Importing car to Australia

[David Kemp]

Help, Australian members! I am in the process of importing a NON going Jupiter into Australia from West Coast USA.
Can anyone recommend a Freight company you trust or ones to avoid?
Does anyone know if a Jupiter wreck needs a USA title to be imported?
& if anyone knows of any potential pitfalls?
The car is coming from a long standing member of good reputation so I am not concerned about the condition of the car, more the process of importation.
Any Australian member want anything Jowett imported ? I ask as 1/2 my car will be in crates, no one will know that jowett part does not belong to my car.

[Andrew Henshall]

Hi David,

Well done!!!! I'm guessing that you bought Jupiter E2SA715L from Los Alamitos. Personally, I've not imported a whole car from the USA, (and don't know anyone who has), although I have bought many parts for several different cars from the US previously and freighted them into Australia.

I'm pretty sure that you will need a US title to import the car, and can only recommend that you research the whole process thoroughly. I'm sure you have already looked at the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service website and read all the relevant Fact Sheets, and you have probably already contacted the relevant office in the Department of Infrastructure about obtaining a VIA (Vehicle Import Approval). Personally, I would not go it alone because the paperwork is massive, but recommend that you use an importer. There are many different importers offering various levels of service, and so you are doing the right thing by seeking a personal recommendation from someone who has done it before.

Thanks very much for the offer to transport parts for our Jowetts in your crate, but there's nothing I need from the USA at the moment.

Anyway, good luck. When you get it here, please don't hesitate to contact me as I have been buying new & s/h parts for our Jupiter E1SA433R for years and have many useful contacts, drawings, spec sheets, lists, photos, etc.

Best regards,

Andrew Henshall
JCCA Victorian State Representative

[David Kemp]

Yes it is Jupiter 715 , but I do need to get the importation sorted, I can't afford to have it stuck at customs for 2 years(I have heard stories like this) any help appreciated.

[Andrew Henshall]

David,

As hundreds (if not thousands) of older US made vehicle are imported into Australia each year, I would be asking US car nuts for help. I did a search and found the following info on the Pontiac Car Club of Australia website: I can't comment in its accuracy, currency, completeness, or usefulness, but it is a start! I have deleted paragraphs relating to importing vehicles younger than a Jupiter and importing vehicles from Japan, UK, NZ, etc. See below:


Here is a rough guide to importing vehicle intended to be registered for use on Australian roads, and to reinforce this in government language one can look at http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/ ... .aspx#five.

But to summarize this in commercial language, basically all vehicles require an import permit before even considering the shipping and customs or quarantine aspect. This should be your first consideration. For a Pdf copy of the application form look at the government website: http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/ ... ation.aspx or find it also on a commercial website http://www.edicustoms.com.au/forms.htm

If your intended vehicle is over 30 years old , one is free to import without major modification, and the vehicle, if desired can be kept left hand drive and registered after minor compliance modification and certification and minor expense. It is becoming desirable for left hand drive models of the "classics" to not be tampered with and kept and driven in Australia as manufactured. From a separate customs perspective, there is nil duty on all such vehicles, but 10% GST applies on purchase price plus freight (plus insurance if included with the freight contract - AH).

Here is some practical logistics advice based on personal and professional experience coming from my perspective as a lifelong customs broker and international freight forwarder that specializes in the shipping of motor vehicles and motorcycles and one who has personally travelled to Japan, Europe and USA purchasing vehicles for personal usage or otherwise acquisition or collection. Any freight figures quoted are approximate at time of writing and should be used as a rough guide only. Prior to importation serious consideration should be given to the cleanliness of the vehicle and possibility of requesting steam cleaning services ahead of shipping if in doubt as there have been some cases of extremely dirty vehicles have arrived without any attempt to ensure cleanliness has resulted in in extreme case the Australian quarantine requesting re-export. Remember also that a VIA (Vehicle Import Approval) must be received ahead of shipping as in extreme cases DOTARS have requested re-export of vehicle arrived without application ahead of commencement of the application process.

With freighting ex USA the obvious gateway for Australia is Los Angeles where a container cost is US$2000/20' and US$2800/40' and the pack, haul and document cost is US$600/20' and US$900/40'. Cars can be hauled to Long Beach across USA via car haul specialists at costs from US$500-1000. Alternatively there are east coast drive on drive off vessel services but the services can be sporadic and can be heavily booked. Costs are lesser than containerised however the security aspect is lost and from USA containerised movement is the sought after option.

On arrival in Australia to clear a car off a drive on drive off vessel one should allow approx A$500-800 in total based on vehicle being released by Quarantine on initial examination. If containerised then the container units must go to a licenced warehouse for unpack and allow costs all up of approx A$1500/20' and A$2000/40' covering all costs on release after initial quarantine inspection. Subsequent steamcleaning under quarantine direction is performed as guided on hourly basis. Once cleared customs and quarantine then it is over to a mechanical engineer who will charge approx A$500 for minor modification and certification under national road regulations ahead of state registration and then it is over to the state registry for the registration to use on roads at local registration cost.


Hope this info is of some use.

Andrew

[Forumadmin]

At the end of our USA crossing in the Jav, Scott and I discusssed our next adventure being to drive to Alaska, well we could extend that and drive down through Russia, China and Vietnam and see how far we got to Aus!

Might save on shipping cost!