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It's hard not to be cynical about the 'cleaning fees' imposed at customs, but as a tale of optimism and hope, I did not get charged with a cleaning fee. It was even raining on the day it was loaded up in the UK.

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.

Like anything sent from overseas, there's a possibility you may get hit with tax when it arrives here but so far I haven't (this applies for any goods sent over, not just car parts). If you have the option of your mum bringing it over then go with that, otherwise I would just get it sent over. Sorry, I mis-read your post, I would just get the garage in UK to send over. Just check that the garage that will fix it for you will accept this though.

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:

BMW parts are expensive here, and if not in stock, they import them from Germany so there's a delay. For some garages, they will only use parts they have supplied as well. If you have a friendly dealer from the UK, you could ask them to ship parts out to you. I've done it a few times with Cotswold Gloucester and they've been great. Most of the time, even with shipping, it works out cheaper than here. Doesn't help with tyres though so best to get them replaced before leaving.

Very easy to apply online, if you aren't applying for citizenship

Are you renewing a UK passport but living in Australia, maybe this? https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

most were half full/used and some carnuba wax

I brought some of mine too, no problems. Depends how much I suppose.

My mistake, you're correct Chevrolet does sell the Cruze, which I presume is more or less a rebadged Holden. They seem to be selling the Camaro and Corvette in UK too, albeit in LHD form.

With second hand cars so much cheaper in UK then Aus, and factor in that your Cruze is not a rebadged model that sells in the UK, I would have thought it is too much hassle in terms of cost and future servicing and sale. Taking a hit here may still be better.

He's kept that for a long time, I always thought he was swapping and changing his cars often.

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

As long as the items are dry, vacuum packing should be fine. We did it with our clothes and bedding and there were no problems.

Create a different Apple ID for Australia. Then just swap between those accounts as you need to pick up apps from either region.

If you can't link the new passport to the visa, just carry both old and new on your travels, that's what we do.

Looking back at my application, I also had similar issues. What I did was wrote a letter stating everything I had included in my application. I listed anything I had that was on their lists plus a number of additional documents (basically anything I could use to prove I was moving to Aus). These were things like applications for childcare waitlisting, opened an Aus bank account, shipping invoices, closure of some savings accounts, Bupa International medical cover for a few months, acceptance form from agent for renting our house, cancellations of UK insurances etc. So your booked flights, rental accommodation, stick a copy with the application and anything else you can think of.

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