Greetings all,
This is my first post to the forum.
I am moving to Switzerland in the new year, having lived/worked in the UK for 5 years.
I will be searching for a car. Thinking of a USED Volvo XC70 / A6 Avant Quattro / or similar. (An all-wheel-drive estate is the theme here!)

Could anyone point me in the direction of any swiss online car-sales sites?? Something like www.autotrader.co.uk - but swiss?? (if the info was in English, that would be a great!)

I've read a few posts about how much cheaper cars are in CH, so now I'm looking for something to make a comparison with!

Hope I'm not asking too much,

Many Thanks

Bill

www.autoscout24.ch is the place to look... German, French or Italian but car facts are car facts

Well actually autoscout24 *only* has a third of the market. Other major players are:

www.car4you.ch
www.carweb.ch
www.autoclick.ch
www.auto-online.ch

That is about it from the non-garage specific sites.

Richard

most garages tend to put their 2nd hand cars into autoscout24, I believe.

Mind you, being posh like what I is, I tend to only shop for new cars

Lob and Richard,

Thank you both for your quick and useful replies. I'll get surfing!

Kind Regards

Bill

Is that posh as in spice or properly posh as in poash

If your edit button was working, you could substitute the word "misguided" for "posh"

dave

Just a warning and this comes from past experiences.
If you are buying a used car make sure it has a new cotrol, This should be after the Car is 5 years old and then 3 years after that then every 2 years but if a car is more than 10 years old and it changes hands with less than a year to run on the control then it needs a new one. I ended up with a expensive Toyota a few years ago.




DC

The control to which DC refers in called MFK in German. A very good point to ask if it has this and don't be afraid to tell them you want a new MFK before buying.

What is a control or a MFK?
Just curious. We have a car that is about 6 years old, although we hardly drive it. When we went in for the 5 year inspection the man there said "It's not even broken in yet." In German of course.

MFK or control is the swiss MOT but very thorough it tends to be when they feel like it sometimes being more than a year later then stated in the regulations. If a car has a new MFK its normally in a good condition but beware the car has to be spotlessly clean inside,outside and underneath before they will look at it.

DC

Thank you!
I should have understood that, but.... thought a control was a car part and wasn't sure which one . I'm sure someone could make a good blonde joke out of this situation - but only few in the world would understand it.

Thanks... this info is really useful.

a question about the swiss control:

Is it something that a car dealer must supply when they sell a car? or is it up to the buyer to get it sorted?

Thanks

The dealer should do this if you are buying from a dealer. The MFK is often booked up months in advance as dealers cannot sell cars without a fresh test.

There are all sorts of little Swiss specialites in the MFK - as mentioned above, the underneath and engine compartment should be cleaned - steam cleaned is the usual.

I took my 5-year old Golf along to the Strassenverkehrsamt (Street Traffic Office) in Zurich for its test this February (this is a nice day out), having first had a service and advising the garage that it was going to the MFK in a couple of days. The garage supplied me with a certificate for the aluminium wheels, which I had been using with the winter tyres for 5 years. The wheels was the first question the tester asked (after shaking hands and introducing himself). I duly produced the new certificate and he sent me into the main building to get it stamped. The stamp was free, but must have been good as when I got back to the end of the testing centre he was there with my car and it had passed and he stapled the stamped certificate to the test paper.

I didn't mention that I also have a set off non-standard wheels for the summer tyres but no certificate for them...

check out www.vivacar.ch and give the guy a call he speaks perfect English and has a huge collection of new and second hand cars all makes and brands

I just came from the Intro section to post my first question and see that Aussie Bill had done it for me! Good work (although I am considering the Subaru Forester 2.5 the ultimate wolf in sheeps clothing...)

My second question was if I buy a car in Switzerland early in the new year does anyone know if I can bring it back to the UK for the few months before I move out (June 2007) without having to pay import duty? Probably a question for the DVLA but you guys seem to be the oracle so I thought I ask. Thanks.

If you buy a car in switzerland and you want to drive it you will need a number plate, To get that you need Swiss insurance and I dont think you will get that without being registered in Switzerland.



DC

I guess you have realised that this is difficult to do. It is possible but IMHO daft. You can get limited time export plates which I think was covered somewhere else under number plates and an insurance to match.

What I would STRONGLY suggest is doing exactly what you intend BUT out of Germany. As far as I am aware but don't put your mortgage on this you can buy a car in Germany "tax free" ie VAT free and drive this for up to 2 years on special plates with special insurance. You then import it into Switzerland and pay the VAT on the current value plus duty. If the car is made in Europe(EU) then duty should now be zero rated. You can check this on www.tares.ch

I would have thought that someone in the forum has done this. The only downside I can see is the paperwork - the car will easily pass the test as it is more or less new and you get it at German prices which are generally much lower that Swiss prices and then you get it VAT free.

All round good deal

Dom, if you're buying a car for six months here and then permanently relocating back to the UK, I'd get a UK car and plates and drive it around over here - legitimately you have one year.

I did this (for longer) and AA insurance gave me a > 3 week green card.

Thank you Richard and Lob for your replies.

Richard, your suggestion is interesting. Can I drive the German car in Switzerland for 2 years before officially importing it do you know?

Lob, I am not relocating back to UK, rather permanently moving to Switzerland from UK in June 2007. However I need a car now so I thought to buy a left-hand drive and drive it back to the UK for a six month period.

Having just received the bumpf from the DVLA I am beginning to think that is a non-starter due to the duty issue which is why Richard's suggestion of buying an EU car might be the way to go.

Any further thoughts greatly appreciated and thank you again.