Taking Your Car on Holiday to the USA

Taking Your Car on Holiday to the USA

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Discussion

marine boy

Original Poster:

766 posts

177 months

Sunday 10th November 2013
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Anyone got any experience in shipping their own personal car over to the US for a driving holiday and then shipping it back.

Think this would be quite a fun thing to do but have no idea on costs, time to allow for shipping, getting insurance, cheapest ports in Europe or the US to use etc


moribund

4,030 posts

213 months

Sunday 10th November 2013
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I can't help but this guy might be able to: http://elsiefrombottomtotop.blogspot.co.uk

davepoth

29,395 posts

198 months

Sunday 10th November 2013
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It's a ten day transit time. There's actually a roll-on roll-off ship from Liverpool, although I understand it's probably better to get the car into a container rather than doing that because of the risk of scratches and dents.

Here's what the US customs say about bringing the car into the country.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/287/

Insurance is always the big issue. Lots of vague information, here's the best link I could find.

http://www.goannatracks.com/Home/USA___Shipping_a_...

A quick check around that website says that the information should be around 12 months old so won't be too far out of date.

stevethegreek

533 posts

192 months

Monday 11th November 2013
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Not car, but I did ship my motorbike over to the US for a riding holiday a few years back. Used these guys - www.claridon.com/ - they may be able to help, sorted insurance for me as part of the package.


audidoody

8,597 posts

255 months

Monday 11th November 2013
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Shirley if you put the costs of doing this into car hire, you'd be able to rent a top-tier car in the USA equal to/or better than your UK vehicle.

vescaegg

25,489 posts

166 months

Monday 11th November 2013
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What car do you have OP? Unless its say, an Enzo or Zonda, surely you can rent something special for cheaper than shipping? I think I read somewhere that shipping a car is around £2k one way all in?

There are exotic rentals (Ferrari/Lambo etc) in the USA and even Hertz and the big boys do Corvettes/AMG/Porsche....


anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 11th November 2013
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A group of Sevens did this some years ago. Not cheap, not easy and not quick.
Unless you really can't do without your own car, rent something over there. The cash will go much, much further.

bad company

18,484 posts

265 months

Wednesday 13th November 2013
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Mrs BC and I have often talked of taking our TVR Chim 500 for a tour of the USA. It's tempting but as others have said it takes time and is not cheap.

HOGEPH

5,249 posts

185 months

Wednesday 13th November 2013
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Taking your car to the US. Expensive, time consuming, the steering wheel will be on the wrong side. Will you be able to get spare parts if it goes wrong-your problem. You have an accident and trash it-your problem. It gets nicked-your problem. You add hundreds of miles on the clock-your problem.

As others have said, use the money you'd spend on shipping it to drive a top of the range billy bks hire car with zero excesses.

bad company

18,484 posts

265 months

Wednesday 13th November 2013
quotequote all
HOGEPH said:
Taking your car to the US. Expensive, time consuming, the steering wheel will be on the wrong side. Will you be able to get spare parts if it goes wrong-your problem. You have an accident and trash it-your problem. It gets nicked-your problem. You add hundreds of miles on the clock-your problem.
All very true and a totally logical point of view BUT - The Chim would be great fun Stateside.



GG89

3,526 posts

185 months

Wednesday 13th November 2013
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The price and ball-ache far outweigh the luxury of having your own car over there.

Hire.

paul_y3k

618 posts

207 months

Wednesday 13th November 2013
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I'd thought of doing something similar with my ex Supra, but rather than a driving holiday, shipping it out to one of the tuners and making use of the exchange rate to get something special ...

but again, the costs to get it there meant it was a no starter.

Captain Cadillac

2,974 posts

186 months

Wednesday 13th November 2013
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I don't think there's many people who'd like to see a Chim on our roads more than I would.

However... Spares for that car are no existent here, as is any mechanical know how should it go wrong. Distances between major cities can be hundreds and hundreds of miles. Driving conditions are another concern, are you going in the summer? Does that car have air con? It can get hellishly hot here.

bad company

18,484 posts

265 months

Wednesday 13th November 2013
quotequote all
Captain Cadillac said:
I don't think there's many people who'd like to see a Chim on our roads more than I would.

However... Spares for that car are no existent here, as is any mechanical know how should it go wrong. Distances between major cities can be hundreds and hundreds of miles. Driving conditions are another concern, are you going in the summer? Does that car have air con? It can get hellishly hot here.
Hi Captain C - Yes we are very familiar with driving in the USA. We took over 4 weeks to drive Route 66 in May\June this year and returned from California just yesterday.

Yes we know it can get very hot and yes we do have air con. I'm not sure the air con would be able to cope with the hotest parts of America but a drive accross to California in winter should be ok.

marcosgt

11,011 posts

175 months

Wednesday 13th November 2013
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I can see the appeal.

MOST US rental cars are bland vehicles.

If you own a good driver's car (like a TVR) you're not likely to get anything comparable (OK, you might find a Vette for rental, but it won't be cheap and most rental places don't just have them sitting around, so you might not get one when you're going if it's an event).

M.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 13th November 2013
quotequote all
marcosgt said:
most rental places don't just have them sitting around, so you might not get one when you're going if it's an event.
The lead-in time for shipping a car from Europe is likely to be longer than any pre-booking for a rental car. It's not as if you can just go to Heathrow and chuck it on as excess baggage.

davepoth

29,395 posts

198 months

Wednesday 13th November 2013
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Crossflow Kid said:
marcosgt said:
most rental places don't just have them sitting around, so you might not get one when you're going if it's an event.
The lead-in time for shipping a car from Europe is likely to be longer than any pre-booking for a rental car. It's not as if you can just go to Heathrow and chuck it on as excess baggage.
It should work out as around three weeks, assuming you go down to the dock in Jersey to pick it up, with around 11 days of that being on the water.

nagsheadwarrior

2,779 posts

178 months

Wednesday 13th November 2013
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Ive been contemplating doing this with my Capri one day,about £1500-£2000 each way was what I had it as.

Those that say rent our missing the point,anyone can rent but doing it in your car makes it special.

Was contemplating leaving it in the states and getting 2 holidays in a year out of it.

I have U.S/U.K duel nationality so if I ever emigrate the Capris definitely coming with me.

5potTurbo

12,486 posts

167 months

Thursday 14th November 2013
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nagsheadwarrior said:
I have U.S/U.K duel nationality so if I ever emigrate the Capris definitely coming with me.
Do you fight yourself? wink



I can't see this as being financially viable. Yes, some rental cars are bland - or beyond bland - but the cost of shipping for a few weeks holiday can not be financially viable. I would always plump for a local rental and at least you have the greater peace of mind in case of breakdown, crash, theft, etc.


V8LM

5,166 posts

208 months

Thursday 14th November 2013
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Depends on the car and to where, but when I enquired a few years back to bring an Aston Martin into California I would have had to enter the US at the same time as the car, leave the US at the same time, and leave a bond that was something like 10x its value.