Buying a boat from UK or USA

[Kevin]

I too use Gordon at Export American in Florida nothing but good words for him, a trusted friend.

His boats are always good value and his descriptions of condition always spot on.

he will get you anything you want and if you see something advertised he'll go look at it for you and normally negotiates a tremendous amount on your behalf.


His website is always very out of date and shows very little of what he has got or can get.

Kevin



<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Kevin]

Hi
Your importing of the car- it sounds like you have had to go through the same rigmarole as a kit car to be classed road worthy! CE plating much the same, just buy a boat thats prior to june 1998 and you havent got to worry about it. If you go to do CE plating expect about £5000 bill ( outrageous) they will do float checks hatch checks etc althuogh if your buying a model that is already available in the Uk through proper dealers all this will be the same as Uk boats ( again i say outrageous)

Good luck in your quest

Kevin

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[kazbar]

Thanks for all your help and input.

Got in touch with Gordon Burgess at www.ExportAmerican.com and he seems really on the ball. I emailed him a request for info and within half an hour had all of the details that I required plus the costing for a 1998 Glastron GS 249 inclusive of shipping.

Looks like I will have to find out if it was built before June that year.

Just to confirm my take on this regarding import tax and duty. Working in $ to start

Boat cost $15,750
Shipping etc $ 4,083
Vat 17.5% of ,750 $ 2,756
Duty on boat and shipping 1.5% of 19,833 $ 297

Total $22,886
Or
$1.5 = £1 £15,257
$1.6= £1 £14,303

Had a look around some UK sites same boat and year advertised for £27,000 or nearly twice the price.

Does this come under the heading
“Take heed of an age old adage...If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.”

The next thing I need to work out is what trailer to buy any suggestions?


Regards Karl


<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[kazbar]

Need to add to my last post the UK version is diesel and USA petrol does this explain some of the price difference?

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[martynwhiteley]

Quite a bit of the difference, I suspect a petrol one would be at least £5K cheaper.

Perhaps being an unofficial import might also devalue it by a K or two.

Then there's CE to consider.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue> <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mboat.org>http://www.mboat.org</A></font color=blue>

 

[martynwhiteley]

Thinking about it, I've seen 1997 24ft Bayliner classics with 220 hp petrol Mercs advertised for about £17K in the UK. Dare say you'd pick one up for £15K at this time in the season.

IMHO the Bayliner classic is vastly preferable to the Glastron, being hardtop for one, but there's even more Bayliner 24ft open sports boats with petrols available at similar prices.

It may have to be a couple of years older to get the same deal, but at least you can pick and choose.

Still not worth importing in my view.



<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue> <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mboat.org>http://www.mboat.org</A></font color=blue>

 

[Kevin]

Hi

The import duty is paid on the cost of the boat and freight the VAT is then on all that.

There is a huge price difference between UK and USA on both petrols and diesels. Dont go on advertised prices I know that for example glastron 249's dont go for anywhere near the advertised price I would say £21-22,000 is more realistic for them over here.

Once its in the country makes no difference whether imported or not as they all will sell for the same, not like cars no record of original location and all look and spec'd the same.

Yes diesels will go for more than petrols but 22,000 is still realistic.

I agree with the person who said that perhaps Bayliner is better to go for have a better name over here and sell quicker when you want to sell her on, 2655 up to 1997 walk out the door. I sold two withing 4 weeks of wanting to sell them!

The price difference between UK and USA is that loads more boats over there and even boats up to 28 feet like glastrons bayliners sea rays are looked upon as day 'throw away boats' almost so they dont have much value over there. Will pick up 1995 Bayliner 2655 ( which is bigger than glastron) for same money as the glastron you mentioned and over here would be worth about 22,000. If the price includes trailer then say you dont want it and save a few grand cant use it over here anyway, thats what i would do.

There seasons are at different times to us, Florida is earlier than ours and finishes earlier due to the heat over there people dont seem to look at high summer as high season, so times of year and availability dependent on times.

For boats to look at go to USA site like boattraderonline.com and find some in florida, Gordon may go look at any you find of interest.

So make sure you calculate full costs of price c&f into southampton then add import duty 1.5% and then add the 17.5% VAT.

Make sure Gordon puts it onto a ship whose first call in EU is Southampton, no problems from Customs. Gordon will have lists of ships and when and where they sail.

Think clearly and make sure its what YOU want to do. These are just my opinions on things and Im not suggesting you should or shouldnt do it. Gordon is an excellent bloke to deal with if you go that route.

Hope this helps

Kevin

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Kevin]

Hi

I wouldnt ever say yes import a boat, its each to their own I have done it numerous times, mainly bayliner 2655 crusiers and none have cost me more than £15,000 and have sold them all for over £22,000 so I beleive although importing is not for everybody it has definitly worked for me.

I kept one for two years and still sold it for enough not only take care of the original price of the boat but paid for two years mooring and all the petrol I had used basically the boat cost me nothing for two years use so for me importing is definitly worth doing. I wouldnt pay over inflated prices in the UK.

But as I say each to their own

I know of two partners who bought from florida a $350,000 Searay but negotiated $100,000 off as it was out of season and in need of a sale and had it over here and sold it for £300,000, so importing can be great!

Kevin

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Duster]

I had a look around Nationwides yard and would hesitate to recommend them , it looked very Aurthur Daley . There may have been an odd reasonable boat there but most were overpriced tat.
Regards mikej

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Kevin]

I agree nationwide is a real scrap yard of a used boat broker. May have some good priced boats but badly displayed, hoods off crap etc in the boats, I looked at them when i was going for my first boat and walked away dissapointed after a 2 hour drive but much the wiser.

Kevin

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[martynwhiteley]

It's easy to rubbish Nationwide, but we have to 'clutch at straws' in the North of England when it comes to boat shopping. Their stocklist looks pretty poor at the moment, but that's just a sign that they've prob had a good season, and the stocks will soon rise, as people 'winter their boats in the brokers'.

If your looking for a boat above £30K then forget them, but where else is there within 100 mile radius of Leeds etc.?

If you travel to York, you might find about half a dozen for sale between Yacht Service and Waterline, a handful at Burton Waters/Lincoln), a couple at Newark, a fair few at Windermere perhaps but that's a trail.

At the beggining of the season, the chances are that Nationwide will have well over 10 boats between £10K and £30K that are decent enough for the price, and will sell within weeks. I know of nowhere else within a 2 hour drive that can offer the same.




<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue> <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mboat.org>http://www.mboat.org</A></font color=blue>