Car arriving soon. WHAT NEXT?

[Perdo]

Hey guys and gals,

I have just returned home from living in the U.S for a couple of years. While there I bought a 1967 GTA Fastback which is currently (I believe) on a ship headed to Sydney. Latest tracking has the ship due to arrive late Feb. Some details that may help any answers to my questions are:
The car is an original 1967 GTA S-Code fastback with the 390 engine, GT Equipment, Power air and steer;
I owned the car for over 12 months so am importing as personal import(I have my Import approval letters);
Shipping Company is Schumacher Cargo & Logistics; and
We are currently living just outside of Canberra with car to be registered in NSW;

I know I should have researched a lot of this in greater detail before undertaking this process but I was just so happy to have been given the opportunity to bring the car home with me. My questions are as follows:
1. Is there some one within the club I can chat with is familiar with the import procedure?
2. What can I expect now/next? What might I expect after the car arrives? In particular I am concerned about dealing with the shipper, Aust Govt agencies, etc
3. Can you point me in the right direction for any research and reading materials that may assists;
4. I believe that once I finally get my hands on the car that I will need to send it straight to a qualified individual to have it approved for Australian road use and registration. Do we have any recommendations for this?
5. Finally, any pitfalls I should be looking for?

I appreciate any help I may receive on this topic and look forward to one day seeing you all on the road or at a show somewhere.

Regards,

Damien

[Rapid428]

First thing you do have the import approval documentation

[Perdo]

Got the approval with 4 copies of the approval letters from Dept of Infrastructure.

[Rapid428]

 

Got the approval with 4 copies of the approval letters from Dept of Infrastructure.

[Pinto Pete]

You can ring a mate of mine who lives in Canberra and lives and breathes mustangs, if he doesn't have the answers you seek he will be able to point you in the right direction pm me and I'll provide his mobile no......or not your call....

[Perdo]

PM Sent. Thanks Pinto Pete.

UPDATE: Spoke with Harry from 'Harry's Classics' in Sydney today. He advised that I should engage a customs broker to act on my behalf. They would take care of dealing with the Shipping Company after the car arrives, deal with customs, and meet any requirements that customs or others may have regarding cleaning, etc.

Any broker recommendations would also be appreciated.

Cheers

Damien

[malscar]

Hi Damien

First thing to know is are you living in the ACT or NSW. You say Canberra but have Bungendore in your profile. Big difference.

In the ACT, the car can go straight over the pits at Dickson as long as you have done the normal change headlights and make sure the seatbelts meet the ADRs and get a unregistered permit from ACT Revenue/Rego before taking the Mussie down there.

Mal

[Perdo]

Thanks Mal,

Good catch.... I am actually in Bungendore (Outside of Canberra) and will be registering in NSW. I have been advised that its a similar process. Change the headlights, lap seat belts should be fine, get a blue slip and then take it to NSW roads in Queanbeyan.

Appreciate your help.

Damien

[malscar]

Hope to see it around the traps as I am northside Canberra.

[unilec5544]

If you are using Schumacher Cargo & Logistics, they will have already organised a broker, well that's what happened to me when I used them. So if you want your own broker you need to contact them to cancel the broker they have organised. I just got a call from a broker to tell me the car had been unloaded, without me even knowing. Cost me about $5k.

[GLENN 70]

And if brought in as a personal import rego requirements may be a little different .

[Pinto Pete]

And if brought in as a personal import rego requirements may be a little different .

Ok why..?

[BAC]

And if brought in as a personal import rego requirements may be a little different .

At least in Vic, separate rules for personal imports only apply if the car was manufactured after 1988.

[GLENN 70]

Pinto Pete ,I don't know about all states but in QLD a personal import had a few different rules for rego like you didn't have to fit australian seat belts or child restraints . Rules have changed so not sure what the go is now . These rules were for personal imports not just a imported car .

[littlejohn]

At least in Vic, separate rules for personal imports only apply if the car was manufactured after 1988.

http://www.shannons.com.au/club/news/shannons-supports-federal-governments-25-year-importation-rules/

[Pinto Pete]

Pinto Pete ,I don't know about all states but in QLD a personal import had a few different rules for rego like you didn't have to fit australian seat belts or child restraints . Rules have changed so not sure what the go is now . These rules were for personal imports not just a imported car .

As far as I know this is still the case for lhd vehicles here in vic, they only need to comply with regs of the day personal import or not,Although Macka would be the one to ask....

[Perdo]

UPDATE: Got a call from the Schumacher Logistics Australian freight forwarder today. Freightnet out of Sydney will be dealing with the car once it arrives. I expect to get a best guess idea of some of the expenses shortly and will post for everyones knowledge. Car is currently scheduled to arrive around 11 Mar, but was also told to expect delays. I was advised that it could then take days to a couple of weeks for them to clear Customs, etc, before I may get access to the car.

Thanks for all the discussion so far on 'What's Next'. I plan to collect the car and drive it direct to a shop in Canberra who will be doing the Blue Slip for me. He indicates no changes to the car should be required, even to the seatbelts. I also spoke with Harry, from Harry's Classics in Sydney, who indicated that I would be required to change the headlights and possibly the tail lights depending on who did the inspection.

Feeling a little more confidant about the cars arrival now but still very anxious about the arrival fees and the weird calculation applied by Customs to taxes on the car. I should have paid better attention in maths class...

Damien

[BAC]

Hey Damein,
Don't worry - quite a few of us here have been there, done that and know what you're going through. 

Just for comparison, my car that was shipped into Melbourne was released within a couple of days after the ship docked.  The total bill from my customs broker was around $1,600 which included all Aussie charges (port/unloading/AQIS/Customs/etc.) other than GST.

I don't know how likely it is Customs will apply their own valuation to the car - mine sailed straight through on the value I declared as the purchase price.  If it's the same for you, they will charge GST at 10% of the landed cost which is the purchase price plus ocean freight converted to Aussie dollars at the current exchange rate.  This is the only tax that Customs collect so you should be able to figure out how much it will be.

[sharpie]

Thanks for all the discussion so far on 'What's Next'. I plan to collect the car and drive it direct to a shop in Canberra who will be doing the Blue Slip for me. He indicates no changes to the car should be required, even to the seatbelts. I also spoke with Harry, from Harry's Classics in Sydney, who indicated that I would be required to change the headlights and possibly the tail lights depending on who did the inspection.

I had to change the tail lights on mine to meet NSW rego requirements but not the headlights (other than an adjustment on their focal direction). You said you have someone to do the rego but if you get stuck the Good-Year Auto in Queanbeyan are a good bunch of guys to deal with (the owner has the pontiac out the front).

[Perdo]

So the latest is they tell me the ship has come in. Thanks again to all that have added to this discussion.

FreightNet have been pretty good so far with quick and useful responses to all emails and phone calls. My costs to to the broker are still to be completed with things like cleaning fees, etc to be in that amount but initial indications from them are looking around $1600-$1700.

I have had my customs invoice come in an that was around the $4500 mark which in fact was better than I was expecting. They calculated everything based of my estimated value to them of around $40,000 for the car. Having owned it for the 2 years while living in the US helped here given my US Bill of Sale was not required.

Looking forward to receiving word of being able to collect it next. Plan is still to drive up with a trailer, collect the car, and bring it back to Capital Classics in Hume for a pre-rego inspection before registering the car.

My last question for you all would be are there any tips on things to take with me when collecting the car? My thought are leaning towards things like new battery, some tools, WD40, air compressor, etc, just in case there is trouble starting the old girl....

Thank again everyone

[GLENN 70]

  take a battery/jump pack/ jumper leads ,some tools ,  air compressor , 20 LT  of  fuel  , they should have drained it and a small container to put fuel in carby or start you bastard  if it doesn't start ,if its a auto some trans fluid and a small funnel in case its low . Some water for radiator and windscreen to clean ,and something to wipe windows it needed . Check the wheel nuts are tight .

[Perdo]

take a battery/jump pack/ jumper leads ,some tools ,  air compressor , 20 LT  of  fuel  , they should have drained it and a small container to put fuel in carby or start you bastard  if it doesn't start ,if its a auto some trans fluid and a small funnel in case its low . Some water for radiator and windscreen to clean ,and something to wipe windows it needed . Check the wheel nuts are tight .

Thanks Glen, a good number of things there I was not even thinking about. Much appreciated. 

[GLENN 70]

No problems  quite often the auto trans leak after sitting for a long time and same with the power steering . They write on the windows and that needs to come off if your driving it .

[6508k]

take a battery/jump pack/ jumper leads ,some tools ,  air compressor , 20 LT  of  fuel  , they should have drained it and a small container to put fuel in carby or start you bastard  if it doesn't start ,if its a auto some trans fluid and a small funnel in case its low . Some water for radiator and windscreen to clean ,and something to wipe windows it needed . Check the wheel nuts are tight .

Good advice right there  .......Don`t be surprised if they hit you with a quarantine fee because of an insect or a leaf........It can be a quick little earner for them  to fumigate and clean again ...lol