Importing truck from U.K. to Aus

[Lang]

Mike

The system has smoothed out in recent years but you learnt your lesson. Next time ship it through the freight forwarders "door to door" and they will do what took you several days in 15 minutes electronically.

Lang

[motto]

Make sure that you have your import permit from Canberra before you ship. If the vehicle arrives here and you don't have that it will not be allowed to enter the country. I was surprised to find out that this even applies to trailers. Some years ago I had four ex military trailers on their way before I knew this and had not recorded their details so could not even fully complete the applications. Fortunately due to a shipping delay there was sufficient time to process the paper work and the agent I was using worked a deal to supply the information after the trailers were landed.
It's easy for things to go wrong.
As Lang says - get an agent.
Also as Lang says, AQIS will be your most likely source of trouble. I shipped some new tyres into Tullamarine a couple of years ago and AQIS intervention cost me a $150 fee and necessitated an extra 120 km round trip based purely on the whim of the official I dealt with. His co-worker had already given me the nod to take the tyres but I had to go back for a signature and got served by a different person when I returned who insisted on an inspection that could not be done that day.
It cost $700 to get the tyres from Houston Texas to Melbourne but another $500 to get them off the airport.
It will all cost more than you think.

David

[Tim Lovelock]

Tony, Tony, Mike, Lang, Hanno and Motto, thank you all for your wisdom and experience.
What's life without adventure eh?
I have at this point received one quote from a shipping agent, I will say he was very prompt and his advice thorough. I think I would certainly head down that route. He also reinforced the quarantine and also more recently the asbestos issues.
It is also a matter of $$$ and I'm thinking I need to budget close to $10,000 AU
On shipping, taxes et.al.
Just a matter of convincing the bank manager and minister for war and finance.
Cheers Gentlemen, Thank You

[Lang]

Tim

If you are bringing a single vehicle in your cost of $10,000AUD is a safe number at the present time - you will probably get some change back.

Try very hard to get someone to share a container with you as it reduces costs tremendously as a 40 footer is nowhere near double the cost of a 20 footer. Put both vehicles on the same Bill of Lading in one name and you will only pay one Entry. If the agent still wants to do two Entries he is ripping you off.

I am a great believer in Roll On Roll Off and have shipped several vehicles around the world that way. Never had a scratch or as much as a mirror stolen. It is greatly cheaper than container, no packing, trucking, container charges. Just deliver it to the shipping yard, hand them the keys then 6 weeks later collect the keys at the arrival yard and drive out the gate (after fixing up the bill organised by your customs agent of course).

I have a number of times been organising for a group and have had people gasp at putting their dirty old $20,000 Jeep loose on a car carrier to be damaged. When I asked them to look around the yard at the 2,000 other brand new BMW, Mercedes and even Ferraris being loaded beside the Jeep, the smarter ones realise maybe destruction is not a common occurrence.

Lang

[Tim Lovelock]

Thanks Lang,
Your words are reassuring. The freight forwarder who provided a quote did in fact suggest roll on, roll off, purely on the dimensions of my 'dream' vehicle.
The all-up costs at present put it just out of reach.
I hope this won't be interpreted as wasting people's time, but the information and advice I have found invaluable.
Kind regards Tim

[Lang]

Tim Keep the idea alive - it will happen one day.

Lang

[Tim Lovelock]

Originally Posted by Lang

Tim Keep the idea alive - it will happen one day.

Lang

Thanks Lang,
You are right.
And it will.

My wife has given me leave of absence for a short period and though it might seem counter productive to the overall dream, I am heading to the UK next week, with the highlight being War and Peace. Compensation and inspiration bundled up together.

Cheers Tim