your car coming into Oz..

[ocean]

Express post them on the last day of October.

I'm in a bit of a tricky situation now..

Agent recommends i fax them on the 26th of October, car *could* be put on a boat on the 23rd of October, which means it would probably arrive on the 10th of November (18 days shipping). I'm not sure if this time frame will work out, can anyone help out?

-Patrick

[SteveL]

Agent recommends i fax them on the 26th of October, car *could* be put on a boat on the 23rd of October, which means it would probably arrive on the 10th of November (18 days shipping).  I'm not sure if this time frame will work out, can anyone help out?

That's cutting it fine, comes down to whether your prepared to accept the risk of having to pay storage charges or not. You car would not clear customs without the import approval documentation and would probably have to go into bonded storage. I'd suggest talking to your CA about the potential costs (it would be a per day charge) and go from there.

My import approval took 22 days to be received from DOTARS and it seems most people have experienced the same timeframe. If that's the case, your car would get approval about the middle of November, assuming they accept submission on 26/10. It could sit on the docks for up to 3 days as 'free' storage, so that might _just_ get you there, but there are a lot of if's, but's and maybe's.

[ocean]

That's cutting it fine, comes down to whether your prepared to accept the risk of having to pay storage charges or not.   You car would not clear customs without the import approval documentation and would probably have to go into bonded storage.   I'd suggest talking to your CA about the potential costs (it would be a per day charge) and go from there.    

My import approval took 22 days to be received from DOTARS and it seems most people have experienced the same timeframe.  If that's the case, your car would get approval about the middle of November, assuming they accept submission on 26/10.   It could sit on the docks for up to 3 days as 'free' storage, so that might _just_ get you there, but there are a lot of if's, but's and maybe's.

bloody hell why can't they just get their arses in gear.. i really don't want to wait for my car any longer than i have to - i'm sure everyone else feels the same about their car, but if there is any real delay with getting the approval it could cost me alot of money

[SteveL]

bloody hell why can't they just get their arses in gear.. i really don't want to wait for my car any longer than i have to - i'm sure everyone else feels the same about their car, but if there is any real delay with getting the approval it could cost me alot of money

Well it's really your choice. DOTARS recommends against importing the car until approval is received...you can't really blame them if you do it anyway. Also they say turnaround time for approvals is about 17days, but with the proviso that increased demand could blow that out. Fact is they've probably got that right now with increasing number of 15yo apps. Also your adding to the risk by applying before the car becomes eligible - but others have had success in doing that, so again it's a question of the risk your prepared to take. That said, your agent is probably seeing what is happening with a lot of the apps that are going in at the moment and would (or should) have a pretty good idea of how things will pan out......

As it happens my car went on the boat before I had approval which was quite a shock and did cause me some stress, but that part turned out alright in the end. But in my case it was about 18 days between when I sent the app in and when the car went on the boat - a lot more time than your situation.

If you decide to go ahead, make absolutely your app is complete in every way down to the last detail and you should be fine.

[Duncan]

ummm...look....

this is a tricky process, but you guys complaining about the costs are kidding, right?

You choose to import a car due to the significantly lower price than a local car. It is cheaper because you are taking a RISK on the car.

If you have problems....bad luck....that is the downside to the risk you take. A place like SAU can help make this heaps easier...and I bet once it is here and on the road it was still cheaper than you would have paid for a car already here

[ocean]

I think it might be alot safer to put it on a later boat..

an extra 3 weeks isn't worth the $000's it could cost if the import approval doesn't arrive in time..

[funkymonkey]

had a dude who imported thru jspec who was in canberra go to the DOTARS office and get the security guard to hand deliver the documents upstairs... it was processed and returned to him in 3 days... and that was last week.

But yeah as Duncan said, the whole reason people don't import their own car is that its a process that takes patience and trust. If you have difficulty with both those qualities then you should be buying thru the trading post, not importing.

Also keep in mind if your car lands in QLD and has to be road transported down to syd or melb, and you don't have import approval, then if the car has to be stored then you'll be paying around $65 per day that its there. In Melb its $20 per day.

BTW why are you guys trying to find customs agents etc? shouldn't your import agents be handling all that for you including customs clearance, compliance etc?

[SteveL]

an extra 3 weeks isn't worth the $000's it could cost if the import approval doesn't arrive in time..

It's not likely to be thousands of dollars unless something really unusual happens. Before making a decision talk to your CA/broker about timeframes and any likely extra costs THEN make a decision. As they say advice on the internet is worth exactly as much as you pay for it.....

As for risk...everyone accepts that buying a secondhand car by remote control is a 'risk' (if you don't, your a fool), but there are risks which you have direct control over as in this case with decisions about shipping.

I went with a CA because that was what was recommended.

[funkymonkey]

SteveL oh ok, while I'm at J-Spec's office I've noticed that they're on very good terms with a CA in each state (esp with the ones in Melb, apparently the person they deal with is a good lookin lady too), and they handle all the customs work for their clients. Makes sense coz then if there's any special requirements then they'd be in a better position to negociate with the CA rather than once off clients like you guys. I assumed this was what Risbey did as well.

[lwells]

I assumed this was what Risbey did as well.

I think Geoff does a very similar thing. He seems to have preferred C/As he works through and recommends, and if you tell him about choosing a C/A he will CC them on to any necessary communications, etc.

The only thing is he doesn't force you to use a C/A. From what I have seen, J-spec strongly discourages not using a C/A.

LW.

[funkymonkey]

Not using a CA is asking for trouble (unless you are a car dealer who does customs clearance regularly etc or know the system to the tee).

Are you using the CA that Prestige reccomended or are you using a different one?

[lwells]

Some people want to do it for the experience and save some money (eg. razorsharp). I think they are nuts

Personally I am using Prestige's recommended Sydney customs agent, Control Global Logistics.

LW.

[ocean]

Some people want to do it for the experience and save some money (eg. razorsharp). I think they are nuts

Personally I am using Prestige's recommended Sydney customs agent, Control Global Logistics.

LW.

I'm also using Prestige's recommended Melbourne agent, Frank Madden P/L, but the timing of the whole operation is left largely upto the client - i can decide whether or not to take the risk with the early import, it's no problem if i decide to put it on a later boat, and no extra cost.

-Patrick

[PHATR32]

im using their reccoemened perth agent Bill Famlonga.

anyone else use him?

steve

[SteveL]

Well picked up my car this morning, there are a few relatively minor issues, but also some unexpected pluses (see below). Nothing was missing from the car and there was no 'extra' damage.

I had decided to drive my car home from the dock, so I got an unregistered vehicle permit from Vicroads. At $67 dollars for 28 days it works out cheaper than having the car transported everywhere (I've also got trips for compliance and RWC to come). First it was out to Tullamarinew to see the CA, pay him and pick up the clearance paperwork, then back to Port Melbourne (Webb Dock) to get the car.

It was a case of signing in at the main gate of the Patrick's terminal and then a short bus trip (they provide a little mini bus just for the purpose) to the clearance clerks office to complete the paperwork and get the key (1 in my case). After that,. a short walk to secondhand car storage area to locate the car and my first problem - dead flat battery. I had thought this might happen, so I brought a fully charged spare....but that was located in the car with my wife back at the visitors car park (you can't take another car onto their site, and they only allow one person in to collect the car - be warned). Anyway I decided to walk back to the get the battery and also grabbed a handful of tools. Fortunately the bus arrived back at the main gate at that time, so I hopped on board and after another short trip was able to chuck the battery in - but then came problem #2, terminals were different sizes (!!). I was able to jury rig the terminals, car started first kick, and after handing in some forms at the main gate I drove home (well, I had to stop for some petrol :-) ). It all took about 3 hours.

I've been able to spend a few hours looking over the car and have found some unexpected pluses and a few minuses:

+Bilstein suspension

+braided brake lines (might be a minus for RWC)

+HKS intercooler piping (don't know about the I/C, how do you tell ??)

+'big' exhaust from dumps back.

+remote oil filter kit (I couldn't find the filter in the normal place, eventually located it at the front, LH corner just 'behind' the front lip - couldn't be easier to change).

+looks like the car has had a recent full service

-some sun faded parts like the tops of the outside mirror housings (to be expected, I think).

-car has factory wheels (which I wanted) and the owner has used lock nuts - but I can't find the key !!

-clutch take-up is very 'short' which means it's probably worn.

-an after market oil cooler is fitted along with the remote filter, but it appears that when it was fitted a bracket was pushed forward and has been touching the I/C core. It looks like it may have rubbed through a tube, but it's something I'll have to check closely.

All in all I'm pretty happy.....

[PHATR32]

you lucky SOB

[ocean]

you lucky SOB

Let's hope things turn out so well for some more of us in this thread ..

-Patrick

[Beer Baron]

Congrats on picking up the car

Sounds like it has some nice goodies too.

When you say the clutch take up is short, I assume you mean that it takes up near the top of it's travel (when the pedal is quite high off the floor)? If you mean it engages just a few cm off the floor then it could mean, 1. the clutch has plenty of meat on the plate(s) or 2. it's been adjusted that way. Either way, if it's on the way out, you'll know soon enough...

Enjoy.

Richard

[SteveL]

Thanks guys, also found a MINES sticker on the ecu, the car must have been tuned at some stage. The Carrozzeria CD/MD player still had a MD in it - I wondered why the thing started playing music while I was playing with it, wasn't Japanese music tho, sounded a bit like the Stones but I don't think it was.

When you say the clutch take up is short, I assume you mean that it takes up near the top of it's travel (when the pedal is quite high off the floor)? If you mean it engages just a few cm off the floor then it could mean, 1. the clutch has plenty of meat on the plate(s) or 2. it's been adjusted that way. Either way, if it's on the way out, you'll know soon enough...

Yeh it takes up high/near the top which means the clutch is almost certainly worn. I couldn't detect any slip, but wasn't able to really try it out.....

[sewid]

Thats so weird. At the sydney dock they have jump start packs and they take one with them when you go to retrieve the car. I'm sure this happens all the time and that's why they are prepared.

My car started without it first go though so i was happy with that.

Congrats on picking the car up finally. I wonder if I couldve got one of those unregistered vehicle things in NSW.