Selling European Car in Southern Africa
 

Hi, I'm sorry if this question is commonly answered, but all the threads i could find that were related are very old and things are likely to have changed.

I'm wondering if there's still a market for purchasing used cars from mainland Europe (specifically the UK) and driving them to Souther Africa and selling there for a profit.
I've read a few articles online albeit outdated from people who drove to Africa and sold their cars for a profit almost paying for their whole trip through the continent.

Does anyone know if things like this are viable anymore, what countries its easy to sell in and what cars currently sell well on the Southern Africa Market (not specifically The Republic of South Africa but including the rest of the region that drives on the left).

Many thanks in advanced
Joe

You'll get no joy in SA as import duties are very high. Haven't been to Zim for a while but I think their duty was around the 100% mark. Maybe someone could pipe up about Bots or Zam etc. Moz guide?

Profit no but if you are lucky and dont have any major accidents and make it all the way, you may sell it to help pay for part of the expenses.
So the important thing is that you enjoyed the trip, or you would have wasted your time and money.

You will find it next to impossible to sell your UK reg vehicle (legally) in SA to a SA resident. The high SA import tax is meant to protect the SA car industry. If you bring your UK vehicle into ZA it'll come in on a carnet. You'll need to sell to another UK traveller, get new V5s and do a carnet swop at the border. Due to a lack of UK Overlanders heading North you'll need patience and a place to store your vehicle. It has been done before but you won't make a profit - you are over a barrel, you need to sell the vehicle as storage costs will mount up plus you'll have to keep renewing your carnet.

It is not something to be done on a whim. If you sell your vehicle, off carnet, you will be liable for the tax. Any deposit you left behind will be forfeit as you did not discharge your CDP.

From memory the 'workflow' for this in the past was to buy a car in left hand drive Europe (i.e. not the UK / Ireland). Various Mercedes from Germany or Peugeot 504's from France seemed to be favourites. They were then driven to West Africa - not southern Africa - and sold in Mauri / Senegal / Mali etc. Various import restrictions have taken the possibility / profit out out of doing it these days.