odez999

Member
Jul 4, 2011
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Hi !
I was just wondering .... is it possible to import a car from europe ?
I am asking because Cars are really expensive in Indonesia !
Even second ones ....

For example I was looking ... those Smart (Mercedes Benz) cars to buy As conviniets because are small .. .and easy to parkir or go trough traffic jams !

I looked online and there was nothing below ... 150 milion rupias !!! That is like 12 000 euros ! (few years old !!!!!!)

And in Germany you can find NOT SO BAD smarts for like 4000euros !!!!
Yea steering wheel is on wrong side ... But I was advised that is not a big problem to change ....

So basicly in Europe you can find at least half priced "same" car !! And I was wondering ... for importing ... If the price (total expenses) will double ? Triple ? or what ?

Is the situation with cars same with alchocol (import stricly controlled by few) ?

Anyone tried anything simmilar ? Or is it just mission impossible ?

BTW ,, same thing is with 17inch laptops !!!! Impossible to find for buy for decent price here !!! As I was told ... only few companies have licence to import 17inch laptops to country !
Thats why those insanely expensive in Indonesia !
 

ronb

Well-Known Member
Aug 14, 2007
2,241
56
48
Ubud, Bali
In western countries, the value of used cars drops rapidly over the first 5 years of its life - but here in Indonesia, they hold their value much better. So that is why you are not finding the second-hand bargains that you had imagined.

New car prices here are OK - at least for cars manufactured here like Avanza Rush, APV etc. Nearby, in Singapore, they cost much more because of govt charges.

So instead of thinking Smart, turn your attention to the small Suzukis or similar.
 

gilbert de jong

Active Member
Jan 20, 2009
3,198
3
36
Panji, Singaraja.
not so bad smart-cars...imho, every smart is bad, but that's my personal opinion, hihihi :)

about the importing, yes it's prohibited to a few importers that legally import the whole car as is,
or in some cases import the whole car but in pieces and gets build up overhere.
the importtaxes are like indexed, percentage of luxurytax is depending on enginesize (how many cc's and cilinders), and importtaxes are bases on new-price minus percentage of years old...
to make a long story short, basically it's mission impossible, unless you want to spend a whole lot of money setting up a PMA/PT, spend a whole lot of money on getting the licenses, transport, etcetc....
 

odez999

Member
Jul 4, 2011
245
0
16
Whats wrong with smart ones :D (beside it is more like toy than a car)
Well basicly I was talking about Smart cars is becouse they are small enough for two people ! And (my oppinion) ideal for trafic like this !
With that little box you could parkir anywhere (since parkir rules aint so strict in here)
Smart is smaller that golf car :D Ideal for in here !
And those Suzukis are bigger ! (not really big, but big enough not to be able to squeze where smart should squeze in)
And those cars who aint bigger have really bad design (for me)
It is more like 4 wheel scooter, with a price of a real car !

So importing without bancrupcy is SF !

Ok what about those Honda Jazz .... but 3 dors version ?? (not the 5 dors) I havent seen those on the streets ?

Havent anyone noticed that this cars are too way oversized for this kind of enviroment !!??

Toyota Yaris is OK , but where those 3 door versions have gone ?

I have not fount anything similar to Toyota iQ besides Smart .... !! All other .. or too ugly or oversized ! (Bumpers sticking out without funcionality beside bad looking or totaly qubic designs/escapades etc etc ...)
 
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sunnycoast

Member
Jun 4, 2010
98
0
6
Buy an APV, I drove one for a while and must say I liked the car. It's a very big difference to my daily car (a VW Touareg), but it's value for money in my eyes. When I buy my next car in Indonesia, it's very likely it will be an APV.
 

Markit

Well-Known Member
Sep 3, 2007
9,317
1,110
113
Karangasem, Bali
Unless you just hate your money and peice of mind don't even think of importing a car into Indo. This forum is strewn with similar horror stories. I personally know of someone that tried to import a motorbike from the UK and after 2 attempts to get it in after bouncing it back to Singapore to have it stripped to pieces and then trying to re-import it as parts - the bike is now back in the UK. It would have been far cheaper to throw the pieces in the ocean...
 

odez999

Member
Jul 4, 2011
245
0
16
nxi31oc3okdc66qv4jhd.jpg


PICANTO: Only good in 3 door version (5 doors look shitty) ... Front of the car is liek any modern .. can pass .. but back I do not like so much with those crappy lights !
SPARK: Front look OK (like any small new car more or less) but on the side and rear ... not so good ! I dont know but this design reminds me on wild hog !
ESTILO: This design is like from last decade ! Kotak with 4 wheels ! Al suzuki cars look indian stylized ... wich means no style at all !
 

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odez999

Member
Jul 4, 2011
245
0
16
zb3jprutyxfbfvw9h5.jpg


I know Smart do not have so good engine etc .. but design/funcionality is superb... (my oppinion) ... Big doors so taller people do not have proplem entering ... and a "lot" of inside space compared to the size overall !!

there are even better designes like Toyota IQ .. but the price is too high !
 

SHoggard

Member
Nov 28, 2011
738
3
16
Singapore
odnez - I do think you should accept the reality that, like it or not, it is going to be totally impossible for you to import a Smart.
Besides, have you considered that the Smart was designed & built for European urban roads, of which Bali has none. I reckon that it would probably last about a week before all the fiberglass panels & suspension begin to fall off..... then there are the above normal bumps and scrapes with other vehicles, motos, things falling off the back of lorries in front of you... the usual wear&tear vehicles in 3rd-world countries are built for. So how would a fiberglass front panel last?

As for your comments on the other vehicles: I guess it's all a matter of budget governing taste: If you can afford Coq au Vin that's what you eat. If not you're stuck with Ayam goring.

Yes, some things by European standards are expensive in Bali, but not when you think that a bowl of rice in an Asian restaurant in the UK can easily cost £2.
 
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Andrew

Member
Mar 25, 2012
105
0
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Sanur
Germans and their cars :) In Bali the traffic is so dense that you will hardly see your own car. I like cars too, but in Bali I don't really care. Buy what the locals drive, don´t import something (even if possible) when you have no one who knows how to repair / service etc.

Even with a small car like that, you will have no advantage in Bali style traffic jams. Quite the contrary, bigger cars will force you to the side. Size matters after all ;-)
 

odez999

Member
Jul 4, 2011
245
0
16
Point taken ;)
Ill stick with my Scoopy + rain coat (if it rains) for now and further on (car seems liek ekstravagant and expensive sport)
BTW ... does anyone knows where to get 14" White wheels (velg) for scoopy exactly like this (I hate that thick original Scoopy wheels):

zfzmq941fsoi3nevw.jpg
 
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sakumabali

Well-Known Member
Apr 2, 2010
1,056
185
63
German & their cars, I will sell my german car, BMW X6, 28.000 km...just in case somebody know somebody...photo2.jpg
 

Bali Blue

New Member
Apr 25, 2013
7
0
1
I looked into importing a used Merc and learnt that the duty is not set by any formula - it's set by the customs officer based on what HE values the car at, not what any papers say. The amount of duty can apparently go up to 400%!

When I was looking I saw a 2004 E-class entry model for sale here at the same price as in import of a 2008 AMG! The explanation of course being the duty etc that would have been paid on the 2004 model.

Not quite the same but I bought a Terios!
 

odez999

Member
Jul 4, 2011
245
0
16
I talked with some ppl. and in SEA usually it is like that 200-300% on import cars ... an in Indonesia is rulet .. probably !