pwkl

For NSW, use this to find an approved inspection garage. http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/registration/safetycheck/index.html They will advise what is necessary to get your car on the road. When your car is released from customs, you take it to your chosen garage.

I don't think he is, he wanted to take my M5 off me but once you get it here, you may change your mind about selling it...:laugh:

When it clears customs and is registered for use on the roads. There's no restriction on a sell date.

There was a similar post recently: http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/transport-shipping/178081-sevs-list-true.html

Yes, you can get Australian maps in UK, you need to use your google-fu and find an 'appropriate' source. It will depend on your system in the Merc so if its disc based, rather than HDD then last resort is buy a disc from a dealer here.

Your M3 won't be valued high enough to warrant the LCT so don't worry about that. $7k sounds about right. I imported my M5 and broke down the costs here: http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/transport-shipping/97053-transporting-your-car-oz-everything-you-need-know-75.html#post1345744

There are really two main steps to bringing a car from UK to Aus. First is to ship/import the car into the country. Second is getting the car registered and fit to drive on the road. The two steps are independent from each other, the only link between the two processes is the Import Approval certificate which firstly allows it into the country, and secondly used to get the compliance plate (which is the sticker) to allow it to be driven on the road. As you found out, the complete Import Approval document (4 pages) needs to be acquired once you are in this country. Step 2 requires a good local garage that deals with inspections and the compliance process as they will tell you exactly what needs doing and what to expect. Like most things in life, you get good and bad companies for both steps so it's unfortunate that these things can happen but sites like this one as well as your local government road authority web site can provide all the information needed.

It will be neither because they are LHD vehicles and in Aus it is RHD.

It's not a case of you getting them valued in Aus, that is just what will happen when your car is imported in to Aus under the Personal import Scheme. Customs will make charge you and make a valuation of your car whether you like it or not. I think they do consider the original purchase price, and it will not be the Aus market price, usually lower so a good ballpark figure is 75% of the Aus market value. In your case, $95,000 x 75% gives a rough valuation of $71,000. To use my actual car: UK value ~£21000 Aus market value ~$75,000 Actual valuation $40,500 http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/transport-shipping/97053-transporting-your-car-oz-everything-you-need-know-75.html#post1345744

Skippy, if you haven't been told already, once you land in Aus and have an address, get in contact with DIT to get the original copies of the Import Approval. You'll need them as you only got the top copy.

Take heed of Kakimoto's advice as that estimate is quite optimistic from the shippers. I trot this out quite frequently but here were my costs, bearing in mind I shipped as a separate item: http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/transport-shipping/97053-transporting-your-car-oz-everything-you-need-know-75.html#post1345744

That's the original new price you've quoted, you'll need to choose a model and check the trade/private prices.

Not at all, you don't have to go for Audi. The general rule would be prestige, european models such as BMW, Merc, Audi, Land/Range Rover etc. although Lexus would be ok too. They do prefer autos here, and the smaller engines are not as popular although that is changing.

An R8, V10 preferably?:biggrin: Joking aside, it depends on your budget and requirements, but at a guess based on the Touran, a Q5 would be good as they like SUV's here but an A4 would be fine if you choose a high spec. Even a late model A3 could be good proposition. Best would be to look at the market value of the car you're thinking of on somewhere like redbook.com.au to get an indication of what's worth.

If you're thinking of importing, could you stretch to an Audi? You're more likely to find it worth shipping next year over the VW.