Car import to S.A. info please

After expensive 4x4 hirings in Southern Africa, futile searches for a suitable puchase, it seems, as I already own possibly the best 4x4 double cab on the planet, (see link ) http://website.lineone.net/~touchthewild/4x4/ that it would be best to ship it from the UK to South Africa.

I would be grateful for any experience or imformation source regarding the details of such a move...temporary? import....registration......insurance.......vehicle storage, etc.

Thanks,

If you are only temporary taking your car to SA (up-to a certain number of years), you will need a Canet de Passage (a customs passport for your car). In the UK you should contact AA to get more details. I also believe that certain insurance

companies do it too. What this is, is a customs paper which guarantees that import duties will be paied if the car is not taken out of the country again. You will have to put the car in a toll storage once you leave SA (I had some trouble with mine, since I had it stamped going out of namibia into botswana, and then out of bots into zim. SA, Nam, and Bots being in the same customs region, made things confusing, and I had a claim of 100% of the blue book price of the bakkie. I had to show the car and the Carnet de Passage at the local AA office, and they confirmed the car was not sold or illegaly in SA).

There are a couple of guide books out there that survey this topic.

Good luck, if you manage to get all the detail on the procedure, please repost to the NG, or put me on your e-mail list.

Cheers,

-Paal

Thanks Paal,

I will start with the AA. I used to use the carnet de passage operating trucks overland to The Middle East some years ago, so I am familiar with the concept. I seem to remember it being critical to have it stamped (page removed?) crossing borders or it would seem to be in the wrong country illegally.....something like that. Presumably we pay some insurance/road fund periodically and eventually pay import duty if the arrangement became permanent. 'Toll' storage.....what is that? I will get all the information.......eventually.......and post facts as I find them. Will take time, though, as it is for 2003. This year, I am hiring again from Britz....off in 3 weeks.