Has anyone ever lost their deopsit on Carnet?
 

Hi
I will be applying for my Carnet in a couple weeks time. It is much cheeper to get a bank guarantee. (£200 fee and then £50 per 1/4 year I have the guarantee) This of course means I am liable for about £8000. As I have no intention of selling the bike... I need it to ride home on! I might import it into South Africa if I fly back. Either way I will be doing it legaly. My question is... Has anybody ever 'lost' their carnet while not having done anything wrong. Is this why a bank guarantee is not as popular as a insurance company? Should I worry about having this 8K over my head if I do everything legaly. Has anybody ever crashed/written off /had stolen, a bike abroad and had trouble when they returned with out the bike?

Cheers George

My first carnet had a problem. This was back in 1992 so I can't quite remember all the details. Basicly the Indian customs had lost there part of the exit carnet, they had seen it enter the country but no exit paper work. The AA wrote to us to prove it had been exported from India. I could prove it because of the shipping documents to Thailand and continuation of the carnet into other countries, and when we got back to the UK I got the UK customs proof of importation. I think the problem came about because we left India into Nepal and returned back into India with out using the carnet. Anyway they where happy with the proof it was exported.
I often wondered what would happen if it was stolen, I guess you could get a police report, but would you still be liable.
I think you are still liable for the import duty with the insurance option.

Steve