A SAD DAY……
With yet more anti-Westerner laws being passed here recently, this time on vehicle ownership, I have reluctantly decided to sell my beloved Transalp. It all started a few years back with 40% capital gains tax on foreign-owned property.
At the peak 23,000 foreigners resided full-time (All year round) in Turkey, dropping to 17,000 in the last census in 2008 after the property tax came in to being. Now if you want to buy a scooter/motorbike/car in Turkey as a foreigner, you have to pay a visa fee of 1,000 Lira (400 GBP) – 600 USD) per year, per person. If you don’t want to pay the new visa fees and simply go in and out of Turkey every 90 days then you can no longer own, buy or sell any vehicle.
The new law does not clearly state the ”Status” of all the thousands of vehicles all ready bought by expats residing in Turkey prior to the new law, other than, ”You own it but you can’t own it.” Its all a bit of a silly mess, so to avoid any future problems owning my very expensive bike, I have decided to reluctantly sell the ”Old girl” and buy a cheap two-wheeled run around, then I won’t care if confiscation should arise. Changes have also been made to foreigners bringing vehicles in from outside of Turkey on the 6 month temporary import rule, I now no longer have that option either……Sell and be safe!!!
Today I started the preparation for selling, I asked Theo to place an advert on the internet for me at the end of the week, but firstly I had the Aux. lights wired up today, just a basic wire job now I’m selling the bike.
Just a simple in-line fused lead straight of the battery to a switch drilled in the dash.
One evening this week after dark I will align the lights properly.
TRAVELS WITH MY MOTORBIKE AROUND TURKEY, EUROPE AND AFRICA 
Be sooo sad to see her go 😦
So is Montie safe from the cull?
Hi Nikos,
Yep Montie is safe….His value is a lot less than my bike, I’m happy to loose a little should that event arise but not happy to loose a lot!!
Cheers,
Dave….
😦
Think we’ll end up travelling around Europe in the bus rather than in a country that clerly doesn’t want us!!!
Hi Antie Bev,
Its always a risk living in a frontier country….but they still want our money though, surly that must count for something lol 🙂 I’ve decided to play it cautious here, just incase, I’ve got 4 months before my visa expires to sell the old girl, after that it all gets a bit murky…some municipalities will let you buy/sell if you’ve had residency in the past and some will not…just a silly mess now lol.
Cheers,
Dave….
should have said living in a country that doesn’t want us………
Hmm….a mate at work was looking to retire to the sun. Spain still a bit expensive but way cheaper than it used to be, he looked at Turkey and Tunisa decided it was risky to buy there, he bought a cheap little 3 bed place in Bulgaria just 12 grand!!!
sorry its ending this way but better safe than sorry mate!!
Hi Stan,
Yeah Spain still got further to drop yet…Spain could be very interesting in a year or two….by comparison 1.1 million Brits, 800,000 Germans plus a million or so other Nationalities, totaling almost 3 million foreigners live full time in Spain….just 17,000 full timers here, I’m not ready to give up here yet, its the National elections in Turkey in 2012, although its unlikely, there is a chance they could get a sober government here.
Just got to wait and see 2012 is not far away!!
Cheers,
Dave…..
Sorry the ”Old girl” has got to go….any idea whats next, a scooter perhaps?? I hear Bulgaria is very pro Western and very pro EU, and cheap as chips!! I cant think of any muslim country that pro Western for more than 5 minutes.
Hi Owen,
Scooter???…I learned to work a clutch with my left hand when I was 15 years old, plus those little wheels are just terrible on the bumpy potholed roads here…it will be a proper bike, but cheap perhaps a local made one like Linda’s or I might not bother getting one, just rent a bike or car when I want to go somewhere, then all these daft new rules wont effect me at all.
Cheers,
Dave….
Dave:
OH NO, looks like we will scrub our Turkey Plans. As Bev said, no point in giving $$ to a country who doesn’t want you, but wants your $$.
At least Bev has a VW bus. can it sleep 4 or 6 ? Might be a fun trip.
Dave, sorry to see your bike go. Is it possible for someone local to purchase it and insure you as the principal rider ? Come on . . . there must be a loop hole somewhere
bob
bobskoot: wet coast scootin
Hi Bob,
No, that law got changed also, only husband/wife/kids thats it…the other rouse used by expats was to buy a cheap old (50 to 80% less than Turkey) car/bike from either Greece or Bulgaria, drive it in for 6 months, take it out sell it cheap and pick up another old car and repeat the cycle, but they closed that door now also if you have had a residency visa.
They have designed it to squeeze more money out of the expats here but its going to have the opposite effect judging by the coversations we are having with other Brits here, the lucky ones (Who rent) are leaving (4 going last week) those who have bought here are stuck, its very common for a property here to be up for sale 2, 3, 4 or even 5 years and it will finally get sold for much less than the asking price. It all could have been so different here, but thats governments for you!!!
I’m not going to take any chances here Bob, I’ve lived/worked in East Asia and the Middle East before coming here, seen all this bleed the foreigners dry before – people just leave and find another place in the sun, taking their money and foreign investments with them of course.
So at the moment theres no clear way round the problem, the first accident in the country involving a Brit in a ”You can own it but you cant own it” car has happened here in my town, the police response so far is ”There is a problem” so we are all waiting to see what happens to the poor women….And will her insurance still pay.
Anyway thought I would get me a low value bike, then if it all goes pear shaped here later on I’m not going to loose much money…….ALSO would it not be quite some achievement to ride from Turkey to England on a 125 or 250cc machine 🙂
Cheers,
Dave….
Dave:
on ADVrider.com there are stories everywhere of people riding across America on their 49cc Honda Ruckass.
Imagine your new Identity . . .
Travels with a Honda Ruckass around Turkey and throughout Europe.
sort of has a nice ring to it
bob
bobskoot: wet coast scootin
Hi Bob,
Yeah it does have a kind of ring to it, I can do better than 49cc though, that would feel like walking after being 2 years on the Transalp lol…..Did a bit more cleaning today but it was too hot by the afternoon and we had to come in, I wrote the advert out for Theo….
Bit more news on the poor woman who is the first to have an accident under the new ”You own it but you cant own it” laws, her husband says that her insurance company are trying to wriggle off the hook, surprise, surprise!!!!
Cheers,
Dave….
Sorry to hear your news mate, some countries never learn the power of foreign investment, Turkey has been in the newspapers here with tales of woe from Brits.From what I’ve read in the past its a risky place to put your money in a holiday home, are you renting or are you stuck with a place to sell, I’ve read there are lots of returning Brits. Hope all goes well for you mate, I enjoy reading your blog and agree with Bob, get a 50cc stick two fingers up at them and tour the World on it.
James
Hi James,
Yes its true what you’ve read about the property market here, the bubble burst in Turkey in 2007 with the 40%CGT for foreigners, been sinking ever since. The worst affected places are Western Turkey Altinkum, Didm, Kusadasi prices are back to 2005 levels. According to the Turkish real estate association 5 Brits per week in Altinkum alone give up and head to some other country, the trouble is that 5 more are not coming in to buy their properties, so its getting very cheap up there, this latest tax and restrictions on foreigners will not help the situation as most here are elderly on fixed State pensions from UK, also the cost of living has shot up dramatically here, food is cheaper in the UK now.
I’m renting, so I’m unaffected by most of the problems, and will stay renting!!!!
I’m still not sure I like the idea of a 50cc, but the two fingers definitely has appeal LOL.
yeah get a ped and stick two fingers up (Dont forget to take photos)
….LOL
Cheers Stan…
it is not just foreigners that they are hitting for the extra money. My husband who is Turkish was the proud owner of a honda bike, car and a normal motorcycle. I nearly fell off my chair the other week when he said he was selling the car and Honda bike as he loves them. Sold the bike and also put the car up for sale. Just can not afford to run them anymore. Everything is going up.
Hi Altinkum,
Yes its such a shame how Turkey is being ruined, I wish the elections were nearer than 2012 I dont know a single person who has anything good to say about the current party in power, if they win again in 2012 its over with!!!….it all could have been so different here as I’m sure you know….I feel your husbands pain, I really love my bike and was planning more Europe and Syria/Jordan adventures.
Fingers crossed for 2012 lol,
Cheers,
Dave…..