shipping a car overseas

Shaun @ Tru6 · 10-19-2004, 04:10 PM

I am selling a friend's 66 Mini Cooper Cooper S for him and may have a buyer in Belgium.

Has anyone done this... ship a car to Europe? Any advice on a carrier, etc.

thanks

Shaun

Kevin Stewart · 10-19-2004, 05:07 PM

I hope your not falling for an ebay scam, we send you a money order, Kevin

aigel · aigel's Garage

Why go through that hassle and the danger of getting hosed? There should be a big enough market in the US, and vice versa, there is still plenty of these in Europe.

G

Shaun @ Tru6 · 10-19-2004, 05:16 PM

Thanks Kevin, no, I think I'm covered there. this guy knows more about Mini's than I could imagine, he seems pretty legit.

Certainly won't be allowing any wire transfers, the deadliest of all tricks.

thanks for the concern!

got plenty of interest stateside too at least.

Joeaksa · 10-19-2004, 06:50 PM

Shawn,

Have shipped several cars over to Europe and its simple. Find a good RORO (roll on, roll off) shipper on the internet and take it to the port. You are on the East Coast so that helps. I shipped my last one over in 1990 so cannot give you any good names. Hopefully someone will chime in with some recent experience.

Take EVERYTHING out of the car as anything left inside WILL be stolen! Charge the battery and deliver it to the dockyard with 1/4 tank of gas or less. They do not like full gas tanks. You want to charge the battery as it may take a month or more enroute and it helps if it starts to get it off of the boat.

The paperwork on that side is the responsibility of the new owner. Do not play any games on the paperwork and declare the price. Did not have any problems shipping mine over.

JoeA

Paul Franssen · Paul Franssen's Garage

Shaun
Perhaps it's a good idea to have your buyer check into the shipping business himself. The shipping line's Agent in Belgium (Antwerp) will usually take care of customs clearance, the so-called "reception charges" (those are charges relating to the entry port -Antwerp- itself, which are different from the actual shipping charge.

Or you can try your hand at this website, use it in "reverse" it won't list the Agents at your (shipment end) of the pipeline, but it will list the shipping lines calling Antwerp from your shipment point (would that be Boston?), and you might even contact the Antwerp Agents to ask them for their contacts in the U.S.

I'm in shipping myself (not of "small" things, I do entire bulk shiploads only) and I can recommend you to take only well-reputed lines, not some rinkidink rustbucket outfit.

I have also, in the past, shipped high-end armored Mercedes cars, we shipped them inside a 40 ft container. In the case of the Mini, a 20ft cont. should suffice. But in the case of container shipment, the shipping line must have qualified "stuffing" service, i.e. people who put the car inside the box and lash it in a seaworthy manner ("Hercules" wire around the axles/wheels onto lashing eyes...) It is absolutely essential this be done by professionals, because transport by sea can be rough and if the car moves around...it will be destroyed! And the container must be shipped "under deck" only ("on deck" there's lots of salty sea water). It may therefore be better to ship RO-RO...

And it needs be well insured!!!

If you or your Belgian buyer need some help, PM me.

http://www.beanr.com/

Just rapidly looking thru it, these K-Line (Japanese, OK) guys have a RORO service Newark to Zeebrugge. No idea what it costs, leave that to you/your buyer! Good luck.

http://www.kline.co.jp/biz/car/map/e_map22_e.htm

Shaun @ Tru6 · 10-20-2004, 03:34 AM

Thanks guys for the great info, I really appreciate it. I will check into this as you've outlined, but I think then hand it off to this fellow in Belgium for final details. that way he has made the decisions and carries the liability.

Again, thank you for you help!