No I don't think your agent set you up. If the the specs of the car (esp. CC/ V6 or V8 etc) are higher than listed on the KRA's CRSP list, they will charge you more...
not sure how they decide on the figure but they will come up with one (in some cases, the next model up or nearest higher model).

...but if your clearing agent was 'clued up' he would have told you that it would cost more (even if he/she did not know how much more).

Mwatha is quite right, KRA customs agents normally inspect the car before releasing it, if they find it to have higher specifications like a bigger engine or additional premium features they tend to use the CRSP value of a car of the brand that will usually have the higher specifications. for example the 1800cc Nissan Sunny FB15 is not listed in the CRSP list hence you will pay duty based on the CRSP value of the Nissan Bluebird as it has identical feature to the 1800cc Sunny. However such cases of revaluation are not very common as the CRSP is quite detailed.

If clearing agents are to set you up, they conspire with KRA agents to derail the clearing process, so that you have to fetch some kitu kidogo(which both will eat) to bring the process back on track. There are also some who ask unsuspecting customers for money to pay for non-existent charges.

@Chaka: KRA gets the CRSP list from the Kenya Motor Industry Association(KMI), but how prices of discontinued motor vehicle are obtained is a mystery to me. Perhaps they use the price of the car when it was available in the showroom and appreciate that price according to current inflationary trends.

Is it not possible to have an automated system where I enter the details of the vehicle; make model, year, extras etc and get the duty estimate? A kind of marriage between the two excel sheets?

@wakandi....yes

They are ok and have good prices.....only that you need to carefully check on millage and condition from the pics they display.

Negotiate kabisa.....then speed / push them when it comes to shipping!

All the best.

@Bartum

All passenger cars charged Import duty, Excise duty and VAT. Yes, B15 included. Its only pick-ups and lorries that dont have Excise duty but still are charged import duty and VAT.

this is what you've heard.....

The taxation figures
Import duty is 25% of CIF value.
Excise Duty 20% of (CIF+Import duty value)
VAT is 16% of (CIF +import duty value + Excise Duty value).

Calculate cumulatively
Import Duty+Excise Duty+V.A.T will work out to 74% .....

But just to let you know that this is not necessarily how it will be worked out
KRA hardly ever use CIF values.... This is because CIF values are usually lower than the depreciated value as would be calculated using the CRSP table and valuation Template (as indicated by Tebes in post#21 above).

In some cases you will find that the toal tax is more than the CIF value... even as high as 130% of CIF.

In fact with all the cars I have sent from UK, I have never been required to produce an invoice/CIF valuation etc.
All KRA/clearing agents have needed is
1. Logbook,
2. Jevic Certificate (KRWI)
3. Bill Of Lading.

Very useful info VJ and thanks.

What of trade car view?

@vj Do you know the taxation for hybrid cars. I imported a toyota prius and ended up paying one and a halve times import tax of the cif value. I heard that they ague it consumes less fuel, hence less fuel tax, they have put a higher import tax. Any idea?

Thanks mukiha, you have put it very clear, it was actually 7 years with a very good deal, cif value.

The car is the best i have ever driven, pocket friendly and very smooth, runability.

So... what does this mean?

The 7-year old Prius' battery (assuming its the original one) will give you another 3 yrs?

But not to worry... keeping in mind that as more hybrid vehicles take to the road, reclaimed batteries (from wrecked/salvage/write-off cars) with plenty of life will become more available.

I have seen some used batteries
eg. one selling at below ksh100k off a 2007 model.

I'm not sure how replacement works...requiring replacing the ECU or some other configuration etc.

I know most sellers expected you to give them your old battery... otherwise the replacement will cost more.