Moving over in March and need wheels. The cars look expensive based on the web sites I've visited so was weighing up option of buying LHD british and importing, anyone done this or am I just MAD to consider

MAD to consider
dave

Why do you need wheels?

Stop being a Teuchter, highlandladdie. They have buses and you may even see the odd train

Wait and see like many expats... we waited a year before buying "wheels"

Prices are pretty much the same, dunno what you're talking about...

Hi
from a teuchteress. I lived 3 years in lausanne with no car and never found it any problem, going skiing travelling etc. was mega fit at the end tho humpfing the skis halfway up a mountain to the chalet .
Joan

If you buy a new car within 6 months of moving here you'll have to pay import tax on it when you import it, but you do have 2 years before you have to import it. We brought our RHD UK car over last Jan, we had bought it within the 6 months period so we will be liable to pay import tax if we decide to keep it here.

I thought it was more like if you import a car within 6 months of buying it ( from abroad ) . . . . ??

if you own the car for six months or more before bringing it in, your need to pay import duty is negated. So you're correct, Mr Hat.

sorry i can't have worded it correct, yes I mean if you buy a car abroad within 6 months of moving here, you will have to pay import tax if you want to import it. They base this on the date your permit is issued and the date of your vehicles documents

to clarify: to not have to pay tax when importing, you must own the car for six months before coming here.

If you buy a car abroad after coming here, for import purposes I'd say duty is due whenever you import it. Plus having the steering wheel on the funny side is bad karma

Unless there are very special reasons (like you have a classic car/ disabled controls / got a great tax-free deal etc.) there is little to recommend buying a LHD vehicle in the UK and importing it to Switzerland.

Servicing/ warranty work my be problematic and resale will be difficult. You will need to register the vehicle and have it checkedy the authorities here to get your plates and equivalent of log book (pink slip). Plus you must have owneed for more than 6 months to avoid import duty.

New cars are the same/cheaper than the UK. The base price may be a bit higher, but the is no car tax and VAT if 7.6%, thus the on-the-road price is very competitive with the UK - particularly with the current exchange rate...

Many thanks to Abfab and Lob Rockster for their detailed information especially the tax portion on new. I was planning to use a bicycle and public transport but was worried the swiss might be offended by the appendage hanging from the Kilt hence the interest in wheels. Cheers everyone.