New Car Price Comparison

[Rampage]

I've just been checking the Honda UK and Honda PT websites for comparison prices for the same Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC. Prices are on-the-road, i.e. include VAT/IVA. UK GBP19,575 which, at today's exchange rate, is Euros 22,903. Honda Portugal are asking Euros 21,350. So little difference between the two yet Portugal car prices are supposed to be much higher than UK because of IVA - or am I missing something?

[ron5000]

The prices quoted here are usually for the bare bones car then come the extras which are standard in UK, I may be wrong with Honda, haven't looked but that is the case with new cars I have looked at in the past

[shanagarry]

I've done the exercise many times - but instead of using the online price guide - you need to factor in - the dealer discount and manufacturers incentives (in the UK it is significant) - its peanuts in Portugal. The Vat difference is a factor but not a significant one.

As mentioned - you need to make a like-for-like comparison as the car specification in Portugal will be very different from the same UK model. I last did the comparison in February this year on a BMW 118d - the difference on the like-for-like comparison was £8135.87 in the UK's favour. Of that £2,000 was a contribution from the manufacturer - there's nothing like that available in Portugal.

All of that's immaterial as driving around Portugal (or anywhere else in Europe) on a permanent basis in a right-hand drive car makes no sense - tolls, car parks etc are a pain to deal with. If you're adventurous and willing to hunt for a deal - go to Germany and buy a sensible used car (low emissions) and import it - that's where you can make a real 'killing'. If you go down that route - do your homework in advance as the import process is a bureaucratic minefield of monumental proportions (there are many column inches on this forum to guide you). If you prepare you will avoid the frustration many experience and will save yourself a lot of money.

Good Luck

[EMM]

I think Shanagarry is being a little over dramatic there are many who have found the matriculation process fairly quick and straight forward if the system is followed letter by letter.
It can be done.

[shanagarry]

I think Shanagarry is being a little over dramatic

I'm sure some have found it a quick process - but I've never met them - until now. I have met many who have been exasperated at the bureaucratic process and abandoned it. There's nothing dramatic in highlighting a cumbersome process so that any unsuspecting soul is prepared for a process that sometimes defies logic.

I'm grateful you put me straight on that

[EMM]

I too have known those for who it has been a lengthy and tortuous process usually because their documentation is not in order.
The fundementsal are to be Resident, to have woned the vehicle for at least 12 months, for the vehicle to have its European Certificate of conformity, to have obtained the necessary paperwork from the UK embassy.
I will find and post a link from someone who did it all himself.

[sunman]

I've just been checking the Honda UK and Honda PT websites for comparison prices for the same Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC. Prices are on-the-road, i.e. include VAT/IVA. UK GBP19,575 which, at today's exchange rate, is Euros 22,903. Honda Portugal are asking Euros 21,350. So little difference between the two yet Portugal car prices are supposed to be much higher than UK because of IVA - or am I missing something?

not quite sure what spec you're looking for but I checked with 3 discount new car sites, you can buy the Honda for £17,799 in the UK; and maybe Honda are doing good deals in Portugal but we own exactly the same car in UK & Portugal, VW 1.4 TSI, £7,500 cheaper in UK

[shanagarry]

EMM - your a fountain of knowledge - I'm sure Rampage and others who wish to import their car(s) into Portugal will be delighted to have you to 'guide' them.

[EMM]

www.expatsportugal.com in the transport section. " importing a car into Portugal "

A blow by blow account.

[steve]

Interesting to see the clash of some of the forum's well known "characters" over this subject. There is of course a difference between the importation of a used car without payment of taxes under the change of residence concession and the importation of a used car with payment of the appropriate taxes. When I last looked at the latter the charges were horrific but admittedly that was for a 9 year old 3.5 litre petrol engined BMW that I fancied. I imported my car some years ago free of taxes when I moved here and the process was not too bad but I gather that it can be more problematic these days.

[shanagarry]

nteresting to see the clash

Clash - really