Team-BHP - What are the import duties on completely broken down car parts?

Hi Guys,

Its been a while since I have posted here, been busy with modding & working on the GT-R and road racing it over the summer. I am planning on moving back to india this coming winter. I am going to miss racing here in the states but I am looking forward to some cool things todo.

Anyhow I wanted to find out where I could get information on how much import taxes do I have to pay if I am bringing individual components of cars down, like a frame, engine, body, seats etc etc..completely parted out.

Also where would I be able to hire really good mechanics who can build a car from ground up with parts that I import.

Other than that, are there any good interior over hauling shops in the country that can do real nice work with resurfacing car interiors and I do not want to go DC route.

Thanks.

Looking fwd to moving back...

Cheers

PS: Mods if this is not the right section, please move it, I just didnt know where else to put it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by avishar (Post 2068209)

HI,
Do check out this page
Custom Duty :: SIAM

For Completely Knocked down units i think the import duty is 60%.

Thanks, so for individual parts its 10% but CKD is 60%, whats the difference?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyrus43 (Post 2068283)

I think this is illegal. Do Check, but I know of certain instances where this was done to bikes and the bikes were confiscated.

Why would that be? I am not trying to build a car that is manufactured, but something that is available to be pieced together. If one has to do this legally, how would it work? I mean why should the govt care?

So basically in India people arent allowed to make their own home brewed cars or what we call Kit cars in the US?

Quote:

Originally Posted by navpreet318 (Post 2068302)

Nope only registered companies can make and sell cars and get the cars and bikes registered.People who have made kit bikes out of gypsy and esteem engines have not been able to get them registered till date.

That sucks, is there no way around it? How the heck does that even make sense. Indian govt seriously needs to move into the 21st century. If I register a company, how can I get approval from the govt to make cars? I mean this is just ridiculous. I am seriously considering a big *** build and I dont want some F'd up govt coming in my way.:Frustrati

Edit: How does DC do it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by kailashnj (Post 2068345)

Get your car as Completely build unit and pay the custom duties to get the car in India legally. This will help and give you lot of peace of mind but the pocket will be lighter.

Thanks but its not my car im trying to bring. as a kit. Damn that would be hard. It is a kit car specially made for tracking and also can be used as a DD.

The company that makes it only sells the kit, you gotta find an engine, transaxle and few other components. I wanted to utilise the cheap labor cost of India and also learn from the experience by taking part in building it, like a very cool fun project.

Im serious, what are my options? BTW what's the hourly wage of a really good auto mechanic capable of building a car from ground up?

@1day

seriously buddy, why are you trying to get into all this hassle?

how long it has been since you moved to Chicago?

If you are coming back after ages, and you are transferring your residence to India, then there is no problem you getting anything on wheels you want to. (though it has to be RHD, and it has to be more than a year old in your name and not more than 3)

to know more get in touch with fireblader85

I am sure he will be able to help you out lot better than most of us who only got vague ideas.

Quote:

Originally Posted by samyakmodi (Post 2068862)

Im not trying to get into trouble or anything but the problem is im not worried about getting anything that's already made because for one i can buy it in India and two under TR i don't save anything, i still have to pay full duty just on depreciated value which will not save me squat.

Anyhow i was thinking of building this kit car as my track day car in the US along with a friend of mine, its a long drawn out process, sometimes can take few years because of what all is involved. I was ready to do it bcuz frankly i just love the idea. Since i plan on moving back home now, i wanted to continue doing it in India too.

I was hoping that we have so many people loving cars in India on this forum, answers might have been easier to come by.

Anyhow thanks for giving me fb85s id, ill contact him for this and see, else i guess i will have to put someone on this case in India to try and figure out.

Thanks...

1day,

There's no need to register any "company" for an approval to make cars. Even if Maruti releases a new model, it has to be approved for "road worthiness" by the ARAI. In a nutshell, before any car is registered with the RTO, it's road worthiness has to be certified by the ARAI.

No, don't even think of getting a one-off machine approved by the ARAI. For one, it'll cost you more than a sportscar. Second, the time spent & endless running around will have you frustrated. Third, by the time you get it back, the car will be nearly destroyed.

You broadly have two options:

- Legitimate : Don't register the car. Build it & use only on the track / on private property.

- Illegitimate : Buy a cheap Contessa, scrap it yourself and use its registration to drive around. If the cops pull you over, your standard answer would be "I've modified the Contessa". I do NOT recommend this method as it can lead to your car being confiscated by various authorities (Customs, RTO etc.).

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO (Post 2073037)

Thanks for the reply GTO. I am really not trying to bring a one off. This kit car is built on top of a corvette donor car, the frame is US DOT certified and comes with a MSO(doc needed for registration in the US /w a VIN). So technically once built it can be registered in the US no problem. Could I use that MSO for registering it in India.

Basically when you bring a car into India, what do the authorities need in order to register it? Do they need customs paper work? Title from the country of orig etc?

If it only needs the title from the country of origin, it would be easy, so just trying to gather information.

Thanks

PS:- GTO do you know the answer to the hourly or annual wages of a good mechanic, are they easy to get if you are looking for the slightly advance and more educated kind. Thnx

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1Day (Post 2073611)

This kit car is built on top of a corvette donor car, the frame is US DOT certified and comes with a MSO(doc needed for registration in the US /w a VIN). So technically once built it can be registered in the US no problem. Could I use that MSO for registering it in India.

The ARAI has a giant ego. No other country recognizes their "road worthiness" certificates (understandably though), and thus, in turn the ARAI doesn't accept certification from any foreign nation. Even if that country has far more stringent testing procedures or requirements.

Your only way to bypass the ARAI certification is to import a car costing over US $40,000. Homologation is required for vehicles costing under 40K.

Quote:

Basically when you bring a car into India, what do the authorities need in order to register it? Do they need customs paper work? Title from the country of orig etc?

If it only needs the title from the country of origin, it would be easy, so just trying to gather information.

Search within the forum, import documentation is well covered.

Quote:

GTO do you know the answer to the hourly or annual wages of a good mechanic, are they easy to get if you are looking for the slightly advance and more educated kind. Thnx

Hardly any independent workshop / mechanic works on an hourly basis in India. Your best bet is to hire the services of a well-equipped garage run by someone who's a car guy. This person should be a task master, technically proficient and have an interest in such projects. You'll easily find some down South; that's where all the automotive / tuning talent is. We'll discuss specifics when you finally decide to bring your car down.

Quote:

Originally Posted by viper9999 (Post 2073967)

@1Day, I'm thinking of exactly a similar build in India, but for a chopper though.
Which track in Chicagoland do you race? I'm not sure if you are the person I think you are. If you are in a "group" of bunch of 911 turbos, gallardo' and few ferraris, we may have raced this summer? If you are still in Chicago, hit me up.

A Chopper would be very cool. I am going to make sure I do enough research and make it happen.

I dont believe we have met. I usually goto Autobahn Country Club, Putnam Park, Grattan Raceway, Gingerman, Road America. I am still in chicago. If you are into road racing, then do let me know, I am going to be going up to road america in early and late oct and possibly grattan in mid oct.

I am still in chicago, so if you wanna roll, do tell. I am here for another 6 weeks before I start packing up.