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Just shipped my car to the US - the good and bad


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Hi - I just shipped my car (back) to the US (I had originally bought it there in 1982!). Here are some of the goods and bads of the experience:

Basically, I was wary of RoRo and looked to ship in a container. A single container is quite expensive (probably around £2k and up - excluding any insurance  -  but this end only. More later). I let myself be talking into a "shared container" as a way to save money. Big mistake. I had little / no control over export date and import date - all up to the shipper who was waiting for a "suitable" container. I dropped my car off in the London area on August 14th and did not see my car again until Octopber 22nd in Elizabeth, New Jersey! In between the only thing I could effectively monitor was the ship movements once it was onboard. Honestly, I can track a letter so much better! On arrival, it went immediately to customs - for up to three weeks I was told! Ok, I've got to fly and pick it up and drive to Massachusetts, so it is helpful to have some idea of a date....but I had none. Be warned - a shared container takes a while - and if customs decides to do a "search" YOU share the cost of this with whomever you are sharing a container with - and it can be £££. The car must be delived in London with below a 1/4 tank of petrol. Ok. When I was finally notified it was out of customs, I was told 3-5 business days to get to the freight forwarder (about a mile away!). So, another random waiting process. I finally bit the bullet and flew down to camp out with friends in NJ waiting for my car. I was lucky - it was ready the following day, after paying additional freight and handling fees, it was around £3k. I was also lucky - no scratches or dents. The freight forwarder was in the WORST location, with razor wire, etc. The building did nothing to inspire. That said, I did see a few vintage cars so that seemed to be "their thing". The car ran up fine, but died on the main road just in front. No idea, as I could see petrol in the tank, but none through the clear fuel filter. On a hunch, I sourced more petrol and it fired up. I drove it (through many VERY dodgy neighborhoods) to a friends in NJ in prep for a 300 mile journey the next day.

In spite of some heart-stopping backfires very early in the am, it ran up to its destination without a hitch. I'm delighted to have my car, but I will never ship shared again. As a post script, I learned that they shipped the car with the petrol cap open (who knows why, but that's how I got it - and it probably helped evaporate the fuel). I learned you can still see petrol in the tank even when you are empty, the car will run with fuel in the carbs only (briefly) and I learned that it's essential to have a in-line clear fuel filter, which was pretty black on arrival in Massachusetts. To be replaced!

 

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Gosh, ron, thanks for that.  It was a bit of a marathon!

I'm interested, as I have been invited to take my race car to the US for next year's Kastner Cup, in company with four or so other Triumph racers.     They are happy to container their cars direct to the circuit, Mid-Ohio, but I'd like to make it a bigger adventure, and drive my car from the port to the circuit and back.     It's less than 1000 miles round trip, no more than going to Le Mans which I've done three times.   I could share a container with the others, but extrcating mine while they stay inside would cllearly be too much hassle, so I'll have to send it in its own.     I've looked at RoRo too, but they will not allow any luggage with the car, and I'll need race wheels, tool kit etc. so that's a no-no

But what's this customs clearance hoohaa?    I have a document from the US Environmental Protection Agency, allwoing me to import the car temporarily, but I haven't even approached the US Customs.   And freight forwarders???   And an extra $3K  in fees????    I thought I would learn when the constainer would arrive, fly to Baltimore and pick up the car!   Naive fool, and the extra could be a project breaker!    

Thank you for the warning!  More work to do!    When driving to the Continong is so easy, why does America make it so B8****y difficult!

JOhn

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Shipping a car any distance is always a high anxiety event. So many people you dont now moving your car. My TR3a was shipped in an enclosed transporter from Florida to home and the truck that picked it up was not the truck that delivered it. We took the car off the trailer at a local park and ride lot and the truck driver gave me some parts saying "these fell off".

What is the Massachusetts story Ron ?

Stan

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.

I wish people would name and shame.  I've just assisted shipping a car I sold. It's going from Southampton to New York in a shared container.  The shipping agent is Schumacher who's US agent is I think pretty good. Their UK agent based in Needham Market, just a few miles from me seems to have lost interest.  I used them twice before and had in July asked for a quote to bring a TR4 from the states (which he never provided even though I sent him a reminder), but recently when I shipped this car - he didn't even recall my name.  I had to embarrass him (an open email to US agent, the seller and himself) to get a date the ship was due to leave, so that I might get the paperwork sent off to the buyer and to the DVLA.    

As Schumacher have not even provided a quote, and I did also mention it in an email to their US agent too,  I'll not bother chasing them yet again.  I still have a car to ship from the US to here  ..but I expect to be kept informed.

Btw.,  with the TR it's so easy to access and decant petrol from the tank. This is something the shippers want done,  so it was probably someone at the UK docks who filled up their car from yours, and then inadvertently left the cap open.

John,  perhaps you can ship the spares with the other racers and still roro your car.?   Might I ask, how do you deal with road insurance when you take your car over there ?  I ask because  one day I'd love to take the TR across and tour around for a few months.   Thanks. 

Pete.

Edited by Bfg
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I shipped my TR4A to California in 1983 using Fred Noonan Ltd. (based in Shepherds Bush area).

It was very easy and they informed me of the shipping date, and various other relevant pieces of information including the paperwork I would need to get it out of customs in San Francisco.

It arrived on the due date. I was informed of the date I could collect it, and when I went to collect it, of the five or six people trying to collect cars, I was the only one with the right paperwork to allow me to drive it away. It was shipped on deck (not in a container).

When I brought it back to the UK in 1986, I had it shipped as part of a consolidated container. Basically the removal company we used, loaded half the container with our household items and then built a wooden frame to protect the TR in the other half. On arrival in the UK (I was informed in advance of the shipping date, the removal truck arrived outside my house, having already cleared customs, before they realised my TR was inside. They had to drive to a suitable unloading bay to get the car out, but otherwise it was relatively simple.

 

TT

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Pete,

Insurance looked to be a project breaker at one time.   None of the major US insurers were at all interested, and even their online quote systems insist ona ZIP code, so can't even get a quote, and those I was able to contact referred me to their agents "in the state I will reside in", who didn't answer emails.     But I found Grundy, of Horsham, PA (!) who specialise in 'collector' vehicles, and who will be pleased to quote me, when I can tell them dates and things.   See: grundy.com

Yes, I could ask my fellow racers for a favour, but I do like to be a sole proprietor, with everything under my own 'flag'.     

Sounds as if ron wasn't well served by his shipper, but thanks again for the warning.   I shall want to question mine closely about documentation!

JOhn

Edited by john.r.davies
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As an added comment - it was basically £3k all in (shipping here to there, customs fees etc.) The wait and lack of knowledge, however, was maddening. The wait only seemed to grow once I was stateside. The customs process seems to be much longer in a shared container (because of personal goods, etc). The last time I shipped ('04) my car was ready as promised, but those were different times.

Schumacher was the freight forwarder. Not any neighbourhood I'd like to spend time in, and their mgmt is in California, including the person who handles east coast exports(!) But my car was ok (in spite of their horrendus Yelp reviews) and they do seem to like and handle vintage/rare cars.

I had NJ plates ready, but honestly I just left my UK tags on and happily motored everywhere. I understand many do that if their car/caravan etc is only in the US for a short-ish period. Haggerty is the vintage insurer that I used, but maybe only for domestic US. My paperwork was fine so no delays and Anglo/Pacific here did a good job of taking me through the paperwork process. 

But, I should have shipped solo in a container.

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