to make the hassle worthwhile I don't know.

You import under the government's personal import scheme which allows you to buy new vehicles VAT free and then import enter the UK and then pay UK VAT.

Initially manufacturers use to try to make it hard for UK citizens to buy RHD vehicles outside the UK and then import them, but after they reminded that we were part of the common market it became less of a problem. I think that right hand drive is now just an option on the configurator.

You have to purchase temporary insurance to cover the time you are driving from the dealer in Europe to the port, have proof of use in the country, ie fuel receipt, other receipts of having been in the country are handy, and your ferry tickets on importation.



The main problem is making sure that you get the specification the same as a UK vehicle, that is as well as any options you may add to the manufacturer's original specification of a UK supplied vehicle.

You pay vehicle VAT as shown in the UK manufacturer's price list for that particular model, so if you import T6 Ocean it will be the same as the T6 Ocean in the VW UK brochure, even if you've had a lower specification vehicle.


The cheapest vehicles usually come from the country which has the highest rate of VAT as the manufacturers tended to try to adjust the price down to make the vehicles competitive.


I'm sure Belgium forum member could help a UK member check the specification if the exchange rate made it viable

 

[Clare 748]

I'm glad I joined here. It is great to pick experienced people brains. It's giving me a great place to start. I am aware of how expensive Switzerland is I've travelled there many times. I think getting a second hand RHD Cali in The Contenant would be like trying to find hens teeth. I have a cousin who lives in Belgium so I will give him a call. Good point about the vat. I will google that. Thanks again.

 

[Hotel California]

Think you will not find that much choice on 2nd hand in Belgium , many you see advertised are from Dealers in the Netherlands.
Before buying my 2012 SE as a showroommodel i wonderd sevral,years thru 2nd hand sites , most adverts are Dutch dealers
Also finding a VW dealer in Belgium with enough knowledge to buy new will be pretty hard....

The Netherlands or Germany is the place to search as the got the biggest market on Cali's

Ps , the T6 Cali is not even in the showroom yet here....

 

[Andy]

Another thing to consider is, i believe, european vehicles only get 2 years warranty uk get 3.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[kave]

If I understand the german market right, some dealers are importing from switzerland already and gets lower prices.
Here is an example dealer, fixed prices : http://www.pkw-online.de

 

[DavidofHook]

For what it's is worth we had a T4 left had drive Westfalia California for 9 years which we used as our main vehicle here in the UK and for holidays in Europe. It was brilliant on holiday and very easy to use at home in the UK. Being on the left you don't hit the kerb so much (gulp) and being high up you can see far ahead so being on the 'wrong' side was never a problem
.