Anyone ever try importing a bike/car from overseas?

[MotorcycleRider]

I've read a few post from the past about importing bikes into Taiwan. But I can't find anyone who has actually done it. I really want to buy a bike from Canada and bring it to Taiwan, this would save me a lot of money. I'm not sure how to go about doing this. Anyone have a clue what the processes are?

[sandman]

How on earth will it save you money? Isn't the import duty something like 70% of the cost of the bike?

[MJB]

I'm looking into this as well.....Car first though.

I found this for car import regulations...If the motorcycle rules are as anal retentive as this, you're going to have to buy back home at below wholesale to make it worth your while...

An example of current car import rules:

Illustration：

　 　On Jan. 3, 2004, someone imported a used Year 2000 Buick Park Avenue 3,800 c.c. four-door sedan without any options ( If there are options, their prices shall be added to the price of the body for computation purposes.) from the U.S.A. Since the Customs-assessed FOB value of the new cars of same or similar type and same model year is not available, the import duty and other levies are computed as follows：

　　 (a) FOB price in B/B depreciated= USD 29648.33 (price of new body of same or similar type in Year 2000) x (1-60%) (a 2000 model year used car imported in 2004 may be depreciated by 60﹪) = USD 11,859.33

　　 (b) FOB price of body in N.A.D.A (January 2004 issue) = USD 11,325.

　　 Choose the lower one of the above two prices as the assessed FOB value:

　　 FOB = USD11, 325

　　 I = USD 66 (insurance fees actually paid)

　　 F = USD600 (all shipping expenses actually paid or payable for shipping the car to port of entry)

　　 CIF = USD 11,991 (FOB + I + F)

　　 Customs value = USD 11,991

[MotorcycleRider]

I'm thinking of bringing a Ducati into Taiwan. They go for about $800,000-over a $1,500,000NT in Taiwan. I can get a used one back in the states for about the equivalent of $200,000NT so I'll be saving tons no matter what. Big bikes in Taiwan are so ridicuously high that importing used bikes, especially exotic and rare models from North America is much more cost effective.

[Mordeth]

A friend of mine who owns a Yamaha shop asked me to look into this for him. I checked out prices of bikes in Canada and he checked out the taxes etc. I'm pretty sure you get slapped with 50% or more as soon as it gets here. Plus special testing for emissions and whatnot. So Kwak if it is 800k back home and 1500k here. The 800k turns to at least 1200k with the 50+%...plus shipping...plus extra testing costs. Which should equal more than the 1500k in the end. The only reason shops here can sell bikes for cheaper than what we ourselves could import them for is because they buy bulk from the factory. And when buying bulk the only need to test one bike of a set...which reduces some costs there. Or that's my understanding of it at least.

[Joesox]

Information on the import process from Plasmatron here;
http://forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.ph ... 324#112324

[plasmatron]

BTW the import tax proceedure has changed since my post the Joesax linked to above... the standard tax procedure for heavy bikes is as follows... Cost of bike as per receipt from selling company (if this price is "too good to be true", they will apply their minimum book value which will be much higher than the actual value... ie. undervalue import docs won't work) is added to total shipping cost, plus insurance on shipping to get it to Taiwanese port... this is the CIF basis... 17% import levy of sorts is added to the C&F basic total... take the *total* of that calculation and add another 20% import tax... take the *total* of 'that' calculation and add a further 5% VAT... this gets your bike in the door... *if* your bike is used, and *if* they are allowing import of used bikes at the time (from what I hear about importing 2nd hand bikes, they seem to allow/disallow this on a flavor of the week type basis) these may be reduced, if the bike's new you're going to get hit with all of these cumulative taxes...

if you want a licence plate, you'll then need to spend at least a further NT$80,000 on an emmissions and specification test... on planet Taiwan this test is insanely strict and can take up to three months if you aren't "connected"... if your bike fails a part of the test, and they seem to fail private bikes more or less at will, you must retake the portions of the test your bike failed at you own cost... the offical dealers can just test one model and then all subsequent models of that type can be imported... if you're an individual each and every bike has to pass the emmisions and "standards" test regardless if it's on the importers list or not...

Then in order to get the almighty yellow plate you have to provide, at least the following documents:
1.)receipt showing price paid fom supplier, local or not...
2.)import documents (probably Bill of Lading will do) showing date of import, port, container number, vessel number, port of origin etc.
3.)Certificate of Origin showing model, manufacturer, date of manufacture, VIN, engine and chassis numbers, plus model type...
4.)proof of emmisions test for that specific bike showing VIN numbers, photo of actual bike from Taiwan testing center etc...
5.) various other braking power, weight, lights etc. tests that you have to do on the bike at the DMV center on the day you apply for the plate...
6.)at least the basic 3rd party insurance documents for that specific bike in your name
7.)the relevant registration forms filled in... in duplicate...
8.)cash money... for the first year's licence tax acccording your bikes capacity... *and* the one off registration fee... *and* the road tax for the first 2 years...

all in all, the system is very much set up to make sure the dealers get it their way and if you try to import something yourself, the savings will either be non existent, or so small they just aren't worth it... add to that the fact that a "grey" import won't be under any form of warranty in Taiwan and there's almost no reason to go it alone... just head down to your local dealers and be prepared to take the hit... at least the people in govt. who decide the anual licence tax fees have stopped smoking crack recently, so there's *something* to be glad about...

[Tangxiaodi]

I am planning to ship a used Mercedes Benz (2001) valued US $30,000 to Taiwan.

Wanting to find out about the imported tax on the vehicle, and also if my current extended warranty will also be covered in Taiwan.

I am a US citizen, do I still have to pay 100% on import tax? Please advise. Thank you,

[llama_lout]

Can't import a car over 3 years old!

[Taverncaptain]

Being a freight forwarder we are getting many such inquiries! All calculations I have ever done resulted in the fact that it is cheaper to buy a similar used car in Taiwan. Transport by sea is actually cheap but you have come up with dozens of notarised and endorsed documents like the proof of ownership in your home country. Road saftey and homologation tests in Taiwan as the importer (Daimler Chrysler) would hardly be of too much assistance. Unless it is a really special car i.e. old timer, it usually makes not much sense to import a used car cost wise. Second hand Mercs (depending of course on the model) are actually not that hugely expensive in Taiwan.