Q: I have received all sorts of conflicting information regarding bringing a car to Israel from the States. Is it financially advantageous to do so if I already own a car there? What if I buy on there and then ship it here? Or is it just better to purchase a car here even with the extraordinarily higher prices?

A: The issue of shipping a car comes up very often and almost never makes sense financially. (If the car brings back great memories - well that's something else.)
There are no tax breaks when you import a car. If you are an oleh, or you import a car with no "rights," you will pay the same customs and VAT taxes as if you bought the car here. Therefore, it is almost never cheaper to import a car. As an example, a client recently asked me to check the cost for him of importing his 2000 Toyota Camry. We roughly calculated it would cost him in excess of $8,800 in taxes to import his car as an oleh! This does not include the cost of shipping.
Ministry of Transport permits and code requirements must be considered as well.
Tourists and students though, do not have to pay taxes on imported (or locally purchased) cars. A tourist must export the car within six months or pay the appropriate taxes, while a student can use the car as long as his or her student visa is valid.