Does a Mercury Grand Marquis qualify for zero duty
The answer depends on the car: the Mercury Grand Marquis is assembled in several countries, and the preference goes only to one that came off an American line. That car enters the EU at 0%, the rest at 10%. Neither the model name, nor the build year, nor the auction location settles it — the plant country in the production record does.
Where is the Mercury Grand Marquis assembled?
Grand Marquis cars off American lines carry the VIN prefixes 1ME in our database. A prefix shows the manufacturer and the country, but the 0% rate is decided by the final assembly plant read for the specific number. The table shows how many cars from each plant have passed through us.
| Plant | Country | VIN prefix | Cars in our database | Duty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Talbotville | Canada | 2ME, 2MH | 6,466 | 10% |
| St.Louis | United States | 1ME | 3 | 0% duty |
| Hazelwood (St. Louis) | United States | 1ME | 2 | 0% duty |
How do you check a specific car?
How much will you save?
The saving is a percentage, so it grows with the value of the car. A Mercury Grand Marquis from an American plant comes in at 0% instead of 10%, and lower duty shrinks the 23% VAT base. Excise stays: 3.1% on smaller engines, 18.6% on larger ones. The calculator does the rest.
Work out the import costWhat the import cost is made of
The bill is made of a few fixed percentages and one variable, which is the customs value of the car. Duty is 0% on a Grand Marquis assembled in the USA and 10% on the rest, excise is 3.1% or 18.6% by engine size, and 23% VAT is charged on the value with duty and excise added.
| Component | Rate |
|---|---|
| Duty — car assembled in the USA | 0% |
| Duty — everything else | 10% |
| Excise | 3.1% up to 2.0 l, 18.6% above 3.5 l |
| VAT | 23% |
Rates, not amounts — the calculator works the sum out on current data.
Zero-duty paperwork — our job
We handle customs from the auction to the registration desk. A Grand Marquis with an American plant is declared under the preference in force since 2026-07-01, the rest at the standard 10% duty. Which documents are needed follows from the car's data, not from the seller's description.
What to watch for when buying at auction
Risk on a Mercury Grand Marquis from auction sits in three places: the extent of the damage, the completeness of the paperwork and the history of earlier repairs. None of them touches the duty rate, which follows the assembly country alone, but all three decide what getting the car roadworthy really costs.
| Damage | Cars in our database |
|---|---|
| Minor dent scratches | 2 |
| Normal wear | 2 |
| Front end | 1 |
From the USA or from Europe?
The key difference is procedural rather than a matter of badge. A car from the European market goes through no import, a car from the States does — and then the assembly country counts: an American line means 0%, any other 10%, with excise and 23% VAT on top. For a Grand Marquis, the check starts at the VIN.
Frequently asked questions
Similar models with zero duty
Related pages
As of Aug 15, 2026




