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So you want to import an American car from the USA to Australia?
Well, why wouldn’t you? American cars have long loomed large in our Aussie imaginations, to the baffling point where many, many people used to replace the Holden badges on their Commodores with Chevrolet ones, so they could pretend they had one.
American cars, particularly the Ford Mustang, Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet Corvette, have long been desired Down Under, not just because they are loud, proud and fantastically muscular to look at, but because any car fan who’s been to the US in the past few decades has come back raving about how fantastically cheaply an American car company can sell its wares (and the secondhand prices have long been even more bafflingly low).
The USA is not quite as cheap as it’s long been, of course, and our weak dollar doesn’t help, but what you’ll be wanting to know is how much does it cost to import a car from America to Australia? And how difficult is it? Are there Australia car import laws that are going to shut down your American dream? Or sneaky car import tax Australia (yes, GST and LCT will apply)?
One problem you’ve probably already thought of is that American cars all have their steering wheels on what we would call the “wrong” side, and that might add an extra wrinkle.
Sure enough, it turns out that only some left-hand drive vehicles can be imported to Australia from the USA. The good news for classic-car lovers is that cars that are 25 years old or older are generally allowed in, no problem.
Later left-hand drive models, or what you might call modern American cars, must be listed as part of the Federal Government’s Special Enthusiast Vehicle scheme. You can check whether the car you’re after is part of the scene by going here.
The first people you’ll want to ask about this are the Australian Government, and they have a helpful website that steps you through the eight steps to importing a vehicle, here.
This includes obvious things like doing your research, and working out your costs, before you then apply for a vehicle import approval and pay an application fee. Once you’ve got approval you can arrange the shipping (making sure the vehicle is steam cleaned inside and outside to remove any materials that may pose a quarantine risk first), pass through new car quarantine Australia and then get ready for the process of going through getting a Customs clearance, which includes paying Customs duty, GST, Luxury Car Tax (if required), and ensuring there is no asbestos in your vehicle.
Getting tired yet?
You’ll then have to make sure you lodge a Quarantine Entry and arrange an inspection appointment, then meet the “approval conditions”, which might include arranging to modify the vehicle and conducting testing to develop evidence of complain, and finally applying to register the vehicle in your State and Territory.
So, American car imports Australia = slightly complex. Can I import a car to Australia, yes you can, will it be easy? Well, do not despair, because the fact is that there are plenty of shrewd business people out there who’ve seen how difficult Aussie imports can be and yet know that American car sales are still very much in demand, and they have set up businesses - known as car import brokers - specifically to help you with the task. (Or you could just search for American cars for sale in Australia and buy one that’s already here, of course.)
The simple fact is that importing American cars to Australia is best done with some professional help from companies that specialise in it.
If you’re looking for Qld American Imports, check out:
These guys specialise in Dodge and GMC vehicles but can help with importing vehicles from the USA, and even doing a conversion to right-hand drive on your car when it gets here.
This is another Queensland organisation, based in Toowoomba and promising to “turn your vehicle dreams into motoring reality”.
They have agents on the ground in the US to help directly import American cars to Australian for you.
Based in South Australia, American Motors is an importer of new and used American vehicles. They also specialise in parts, accessories, servicing and repairs.
Dazmac Perth
Looking to import an American vehicle to Western Australia, Dazmac can provide a quote in 60 seconds at its website here.
This lot have located, inspected and imported more than 500 vehicles from California and all around the USA.
Other companies that will arrange car to import an American car from the USA to Australia for you, by sea, include Peach Transitions, which will arrange collection and shipping from your supplier in the US, arranging Export Clearance in the US, Import Clearance at the Australian end and delivery to an address anywhere in Australia. Which is all starting to sound a little more simple.
Peach advises that you should expect to wait between 22 and 47 days for your vehicle to arrive from Australia by sea, and that for their freight package you’re looking at a cost of between $4500 and $6000 for standard cars.
Where can you find out more information and/or legal advice regarding American car imports in Australia?
Once again, aside from the brokers listed above, the best place to start is with our helpful Australian Government here.
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