Importing e92 from Canada

[ahmike]

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum and need some advice from you all as I think this is probably the best place to ask this question. Please forgive me if this is not the right place to post this question or point me in the right direction or sticky if this question has already been asked numerous times before. Any help or advise is greatly appreciated. Basically, I am considering bringing back my 2007 e92 335i back from Canada under the Returning Expert Programme. Are there any forum members who have brought in a e9X or any BMW from north america to malaysia? How hard is it to find a specialist shop to service and repair left-hand drive vehicles? What about sourcing parts? Will I run into extreme difficulty getting help when the car starts giving problems. Any special modifications that are required to handle the malaysian climate, for example, bigger radiator, fan, oil cooler, etc.? I have considered just selling it and buying another one locally but the money I get back, it is a joke and can't get anything decent back home. I have also taken very good care of my car and think that it will last me many years to come and don't have the heart to let my baby go. :20:Thanks

 

[Schwepps]

I'll offer an opinion friend. It's not just about parts and maintenance. You need to consider whether you'll enjoy your baby here as much as in Canada.

To drive comfortably and safely, one needs to be on the crown side of a road or highway. In a LHD, you'll be on the off-side, an unnatural position. Imagine yourself driving in the passenger side while you're on the road now in Canada and think how unnatural it would feel. Unlike in Canada, parking in all business and commercial buildings here is paid, and whether it's by cash, ticket, swipecard or Touch n Go, and you need to be on the right side of the car to do it. Getting out and walking around each time you exit a parking lot is going to be weary, for you and the people behind you. LHD-specific mechanical parts, when needed, will have to be ordered in by the authorised dealers, and will take months to arrive. And when it comes time to off-load it by private buyer, trade-in, or used car dealer, you'll find no takers, and will have give it away or keep it forever.

Instead of spending money and effort shipping and importing it, why don't you use your one-and-only opportunity to import a car duty-free, to bring in a good one from the UK? You could even think about something exotic like an Aston Martin or Bentley. Like your Canadian job, friends, abode and way of life, your present car belongs in Canada-eh? :1:

 

[B33mEr]

^^ That's a very sound advice if i may say so :top:

 

[Iylia H]

you'd find it impossible to overtake cars on trunk roads, unless you put a big convex mirror at the side of the R-hand side door, showing on coming traffic.

 

[dmi3]

sorry bro ...bringging a LHD back home dont make no sense to me unless u plan on just having it parked in the house and shining it everyday with a occasional trip to mamak . Driving will be painful .
I kinda can imagine what ur planning to do simply because i drive a LHD when i go to work (abroad) and of course a RHD when im home .
Buy a RHD bro ....then bring it back home ...

 

[docrayboy]

Yeah, I concur with all the above......a few of my friends back from overseas under the new TalentCorp program( I heard you can bring in 2 brand new cars) brought in monster size BMWs like the biggest engines X6 and 7 series...it doesn't cost much there...and you get to enjoy them here.....others pay close to a million ringgit for the same cars...still I believe you have to use the cars for a minimum of 5 years before selling them off, so why not bring in the best/the biggest? Some of them came back and they are not even working in Malaysia now!-maybe officially on paper they are, but they are now holidaying(for 6 months!) in Florida! Talented people are bloody smart people too! hee hee....

 

[docrayboy]

Lets say dad owns a business in Malaysia...can he put down that he 's hiring you as the company's accountant?....come back under TalentCorp and don't actually work but reap all the benefits?...hee hee....

 

[haywire]

I believe under the returning experts programme you can bring in cars from other countries as well. Sell off your car and ask somebody from UK or Japan to ship another car back home tax free.

Double check the rules and conditions though.

 

[E39er]

Bro, you don't have to order from overseas. A friend of mine ordered a 535i M Sport and X5 from AB & BMW M'sia. They will place the order for you to Germany and import it in for you. You can even option the specs you want. But according to him you have to do it before you officially return to Msia for goodlah. Otherwise you can only order CKD.

 

[haywire]

i was talking about buying second hand as he was saying he wont get much from selling his current car.

 

[ahmike]

Hey guys, you are all so awesome. :rock:

I am just a newbie, not only did you all treat my inquiry with respect but all your responses were valuable and really opened my eyes. I have immediately made up my mind to get rid of my baby now and start planning for the next pampered child. :love: I feel so much better now letting my car go knowing that I have the opportunity to get something newer and better. Looks like the returning experts programme does indeed allow you to import a car from a third country if the originating country is LHD. :beer: Definitely going to do more homework before coming back. Besides BMW M'sia, do you all know any other dealers willing to import a car for you under any of the tax-free program?

 

[ahmike]

Thanks Schwepps, your reply is spot-on bro. Every point you touched on just reinforces the idea of what a bad idea it is to bring my car back. You sure know quite a lot about canada too eh? :wink:

I'll offer an opinion friend. It's not just about parts and maintenance. You need to consider whether you'll enjoy your baby here as much as in Canada.

To drive comfortably and safely, one needs to be on the crown side of a road or highway. In a LHD, you'll be on the off-side, an unnatural position. Imagine yourself driving in the passenger side while you're on the road now in Canada and think how unnatural it would feel. Unlike in Canada, parking in all business and commercial buildings here is paid, and whether it's by cash, ticket, swipecard or Touch n Go, and you need to be on the right side of the car to do it. Getting out and walking around each time you exit a parking lot is going to be weary, for you and the people behind you. LHD-specific mechanical parts, when needed, will have to be ordered in by the authorised dealers, and will take months to arrive. And when it comes time to off-load it by private buyer, trade-in, or used car dealer, you'll find no takers, and will have give it away or keep it forever.

Instead of spending money and effort shipping and importing it, why don't you use your one-and-only opportunity to import a car duty-free, to bring in a good one from the UK? You could even think about something exotic like an Aston Martin or Bentley. Like your Canadian job, friends, abode and way of life, your present car belongs in Canada-eh? :1:

 

[Schwepps]

Glad to be of assistance. Yeah, I've eaten a few butter tarts, made a few left turns on red, and parked in a few parkades in my time eh. :1:

All the lux marques here have separate MM2H/RE price lists. Just call their sales people and ask them to softcopy over. But do consider a used exotic from the UK as they're relatively cheap. If in your shoes, I would look for an Aston Martin. :1: