I am migrating to Australia (2nd October), and I would like to bring my Renegade beach buggy at some point in the future. At the moment its in storage, (although officially its still legal to drive it on the road) in the uk but its not doing a lot.

Its registered as a 1997 kit car (assembled from parts). But because its post 89 (i think thats the year) and it doesnt have international standard type approval, it appears I cant go down the normal route of importing.

has anyone done this type of thing? i realise usually people export vdubs from oz to the uk, but i built this car myself and it means a lot to me.

any help understanding the ozzy laws appreciated. I guess I'll have to pay duty, but thats not bothering me at the moment, i just want to now if its possible

Cheers
tom

In the mean time, if anyones selling a beetle in the Adelaide region, i'd like to hear from ya.

thought I'd add a photo, but i can't get it to work


[img]http://mysite.freeserve.com/renegadebuggy/bigpics/buggy_and_aarons_golf.jpg?0.8027943263450296[/img]

so heres my webpage that the photos on

http://renegadebuggy.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/

[ Edited on 30/9/2005 by tomfum ]

you wont have much luck i dont think. especially if youa re plannign to move to NSW. best bet would be to leave it if you plan to return. or sell and buy one of the manx's or Jns/taipan units out here.

if you dont know a JnS, heres a pic of mine. this was an aussie style buggy. i suppose if youre coming here then why not adopt or style and way of life hey.:thumb

Is the renegade buggy built on a full length pan or is it shortened?

If it is shortened and you want to get it registered here, then you are going to have a real head ache on your hands.
If its a non shortened pan, then you may get somewhere.

Where are you going to live? coz that is the key issue.

If it's QLD you have a real problem as no shortened buggies are allowed to be newly registered there. If NSW, you'll have to find an RTA consulting engineer who'll sign it off. Difficult but not impossible. Other states are less of an issue as I understand it, you should be fine.

Wouldn't be too many renegades in OZ if any. Certainly be different.

afaik even sortened(or stretched) buggys `can' be registered
al it needs is a certified engineers cert

`let your fingers do the walking..'

engineers certs cost(boy do they) but if the chassis/bodywork and all else is above`backyard' levels-it will pass with minor mods to meet rego standards
but it will be $$y

Its shortened (14.5 inches), but its been done professionally, as has the roll cage.
And I'll be moving to SA.

I realise it would make financial sense to sell it in the uk and buy one out there. But this aint about the money. If its gonna be possible then I can make the decision to throw money at it. At the moment I need to know where I stand.

whats involved with this engineers cert thing? what happens if it fails? do I have to ship it back or can it be modified?

Is there a department in SA Transport that I can contact about this?


cheers for the help.
Tom

south aussie-id be surprised if you couldntget it passed one way r the other (wink wink)

at worst they wont deport your baby as an undesirable element

you just wont be able to get it registered and drive it on public roads
(nothing to stop you having fun in the back 40 tho......)

but it sounds like pretty much any shorty buggy
you may have to fiddle with lights and the like and get the engineers cert

or there other ways wink wink
(did i just say that....)

yeah sa is cool with most modded cars.

what part of adelaide are yo moving to?

oh and welcome to the forum!
cheers mattie

ah, this is good news. hopefully it should be ok. thanks

mattie, I don't know where I'm moving to yet. I'm viewing a couple of places tomorrow. one at largs bay and the other in the mountains somewhere.
can you recommend anywhere...?

tom

I dont know of any mountains in Adelaide but if you do find some let me and Dan know as we'd love to downhill them. As for your buggy, talk to Adam or Peter Debiasi. Ph: 8262 7533 and they will put you intouch with the right people.
They might even be able to hook you up with a beetle in the meantime.
Turbo54

You'll get it registered here, one way or another. You could run into trouble with the Transport Department's funny little "non compliant vehicle" rulings. Check further on this (Aussie Customs dept) and see if it applies to your car. It most likely will. If that's the case, import it as parts and say you built it here. It means unbolting a few things to make it legit as parts, but then it will go through the same Rego process as any other buggy here...

I'd check with Customs first, but bringing it in as parts may be the simplest way to go. Oh, and the less you tell the Transport Dept the better. Basically only tell them what they want to know, otherwise they get all mixed up and don't know what they're looking at.

Welcome to Aus and the forum mate. The more buggy people we have the better...

yes only Qld has an issue with swb buggies.

thats very good news

It's getting an import permit that's the hard part prior to even shipping. I'm sure you can import as a "personal import", if you have owned and used the car overseas for more than 12? continual months, if this is the case then they'll issue you an import permit. You can then import and it only has to meet the local safety standards and not ADRs. If not then there is no way a permit will be issued for a modified vehicle such as a buggy. If it arrives on the docks without a permit it will be confiscated...be warned........You can do as suggested and bring it in as parts....I know this one well!!! I may have done this a couple of times myself.....:P
The buggy will not be classed as a vehicle for import purposes, but as parts if you ship the thing less road wheels, axles, engine and transmission. These items must not be shipped on the same vessel. You will pay duty at 17.5% I think on all parts, then GST on the complete costs of import, this includes value of the parts, shipping, insurance, brokerage fees, handling etc.
do a seach for "importing a car into Australia", the customs site should have all the upto date info.
good luck...