A couple of months ago the Australian government announced important changes in their car import regulations. These changes aim to ‘strike the balance between appropriate safety standards in line with international best practice, and consumer access to vehicles at the lowest possible cost’. In a nutshell, the purpose is to increase the competition within the Australian car market while keeping appropriate safety standards.
The announcement has brought several concerns among Australians. It seems that an important part of the equation has been forgotten: Australians enjoy strong consumer protection laws. These regulations guarantee that purchased products are of acceptable quality, sage, lasting with no faults and fit for purpose. Australians are now wondering how this security will be applied when they purchase a car from an overseas seller.
Overseas sellers are not obligated by Australian law and therefore, the purchase will have no guarantees and will unlikely have recourse if those guarantees are violated.
Kit Wilkerson policy adviser at the AIMVIA (Australian Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association) stated: ‘I am sure most of vehicles imported under the proposed provisions will be excellent vehicles – at least as Australian-sourced, if not better. It only takes a few, however, to destroy the public trust, and this model, consumers purchasing straight from foreign entities, is asking to be abused. (…)
The internet is becoming a more powerful tool for the buying and selling of vehicles and the internet knows few borders. We don’t know yet if and how the system proposed by the government will be abused, but we do know that if it happens, consumers will have little to recourse. (…)
The system proposed by the Australian government precludes the possibility of parallel importation of vehicles commercially. This means there is no industry, no one who has an interest in building or maintaining the trust of the Australian consumer. (…)’
How avoid these concerns?
Working with trustable suppliers
It is true that overseas sellers are not bound by Australian strong consumer protection laws. However, you can avoid the risk by working with trustable suppliers.
We can help you to find to find the most reputable UK car dealers. We’ve been working for the last 15 years with a range of UK car dealers who can supply any car makes and models at very competitive prices. We will put you in direct contact with them to negotiate all the details, or we can do it on your behalf.
When buying a car from overseas you need to make sure that what you pays is what you get. That is why we are here to offer you a solution through our trading partner Universal Mercantile Services (UMS). The way it works is that the purchase will be processed through UMS. You pay UMS and they pay the dealer. This means you know who you pay and get a proper legal contract in place to defend your rights.
Once the car is purchased, how do I import it?
We have been involved in vehicle exports for more than 12 years, shipping on average 200 vehicles/ month. Our expert team takes care of your vehicle during the whole process, ensuring a safe transit and delivering your car in the same condition you purchased it. We can also provide you with high quality photos of your car and all the documentation required for its arrival.
Thanks to our network of reputable UK car dealers, concerns about quality and safety can be forgotten.
Contact our team of experts for any enquiries related to car sourcing or car shipping to Australia.
Or you can have a look at our dedicated pages:
– Car sourcing
– Car shipping
Want to know more on importing cars from the UK to Australia? Sign up for our monthly newsletters
Or get in touch on +44 (0) 20 8988 7716 or ozukcars@gmail.com for more information.