UK 964 in Europe... bit of a problem...
Discussion
Morning all,
I thought I'd feed this out to the good folk of PH and ask for your thoughts. It's a little bit of a sad tale in some ways...
7 years ago I took my car on a road-trip through Europe to Italy. The plan was always to spend a month or two there and then drive back. We had a medical emergency with Family back in the UK which led to us parking the car up with a secure Garage and flying home. Since then we've had a long series of other challenges that essentially have led to me kicking the proverbial can down the road and the car remains in Italy to this day. Somewhere in my scrambled brain I justified it due to viewing it as free secure storage of an appreciating asset. In that respect it has been great as the values of old 911's have gone up by a sizeable amount.
It's a 1990 C2 Manual Coupe..
I've been to check on it every year and it starts on the nail, has no discernable leaks (full rebuild around 2006) and is generally in good condition. The Garage where it is stored has serviced it, taken it out on a number of occasions (trade plates!) and tell me it's running great which is always a relief.
I need to get it back to the UK. The kicked-can is disintegrating....
However....
It's UK registered, Sorned, un-taxed, no MOT and at the moment not properly insured obviously. I've looked at the costs of shipping it by road back from Northern Italy but since Brexit prices have gone crazy. I've no doubt if driven it would make it to a French, Belgian or Dutch port but obviously that has a large degree of risk involved. If I can get it to one of these ports, onto a boat and back on UK soil then I can drive it directly to an MOT appointment or have it collected at the UK port and trailered. Lots to think about!
I'm not asking for a moral judgement on my predicament (thanks anyway hehe) but for practical thoughts on how it might be solved in a fiscally efficient manner. I'd like to keep the car and not sell.
First World problems and all that! but would appreciate any input Folks. What would you do?
I thought I'd feed this out to the good folk of PH and ask for your thoughts. It's a little bit of a sad tale in some ways...
7 years ago I took my car on a road-trip through Europe to Italy. The plan was always to spend a month or two there and then drive back. We had a medical emergency with Family back in the UK which led to us parking the car up with a secure Garage and flying home. Since then we've had a long series of other challenges that essentially have led to me kicking the proverbial can down the road and the car remains in Italy to this day. Somewhere in my scrambled brain I justified it due to viewing it as free secure storage of an appreciating asset. In that respect it has been great as the values of old 911's have gone up by a sizeable amount.
It's a 1990 C2 Manual Coupe..
I've been to check on it every year and it starts on the nail, has no discernable leaks (full rebuild around 2006) and is generally in good condition. The Garage where it is stored has serviced it, taken it out on a number of occasions (trade plates!) and tell me it's running great which is always a relief.
I need to get it back to the UK. The kicked-can is disintegrating....
However....
It's UK registered, Sorned, un-taxed, no MOT and at the moment not properly insured obviously. I've looked at the costs of shipping it by road back from Northern Italy but since Brexit prices have gone crazy. I've no doubt if driven it would make it to a French, Belgian or Dutch port but obviously that has a large degree of risk involved. If I can get it to one of these ports, onto a boat and back on UK soil then I can drive it directly to an MOT appointment or have it collected at the UK port and trailered. Lots to think about!
I'm not asking for a moral judgement on my predicament (thanks anyway hehe) but for practical thoughts on how it might be solved in a fiscally efficient manner. I'd like to keep the car and not sell.
First World problems and all that! but would appreciate any input Folks. What would you do?
Edited by Sillyme on Tuesday 31st October 11:05
I'd either stump on the cost on having it transported back or hire a trailer and make an adventure of it.
Reading between the lines the thought of it breaking down mid journey is a worry and will kick the can of procrastination further down the road. I'm sure it would probably make it but you've got to be the right sort of person to deal with it if it doesn't in foreign lands. I'd personally pay or trailer it for that very reason.
Reading between the lines the thought of it breaking down mid journey is a worry and will kick the can of procrastination further down the road. I'm sure it would probably make it but you've got to be the right sort of person to deal with it if it doesn't in foreign lands. I'd personally pay or trailer it for that very reason.
Would make a good Jonny Smith video.
Perhaps pay travel and fuel and he’d go for it.
Although I think his mechanical knowledge is paper thin he seems a relatively safe pair of hands.
I’d drive it myself planning route with numbers of garages on the way if the worse does happen. Drive it in office hours completing before the weekend. It’ll be fine.
Perhaps pay travel and fuel and he’d go for it.
Although I think his mechanical knowledge is paper thin he seems a relatively safe pair of hands.
I’d drive it myself planning route with numbers of garages on the way if the worse does happen. Drive it in office hours completing before the weekend. It’ll be fine.
BrewsterBear said:
I would insure it, print the cert, take that and the V5 with me and drive it back. Avoid city centres and enjoy the drive.
I would do this. Even better if you can have another car to come with you as a backup vehicle to follow directly behind. I know a local lad (Northampton) who does vehicle recovery and has been all over Europe to recover stranded families in Europe/Cars at the ring. He's pretty reasonable as not a big company. Do you have similar near you?
ShoooRn said:
I know a local lad (Northampton) who does vehicle recovery and has been all over Europe to recover stranded families in Europe/Cars at the ring. He's pretty reasonable as not a big company. Do you have similar near you?
Not that I know of. I'm up in Scotland so getting down to Northampton is no biggie. Be interested in talking to your local lad! Cheers.
You say that it’s been maintained and serviced by the local outfit that’s looking after it so I wouldn’t be overly concerned about a major breakdown.
I’d head down there and look to drive it back, as others have said, as long as you have insurance cover you’ll be fine to get the MOT done as soon as you get back (prebook it ahead of this).
Should all be fairly straightforward as the car hasn’t been exported as such.
I’d head down there and look to drive it back, as others have said, as long as you have insurance cover you’ll be fine to get the MOT done as soon as you get back (prebook it ahead of this).
Should all be fairly straightforward as the car hasn’t been exported as such.
You say getting the car transported home is v expensive since Brexit.
How much would it cost to get it transported from where it is to Calais? You could then go over, drive it onto the boat, and either insure and drive it or have it transported from Dover back to 'home' / an MoT garage.
Sillyme said:
trickywoo said:
Would make a good Jonny Smith video.
That had also gone through my scrambled brain but again the legality and insurance of such an adventure is the main concern. remember to like and subscribe"
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