Bringing a 1965 Cobra replica car to VN?

Where are you intending to register this old car as a 2012, vehicle? I don't think it will fly with VN Customs.

All vehicles, with strict exemptions are subject to duty - up to 100%. They don't care who you are unless a diplomat.

Kits are likely covered as production vehicles are imported as 'kits' of parts to be assembled in factories.

VN has vehicle specs which new vehicles have to meet. They are on-line,

If the guy sitting in the picture is you, I'll say it is unlikely you'll qualify .
See: there only 4 categories of foreigners who can bring car without paying import tax: diplomat, experts working for ODA (Official Development Assistance) projects, returning Viet Kieus, and Viet Kieus on invitation of high level officials to work as experts.

You certainly don't look like David B. Shear (US ambassador in VN in case you must ask). Surely, not like a Viet Kieu, so that leave the last option: experts working for ODA, but you say you'll be the one investing and you don't look like Hilary Clinton.

Note: even though you were exempt for import tax, you still have to pay special VAT tax, special consumer tax (around 60% of value).
There are different formulae for calculating new vs. old car.

Joking aside, I don't think it is a good idea bring your own car here.I don't know much about cars, much less a special built car which requires explanation to customs about its nature. Given the paperwork I suspect it will result, it'll be a nightmare for you.

Even you managed to bring a car in here, it would still be a nightmare to drive given the hassles if you are involved in accidents. I have yet to see a foreigner driving his own car here (except probably drivers from embassies )

Jaitch wrote:

If the guy sitting in the picture is you, I'll say it is unlikely you'll qualify,

Yes, that's me ... guess I'll have to apply for that Ambassador position ... I hope it is advertised on Craigslist I don't plan on driving much (I drive scooters everywhere, but driving a car looks like a skill on par with a surgeon). I mainly want it as a show piece to take out on rare occasions at night or away from HCMC.

Jaitch wrote:

Where are you intending to register this old car as a 20122 vehicle?

I can register it in FL, USA as a 2012 ASPT (Assembled From Parts) vehicle. It would then have a US/FL original title and registration, along with a record of 'value' based on sales tax paid. If I have to pay tarif/VAT/etc. I am at least hoping the value will be based on my tax statement from the USA. As far as bringing a kit, I would like to actually 'replicate' the bodies over in VN in aluminum for export to the USA (here they are primarily fiberglass (FRP) due to labor costs; an aluminum bodied Cobra is worth a lot more here than a fiberglass one. Mainly I just want to cruise around on select occasions in a true American Muscle car! (and yes, those side pipes are real loud, get real hot, and like to spit a few flames out the side from time to time!) ... what can I say ... I'm American   Link to pictures of a Cobra and mine being built ... in case you're curious what it looks like: http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/10101217 … s?h=0b8e64

Why don't you ask these guys. If you get a response it will be from a offical in the know:

http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/opinion/you-asked

The VN government knows what IT thinks imported vehicles are worth, also with resale values. These guys are not dumb, crooked yes, but not dumb.

VN isn't the place for aluminum, either. I broke a bracket on my Dahon bicycle and I only found one guy who did aluminum welding in TP HCM.

We can CNC steel fabrication, in fact I was a major investor in a water-jet cutting machine until last year when I wanted my money out for construction. We have laser cutting machines but minimal aluminum fabrication ability.

That's why auto companies import SKD (Semi Knocked Down).

VN is great in steel and stainless (called Inox over here).

The nearest you can get to D-I-Y is to buy a chassis with a cab, then build up front here. But I get a feeling a 0.75 ton truck chassis under your Cobra body won't do it. You get a tax break on vehicles with more than 9 seats.

They might let you bring in a fire engine!

VietNam's duties are set up to encourage manufacturing here, not importation. The water-jet I was part of importing cost zero in taxes because it was manufacturing equipment.

When VN signed up to the WTO they got a lot of breaks. Walmart or Costco can come on in and build a store BUT only one. After that it is up to the VN government if you get to build any more.

@jaitch: Once again, thanks for the info. Good to know about the lack of aluminum fabrication available. Better to hash out my plans before putting in too much money/effort! I just spoke to my friend/partner on the house project ... Think we're going to work on a redesign and eliminate the basement. Thanks once again for your help.

@Budman1: Thanks for the reply and link; I'll take a look at the site and do some further investigating.

Hello Saigon Visitor and all of you guys,

I am one of those Viet Kieus who is qualified to bring one car back free of import duty, special use tax and VAT.  But, I ended up bringing nothing.

When I first qualified, I wanted to bring my suited-up convertible back.  But, it was more than 5 years old.  I spoke to a many of the local car people; and they all advised me to leave my baby back in the US and, if I needed a car, bring one within the legal limits.

They told me a story about the son of a Vietnamese power broker, who skirted paying duties on his H2 Hummer, by getting his buddies in the People Army to declare it as "a tank."  He and his buddies succeeded, had the hummer registered here and was sporting it around town wrecklessly for a couple of years.

That didn't sit well with some other people and, eventually, he lost the car and his buddies got into hot waters for their parts in the scheme.

So, I scrapped my plan really fast.  It just didn't worth running the risk of loosing my baby and getting my friends into troubles.  I highly suggest that you do the same too, Saigon Visitor.  We stick out too much; and the risk out-weights the reward.

Best wish,
Howie

Your tale about the son of a Vietnamese power broker reminds me I haven;t the one that used to block the streets in TO HCM for almost two years.

Some other idiot has a US stretch limousine that can't do corners, worse turning radius that a 45-seater coach.

Hi Jaitch,
saw something like that in the front of a dealers showrooms a few months ago while at the Nokia Care Center on Tran Hung Dao Street, District 1.   
It's not the umpteen metre long white Bentley you're talking about is it ??? 
Was wondering how they would get it out of the dealer's rooms and into the street in the first place.

The one I saw was definitely US - had some sort of heavily modified SUV fromt end and this elongated thing that had four doors either side.

Ir required outriders to block the motorcycle lane when it turned!

Hey gang,

The people who acquire these vehicles are not your ordinary Vietnamese.  They often have cash to burn and egos to match.  When they travel, if they don't have a convoy or police escorts, then they will have some stickers or some orders that cops and knowledgable Vietnamese citizens will recognize and assist, or steer the hell clear of their paths.

I spoke to a driver of a Bentley a couple of weeks ago.  He told me that his boss has a red sticker with a white A, which allowed them to drive all the way up to the airplanes, inside of Vietnamese airports.  I then joked with him about getting harrassed by the cops, he said, "No we don't.  They know that I will not be very nice about it, let alone the 'big guy'...".

Another thing that strikes me about Vietnam and cars is that it seems like every Vietnamese knows who own such and such exotic cars, or at least every knowledgable Vietnamese.  Some could even recite the plate numbers of these people.  It is amazing!  Talk about information leaks and personal obsessions...

But let's get back to our topic.  The term 'have' here includes more than just financial.  As a matter of fact, it means more about political connections than economic means.  A nice car, without a certain plate or sticker, means little to those that matters the most:  the transportation officials, the cops and even the neighbors.  These folks will see the owner just like the way we view the Beverly Hillbillies.

I can't even begin to imagine the bureaucratic nightmare you may find yourself in.  Then, if you are successful, it'll probably be stolen. 

I have no official knowledge of the import taxes, but I'd wager you'd have to shell out 3 to 4 times the value that customs assigns to the vehicle.  Then you'll get to wait 1 to 6 months while it clears customs.  After that you'll end up supporting half of the police force.  They'd probably set up a substation near your house, so they won't miss you coming or going.

Of course you'd probably have motorbikes hurling themselves into you, for a quick payday.  If you're lucky it'd be quick, that is.  If you maim someone here you get to pay them for the rest of their lives.  That's why some choose to back up and finish the job on accident victims; it's cheaper to pay for a death. 

Get over here and make a replica out of bamboo.  It'd be a lot cheaper and would truly be one of a kind!

Teacher Mark wrote:

If you're lucky it'd be quick, that is.  If you maim someone here you get to pay them for the rest of their lives.  That's why some choose to back up and finish the job on accident victims; it's cheaper to pay for a death.

There is an official schedule for payments. A couple of years ago the rate for a roadkill was $$32,500 in VN Dong. They adjust it each year.

Wild 1:
One of your privileged class had a damn great Hummer he used to drive round TP HCM. Didn't see it for a while now and a friend said the drivers privileges had been cut back after it turned out the thing was brought in to VN illegally and it's registration, etc., was because of 'pension' contributions.

There's justice here sometimes.

Jaitch wrote:

There's justice here sometimes.

Yes, there is, my friend.  It is just the brand is a little different than what we are accustomed to and it takes a little longer than usual.

Speaking of the Hummer, I think we are talking about the same guy, or at least the same network of Vietnamese power brokers.  The guy I knew had 95 plates on his.  Anyhow, he had the army guys bring that truck in for him and they declared that as "a tank."  Yeah, I haven't seen him for awhile now.

I would like to address a few of the comments: 1) I certainly would not be one of the 'privileged' or 'power broker' types ... I am not Vietnamese and certainly don't have 'connections'. 2) The Cobra is nothing like a Hummer ... it is very small (based on the original Bristol Ace (UK) so I don't believe it would be clogging the streets or creating road blockage. 3) It will be a legitimate 2012 model as I will be completing it this year (this is not a 'restored' old vehicle, it is a 'replica' of an old vehicle built today with brand new parts. 4) Finally, my main reason for wanting to bring it was it is my personal vehicle that took me over a 1-1/2 years to build and I had thoughts of replicating it in Vietnam (building more) to export back to the USA ... thus building a small factory, employing Vietnamese while also training them in a technical field and exporting a world class sports car to the USA that could proudly claim Made In Vietnam. Sorry for the semi-rant, but it appears people believe I just wanted to be a 'power broker' hitting the clubs, etc. I am looking to Vietnam for the potential for the future ... I am too old for the clubs and boyhood games.