Where to fit a new engine

[pjf]

Hi, I originally posted this on the PBO forum but they suggested I post it here...

Would appreciate any advice on where best to have a replacement engine fitted in Europe including uk. I need a 30hp so I'm looking at options for both Beta and Yanmar.

When I say best, I mean in terms of price and quality of installation. I will also be fitting a new max prop at the same time. The engine I'm replacing is an old Volvo MD11 and the access to get in and out is relatively straightforward.

I'm currently in the med but can go more or less anywhere for the best option

 

[capnsensible]

I know 3 people who have re enginned in Gib to take advantage of 'yacht in transit' tax relief. Yanmar agent in Ocean Village. Marine Maintenance.

Hope this helps.

 

[pjf]

Gib sounds good, I'll make some inquiries thanks. did they use the agent for installation do you know?

 

[capnsensible]

One certainly did. Chaps name is Kevin, I have got him to do a fair bit of work on our boats and generally help out to keep labour costs down, prepping things etc.

00350 200 78954

 

[Kelpie]

If i may briefly hijack this thread...
Tax relief on transiting yachts sound very interesting. Is this a viable option for a boat setting out on e.g. an Atlantic circuit, to stop in Gib and load up on some pricey kit- electronics, watermaker, etc?

 

[westernman]

I know 3 people who have re enginned in Gib to take advantage of 'yacht in transit' tax relief. Yanmar agent in Ocean Village. Marine Maintenance.

Hope this helps.

Aren't you supposed to pay VAT on the work done when you come back into the EU?

 

[Tranona]

Aren't you supposed to pay VAT on the work done when you come back into the EU?

Yes - but guess enforcement is pretty lax.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Aren't you supposed to pay VAT on the work done when you come back into the EU?

I have to laugh when I read stuff like this , I sure there a que of people waiting to pay VAT on returning about to the EU , ( NOT)

 

[AndrewB]

Aren't you supposed to pay VAT on the work done when you come back into the EU?

Yes, but back in 1997 a customs officer told me that if the running repairs and replacement parts I had had done on the yacht while abroad did not increase its value, i.e. the yacht had not been improved, then they were essentially valueless and duty wasn't payable. Possibly he was just being kind?

 

[westernman]

Yes, but many years ago a customs officer told me that if the repairs I had had done on the yacht did not increase its value, i.e. the yacht had not been improved, then they were essentially valueless and duty wasn't payable. Possibly he was just being kind?

You are right - it is on increase in value. And I suppose you can relatively easily argue that a new engine was just an essential repair to be able to continue on your way.

It is always a good idea to be at least aware of the law you are bending!!!

 

[BobnLesley]

Things may have changed in since we passed through, planning to make big VAT/IVA savings on some items that we needed, but in 2011 we found that the higher base cost of stuff in Gibraltar (less competition?) offset most/all of any VAT/IVA saving, so the bottom line price was little different.

 

[Kelpie]

Is Gib a special case or can you do this anywhere outside the EU?
Just thinking it would a lot easier to pop over to Norway (from up here).

 

[Tranona]

Is Gib a special case or can you do this anywhere outside the EU?
Just thinking it would a lot easier to pop over to Norway (from up here).

Think you will find that UK is probably the cheapest country in Europe to buy marine equipment and probably labour for many jobs.

 

[macd]

Is Gib a special case or can you do this anywhere outside the EU?
Just thinking it would a lot easier to pop over to Norway (from up here).

Gib's not a special case, except to the extent that it has very low tax rates and vessels in transit reclaiming tax is a commonplace with which the authorities are familiar. Many other countries allow tax-free status for spares for vessels in transit, but often the use of an agent (maybe plus translators, legal bods) will be required to claim it, which might make the saving small to non-existent. (I know this from personal experience, although for other reasons the process was worthwhile).

I don't know specifically about Norway, but it's not a place I associate with bargains.

 

[duncan99210]

Whilst you might just be able to wangle tax free repairs/upgrades in Norway, the much higher costs and wages will negate any benefit on the tax side.....

 

[Talmine]

Autumn 2010 we replaced our old Perkins with a Beta 35 whilst we were in Ria da Vigo, Galicia. We bought direct from Beta in the UK who gave us their boat show discount and eventually delivered free of charge. The actual cost of delivery was £108 so not a deal breaker. It took 10 days to arrive and was way cheaper than anything we could source locally.

 

[Sybarite]

A Breton I met was based in Tunisia with a 14m yacht. He said that repairs there were a fraction of the price in Europe. However I'm not sure to what extent that covers the article as well as the labour costs.

 

[charles_reed]

When I re-engined my boat in Malta, it was cheaper to buy in UK and ship out there than to source on the island. Generally local distributors guard their franchises jealously. Subsequently I discovered there was probably an alternative, cheaper option. To purchase direct from Yanmar bv in the Netherlands for delivery to a vessel in transit in a duty-free enclave such as Ceuta/Mellila - Gibraltar was not in the running as local work was very expensive.
The basis for saving money lies in reducing the number of hands through which the unit passes - by dealing direct with Yanmar bv you avoid at least two, probably three, pairs of greedy hands.
For those who think one cannot count - in each transaction there will be a TVA addition - the ultimate kleptocrats of EU member states.

 

[westernman]

When I re-engined my boat in Malta, it was cheaper to buy in UK and ship out there than to source on the island. Generally local distributors guard their franchises jealously. Subsequently I discovered there was probably an alternative, cheaper option. To purchase direct from Yanmar bv in the Netherlands for delivery to a vessel in transit in a duty-free enclave such as Ceuta/Mellila - Gibraltar was not in the running as local work was very expensive.
The basis for saving money lies in reducing the number of hands through which the unit passes - by dealing direct with Yanmar bv you avoid at least two, probably three, pairs of greedy hands.
For those who think one cannot count - in each transaction there will be a TVA addition - the ultimate kleptocrats of EU member states.

I think you are possibly misunderstanding how VAT works. It is a value added tax not a sales tax. So in each transaction only the difference between selling and buying price (the value add) is subject to tax. So in the end the consumer effectively only pays the tax once and not many times as you are suggesting. Things are not quite as bad as you are making out.

 

[rich]

If departing from UK, then the Channel Islands are dutyfree.