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01.10.2013, 17:16
|  | Member | | Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Zurich
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| | Re: How to Import a car | Quote: | |  | | | Insurance + maintenance in garages + some kind of pollution sticker fee + regular mandatory checks + lot of admin fees for any operations (for example, GIVING your old plates costs like 30CHF! it seems little but it all adds up) + fuel. | | | | |
In this case not so different from Germany | 
01.10.2013, 17:18
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| | Re: How to Import a car | Quote: | |  | | | Thanks for the explanations....Now I'm quite sure that I'm going to buy a 2nd hand in Swiss....
What about the costs to have a car? | | | | | I forgot Parking + occasional fine, as you will probably get Switzerlanded- You'll quickly learn that the Swiss like to respect the speed limit very accurately, or you'll be very popular *
*you'll get a lot of pictures taken but those won't end up on Facebook... | 
01.10.2013, 17:19
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| | Re: How to Import a car | Quote: | |  | | | I thought about this long and hard when looking for a new VW priced in Switzerland around CHF30,000.
VW don't make it easy to compare as the German and Swiss specs are not the same, it was impossible to get an import that was identical. But close as I could see I would save 4% off the Swiss list price plus the VAT difference of about CHF3000.
On the minus side I would be driving an import, which immediately knocks 10% - 20% off the resale price. Of course, if after 10 years the car is worth say CHF4000, his is of little worry.
My main worry was after sales warrantee support. One of the main reasons for me to buy new. Twice I have bought new VW's in Switzerland over the last 20 years, one needed a new automatic box. It stuck in 1st! A the second required a new DSG 'metatronics' unit and was a month out of warrantee. The local Swiss dealer where I bought the car replaced the unit free of charge despite that.
I know VW dealers are obliged to honour international warrantees, but...
Add to that the agro of importing and a 6% discount from the Swiss dealer and free winter wheels and tyres and I bought in Switzerland... | | | | | Thanks for sharing your experience.
Do you think it's easy to find dealer who can speak English?
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01.10.2013, 17:20
|  | Member | | Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Zurich
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| | Re: How to Import a car | Quote: | |  | | | I forgot Parking + occasional fine, as you will probably get Switzerlanded- You'll quickly learn that the Swiss like to respect the speed limit very accurately, or you'll be very popular *
*you'll get a lot of pictures taken but those won't end up on Facebook...  | | | | | ahahah
That's true. In Germany fines are really really cheap. 30-40Euros for speed limit (20 km/h more)
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01.10.2013, 17:23
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Zürich
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| | Re: How to Import a car | Quote: | |  | | | Thanks for sharing your experience.
Do you think it's easy to find dealer who can speak English? | | | | | Mine doesn't, but there have been a number of posts on EF about English-speaking car sales people...
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06.12.2013, 10:04
| Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Greater Zürich Area
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| | Re: How to Import a car | Quote: | |  | | | In fact it seems you got the numbers wrong: 30K Germany
You get refund for the entire German Vat as you'll export it= 20% (?) so it's 6000euros. Then you need to pay like 8% Vat +4% xxx=12%=3600 euros.
| | | | | Wait: Are you paying 12% on the full price incl. German MWSt or 12% on the German NET price= 30K*0.8*12%=2880EUR (in CHFs of course)
Thanks
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06.12.2013, 10:14
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| | Re: How to Import a car | Quote: | |  | | | Wait: Are you paying 12% on the full price incl. German MWSt or 12% on the German NET price= 30K*0.8*12%=2880EUR (in CHFs of course)
Thanks | | | | | Wrong, it's 30k * .0833...*.12 = 3000
Tom
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06.12.2013, 10:17
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| | Re: How to Import a car | Quote: | |  | | | Wrong, it's 30k * .0833...*.12 = 3000
Tom | | | | | Easier to say:
30k/120% * 12% = 3,000eur
But yes, classic maths mistake earlier by Mike
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06.12.2013, 10:39
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| | Re: How to Import a car | Quote: | |  | | | Easier to say:
30k/120% * 12% = 3,000eur
But yes, classic maths mistake earlier by Mike | | | | | You are right: VAT is not 20% from the final price, but it is 20% added to the NET price.
In any case NOT as wrote before: | Quote: | |  | | | 12% [of full price of 30K] =3600 euros.[/B]
| | | | | So at the end the VAT saving is 1- 1.12/1.2 which is 6.6%. Much less than one would think based on the 12% VAT difference.
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08.12.2013, 18:34
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| | Re: How to Import a car
Looks like I will be moving to Switzerland in 6months time (for 3 years). I've read the above discussion with interest.
If I was to buy a car (say a porsche) through a US dealer for European delivery (in Germany)- would there be a way to then import to Switzerland and get a refund on the German VAT? Would this follow the same process as described in this thread?
It would be a US spec car - not sure if that would result in issues.
If someone who has done this could list out all the costs it would be great.
Thanks!
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08.12.2013, 18:37
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| | Re: How to Import a car
Moving from the US - sorry
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25.10.2015, 11:31
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| | Re: How to Import a car
Will be moving to Switzerland on 1 November.
I have registered ourselves in Switzerland (received a confirmation letter with Swiss address, date of registration etc while waiting for the official Ausländerausweise). I have found a car in Germany which I would like to import to Switzerland and I'll get the export plates and the other things done mentioned on this forum.
From what I read, it should be possible for me to purchase the car on 2 November (registered on our Swiss address) and import it to Switzerland without any problems. Is there anything I have missed or should look out for in this scenario?
PS. until end of October I am registered in the Netherlands.
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27.10.2015, 10:01
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| | Re: How to Import a car | Quote: | |  | | | Is there anything I have missed or should look out for in this scenario? | | | | | You will have to pay Swiss VAT and import duty as you haven't owned it at least 6 months, and the importation is more complex.
Tom
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27.10.2015, 20:36
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| | Re: How to Import a car | Quote: | |  | | | You will have to pay Swiss VAT and import duty as you haven't owned it at least 6 months, and the importation is more complex.
Tom | | | | | Thanks for your insight - as for the Swiss VAT, I am assuming that I can get the German VAT back, correct? As for the import duty, I found this online, is that what you are referring to "The rates of duty are the same for used and new vehicles. Depending on the cylinder capacity and weight of the vehicle in running order, they range from CHF 12 to CHF 15 per 100 kg gross weight for cars". This would mean that for a 1600kg car, the tax would be max CHF 240.
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27.10.2015, 20:52
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| | Re: How to Import a car
In some rare cases getting the CoC can be problematic. I got the paper easiest from here; https://www.eurococ.eu/en | 
27.10.2015, 21:00
|  | Newbie 1st class | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Zurich
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| | Re: How to Import a car
Imported a car from Germany 4 years ago.
A few hoops to jump through, but if you follow the processes and get your papers in order it is very smooth.
See useful documents attached
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01.11.2015, 16:52
| | Re: How to Import a car
Do you still only need the "EG or EU -Übereinstimmungsbestätigung (CoC)" document to import a car from Germany? On different websites I'm reading different things.
For example, here, it says you need the following: - Invoice or contract of sale
- Vehicle registration document/certificate (even if already cancelled)
- Proof of identity (passport, identity card, etc.)
- Import customs declaration
- Possibly proof of origin from seller
Whereas here, it says you need these docs: - e-dec electronic customs declaration
- Invoice and/or contract of sale
- Vehicle registration document/certificate (even if already cancelled)
- Passport or identity card
- Certificate of origin, if available
- Cash as it is not possible to pay with credit card at all customs offices
So I get that you need an invoice, ID, vehicle registration and payment. But what do you need in terms of export documents? Is the CoC enough? Or do you really require an e-dec electronic customs declaration?
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03.11.2015, 21:47
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| | Re: How to Import a car | Quote: | |  | | | Do you still only need the "EG or EU -Übereinstimmungsbestätigung (CoC)" document to import a car from Germany? On different websites I'm reading different things.
For example, here, it says you need the following: - Invoice or contract of sale
- Vehicle registration document/certificate (even if already cancelled)
- Proof of identity (passport, identity card, etc.)
- Import customs declaration
- Possibly proof of origin from seller
Whereas here, it says you need these docs: - e-dec electronic customs declaration
- Invoice and/or contract of sale
- Vehicle registration document/certificate (even if already cancelled)
- Passport or identity card
- Certificate of origin, if available
- Cash as it is not possible to pay with credit card at all customs offices
So I get that you need an invoice, ID, vehicle registration and payment. But what do you need in terms of export documents? Is the CoC enough? Or do you really require an e-dec electronic customs declaration? | | | | | The CoC (or EUR1) is also so you don't have to pay duty for the vehicle (calculated by weight of the vehicle). It says so in the .pdf from the second link:
"Vehicles from
the EU, EFTA and countries which
have concluded a Free Trade Agreement
with Switzerland are duty-free
if you can submit a certificate of
origin; e.g. a EUR. 1 form."
As I understand the "e-dec electronic customs declaration" that's something that companies importing goods has to use, so I don't think it applies to a private individual importing a car.
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04.11.2015, 09:58
| | Re: How to Import a car | Quote: | |  | | | The CoC (or EUR1) is also so you don't have to pay duty for the vehicle (calculated by weight of the vehicle). It says so in the .pdf from the second link:
"Vehicles from
the EU, EFTA and countries which
have concluded a Free Trade Agreement
with Switzerland are duty-free
if you can submit a certificate of
origin; e.g. a EUR. 1 form."
As I understand the "e-dec electronic customs declaration" that's something that companies importing goods has to use, so I don't think it applies to a private individual importing a car. | | | | | Cool, guess I'll just rock up with the CoC, invoice and car registration docs then and hope for the best.
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04.11.2015, 11:23
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| | Re: How to Import a car | Quote: | |  | | | Cool, guess I'll just rock up with the CoC, invoice and car registration docs then and hope for the best. | | | | | Great
What car are you planning to import? And please let us know how the process went!
/Tobias
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