BackToTheBlighty

It is good you went to a few websites to check if the model exists here  You could ring a couple on skype just to check for yourself like Admiral etc as a final check, a lovely SUV too the Kluger. 

You are right, most said to buy in London as it is easier. I didn't know the biggest issue was insurance though. 

Those guards were right idiots. 

Literally so you can drive your car through the gate where the guards sit. I drove it through the gate and parked in on the left next to the fence 20m down the road. 

Also, don't forget to take off your e-toll and get your plates off the car so you can get some money back on your rego and third party. 

I recently imported a car from Australia to the UK and it has been an interesting experience so I wanted to give me 2 cents (which I wish I got before I imported mine): 

Insurance: this was my biggest problem. I have a car where the exact model doesn't exist in the UK, so UK insurance websites (ie. Admiral, Aviva, Churchill, moneysupermarket, comparethemarket etc), can't find the same model so they can't quote you for insurance. Please check this before even considering importing your car!  I have a 2.0L auto petrol car, the UK only has a 1.6L petrol and 2.2L diesel for my make and model. Therefore, everyone I called said sorry, if the exact model doesn't exist here we can't insure it (I called about 20 places, alot also said they don't insure imported cars either). I rang about 10 specialist imported car brokers and only one of these insurance brokers (Adrian Flux) could quote me for insurance and it was 18% of the market value of the car. However, if they didn't quote me I was totally stuffed. If you can't insure your car, then it is pretty much worthless. You either try to sell it for next to nothing locally or ship it back to sell so you get something for it at least. 

Odometer Change: when you change this you will have a km odometer reading and a miles reading on a replacement odometer (most replacements will be a second hand odometer). Make sure you get a letter from whoever changes it over stating the two amounts if you sell the car later on. 

Costs: $7k aud or 4k gbp ($2.9k aud for the roll on roll off paid in Oz  + a further 1.7k gbp paid to a UK company for pick up, compliance, rego, mot etc (not including comprehensive insurance of course)).

Time: 6 months for door to door. I dropped the car off at the port in Wollongong and 6 months later picked up my car. At the port you have to do a training course on a computer which is a bit of a pain, then put up with the security officers there talking absolute rubbish to each other whilst waiting. Basically, you drive your car in and leave it just behind the gate in the parking lot and for that you have to do a 40 minute induction course first whilst listening to them having farting competitions. 

Buying Cars In London: cars are cheap in the UK, have a look for yourself, try www.cargiant.co.uk and look up a second hand BMW 3 series and equate it to Australian dollars, very reasonable. Cars are like consumables in the UK, unless your car in Australia is either an antique or is worth $50k + (and the same exact model exists here) I wouldn't bother importing it. 

The reason I imported mine was that it was fairly new and we paid $35k new for it, my wife was very attached to it and we didn't want to lose alot of money selling it and then buying again here. However, it took 6 months to ship (including compliance and rego), it cost $7k aud in total and the insurance cost a few thousand pounds a year so it wasn't worth it financially due to insurance. 

Cheers

On 03/09/2017 at 08:53, LKC said:

Just one more now!  Currently sat in an almost empty house thinking about the packing and cleaning I have to do before tomorrow.  We're sending a couple of boxes of air freight of the kids quilts, soft toys, some lego and books which we hope will help them settle in at the other end, which I need to pack today.  Everything else needs to go in the suitcases.  The lady who bought our washer and dryer has very graciously agreed to collect tomorrow morning so I can keep up with the washing rather than take a suitcase of dirty clothes.  We had a goodbye dinner last night with my best friend here and her family (cried buckets).  I'm not sure what our plans are for today, maybe a trip out somewhere.

I think I've felt every possible emotion over the past few days!

Can I ask what courier you used for this or any advice as the cost of air freight seems to be crazy. I just want to send a couple of folders and some computer equipment?