Hi,

I really did not find answer to this. So first of all I do not want to bring my car on blue, MB-Z, etc plates. I want as a working or student visa resident (still dont know what it will be) to regularly import my car by paying all taxes so it is normal car like ones soled here in Turkey with which I can do everything I can do with for example used car I bought here with all taxes payed (drive it indefinitely, sell, leave it at home alone , etc. ).

1. Can I do it as foreigner at all?
2. How much would it cost approximately for Alfa romeo year 2004. 2.0 gasoline or 2.4 diesel (examples for any car would be great)?
3. Do I pay any additional taxes yearly and how much for gasoline, how much for diesel?
4. Can I do that while my car is here within 6 allowed months and after that simply continue to use it?
5. Can I drive that car to any country I want and return to Turkey after with it?
6. How much are additional costs except customs and taxes, like paperwork, registration and tax for 1st year, etc.?
7. Is there any company which would do all paperwork for me, and at what cost?
8. Am I crazy for trying this, and why?

Thanks

3. Motorlu Taşıtlar Vergisi (Road Tax). For a 2.0 or 2.4 car (doesn't matter diesel or not), 4-6 yrs old = 1950TL, 7-11yrs old = 1220TL. Paid annually in two installments. Taxes increase dramatically for engine sizes higher than 1.6lt.

6. To give you a rough idea, if you were buying an Alfa 159 1.9 JTD new, you'd pay 1270TL in registration, plate and all these small taxes and things. This does not include the VAT and Special Consumption Tax (whatever that means), which comprise roughly 60% of the 40000eu asking price. If you want to "import" your car, I guess they'd charge you all of these taxes plus the customs tax, though my guess is also that the taxation would be over the "market price of your used car". Don't know how they'd determine that if you have a Spider or something similar.

8. Probably. I don't know all the details involved (I'm native), but I find that many expats ask these questions and then go buy a car here on a "normal" (i.e., not blue or anything) plate eventually.

Thanks a lot laxula.
3. Does this road tax include insurance, and everything else. I mean for 2.0 or 2.4 engine, how much I pay annually for everything (all costs)?
6. So I need to pay about 1500 TL for registration, plates, etc. Also pay 60% of the price they say is current one + I pay customs tax, which is?
8. Well actually I also want to bring in car and drive it on normal plate. I dont intend to avoid customs tax or any other tax, actually it is same like buying car locally, but why should I risk when I can maybe import car I know is very good and pay all taxes and have it like I bought it there.

Anyway if I need to pay yearly 1950 (Road tax) + 1500 (registration and insurance) about 3500 TL it makes me consider only 1.6 engine . If I import 1.6 engine car, is everything less expensive regarding Special Consumption tax, customs tax, etc.?

Thanks again for helping out, btw where are you in Turkey, which city?

3. Mwaahhahaha. You made my day. Mwahahahhahaaaa. Sorry, the gov't just announced yet another hike in petrol prices, which used to be "the most expensive in the world", but now is simply "might-just-as-well-mug-us-while-you're-at-it". So I'm a bit carried away.

Anyway, back to your question. No, it does not include everything. Day-in-day-out motoring has three different costs attached to it (other than servicing and petrol of course, which is extortionate): road tax, compulsory basic insurance (covers third party) and optional but much more expensive car insurance (covers your car and you for all eventualities). Road tax I just told you for your Alfa; compulsory basic insurance is roughly fixed to about 100tl per annum and the optional insurance can be anything. It depends on gender, age, car, city etc etc. For my 2006 Mazda 3 with three years no-claims bonus I pay less than 600TL per annum. As a very rough guess you would pay three times as much for the 2.4, maybe more - I assume your car would be valued much higher than mine anyway. There's the occasional MOT, exhaust emissions test etc but they hassle you for these every other year or so. And there's the petrol prices which are mind-boggling.

6. I honestly wouldn't know about the customs tax rate. And your maths should be more like this:
your car's current estimated value = 20k eu.
special cons tax and VAT = 30k eu
final cost = 50k eu (%60 of which is taxation)

But don't take my word for it, the math above applies to new cars, it might be different for importing second hand cars and customs processes are labyrinthine here. You would be well off seeking the services of local customs agents. I know one who helped us with bringing in household items, they might know about the procedures involved for cars. Be warned though, customs agents are no better than the used cars salesmen when it comes to perceived trustworthiness.

8. I didn't mean you want to dodge tax, sorry if that was how it came across. All I say is that people seem to be daunted by the costs and red tape involved and opt for buying a car locally - albeit at higher than usual prices but with a perspective to sell them in a few years' time locally, minimising the total "loss".

And yes, 1.6 cars are considered "normal", hence a MUCH lower tax band (more like %40 of total asking price when buying new and road tax is more like a quarter of the 2.4 engine). Anything bigger will be considered "luxurious" and will be taxed progressively higher - new tax band for every 0.2 to 0.4lt increase.

BTW, sorry, the quoted road taxes in my previous post are for 2.4 engine only. For 2.0 engines, reduce 2.4 taxes by a third.

No worries, glad to help.

I'm in Ankara. Which sucks. So does the petrol prices. Bah humbug.

Hi,

Thanks for all the info, I am really grateful to you. Can you just tell me where can I check exactly all these costs for the car I want to buy? Also where can I check exactly monthly costs for my car?

Thanks again!

Hi, I'm coming in on this thread very late, so please forgive me if I am repeating earlier posts.
I am coming over in April for 6 months and want to buy a car from a Turkish dealer. I have been reading rumours on other forums about having to have a residency visa in order to buy a car.
Last July I went to the Yabanci in Izmir and got my 3 month extension visa, because I had driven my UK car across.
Two questions:
1 Is the above info correct as I believed that it had been changed two years ago, meaning you didnt need a residency visa to buy a car
2 Am I able to go to the Turkish consulate in London to purchase a 6 month residence visa, rather than get my 3 month tourist visa on arrival and go to the Yabanci after 3 months to add a further 3 months.
Sorry for the ramble, but any advice is deeply appreciated

Sorry for the late reply. The following websites will help you but they're all in Turkish I'm afraid.

Annual motoring costs:
- road tax: https://intvd(dot)gib(dot)gov.tr/internetvd/index.jsp choose MTV sorgulama
- obligatory basic insurance: http://www(dot)sigortam.net/arac/trafik2/1.asp
- optional (but highly recommended) comprehensive insurance: sigortam(dot)net is a good starting point.

If you want to check the car prices (new) then you should check them by make. Try adding .tr at the end of known makes and it should be ok. e.g. www(dot)(xxx).tr. For second hand cars, www.sahibinden(dot)com is a good starting point.

Monthly costs: I didn't quite get what you mean by that. petrol costs or something else?

Hi,

Thanks again for all the info, I am now considering buying here 1.6 car in the beginning, although I am used to something completely different

By monthly costs I meant everything except service and petrol (like tax, registration, insurance).

I really appreciate all your help I wish you best in your life.