Rate of Duty on Import Vehicle

I would recomend buying one once you get here. There are alreay way too many cars here, why add to the traffic? We have several new auto dealers. This will also make everything easier for you, as it has already been shipped, inspected, taxes paid, etc. Check the yellow pages (www.viphonebook.com) and start searching for the vehicle you would like. You can do all of the test driving, etc. while in the States and be ready to roll when you get here. You could probably even have the deal done by the time you get here and just pick the darn thing up after you land at the airport! Just an idea.

I need to buy a car now, but am not ready to move to VI yet. I’m still shopping for the right boat to sail down there from the mainland to use in the charter business, and that will take much more time than buying a new car which I need now since boat shopping entails a lot of traveling across the country to look at various vessels . Since I’m buying a new vehicle rather than used, it won’t make a difference with regard to adding to traffic - I’m not buying someone else’s car that is already on the road. If I put one on the road there whether it’s off a dealer’s lot there or here, I don’t see the difference with regard to the number of vehicles already being driven there.

What are the "inspections" you mention? Since it will be a fairly new car, I probably shouldn't be all that concerned about inspections, I'm guessing.

Has anyone down there had the pleasure of having to pay duty on a non-American vehicle? What it will cost me to bring it in to the VI next year may influence my choice of vehicles today.

"Since I’m buying a new vehicle rather than used, it won’t make a difference with regard to adding to traffic - I’m not buying someone else’s car that is already on the road. If I put one on the road there whether it’s off a dealer’s lot there or here, I don’t see the difference with regard to the number of vehicles already being driven there."
If you were to ship another vehicle here, whether it's new or used, you are adding to the number of vehicles on island, that's all. I think we have too many here now, MHO, that's why I drive a bike...pass the traffic! Haha!

"What are the "inspections" you mention? Since it will be a fairly new car, I probably shouldn't be all that concerned about inspections, I'm guessing."
That's one thing you will learn here...never guess! Haha! We do things diferently here, and you will find some things frustrating. The inspection (which consists of checking the vehicle over to make sure everything works and it is safe for the road) is required, regardless of vehicle age, in order to have the vehicle plated/registered each year.

I purchased all my vehicles here, so I don't have experience, personally, with road tax or duty.

What kind of boat are you in search of? There are loads of them here...maybe you might want to make a PMV and scout out the boats while here? Just a suggestion.

Thanks for the heads up on making assumptions and guessing! Unfortunately, I'm just not going to be able to wait until I get there to buy a new vehicle. My daily commute to/from work here is 2 hours in the mornings and 1½ hours in the afternoons, and I need a new vehicle sooner than later. That commute with which I'm blessed is another reason I want to leave here and follow my nautical passion. Although I'll be adding another vehicle to the island (sorry!), I won't be using it much as I expect to put way more miles on the boat, instead of a car. And I'll be bringing my bike too! I'll just need the vehicle to run for provisions and some errands. I'm looking for a long range cruiser/trawler, something in the 65' range or so with about 4 staterooms, twin diesels, etc. - something strong and worthy of making the trip from the mainland and crossing the Gulfstream, and suitable for running charter. I'm coming down in January or February to poke around STT some and then a friend of mine will pick me up in his boat and head over to Tortola. I do intend to look into what is available there, but so far, I haven't found much in the way of a long range cruiser/trawler that meets my needs. On the other hand, I'm looking forward to the big cruise from Miami to STT and would prefer to find something in south Florida so I get the opportunity to experience that voyage. My friend in Tortola did that with his boat and raves about the experience he gained from doing it, the people he met along the way, etc.

Hello,

Duty: 3.5% of the Book Value or the Bill of Sale which ever is greater on cars made outside the U.S. or cars that contain foreign made parts.

Also...

Personal Use Tax: This tax is equivalent to the Value of the Car minus $1000 times 4%. The value of the car is determined by the Blue Book Value if the car is older or the purchase price for new cars.

Road Tax: 16 cents per pound

You can find more details on the Shipping A Car page... includes inspection details, transfering license ect.

https://www.vimovingcenter.com/car/

--Islander

Thanks for the figures. You say 3.5% of the book value or bill of sale "whichever is greater". Are you saying, for example, that if I buy a new car today for $30,000 and bring it into the islands in four years when it may have a book value of $17,000, they will use the bill of sale figure ($30,000) from four years prior because that figure will always be greater than the book value? Or do you mean book value at the time I bring it into the territory?

One thing of importance that hasn't been mentioned, if you plan to ship a vehicle in from the US any liens on the vehicle will have to paid off before the vehicle will be allowed to leave the US.

Good Point. However if you can get special documentation/permission from the lein holder then it can be done. Definately something to look into.

--Islander

I read the website that lists all of the hoops through which one must jump to bring a vehicle (thanks, Islander, for the link), and yes, Marty, you are indeed correct that it will be easier to just buy a new car once I'm there, regardless of the fact that the price is a bit higher. So, I think I'll just buy whatever I want now and sell it before I leave the mainland. Thanks.

Didn't we get our butts kicked by those damn Buckeyes this year? I'm ashamed to be from Michigan! haha!

Marty,

Yes, they did kick our maize and blue butts, and it hurt (worse than Notre Dame), but I'm never ashamed of my Wolverines. I think we're in for another butt kicking with the Rose Bowl where we're playing Texas. Texas is fast and Michigan can't want until the second half to show up to play which is our nature. We'll never catch the Longhorns. UM football is one thing I will have to give up when I get to the islands - the season tickets anyway. Hopefully, I'll still be able to get Game Plan on my satellite. But then again, football season does coincide with hurricane season and in the charter yacht business, I bet I'll have a little time now and then to slip away to Ann Arbor in October and November since that will be off season for boating. By the way, did you see the Michigan vs. Michigan State game this year? Awesome and darn near unbelievable - and I was there! That game was rebroadcast on ESPN Classic the very next week. By the way, I was born and raised in Ohio, but somehow I turned out to be an avid UM fan (didn't go to school there, though) and I hate OSU with a passion - but that's another story!

Are there any "sports watch locations" in STT? For example, here in Atlanta, the UM Alumni Club of Atlanta has three bar/grills that we get where they get all of the UM games, including pay per view, and tons of UM fans gather to watch the game. We get the whole place to ourselves with every TV on the game. Sometimes there is nothing but standing room only. It’s almost as good as being in the Big House - UM’s band is playing on CD, people sing the fight song when we score, and “Let’s Go Blue” when we do something good on the field, etc. Is there anything like that in STT?

Go Blue!

Ang

I went to a game one time where the lady that we paid to let us park the limo in front of her house let us use her deck and jacuzzi for our tailgate party! What hoot we had that day!

There are always games on the TV's at Sib's and at Caribbean Saloon, but nothing like what you described.

I'm sure you will be able to get all the games on a sat dish, though.

And don't sell your season tix!!! I'm sure I know people that would like to buy them, on a game by game basis. We could even put together a raffle here, and include air tix, the game and a resort/hotel (which I can get with my Leisure Path membership at a greatly discounted rate). We could make money on the raffle!!

I share four season tickets with another person in Ohio (gee, there are a lot of Ohioans who bleed maize and blue!), but with the new ticket price structure, I have some fellow Wolverines here in Atlanta who are already going to take over my half. They are friends of mine who have been sharing these tickets with me for four years now. The new ticket structure pricing which starts with next season's tickets involve a cost of around $3,000 just to have the right to buy the tickets each year - and then you have to buy the tickets! Since I will be living in the islands at some point not too terribly far off, it doesn't make sense for me to try to keep up with the tickets. It is a real hassle to try to sell off what I don't use. If I want to go to a game sometime, I can still go with them. We always tailgate on the golf course starting at 8AM, regardless of game time. The folks in Ann Arbor are quite special (as you have experienced) and I love going there. I have some regular tailgaters with whom I meet each time - they are from Canada. They make the drive down every game day. That's dedication - I think it's a bit more drastic to try to get there from STT each game day. If we can find enough Wolverines in STT to participate in Game Day regularly, we can create the atmosphere I described. That would certainly fill a void that I think leaving the mainland may create for me.

Go Blue!
Ang

Great idea! When you get here we will put an ad in the Island Trader looking for Wolverine fans. I'm sure we'll have party rolling in no time!!

And, yikes!! Those tix are expensive!!

Marty,

Do you live on the island already?

I've been here on STT almost 7 years. It'll be 7 on 1-18-05 at 8:35 p.m. 🙂

Marty,
Dont worry bout them Buckeyes,my OK State Cowboys will take care of em for you in the Alamo Bowl,hahah

Grrr!!!!! (that's really all I can say, cuz you are probably right! haha!)

That assuming they dont melt down in the 4th quarter like they did against Texas of course!! Aw hell here in Stillwater were used to being the other OSU!