Buying cars outside of Switzerland online

I found a website which offers a service of buying new cars in countries where prices are much lower than Switzerland and importing them to Switzerland for customers. Sounds like a great deal (more than 1000 francs cheaper altogether than the price tag at Swiss dealers). Would you recommend using an online service like this?

Hi there,

Buying a new car outside of Switzerland and importing it can, in some cases, work out cheaper than buying cars at large Swiss dealers. Using a professional import service to collect, import and deliver the car adds to the cost, but can save you a lot of time and adminstrative work.

However, you should avoid making a large transaction like this through a third-party service provider unless you are sure that the service is trustworthy. Find out if the import service is registered in Switzerland, has a local office and falls under consumer credit laws. Membership in a Swiss importers association such as the Verband Freier Autohandel Schweiz (VFAS) is also a good sign.

Whatever you do, do not transfer money to an unidentified dealer up front. Reputable dealers will generally accept cash on delivery.

Bear in mind that importers may use very unfavorable exchange rates when converting your Swiss francs to the local currency in the country where the car is purchased. If you handle the purchase and import yourself, you can change the money at your bank or using a peer to peer exchange service to avoid this markup.

If you plan to import a foreign car into Switzerland, you should understand that the original warranty and service plans will probably be affected. Some importers provide their own warranties and service plans when you import a car through them.

Best regards from Moneyguru

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