Could be cost effective to ship car ?

[Guest guest4504]

Hi. Just been thinking recently has anyone priced taking a car over to Oz ? Due to the exchange rate taking a nose dive to $1.93 - £1 and could be set for less that $1.50 by spring, it may end up being more cost effective to ship over a car. Take a Mazda 6 TD 2006 model in the uk, a major nose dive from 20k now could end up at around 6-7k ($12,500). But to buy this model and spec in Oz will set you around $24,000, so an extra £6k sterling to buy the same car again. So as the car has very low mileage and serviced, could be a good save to export. If the rate went to $1.50 - £1 then the difference could be a save of around £7500 sterling.

I know this seems a mouth full, but has anyone considered this and priced a car export recently. thanks craig

[Guest Kay]

Hi,

We are shipping both our cars, one VW Golf 55 plate and one real Mini V plate. Both are costing £1600 each groupage with Doree Bonner but you have to factor in 25% value customs charge and rego and cleaning and and and seems there is no definitive figure but having looked at both our vehicles and what they would cost to buy again it still seemed worth it. There are other people that are over there and have written extensive posts as to the ins and outs (I am sure someone will help me out and provide the links), don't forget the marine insurance and permits to drive car around when you get there to get registered etc. All in all we went for it as we like our cars and they were expensive to replace like for like when we got there, mine is already on the high seas and our Mini is due to go to the shipping agent on Tuesday, don't forget that you can pop things in the boot for extra packing space,we popped some kids toys in!!! We went with Doree Bonner as they are shipping everything (cars plus 20 ft container, other companies may be more competitive but we went from personal recommendation). Good luck, see you there!

[Guest guest4504]

Seen how much VW Golfs go for second hand.... WOW they hold their value, seems on figures you doing best thing, at least that you know your car and its reliability for when you there. what part will you be around in ?

[Guest Kay]

We are staying with Tyke when we first get there in Seaford Rise, due to fly in a couple of weeks but looking at work for an aircraft engineer (other half) looks like we are going to eventually be heading for Golden Grove area. Would of loved to be by the sea but needs must!!! Anything European seems to hold its price prob due to import costs but the dollar really isn't helping!!!!

[Guest mayjess]

I`m wondering if its worth buying a decent car before we leave and get it shipped over, the 2nd hand cars are way expensive in OZ, but the palava of cleaning and paper work thats involved sounds stressful, what do you think?????

 

Mayjess

[Guest Kay]

The paperwork isn't that bad this end, neither is the shipping, the cleaning you just do your best and prob expect to have to pay a cleaning fee at the other end. In a few weeks I'll tell you how we are getting on with the Oz side of things, with the matter of buying one to ship you have to own it for 1 year beforehand and provide proof with a bill of sale, hope this helps.

[Guest guest4504]

Thanks Kay. Could you please update this thread or start another with your experience and costs if you dont mind, sure would help loads with a decision to shipping a car. especially with the repurchase costs for another car. thanks craig

[Guest Kay]

Just an update, our first car was sent down to Dartford at the start of August, it didn't ship for 2 weeks. Our wee Mini was sent down to Dartford on 1 September, then we hired a car in the UK to visit relatives and get us to the airport (£350). We were told that the Golf would be in Oz ten days after we arrived (17th Sep) and so we booked a hire car (AUD 1100) for the period we expected plus a little more for Customs, registration etc, etc. We have since contacted the movers on this side and although the Golf is in the country, Customs Clearance Agents have taken a week off and they only inspect on Fridays so they won't do it this week and if they inspect the car next week and it needs cleaning they will then inspect the cleaned car on the following Friday then taking into account rego and inspections we are prob looking at being able to actually drive the car at some point in November. If we had hired another car to see us through that period it would of been another AUD 1800, I suppose the moral of the tale is if you love the car and/or it is collectible or European and you don't want to live without it then bring it and take the expense on the chin, if not buy something when you get here, it is far more convenient. We are now driving around in a newly bought 20 year Toyota Corolla - an absolute classic!!!!!! With all the expense that you have anyway when arriving here cos believe me you feel like you land and empty your pockets, it may not be the most cost effective way of doing things, obviously we still have customs to pay and valuation fees and permits to move the car around whilst it is still UK registered, it is not a decision to be taken lightly but when I am driving around in a month or so I will prob forget the trauma as with most things in life, just thought that I better post again to let everyone know how things are going. Other than that it has been cold here but the sun is going to shine at the weekend and all will be right with the world!!!!

[Guest steph&neil]

Things you should know about cars here is Adelaide before you come - there is no MOT system in SA- only need to be safety checked when selling that is why they hold there value - I am gutted that we didn't look into this before we came as I would have shipped both our cars (a 307 -55 plate & a 04 focus). Note anyone thinking about shipping a car over here - you have to have owned the car for a least 12 months or the cost is much higher, you will be treated like a car dealer not private. I get really annoyed at all the old cars on the road here they neither look or "smell" safe" (plumes of crap coming out the tail pipe - fine according to the law as long it doesn't do it for more than 10 seconds???). we bought cars to about the same value as we had in the UK but they are both older!! If I could go back & do 1 thing differently then I would defiantly taken our cars, plus you can put things in them a dual purpose container!!! other thing I didn't realise before we got here was that most cars are automatic, easy but a bit boring sometimes.

On the upside people stick to the speed limits & pedestrians have a lot more right of way eg when you are turning left pedestrians get to cross before you can finish turning!!- get yourself a rules of the road on arrival! OH almost got a ticket for illegal parking on day 2 you can only park at the same side of the road in which the traffic heading - so no parallel parking on the opposite side of the road!!

[Guest Kay]

Just to let you know that we are STILL waiting for our car, that will be 3 months so far that we have been without the family car, AQIS are awful at coming out to look over goods whether they are cars or personal belongings and seem to be taking forever at the moment to do either, they take their money and then take their time!! The car has been in Adelaide since the end of September, we have paperwork sorted we just need to get the child seat anchors, inspection and rego sorted if they ever like us enough to LOOK at the car and clear it from the bonded warehouse... It may seem like you pay more for cars here but you still need to be able to get about whilst waiting for other people to do their jobs and they all take time and it can get really frustrating. We have given up now with being annoyed, it is a constant source of amusement but we do drink alot to make some of it all go away! They should be inspecting our goods on Thursday, we wait with baited breath, wish us luck. Anyone else having bother with AQIS at the mo?????

[Guest steph&neil]

Kay that is terrible! we would have been ok I think! we shipped our things & the were here ready & waiting as we shipped 7 months before we go here (long story crappy migration agent!) we would have done 1 at a time but figured we had had our cars from new so we knew they had been looked after, good luck & keep us posted x

[adelaidenow]

AQIS are good if you use a good agent, I import stuff alt the time and my shipping agents get everything cleared in no tome. I will probably have nightmares from now on , having posted this!