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[Mod edit - this thread was split from another one. You can read SteveL's original post at http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1015258&postcount=103 :thumbsup:/http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/fo...&postcount=103 :)/http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/fo...&postcount=103 ;)/http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/fo...&postcount=103 ]

Just to add to what SteveL said. As per the application form, you will need to include an authorised copy of a form of ID and supplier invoice in addition to the proof of age.

Here's a question that occurred to me:

So lets say my GT-R gets here, and it needs to go through customs inspection and steam cleaning, etc. How do they (the wharfies initially, and I assume the customs agent later) move the car around? It may well have a flat battery.... ? Do they have facilities for jump starting cars?

And another: what is the earliest time you can actually view your car? Can you view it on the same day that it rolls of the boat?

Edit: heh. As anyone tried calling DOTARS? "Please note that unnecessary phone calls may delay the processing of your application". LOL. I think they might get the odd phone call from irritated people :)

LW.

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And another: what is the earliest time you can actually view your car? Can you view it on the same day that it rolls of the boat?

Yes you can. If you are importing the car yourself without the use of a customs agent (I know you are im just saying) then you are required to be there when the ship docks or when the car comes off or something.

If you are using a customs agent then they attend the dock for you but you can choose to make an appointment with your customs agent to come down.

I will be taking a few days off work to see things go smoothly around the time it comes in.

All i need now is the B/L and im all set.

Excellent. Is anyone around to stop you removing stuff from the car? Specifically, I want to remove some wheels that will be travelling in the car...

Edit: wises -- reakon you could make your sig any bigger? :)

LW.

Dont know if you can physically touch it actually. If you can then theres probably laws to prevent you taking stuff until its gone thru customs etc but who knows. You would definately be able to give a wharfie $50 to grab the wheels for you. Thats how they work.

I was gonna say the same thing about that blokes sig :D

I sent mine 1st of sept and havnt got anything either apart from the 'we have received it and it is being processed' crap

coommeeeoonnnn !!!

I assume you rang them to ask, or did they ring to tell you they have recieved it?

sewid: yeah, but interesting. I want to make sure the freakin wharfies don't pinch them.

I would think they (customs) are setup for processing cars, so parts not actually attached to the car might be easily moved :D

LW.

Let me try and answer what I can..from my own experiences

- Customs / Quarantine usually do their initial inspections while the cars are being rolled off the ships.

- If the wharvies need to move the cars around, they drive them (they have a jump start pack, which is also handy when you come to drive your car from the docks). If your car needs to go for steam cleaning, it's not supposed to be driven there.

- unless your car has a customs clearance you can't pick it up from the docks. I guess when they're unloading the ship if you could find a viewpoint outside of the dock area you could see it come off. But yeah, no going to take stuff out until it has that clearance.

- If your car passes Customs / AQIS inspections, then once it's cleared you can drive it out. However if it fails AQIS and needs steam cleaning, they will issue a clearance to allow you / customs broker to remove it from the wharf and deliver it to the steam cleaners. This is when I first got to go inside my brother's 32 (and you could remove items then!)

- Once at the steam cleaners, Customs can inspect the vehicle from there so it won't need to be taken back to the wharves.

This steam cleaning.. is it steam cleaning of the inside or the outiside (ie. underneath the car) ?  Just abit of a side issue. :)

Underneath the car, engine bay and sometimes inside the car.

All depends on the cars condition and how dirty it is.

When I asked AQIS about the steam cleaning, they said that a car has to be in 'as-new' condition. He gave me an example and said that they could run their hand on the inner wheel guards, and it should be clean. Of course it depends how thorough they are. If they fail a car they will say what needs to be cleaned (either inside or outside).

Your car will need steam cleaning, all the cars I have brought over for myself, fam and friens all needed cleaning, its a crap policy/money making sceam that the cleaning people on the doc charge, despite my car being the stockest and cleanest on the dock still cost me $280 for a wash and steam clean (like it need'd that. What would you expect for that sort of money? full detail in my op, is that what you get... HAHA they tear out the full filler cover (wheel arch) high pressure spray it, then steam clean the boot, which consits of spraying "a seamer" in the boot at 1 mtr..... thats all .... It is the biggest scam on the docs..

BUT......

It has to be done, and whats $280 on top of what you have already payed..

I suggest booking in nice and early (as soon as you know the date) unless you want to leave you cars with the cleaners over night as they only do 5-6 a day, dont know what takes so f...ing long but thats all they can do... unless you pay more.. :P

NOT to incriminate any particular business but if you leave your vehicle over night, it is NOT secure.. yes from the public, but not from the warfies... yes those nice guages (etc) are highly likely to be un-installed. no joke.

BOOK in and wait there while its done, I did, bent over, and got to take my baby home..

Dont be a fool and drive it, hire a car trailor ($40/day) and bring it home that way, then do your FULL service, replace ALL Liquids. This car has been in storage for who knows how long, who did the last service? how long ago was it, how many trackdays has it done on this oil...think about it...

I have seen 2 cars not make it home, because they were not checked out properly. Not to mention the fine is a biggen.

One other thing to keen in mind, the day you are aloud to collect your car is the same day everyone else on that shipment is. and there are people every where, stay with your car.

Be patient take what they tell you with salt, bite your lip, take the crap, and go home with you car in one peice on that day.

Good Luck!

Stirlo

i would also be careful how long it stays on the docks, $60 a night in storage fees!!! bloody criminal but im getting mine complied at a place just near the docks he said he would hold it there till its put on a truck ( hes been so nice!!!! MOTORGUARD John Weatherall (07) 3868 4910) shameless plug there, but i rang him told him what was goin on and he worked his ass off to pick the car up :P

look look little sig :D

My car supposedly left Japan today on the NYK Line's specialist car carrying ship 'Alioth Leader'. Estimates vary between 2 and 3 weeks for arrival in Melbourne. I'd be very interested to hear any recent experiences of people that have gone through Customs, etc using the RORO method in Melbourne. I'm using a Customs Agent which will hopefully (!!) speed/smooth things, but at a cost, of course.

How long it takes to get off the docks is determined by when you;ve a paid the import agent and b been cleared by quarantine. But if its more than 3 days you will have to start paying the storage fees

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