Importing docs and keys with or without vehicle? And also 25 year rule (1 Viewer)

[Nas90tdi]

It's also not a terrible idea to tape starting instructions on the inside of the windshield. I have ran into that before. Some of the trucks we get on occasion are not a jump in and turn the key start. Saves them from running the battery down.They can get rather impatient if they are having to use a booster every time they try to move your vehicle.

 

[toadshade]

Excellent idea. Thanks for that.

 

[Pip Bernadotte]

Excellent idea. Thanks for that.

Hey, did you ever get your car imported? If so, did you end up going with an importer or do it yourself?
I'm looking at importing my HZJ77 through either Charleston or Savannah to end up in South Carolina relatively soon and I'm trying to find out what everyone's experiences have been. (especially at a southern port)

Thanks!

 

[toadshade]

I used a broker both here and where I imported from. I strongly recommend it. I can get you my brokers name in Savanna. He was definitely worth the couple hundred bucks I paid him to take care of all the forms and people. It was probably the best spent money of the whole process. He was able to take care of the import just about anywhere on the east coast. My truck was brought into Charleston. I don't have time right now at work but feel free to ask me questions. I will be able to talk more when I am home. Getting it out of the port was expensive. It will take a day but might be better money spent doing it yourself. Shipping to Atlanta was about $800 due to the time it took the driver at Port. It is an involved process but something you can do yourself.

 

[freezingcoffee]

good info here.

 

[Pip Bernadotte]

I used a broker both here and where I imported from. I strongly recommend it. I can get you my brokers name in Savanna. He was definitely worth the couple hundred bucks I paid him to take care of all the forms and people. It was probably the best spent money of the whole process. He was able to take care of the import just about anywhere on the east coast. My truck was brought into Charleston. I don't have time right now at work but feel free to ask me questions. I will be able to talk more when I am home. Getting it out of the port was expensive. It will take a day but might be better money spent doing it yourself. Shipping to Atlanta was about $800 due to the time it took the driver at Port. It is an involved process but something you can do yourself.

Hmm... I think I'm gonna find a company to do RO/RO here in Japan, but I'd appreciate your Savannah broker's contact info!

 

[toadshade]

If you are there in Japan, then that makes things a lot easier. You can take care of a lot yourself. I used a separate broker in Spain. He was extremely helpful. I would not have felt comfortable buying a car unseen without an unbiased buyer. He not only gave me his opinion on the Cruisers, he took them (at my request) to the local authorized Toyota dealer nearby where it was given a pre-sale inspection which cost me about $100 US. It was worth every penny. I went through about 12 trucks before I landed on the one I have. (I did not get them all inspected). Some of them had major issues that I never would have known about if I just bought it directly from the seller.

Coming into the US was a different story though. Although it is possible to get the vehicle into the country yourself, it is not recommended. There are nuances to getting things done correctly at customs. I have heard plenty of horror stories of vehicles getting not only impounded, but actually sent back to the country of origin due to incorrect procedures. You can try to rely on the letter of the law, but in the end, you are dealing not only with people, but with government officials. Egos abound. To me it was not worth the $3-400 bucks my broker cost me to bypass all the crap. I would never do it again without him. I hope this image of his contact info I pasted below makes it but this is Joe Hoenstein's contact info in Savannah GA. 912-844-0897.

I also have the name of the broker I used in the Canary Islands, the shipping company that I trust completely, and even the hauler I used to get it from Charleston to Atlanta. He one of the guys known here on Mud. It is late, but I will post those names later or if anyone is interested.

.

 

[Pip Bernadotte]

Yeah, I already have the car. I bought it at auction last November, and it's in pretty good shape. I've just been replacing little rubber bits that are aged and other maintenance/repair type things.

My current task is finding an affordable RO/RO company, and seeing how difficult it would be to do the import on my own or with a broker. Your post makes me want to just go with a broker if it's just a 3-400 and no hassles, but I think I'll do a bit more research on the DIY side as well just to be sure. I'll definitely be contacting your guy and see what he says though.

Thankfully I only need it moved from Charleston/Savannah to Columbia so I should be able to do it myself. And with the truck already in my name here in Japan, I may be able to just get the DMV rolling on a temp plate while it's enroute so I can just drive it back from the port (fingers crossed).

Thanks a lot for the info!

 

[toadshade]

Big thing is to make sure to prep the car. Has to be power cleaned inside and out. No dirt, bugs in the radiator etc. They are really picky about that for good reason here in the states. Something a lot of people overlook.