UK right-hand-drive
Road use may be permitted subject to technical conditions. First-registration eligibility for a new commercial import remains unresolved in this research.
A cross-border used-car business
The Moldolga
Venture.
A practical assessment of UK sourcing, Moldovan import requirements and the economics of a first shipment.
Proposed trade corridor
Great Britain
to Moldova
GBEU TRANSITMD
Professional transport via Europe and Romania, with permanent import through the local business partner.
The recommendation
Conditional pilot onlyProve the sourcing advantage
before committing capital.
The sampled UK retail offers do not support a reliable margin. Consider one unusually well-priced, factory-left-hand-drive car only after registration, landed cost and achievable sale price are confirmed. See the purchase gates.
Used passenger carsExisting importerNo salvage or conversionsNo new retail premises
02 / Feasibility first
Customs clearance, permission to use the road and permanent registration are separate tests. A low purchase price cannot resolve a registration problem.
Factory left-hand-drive
The viable pilot route, subject to VIN-specific acceptance, complete title and technical records, and a sufficiently low acquisition price.
Steering conversions
No approved, costed conversion route has been established. Technical, safety and resale uncertainty make this unsuitable for the pilot.
Tax position used: the research applies the 2026 passenger-car VAT exemption and continuing excise regime. Re-price every 2027 clearance against the final enacted rules.
Read the legal and operational assessment03 / Commercial structure
Three alternative arrangements for the same illustrative 2026 car. The total economics stay the same; funding, control and risk move between the parties.
Preferred for first shipment
Outright sale
The importer buys at an agreed wholesale price. Cleared payment before dispatch limits the exporter's exposure to the local retail sale.
£600Exporter contribution
£571Importer contribution
More owner capital at risk
Fixed partner fee
The owner funds the stock and retains the resale result. The partner earns a £400 fee, with £150 of assumed internal work cost.
£921Owner contribution
£250Partner net contribution
A defined shared upside
70 / 30 profit share
Documented costs and partner work are reimbursed first. The positive residual is split 70/30; loss allocation must be agreed separately.
£820Owner contribution
£351Partner net contribution
Illustrative per-car contributions before annual fixed costs and entity tax. Wholesale assumes a £6,500 DAP invoice; all three arrangements reconcile to approximately £1,171 combined contribution. They are alternatives, not cumulative charges. No partner terms have been agreed.
See the cost and profit waterfall04 / Financial outlook
Conditional first-year scenarios for retained ownership with a fixed partner fee. The model assumes compliant stock bought below the sampled retail offers.
All nine original financial scenarios · October 2026–September 2027
| Capital | Case | Cars sold | Owner operating profit | Partner net | Owner after labour | Minimum cash | Peak stock funds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
£15,000 | Downside | 1 | −£3,880 | £200 | −£4,840 | £4,899 | £9,051 |
£15,000 | Base | 4 | £633 | £1,000 | −£1,767 | £6,121 | £8,196 |
£15,000 | Upside | 6 | £9,268 | £1,500 | £5,908 | £6,773 | £7,691 |
£30,000 | Downside | 1 | −£3,880 | £200 | −£4,840 | £19,899 | £9,051 |
£30,000 | Base | 6 | £2,040 | £1,500 | −£1,320 | £13,433 | £16,392 |
£30,000 | Upside | 10 | £16,763 | £2,500 | £11,483 | £17,443 | £15,381 |
£60,000 | Downside | 1 | −£3,880 | £200 | −£4,840 | £49,899 | £9,051 |
£60,000 | Base | 12 | £6,263 | £3,000 | £23 | £18,844 | £40,981 |
£60,000 | Upside | 22 | £39,247 | £5,500 | £28,207 | £24,371 | £38,453 |
October 2026–September 2027. Own operating profit includes setup, fixed costs and the partner fee, but excludes owner pay and entity/personal tax. Future clearances use the 2026 rate schedule at the older vehicle age as a placeholder. Outcomes are not secured sales or forecasts.
Owner time changes the picture. The original £15,000 base case returns −£1,767 after valuing owner labour, before entity tax. All nine cases above show the owner’s result after labour; the full cost assumptions and monthly projections appear in the financial research chapter.
Original £15,000 base monthly projection
£15,000 · Base · Oct 2026–Sep 2027
All amounts GBP. Vehicle cash out includes all per-car cost budgets. Unsold stock funds are a management cost balance; profit is recognised on sale. Figures round to whole pounds.
| Month | Buy # | Sell # | Vehicle cash out | Receipts | Partner fee | Fixed | Own profit | End cash | Unsold stock funds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oct 26 |
1 |
0 |
7,979 |
0 |
0 |
750 |
-750 |
6,271 |
7,979 |
Nov 26 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
150 |
-150 |
6,121 |
7,979 |
Dec 26 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
9,300 |
400 |
150 |
771 |
14,871 |
0 |
Jan 27 |
1 |
0 |
8,196 |
0 |
0 |
150 |
-150 |
6,525 |
8,196 |
Feb 27 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
150 |
-150 |
6,375 |
8,196 |
Mar 27 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
9,300 |
400 |
150 |
554 |
15,125 |
0 |
Apr 27 |
1 |
0 |
8,196 |
0 |
0 |
150 |
-150 |
6,779 |
8,196 |
May 27 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
150 |
-150 |
6,629 |
8,196 |
Jun 27 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
9,300 |
400 |
150 |
554 |
15,379 |
0 |
Jul 27 |
1 |
0 |
8,196 |
0 |
0 |
150 |
-150 |
7,033 |
8,196 |
Aug 27 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
150 |
-150 |
6,883 |
8,196 |
Sep 27 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
9,300 |
400 |
150 |
554 |
15,633 |
0 |
05 / Pilot & decisions
Use the first shipment to establish actual costs, registration acceptance and cash collection. More available capital is not a reason to buy more cars.
- Confirm the transaction before buying.
Choose factory LHD, obtain VIN-specific technical acceptance, firm transport and customs quotes, and completed-sale comparables.
- Complete two one-car cycles.
Reconcile the purchase, export, clearance, retail sale and cleared remittance. Target at least £700 contribution per car after the partner fee.
- Scale only on demonstrated results.
Keep at least 20% liquidity. The base plan allows 1, 2 or 5 concurrent cars after two successful cycles for £15k, £30k or £60k capital.
Before the first purchase
Partner identity, authority, bank and tax status verified
Written registration and technical route for the VIN
Itemised customs, transport and insurance quotes
Supported sale price and a wholesale exit value
Signed payment, repair, fee and loss-allocation terms
Clean title, history and independent inspection
Pause if a gate is missing or the margin falls below the hurdle. Obtain an exit quote at day 60 and make a price or exit decision at day 90.
Partner discussion
Open the responsibility checklist and partner questions
Agree who buys the car, who funds each stage, what evidence supports the sale price and when cash is remitted. These decisions come before selecting a VIN.