Buying a 4WD in South Africa and paperwork
 

Hi everybody,

We already went on holiday to Southern Africa twice and really enjoyed it. Next year we're planning to travel a couple of months in southern and eastern africa.
Therefore we would like to buy a proper 4x4. We're from Belgium and on the internet we found an interesting Belgian registered fully equiped Landcruiser that is arriving in South Africa after a overland trip this autumn. Is it interesting for us to buy such a vehicle? I guess we can just register the vehicle in Belgium on our name and take the license plate with us. But what about car insurance and technical vehicle inspection (required in Belgium when sellng/buying a car)?

Or is it a better option to buy the car in South Africa itself? However, we've read that the procedure to buy a South african car is quite elaborate and south african landcruisers seem expensive.
Moreover, we will lose precious holiday time by looking for the right vehicle, executing the administration, equiping the vehicle,...

Overall, it seems to us that buying a belgian registered vehicle in financially more interesting. Has anyone got experience with that?
greetings

C&D

I purchased a new BMW 1200GS in SA, 2007. I needed an address and also a TRNC to register the bike, as a foreign non resident.
The Traffic Register Number Certificate is issued under the National Road Traffic act 1996 at an SA Vehicle Registration Office. You will need a passport photo and proof of home country residential address, along with a local (SA) residential or Post Office address.
Once you have this certificate, you can then register the vehicle in your name, for which you get a Certificate of Registration. IF the vehicle is used, I believe you need a roadworthiness inspection certificate, before ownership transfer of a second hand vehicle.
The TRNC allows you to carry out any further transactions with the SA Vehicle Registration Office
Hope this helps.......