Thread: Importing to Aus

Originally Posted by Vin Rouge

Suggest avoiding Grace Removals Group at this end. They did the work when I imported my Defender 90 a couple of years back. The term 'rip off merchants' comes to mind.

Also, be prepared for lots of conflicting advice from government departments. I found the whole process, whilst not difficult, made unecessarily difficult by pen pushers. Be prepared for additional dollar costs at the Australia end. It mounts up. I can find out what it cost me if you want the details.

Good luck

Mm interesting Grace did mine this end here in Brisbane and were not too much problem


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Originally Posted by Reads90

Mm nothing to do with Customs

It's AQIS that are the pain with washing and work on the rule that 99.99% of cars will need to be cleaned. I was told that by AQIS

Can't see why they held up your car up and did not just clean it

Half the time delay is the car has to go to customs then customs have to get AQIS in to look at it and then when they are finished custom take over again and then ask for and get their money.

There was some sort of foot and mouth scare at the time so car was kept for fumigation. Was a bit frustrating but understandable. You're right was AQIS that kept it, but customs wouldnt release it til AQIS had finished with it.

I had owned the 110 for about 18 months before we applied for the Personal Import Permit.

If memory serves me right I had the choice to declare its value before it left the UK for import duty purposes or let the Australians do it when it got here. I was advised to let them work it out here because technically the car is worthless when its sat on the dock as its not road legal. I think I paid about $2000 all up for pink & blue slip, collection from dock etc etc.

Worked out very well for me.

Cargo Online were the guys who collect from the dock in Sydney, those guys work with COmplete Car Care out at Castle Hill - the whole process worked like clockwork!

When you apply to the RTA for the personal import license they are very good at responding to emails but hopeless at reading them and responding accordingly. For example, they kept asking me for local (Australian) school fee receipts, mortgage statements, utility bills etc etc, despite me repeatedly telling them i was still living in the UK!!

Patience is a virtue though and we got there in the end!
J

Originally Posted by bee utey

You may be best off removing the LPG cylinder, filler and hoses at home and replacing them here with ones specifically marked for AS 1425.

Asked my tank testing service about imported gas tanks today, he said he can only test tanks marked to AS1425. So pull it out before you leave. Leave the underbonnet stuff on, it may be worth reconnecting it when you get here.

Originally Posted by Yorkshire_Jon

I had owned the 110 for about 18 months before we applied for the Personal Import Permit.

If memory serves me right I had the choice to declare its value before it left the UK for import duty purposes or let the Australians do it when it got here. I was advised to let them work it out here because technically the car is worthless when its sat on the dock as its not road legal. I think I paid about $2000 all up for pink & blue slip, collection from dock etc etc.

Worked out very well for me.

Cargo Online were the guys who collect from the dock in Sydney, those guys work with COmplete Car Care out at Castle Hill - the whole process worked like clockwork!

When you apply to the RTA for the personal import license they are very good at responding to emails but hopeless at reading them and responding accordingly. For example, they kept asking me for local (Australian) school fee receipts, mortgage statements, utility bills etc etc, despite me repeatedly telling them i was still living in the UK!!

Patience is a virtue though and we got there in the end!
J

Sounds better than I was hoping then. I've had the car 18 months as well, reading the Karmann pdf suggested getting it valued prior to leaving the UK if owned for more than a year. Suggestions that customs would base the duty on what I'd paid for the car (need to dig out the receipt) rather than what it's worth now. Personally I'd rather it was done on a current valuation, it's worth bugger all here in the UK compared to what I paid for it especially seeing as how it's covered 40k miles since I bought it. So with 60k miles on the clock, V8 petrol and in a lairy colour it's not exactly worth a potload anymore, probably £14-£15k at most

I'll contact Karmann today for an indicative quote. Thanks very much for the info.

Quote received, very helpful chap. We'd likely be bringing the 2 cars and for what he's quoted it's looking feasible.

I'd better make a start on renewing all the bits of the RRS I know are on the way out

Just before I bought the 90 over I got an MOT on it as a quick check and replaced some stuff
Also bought a box of bits. Like stub axles , props, bearings. And other little bits that you go through


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Originally Posted by Mike_S

I'd better make a start on renewing all the bits of the RRS I know are on the way out

Six new tyres and a couple of spare rims , for starters . Rubber is a total
ripoff here !