importing mk1 from uk

[stiffy]

morning, has anyone imported a car to oz from overseas? i can't seem to find what i want here so i am trying to way up about importing cars/motors/wheels etc. i know about the under $1000 tax duty.
if anyone has a clue would be nice to hear from you
cheers

[roccodingo]

Start here :-Importing Vehicles into Australia

[Jamie H]

My MK1 Campaign arrived last Thursday!
It's in the workshop at the moment waiting for blue slip regulations but I hope to have it on the road by next weekend.
Depends on what you want really, don't expect it to be a cheap option and you're luckier than me if you can have it inspected first.
I am blessed that it has arrived in immaculate condition with some great spares in the boot and FULL history with original manuals and service books (stamped for first delivery on 3rdSeptember 1983!).
Long winded but SO worth it. I haven't driven it yet and am already happy with what I've done.

[wai]

Just be careful when importing from any country that salts (also referred to as gritting - which is salt and grit) their roads in winter.

If the inspection is not thorough, you can end up having to do a lot of work once you get it.

[stiffy]

My MK1 Campaign arrived last Thursday!
It's in the workshop at the moment waiting for blue slip regulations but I hope to have it on the road by next weekend.
Depends on what you want really, don't expect it to be a cheap option and you're luckier than me if you can have it inspected first.
I am blessed that it has arrived in immaculate condition with some great spares in the boot and FULL history with original manuals and service books (stamped for first delivery on 3rdSeptember 1983!).
Long winded but SO worth it. I haven't driven it yet and am already happy with what I've done.

not trying to be too nosey,where did you import it from?,was it a hasle or relatively easy?,did you use an agency or have help overseas?,could you supply a ball park figure on the costs?
not trying to be too nosey though

[Golf-Sam]

Im itching for some pictures !

[earlyreflections]

^ agreed - can't wait! Looking forward to more details on how you got it here also!

[Flea]

If your going to go through all the trouble of importing, why not get something that's rare?

I was in Greece at the start of the year and saw a ****load of mk1 caddy's. They're sooo cheap too.
I'm sure a RH conversion won't be too hard to do.

[danpez]

I imported mine, all the way from West Brom. I was fortunate to have my Dad in the UK to collect it, and I got it checked out by a local VAG specialist who knocked up a report etc before I bought it. Just do your homework. The import process aint that hard, the Golf was my 2nd car and I'm about to import a 3rd. I didn't even get charged duty on my Golf, I'm guessing because it only cost me 1,000 GBP, by the time they went through the valuation (not road registered here, not ADR'd etc) they basically said it was worthless.

Mechnically mine was spot on after engine rebuild in the UK etc (except I just screwed up the alternator after driving it here for a year with no issues). I just need to sort some paintwork and interior things out. As for ADR, I needed rear lap belts put in, along with intrusion bars. Rest was sweet.

Defo go for something that is rare though. They had to create a registry entry here in QLD for mine when it arrived, and Shannons are the only people who will insure it pretty much as the insurance companies don't have my model in there system either. Including purchase cost, repairs, shipping, on road costs etc, mine owes me about $7k. Hope that helps!

[roccodingo]

The scirocco i bought in last year cost me ~$4000 to import from the states. No duty as its older than 30 years, only pay GST on shipping costs.

Do a google for Australian car importers and then give em a call, email etc. Aint that hard to do. longest part is waiting for the import approval documentation to be done ( before you ship the car )

Next one over is a 16V Scirocco 2 from Arizona, looking at january 2013 shipping dates.

Looking at the poor quality and price of local Mk1's here I doubt I will ever buy a used Mk1 VW in Australia again, especially after seeing first hand how rust free the scirocco ( california car ) is.

http://www.vwwatercooled.com/forums/...box-59774.html

VWVortex.com - All the way from America..

tracking the shipping movements was cool to

[Jamie H]

I was addicted to tracking the boat.... Did it about 3 times a day! No idea why, it took as long as it was always meant to

[Jamie H]

I bought privately on piston heads from a guy in Southampton. You need to apply for an import approval before booking freight and you need to buy the car before you can apply for the import approval.... Weird! I bought mine and the found that it takes around 3 weeks to get approval, lucky for me the previous owner was understanding and kept it in his garage until I had it collected.
For freight I used Cargo Online, they were great to the point that I couldn't say a bad thing about the way the handled the process. My only change would be to go with their guy for the blue slip, I took it into my own hands (I'm in the motor industry and clearly thought I knew best....) and I think it would have been easier to just be a little bit more patient and leave it with them until ready.
The 2 things I didn't prepare for were the freight to the docks in the UK (£125) and the fact that even under the pre '89 program and as a private import you still need to meet the ADR regulations from the time of the cars production. My car is an '83 so I need to have door intrusion beams and child anchor points fitted (introduced late 70's in Aus).
All up, I am looking at just under $20,000 with insurance (Shannon's are $900 fully comp) and everything else. I have had offers up to $30k without the car even being on the road yet; this is nice to know but it isn't why I did it. I hope to never need to sell.
Let me know if you have any other questions. If you can afford it and if you have the patience, I can't advise it strongly enough. I am fizzing about it every day!hoping to be registering it on Wednesday.

[Jamie H]

Mine's an '83 mk1 GTi Campaign 1.8.... Limited production at launch and most were stollen and written off in the 80's. it's rarer than any Caddy!
If you want something really different and very low maintenance go a Lupo GTi from the early 2000's. LOADS of fun and modern comforts.

[Jamie H]

Don't know how to get pics from iPad to here....

[OEM G60]

I used Steve White/Cargo Online when i imported my Corrado back in 2005, no complaints here either, and i used his recommended garage for Blue Slip, it only took about 4-5 days from memory, i had it on the road pretty quick! Mine was a '92 and came with me when i moved here from the UK. Have a read through the Karman shipping site and tap DOTARS into google, all the info is there. If you want a newer car brought over (post 31/12/88 ) it gets more difficult, you have to own, and live in the same country as the car for a min of 12 months.
To get photos up Jamie, upload them into photobucket.com, then copy the [IMG] codes and post them in a reply, the photos will appear. Would be good to see some of your Mk1, sounds nice!