Questions about shipping internationally/buying long-distance (1 Viewer)

[mattw]

Okay, found a couple of HJ60's (one running/daily driver condition, one not running) in interior BC. I live in Portland, OR and am seriously considering purchasing them. I figured the folks in the diesel section of mud would have the most experience doing either of these things (and I honestly didn't know where else to post it).

First question - anyone have tips on how to check out a vehicle 1100 KM away?

Second question - anyone have recommendations on international shipping of cars? The running one is in Quesnel, BC - its 1100 KM from me. To further complicate things, the non-running one is 600 KM from the running one (Kelowna, BC). I would like to get both of them to me in Portland (I'm not terribly worried about importing them, physically getting them here seems pretty daunting though).

edit:

Just wanted to add that I have searched here and elsewhere, but can't find an answer to my shipping question (which is my biggest worry).

 

[amaurer]

The best way to do both of those things is just to fly up there, have a look, and drive them home.

Those distances are nothing, I'm not sure what you're worried about - you can do it in a weekend.

 

[mattw]

The only things holding me back:

1) I don't know enough about diesel engines to make a decision about its road-worthiness (beyond looking at the frame and saying "Isn't rusted through")

2) I don't want to waste a flight if it isn't road worthy

3) I would still need to rent something to haul back the parts vehicle

4) (Most Importantly) Wife is 8.5 months pregnant, and could go at any time. I don't want to be stuck 15 hours away if she goes into labor (and she has a bit of an irrational fear of planes, turbo-props into relatively remote BC probably wouldn't make her too happy).

 

[amaurer]

Well then it sounds like you need to wait.

There is no magic bullet here, its always going to involve risk, at the very least the cost of a plane ticket will be on the line. You should ask for pictures, get a feel for the seller and their trustworthiness as best you can, and find someone local to have a look if possible... but none of those will eliminate your risk completely. And the wifey angle is just unfixable, she'll be unpregnant inside of a month, just wait it out.

RockDoc on this forum recently pulled a dead 60-series with a live 60-series from San Francisco to Edmonton...

 

[VTCDN]

""RockDoc on this forum recently pulled a dead 60-series with a live 60-series from San Francisco to Edmonton...""

He must have had a nice SLOWWWW time. I drove 1 near perfect body to BC , but shipped the other 2 perfect bodys .. Gas suckers become cheaper for car haulers .

Matt , amount of coin your talking about ? Wife stuff is B4 anything!!!
So even thinking one flight up to drive home right after is NOT going to happen , either way as I've seen.
Buy , move to holding area till the forms and gov / customs/ homeland scrutiny can be done without there NON helpfull ways at the border.

It can Be done , but KNOW the crap ..

VT

 

[mattw]

""RockDoc on this forum recently pulled a dead 60-series with a live 60-series from San Francisco to Edmonton...""

He must have had a nice SLOWWWW time. I drove 1 near perfect body to BC , but shipped the other 2 perfect bodys .. Gas suckers become cheaper for car haulers .

Matt , amount of coin your talking about ? Wife stuff is B4 anything!!!
So even thinking one flight up to drive home right after is NOT going to happen , either way as I've seen.
Buy , move to holding area till the forms and gov / customs/ homeland scrutiny can be done without there NON helpfull ways at the border.

It can Be done , but KNOW the **** ..

VT

The owner is asking $5500 for the 2 (one running, one not) HJ60s. I figured I could probably make almost all of my shipping/importing fees back by selling parts off the non-running truck (even more if I can get the engine firing).

And yeah, driving is not really an option at this point, hence looking into shipping possibilities. Since they are NA vehicles the importation shouldn't be that bad, but I haven't been able to find anyone on the web that does CA=>US shipping.

Ultimately, amaurer may be right though - I just may need to wait longer and keep stalking area craigslists to see if I can ind something that is more reasonable.

 

[motorcoach123]

Matt

Lots of helpful people on this site as you may very well know.....if you ask nicely, someone might volunteer their time to go see the vehicle if they reside close by, take a few pics and at least give
you a third party opinion.
Also lots of importing info on 'mud, many Americans importing diesel cruisers from 'lotusland'!!!!!! FWIW

Cheers,
Gord

 

[mattw]

Oh, I have read all the importing threads. Like I said, its not the importing that I'm worried about, its the getting it here/to the border.

The seller isn't being super-responsive (after I asked for frame pics), so this may be a moot point after all. Hopefully I will hear something soon. If I can get some response I may ask the mud-collective if there is anyone who could check it out (I hadn't thought of that - although, not sure if there will be anyone near the booming metropolis of Quesnel). I may just call up to the Quesnel Toyota dealer and see if I can get a diesel mechanic to go check it out off the clock for me.

 

[cruiser_guy]

I may just call up to the Quesnel Toyota dealer and see if I can get a diesel mechanic to go check it out off the clock for me.

Save your pennies for the phone call. We haven't had diesels here from Toyota since '87 so most if not all techs will not be familiar with them. Toyota Canada doesn't support the JDM's either. The guys here in Cranbrook can't even order the right parts for it.

Find a good independent diesel mechanic to look at it.