Advice on Shipping

[Redneck Rocket]

I'm wondering if anyone has any pointers or suggestions on vehicle shipping. I have decided to ship my Spitfire to Vancouver. Although this really doesn't make sense from a financial perspective as I'm sure I could sell it and buy an equivalent here, I have so much of myself invested in it, and it is my first classic so I'd like to get it over here...

I'm aware of a couple of shipping brokers, but what I am looking to avoid is just booking up and paying up. I'm not in any mad rush, would be happy to wait for a couple of months and 'fill up a container' at short notice, or other things of that ilk in order to get a good price etc. etc.

Also wondered if anyone knows what sort of cost to expect for this type of shipment.

Thanks in advance for the help. I know this isn't strictly Historic Racing, but I thought this would be the best group of people to ask.

[Moosehead]

Maybe a call to Bernie

http://www.racecarholidays.com/

He's often shipping cars out to the USA for race meetings so perhaps you could piggyback onto one of his trips. Good excuse for a roadtrip to complete the journey to Vancouver

[SFurness]

Hello,

I got a quote a year or so ago for shipping an MGF Cup car to Australia, it was about £900 plus some paperwork costs of £100 at each port.

If its of interest I can dig out the emails for the shipping agents details.



Steve

[Paul D]

Some advice I can offer, from 25+ years involvement in classic cars and shipping them round the world:

Don't be tempted to go Ro-Ro even though it may be a bit cheaper - it's a lottery and can be a bit risky with classic cars and their idiosyncracies! Know of a Morgan shipped to Australia recently by Ro-Ro (against my advice!) - left here fine, but arrived in Australia with a bent gear linkage and no water in the rad!

You may be able to make a bit of a saving if you're prepared to ship 'consolidated' (your car in a container with other stuff), especially if, as you said, you can wait. Best to discuss it with an agent as they all have different ideas.

Make sure that the company packing the container are familiar with/experienced in packing vehicles, as some aren't. We sent a forty footer to Japan a few years ago containing two cars and two motorbikes - on arrival in Japan, both bikes had fell over and had been rattling around in there and - wait for this - they'd put ratchet straps straight over the top of the (aluminium!) bodywork of a £70K Aston! Turns out that the shipping agents had recently started using this packing company, who clearly didn't have a clue about packing vehicles! And Sod's Law: the only thing in there not damaged was a car that needed restoring! Typical...

[john ruston]

Stuart-Ring CARS in Chedborough,Ian,Jumbo or Richard and just get them to put it in one of their consolidated containers and thats the best safe shipment you can have.
There is a reason why they do most of the fancy car shipments from /to UK.

[terence]

Jumbo? Has Jay put weight on?

[john ruston]

Whats Jay Bullock got to do with shipping?He's the road transport man with Sean as he was at CMS when you were there.
Now all under CARS banner at Chedbourough, Suffolk.

[terence]

I have no idea on the set up John,just thought Jay was still doing everything.I know Claire moved on though.

[Redneck Rocket]

Thanks for all the advice guys. Will look into it and report back. It seems borderline ridiculous to spend £1000 shipping a £2500 car halfway round the world, but that's the first car I ever bought that I genuinely wanted to own, and I spent so much time fixing, refixing, building, learning and enjoying it that I can't fathom selling it!

[DaveGT6]

Move on, cut your losses and sell it. No point in exporting a Spitfire - majority were exported when new so just buy another one on the other side - or something better with the money you'll save in not shipping it!

[esper]

I paid 1400 dollars to get the TVR Grantura from Vancouver to Belgium/Antwerp , For that money the car was packed in a 20feet container and unpacked in antwerp ready to transport.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Redneck Rocket

Thanks for all the advice guys. Will look into it and report back. It seems borderline ridiculous to spend £1000 shipping a £2500 car halfway round the world, but that's the first car I ever bought that I genuinely wanted to own, and I spent so much time fixing, refixing, building, learning and enjoying it that I can't fathom selling it!

It doesn't sound ridiculous to me. You need to consider that really a car is worth nothing other than the time you have put into it and the emotional attachment you have or it.

The thing is that you know that car. Save a grand in shipping and buy another and you will likely know nothing about it. That lack of knowledge could cost more than a grand should the car turn out be in need of serious attention.

My road car cost about half its value every year in running costs - but at least it can't depreciate much more!

[midgetman]

Hey RR, could you whack me my belts back before it gets exported? Ta!!

[smokystove]

I used a company called Rinkens to ship from Los Angeles to Germany a few years ago it was around 12-1300 USD including decent insurance. Not sure if they operate also in Canada and UK.

A friend who regularly imports/exports cars as a broker advised me to be aware of exactly what type of container the cars are shipped in... some containers have them "stacked up" as on a car-carrier, in this instance especially with classics you run the risk of the car above steadily dripping oil on yours for a few weeks at sea.

Having said that I was shocked how much surface corrosion had occurred at sea once the car arrived, so it may not be a bad thing!

[Redneck Rocket]

Originally Posted by midgetman

Hey RR, could you whack me my belts back before it gets exported? Ta!!

Sorry Max - I asked my mate who's garage it is stored in to pull them out and send them to you ages ago and he said no problem... I thought nothing of it, figured it had been done.

Will get on it...

[Richy_Rich]

Originally Posted by DaveGT6

Move on, cut your losses and sell it. No point in exporting a Spitfire - majority were exported when new so just buy another one on the other side - or something better with the money you'll save in not shipping it!

Ignore this RR.. Spitfires aren't like TVR Granturas. They're proper cars with soul. Having rebuilt mine countless times I don't think I'd sell it either.

I could, perhaps be persuaded to complement it with something else, but that's a different thing entirely