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[AVR2]

I'm currently living in Dubai but have plans to move back to the UK towards the end of the year. I have a 2005 Jeep Cherokee that I've owned since new, and since I know its history and it's not actually that expensive to ship it back to Blighty (it's certainly cheaper than buying a decent replacement back in the UK), I'm tempted to do just that.

Does anyone have the skinny on exactly what would be needed to get it road-legal for the UK? I'd like to think that it would just need new headlamps, since the rear indicators are (AFAIK) already correct for Europe, and it has the "Euro Stage 4 emissions" ECU. Or am I being hopelessly naive?

[bgbazz]

Not sure on the rest of it, but I just gave away a perfect set of RHD headlamps..I still have the instrument cluster (complete) in MPH, if that helps. Last year I swapped my stuff over to make it LHD compliant.

[AVR2]

The speedo has KM/H as the main scale with MPH as the smaller scale. Would it need to be the other way around? I've been trying to find a website that lists exactly what the technical requirements are, but no luck so far. On the plus side, the gov.uk site about importing vehicles suggests that I wouldn't need to pay VAT or duty on it.

[bgbazz]

Don't think the speedo has to be the other way round..but it has to have both scales on it. Mine has both, but the MPH is the dominant one and much easier to read, especially at night. It takes about 20 mins to change them over.

[Bulldog67]

Dr Mike should know all this .......

[willo]

I should know the answer to this but someone has done it for me

[Dave69]

change the headlights to uk spec units, fit a rear fog light to the offside if one isn't fitted.

emissions will have to meet uk limits and yellow indicators

as a minimum

[UKJeeper]

You don't have to change the headlights. Mine are still the US ones from when i brought it over 13 years ago, with the prism's taped off and Mike passes it every year. You must have amber indicators on all 4 corners though, and not combined with any other lights (eg running lights in front or turn signals in the rear). I turned my reversing lights on the YJ into turn signals (amber bulbs).

You'll need a rear fog light, has to be mounted in the centre or right rear.

Speedo will be fine. Don't even think that speedo's are part of the MOT (Mike?). No SVA involved as your car is way over 10 years old.

[YT]

As long as the speedo has MPH (even if its in the form of a sticker overlaid) it will be fine.

[bgbazz]

Unless he's been messing with lenses, his Jeep already has dedicated orange indicators..there is a foglight setup on the rear, but is probably on the wrong side. Can't be sure, but I don't think a 2005 model is way over 10 years old! 

[AVR2]

This is what my tail light clusters look like - they're the stock KJ type:



Upper red semicircle is the combined brake light/rear light

Under that is the orange indicator

Then the reverse light

Then the fog (there are fogs both sides)

It has the standard high-level brake light on the roof line above the flipper glass.

By the sounds of things it won't take too much to make it UK-legal, then  As I say, it has the "Euro Stage 4 emissions" ECU and exhaust system, so hopefully is identical to all the native UK-market KJs in that respect.

[bgbazz]

Yep, I know how the KJ lights are set up and that's why I suggested that unless you had been changing things around, all should be good. Shame you didn't post just before Xmas..the headlights would have been perfect for you with no taping or messing around. I don't sell my surplus stuff..they would have been free to you or anyone else..same goes for the speedo/instrument cluster. Just pay the courier cost which is about 25-30 pounds.

If you give the MAF sensor a good clean before any MOT over there, your test should come back perfect.

[isle of man]

The speedo has KM/H as the main scale with MPH as the smaller scale. Would it need to be the other way around? I've been trying to find a website that lists exactly what the technical requirements are, but no luck so far. On the plus side, the gov.uk site about importing vehicles suggests that I wouldn't need to pay VAT or duty on it.

Oh yes you will, dependant on engine size!!!

[bgbazz]

Used to be that if you had owned and driven the vehicle for a certain period of time, you didn't pay anything in the way of tax.

[Bulldog67]

 

[bgbazz]

Thank you, Mr Dawg. When I came to the UK in 2004, I shipped my 100 series Landcruiser, along with a shitload of other stuff,in a container. No duties or tax was due because it was was all 'personal goods'. Registering, taxing etc was straightforward because I could prove that I had owned and used everything for more than two years...blind Freddie could see that was no lie.

[isle of man]

Thank you, Mr Dawg. When I came to the UK in 2004, I shipped my 100 series Landcruiser, along with a shitload of other stuff,in a container. No duties or tax was due because it was was all 'personal goods'. Registering, taxing etc was straightforward because I could prove that I had owned and used everything for more than two years...blind Freddie could see that was no lie.

Trust me!! For 10 years I have shipped shit allover the world, some new some used, I have been busy for 6 years but unless an act of GOD has changed things, you will pay DUTY and you will pay VAT!!!

[bgbazz]

Money hungry cnuts..there is no reason to do so!! 

[Delk]

I didnt pay a penny in import dues, taxes, vat or anything else when I shipped my jeep into the UK. If you owen it and use it for more then six months prior you are free and clear. I had mine 10 years at that point and it came in a shipping container full of my house hold goods.

[bgbazz]

I didnt pay a penny in import dues, taxes, vat or anything else when I shipped my jeep into the UK. If you owen it and use it for more then six months prior you are free and clear. I had mine 10 years at that point and it came in a shipping container full of my house hold goods.

That's exactly how I did it.

[AVR2]

Trust me!! For 10 years I have shipped shit allover the world, some new some used, I have been busy for 6 years but unless an act of GOD has changed things, you will pay DUTY and you will pay VAT!!!

This is what the government website says:

If you’re moving to the UK

You don’t pay VAT or duty on vehicles imported from outside the EU if you qualify for transfer of residence relief. To qualify you must meet these conditions:

    you’re moving your normal home to the UK
    your normal home was outside the EU for a continuous period of at least 12 months
    you’ve owned and used the vehicle for at least 6 months outside the EU
    you didn’t get the vehicle under a duty or tax-free scheme
    you’re going to keep the vehicle for your personal use for at least 12 months


As far as I can see, that's all me 

[UKJeeper]

Nope. No tax/vat/duty/whatever paid by me either when i brought the YJ here from the States.

[Mike Pavelin]

If it's Euro spec you may get away with a certificate of compliance. Does it have a CAT and wing repeaters?

[Plank]

Thank you, Mr Dawg. When I came to the UK in 2004, I shipped my 100 series Landcruiser, along with a shitload of other stuff,in a container. No duties or tax was due because it was was all 'personal goods'. Registering, taxing etc was straightforward because I could prove that I had owned and used everything for more than two years...blind Freddie could see that was no lie.

Trust me!! For 10 years I have shipped shit allover the world, some new some used, I have been busy for 6 years but unless an act of GOD has changed things, you will pay DUTY and you will pay VAT!!!

Looks like there has indeed been an act of GOD because no duty needs to be paid as long as the requirements for none payment are met.

[bgbazz]

It wasn't a recent act of God..it's been that way for many years..and those requirements have always been in place.