Buying in Hong Kong
Found one in Hong Kong?
Right-hand drive, often modest mileage and usually well kept. Hong Kong is a good place to find a car for UK roads. Here's how to buy one without surprises.
Why buyers look to Hong Kong
It drives on the left, so the cars are built right-hand drive for roads like ours. That rules out the biggest job most imports need. Hong Kong cars are no longer scrutinised for headlight compliance either.
It's also a small place. Plenty of cars there cover modest distances, live in covered car parks and get looked after. And the market carries Japanese and European specifications side by side, so the car you can't find here sometimes turns up there.
What it costs to land
A car you buy pays 10% import duty and 20% VAT. VAT is worked out on the price, the shipping and the duty together. Here's a £40,000 car with £1,500 of shipping:
| Import duty | £4,000 |
|---|---|
| VAT on £45,500 | £9,100 |
| Tax in total | £13,100 |
Then add collection, shipping, conversion, the test and registration. Your quote lists every line.
The year matters
IVA, MOT or neither
Under ten years old, a car needs an Individual Vehicle Approval test. Ten and over, an MOT. Over forty, neither, as long as it hasn't been substantially changed. We run our own IVA lane, so it doesn't change the timeline much, but it's worth knowing which side of the line a car falls before you buy it.
Questions
About buying
Should I get a quote before I pay for the car?
Yes, always. A quote shows the full landed cost, including duty and VAT, so you know what the car really costs you before any money changes hands.
Can you check the car before I buy it?
Ask us. We can talk you through what to look at and what paperwork to see, and if the seller is a dealer we will deal with them directly on collection and export.
Does the seller need to do anything?
They need to hand over the car, keys and the original Vehicle Registration Document, and complete the sale with the Transport Department so the car is in your name before it is exported.
Got a car in mind?
Send it to us before you pay. We'll come back with the landed cost, line by line.