Shipping my car to South Africa for holiday. Insanity?

[RRG]

This could be madness on multiple fronts, which is why I’m looking for some advice.

The idea: I own one of the best sports cars of all time (993RS). South Africa (Cape region) has some awesome driving roads. I fancy combining them by shipping the RS from the UK to the Cape for a driving holiday.

I think a bunch of Jaguar guys did this a few years ago, I know the Bentley owners club are forever shipping their cars all over the World in search of adventure and surely there is someone on this site that has also done this and can answer the following questions – or point me in the right direction.

The questions:
1. Approximate cost of a return journey for the car
2. How long does the shipping take
3. Likelihood of damage to the car in transit
4. Does petrol AND oil need draining from the car for shipping. Anything else need doing
5. How do you get insurance for the car while in South Africa
6. Can you get 98RON unleaded fuel in SA. If not, what is available
7. Is a car like this going to be a target for car-jacking or other criminal nonsense
8. Customs issues/taxes relating to bringing the car in and taking it out
9. Anything else I’ve not thought about

Bit eccentric I know, and I don’t expect it to be easy, but I like a challenge. Any help gratefully received.

Many thanks!!

[johnfm]

I'm sure there are equally awesome roads in UK, France, Spain, Portugal.....
...still, its your car and your £££. Have fun...

[freemax]

RRG I completely understand your point!! I was in the Western Cape region, had some of the most beautiful roads in the world at my disposal, but.... Was driving a grey Toyota Corolla!!!

What I would be most worried about is car jacking for a fun ride. I have been told by locals that the dull rental cars were a security measure to reduce that risk... I have seen a few Boxsters with local plates between Cape Town and Hermanus, but they came out of gated communities...

[johnny senna]

Wow Raymond, nice car (but I would say that). My parents live in SA. But I have no idea about shipping a car there. Sorry mate.

[Dr JonboyG]

I'd imagine insurance is going to be horrific - South Africa has an incredibly high rate of car crime, and it is the violent "men brandishing AKs and not particularly scared to use them" kind rather than the "nick it while you're asleep" kind.

[daviddeere]

Have you ever been to Africa?

[GravelBen]

From the number of carjacking stories I've heard from ex-residents of South Africa I wouldn't want to try it.

Either from their own experience (mates dad over there used to keep a gun under his pillow when he slept) or people they new, and one guy who was a paramedic and had to deal with the consequences...heard plenty of bad stories about it.

[dcw@pr]

i lived in cape town for just under a year, and never heard of a car jacking down there. It is mostly on the other side of the country where the problems are IMHO

[weltmeister]

There are companies in SA that "hire out" Porsche cars, albeit on organised routes. Lots of drama to take your car, damage potential, hi-jack potential, insurance issues etc. I underatand your desire to drive up Chapmans Peak Dr or out towards George etc but the enjoyment can be had using alternatives I'm sure.

Research the Porsche car club hire route and for the remainder I'm sure normal car rental companies have 330 BMW's or similar too rent

Allan

[clorenzen]

Go down there, buy a used Porsche, drive the hell out of it, sell it on return and go back with a big grin on your face.

[RRG]

Thanks for the early comments. Just to be clear, I've already driven the best roads in the UK and Europe many times (with the exception of Spain) so I'm looking at new horizons. Also I've been to SA many times (also lived in Joburg for 6 months a few year ago) so I'm reasonably well aware of the local situation however current local insight gratefully received - any South Africans on this forum?

Can anyone help me with the more logistical/cost questions?

[gmk666]

I work in advertising, and SA is a popular destination for TV shoots (for the light, lovey...). The cars are usually shipped for us a by a company called Cars in Camera www.carsincamera.com in Watford. They're set up for film production so an individual car might not be practical or cost effective, but they might be able to help?

Edited by gmk666 on Thursday 15th June 09:29

[RRG]

great - that is EXACTLY the sort of leads I need - thanks

[Vesuvius 996]

You'll need a rifle, mate.

[iguana]

Can def see the logic, the Cape roads are glorious.

You really need the car to go in an individual container, much reduces any posible damage risk.

Cost wise, moved a car heading out to NZ the other day & including my bit for getting it to the docks the invoice was £1500 area in a container, which I thought was fairly reasonable, I'd expect SA to be cheaper as USA east coast for example is normally under a grand.

Fairly sure 98 or 97 super is fine in the cape, or it was when I was last out a few yrs ago.

Shouldnt be any customs issues at all, its not an import after all merely for a holiday.

Dont know about the petrol & oil situation, ive driven lots of cars off my wagon & into the dock area so didnt think it was an issue?

Time wise- pure guess, but I'd say given loading up each end, customs clearance etc & shipping most likely need bit over a month each way.

I dont have the number to hand, I'll have a search for you- but Elite shipping do lots of cars worldwide

The car jacking thing in SA is not to be overlooked, I work with a fella whos driver got shot & killed & he was also shot & injured badly- but not killed, all just to get his Merc. Problems is most white folks in nice cars will be armed, so the robbers just waving a gun about wont have the same effect as in UK, thus they shoot 1st..

The Cape area is perhaps the safest of all SA & lots of wealth & nice cars down there but just something to bear in mind- & take obvious precautions- I'd never stop to help for an apparent broken down car, bloke lieing down in the road, bloke flagging me down etc.

Oh & hopefully you can give me a call for the transport to & from uk docks bit

[dazren]

"Mechsympathy" has just shipped his landrover back from SA, I'll email him with a link to this thread.

DAZ

[stuh]

There is a specialist car company in CT, i spoke with them last year about getting a 360 spider for a few weeks, as we had a place in Hout Bay. Not cheap, it was £3000 for 2 weeks, but a lot cheaper than shipping a car there and back i would have thought. The Chapmans peak road has gotta be a lot of fun - I'll try and google up the contact details.

Re security. I always feel a lot safer in CT than i do in most British cities. Like any city you have to be streetwise, but i've personally never had any agro over there (holiday home for 4 years). Most people who've never been there will tell you how bad it is

Edited by stuh on Thursday 15th June 10:22

Edited by stuh on Thursday 15th June 10:22

[domster]

stuh said:

Most people who've never been there will tell you how bad it is

No, it tends to be the SA nationals who will tell you how bad it really is CT is relatively cloistered - as a tourist there you can be beautifully sheltered from the darker stuff going on. I had a wonderful couple of weeks in CT - including visiting the local gun club, LOL - before driving up the transkaai highway/garden route with family/friends that have lived in SA all their life and seeing/hearing of the wider picture; the gulf between what the tourists see (the marina at Knysna was particularly nice) and the poverty of the inland majority (mud huts for homes) is quite a large one. I'd say you can see the best of what SA has to offer as a tourist and it's highly recommended - although less so now the rand's a bit stronger - whereas you need to ask the thousands of SA people repatriating to the UK about why they don't want to live there in the long term. The reputation isn't completely unjustified, although it sort of is if you're a tourist or live the high life in CT with a nice apartment in Hout or Camps bay!

[stuh]

domster said:

stuh said:

Most people who've never been there will tell you how bad it is

No, it tends to be the SA nationals who will tell you how bad it really is CT is relatively cloistered - as a tourist there you can be beautifully sheltered from the darker stuff going on. I had a wonderful couple of weeks in CT - including visiting the local gun club, LOL - before driving up the transkaai highway/garden route with family/friends that have lived in SA all their life and seeing/hearing of the wider picture; the gulf between what the tourists see (the marina at Knysna was particularly nice) and the poverty of the inland majority (mud huts for homes) is quite a large one. I'd say you can see the best of what SA has to offer as a tourist and it's highly recommended - although less so now the rand's a bit stronger - whereas you need to ask the thousands of SA people repatriating to the UK about why they don't want to live there in the long term. The reputation isn't completely unjustified, although it sort of is if you're a tourist or live the high life in CT with a nice apartment in Hout or Camps bay!

Well as my wife is South African, and her family live in Jo'burg, and i lived in Kempton park when i was growing up, i feel i have quite a rounded view

We've just had some good friends of ours move back to PE, to escape the crime and grime of North London. The grass, or velt is always greener............

[domster]

stuh said:

domster said:

stuh said:

Most people who've never been there will tell you how bad it is

No, it tends to be the SA nationals who will tell you how bad it really is CT is relatively cloistered - as a tourist there you can be beautifully sheltered from the darker stuff going on. I had a wonderful couple of weeks in CT - including visiting the local gun club, LOL - before driving up the transkaai highway/garden route with family/friends that have lived in SA all their life and seeing/hearing of the wider picture; the gulf between what the tourists see (the marina at Knysna was particularly nice) and the poverty of the inland majority (mud huts for homes) is quite a large one. I'd say you can see the best of what SA has to offer as a tourist and it's highly recommended - although less so now the rand's a bit stronger - whereas you need to ask the thousands of SA people repatriating to the UK about why they don't want to live there in the long term. The reputation isn't completely unjustified, although it sort of is if you're a tourist or live the high life in CT with a nice apartment in Hout or Camps bay!

Well as my wife is South African, and her family live in Jo'burg, and i lived in Kempton park when i was growing up, i feel i have quite a rounded view

We've just had some good friends of ours move back to PE, to escape the crime and grime of North London. The grass, or velt is always greener............

Well my wife would have been South African if we hadn't split up, LOL, hence my opinions were not expressed as those of some rooineck tourist with a great understanding of The Travel Programme on ITV. To be honest, I have been to PE and would probably prefer to take my chances in North London You are far more likely to get shot in SA than in the UK, and that's a (sad) fact of life.

Horses for courses, but I know many SA nationals who have repatriated/think it's all going tits up and some who haven't and don't. That said, a gran in Zim, like my ex had, probably gave her some food for thought.