exporting/importing, getting a 914 to the UK Options

[boomy]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool_shades.gif) hi...just registered...been searching for a 914 for a while in the UK and everything that comes up for sale is overpriced or in cr$p condition....

...does anyone have any experience or info on 'shipping' cars to the UK ??

I would be grateful for costs etc....

Any help appreciated...

Yours truly, 914 virgin...

[Bleyseng]

Let Ya-Roon drive it as he knows how to drive on the water!

[seanery]

I'm sure there are folks that do this. The guy that bought my 356 was from the Netherlands and had it shipped over from LA. There are folks over in the UK that ship Minis over here, you might want to track them down to see if they can offer some help/info.

[lapuwali]

There are firms in the UK that specialise in private imports, esp. from the US. Check out some of the classic magazines. You might also ask around at a show. Someone who has a bit of American Iron almost certainly knows of these places, and can render an opinion.

Mind, it will be LHD, and a conversion will be fairly expensive unless you find a UK parts car and do it yourself. Living in the US with a RHD car, I can tell you that it's not a problem unless you regularly drive through toll booths, or frequent automated car parks w/o a passenger. The other danger is that rust is hard to examine long distance, and that's the primary concern with a 914. There's no equivalent of an MOT over here, and there are a great many cars on the road that would fail the structural inspection that people sell as "little to no rust", because they don't understand that a small patch of rust under the battery is deadly. I'm sure you can find people here who will inspect a prospect for you.

Buy absolutely the cleanest bodied car you can find, as you will need to keep it pristine to avoid rot unless you only drive on nice days in the summer. Salted roads are a quick death for this car, which is why all of the examples there are either crap or very expensive.

[fiid]

You might want to call Pickfords in the UK if you are thinking of shipping it yourself - they advertise that they will move cars - or at least did a few years ago, and they have the connections on the US end. If you know somone else who is after something - I think they put 2 cars top and bottom in a shipping container and then you're golden.

If I were you though I would try and find a good one in Europe - then I don't think you would have to deal with any duty or anything at all, as long as its an EU country, you just have to pay the owner and drive it back to the ferry terminal (or the chunnel).

l8r,

Fiid.

[fiid]

The other approach is - uh - move to california. The roads are much less hard (corrosion wise :-) ) on a steel framed car, there are lots of rust free/not very rusty cars here and you don't have to worry about import duty or left/right hand drive conversions.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/boldblue.gif)

[Rick_Eberle]

I used "Double A Auto Transport" based in San Diego to ship my 914 to Australia out of Long Beach. US$1200 in a shared container (don't ask what it cost at this end!). They ship world wide.

Double A

Cheers,
Rick

[Downunderman]

There was an article in 911 and Porsche World a year or two ago about someone in the UK purchasing and importing cars for clients. I'll see if I can find it. I think they advertise in the back of the magazine.

[SLITS]

Call the German Embassy and demand they retrieve their hazzardous rust to the Continent! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Ok, I'm no help at all - Good Luck

[GWN7]

You could try these guys Mini Mokes They export Mini Mokes and would know how to import a car to the UK. They also import..

I could guess on what MOT might be required, but it's best to talk to someone who has done it a couple times.

Or this guy Mini Moke guy He's in California and import/exports them...

[boomy]

Wow...busy forum !! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool_shades.gif) ...thanks for all the replies guyz...

Firstly, I already drive a LHD 62 ragtop bug, so the LHD thing is no prob..

Secondly, id love to move to Cali as a first choice, but its impossible to get into the US ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) ...if I squint hard on a sunny day here, I can still 'dream' its Cali...OK, maybe NOT (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I will definately check out a few of the leads on the export side of things...

Browsing this forum, it seems that the prices vary alot over there...what would you pay for a clean 2.0litre...nothing show winiing, but solid and useable ??

thx again people...

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool_shades.gif)

[AZ914]

Boomy,

Yes, prices are all over the place. The general concensus is to get the best car you can because prices generally do not reflect the amount of money put into the car by the PO.

If you see anything for under $3000, it usually requires quite a bit of work.

I would guess that a solid 2.0 with good motor,body, paint, interior etc. that doesn't need any major refurbishing would fetch $4500-$7000. I would expect a very nice car for $7000. Show quality cars go up from there a bit.

Good luck! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Rick_Eberle]

I just found an ad in the Porsche Club New South Wales classifieds for a 73 914 that is in the UK.

Here is the link.

Cheers,
Rick

[boomy]

Cheers Rick... no price (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) , though ..looks nice

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool_shades.gif)