Posting to Cyprus costing a fortune!!!

danlojo

All of our friends who have been posted out there have bought a cheap runaround. It's just not worth stressing over having a new car and panicking if it's going to be damaged etc. (and it probably will with the roads and local drivers!)

Personally, after having served 24 years in the Forces myself, I'd be more than happy that I was off to a sunny posting:jirrespective of cost! Unfortunatley for me the sunny postings have been Iraq (three times) and Germany.:mad:

Enjoy it, most dont get the chance.

lee634

paul9619 wrote: »

I just find it amazing that the military do not provide any funding to help with the costs,

Next you'll be want them to pay for a new car for you, come on get a grip, Whilst it may be 2009 and most people have cars, since when was it their responsibility to provide you with a ways and means to get around,

Tally-Ho_2

Things must have changed in Cyprus since the 1980's and 90's.

Back then the car dealers almost used to almost meet you at the Air Terminal at Akrotiri and give you a 'gizzit' car to run around in prior to ordering a new car a few weeks or months later. More or less everywhere had a local car salesman working on base and often your own section would have a gizzit arranged for you when you arrived.

You could play the dealers off against each other over these 'gizzit' cars and run them for a fair few months before committing to buying a new duty free car.

I suppose with Cyprus joining the EU it has ended 'duty free' cars etc although thinking about it, the SBA's are not actually part of the EU (according to Wikipedia)?. Are duty free goods/cars etc still available to servicemen/women out there?

Tally

davilown

paul9619 wrote: »

I am soon to be posted to Cyprus and I am looking at either buying a car there or shipping mine over.

The cost of both is actually really expensive. I find it amazing that serving personnel who get posted abroad should actually end up out of pocket. After a bit of research here are my current options:

Option 1. Ship my current car out there (Volvo S60 2.0L) costing £1000 to ship and then around £900 to register with the Cypriot authorities.

Option 2. Sell my current car and then buy an alternative out in Cyprus. Upon looking in the Cypriot autotrader buying an equivelent to my car would cost around 9000 - 11000 Euros (which is pretty much the same in pounds) So the prices at the moment are very expensive. I would sell my car for around £3500, so I would need to downgrade to a clapped out old ford fiesta or something like that (No chance)

Option 3. Sell my current car. Buy a car in the UK that is less than a 1.6L engine and then pay £1000 to ship it and then it will cost around £300 to register.

Option 4. Don't even bother with a car (Yeah like that should be allowed to happen)

The point I am trying to make is that I am either going to be out of pocket around £1500 or I am going to have to substantially downgrade to a really old car. The only allowance you get is your normal Disturbance allowance of £1000 (Which is supposed to cover other expenses) and your LOA allowance in Cyprus, which again covers you for the expensive prices of food etc in Cyprus.

Pretty shocking really that the Military do not fit some of the bill for shipping a car.

Anyway rant over. Maybe there is an allowance I am unaware of

OUT OF POCKET? You're having a laugh mate - Your LOA is for cost of living not just food, and that includes running a car etc. Petrol is half the price of over here, tax is cheaper.

Oh and your LOA is tax free. If you are worried about the cost of a car when posted to sunny Cyprus, then don't go and let someone who wants to go.

The last five people from my trade who were out last year made a net profit of between £14k-£24k ( in savings over three years) and they had at least one car if not two.

People are suffering in the real world and don't appreciate people who moan about having to buy a car when they get a lot extra money anyway. You are giving the rest of us a bad name.

In fact, try a cycle or scooter.

CHR15

Hasn't the guy you are taking over from got one??

People I know normally go out and take over the banger from the guy you are relieving, then you pass it on to your relief.