# Looking for information about importing a car



## Mr.sand (12 mo ago)

Hello everyone totaly new here i live in the philippines davao i am from Denmark and i would to here if anybody have experience with importing a car or know anybody who Can help with that only reason i am asking is i Can not find that kind of car here in philippines so i would like to see if its possible to import a Chevrolet g20 Van i have found one from 88 in sweden i would like to import here to philippines


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## HondaGuy (Aug 6, 2012)

From looking at different Philippine Embassy websites, they both seem to say roughly the same thing.
Anyone can bring in a New car but only certain qualified individuals are authorized to bring in Used cars with prior approval:

Singapore: Customs FAQs on Importation : Embassy of the Philippines in Singapore
Los Angeles: Importation of Used Vehicles to the Philippines – Philippine Consulate General Los Angeles California

Both say the same thing about Customs Duty and fees: Whether brand-new or used, purchased or donated, the imported vehicle is subject to 40% Customs duty, 10% VAT and Ad Valorem Tax from 15% to 100% depending on its piston displacement.

That doesnt include any other fees the customs officials will want to charge you to release your vehicle.
Some people in the past have called those bribes, others have called them "processing fees".

If I were you, I'd just start looking around in Angeles City and Olongapo. There are probably some full sized vans there leftover from when Clark AB and Subic Naval Base were open.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Mr Sand, welcome to the forum and my reply will be "Don't Do It" Never ship a vehicle here. The Philippines has its own Blue Book on what a vehicle is worth, also older vehicles are not wanted, the van is way too old anyway, it'll probably never happen. And on a vehicle that you do manage to ship, get out your nest egg because the tax/fees or whatever you want to call them will be from 50 - 100% the price of what the vehicle cost new and more.

Many vehicles shipped to the Philippines never make it out of customs (unless you are wealthy) because of the excessive fee's so they end up? Lol... probably used by the government or government workers, you'll be helping out a Pnoy by shipping any vehicle here, God Bless you. 

Buy local... But hey, you live in Mindanao, you'll be able to buy surplus mini trucks, minivans in the port areas from Japan real cheap with 40k on the odometer, plus the Japanese take care and maintain their vehicles unlike here, the cost will be around 70,000 pesos - on up or look for a Tuk Tuk 3 wheeled unit but it'll run you brand new around 176,000 pesos, for a lower-end model like Baja/TVS or a higher-end model like Piaggio will set you back 188,000 - 218,000 pesos, at least you won't need to worry about customs.

Here goes my disclaimer: I feel I've done my best to warn my fellow Expats about the Bureau of (Bureacracy) Customs.


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## KatanaDV20 (Mar 27, 2020)

I dont know much about vehicles but your post made me genuinely curious  and I wanted to ask....

...what is special about that Chevy van? What can it do that vans available in the Ph cant? Engine power?


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