Vehicle rules

This page sets out the vehicles that are suitable for the Mongolia Charity Rally 2009:

The ethos of Charity Rallies is well described as generous adventuring. For the 2009 Mongolia Charity Rally we have decided to extend this to the choice of vehicles our participants are allowed to take. We want you to take vehicles that are either useful or valuable to Mongolia, and preferably both.

Mongolia Charity Ralliers are therefore encouraged to take part in this adventure using working or emergency vehicles.

The Mongolian government is tightening the rules on vehicle import in order to limit the high volume of older cars coming into the country. Unfortunately we are directly affected by this and so have to limit the other types of vehicle that are eligible to take part in the rally.

The tax issue - why do we have these limits?

There are three taxes that a vehicle imported to, and sold in, Mongolia is normally subject to. Go Help are assured an exemption on the Customs tax and VAT as we are raising proceeds for charity. The status of the third strand of tax, the import tax, is unclear. Mongolia wants to keep bad cars off the roads and they see this as an effective deterrent. Working vehicles and motorbikes are offered exemptions, other vehicles are generally not. While we will continue to strain every sinew to gain an exemption we must assume that we will not succeed in doing so.

With the tax uncertain, we want to encourage teams to bring vehicles we expect will fall within the import tax exemption, as the Children's Development and Protection Fund (CDPF), the Mongolian charity to whom the vehicles are donated, will be able to raise more money this way. Working and emergency vehicles, along with motorbikes, are the most likely to gain exemption.To show you how this can impact on the rally the table showing import tax payable based on the age and the size of engine is shown below. For instance if you are taking in a 15 year old 4x4, with an engine size of greater than 2500cc, then CDPF, our main charity partner in Mongolia, could be liable for $4000 of import tax - we are keen to avoid this, as CDPF will lose a lot of the funds that we are all trying to raise for charitable projects in Mongolia.

Vehicle brand guidance

We are not going to limit the brands of vehicle that are eligible but it is worth pointing out that the following manufacturers maintain a presence in Mongolia, so parts are more easily obtainable and the vehicles attain a higher sale value. Thus we encourage you to consider them more closely.

• Ford
• Toyota
• Mercedes
• Landrover

The Rules for 2009

All vehicles must be submitted to Charity Rallies for approval through our online approval system. If you are unsure we suggest you ask us about the suitability of a vehicle before buying it as we cannot be flexible on borderline candidates.

The following vehicles will be approved for entry to the Mongolia Charity Rally 2009:

Commercial and Working Vehicles

These include vans, pickup trucks, minibuses, lorries, or even an HGV if you want! We want vehicles that are going to be useful to Mongolians.

Eligible

• Minibuses with more than 12 seats
• Vans and 4x4s with no back windows
• Pickups, HGVs and lorries
• Vehicles with a specific working adaptation (e.g. ambulances)
• Vehicles with an open back (pickups)
• Vehicles with official proof of a working life (that will be acceptable to Mongolian customs)

Not eligible

• vehicles with windows in the back (unless they qualify through another criterion)
• 4x4s (unless they qualify through another criterion)
• Vehicles over 15 years old (unless exceptionally good examples)
• Vehicles with over 100,000 miles on the clock (unless exceptionally good examples)

Border restrictions

• No border restrictions
• Non 4x4s entering Mongolia by the western border will be asked to pay a higher deposit
• Minibuses are limited to the Northern (Altanbulag) border only

It is worth noting that this is a very wide category; teams must bring a model in good condition but budget vehicles such as Bedford Rascals are acceptable. We would also like to particularly encourage Vauxhall Combos because of their popularity and usefulness in Mongolia. All vehicles within this category MUST be in good working condition, and preferably under 15 years old.

Emergency vehicles

All emergency vehicles, provided they are in good working order. These are included within the category of working vehicles, but are included in a separate category to give them suitable priority. Suitable vehicles will include any 4x4/bike/car that is equipped for transporting casualties to hospital. We would encourage vehicles to be in good working order. Contact us if you would like advice on how to get hold of an emergency vehicle.

Border restrictions

• Northern (Altanbulag) order only

Hybrids

All hybrids (dual fuel vehicles) are tax exempt and thus eligible.

Border restrictions

Border restrictions will depend on engine size. Please contact us if you intend on taking one of these vehicles

Motorbikes

All motorbikes. These are really useful to the herders, and tax exempt, so we are actively encouraging vehicles in this category.

Border restrictions

• No border restriction

4x4s under 10 years old (with deposit)

A deposit equivalent to the tax liable will be taken for these vehicles. See the table above for tax rates. The deposit will only be returned to you if you do not enter Mongolia, or in the event that a tax exemption is granted to your vehicle. Please note that this is in addition to the normal vehicle deposit.

Border restrictions

• No border restrictions

If you have any questions on the rules please contact us by emailing info@gohelp.org.uk