Savitar
-
Posts
105 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Articles
Posts posted by Savitar
-
-
Hi all,
I'm going to ship over my dad's MG Midget (not because I need it, more like an heirloom).
I've been getting quotes, and they're all slightly different in the info they provide.
Has anyone used Iron Lady Imports to ship over a car?
If so, would you recommend?
Cheers.
Ricky
I used them for two cars and, for the most part, was very impressed. Overall the process was quite simple and they were more than happy to help with any questions at any time. The process in Aus especially was excellent with everything done with no trouble what so ever...
I would recommend them for sure. They know what they are talking about and make the process simple and just leaves one thing less you have to worry about. They are not super cheap but if you make one mistake doing it yourself you could easily spend their cost so for the peace of mind, its a no brainer for me...
-
Hi iron chef
2003 BMW M3 convertible SMG
110 on clock
uk value about 7k
not sure on aus value
thanks
Hey 99flake. I imported a 04 M3 (and a MY11 but that is another story). Feel free to PM me if you want any info about import an E46 M3.
-
We put in
- Body wash
- Sun cream
- face cream
- lots of misc makeup
- Lots of food (BBQ sauce bought from the US), candy, etc
- A thermomix
- Lots of other stuff
All make it no problemo....
-
There is no doubt, for that range of price there is NO value in buying in the UK beforehand and shipping, you will end up with WAY too much hassle and in the end more cost.... For that price you could get a 2011 Golf DSG in OZ (for example) which is a nice car for that amount of money....Lots of other options clearly...
Hope that helps..
-
For that price you could almost get a movecube and ship a LOT more....worth a thought....
-
Many thanks for the quick reply regarding this. It does look like the one year of ownership before going would make it unfeasible. I will have a further read into it but I'm sure you are correct. And I can well believe as you say that they are really strict on this. When my friend emailed me the figures he quoted it did look to good to be true and to be fair it does look that way even if I did own it for a year!
Thanks again for the reply - if anything changes I'll be sure you let you know.
Mark.
No problem....happy to provide my thoughts....Any questions, please let me know...
-
Can anyone tell me how customs know if something is less than 12 months old? Or is it for specific things only? We were planning on buying a new bed and bringing it with us, along with our old washing machine, tumble etc. also we were going to buy new kitchenware, plates, pots pans etc. do we have to provide receipts or anything?
I can tell you from experience that if you unpack all your new stuff, use it once or twice (or not if you want) then pack it they will not care. Just don't put it on a box that has obviously never been opened and tape the receipt to it, if you do, you will get done.
What they are looking for are people importing commercial quantities of stuff for re-sale, they don't really are about people bringing in personal stuff. Now having said that, if you bought a completely new house worth of stuff you might be in trouble but the odd new thing or two will not matter.
We had a 4-5 month old Thermomix in our container, did not declare it, and got away with it just fine....
-
Hi Savitar,
I don't have a specific car at the moment but I am due to move out in Sep of this year and was wondering if it was worth buying a car now to ship over later with the main aim of making a profit.
A friend of mine has said to buy something that is rare over there (he suggests a Porsche Cayenne or a Maserati Quattroporte) and you can make a tidy profit. I have had a look at both cars on Ebay here and there and doubt whether this is true though.
From reading your posts I can see that some are worth taking over and some probably not. What is your take on this especially given the continuing weakening of the AUD against the pound?
From what I understand you do need to have owned the car for one year and get is shipped within six months of arriving - is this correct? Given I am coming out in 7 ish months could I keep the car in the UK until one year had passed and ship it over then as it should then fall within the time limit of shipping it over within six months (cutting it fine though) of arriving?
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Mark.
Hey Mark,
Happy to provide some thoughts on this. Firstly, in terms of eligibility you are best to speak with IronLady imports, they are the experts here and will be able to give you the best advise around this. Now having said that, my understanding is that you CAN NOT do what you are asking. You need to have owned and LIVED with the car in the UK for at least one year before applying. If you are planning on moving in Sept then you will only have 6 months of living with it. You can't just leave it in the UK and then ship it over 6 months later, it simply does not work like that. Now if you are coming to OZ for a short business trip but your place of residence stays the UK (and you go back there regularly) then it should be fine....They are VERY strict on this as you have to provide a photocopy of EVERY page of your passport.
Now, assuming you do qualify for the import, the key question is, is it worth it? Well I can tell you from experience that if you are planning on making money by doing this then forget it for all but very rare cars. I imported a 2010 BMW M3 competition pack that was just on 3 years old and only 8,000 miles on the clock. When I bought it I paid (convered into Aussie) about $65,000 for it and they were going for around $130 - $145k at the time in OZ. No brainer for a big profit right???? Wrong, over the next 1.5 years (by the time you get it on the road its about 1.5 years) the average price of the cars in oz dropped to around $95 - $110K, but still you would think its a shoe in for making money...WRONG....it cost me about $20K to get it on the road all up once you take into account fees to export, import, ship, insure, compy and then to put on the road....THEN, and this is what is the kick in the nu7s, imports typically go for around 20-30% LESS than aussie cars of the same standard. People in just don't trust ANY car that comes in as a personal import when the same car is available delivered to OZ. Its stupid but its the way it works.
For my car, I almost completely broke even. It basically cost me NOTHING to own and drive a 1.5 year old BMW M3 for 1.5 years.....in oz for the same time the average person would have lost around $30K - $40K. So while I did not lose any money, did not make any money, I saved the $40K I would have lost if I have purchased the car in OZ.
So are there any cars where you can MAKE money.....Hmmmm.....not very likely. There certainly would be BUT you really need to find something special that is not worth a fortune (as think about it, if you were forking out $200,000 for car, would you put your money on an import or an Aussie delivered one with full warranty, local service history etc), that does not really have much competition for sales in OZ. What you are looking for is an enthusiast car where people will recognise what it is over the import stigma....
More than happy to give you my thoughts on some cars if you are interested but you really need to sort out your 12 month thing as (as I understand it) that is a deal breaker...
-
Hi Savitar
Just came across your thread and interested to know your thoughts on our car that we are planning to move over to Melbourne from London - move is planned early April 2015:
Car Make : BMW
Car Model (including engine and gearbox) : X5 40d 3.0L diesel
Car Year : Dec-2012
Car mileage : 8800 miles
Special options : M-Sport finish, 7-seater, pano roof, electric tailgate/wing mirrors
What is your motivation for sending the car (profit, can't get car in OZ, love the car and can't leave without it etc)? Use for driving business clients around as well as personal use
When are you planning on sending it? March 2015
How long will you keep the car when you get to OZ (best guess, I.e. days, months, years, never sell, try to be as specific as possible)? As long as possible, at least 3 years
When will you need the car in the UK vs Aus (I.e. it takes 3-4 months from shipping to on the road, will you have another car to cover it)? As soon as possible but we have car on both ends to cover us
Many thanks in advance
Ben
Hey Ben,
Looking at the prices of these cars in the UK I am guessing that this is worth around 40K to sell right now. That means you are talking around $78,000 AUD in your pocket. Now if you look at this offering in OZ :
http://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/details/BMW-X5-2012/AGC-AD-17222731/?Cr=4
You will see that its only $88K without negotiation. It appears to be a similar spec to yours and the same milage. Given that it will cost you at least $20K just to get your into the country the maths just don't add up.
Then when you look into selling that is where it will hurt you....you are looking around 20-30% Less in selling value (and a lot more hassle) so if you sell in 3 years you are probably looking at around $8-$10K less in value for the sale.
Adding this all up, I just don't think its worth it. You can sell, and then pick up an ozzie one for less than the importing price and then will have a far easier (and more profitable) sale....
My 5c worth.
-
Hi Savitar,
Thanks for your earlier reply on the other thread.
I've tried to answer your questions as best I can.
Car Make : Porsche
Car Model (including engine and gearbox) :911E 5 spd manual
Car Year : 1970
Car mileage : unknown but 41300 ......... showing on odometer. Not accurate.
Special options : ex-race car. Half cage and uprated 3.2 brakes
What is your motivation for sending the car . Strong emotional tie as was bought and raced by me for 6 years?
When are you planning on sending it?: Not sure hopefully before end of year.
How long will you keep the car when you get to OZ : Never sell
When will you need the car in the UK vs Aus : I will have or buy another car asap.
- What is the car worth in the UK if you were to sell it at the point of sending Vs what the realistic value of selling it when it finally arrives in OZ? Difficult to say but value prob around £50k in uk Not sure in Oz as cannot find anything similar to gauge it by.
2nd car
Car Make : Porsche
Car Model (including engine and gearbox) : 3.2 Carrera G50 5 spd manual
Car Year :April 1989
Car mileage : ....129500.
What is your motivation for sending the car : Emotional attachment. First Porsche road car.
When are you planning on sending it? : Hopefully before end of year.
How long will you keep the car when you get to OZ; No intention of selling.
When will you need the car in the UK vs Aus: I will buy or have another car.
What is the car worth in the UK if you were to sell it at the point of sending Vs what the realistic value of selling it when it finally arrives in OZ? value in Uk probably around £23k Unsure of values in Oz as condition is everything. Anything from $30k to $100k.
I have been quoted by removals that both cars plus household good could be shipped in 40ft container for £5.5k +. Does that sound reasonable?
I shall be in Oz in March and April checking out possible areas to live and will check prices more closely when I'm there.
Any info in the meantime will be greatly appreciated.
regards
paul
Hey Paul,
Sorry for the late response. I thought I had already responded but clearly that did not work.
In short, both a VERY well worth sending. For cars of this age and stature the import factor just does not exist (or will not affect the price / factor). Old porkers are going up in value these days, especially if there is something special about it, like both of these.
I would highly suggest you get some quotes for the import valuation before you go too far just to know what you are in for with the costs of the imports. As arrows said, the registration process should be simple for you but might require a little work, just like any MOT....
Also, as Arrows said, you can get both of them in, on though the pre-87 rule and one for the personal import scheme so should be straight forward...
Good luck with the imports and enjoy the porkers!!
-
Hi everyone, mat here im in uk at present visiting family for 1 yr, after 15yr away,....at present im converting a campervan and totally aware of all the difficluties ahead when I export it to perth where I lived for the last 5 years,....im ozzy citizen and uk citizen,..was just looking through the web of paperwork I need to upload to there via forms,..nothing says I need to upload every single page of my passports just the photo pages is this correct,
Do they actually check every single persons movements through immigration etc when all your doing is bringing your vehicle home with you,...why dont they do us all a favour and say yes you can bring your vehicle with you with only one form to fill in that stops you selling it for the first 5 yrs,.....problem solved,... but then we all know that they wouldnt make much money from that, seems crazy im fitting my van out for me to use indefinately live in travel in use for work etc etc, and at the end of the day its all my own blood sweat and money gone into the huge stressful task of fitting it out,....then they just stick there hands out saying ahhh mate we will have this much for that vehicle please for doing jack shhhhhh,...make me angry that they think we are not allowed to make any profit for the work carried out through our skills,.....just typical of the ozzy government though as I seen for the last 15yrs,....there hell bent in taxing and taking from people that have busted there back side to achieve something. Any way hope some one has the answer to the question at top,....would love to take me van so I dont have to get ripped off buying yet another one there with a million kilometers on for afound 60, 000 dollars
Sorry, what is your question? Are you asking if they will check your passport? The answer is yes....they want to know you genuinely owned and lived with your car....For my application i was away from home about 6 months of the year I applied but as it was genuinely for work (I.e. 1-2 weeks at a time to the same location, returning to Edinburgh each time PLUS a letter from my company confirming the work trips) it was fine....
What is your concern?
-
Hi Chef,
Could use some help and info with my situation.
I have two Porsche 911s One is 1970 911E and the other is 1989 3.2. Both have been owned and used by me on a regular basis for past 10 years.
Both have sentimental value. I have looked on Carsales.com.au and Drive.com.au and the nearest valuation I can find is a 1988 Turbo for $49990. The Turbos are normally much more expensive than the non turbo cars like mine. The valuations on RedBook.co.au shows the value as over $150,000 which is ridiculous. The value here in UK is not much more then £20k or $37,000.
What do you advise me to do. Are these guys really sticky on the '89 cut off date as the car was made in I think April 1989.and I could import them both as early classics.
If, as I read I'm only allowed to import one car can I 'sell' my early Porsche 911 to my son who lives in Sydney? He wants it anyway and I would like to keep it in the family.
WE could then ship them over in one 40ft container with the household stuff. I have had a quote for that btw. 2cars and household stuff for £5.5k
Any idea what sort of duties would be payable on both cars?
It's a bl...y minefield.
Look forward to your reply.
Paul
The IronChef is the expert (but also AWOL currently). As far as I am aware you will be in luck :
- You can import as many pre 89 cars as you want, anyone in OZ can, I.e. you don't need to do it as part of the personal import scheme
- So you can import both, one under the personal import scheme and one for the pre 89 scheme
- If you are traveling with a partner you can import a car in their name, even if every document is in your name....as long as it can be seen as obvious (I.e they are on insurance)
- You can't "sell" your car to your son as a way around things. The rules are simple, if you want a personal import car (post 89) then you NEED to live with the car in the UK for 12 months prior to import. If he lived in Aus, there is no chance.
- Once you get the cars into OZ you can do what you want with them (sell, keep etc)
- The redbook value you will see at first is the selling price when new, look for the second hand price to get a better value.
I run a separate thread on my opinion (for what its worth), feel free to go there if you want and I can give you a separate view...
-
I am no expert but I can't see any reason why you would have to register it within any timeframe. There were some issues with documents on my import and it did not get registered for about 3 months after it arrived....so I think you are all good....
Ironlady imports is the expert here though, worth giving them a shout (google them if you can't find them here).
-
Car Make : BMW
Car Model (including engine and gearbox) : 125d 2 litre twin turbo auto
Car Year :Nov 2013
Car mileage : 6000 mile
Special options : M sport
What is your motivation for sending the car (profit, can't get car in OZ, love the car and can't leave without it etc)?
When are you planning on sending it? March 2015
How long will you keep the car when you get to OZ (best guess, I.e. days, months, years, never sell, try to be as specific as possible)? We normally keep cars about 5 years
When will you need the car in the UK vs Aus (I.e. it takes 3-4 months from shipping to on the road, will you have another car to cover it)? Yes
I will then work out the price in the UK (my view) Vs the price in OZ when you would be looking to sell (best guess) to determine when its worth it.
Hi Savitar
I have been reading lots of comments and it seems to be hard to justify the cost and hassle.
I have no sentmental attachment but simply love driving this fantastic car. I have shown the car details in your text above.
I look forward to your good or bad news
This is a bit of a struggle to quote. There is only one for sale in the UK at the moment and that is around 25K. THere is a 120D Msport for 22K so lets assume that is around the price you are looking at.
Including shipping this car will owe you around $50K aussie (I.e. you could have sold it for $40K and with the $10K import charges you would have $50K to play with). Now the only thing similar in OZ is a 118D 2014 which can be had for $40K Aussie.
http://www.carsales.com.au/nearnew/details/BMW-118d-2013/AGC-AD-15961043/?Cr=2&sdmvc=1
This is a 118D Msport for $44K with warranty and servicing included. When you take into account no warranty for the imported car, on resale you will get at least 20% less than aussie delivered cars and far more hastle selling it, I just can't see the value in bringing it along.
Now if the power different for the 118D Vs 125D is something you really want then sure, it might be something you do. But given the hassle and large cost issues I would just sell yours in the UK and buy something similar in OZ....Life will be far simpler and financially better for you...
-
How are you on motorcycles?
I have a couple here in the UK and considering taking them back with me.
Don't really know much about them or the shipping costs, sorry....
-
Car Make : uk mitsubishi colt mirage with mirage zr cyborg Japanese import spec (imported engine suspension and some other bits)
Car Model (including engine and gearbox) : 1.6 mivec manual
Car Year :02
Car mileage : 90000
Special options :
What is your motivation for sending the car (profit, can't get car in OZ, love the car and can't leave without it etc)? love the car would be extremely rare over here but from what I've seen I can still get parts I have no idea on the costs but I need a car so if its cost me the same as buying a car here which I will like as much then its worth it to me
When are you planning on sending it? march
How long will you keep the car when you get to OZ (best guess, I.e. days, months, years, never sell, try to be as specific as possible)? until it breaks
When will you need the car in the UK vs Aus (I.e. it takes 3-4 months from shipping to on the road, will you have another car to cover it)? I'm already in australia
Without even doing the maths this is just not worth it financially. As a Japanese import to the UK, then imported to OZ it will cost you WAY more than its worth to get something similar in OZ. Now the here is could you get something similar in OZ? Well, from what I can tell...no...
You could look to get a cheap 02 here in OZ and import some parts yourself to upgrade also...
Now if you don't care about financially, then it could be worth it. If you are a "fan boy" (and I mean that nicely) of this car then it would be very unique and something to keep hold of. The key here though is that you are VERY unlikely to sell it for anything near what you want for it so if you assume you would get $1,000 max on sale / or you do hold out for ever with it then its not actually "that" expensive to ship over, say around $5,000 aussie all up...
What I am not sure about is if they would register it in OZ. You might want to hit up ironlady for advise there as that car technically never existed. I think it should be OK (as there are lots of 02 Mirages out there) but worth looking into...
-
You will be fine...I worked in Seattle for most of the last 12 months before application. I was there for 2 weeks out of every three....It was not a problem....
As long as you owned the car and it was for your use when yuo were home (and home was the UK), you will be PERFECTLY fine....
-
Food is fine to bring with you. Almost anything will pass customs as long as you declare it. Only unprocessed meat, fruit or dairy products from bird flu infect countries normally get kept. Chocolate, marmite etc all all just fine, bring as much as you like.....
I say go for it, you will never regret bringing it and a little taste of home can help the transition....
-
Hey Guys, sorry for the slow response, will get back to you in a day or so....Merry Xmas all...
-
Hi Savitar would very much appreciate your advice re my car:
Car Make : Porsche
Car Model (including engine and gearbox) : Boxster 3.2 S tiptronic
Car Year : 2004
Car mileage : 78000
Special options : bose satnav aircon leather
What is your motivation for sending the car (profit, can’t get car in OZ, love the car and can’t leave without it etc)? Convertible, just send fair bit on it!
When are you planning on sending it? Nov-Dec 2014
How long will you keep the car when you get to OZ (best guess, I.e. days, months, years, never sell, try to be as specific as possible)? 1-2 years
When will you need the car in the UK vs Aus (I.e. it takes 3-4 months from shipping to on the road, will you have another car to cover it)? Yes
Many thanks in advance Tim
Hey TimLeitch,
The inital bad news is that spending money on a car does not mean hanging onto it is the wisest option, cars are money pits at the best of times. So for my view, it needs to be based on what you can get for it and buy in OZ Vs what it will cost you to do a swap.
Firstly, the cost in the UK is around 9,000 as a guess, you might get a little more but there are others already out there at around 8K so its possible you will get up to 9K, so that is about $17K Aussie, add aroud $9K for import and you are looking at it owing you around $26K.
There are not many 04 / 05's around with that high a mileage, one here is a 05 with only around 40K miles for $32K :
http://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/details/Porsche-Boxster-2004/AGC-AD-16379590/?Cr=2&sdmvc=1
However, you can pick up a 03 with similar milage and spec for about $28K, but you should be able to get it for $26K ish. :
http://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/details/Porsche-Boxster-2003/AGC-AD-16687114/?Cr=15&sdmvc=1
Given you need a car when you arrive, the change over is very similar and you are only planning on keeping it for 1-2 years, my advice would be to sell it in the UK and get what you can for it, then look to buy in OZ. The real killer here is that while the change over is about net zero, when you go to sell the UK import you will get 20-30% LESS for it than the aussie cars, so even though they might be selling for $28 - $32, you will probably get $23 - $25k for it....And, many people don't want UK imports so it will be hard to sell.
At the end of the day, its probably line ball if its "worth" it to ship. For mine, if you were planning on keeping it indefinately and know its in good condition,there is no harm in shipping it...but as its only for a year or two, my 2p is that you should sell it, any get a replacement in OZ when you arrive...hey, its always nice to have a new car to play with...
-
There is a place in Sydney (not sure the place, saw it on TV once) where backpackers (mostly) go to buy and sell cars to tour around the country. They normally come with everything you need (sleeping bags, cooking stuff, camping stuff) then when you are done, head back and sell....
I think its this place : http://www.sydneytravellerscarmarket.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/SydneyTravellersCarMarket?ref=stream
Well worth a look....
-
Our large cube comes next week and I'm wondering what you do about larger items that are unboxed, do you put a sticker on to number them or just itemise on the inventory but without a number. Thanks
We stuck a sticker on each item, just in case. Does not really take that much time so allowed us to itemise everything clearly....
-
When I was in the market for a new car several years ago I started looking at a Polo but was advised against it by a friend who was a Volkswagen mechanic....he said they were too unreliable. He actually said that the Skoda equivalent was more reliable (Skoda is owned by VW).
In view of the later worldwide recall of VW vehicles for multiple faults - and the bad press they received in Australia because of their poor handling of the issue - I'm glad I took notice of his advice.
I finally opted for a Mazda 2 and am very happy with it - with not a single problem - 7 years down the track.
Gotta love people with an agenda. I did not do it so you should not.....Almost every car manufacturer has recalls....The fact that you say "Go with a Skoda"...hmm...What car.co.uk gives the Polo 4/5 and the Skoda 3/5. As the are in the same company they are basically the same car, in a different dress....so saying one is far different that the other is like saying that a Tim Tam double coat is a completely different option to a normal Tim tam....
And, in fact, there have been more recent recalls on Skoda's than Polos :
https://www.recalls.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/997596
In the last 4 years, there have been a total of 2 recalls for Polo's, and two for various Skoda's so no real difference there.
There was one recall for Mazda 2 in 2008 and none since but FIVE recalls for Mazda 6's....The Fiesta, one in 2012.
At the end of the day, cars not not going to be perfect, some (Mazda 6 for example) have more issues than others but if you treat your cars right, actually know how to drive them properly and keep them in good condition you will get YEARs of trouble free motoring from almost any car.....
-
I would vote for a VW Polo. You can pick them up for $15k second hand and they are a far better car than a Suzuki / Kia etc. If you MUST have a new car then the Suzuki / Kai can be good options if you want to only spend $15K ish but if you don't mind someone else paying the initial depeciation for you, then a 1-3 year old Polo is excellent value....
2013 manual with 2000KMs for only $12,500:
http://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/Volkswagen-Polo-2013/SSE-AD-3010067/?Cr=1&sdmvc=1
2013 auto with 20,000KM for $15,990
http://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/details/Volkswagen-Polo-2013/AGC-AD-16492354/?Cr=6&sdmvc=1
Is it worth bringing my car? The Iron Lady's trusty new calculator reveals all!
in Shipping and Removals
Posted
I am going to have to disagree a little with the ironchef here. Having brought two cars in myself and then sold one of them I can tell you its not just as simple as "Buy an expensive car". The car I sold was a 2011 BMW M3 with 16,000KM on the clock in 2014, competition pack, immaculate etc. The Aussie delivered cars were going for around $100 - $115K and I got $85K for mine with the next highest offer $72K....
The issue you have is that Aussies just don't want to spend money on imports when there are equivalent cars that were aussie delivered for sale. There was a guy I was talking to who was trying to convince me that $75K was a great price when the next best car on his list was $110K!! There seems to be a stigma around imported cars even though they all come from the same factory. Think about it, if you were buying a $200,000 car in OZ, would you want an aussie delivered one with an aussie history or a "trust me, this is a great car" import....Most aussies won't spend that type of money on a car unless its a true bargain.
Now the trick (in my view) is bringing in something where there is VERY little competition in oz when you are selling it. Therefore if someone wants one there is not much choice and they will pay close to the aussie delivered price as they realise they don't have a choice if they want one. Now given I have lots of BMW experience here are some examples :
BMW E46 M3 CSL
BMW E30 M3
BMW Z4M
What you need to do is your research on the UK price, the Aussie price, the import charges and, on average 20-30% reduction in the aussie car price on your resale. If you can get a rare car then that reduction in sale price is far lower and makes the chance of making money greater.
What most people find is that they will NOT make money by bringing in a car. For me, I ended up breaking even on owning a E92 M3 for about 20 months. Now while that might not seem great, it would have cost me about $30K if I had owned the same car in oz for the same period given the depreciation. So rather than trying to make money, you can look at it that you can own an exotic car for 1-2 years for next to nothing....
My 5p worth...