Is it possible to apply for financing for an imported car?
Yes, this is possible. When you are interested in a car on our website, you can easily indicate during the application process that you would like to finance. This way we know that you wish to finance and we will explain the process to you by telephone.
How do I apply for financing for an imported car?
When you are interested in a car on our website, you can easily indicate during the application process that you would like to finance. This way we know that you wish to finance and we will explain the process to you by telephone.
What do I pay at which moment, and to whom do I transfer the money?
As a rule you make two payments. The first payment is the purchase sum of the car and goes directly to the German seller; only with financial lease does this work differently, because then Das Import purchases the car itself. The second payment you make to Das Import and is intended for the import service and any BPM (Dutch vehicle registration tax).
When you transfer which amount depends on the chosen import package and on the arrangements made with the seller. Your import advisor explains this transparently beforehand, so that you know exactly which payment is intended for what and when it is due.
Would you like to know how this proceeds in your situation? Request a no-obligation quote or contact one of our import advisors.
Up to what amount can I finance an imported car?
With financial lease, you can finance the imported car to be leased up to a maximum of the purchase price excluding VAT, because as economic owner you can reclaim the VAT directly from the Belastingdienst. With private finance (private financing), you finance up to the purchase price including VAT. With both forms you pay a fixed monthly amount; the car costs such as repair, maintenance, insurance and road tax are at your own expense. For this, Das Import works together with a number of renowned providers of car financing.
Do I need annual figures to apply for business financing?
Not in all cases. One of the advantages of our business financing is that annual figures are not always required; some companies only need to provide information about their most recent financial year, which makes the process smoother and simpler. Das Import takes care of the required paperwork and administrative processes, and works together with various financial institutions and leasing companies.
Who is responsible for approving my financing?
The leasing company assesses the credit application. Das Import (importing cars from Germany to the Netherlands) has no responsibility for this.
What if my financing is rejected?
If your financing is rejected, we can look into whether it is possible to apply for a different car or to place the financing with another leasing company. Of course, we remain dependent on the leasing companies.
How does a payment work and is it safe?
At Das Import, payment is handled via a signed purchase agreement in which all relevant details are recorded: the parties, make/model, VIN, the actual mileage, the Erstzulassung and the warranty. We work exclusively with recognised brand dealers, so that you do not run the risk of paying in advance to an unknown party. This way you know exactly where you stand in advance and your payment is well secured.
Would you like to know how this works out for your situation? Feel free to request a no-obligation quote or contact one of our advisors.
Can I include a final instalment to reduce my monthly amount?
Yes. With car financing there is the option to include a final instalment, for example equal to the actual residual value, which reduces the monthly amount. It is also possible to offset a trade-in against the amount to be financed or to make a partial payment. This way you can tailor the financing to your personal or business situation.
Can I later transfer my car financing to another car?
Yes. If, after some time, you decide to buy another car, you can refinance the car financing on another vehicle at any time without having to pay penalties. So you are not obliged to keep driving the same vehicle throughout the entire term and have the flexibility to switch cars without extra costs or restrictions.
When do I have to pay for the car?
That depends on the chosen import package and the agreements with the seller. Our import advisers will clearly explain in advance how the payment process works.
Why is financing an imported car sometimes different from a Dutch car?
For an imported car, the Dutch registration must first be issued before many financing companies can complete the financing. We will guide you through this process.
Can I make additional repayments in the meantime?
This is possible with many financing arrangements. The conditions vary per financing company.
Can I also finance without a down payment?
That depends on the chosen financing and your personal situation.
What is more advantageous for me: buying or financing?
That depends on your financial situation, wishes and the use of the car. We are happy to think along with you about the various options.
Personal loan or private finance — what is the difference?
Both are private financing options; financial lease is exclusively for business use.
With a personal loan you borrow an amount without the car serving as collateral. You then purchase the car yourself from the seller and thereby remain legally the buyer, with the warranty position and the lower German VAT that come with it.
With private finance the car serves as collateral for the financing. This can sometimes get you a lower interest rate or an easier acceptance. However, with private finance the car must be purchased and delivered by an RDW (Dutch vehicle authority)-approved company. As a result, the VAT is on balance 2% higher: 21% instead of the German 19%.
So there is no single option that is always the best: it ultimately comes down to a tailored solution and depends on your situation, the amount and the term. Our import advisers will lay out the possibilities side by side for you on a case-by-case basis. The financing itself always runs through one of our partners.
Do you provide the financing yourselves?
No. Das Import does not provide financing itself; this always goes through our financing partners. We take care of the application and the coordination, so that the financing and the import align with each other.
For business customers this is financial lease, for private individuals private finance or a personal loan. The partner assesses the application and determines the interest rate, the term and the conditions.
Do I get one invoice or two?
That depends on who buys the car.
If you buy the car yourself, which is the case in most instances, then there are two invoices: one from the seller for the car and one from Das Import for the import package and the additional costs.
If Das Import buys the car — with financial lease, and with a fiscally new car if you are a private individual — then you receive one invoice from us for the total amount.
Your quote lists all items in advance, and your import adviser will tell you how the invoicing works in your case.
Is financing arranged through you registered with the BKR, and can I still finance if I have a BKR listing?
Private financing to consumers, such as a personal loan or private finance, is registered in the Netherlands with the BKR (Dutch credit registration bureau) in Tiel. This is a legally regulated standard and therefore also applies to financing arranged through our partners.
Whether an application with an existing or negative BKR listing is accepted, we cannot promise. The leasing company or credit provider assesses the application; Das Import has no responsibility for this and cannot influence the outcome.
However, it is worthwhile to discuss your situation in advance. It is tailor-made: whether a form has a chance depends on your situation, the amount and the term. Our import advisors set out the options side by side for you and submit the application with the right partner.
When and to whom do I pay the BPM for an import via Das Import?
BPM (Dutch vehicle registration tax) is a one-time registration tax that comes with registering the car on a license plate in the Netherlands. If you use one of our import packages, then Das Import submits the BPM declaration and the payment runs through us: so you do not transfer the BPM amount to the Belastingdienst (Dutch Tax Authorities) yourself. The same applies to the RDW (Dutch vehicle authority) fees; we pay those and they are included in the package price.
The declaration follows as soon as the vehicle data have reached the Belastingdienst after the RDW inspection. The BPM amount and our services must be paid before you collect the car from us.
Because the declaration is in the name of Das Import, the risk of a possible additional tax assessment lies with us and not with you.
Would you like to know what this means in your situation? Feel free to contact one of our import advisors.
How do I transfer the purchase amount to Germany and what should I pay attention to?
In most cases you buy directly from the German seller yourself and therefore transfer the amount yourself. This is normally done with an ordinary SEPA transfer in euros; within the SEPA zone this is a regular European transfer and no separate foreign-country charges apply as with a transfer outside Europe.
What you should pay attention to:
- Use only the details from the signed purchase agreement or the seller's invoice. If someone changes the account number by email, do not transfer anything and contact us.
- Check your bank's daily limit in advance. You can usually raise it temporarily, but arrange that in time.
- State the reference or invoice number, so that the seller can link your payment immediately.
Would you like to know exactly how the payment runs in your situation and which amount must be available when? Discuss this in advance with your import advisor.
Do I need to make a down payment to the German seller to secure the car?
Usually not. In a normal import process, we can generally first reserve the car for you briefly and then definitively secure it. Full payment to the German seller then only takes place shortly before the planned transport date.
Some German sellers do ask for a down payment (Anzahlung) before they definitively secure a car. Whether this is requested, how high the amount is and under which conditions it is refunded upon cancellation, varies per seller. We inquire about this for you and set out the arrangements clearly in advance, so that you know exactly where you stand.
Good to know: in most cases you buy directly from the German seller yourself, and any down payment also goes directly to that seller. Only with financial lease does this work differently.
Would you like to know what applies in your situation? Request a quote without obligation; our import advisor will go through it with you.
What interest rate and term do I get with financing through Das Import, and what does my monthly payment consist of?
The interest rate and the term are not fixed in advance: they depend on the chosen financing type, the finance company and your personal or business situation. We work together with various financial institutions and leasing companies and have a suitable financing proposal drawn up in advance. In it you see the monthly payment, the term and the conditions, so that you can compare the total costs.
Your monthly payment is broadly determined by:
- the amount to be financed, so the purchase price minus any down payment
- the term
- the interest rate
- any final installment, which lowers the monthly payment but must be paid at the end of the term
Request a proposal, and an import advisor will calculate it for you.
Which documents do I need to provide for a financing application and how quickly will I know whether it is approved?
Das Import does not provide financing itself. Your financing application is handled directly by our financing partner. Any privacy-sensitive documents, such as annual figures, bank details or other financial information, you provide directly to this party. Das Import does not collect or process these documents.
Which documents are needed depends on your situation and the type of financing. Our financing partner indicates which data and documents are needed and then assesses the application. The interest rate, term and other conditions are also determined by the financing partner.
Who becomes the owner of the car with a financing or financial lease, and can I sell the car during the term?
That differs per financing type.
- Personal loan: the loan is separate from the car. You are the full owner of the car and it does not serve as collateral for the loan. The borrowed amount is not specifically linked to the car.
- Private finance: the financing is linked to the car and it usually serves as collateral. If you want to sell or trade in the car during the term, there are often options for that, for example by paying off or adjusting the financing. The exact options and any costs differ per provider and contract.
- Financial lease: this is a business financing whereby the car serves as collateral. Paying off early, trading in or converting the financing to another car or another object is possible with some providers. The conditions and any costs differ per finance company.
Would you like to sell, trade in or replace the car during the term? Then always inquire in advance about the conditions of your finance company. With private finance and financial lease this may mean that the existing financing is first paid off or that it is adjusted to another car or another object.
Do I need to insure my car fully comprehensive (allrisk) if I finance it?
With financing where the car serves as collateral, such as private finance or financial lease, lenders usually set requirements for the insurance. In practice this comes down to comprehensive cover, usually all-risk, so that the value of the collateral remains covered. Which requirements exactly apply and whether a residual debt or GAP insurance is also required, differs per financier and per process. So inquire about this with one of our import advisors before you sign, so that you are not faced with surprises.
Das Import does not advise on insurance itself, but is happy to put you in contact with our regular intermediary. They can give you suitable advice and often a sharp quote based on the purchase value instead of the new value.
Can I include the BPM and the other import costs in the financing, or only the purchase price of the car?
Yes. In addition to the purchase price of the car, the BPM (Dutch vehicle registration tax) and the other import costs, such as the import package, transport and the RDW inspection, can also be included directly in the financing.
Only the VAT cannot be co-financed in the case of business financing and must be paid by you yourself. In the case of private financing, this exception does not apply.
So in principle you can finance the full amount needed for the purchase and import of the car.
What does your service cost and how is it charged?
Our service has one fixed package price, depending on what you choose. The Registratie package costs € 699,99 incl. VAT, the Standaard package € 1.699,99 incl. VAT, the Versneld package € 1.899,99 incl. VAT and the Deluxe package € 2.399,99 incl. VAT. In addition, a surcharge applies for a van or delivery vehicle (€ 250,00 excl. VAT) and, for a purchase sum above € 40.000, an extension of the all-risk coverage (€ 75,00 excl. VAT).
We do not charge a margin that you cannot trace: per package our packages page shows what each component is worth. As a result, you pay less than the sum of the individual components.
Before anything is charged, you receive a clear specification and an underlying agreement in which all arrangements are recorded. You pay the costs in accordance with those arrangements before delivery of the car.
What tax advantages do I have as an entrepreneur when financing an imported car?
If you buy the car as a business and opt for financial lease, then your company has the economic ownership: the car goes onto your balance sheet and you depreciate it yourself. The interest in the monthly amount is booked as a business expense; the repayment portion is not. If you are liable for VAT, you enter the VAT on the purchase in one go in your VAT return instead of monthly. The facilitation costs of € 350 excluding VAT in the case of a financing or lease arrangement are part of the price build-up.
If you purchase the car privately, then financial lease is not possible and the VAT deduction lapses.
How exactly it works out in your return depends on your company and any private use; discuss this with your accountant. Our import advisers are happy to place the financing forms side by side for you.
