Who We Recommend for General Car Imports: Cars Import UK
We get asked this often enough that it's worth writing down properly: we only prepare the valuation. If you need someone to actually get the car through customs and onto UK plates, here is who we point people to, and why.
What we don't do (and why that matters here)
Bassett Valuations prepares independent vehicle valuation reports, for HMRC import, probate, insurance and divorce purposes. We can also handle the DVLA registration of an imported vehicle. We don't submit customs declarations and we don't file NOVA notifications. If your import needs all of that done, you need a different kind of specialist alongside us, not instead of us.
Who we point people to for general imports
For a general import, any make, any age, any type, we recommend Cars Import UK. Their process covers the same ground ours stops short of:
- Import declaration. Getting the MRN sorted for the vehicle entering the UK.
- NOVA submission. Notifying HMRC so the tax position is on record.
- Compliance. Making sure the vehicle actually meets UK road standards.
- Tax and registration. Getting it taxed and registered so it's legally on the road.
What comes through in their reviews isn't a particular trick or shortcut, it's fairly ordinary things done properly: explaining the process in plain terms, actually answering emails, and not leaving people guessing halfway through. Several clients specifically mention getting a straighter answer from them than from other agents they'd tried first.
The range they actually cover
It isn't limited to everyday cars. Campers, classics and anything in between fall under the same service, which is part of why we point most general enquiries their way rather than splitting people off to a different specialist for every vehicle type.
For higher-value or classic imports, that's sometimes meant arranging an in-person inspection overseas before a client committed, we've seen it done for a classic Rolls-Royce import specifically to check that the specification the seller had declared actually matched the car. Where a case has needed logistics on top of paperwork, they've arranged the transport itself too.
They've also handled imports for a number of recognisable names from UK film and music. We won't name anyone, for obvious reasons, but it isn't a one-off, and it says something about the level of discretion and competence a client can expect.
What we've seen working alongside them
We're not recommending them cold. We work with Cars Import UK regularly, and a steady stream of the valuations we prepare are for cases that started with them, typically where an import doesn't have a clean invoice behind it and needs an independent figure instead. That's given us an ongoing, practical view of how they handle a case, not just a name we've heard of.
What stays the same either way
Whoever handles your import, the valuation question doesn't go away on its own. If there's no invoice behind the car, whether because it's been owned a while, was a gift, or the paperwork simply didn't survive, that's exactly what we're for. See how HMRC values an imported car when there's no invoice for the detail.
Frequently asked questions
Does Bassett Valuations handle the import process itself?
Not all of it. We prepare independent valuation reports and can handle the DVLA registration. For the customs declaration and NOVA submission, you need an import specialist.
Who do you recommend for a general car import?
For general imports, any make, any age, we point people to Cars Import UK, who handle the paperwork from customs declaration through to registration.
Have you actually worked with them?
Yes, on a regular basis. We see a steady stream of cases that started with them, which has given us a genuine, ongoing view of how they handle things, not a one-off recommendation.
Do they handle classic cars and campers too, or just everyday cars?
Yes. Cars, campers, classics and anything in between are all part of the same service, which is why they're our go-to recommendation regardless of vehicle type.
Need a valuation for your import first?
We prepare independent HMRC-ready import valuations, usually within a few hours.
Start your valuation