Hi guys,we've got an o/t (71) Squire wagon to get from California to North Carolina,Can anyone put us on to someone reputable and reliable,We do all have hamb friendly cars,but this is just something to get us around for a month 'on tour',Thanks , Kiwi Bob.
Hi, Kiwi Bob! FWIW I paid I think $1200 to get my car shipped from NC to Los Angeles and that was by DAS, the worst rip off broker in the world. Theres a website called shipper reports or something where people review the different shipping companies. I sure wish I'd looked at it before I used DAS. That site also tells you the aliases the brokers use and whatnot. anyway the freaky looking guy that transported my car screwed it up but good. here's the revieww website http://www.transportreviews.com/directory/reports/pasttwoyears.asp FWIW I'd think it'll cost a couple grand easy to transport that wagon, that's a coast to coast trip. You can't pick up a car to get you around for a month in north carolina? I bought a 92 Isuzu Rodeo for $1600 3 years ago and drove it with no problems. Not as cool as the wagon, but cheap transport and easily saleable when you're ready to go back home. Just my 2 cetns. Good luck and hope you enjoy the states!
Hi Bob, I just imported a '31 model A through, Titan. They were good to deal with and very professional. THey also have trucks that'll go pick up your car from pretty much anywhere in the states. Reasonable prices, it was about $2500 including the trucking from San Francisco to their depot in LA. Once it was on the boat it took about 4 weeks to get here. Titan International 16905 Cherie Pl., Carson, CA 90746 www.titanship.com But before you do anything make sure you get a VIA (Vehicle Import Approval) from the government, otherwise your car ain't going anywhere. You'll need to do the VIA on your own behalf as the agent is only responsible for managing it at the docks, you'll need to fill out the application and get as much documentation as you can from the seller, including copies of the title, bill of sale, pictures, etc. Send it off to Infrastructure department and wait about 14-45 days. Once you've got the VIA the rest is easy. Also make sure you save enough for GST and import duties when it gets here, they can be a killer. Good luck Willo
hi bob i agree with diamond willow regarding the VIA paperwork. i bought a car at the end of October 2011, told the yard that i needed the VIA paperwork before the car is to be shipped which they held for me, unfortunately it took till the end of Jan to get my approval I then paid the full balance and now the car is on the water. I must say they had a large amount of forms to go through. two years ago i used DAS to ship my 57 chev from Viginia to LA and I had no problems at all
I don't think he's importing it. I read that he needs to truck it inside the U.S. Maybe I got it wrong.
When do you want it there? Maybe someone could drive it for you? There are several HAMB transport guys check the hambodex or Duane Jones at Kiwikonnection does coast to coast transport http://www.kiwikonnection.org/ http://www.kiwikonnection.org/transport.html or http://kiwiskarriers.com/
FedEx and Reliable are very good car transportation companies. Welcome and enjoy the Hotrodding meca here in the US !! If you're in the Oklahoma area give us a yell as something is always goin on !
From L.A. to Kitty Hawk 2670 miles... Let's look at your options. If someone was to drive it, it would be a 4 day trip. That car would get about 15 mpg, and would require about 180 gallons of gasoline @ $3.10 a gallon = ~$560... Add on top of that your drivers expense of meals, motels, and a few $ to put in their pocket for the trouble, and your looking at close to $1000. Plus the expense of getting your driver back home [airline ticket] which would add another $2-300. This is all assuming the car is running, driving, and capable of making the trip. Next option would be a transport company. Johnny1290 quoted $1200. About the same $ as a driver, but as he also stated, they tore up his stuff... You want better service, it's going to cost you extra. Plus I'm willing to bet you couldn't get it done today for a penny less than $1500 as the cost of fuel has gone thru the roof here in the states over the past year. Option #3 would be that one of you fly out of Oz a few days early, and go to Cali, drive the car to N.C., and meet the rest of your party there... $560 for gas, and about $50 a day for meals and cheap motels. The down side of that scenario is that the driver is gonna be dead tired before his vacation even begins. Option #4. Abandon the idea of getting the Ford from Cali to N.C. entirely, and just buy something once you get here. Lots of cool cars for sale on Craigslist.
Yeah my $1200 trip only cost me uhhh $2500?!?! LOL I sure 'saved' a lot of money!!!! hahahaha not to mention the time factor, which is to say when you go through a broker like that they leave your car sitting at a transit hub until they find the LCD to haul it for the tiniest amount of money. I mean it makes sense. The broker wants to keep as much of that $1200 as they could, so maybe they paid the driver $800 to get it cross country. I'm pretty sure that didn't buy me the best and the brightest. Anyway they have leeway of weeks to get your car to your destination, no reason at all to think it'll be there close to when they say, or in my case what condition. Me personally? No way I'd drive a 72 anything sea to shining sea if I hadn't even inspected it or had someone that knows what they're doing inspect it. Any repair will cost at least a few hundy and it's inevitable. I'd pay a hamber to sell it for you and buy a good car locally. Even if it takes a few days to find one you'll be way ahead of the game. Just my 3 cents.
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