# importing a vehicle to philippines



## 888dino (Apr 22, 2014)

ive found an article about importing a vehicle to phils as i may look to import my car over. the article sounds so ludicrous so to find the real truth maybe in someone elses experience.

the car has more than 50kms on it and no im not on a gold retirement visa. LOL

is there a way??? anyone?


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## 888dino (Apr 22, 2014)

https://www.justlanded.com/english/Philippines/Philippines-Guide/Travel-Leisure/Importing-a-car 
can nyone support this article? 

its shameful that some cars are 3 times what the actual market value is here than 90% of other countries.  hk i can understand but here it is sad


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

888dino said:


> https://www.justlanded.com/english/Philippines/Philippines-Guide/Travel-Leisure/Importing-a-car
> can nyone support this article?
> 
> its shameful that some cars are 3 times what the actual market value is here than 90% of other countries.  hk i can understand but here it is sad


Yes that's the real deal. Importing cars, forget about it. And illegal imports are just about impossible to register so if you see an in-country deal that is too good to be true just watch out.


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

*Bureacracy*



888dino said:


> ive found an article about importing a vehicle to phils as i may look to import my car over. the article sounds so ludicrous so to find the real truth maybe in someone elses experience.
> 
> the car has more than 50kms on it and no im not on a gold retirement visa. LOL
> 
> is there a way??? anyone?


If you follow the news with nearly any government agency it's a disaster to deal with them unless it's absolutely necessary. I agree cars are expensive here but I was warned by a Veterans Assistance (VA) representative before I retired from the US Navy out of Guam that the last thing that I'd want to do is ship my car here because they have their own blue book on pricing and what will happen is that used car or fairly new car will be purchased at the same price as new.

There have been a few news specials on cars shipped here and they just sit or become government employee vehicles, some of these employee's only make 14,000 pesos per month but drive brand new Porches... so your vehicle will be left at the port because the amount of money they'd want from you wouldn't be worth the effort and it becomes a new toy.

So vehicles are available here, the engines don't get much of a work out because of the slow speeds but the brakes, pulley's, doors, window guide parts, rubber parts and air conditioning units sure do. I sold my car before I left and purchased a very used one here, I'm still working on getting the components so I can feel air from the fan, fan works but all the tubing is gone that routes the air through the guides.


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## 888dino (Apr 22, 2014)

mcalleyboy said:


> If you follow the news with nearly any government agency it's a disaster to deal with them unless it's absolutely necessary. I agree cars are expensive here but I was warned by a Veterans Assistance (VA) representative before I retired from the US Navy out of Guam that the last thing that I'd want to do is ship my car here because they have their own blue book on pricing and what will happen is that used car or fairly new car will be purchased at the same price as new.
> 
> There have been a few news specials on cars shipped here and they just sit or become government employee vehicles, some of these employee's only make 14,000 pesos per month but drive brand new Porches... so your vehicle will be left at the port because the amount of money they'd want from you wouldn't be worth the effort and it becomes a new toy.
> 
> So vehicles are available here, the engines don't get much of a work out because of the slow speeds but the brakes, pulley's, doors, window guide parts, rubber parts and air conditioning units sure do. I sold my car before I left and purchased a very used one here, I'm still working on getting the components so I can feel air from the fan, fan works but all the tubing is gone that routes the air through the guides.


Thats more than helpful. You are spot on with regards to wear and tear of vehicles engine n parts. More helpful than looking at some adds. I.e 1997 Porsche boxter 100,000kms 800,000php. U.k price 270,000php. Can pick up a 2006 with 40,000km. I'll wipe the tears and look for a nice RUSH sale ad and pounce.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

888dino said:


> Thats more than helpful. You are spot on with regards to wear and tear of vehicles engine n parts. More helpful than looking at some adds. I.e 1997 Porsche boxter 100,000kms 800,000php. U.k price 270,000php. Can pick up a 2006 with 40,000km. I'll wipe the tears and look for a nice RUSH sale ad and pounce.


Bank forclosures are good for property, it may be a good place to look for cars.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Hate to sound like a car salesman - I keep saying this over & over. The refurbished vehicles from Cebu ave very reasonable and even though a few years old, are just as good as a new vehicle.

Fred


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## petew2oz (Jan 31, 2010)

Hi,
My wife is a returning Filipino and to my understanding we do not need to pay the duty on importing a car. My only concern is she now has British nationality and she is not allowed any of the duty free allowance. Can anyone put some light on this.

Thanks

Pete


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

*Documents needed*



petew2oz said:


> Hi,
> My wife is a returning Filipino and to my understanding we do not need to pay the duty on importing a car. My only concern is she now has British nationality and she is not allowed any of the duty free allowance. Can anyone put some light on this.
> 
> Thanks
> ...


You'll need a couple of documents in order for that to work and I'd really research that, you could lose that car real easy, seriously I would sell that car and buy one here, unless you have work here and they've somehow cleared it for you, but you'll still need documents.  I'd get everything cleared with the Philippine Consulate in your country first, it's been a long time since I look all this stuff up but have a link below. Don't forget the Philippine Bureau of Customs is an unforgiving organization and it seems things never change, agents get caught with very nice imported cars even though they only make 14,000 pesos a month. 

At all costs avoid the Bureaucracy here unless absolutely necessary. 

Late entry I did have something bookmarked. http://www.philippineembassy-usa.org/uploads/pdfs/DutyFreeImportation.pdf


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## petew2oz (Jan 31, 2010)

Thanks for heads up


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## petew2oz (Jan 31, 2010)

Found this website if anyone interested >>>>

Moderated: Dead Link Removed


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

petew2oz said:


> Hi,
> My wife is a returning Filipino and to my understanding we do not need to pay the duty on importing a car. My only concern is she now has British nationality and she is not allowed any of the duty free allowance. Can anyone put some light on this.
> 
> Thanks
> ...


Any car import must be left hand drive, right hand drive is not allowed.


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## pagbati (Apr 9, 2014)

*Buying a bank repossessed vehicle – good deals but be careful.*



Gary D said:


> Bank forclosures are good for property, it may be a good place to look for cars.


GaryD, that’s exactly what I thought, until a trustworthy Filipino friend recently gave me the following advice: _“Be careful about going down the ‘bank repossessed’ route”._ Former owners of these cars know when their car is about to be repossessed and very often, some remove expensive parts for selling and replace them with rubbish. That scenario sounded highly plausible to me. If your car’s about to be repossessed then (a) you’re likely to be short of cash and (b) it's highly probable that you have absolutely no loyalty to the bank as they’re calling in your loan. In a situation like that, some people's morals are likely to go out the window  along with some highly re-sellable car parts.

Bottom line; I’m sure there must be some very good deals to be had with repossessed vehicles. However, unless you’re mechanically minded or you take a mechanic with you to the auction, it’s got to be a case of ‘Buyer Beware’. If members think going down the bank repossessed route in the Ph might be for them, here’s some relevant links to bank websites that I looked at recently. Each bank has its own format.
RCBC Savings Bank
https://www.bdo.com.ph/properties-for-sale/vehicles
https://www.eastwestbanker.com/tool/prop4sale_motor.asp
https://www.metrobank.com.ph/assets_for_sale_car.asp#

Good luck.


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

Gary D said:


> Any car import must be left hand drive, right hand drive is not allowed.


Or buy a German or French car and register it in UK and then ship it across


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## petew2oz (Jan 31, 2010)

simonsays said:


> Or buy a German or French car and register it in UK and then ship it across


Hi,

Searching on the net the LHD cars here in the UK have a high premium on them and the cost of the ferry etc. it would be cheaper buying in the Philippines

Pete


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

mcalleyboy said:


> At all costs avoid the Bureaucracy here unless absolutely necessary. [/url]


Very Very good advice.

Fred


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

simonsays said:


> Or buy a German or French car and register it in UK and then ship it across


I assume you would only want to ship a car that you already own, otherwise you may as well just buy in the Philippines.


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## petew2oz (Jan 31, 2010)

Gary D said:


> I assume you would only want to ship a car that you already own, otherwise you may as well just buy in the Philippines.


I was wanting to ship my car but it is RHD and did not think it would be a big problem. Selling my car, sourcing another LHD at a premium then the import of it taxes customs seems like a bit of a headache that I just don't want to give myself at that point in time. Sell car here, wire money buy another in Manila is a much simple option

Pete


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## MR2 (Oct 3, 2013)

Gary D said:


> Any car import must be left hand drive, right hand drive is not allowed.


I seen a second generation Toyota MR2 here. They are somewhat rare in the US, and they are left hand drive there. I have only seen two of them here in Angeles. I was taking a picture of it when the owner walked outside so of course we started talking about it.

He told me it was imported from Japan which would make it a right handed driver. He then said everything was moved over to the left hand side.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

MR2 said:


> I seen a second generation Toyota MR2 here. They are somewhat rare in the US, and they are left hand drive there. I have only seen two of them here in Angeles. I was taking a picture of it when the owner walked outside so of course we started talking about it.
> 
> He told me it was imported from Japan which would make it a right handed driver. He then said everything was moved over to the left hand side.


Yes this is how the multicabs start, right hand drive. They are then converted to left hand drive. The quality of the conversion can be variable as to be expected in the Philippines.


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