Southern Registered Vehicles

ripoffrock


Joined: 05/08/2008
Posts: 255

Message Posted:
13/04/2009 04:25

I am continuing to drive around in my southern registered car and as yet not had any bother from police or customs. I have reduced my border crossings to maybe once or twice a month and not had any grief.

Should I be expecting a knock on the door?

To those of you that have had a visit or have been stopped, what should I expect?

Is this just another storm in a tea cup that will blow over soon?

Geoff


Joined: 25/06/2008
Posts: 1370

Message Posted:
13/04/2009 09:42

I hope you are not on borrowed time, but I fear you may well be. Just get it registered in the TRNC, and sleep soundly at night!

Plank


Joined: 09/04/2009
Posts: 8

Message Posted:
13/04/2009 10:02

We also have a southern Cyprus car and haven't had any problems with border crossings or the police this side - even though we have been stopped for the usual license checks etc. According to chief of police this side the car cannot be taken from you or fines imposed, so long as all the relevant paperwork is in order.

fiendishpaul


Joined: 18/05/2008
Posts: 1720

Message Posted:
13/04/2009 18:06

I fear that you may be on borrowed time. We had both of our southern plated vehicles impounded a few weeks ago, despite still being 'legal' on tourist visa. Both cars were immediately taken to the compound at Lefkosa customs. One of the cars was too old to import so I had to remove it to the South and sign a letter confirming that I would not bring it over again - I also had to pay a 300TL fine and and pay a further 62TL to the blokey who escorted me to the crossing point. The other car I have subsequently imported. We tried appealing to customs but because we were living (albeit renting the property) in the TRNC then their line was that we were not entitled to drive a south plated car. Probably the only way that you will get away with driving a south plated car is if you can clearly demonstrate that you also have a home in the south and spend a decent amount of time there.

Hope this helps

Paul

scruffdog


Joined: 09/12/2008
Posts: 742

Message Posted:
14/04/2009 09:37

Paul



How much did you pay to import your car from the south, was it more than from say Turkey or UK?

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
14/04/2009 11:40

paul,

we have friends with homes on both sides. they were told to remove the south registered car back to the south about two months ago.

again it was legal, but they sent them packing.

at the time i asked a friend with a relative in traffic about what was going on, they didn't know either.

poodle


Joined: 24/05/2008
Posts: 21

Message Posted:
14/04/2009 12:26

Same story here, impounded, told to take it to South. They didn't escort me, but I also had to sign some paper as well. Several others I know also had their S. cars impounded. I was told that one could only bring over a South plated car for a short holiday. I have been to customs several times trying to suss out if anything was going to change. I have also had several friends in gov jobs do the same. I found out nothing only a big NO to Greek plated cars.



I do know they let all these students bring in Turkish cars, but no Greek. Furthermore, they told me, under no circumstances, could I register a Greek car in the North.

baxi7


Joined: 23/09/2008
Posts: 130

Message Posted:
14/04/2009 13:13

go to nicosia customs pound and see all the uk / greek reg cars which have be impounded , waiting for the owners to pay fines - 90 days or car is sold . believe me , it happened to me and 4 friends . in my case customs said - leave the island - to turkey . - see cyprus today - dated , 7/3/09 .

fiendishpaul


Joined: 18/05/2008
Posts: 1720

Message Posted:
14/04/2009 18:19

Hi Scruffdog

Don't know how much it costs to import from Turkey, but we bought our car new in the South last July (we were living in the South at the time). It cost me about £3k to import, register and tax the car, which for me wasn't a bad deal as the car would sell for more over this side than it has cost to both buy it in the first place and import.

hope this helps

Paul

Goonerboy


Joined: 01/04/2009
Posts: 723

Message Posted:
14/04/2009 22:34

I had mine impounded at the weekend, so it definitely is happening. The guy that took mine said a lot of the cars that are being taken now are on tip offs with neighbours etc taking pictures and letting the ***** know that impound the cars.



All I can say to those that haven;t been cought yet is start the process of trying to sell your Greek car on the South, so you are able to do it in your own time and yopur hand isn't forced.

ripoffrock


Joined: 05/08/2008
Posts: 255

Message Posted:
15/04/2009 04:46

So where are all these impounded vehicles sold of at? Could be some bargains to be had.

I have also heard that some of the local authority personnel have been seen driving around in these pounded motors.



Can anyone shed any light.

fiendishpaul


Joined: 18/05/2008
Posts: 1720

Message Posted:
15/04/2009 16:36

Ripoff

I believe that they are sold at 'closed' auctions - no non-TC allowed. Probably find that the only people invited are from Customs !!!!

Paul

Geoff


Joined: 25/06/2008
Posts: 1370

Message Posted:
15/04/2009 17:52

Re Msg #12: Not so Paul, chap I know went to one of the auctions and got an absolute bargain - but he knows a Customs guy who told him the venuev etc. It is the same in UK with MOD auctions and other Govt. Depts etc etc. You need to know someone.C'est La Vie N'est pas (Del Boyo).

ripoffrock


Joined: 05/08/2008
Posts: 255

Message Posted:
16/04/2009 16:27

Another revenue racket. The authorities can not loose.

I wonder if there is a written law for this situation and how it is worded.

Is this crusade dedicated to only British and GC registrations or are all non TC plates fair game?

cyprusishome


Joined: 31/03/2007
Posts: 2381

Message Posted:
16/04/2009 19:18

The law is, bring a car into TRNC then you must pay import duties, etc on it within a prescribed amount of time.



It seems that people more and more are trying to find ways around this. So like all things there comes a point when the authorities clamp down.



There are still many GB registered cars driving around that have been here over a year that I know of, I am not about to pass on that info but be assured as someone has said above you will be shopped eventually.



Anyone who imports a car, wherever it is from, knows the law and if not they should make sure they find out. If you cannot afford the potential costs then do not import.



Last point. About the police not knowing anything about cars being impounded or why. This is because it is customs and execise not the police who are doing the capture.

ripoffrock


Joined: 05/08/2008
Posts: 255

Message Posted:
16/04/2009 20:28

cyprusishome

FYI

I moved to the north after living in the south for 3 years which is why I drive a southern registered vehicle. I made inquiries at the time with both customs and police here in Lefkosia. They led me to believe as I was commuting across the border for my work I could legally continue using my vehicle.



One gets so many bum steers from the authorities it is difficult to decipher right from wrong until they decide to pursue a certain aspect of the law.

fiendishpaul


Joined: 18/05/2008
Posts: 1720

Message Posted:
16/04/2009 20:32

Geoff

Re Msg 13. Happy to be corrected. I need a second car so should you (or your friend) hear of an auction, grateful if you could give me a shout ;-).

Cushtie !!!!!!!!

Regards

Paul